31. Aroma’S
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 614-7009
Address: 1033 Jones St.
Description: Located in the bottom of the Old Market Lofts, Aroma’s is a quiet coffee shop that’s a popular place for students to do homework and study and for professionals to have off-site meetings. Aroma’s has a patio out front that’s popular in nice weather, and the interior is decorated with local art hanging on the brick walls, a fireplace, and lots of tables and chairs, as well as tons of electrical outlets, to make work and studying easier than ever. A couch toward the back of the shop is a popular gathering place for book clubs and other groups. Aroma’s offers a daily selection of coffee and tea, and a refill on a cup of coffee to stay is free. Scones, cookies, and muffins are available to nosh on, and the attached bakery next door sells sweet treats during daytime hours.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Address: 4924 Underwood Ave.
33. 13Th Street Coffee Shop
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 345-2883
Address: 519 S. 13th St.
Description: Right on the edge of the Old Market, 13th Street Coffee Shop is one of the area’s longest running locally owned hangouts. Live music and poetry readings happen here regularly, and the menu includes all the classic coffee drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and authentic Italian gelato available by the scoop. The two-level shop is also a popular place for studying and reading, and the friendly baristas make the drinks quickly and efficiently. The vibe here is purely local—local musicians play, local poets read, and local art adorns the walls.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Address: 620 N. 50th St.
35. Bangkok Cuisine
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 346-5874
Address: 1905 Farnam St.
Description: With a great lunch buffet and some excellent pad thai, downtown Omaha’s Bangkok Cuisine is a popular lunch spot and also a great place for takeout. Bangkok Cuisine isn’t winning too many points as far as decor: old carpet and non-descript tables meet sort of funky wall art and a big television set. Though it’s not the best place for a romantic evening, it works well for the lunch hour (and often has a line) and the takeout is fast, hot, and cheap. The pad thai can be prepared with a customized level of spiciness as well as with the diner’s choice of pork, chicken, tofu, beef, or seafood (which is $1 more). Most of the entrees cost less than $8.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Address: 1406 S. 13th St.
37. Dhaba Indian Cuisine
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 505-6950
Address: 2012 N. 117th Ave.
Description: Located in a West Omaha strip mall, Dhaba delivers some seriously good Indian food at a reasonable price. In India, a dhaba is a place along the road for weary travelers to stop and refresh along the way. Dhaba in Omaha does have a refreshing decor, with many small tables, lots of windows, and a few large booths down one wall, butting up to a bar. Dhaba has a lunch buffet on weekdays, and offers lunch and dinner service daily, as well as carry-out. The Thali specials are one of the most enjoyable culinary experiences at Dhaba. The large tray of food has a number of small compartments and together creates an array of singular flavors; it also gives those new to Indian food the chance to try many things at once. Dhaba serves a vegetarian and meat Thali, both at a reasonable price.
38. El Basha
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 934-6266
Address: 7503 Pacific St.
Description: A simple Lebanese and Mediterranean menu and the option to smoke a hookah make El Basha a popular midtown Omaha hangout and eatery. The shawarma is one of the most popular menu items and comes either chicken or beef. The meat is served with tahini sauce, grilled tomatoes, and onion on fresh bread or pita. Traditional Mediterranean items like gyro sandwiches, hummus, falafel, and kebab are also on the menu. Outdoor seating during nice weather and more than reasonable prices make El Basha a popular stop for foodies.
39. Flavors
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 933-4140
Address: 1901 Farnam St.
Description: Well-priced Indian is what Flavor’s does best. Its lunchtime buffet—really popular with downtown professionals—offers a daily rotating array of Indian dishes. The buffet always includes vegetarian options, soup, and naan. The restaurant is small and neat, with simple decor and a friendly, knowledgeable waitstaff. Appetizers and desserts on the house are the norm at Flavors. The regular menu includes one with meat and a separate one for meatless entrees. The restaurant has an appropriate name—“flavor” is the key.
40. Greek Islands
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 346-1528
Address: 3821 Center St.
Description: Omaha’s Greek Islands has been serving authentic Greek cuisine for more than 25 years and is still one of the city’s most popular Greek restaurants. Simply decorated with white tables and mirrors, the walls at Greek Islands are covered with murals of the country depicting both ancient and modern scenes. Diners will find all the Greek food they’re familiar with: mousaka, souvlaki, pastichio, and gyros. Much of the traditional Greek food has been given a twist: pastichio is available in a vegetarian version, and gyros come with chicken or just vegetables instead of the traditional lamb (though they have that, too). Save room for dessert: Baklava ice cream is delicious.
41. Jaipur
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 392-7331
Address: 10922 Elm St.
Description: Tasty Indian food and hand-crafted beers are what the Jaipur does best. The West Omaha staple is one of the only fine dining establishments in the city that specializes in Indian cuisine. The Jaipur is casual enough for a business lunch but also dark and romantic enough for a dinner date; the decor is simple but elegant. The menu offers all the standards of Indian cuisine: tandoori cooked items, mulligatawny soup, and delicious naan served with a crave-worthy green dipping sauce. The menu includes meat and fish, but also vegetarian items, many focused around soft Indian cheese. The Jaipur brews a number of beers in-house and their specialty Jalapeno Ale is a local favorite and the best seller on the menu.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Address: 14618 W. Center Rd.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Address: 3572 Leavenworth St.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Address: 7755 L St.
45. The Taj Kabob And Curry
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (402) 933-1445
Address: 668 N. 114th St. (Old Mill District)
Description: Reasonably priced Indian food is the name of the game at The Taj, which is wildly popular with locals. Chicken Tikka Masala is the dish of the house, and the spicy, meaty, saucy dish is probably the most ordered item. Located in a strip mall, the restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside and has a simple decor once you get inside, but the food is great, the prices are low, and the delivery is efficient. Vegetarians will find much to love here as the list of meatless entries is long and flavorful. A wide variety of soups and naan all cost less than $3 and most appetizers are around $6. The Taj does not serve alcohol.