A Newcomer's Eating Tour of Omaha
There's so much more to Omaha than just great steaks. Here are Food Network's essential restaurants.
Welcome to Omaha
Once overlooked as a vast landscape of chain restaurants and Old Italian steakhouses, Omaha, Neb., is now a culinary haven in the Midwest, with a growing number of locally owned restaurants relying on quality produce, meat and cheese from small-production farmers, and a strong craft-brewery scene. We put together our list of must-hit spots in this flourishing food city with the help of some culinary experts: Wendy Bredensteiner of the Omaha Farmers Market, Pastry Chef Kyle Shoemaker of Le Petit Paris Bakery and Roxanne Williams from City Sprouts, a community garden and education center in northern Omaha.
By Kelsey Vala
Kitchen Table
The Grey Plume
Block 16
España
M’s Pub
Twisted Cork Bistro
From the Pacific Northwest to the Cornhusker State comes Twisted Cork Bistro, a restaurant that specializes in fresh-caught Pacific seafood prepared with local produce and meats. When owners Darrell and Laura Auld moved to town from Seattle, they brought the idea for wholesome dishes with a Pacific Northwest focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients, such as sea scallops seared in shrimp butter with tangy lemon beurre blanc and cilantro-pine gremolata. They also feature an extensive list of Oregon and Washington craft brews and wines. But for an authentic taste of their adopted home, the Aulds serve a Twisted Cork Burger that does Nebraska proud.
Photo credit: Darrell Auld