OMAHA RESTAURANT SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW
Social media is one of the most powerful tools restaurants have at their disposal. A drool-inducing pic could change a diner’s meal plans for the day, and social media is great for restaurants to hype special dishes and food trucks/pop-ups to share their upcoming events.
Social media is also time consuming and difficult to do well; you must commit time and resources to it to maximize its potential. These 13 Omaha restaurants get the most out of social media with eye-popping photos and timely information, which is why you need to make sure you’re following them.
Block 16
No Omaha restaurant utilizes social media as well as Block 16. Each day around 10:20AM, the restaurant releases its daily special, which is usually an insane mash-up like a grilled cheese sandwich with fried chicken, a fried egg, and country gravy or a sandwich that uses deep-fried cuts of lasagna as buns. Crazy as these combinations might sound, they’re designed and crafted by James Beard-nominated chefs Jessica Joyce Urban and Paul Urban, who both have fine dining backgrounds.
Block 16 has a quirky, funny personality that gives life to the restaurant. Its tweets and Facebook posts are filled with jokes and dry humor, injecting humanity and a human element in each post.
There are certain specials you absolutely can’t miss out on, making Block 16 a must-follow. But beware: following Block 16 will tempt you to visit just about every day.
Kamp
An elevated food hall with three concepts, Kamp has plenty to tease in its Instagram posts. From the enormous, crispy chicken wings to the fist-sized tater tots, amped-up hot dogs, and one of Omaha’s best burgers, Kamp’s photos will draw you in like a tractor beam.
But Kamp takes you behind the scenes with its Pop Shots series, where a cook shows you step-by-step how some of its most popular dishes are created. These videos are both entertaining and informative, and make you crave this food hall’s offerings all the more.
Izzy's Pizza Bus
The stunning photos of the rectangular Detroit-style pizzas coming off Izzy’s Pizza Bus are worth a follow alone. With a beautiful caramelized crown, mounds of gooey cheese, and plenty of interesting specials, you’re going to always want to know when and where this food truck will be next.
But Izzy’s owner Brett Geiger also takes you behind the scenes of his process. He talks about the science of dough making, how he’s had to change his recipes since moving from Las Vegas, and what he’s working on next. Brett’s transparency and insight into food truck life are interesting, entertaining, and insightful.
Trucks & Taps
This food truck hub is home to some of Omaha’s best meals on wheels. Its main tenants include Izzy’s Pizza Bus, Burning Bridges Food Truck, The Modern Waffle, Three Kids Lobster, and Dire Lion. On any given visit, you have your choice between English pub far, lobster rolls, epic Detroit-style pizza, and one of Omaha’s best fried chicken sandwiches. And with a communal patio and a fully-stocked bar, there aren’t many more fun places to hang out in the summer.
Trucks & Taps uses its social media to release truck schedules, announce fun events like music bingo and live concerts, and provide weather-related updates. If you’re at all a fan of food trucks, this account is a must-follow.
Mealbox
Mealbox is honestly mind-bending. Restaurant veteran and chef Will Birge delivers meals right to your door that need only a few minutes in the microwave to be served. There’s brisket, lasagna, enchiladas, meatloaf—you name it, Will provides it, and these meals require zero meal prep. I have no idea the science behind how he makes such delicious food emerge from the microwave, but every meal is just as delicious as the last.
Mealbox’s menu changes weekly, offering 5-10 new offerings each week. Following Mealbox keeps you up to date on each menu release, ensuring that you don’t miss Will’s latest masterpiece.
Her Company
Her Company is a boutique off 156th and Q that sells products from more than 40 women-owned business, including a number of food brands. You can pick up all kinds of delicious baked goods, including cookies from The Finicky Cookie and Kravings Cookies, cakes from crumb coat & chill, and cake jars from Crum Cakes Bakery. There are also vegan meals delicious enough to fool a full-fledged carnivore from Conscious Comforts and custom charcuterie boards from Brenda’s Boards.
The different vendors are constantly bringing different offerings into the shop or running specials, and Her Company is great about sharing the latest updates.
Porky Butts BBQ
Porky Butts BBQ doesn’t need specials to stay relevant; it serves some of Omaha’s best barbecue (the burnt ends and ribs particularly stand out).
But renowned pitmaster Blane Hunter doesn’t rest on his laurels. He and his team are constantly coming up with specials, offering a ‘que-centric twist on beloved dishes. Some of Porky Butts’ previous specials include a Pork Belly Banh Mi (pictured above), Wagyu Chicken Fried Steak, Pastrami Burnt Ends, and the famous Blane Burger, a scrumptious patty you can top with any of the restaurant’s meats. This is another social media account that’ll have you scrambling to rearrange your lunch plans.
Mootz
This food truck is serving not only some of Omaha’s best pizza, but also its most unique. The dough on a Mootz pizza is so light, airy, and chewy that it’s like a freshly-cooked breadstick hot out of the oven, and the fior di latte cheese adds a milky creaminess that’ll make you forget shredded mozzarella exists.
Mootz is active on social media, posting both weekly and daily updates about where and when the truck will be parked. As if that wasn’t reason enough to follow this rising pizza star, you’ll also get updates on Mootz’ upcoming brick and mortar location.
Carter & Rye
Once you have a hand pie from Carter & Rye, you’ll be an advocate for life. These handheld delicacies cram both sweet and savory elements inside a light, flaky dough that practically oozes butter when you bite in.
The menu changes each week, offering two savory and sweet options apiece. The savory options range from burnt ends to Philly cheesesteak, ham & cheese, and cheesy hash brown, and the sweet side includes brown sugar cinnamon, strawberry and champagne jam, and caramel apple. The shop is only open Friday and Saturday morning, which makes Carter & Rye’s Thursday menu drop so important to follow: you don’t want to miss out on the latest hand pie creation.
Sunnyside on Center/Sunnyside Elkhorn
The breakfast fare at both locations of Sunnyside is relatively simple but extremely well made. Each element, from the buttery scrambled eggs to the house made pork sausage, fluffy pancakes, and crispy home fries is crafted with care before being stuffed inside a burrito, quesadilla, or breakfast sandwich.
But following Sunnyside on social media alerts you to its monthly specials. These may include a breakfast crunchwrap, Philly steak breakfast burrito, or a personal-sized breakfast pizza loaded with gravy, egg, tomato, mozzarella and your choice of protein.
Sandwich Proper
I so wish Sandwich Proper had a brick and mortar or at least a food truck; alas, this pop-up only sells on Sundays at the Aksarben Farmers Market or during pop-ups at Village Grinder.
Which gives you all the more reason to follow them on social media. Do you really want to miss out on one of the best breakfast sandwiches in Omaha?
Great as Sandwich Proper’s Proper Breakfast Sandwich is, their specials are just as craveable. The Grilled Cheeseus (pictured above) is a chef-inspired version of the childhood classic, and the Breakfast BLT is something that simply must be experienced. Following Sandwich Proper ensures you not only know when and where they’ll be popping up, but what will be on the menu.
Fizzy's Fountain & Liquors
Fizzy’s Fountain & Liquors is a retreat into the past. With upholstered booths, fluorescent decorations, and rotary phones at each table to place your order, this gem blasts you back to a 1950s soda fountain.
The vibes are worth visiting alone, not to mention the ice cream cocktails and the epic burger. But Fizzy’s also offers all kinds of specials, including waffle chili cheese fries, NY strip steak, and elevated BLTS. You’ll also want to follow Fizzy’s for their epic brunch specials (available from 11AM-3PM on Sunday) and craft cocktails. There’s always something fun going on at Fizzy’s, and you won’t want to miss it.
WD Cravings
WD Cravings is one the most unique restaurants in Omaha. Where else are you going to find handmade pasta, epic breakfast sandwiches (including meatballs, fried chicken, and short rib), and patisserie-worthy desserts being served from the same counter?
On top of all that, chefs Piero Cotrina and Wendy Delgado are constantly coming up with new specials that they tease on social media. That might mean Calabrian chicken wings, croissant breakfast sandwiches, or brisket gnocchi plates.
But you simply must follow WD to catch its cheese wheel dates. The restaurant takes a wheel of delectable grana padano cheese, melts the center, and swirls fresh noodles inside of it. These days are an event, with lines typically spilling out the door, so you want to make sure you know when they’re going down.