2021 BEST OF OMAHA RESTAURANTS
I’ve never appreciated restaurants more than I did in 2021.
COVID-19 robbed us of the ability to dine in restaurants, a luxury I now realize I took for granted, for most of 2020 and a chunk of 2021. And while Omaha restaurants still served up some to-go tremendous meals, there’s no way to replicate the in-house dining experience from a to-go container. The food is fresher and warmer. The wait staff and ambience of the restaurant matter. Dining out feels like an event, not a rush to get home before the food gets cold.
And I feel like, after a year of odd restrictions, Omaha’s restaurants had some new tricks up their sleeves once the COVID shackles came off.
Below you’ll find the best things I had to eat in Omaha restaurants in 2021. These are all personal experiences; yours might be different, and that’s OK! But I encourage you to check out the places and dishes I list below. There’s a reason I vouch strongly for them.
Also, to vary the list up, I tried to avoid naming a bunch of dishes from my favorite joints. Anyone who reads my writing or follows me on Twitter or Instagram knows how much I adore Block 16, Dante, Au Courant, and the like. You still might see those places make appearances in this blog (they’re the best for a reason), but I tried to provide some variety.
- Best Single Meal
- Best New Restaurant
- Best Burger
- Best Burrito
- Best Sandwich
- Best Pasta Dish
- Best Taco
- Best Mexican/Latin American Dish (non-taco division)
- Best Appetizer
- Best Dessert
- Best New Food Discovery
Best Single Meal: Tasting Menu at Casa Bovina
OK, so technically this restaurant isn’t in Omaha. It’s on the very Eastern edge of Lincoln. Sue me.
Just know that a meal at Casa Bovina is well worth the 45-minute drive out of the city. Heck, I’d drive for 5 or 6 hours to eat here.
The talent and creativity of chefs Zach Midgett and Todd Abboud is incredible, and the playground of fantastic products and equipment at their disposal allow them to create breathtaking meals. And while you can order a la carte here, I cannot recommend the tasting menu—which allows you to experience the full breadth of the restaurant—highly enough.
Our first experience here included an ahi crudo so fresh I swear it was swimming 10 minutes prior to being served, a scallop so rich and buttery that it erupted a burst of sweetness upon first bite, a Certified Piedmontese rib cap that was so tender it was almost silky in texture, and a gelato laced with beef fat and burnt sugar.
And of course, the meal’s highlight is the Tajarin. A giant wheel of parmigiano reggiano is wheeled over to the table and heated to melt the top. Strands of tajarin pasta are then mixed into the melty cheese and nested on the plate, resulting in a rich, gooey teepee of noodles and dairy. This dish is a masterpiece and a must-try for any diner.
Casa Bovina is a must-try for any food lover, regardless of location. I’ll remember our first meal there for the rest of my life.
Honorable mention: Wine Dinner with Nicola Biscardo (Dante); Tasting Menu (Au Courant)
Best New Restaurant: Little Ve's
I’m not a vegan, not by a long shot.
But the food at Little Ve’s is so vibrant, so bursting with flavor, that it’s my favorite restaurant that Omaha welcomed in 2021. And as the newest member of The Switch Beer & Food Hall, I think it’s just getting started.
Owner Rene Guzman has perfected the art of both thrilling vegans and converting carnivores into vegan believers. His versions of steak, chorizo, and pork feel, taste, and look so much like meat that I wouldn’t know the difference if you didn’t tell me. The Torta, which stuffs a toasted bolillo roll with wonderfully seasoned mock asada, avocado, jalapeños, and veggies, is among the best sandwiches in Omaha. The slices of jackfruit in the Birria Tacos perfectly mimic pork and carry the smoky, earthy, and slightly spicy flavors birria brings to the table. And the Burritos are as delicious as they are enormous.
Bottom line: it doesn’t matter if you’re a full-fledged vegan or avowed carnivore. You’ll have a fantastic meal at Little Ve’s.
Honorable Mention: Everett’s; Sunnyside on Center; Good Lookin’; Kalye; Gather in Omaha
Best Burger: Double Cheeseburger (Fizzy's Fountain & Liquors)
Fizzy’s is best known for its 1960s vibe (orders are taken via a phone attached to the wall), creative cocktails, and standout brunch. But it deserves special recognition for its burger, which instantly became one of my top 2021 dishes upon first bite.
Fizzy’s uses two smashed patties, a technique that increases the grilling surface area and creates amazingly crisp-crusted, flavor-packed patties. These wondrous, juicy discs are housed inside a buttery, soft brioche bun from Culprit Cafe and topped with shredded lettuce, tangy “Fancy Sauce”, and sharp melted American cheese. Add a few crispy strips of bacon for $2 and you have one home run of a burger.
Honorable mention: Block Burger (Block 16); Royal Boy Burger (Dandelion Pop-Up)
Best Burrito: Hatch Mac Burrito with Brisket (Muchachos)
Yep, it’s another Lincoln restaurant. I’m sorry. Rarely will I ever recommend anyone ever leave Omaha to eat, but Casa Bovina and this burrito are a few exceptions.
Muchachos starts with some of the best smoked meats in the Midwest; my personal favorite is the smoky, tender brisket. It mixes that with a creamy mac & cheese, laced with sweet, slightly spicy hatch chiles, and stuffs it inside a massive tortilla. The gooey, stringy cheese melds the al dente noodles to the savory brisket, all sealed inside a grilled tortilla.
The Poutine Burrito from Block 16 remains the greatest burrito known to mankind, but this gut-busting masterpiece from Muchachos isn’t far behind.
Honorable mention: Bacon & Egg Breakfast Burrito (Sunnyside on Center); GOAT Breakfast Burrito (Wonton Jon’s); Smoked Chili Breakfast Burrito (WD Cravings); Breakfast Burrito (Good Lookin’)
Best Sandwich: Debo-Style Chicken Sandwich (Dirty Birds)
The first two emotions you experience with this Dirty Birds creation are shock and awe: shock at just how large the sandwich is, and awe that fried chicken can somehow be this crispy yet still moist on the interior.
The sheer size of Dirty Birds’ sandwiches induce double takes; they’re a good 6-8 inches tall and require the diner to unhinge their jaw anaconda-style to bite in. But all it takes is one bite to realize Dirty Birds doesn’t use its sandwiches’ size as an Instagram gimmick. These are an art form, starting with the city’s best fried chicken. That perfectly fried poultry is dunked in a mix of garlic honey and fermented hot sauce for a sweet/heat combo. A buttery brioche bun is slathered with cooling may and topped with thick-cut housemade pickles before inserting the several large pieces of chicken, creating a mountain of a sandwich. Difficult as it may be, you’ll want to get a complete bite and experience all these incredible flavors working together in harmony.
Honorable mention: BLT (Kitchen Table); Spicy Meatball Sub (Virtuoso Pizzeria); The Jeffrey (Block 16); Torta (Mexitli)
Best Pasta Dish: Tagliatelle & Sunday Ragu (Dante)
No one in Omaha does pasta quite like Dante, and no dish has me shoveling carbs into my mouth quite like this one.
All Dante’s dishes start with fresh pasta; in this case, it’s long, thin strands of brilliant tagliatelle noodles. This gigantic nest of pasta is intertwined with chunks of tender, succulent bison meat (courtesy of the brilliant Central Nebraska Buffalo) that’s been cooked with spicy nduja (a spreadable pork sausage spiked with Calabrian chiles) and red wine. The result is a rich, warming dish that satisfies your appetite, tastebuds, and soul.
Pasta is my favorite food, and no dish captures my carb-loving attention quite like this glorious plate of noodles.
Honorable mention: Short Rib Agnolotti (Au Courant); Pappardelle with Braised Short Rib (V. Mertz); Tajarin (Casa Bovina); Bolognese Bianco (Avoli Osteria); Maultasche (Le Bouillon)
Best Taco: Al Pastor Tacos (La Choza)
One of my missions was to explore South Omaha’s vaunted Mexican scene this year. While I didn’t make it everywhere, I hit four or five of the most recommended joints and man… South O’s taco reputation is well earned.
This “award” could’ve gone to many restaurants, but there’s a reason the Tacos Al Pastor at La Choza have such a stellar reputation. The marinated pork is slightly sweet and tangy, and these street tacos are absolutely loaded with it. Street tacos are small by nature, but I’d guess there’s 6-8 ounces of meat packed into an order of three. And yet, the homemade tortillas (which have a nice firm chew) hold up and don’t tear. My normal complaint with street tacos is they’re gone in two bites; these tacos require 4-5 hefty chomps. With pineapple chunks adding a touch more sweetness and diced white onion adding bite, these tacos are in perfect balance.
Honorable mention: Taco de Chicarron (Mexitli); Barbacoa Puffy Taco (Taco Co.); Beef Cheek Taco (El Alambre); Lengua Tacos (Tixteco)
Best Mexican/Latin American Dish (non-taco division): Steak Quesadilla (Mexitli)
Of all the Mexican restaurants I tried in 2021, the Mexitli food truck was far and away my favorite. Between the bright red, beet juice-infused corn tortillas (the beets don’t affect the flavor) and the depth of flavor in the meats, this place truly stands out.
And while everything I tried there was excellent, the Quesadilla wears the crown here.
This thing is swimming in gooey, melty cheese, and I’d bet there’s about a third of a pound of steak trapped inside. The steak is seasoned really well, and it’s really easy to pick up and eat on the go. Add a touch of the provided hot sauce and you’ll be in quesadilla nirvana.
Honorable mention: Pupusas (Salmex); Torta (Little Ve’s); Quesadilla Masa (Tixteco); Lengua Burrito (El Alambre)
Best Appetizer: Bread Service (La Buvette)
Bread is one of the simplest foods known to man, but when it’s hot, fresh, and handmade, it can send you straight to carb Heaven.
That’s what the bread plate at La Buvette does. There’s nothing crazy here: just several small slices of bread and a knife’s worth of butter. But the quality is impeccable, and the variety keeps you interested from piece to piece. From the crusty baguette to the sweet French bread to the buttery, fluffy brioche, each piece has its own personality. The only downside to this starter is you’ll be tempted to eat a day’s worth of carbs before your entree arrives.
Honorable mention: Char-Buff Frog Legs (Le Bouillon); Boom Boom Shrimp (The Rude Shrimp Co.); Brussels Sprouts (Everett’s); Buffalo Cauliflower Wings (Modern Love); Pastelitos (The Hunger Block)
Best Dessert: S'Mores Special Edition Cake (Buttered Marshmallow)
Honorable mention: Creamy Peppermint Bark Ice Cream (Coneflower Creamery); Jill’s Famous Brownie (Everett’s); Salted Milk Chocolate Oreo Cookie (Sweet Magnolia’s Bake Shop); Brown Butter Polenta Cake (The Boiler Room)
Best New Food Discovery: Hand Pies (Carter & Rye)
It’s almost too simple of an idea. Pie is amazing, but it has a few drawbacks. It’s not portable, and its usually packed with sweet ingredients, making it a dessert-only (or breakfast, if you’re into that) food.
Hand pies solve all those problems. By encasing ingredients inside a buttery, flaky crust, they can be eaten anywhere, anytime. And, as Carter & Rye proves, they can be just as delicious with savory ingredients as they are with sweet.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Carter & Rye’s sweet options, especially the Brown Sugar Cinnamon and Peach Bourbon. But this farmers market favorite (now with a brick and mortar off 42nd and Center) truly shines in the savory lane, with offerings like the Philly Cheesesteak, Cheesy Hash Brown, and Ham & Cheese hand pies.
Whether you want to satisfy your sweet tooth or experience just how wonderful a savory pie can be, Carter & Rye needs to be on your list in 2022.
Honorable mention: Creative Deviled Eggs (Deviled Egg Co.); Pastrami Burnt Ends (Porky Butts BBQ); Lumpia (Kalye)