It’s been a minute since the Berkshire Hathaway crowd made its way to Omaha, but thousands of shareholders are coming back this week. (I’ve already seen a few strolling around downtown, in fact.)
A lot has changed since the last time I put together one of these lists — in fact, I didn’t even have this website the last time Berkshire Weekend was live in person in Omaha.
But a lot of the spots I included in the last list, from 2018, though, are still worth visiting. And there’s enough new here to keep things interesting even for BRK veterans. Be sure to use our new interactive maps to get around to spots on this list and its companion, focused on steak.
For even more places to eat in Omaha, check out my Essential 38 Omaha restaurants, originally created for eater.com.
Where to eat in Omaha during Berkshire Hathaway weekend
Click map markers for more details
Archetype Coffee & Nice Rollz
3926 Farnam St.; 1419 S. 13th St.; and inside Millwork Commons at 1229 Millwork Ave.
What began as a new neighborhood coffee shop in the Blackstone District has grown to a phenomenon: Archetype now boasts three locations, plus a partnership with the fantastic Nice Rollz, serving a monthly spicy bulgogi burger (sorry, burger night was last week) along with Korean breakfast specialities and pop-up weekly lunches.
Most of the Korean breakfast items are available at the Little Bohemia location; the lunches, once a week, take place at Millwork Commons. Get a coffee and a bite and stay awhile. It’s what the Omahans do.
Coneflower Creamery
3921 Farnam St., 402-913-2399
The “farm-to-cone” approach that local favorite Coneflower is built on is the real deal. They only use local dairy. All the ice cream in the case — so good that there’s a line out the door every single day — is homemade. So are the cookies, the cones, all of the toppings and even the sprinkles. The ice cream sandwich, made with two warm cookies stuffed with one scoop each of creamy house vanilla and chocolate, is truly exceptional. Get it.
Dante
16901 Wright Plaza, 402-932-3078
Not only is Dante serving some of the best modern Italian in Omaha, it’s also become one of west Omaha’s most-hopping hotspots. Known mostly for excellent wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, Dante also serves a wide selection of wonderful homemade pastas. Don’t sleep on the Italian wine list or the great crafted house drinks, either.
Lola’s
4952 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68132, 402-850-7585
Lola’s, a charming bistro inside midtown’s Dundee Theater, has quickl catapulted to one of my favorite dining destinations in town.The simple menu is focused on wine, house-baked bread, meat, cheese, and a shortlist of French-inspired main dishes. If you are a salad lover (I know you’re out there), please, please try its kale salad, which comes spiked with candied nuts and jalapenos, and is my favorite in Omaha.
Nite Owl
3902 Farnam St., 402-991-6767
Nite Owl became “Omaha famous” with totchos, crispy tater tots topped with queso, salsa verde, queso fresco, crema, red onion, and cilantro. But the restaurant and bar, designed to look like your grandparents’ basement, has so much more to offer: a great burger and fries, meaty and vegan sliders, and an endlessly creative bar staff. It’s a place to see and be seen in Blackstone, but if you’re feeling more of a chill vibe, consider ordering a high-end whisky at its newly opened sister bar, The Nest. It’s right next door.
Saddle Creek Breakfast Club
1540 N. Saddle Creek Road, 402-932-5970
SCBC, as the locals know it, has reached epic levels of popularity in Dundee and the surrounding neighborhoods. Midtowners have fully accepted and embraced it as their own, and it’s for good reason: excellent, locally brewed coffee from Amateur Coffee; a stunningly good banana pancake; rustic toast topped with lox and briny caper and olive; and delicious biscuits with homemade jam. As a downtowner, even I think it’s worth the wait for one of the best hangover breakfasts in town. (The other breakfast worth waiting for is in Little Bohemia, at the recently opened Fizzy’s.)
Site-1 Brewing
2566 Farnam St., 402-502-1843
I’ve only been to Site-1 a couple of times, but I love the atmosphere, the overall cool vibe and the fact that it’s essentially an incubator for the rest of us to try the best brews created by local Nebraska home brewers.
Founded by a group of beer-loving entrepreneurs, Site-1 Brewing feels like a great place for some BRK beer lovers to seek out. The selections are always changing, as one would expect, and they’ve also played host to some food pop-ups and other special events. Now, they’re serving their own full menu of appetizers and entrees.
The Boiler Room
1110 Jones St., 402-916-9274
You’ve likely been to The Boiler Room during an Omaha visit, but I’ll urge you now: Don’t think it’s the same as it’s always been. Chef Tim Nicholson remains one of the most talented chefs in the city, and his restaurant is better than ever. It’s one of Omaha’s most adventurous and creative dining experiences. Its service is precise and thoughtful. Its menu is refined and rustic, confident and full of contrasts. I can’t predict what you might find when you dine at the Boiler Room; that’s perhaps the best part.
Tiny House Bar
1411 S. 13th St., 402-715-5115
What can I say: Tiny House Bar owner Megan Malone is a bad ass.She continued to serve delicious craft cocktails through an inventive drive-thru window that took off like wildfire among drinkers stuck at home during the pandemic. Now fully reopened, Tiny House hosts guests in two large outdoor seating spaces, including one with regular comedy acts and movie screenings. You’ll find downright delicious cocktails with inventive names, like the strawberry and sotol concoction called the Obama Sex Dream, or the It’s Britney Bitch with vodka and pineapple.
Yoshitomo
6009 Maple St., 402-916-5872
Yoshitomo remains one of the city’s most talked-about restaurants, and there’s good reason: Chef and owner David Utterback is a sushi master, to put it frankly. His food is like nothing else in the city. The way he prepares high-quality fish and seafood — aging it, smoking it, otherwise turning the sushi you think you know on its head — is not just singular in Omaha, it’s singular across the Midwest and perhaps across the country. The menu is always rotating, but look for the Aburi wagyu, a lovely piece of landlocked sushi; the hama toast, a bite of savory yellowtail on top of grilled sourdough bread; and the one-of-a-kind foienagi.