Ever stop to think about why we love buffet restaurants so much? In part, it’s because we love getting a good deal. The idea of unlimited food for a set price is kind of hard to argue with, especially when we love the restaurant. If you enjoy shrimp and the buffet serves it, it’s time to eat all the shrimp you can. If it’s pizza your heart desires, then eating slice after slice of that delicious pepperoni with cheese is pure heaven.

Another reason we’ve fallen for buffets is that they’re quick. Walk into one, and you can have a piping hot plate of your favorite food sitting right in front of you, ready to be devoured, lickety-split. In some restaurants, you might be lucky to get an appetizer in 15 minutes, much less the food you came in for.

Perhaps the reason most of us like the buffet is because it offers variety. In the early 1900s, Sweeden introduced the smorgasbord. What started as a plethora of cheese and meat and other finger food items in Europe, 100 years later has turned into the all-out buffet in the United States.

In Tulsa, we love trying all sorts of food and drink. Walking into a restaurant with the chance to try every last thing on the menu is paradise.

And from time to time, there’s something undeniably satisfying about a meal that doesn’t end until you decide it should. When no matter how much you eat, it costs the same. And where no one’s going to judge you for grabbing yet another plate, since you’re all there on the same mission.

This area is filled with such endless experiences, from casino buffets to all-you-can-eat Asian joints, Brazilian steakhouses to bottomless breakfasts. So, strap on a bib, use a napkin, tip your server, and check out our 27 favorite all-you-can-eats.

America’s insane love affair with its Italian cuisine is as alive and kicking as ever. Green Country’s enthusiastic restaurant scene is evidence of that. If you don’t think Tulsans appreciate Italian cooking, think again. We love it all — pizza out the wazoo; plate after plate of bruschetta; lasagna layer upon layer; spicy meatballs; veal parmigiana — all served with tons of zesty Italian sausage and garlic, garlic and, dare we say, more garlic. Let’s not forget all our favorite cheeses piled on top — provolone, gorgonzola, ricotta, and mozzarella, to name just a few.

Is your mouth watering yet? Well, let us tempt you with what comes after you eat your dinner. We’re talking the good stuff, like cannolis, gelato, and zeppoles. These are desserts we thank the heavens for. And remember, you can top it all off with excellent Italian wine, amaretto, Sambuca or a quick shot of espresso.

So what were our classifications for an Italian restaurant? A prevalence of Italian or Italian-inspired dishes on the menu? Of course. We were OK with pizzerias. We were also good with restaurants that are Italian-inspired. A great Italian restaurant has many of the same standards that make any restaurant great: impeccable service, high-quality food sourced from the finest purveyors, creative-yet-classic preparation and craftsmanship, and an overall experience that leaves you happy and content in the fact that you just ate a world-class meal.

Some of our favorite Italian restaurants made their reputations on outstanding wine lists. Others go beyond Tuscan or Roman cuisine to acquaint diners with the pleasures of culinary traditions from other regions of the boot-shaped country.

What’s certain is that each of these 40 restaurants is a destination worth checking off your list.

Oh, grilled cheese sandwich, how do we love you? Let us count the ways. We love the delicious bread, butter, and, of course, cheese that it's made of. Toasted, popped in the oven, seared on the stove, fried in a pan, grilled inside a panini press —no matter how the sandwich is made, we love its tasty goodness.

The grilled cheese sandwich reminds us of our younger years, when, as a summertime meal, a tasty grilled cheese gave us the energy to go back outside and play until the sun went down, and even late into the evening. During the wintertime, our moms served it to warm us up, alongside a hot bowl of soup. Any time of the year, the grilled cheese sandwich reminds us of the comfort we can get from a simple, classic, evergreen dish.

Grilled cheese can be made simply with classic white bread and American cheese, or dressed up with bacon, tomato, avocado, sourdough, and just about anything else a creative chef can dream up and execute. Served with a side of simple, crispy fries or a tomato bisque or chips or apple slices — or maybe something genuinely decadent like mac 'n' cheese or fresh as a spinach salad, this favorite of favorites is reliable and so wonderful.

It's no surprise, then, that with so many amazing restaurants in Tulsa, grilled cheese is a staple on many local menus, promising us a dish that is precisely as tasty and comforting and indulgent as we expect it to be. Here's a list of some of our favorite places that are playing cupid in our love affair with the beloved grilled cheese sandwich.

When you’re hungry and need a treat, how can you possibly beat hot, juicy, crispy fried chicken matched with warm, golden waffles, drizzled with sweet maple syrup? And even if you could, do you really want to?

There’s magic in the rich, fatty salt of fried chicken, tempered by the sugar of maple syrup and a crispy waffle. And there’s satisfaction in having breakfast and dinner at once—no matter the time of day. It’s a recipe that has stood the test of time, spread across the nation, and gotten only more appetizing.

Tulsa’s passionate love affair with chicken and waffles has been going on for decades, and it’s here to stay. So many Green Country restaurants shamelessly offer this decadent Southern comfort dish on their regular menu, it’s hard to imagine not eating it daily. Of course, there are also local eateries that cleverly reserve chicken and waffles for their brunch menu on the weekends, perhaps to tempt us to come back week after week to get our fix.

No matter how you look at it, though, restaurants in tune with Tulsa’s diners understand that most of us, when finding our beloved chicken and waffles on a menu, will order them time after time.

So, let us throw down a good- old-fashioned food challenge: How many different variations of chicken and waffles have you tried in our metropolis? We’re willing to bet you haven’t eaten them all. Sure, that may be good for your waistline. But what about your soul? You have to feed your soul.

To help you eat your way around the 918, here are some of our favorite restaurants that continue to carry the torch for this sweet and savory meal. Some take the classic approach, others skew creative, but all do justice to this satisfying comfort food.