There is an old statistic that is often used in Nebraska. Omaha has the most restaurants per capita of any city of similar size (approximately 1 million people in metropolitan areas). Factoids were repeated so many times that their accuracy became irrelevant. It remains the pride and rallying call of the state’s largest city, where locals love dining out.
Above all, Omahan loves steak, medium rare, with a few exceptions. A purveyor of the city’s elders, John’s Cafe is a 100-year-old South Omaha staple, but a committee where classics such as Delmonico and Chateaubriand have found new appeal has become one of the city’s newer hotspots, such as his Chophouse. Some have graced the limelight. But Omaha isn’t just about meat. In 2023, the city celebrated its first James Beard Award finalist, David Uterbach. David Uterbach makes some of the Midwest’s most famous sushi at Yoshitomo and Ota and yakitori at Koji.
Like many cities, Omaha lost its restaurants during the pandemic and restaurateurs still face many challenges, especially staffing. It’s also more expensive. But the owner and chef remain the same, and food remains the city’s central focus, with blue crab maltariaties, Burmese-style ramen, fast-food-style seitan burgers, farm-to-corn ice cream and, of course, plenty of beef. can find. .
Sarah Baker Hansen is an award-winning writer covering the food scene in Omaha, Nebraska.
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