While still celebrated for its aged and locally raised beef, diverse and sophisticated dining choices in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro region offer a whole lot more.
Among the chefs and purveyors who are redefining the local food scene is Jim Trebbien, co-owner of Chef2 Oils, Vinegars & More, a culinary store in Omaha’s Midtown Crossing area. Along with gourmet food products, Chef2 offers tasting events, cooking demonstrations and classes that can be customized for groups.
“Omaha has always has good food—it was just more simple food,” Trebbien says. “You know, a great steak prepared very well. Now, what type of food can’t you get here?”
Among the new dining options is Brix, a bistro, wine store, wine bar and event venue in Midtown Crossing that would be right at home in California’s Napa Valley. Opened by Dan Matusek after a 20-year career in the wine industry, Brix offers 64 wines that visitors can sample by the ounce, glass or bottle.
Wine-pairing dinners, which can be arranged for groups, can include such signature items as lobster and melon salad, salmon belly with shitake mushrooms and pear panna cotta. Accommodating up to 80 people, Brix offers event spaces that include a private dining room and an expansive wrap-around terrace with city views.
Also in Midtown Crossing, The Grey Plume is winning national accolades for its seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine. Chef-owner Clayton Chapman makes his own charcuterie and pasta in-house and sources ingredients from farms and purveyors throughout Nebraska and Iowa.
Omaha’s Old Market Entertainment District, with its century-old plank wooden sidewalks, cobblestone streets and wrought iron details, has dozens of locally owned restaurants, including Upstream Brewing Company, La Buvette and Le Bouillon, which offers three private dining rooms and accommodates up to 170 people.
“Old Market is ideally situated for dine-arounds and really offers a lot of choices,” says Dana Markel, executive director of the Omaha CVB. “We can pick the group up at the convention center and take them to two drop-off points. Or people can walk if it’s nice weather.”
Dine-around options also abound in Council Bluffs, especially along West Broadway’s Victorian-era 100 Block in the historic downtown, according to Josee Beier, director of convention and sports sales for the Council Bluffs CVB.
Among the most popular dining options there are Dixie Quicks, both an art gallery and restaurant serving Texas-style comfort food, and Barley’s, known for its hand-tossed pizza and beers on tap.
“Dixie Quicks has been featured on the Food TV Network and is really a unique site,” Beier says. “It owns the RNG Gallery next door, so you can enjoy dinner and then view an art exhibition.”
