This food trend started off slow in the Wichita area, but two more restaurants are coming

Denise Neil
·2 min read

The build-your-own poke trend got a slow start in the Wichita area, but fans of the dish — a Hawaiian-inspired invention that mixes sushi-grade fish with rice, veggies and sauces — is finally gaining steam.

Wichita appears poised to get its fifth poke restaurant in NewMarket Square, and Derby is getting one, too.

A sign just went up at NewMarket Square for a restaurant called Tai Chi Bubble Tea, which will be part of a Rochester, New York, chain that also sells poke bowls, ramen soup, sushi burritos and boba tea. It’s unclear when the restaurant will open as neither the company nor NewMarket Square representatives have returned messages sent over the past couple of weeks. The nearest Tai Chi Bubble Tea to Wichita is in Oklahoma City, although the chain has about 40 restaurants in cities from coast to coast.

Tai Chi Bubble Tea, which also will serve poke, is coming to 2413 N. Maize Road in NewMarket Square.
Tai Chi Bubble Tea, which also will serve poke, is coming to 2413 N. Maize Road in NewMarket Square.

Also, Derby is about to get its own Pokemoto, a restaurant that already has two locations in Wichita: one that opened at 550 N. Webb Road in September of 2022 and a second that opened a couple of months ago at 1028 W. Pawnee. The area’s third Pokemoto is opening in the former Papa Murphy’s space at 1636 N. Rock Road in Derby. Pokemoto Chief Operating Officer Kenneth Miller said the restaurant should open in early December.

Poke was first introduced to Wichita when Poke Mix opened in 2017 at 8918 W. 21st St., just in front of the Warren Theatre. That restaurant closed in 2020 but its concept was absorbed into Crafted, the coffee shop at 9730 E 21st St.

Wichita’s first Pokemoto restaurant opened last year at 550 N. Webb Road.
Wichita’s first Pokemoto restaurant opened last year at 550 N. Webb Road.

In addition to Crafted and Wichita’s two Pokemoto restaurants, Oishi — which opened earlier this year at 1845 S. Rock Road — serves poke. Locals also can get it from the Noble House Hawaiian food truck when it makes stops in Wichita as well as at other fish-focused restaurants, some of which list poke dishes on their menus.