Inside The Pioneer Woman's Mercantile: Ree Drummond's Must-Visit Restaurant and Shop

Would you drive all the way from Alabama to Oklahoma for one of Ree Drummond's delicious cowboy breakfast burritos? How about traveling from Minnesota for fried pork chops smothered in brown gravy, followed by vanilla ice cream melting over a warm peach dumpling?


Fans of Ree, host of Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman, came from across the country when her combination restaurant, bakery and general store, The Mercantile, opened in 2016. The crowds showed up again after The Merc, as Ree affectionately calls it, was completely remodeled in 2023 — and people are still coming to snap up gifts, kitchen goods, and more and to savor her famous comfort foods.

True to her rural ranch roots, Ree says all the recipes on the menu have been approved by "cowboys and hungry kids." At the coffee bar inside The Merc, baristas stay busy whipping up its signature drink, the Spicy Cowgirl, along with lattes, espressos and other beverages while the scents of made-from-scratch pies and cakes drift in from the bakery.

The Merc sits on the main street in the small town of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and it's hard to miss it. The city, located on the Osage Nation Reservation and about 60 miles from Tulsa, covers just 3.8 square miles. Pawhuska is also where Ree and her husband, Ladd, live on their working cattle ranch, and where they renovated a historic, century-old trading goods store that now houses The Mercantile. Here, it's all dressed up with holiday lights and decorations.

After opening in 2016, The Merc eventually needed a makeover, and renovations began in 2023. The result? A slightly less rustic look, but the restaurant, bakery and store still have the exposed bricks and other vintage charms Ree's fans love. Old, steel-frame windows were used to add character to a new private dining room, and crystal chandeliers went up to add sparkle and brighten the space. The remodelers also installed hanging basket lights, customer booths upholstered in a bright cherry red color and new tile floors. The store got a refresh, too, with new kitchen goods, plush toys, T-shirts and many other items.

Yes, you can have pancakes all day at The Mercantile, Ree says — even if you're craving them for dinner. She's tweaked her recipe over the years, aiming for the lightest, fluffiest cakes around, and her Perfect Pancakes recipe uses milk and buttermilk to pump up the flavor and texture. It's easier for home cooks to make, too, since it's been revised to call for readily available all-purpose flour instead of cake flour.

By the way, many other items on The Mercantile's menu are also available all day.

Got a sweet tooth? Get the Crunchy French Toast, made with two thick slices of brioche bread and soaked in a rich custard. The slices are coated with crushed cornflakes and crushed sugary cereal and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. They're served with your choice of cinnamon vanilla, sea salt caramel or maple syrups. After The Merc's grand reopening, Ree reimagined the recipe, and now the toast is plated up with dollops of mascarpone that's made with heavy cream, brown sugar and a splash of vanilla.

One of the most popular items on The Mercantile menu is The Farmer's Breakfast. This hearty, filling meal satisfies hungry customers with three choices of meats and two eggs, any way you like them. Here, it's shown with country ham, sausage patties, strips of bacon and Ree's delicious Crispy Bits Breakfast Potatoes.

If The Farmer's Breakfast doesn't fill you up — and that's hard to imagine — ask for a side of biscuits with butter and housemade jam or biscuits swimming in sausage gravy. The Mercantile bakery sells scones and other treats, like muffins and croissants. If you've got a sweet tooth, you can find cinnamon rolls, chocolate cake, cupcakes, pies and all sorts of cookies and delicious bars (think flavors like mixed berry cheesecake and lemon).

You can eat at The Merc or place an order to go, but when you're home, and your goodies are gone, use Ree's Food Network recipe to make your own biscuits. She makes all kinds, from Southern style to buttermilk or molasses.

The Mercantile's wildly popular Smokie Okie isn't just for lunch; it's also great for dinner. Like Ree's breakfast dishes, sandwiches like this one are also available all day long. It's made with a crispy, hand-breaded chicken breast that's been glazed with a spicy maple-chiptole sauce and comes with shredded romaine, creamy mayo, tomato slices and sliced bacon. Everything is tucked inside a toasted brioche bun. Ree calls it a "chicken BLT," for bacon, lettuce and tomato.

One of the more recent dishes on The Mercantile menu is Ree's Heirloom Tomato Salad, and you can enjoy it as a starter or a main course. It comes with a gorgeous green dressing made from cucumber water (that's the liquid Ree saves from grating mini cucumbers), fresh cilantro, chives, and parsley and the juice from half a lime. It's finished with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkles of salt and pepper. The colorful salad plate comes with a round of extra-creamy Burrata, arugula, yellow heirloom tomato slices and cherry tomatoes, all garnished with sliced shallots and basil microgreens. Ree recommends a side dish of cheese or garlic bread.

Ree adapted her popular Parmesan Garlic Fries so they're easy to make at home (one secret: start with frozen, seasoned fries). When they're served at The Mercantile, they're available as a snack, starter or side. They're made from fresh-cut potatoes that are fried and tossed in garlicky butter, then heaped with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Want more? Try them with garlic aioli and ketchup on the side. Pair these Parmesan goodies with another sandwich, soup or salad.

The BBQ Glazed Half Chicken served at The Mercantile is made from white and dark meat (boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs). It's coated with The Pioneer Woman's spice rub, then grilled and glazed with barbecue sauce. Here, it's pictured with balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts and Yukon gold mashed potatoes. Garnish it with bacon and sliced green tops from green onions for a mouthwatering dish.

The bakery got a refresh, too. Behind the scenes, where the staff does the mixing, baking and frosting, new lighting fixtures and big windows illuminate the stainless steel prep tables, storage racks and other kitchen equipment. The layout was revamped, too; Ree originally thought most customers would ask for to-go orders, but many wanted to sit down and enjoy their food and their surroundings. Some of the bakery counters were rearranged or removed to make more room for tables.

Cinnamon rolls go fast at The Mercantile. They're also a family favorite, especially at Christmastime. She makes a maple-flavored icing with a slightly surprising ingredient — a small amount of strongly brewed coffee — and drizzles the icing over the rolls before bringing them to the table. That helps them soak up all the moisture and sugary goodness. Since these rolls are made from scratch, the dough has to rise for about an hour, but then it will last in the refrigerator for up to three days.

The Mercantile's moist strawberry cake is a customer favorite. Ree makes hers with cream cheese frosting, strawberry crumbles, strawberry curls and white chocolate curls. She suggests saving time when you make it at home by using a box of strawberry cake mix and a jar of strawberry sauce. For the strawberry crumbles, use premade strawberry cream sandwich cookies.