In our microwave society where information must be delivered in 280 characters (or preferably less), it’s hard to companies to stop the ever-scrolling thumb. Potential customers fly through social media posts at astounding speeds, barely giving themselves time to process the information.
One thing consistently halts the scrolling wheel: food pics.
All it takes is one drool-worthy image to make a person pause and consider their eating plans for the day, and the restaurants that do it best are reaping the benefits. Here are the Omaha restaurant accounts that use social media the best, and the ones you should be following.
Note: This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are plenty of other Omaha restaurants that kill it in the social media game. These are my personal favorites and the ones I feel make me hungry the most often. Feel free to leave a comment about your favorites or send me a tweet at @danhoppen.
Block 16
Around 10 o’clock each morning, Block 16 sends out Tweets and Facebook posts featuring its daily special, a crazy concoction dreamed up by owners Jess and Paul Urban. They commonly involve wildly creative burgers or putting different cuisines into sandwiches or wraps. These mash-ups often seem unusual and insane on the surface, and yet, they’re insanely good in Block 16’s hands.
Some recent examples:
- A Nashville hot chicken sandwich on a glazed donut bun (with bacon, of course)
- A Po Boy stuffed with cornmeal-fried shrimp, fresh oysters, dirty slaw, and hot sauce aioli
- A Philly cheesesteak with smoked pork belly
I mean, COME ON.
Jess and Paul, who run the account, are also very interactive with followers and source ideas for specials from customer suggestions.
Virtuoso Pizzeria
Virtuoso Pizzeria excels by utilizing different social media platforms in unique ways. Facebook and Instagram are more suited for photos, so Virtuoso activates its followers saliva glands with incredible pictures of its pizzas (just look at those crispy pepperonis!).
Twitter is more text-based, so Virtuoso uses it to list its daily specials. The by-the-slice restaurant has three standard offerings (cheese, pepperoni, and meatball) and three specials, which rotate based on the freshest ingredients and whatever pizzaiolo David Losole is feeling. The specials are announced via Twitter, which draw in customers like flies drawn to a porch light (how do you resist a slice called the Pepperoni Pepperoni Pepperoni?!).
Bärchen Beer Garden
Of all Omaha restaurants, few are responsive and interactive as Bärchen Beer Garden. The account will respond not only to restaurant queries, but comments on European soccer, Nebraska football, and more. It displays some true personality with snark and humor.
But the real highlight are the food pics. The restaurant launched Omaha’s best Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich in 2019 through social media, and the item became so popular that it was moved from the Sunday brunch to everyday menu.
Its Facebook account posts events (such as trivia nights, live music, and speed dating sessions) and beer specials (particularly for Euro League matches), while the Twitter account elicits laughs and Instagram has the tractor beam of food pics.
Dante/Forno
These sister restaurants, both creations of the brilliant Nick Strawhecker, work together to promote each other’s delicious specials.
Dante, the more upscale of the two, focuses more on special pizzas and Italian delicacies. Forno brings Dante’s deliveries to a fast-casual restaurant and hosts incredible brunch specials each weekend.
Best yet, they’ll get pop-in videos from Nick himself to break down the delicious special of the day/week. That personal touch goes a long way and helps diners feel connected to the restaurants.
Kitchen Table
Kitchen Table‘s normal menu is full of amped-up versions of comfort classics such as grilled cheese, deviled eggs, and more, all made daily from locally-sourced ingredients. But each morning and afternoon (that’s right, multiple specials every day), owner/chefs Colin and Jessica Duggan unleash their creative side with creative spins on their already wonderful dishes.
You’ll find delicacies like mac & cheese with beer cheese sauce, smothered carnitas burritos, Wagyu beef burgers, and more. But what makes KT truly unique are its vegetarian specials. Alongside the burgers and fried chicken are burritos with sweet potato “chorizo” and veggie “bologna” and cheese sandwiches. Regardless of your dining preferences, KT has something special for you.
Porky Butts BBQ
Few cuisines pop in photo form more than BBQ, and Porky Butts BBQ takes full advantage. The restaurant is still less than a year old, but it’s smartly used social media to post about specials and events and introduce itself to Omaha. It also does a great job trumpeting the accomplishments of owner Blane Hunter, one of America’s finest pitmasters, to help establish its credibility.
The restaurant is also very engaging with its followers, so don’t hesitate to share a pic or stories from meals there.
Modern Love
How do you get the biggest city in the Beef State to try vegan food?
You post pics like the one above.
At this point, Modern Love is established well enough that even avowed meat eaters are willing to give it a try. But for anyone who’s still hesitant, ML’s posts show that meatless meals can be incredible too. The food is incredible, and Modern Love’s social accounts do a wonderful job showcasing it.
Culprit Cafe
Don’t forget to indulge your sweet tooth on social media. Culprit Cafe is one of several Omaha bakeries that posts frequent drool-worthy pics (others include Sweet Magnolias, Omaha Bakery, Whisk And Measure, and Le Quartier).
Those accounts are all fantastic and I recommend them, but Culprit is my personal favorite because it mixes in some savory with the sweet. Alongside pics of cinnamon rolls, donuts, and chocolate cake are french onion soup, Southern mac & cheese with lardons, and French dip sandwiches. The bakery/restaurant also posts specials, brunch menus, and pictures to introduce the staff.
