Oklahoma Road Trip: A day in Duncan & Marlow

Each month we strive to give you suggestions for a day trip that will make you want to gas up the car and make the roughly one to two-hour trip to the part of the state we have explored for you. This month we made our way to the Ducan/Marlow area, ate some incredible food, tasted some delicious wine, and sampled some superb craft beer.

Kochendorfer Brewing Co.

You will find Kochendorfer Brewing Co just off the beaten path between Marlow and Duncan just down McCurdy Road. It really all started back in 2010 when Chris and Laura Kochendorfer met Lenny and Kathryn Cripps and as they say, it’s all history from there. Realizing that they shared a love for craft beer Kochendorfer Brewing Co.opened its doors in November 2019 and over the past few years, these beer lovers have pretty much perfected the art of brewing beer.

When asked about the story behind their brand they told us, “We wanted the brand to reflect our personality and passion for people from all walks of life, our community, and craft beer. It represents the playfulness of the founders, the passion of the brewers, and the love of storytelling.” And we would say that they absolutely hit the mark.

Beer is their business and they offer an array of craft beer that even the pickiest beer drinker will be able to find one or two that they like. Kochendorfer focuses on making drinkable beer. Some may not understand that statement as they like when you have to choke a beer down because it’s either too bitter, too stout, or just too funky. That’s not this style, they believe beer should be enjoyed. From their Cream Ale to the Imperial Stout, you have incredible flavor without all the weird faces trying to figure out what you think about it. They have a Stout that comes in at 3.8% which would go perfectly with Sausage and Eggs or potato pancakes. That’s a great way to start a day. With the name, you would assume and would be correct that they make a great Hefeweizen. Their Dunkelweizen isn’t too shabby also and goes on my would drink anytime list. Recently, they decided to play a little bit for a good cause and created a one-of-a-kind Sour Wheat that has a lemony, citrusy tartness that makes it incredibly refreshing. The can design was part of a Collaboration with AutismOklahoma and looks amazing.

Each beer has its own story tying it to a fantastical tale that takes you to unseen and far away places, puts you through twists and turns, and then brings you to Oklahoma. Their Irish Red Ale tells the tale of Red, a fiery red-haired maiden with a temperament to match kicking some major booty in the 1800s. The Imperial Stout tells us how Viktor, an animal-loving gentle soul that was born in the 1800s in Russia and found himself on a journey with the circus. Check out their website at kochendorferbrewing.com for the rest of the stories.

If you have never been to Kochendorfer’s, you are in for a real treat! When you walk in you are greeted with a welcoming vibe that just puts you in the mood to drink some craft beer and play a game of pinball…yes they have pinball! If you like to enjoy the outdoors, their patio is simply fantastic. There is plenty of seating, several fire pits, corn hole, tetherball, and a walking trail! It is also family-friendly with an area just for the little ones to play.

Kochendorfers Brewery always has fun events happening. Open Thursday through Sunday, they host a variety of events each week including music, games, yoga, and more! Make sure and follow their social media for upcoming events and beer releases.

Cotton Blossom Winery

Tucked on a side street off of Main street in Marlow is Cotton Blossom Winery and you know we had to stop in and check it out. We were greeted with a friendly smile and sat down with Megan Bell, the owner of the place, to ask her some questions.

Cotton Blossom Winery opened its doors almost exactly 3 years ago. What started as a way to keep his mind off his emotionally taxing job as a hospice nurse, Megan’s husband Ryan started dabbling in wine-making at night in his downtime. The more he made, the more people wanted him to make. He was just doing it for fun but told Megan that one day he would open a winery… and guess what …he did.

You know the saying when you are in Rome? Well when you are in a winery, you have to do a wine tasting. They make a little bit of everything, from cabernet sauvignon to the sweeter fruit-flavored wines. There is something here for everyone, even the most discerning wine drinkers. The most popular is the Orchard peach-based wine. No grapes, just peaches. It’s deliciously refreshing! And just wait…rumor has it that Ryan makes wine-infused frozen yogurt on Saturdays in the summer that are absolutely divine!

There is always something happening at Cotton Blossom Winery. Do you like Bingo? You can test the odds here. Like to paint? Grab your brush, sip some wine and make a masterpiece. Want to learn how to create eye appeasing charcuterie boards? Well, you can learn how and walk away with a board made just for you! Make sure and check out their social media for a calendar of fun and exciting events.

When asked what the future holds for Cotton Blossom Winery, Megan told us that they keep outgrowing their space lol. This is the second location and they are already growing to the point that they are thinking about building a bigger space. Not a bad problem to have!

Megan and Ryan are honored that the town has supported them and they even have a partnership with Kochendorfer Brewing Co by carrying a few of each other products. Teamwork makes the dream work and it is definitely working here.

Cotton Blossom Winery is open Thursday 12 pm – 6 pm, Friday and Saturday 12 pm – 8 pm.

Big Belly Deli

There are few things in life as good as a perfectly built sandwich and I don’t know anyone that does it better than this little shop in the middle of Marlow, OK. Big Belly Deli has a menu that is inspiring. Yes, the sandwiches are amazing, but they also have a weekly menu that is incredibly well done. They love to get creative and it is very evident. Big Belly also has premade meals for those families on the run. If you are lucky, you can also find their food truck out and about. If you don’t feel like being lucky, you can check their schedule on their social media.

The word around town is that their Reuben is one of the best in the state, I know, I have been spreading that rumor. It would take a week to go through and tell you what we think about all of their sandwiches because they don’t do anything that isn’t amazing. That’s just the sandwiches, the salads are top shelf as well. If a sandwich or a salad doesn’t sound good, you can get breakfast all day, like the Lox Bagel or my personal favorite the Fried Egg Sandwich. There I go, making myself hungry again, on to the next spot.

Giuseppe’s Itallian Dining

You can’t talk about food in Marlow without talking about Giuseppe’s. For 26 years Giuseppe’s has been creating amazing food in Marlow. Brian Dicintio first brought this italian cuisine to town and has since passed the torch onto two brothers, Tandy Banks and Brandon Floyd (Chef Partner). Banks and Floyd have taken Guiseppe’s to amazing levels giving Marlow, OK an approachable, but expertly done menu that would be hard to find it’s equal in any small town in America. The focus on quality ingredients and expert presentation is unmatched in the area. It may be fine dining, but they also focus on relating to their town.

You can’t go many places and find a Pan Seared Beef Filet with Herb Roasted potatoes with seasonal vegetable garnish for the same price you would pay for a hamburger in some big cities. The menu is full of amazing dishes and pairs amazingly with the local and global drink selection. That is not to mention the coffee shop serving amazing Viridian Coffee drinks. I got a fantastic Latte for my quick walk over to the next spot.

Dicintio’s Pizza Cucina

This one calls for a quick story. In the mid 70s Brian Dicintio decided to hit the road from East Chester, NY for a road trip down the East Coast, then to Mexico and headed back north, but got to Marlow, OK where his car broke down. The rest is history. Brian proceeded to open the original Dicintio’s Cucina in 1986, then opened Guiseppe’s Italian Cuisine in 1996, then decided to sell it in 2007 and in 2017 decided to revive the Dicintio’s Pizza Cucina brand in it’s current location with it’s famous New York style pizza recipe that is now Oklahoma famous.Then is 2020, Joe Hennan jumped at the opportunity to take the reigns. Brian Dicintio still comes in on Fridays and Saturdays to toss dough and cut up with customers.

Coming into Dicintio’s is an experience that you don’t get a lot these days, with the feel of New York and the dough being tossed, not to mention the smell. The stone bottom ovens release amazing aromas from the handmade dough. It also does an amazing job at creating a light but sturdy crust on the pizzas.The pizzas are what you would expect from a true New York Style pizza place. You have the choice of amazing red sauce, rich Alfredo sauce, succulent Basil Pesto, or their homemade creamy ranch sauce.

Dicintio’s doesn’t just provide great pizza, and other italian favorites, they connect with you. It’s that small town feel you get when you find people that love where they are and what they are doing. Joe and his team does an amazing job at making everyone feel like they are at home in Marlow, OK.

So, that concludes our little road trip. The takeaways are, spend a weekend, because there is no way you can get all the food, beer and wine experiences done in one day. If you haven’t spent much time in small towns, be prepared for super friendly people and to wave at everyone.