A CATERED AFFAIR

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑

Cozy Cafe with Breakfast and Lunch Dishes and Pastries

Perfect For: Baked Goods; Breakfast/Brunch; Causal Dining; Lunch

Standout Dishes: Cubano; Bagel Sandwich; Salted Caramel Cinnamon Roll; Croissant Sandwich

The name “A Catered Affair” doesn’t immediately bring to mind a sit-down restaurant. And much of the company’s business is more accurate to its name, serving diners outside of its own space.

But A Catered Affair has a secret gem: a cafe attached to the front of its giant kitchen. This magical hideaway allows the public to purchase fresh-made pastries, swing by for grab-and-go meals, or relax with a coffee and some of the best breakfast in Omaha.

A Catered Affair made its name before the cafe existed by creating special experiences for intimate gatherings, massive events, and just about anything in between. They carefully work with each client to curate a menu that adheres to dietary restrictions, matches specific themes, or incorporates family recipes. Weddings, baby showers, huge corporate events, private in-home parties… A Catered Affair has done it all.

That same attention to detail is now served out of the cozy cafe. In addition to a fully-stocked pastry display case and coffee and liquor options, A Catered Affair offers an all-day breakfast and lunch menu featuring only fresh ingredients and homemade recipes.

What makes A Catered Affair’s dishes stand out is how they highlight simplicity. Most sandwiches and dishes have only a few components, but they’re so well-cooked and layered that the flavors and textures pop the way they would in grandma’s kitchen.

It all starts with the humblest meal of the day: breakfast. You won’t find trendy dishes like stuffed French toast or s’mores pancakes here. These are dishes you’ve likely had before, but not often with this care or explosion of flavor.

No breakfast joint can thrive without great egg cookery, and A Catered Affair passes this test with flying colors. The scrambled eggs posses a rich, buttery flavor and have a tender, almost bouncy mouthfeel. They work great in the Bagel Sandwich, which accents the mild egg flavor with the sharp punch of gooey cheddar cheese and giant slices of crisp, pepper-y bacon, all of which resides between a chewy, crusty everything bagel. It’s so well-built that it needs no mayo or sauce to be one of the best breakfast sandwiches in the city.

The Crossaint Sandwich works with mostly the same ingredients, but with a few minor tweaks. In this case the bacon is candied for a pleasant sweetness, and a flaky, buttery croissant replaces the hearty bagel.

A Catered Affair isn’t all breakfast, though. Open til 6PM, the cafe also serves burgers, sandwiches, and weekly specials. That includes dish like the Shrimp Po Boy, a combination of plump, crispy shrimp and a creamy, tangy remoulade sauce in a buttered, toasted hoagie.

And if you’re a fan of Cubano sandwiches, you simply must get ACA’s version. With perfectly pressed, toasty Cuban bread, juicy, tangy pork, and crisp, bright house pickles, this is one of the best Cubanos in Omaha. Same goes for the Reuben, which combines a massive mountain of smoky, thinly shaved pastrami with a homemade thousand island dressing, two levels of melted Swiss, and a beautifully crunchy slaw.

No visit to A Catered Affair is complete without moseying over to the pastry case, which beckons with both sweet and savory options that change frequently. The cafe is best known for its giant cinnamon rolls, and it’s not hard to see why. Rich, gooey, and decadent, there’s velvety icing oozing from every pore of this flaky dough.

You can’t go wrong with the classic version, but A Catered Affair also has a Nutella and Salted Caramel Cinnamon Roll (shown in the header photo). The latter has a subtle caramel flavor, and pops of kosher salt keep it from being overwhelmingly sweet. But things go to the next level with the Bacon Cinnamon Roll, which not only tops the roll with bacon bits, but inserts strips inside each layer. It’s a brilliant collision at the corner of sweet and savory.

The croissants are extremely well made, with layer after layer of flaky, slightly crispy dough and a buttery aftertaste. The Chocolate Croissant adds a rush of warm chocolate-y goodness to the center.

And it’s not all about the sweets; A Catered Affair can do savory baking, too. That’s displayed masterfully in the Spinach Artichoke Pastry, which takes everything you love about the classic dip and encases it in a buttery dough with a crisp exterior.

The atmosphere is so laid back that you’re tempted to stay for hours. Large plated glass windows flood the space with natural light. The waitresses are attentive and welcoming, and they’ll engage in friendly conversation if you please. And the cafe has several shelves and tables selling locally-produced products, condiments, spices, and more.

A Catered Affair has definitely built a strong and deserved reputation for its catering offerings, and based on my experiences I’d recommend them for any party or gathering. But the cafe offers a completely different experience: one that still offers the same care and carefully-crafted recipes, but in restaurant form.