culinary tours omaha

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Omaha Food Tour - Secret Food Tours

Omaha makes the world's strongest claim to the Reuben sandwich's origins. Choose one of our secret food tours to answer that crucial food matter for yourself.

Our tours connect you with the diverse flavors available in this grownup cowtown. You can access Omaha's street food, cafes, sandwich shops, bars and fine eateries via these food tours. Opt into an up-close appreciation for steak-aging, if you wish, too. We help you see Omaha's dining scene from perspectives local foodies wish they could attain.

These are popular food tours among Omaha visitors, so book the dates you need as soon as possible.

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THE 10 BEST Omaha Food & Drink Tours

Food & drink tours in omaha.

• Farmers Markets
• Distilleries
• Beer Tastings & Tours
• Coffee & Tea Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Couples
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• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Brickway Brewery & Distillery

2. Scriptown Brewing Company

3. Zipline Brewing Co.

4. Florence Mill

5. Infusion

6. omaha farmers market.

7. Vis Major Brewing Co.

8. gifford park neighborhood market, 9. monolithic brewing, 10. lumen beer company, 11. infusion brewing company.

12. Vino Mas

13. Omaha Culinary Tours

14. Pacific Cellars

15. Nebraska Tour Company

16. Omaha Brew Bus

17. River City e-Bike Adventures

What travelers are saying.

• Zipline Brewing Co.
• Scriptown Brewing Company
• Florence Mill
• Omaha Farmers Market

The Best Unique Dining Experiences in Omaha

The best cooking classes, food tours & team building events in omaha.

Omaha's palate stretches far, far beyond the world-famous steaks that bear its name. Nebraska’s largest city will never abandon its taste for thick, juicy steaks, but that doesn’t mean vegan macaroni and cheese can’t fit in, too. Omaha boasts a sizzling array of restaurants led by creative chefs with a loyal following of local foodies that have transformed Omaha into an unlikely culinary capital. Take a peek inside the kitchen in cooking classes, food tours and more in Omaha!

Safety During Covid-19: Look for the following indicators of what precautions your host will take for your experience. You can book most in-person experiences as private events for an additional fee. Alternatively, check out the fully interactive Online Experiences on Cozymeal!

Culinary Classes and Tours

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The Best of the Mediterranean

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Chef Amjad or Resident Chef South Central Omaha, Downtown Omaha Omaha (South Central Omaha) Omaha

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An Italian Feast - Date Night

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Fresh Pasta

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Knife Skills for the Kitchen

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A Parisian Affair - Date Night

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Fresh Baked Cookies - Family Fun

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Eating Your Way Through Omaha with Nebraska Tour Company

Photo by Bill Sitzmann

People stand on a corner. A stranger arrives, whisking the group off on a gastronomical walkabout where they visit multiple restaurants and enjoy food, wine, and informative conversation. It’s a unique night they’ll remember, one unlike any other taking place in Omaha.

That’s thanks to Nebraska Tour Company, the brainchild of Alan Rust. The mission is simple: connect people to Omaha’s community through the cultural touchstones of food and history. Hosts who are knowledgeable and passionate about the city lead the custom tours and take pride in sharing their expertise with their guests.

Rust, 57, arrived in Omaha five years ago when he relocated from Houston to accept a job at Gordmans, an ill-timed decision given the company’s pending bankruptcy. Since he had spent time in Omaha before and enjoyed living here, when his Gordmans job ended, he took to driving an Uber rather than leave the city.

A natural raconteur, Rust enjoyed sharing his inside knowledge of Omaha with out-of-town guests, pointing out local history and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. He’s the kind of guy who knows the best breweries and distinctive restaurants and makes it a point to know the chefs and the waitstaff. “It was always my mission,” Rust said. “In my retail career I had moved around so much that I had a lot of experience introducing myself to new cities, and I liked to find unique things. When I was driving someone around for Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting, I shared what I knew, and one of my passengers told me I should start a tour business.”

In 2017, he took that advice and, along with friend Dakotah Smith, acquired Discover Omaha, which had focused on history tours. The duo rebranded it as the American Tour Company, known in Omaha as the Nebraska Tour Company. They immediately added culinary tours to the lineup. “We saw the value in the business, so [we] changed the name and added food to history,” Rust explained. Now the sole owner, he also operates in Des Moines, St. Louis, Denver, and Kansas City.

The tours, which are offered Tuesday through Saturday, often take place in the Old Market and Blackstone districts, where guests can walk from place to place. Chauffeured tours in luxury vehicles and in other areas throughout Omaha are also an option. Food tastings are included at each restaurant, typically three or four, with an adult beverage included gratis at the first stop. Experiences are built around a simple, yet specific, checklist: great food, fresh menus, updated ambiance, and great service. 

“First, I have to test and judge the experience on my own,” Rust said. “If the menu never changes and the service isn’t great, it’s not the kind of experience we’re looking for.”

Typically, a chef provides what they want to present to the groups, so options might include tasting plates, charcuterie, or small steak or fish plates. “The chefs can showcase what they want,” Rust said of the opportunity to create something special that isn’t available to the general public. 

In between stops, hosts guide their guests through the neighborhood, revealing local history along the way. Above all, Rust looks for good storytellers who are familiar with the local restaurant scene when it comes to hiring his team. 

Since the restaurant lineup is subject to availability and change, patrons never know where they’re going until they meet their host. “It’s based on the day and the size of the group,” Rust explained. A group can be as small as just two people and go as high as 200. 

“We also try to do seasonal tours, so it’s always changing,” he added. Examples include chocolate and champagne tours timed with Valentine’s Day or appetizers and cocktails for the holidays. “We can do a theme that matches a request if we have the partners.” 

The tours have proven beneficial to local restaurant owners. Sagar Gurung runs Kathmandu Momo Station in the Blackstone District and at Aksarben Village’s Inner Rail food court. They specialize in momos, Nepalese dumplings stuffed with chicken, pork, or vegetables and accompanied by different dipping sauces. He has known Rust for about three years, from when the latter first started frequenting his Blackstone locale.

“I provide a very unique product which is very new to our Omaha community,” Gurung said. “We are highly dependent on word-of-mouth, so it’s very cool that he brings his guests here. They become goodwill ambassadors.”

The restaurateur said that the tours place value on his product because Rust is what he considers a true “food curator,” which means that the five people who attend a tour one night tend to come back within a week with friends. And those friends in turn return and bring their friends. “It feels like he’s doing a service for us. For me as a vendor, it’s a win every time. I’m grateful for the exposure, because we’re small and don’t do marketing.”

Given the unique culinary experiences, Rust’s tours are popular with individuals and businesses alike. Fortunately, Nebraska Tour Company survived COVID-19 thanks to the history walking tours, and corporate interest is helping the culinary tours rebound quickly. “We’re doing a lot of corporate outings,” Rust said. “People want to reintroduce teams to each other face-to-face after a year and a half on Zoom. The tours are like business field trips.” One recent gastronomy tour saw executives stay in the same restaurant while team members rotated from place to place so everyone could spend some valuable casual time with their managers.

Aaron Sibson, a credit analyst with Farm Credit Services of America, started taking culinary tours with his company this past summer and said they keep coworkers connected via food. “We were looking for something to get [us] out of the office,” he said. “We saw this online and thought it was a good opportunity to go places that we ordinarily would not go.”

Sibson and his colleagues did a walking tour of the Blackstone District that included the Cottonwood Hotel, Kathmandu Momo Station, and a couple of breweries. They spent around 45 minutes to an hour at each destination. Their host met them at the hotel and shared fun information, such as the fact that the famed Reuben sandwich was first introduced at the hotel, and a painting in the bar includes secret QR codes. “These were things you [might not] know if you just walked in on your own,” Sibson said. 

Throughout the tour, the group sampled a Reuben, appetizers, homemade pretzels, and momos. Tables were ready when they arrived, with food brought out immediately. In between stops, the host guided them through Blackstone, pointing out public art and sharing details about the historic neighborhood.

At the time of this article, Sibson’s company was booking its second tour. “We got to go to places we wouldn’t even have thought to eat at, like the Cottonwood and the Momo Station. We got to see a few different restaurants without sitting in one place all night,” enthused the credit analyst. “Usually, when you go someplace, you just eat and leave. It was such great ease of use—and really, really enjoyable!” 

For more information, visit  nebraskatourcompany.com  or follow them on Facebook.

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OMAHA CULINARY TOURS - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Omaha Culinary Tours

Omaha , Nebraska 68131 USA

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Learn more about this business on Yelp .

Reviewed by Michael S.

Didn't know what to expect when my daughter bought me a Brews and Bites Tour of the Old Market package for two. I was pleasantly surprised! Our host/guide was friendly, interactive and had fun... Read more

Reviewed by Julie L.

Wanted something of an introduction to the local food in Omaha for a first time visit, so I booked the Old Market walking tour and it was fabulous! Shelly was fun, approachable and well-informed.... Read more

Reviewed by Marci M.

Shelly our tour guide was awesome! Love the food tour downtown Old Market area. Can't wait to do another tour. Awesome time with awesome food. Went to restaurants I never really knew were... Read more

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Omaha Culinary Tours Chocolate and Pastries Tour: A Sweet Treat!

February 16, 2014

Imagine tasting an authentic French croissant, visiting a German bakery, and meeting the entrepreneur behind the chocolate covered cordial cherries that made the list of Oprah’s Favorite Things… Imagine a 3-hour tour that feels like you are on a mini-vacation, tasting sweets while visiting adorable little shops, and being entertained and pampered the entire time… And all this, in Omaha!

Omaha Culinary Tours is a brand new company offering food tasting tours of Omaha’s culinary scene. Sample unique and delicious food, meet the owners and hear the stories behind their passions turned businesses, and visit locally-owned restaurants with a long history in Omaha, as well as those new to the city.

Chocolate and Pastries Tour

Their newest tour brings visitors to the most delicious and delightful locally-owned pastry shops, bakeries and chocolatiers in the Omaha area.

The Cordial Cherry

Our first stop, The Cordial Cherry , was a wonderful shop filled with masterfully hand-decorated chocolate-covered cherry cordials, each with a sweet liquid cordial center. The unique décor included salvaged wooden doors as tables and rows of beautiful cherries ready to be hand-picked. The highlight of our visit was hearing from Melissa, the owner, as she shared how she turned her passion into this shop using a recipe passed down from her Grandmother, and whose beautiful Nativity Set was recently included in Oprah’s 2013 List of Favorite Things!

Le Petit Paris French Bakery

From delectable chocolate to melt-in-your-mouth pastries, we then headed to  Le Petit Paris French Bakery , located next to Le Voltaire French Restaurant in Pepperwood Village. The bakery shop offers authentic French breads and pastries, all baked according to the exact recipes from France in their imported French deck oven.  The croissants and pastries were very flaky and delicious, so good that we returned a couple days later to try them fresh in the morning!

The Market Basket

We traveled on to Countryside Village to The Market Basket , where we were greeted by a table full of sweet desserts. Since opening in 1986, this restaurant, bakery, deli, and gourmet market uses only fresh ingredients to treat local diners.  The sweets from our tour were very rich and tasty as evidenced by our clean plates.

Gerda’s German Restaurant and Bakery

The next stop took us to midtown on Leavenworth. Established in 1976, Gerda’s German Restaurant and Bakery , is a favorite among locals for all of their wonderful German foods including Schnitzel and Spaetzle to wonderful German pastries and desserts. We were lucky to visit on the very popular pan-fried chicken night, and tasted the amazing chicken (a small break from the wonderful sugar high!).

Stories Coffeehouse

A perfect spot for our final stop, Stories Coffeehouse  filled whatever room we had left with tastes of wine, chocolate, popcorn, coffee, and soup. This wonderful place  offers women-owned start-up culinary companies the opportunity to serve a variety of goodies in a relaxing and comfortable setting.  Stories Coffeehouse is a place where you can sit for hours enjoying the company of family and friends or by yourself just relaxing with food, dessert, or drink.

In between stops, we were entertained by our fantastic tour guides with an introduction and history behind each restaurant/bakery, and were served delicious  homemade hot chocolate and marshmallows from  The Grey Plume , and  pecan and lemon bars from Sweet Magnolia’s Bake Shop .     

Omaha Culinary Tours

In addition to the Chocolate and Pastries Tour, Omaha Culinary Tours also offers a Midtown Walking Food Tour. Exciting plans are in the works to add more tours including an Old Market Walking Tour, Omaha Steakhouse Tour, Pizza Tour, plus more! Gift certificates are available, as well as private group tours for special occasions or business outings.

Visit Omaha Culinary Tours for more information on scheduling a perfect date night, ladies night, or a fun and unique night on the town!

Disclosure: Many thanks to Omaha Culinary Tours for offering this fantastic new option in the Omaha area, and for providing tickets to my husband and I for the Chocolate and Pastry Tour.  All opinions are my own.  See  disclosure and privacy policy  here. 

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Omaha Culinary Tours – Best Places to Eat in Omaha, NE

A culinary tour of omaha, nebraska including all the must stop restaurants and the best food and drink to order..

I visited Omaha a few months ago and had the opportunity to take a Culinary Tour of Omaha through Omaha Culinary Tours in collaboration with Visit Omaha. Through that tour I discovered that Omaha has the most restaurants per capita of any US city and is a hotbed of amazing food and talented chefs. I can’t believe how well we ate that weekend and how incredible all the restaurants were. I’m excited to share with you my favorite places to eat in Omaha!

Read the full post at DineandDish.net

Kristin - Dine & Dish

Kristen Doyle is the creator of the award winning website, Dine & Dish.

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ATTAINABLE ADVENTURES FOR EVERY SEASON OF LIFE

Culinary Adventures You Need to Experience in Omaha

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I always like to visit a city with an open mind and Omaha, Nebraska exceeded my expectations in its both culinary scene and the heart and passion behind each dish.

They take their food scene seriously sourcing as much as possible locally while raising the bar in creativity and flavor. I’m sharing more about culinary adventures that you will definitely want to add to your list.

Dante’s (West Omaha)

Table of Contents

Fresh seafood in the Midwest?

These wood oven-roasted scallops were in the water at Hampton Bay, NY the day before I dined and in my belly that night.

Chef and owner Nick Strawhecker works with producer partners from Nebraska and beyond to source the freshest ingredients possible in season and the results are pretty fantastic!

Known for its Neopolitan pizza (that I ironically didn’t try), Dante’s also offers Rustic Italian Cuisine (that I did try) with fantastic wine pairings. (Nebraska Beef Carpaccio, Plum Creek Farm Chicken & Carrot Ravioli, Wood-Oven Roasted Scallops, and Carmel & Espresso Brownie)

In addition to wonderful food, they have Omaha’s only Italian-only wine list with wines from each region of Italy.

Hand Crafted Chocolates (West Omaha)

You know you’ve made it big when you are on Oprah’s Favorite Things list! The Cordial Cherry takes chocolate to the next level in taste and artistry.

Each of their chocolate-covered cherries is made from scratch and hand-decorated and they are almost too beautiful to eat….almost….but it is chocolate, and I’m committed to my research.

If you are normally not a chocolate-covered cherry fan, I invite you to still try one, but you will still find plenty of other artisan chocolates in other flavors and varieties.

The Cordial Cherry is conveniently located a few steps from Dante’s which means that you can cross off two culinary adventures in one visit.

Monarch Prime (Downtown)

Art Deco fans will love the space and design and foodies will be even happier. Monarch Prime elevates each dish in taste and presentation.

During my visit, we tried the French Onion Dip, Beet salad, Garganeli pasta, Goose, 21 Day Wagyu Sirloin, Baby Red Potatoes, Cauliflower, and Challah Bread with brown butter.

Make sure that you check out their creative cocktails and sample some of their amazing desserts. We shared the Smores, a Donut, Shortcake, and Panna Cotta.

Take A Culinary Food Tour of Omaha

I LOVE to take a food tour whenever I visit a city for the first time.

It’s such a great way to learn about the local food and culture past and present in a relaxed atmosphere.

Omaha Culinary Tours hit it out of the park with their excellent restaurant choices that made us HURT. SO. GOOD!

We enjoyed a tasting at each location and learned more about what made each stop so special by sampling menu items and learning more about the restaurant’s story from owners and passionate staff. We experienced a customized tour that took us to several stops throughout the city.

Crescent Moon (Blackstone District)

Known for their Reuben sandwiches made with slow-cooked corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss, and 1000 island dressing, plus a couple of our secret ingredients, grilled on marble rye using the recipe from the famous Blackstone Hotel that was located across the street. 

If you enjoy craft beer you will be happy to discover that the  Crescent Moon has  over 60 beers on tap every day.

If you happen to make a return visit, you might want to check out the Huber-Haus German Bier Hall located down the stairs to learn more about “Das Boot” which contains 2L of Beer served in a glass boot. The boot comes with rules so make sure that you know what you are getting yourself into.

Stirnella (Blackstone District)

Locally sourced and globally inspired, Stirnella provides a great ambiance with flavors from around the world.

During our visit we tried the  Burrata served with apple butter, squash, grilled peasant bread, Risotto made with beets, celery root, Parmigiano, truffle, bruleed taleggio,  Arancini made with saffron, taleggio, bolognese, basil, Parmigiano, Spatzle made with oxtail, onion confit, roasted mushroom, comte, mustard seeds and for dessert we tried the Gooey butter bar made with banana curd, Nutella ice cream, shortbread crumble

 Coneflower (Blackstone District)

Our next stop on the food tour was Coneflower Creamery known for being farm-to-cone ice cream sourcing ingredients from farmers in Nebraska and Iowa.

They make everything in-house including the waffle cones and even the sprinkles. The Blackstone Butterbrickle flavor is one of the more popular flavors as a nod to the Blackstone Hotel that introduced the flavor in the 1920s made with housemade toffee and chocolate.

There are lots of great creative seasonal flavors so I recommend sampling a few before you commit to your scoop of choice.

Le Bouillon (Old Market District)

Located in the heart of the Old Market, Le Bouillon serves up French-inspired cuisine and comfort foods in a gorgeous historical building dating back to the 1890s and a Niki de St. Phalle Tree.

We enjoyed a craft cocktail, hand-cut frites along with the Bikini sandwich , think elevated grilled cheese…..that is not bikini-friendly but worth every bite!

Howard Street Wine Merchant (Old Market District)

You don’t even have to walk outside to visit Howard Street Wine Merchant after a visit to Le Bouillon if you don’t want to. There are doors that conveniently connect the two spaces.

We enjoyed a tasting from several wines from around. Howard Street Wine Merchant also offers special tastings and has a wine club that you can join.

Brickway Brewery and Distillery (Downtown)

You can take a tour and then enjoy a beer or in my case a wonderful Mule.

It’s nothing personal, I just don’t care for beer but the Mule flavor options (Omaha, Strawberry, Coconut, Cucumber, and Blood Orange) at Brickway made my day…along with the AMAZING pretzel served with Pimento Cheese and Beer Mustard.

Upstream Brewing Company (Downtown)

Another brewery that you can cross off your list.

I can’t speak for the beer at Upstream but I did enjoy their Thai Chicken Salad made with Chicken sautéed with sesame-peanut glaze, jalapeños, and onions atop spring greens with Mandarin oranges, tomatoes, peanuts, and orange soy cilantro dressing and their Bugeater Root Beer.

The Omaha Craft Brew Penny Pack

Cross more breweries off your list with  The Omaha Craft Brew Penny Pack program  which was created specifically for out-of-town guests.

When you sign up on their program online, you get coupons good for 12 featured breweries for “buy one 1 beer get 1 for a penny.”

That’s a deal that’s hard to beat!

Creative Cocktails at a Tiki Bar (Downtown)

A tiki bar in downtown Omaha?

I didn’t expect it which is what made it even better!

Seriously, Laka Lono Rum Club is SO MUCH FUN! Relaxing swings, Polynesian-style decor, and a laid-back ambiance that makes you feel like you are no longer in the Midwest.

You can order a shareable group cocktail or order a cocktail of your own….but make sure that someone at your table orders one of the drinks that light on fire…just because it’s fun.

Coffee Stop (Downtown)

Looking for a coffee shop while you are in town?

Hardy Coffee has three locations including one downtown. They are a bakery, roaster, and coffeehouse in one. If you don’t like coffee you will still find plenty of other options available including a Root Beer Chai that’s very good.

Learn How to Cook From the Pros (Midtown)

I typically try to get out of cooking as often as possible.

The only time that I don’t really mind it is during a cooking class for a few reasons.

1.) It’s social and we get to eat at the end but don’t have to clean up.

2.) I have a professional guiding me who can intervene if need be.

During my visit to Omaha, I participated in a Pasta Cooking Class led by Chef Clayton at Provisions by The Grey Plume. He made the art of pasta-making very attainable and dare I say enjoyable!

I can’t say that I would commit to making pasta from scratch every time but it is pretty great to have that knowledge…just in case. We were also given the recipes to take home.

Enjoy Pizza by the Slice (Old Market)

Located in the heart of the Old Market, Zio’s Pizzeria offers full pizza or made-to-order pizza by the slice. I opted for the jalapeno and chicken.

Breakfast of Champions (Blackstone District)

If you are looking for a wonderful place for a breakfast spot, I highly recommend visiting  Earlybird Brunch offering menu options that will satisfy both your sweet and savory cravings.

I always want sweet AND savory so I highly suggest inviting a food sharer to join you so that you can get the best of both worlds.

Next door you will also want to make a to-go stop at Bob’s Donuts for creative artisan donuts served in the shape of a square.

If you are unsure of what to pick, you can’t go wrong with Bob’s favorites the Creme Brule, Boston Creme, PB & Jelly, and Maple Bacon.

Quirky Candy and More (Old Market)

Get a slice of nostalgia as you wander around Hollywood Candy . You’ll find housemade chocolates, homemade fudge, bulk candy, and more of the Hard-to-find candies.

The eye candy in the store is the wide range of items ranging from vintage to pop culture. There is even a piano in the store that was once used by Lady Gaga for a music video.

Try a Local Fast Food Chain

Because …why not?

While I was in Omaha, I kept seeing signs for a popular local fast-food chain called Runza .

My curiosity got the best of me and my friend and I decided that we needed to at least check it out before we left town. They have a variety of class American fast food items but of course, we had to try the sandwich that they named the restaurant after.

What’s a Runza?

A Runza sandwich has ground beef seasoned with a top-secret blend of spices and mixed with cabbage and onions wrapped up in fresh-baked bread. There are variations of the sandwich so you can either be a purist and try the Original Runza or mix things up with one of the variations of the classic.

I’ve found that what you eat with your chili depends on where in the country you are from.

Chili served with cinnamon rolls is how they do it in Nebraska…or at least Omaha. The combination is also available seasonally at Runza.

Try a Unique Dog

Located in the burbs of Omaha, my friend Michelle from ( Simplify, Live, Love ) and I visited B&B’s Classic Dogs in Bellevue to support our travel writing friends, Tim and Lisa Trudell who were launching their book 100 Things to Do in Omaha Before You Die. 

Serving Nathan’s All Beef Hot Dogs with creative topping twists that will appeal to all spice levels…so of course, I had to order the menu item that included jalapenos.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at the Hilton Downtown Omaha located conveniently across the street from the convention center for my last night. You can see where I stayed the previous nights here.

Now that you know more about the food scene in Omaha you can check out my  5 Reasons You Need to Visit Omaha post to learn more about other places that you don’t want to miss!

Thanks again to  Visit Omaha  for hosting my visit. All opinions are my own. This post does contain  affiliate  links

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Discover Why You Will Fall in Love With Annapolis

Tips for visiting annapolis with an rv, 4 thoughts on “culinary adventures you need to experience in omaha”.

If you are in Omaha then you must go to Coneflower. Its custom menu cover offers best veg and non-veg dishes.

Dante’s West is absolutely my highest rated restaurant in Omaha. Food, Service and ambiance are the best. Go there quite often and food is always consistent. A dining experience. .

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Dishes and Drinks – A Tour with Nebraska Tour Company

By: Author Leah Hall

Posted on Last updated: October 10, 2023

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Last Updated on October 10, 2023 by Leah Hall

Read all about our evening with Discover Omaha Tours!

One of our favorite things to do when we travel to a new city is to find some of the best places to have a cocktail and if we are lucky food to match! Normally we have to travel a long way to get to explore a city, but we recently took a tour with Nebraska Tour Company , a VIP culinary tour company who just happens to lead tours right here in our hometown, Omaha, Nebraska ! Getting a chance to experience some of the best cocktail and culinary experiences that Omaha has to offer and not having to worry about any of the details? Sounds like one heck of a deal to us!

This post contains sponsored content brought to you by The Nebraska Tour Company . We were provided a complimentary tour experience in exchange for coverage on social media and this blog, but all opinions and views presented here are 100% our own. Affiliate links are also present and are no cost to you. For further information, or if you are interested in working with us please see our Disclaimer page. 

Nebraska Tour Company

Nebraska Tour Company was started in the summer of 2017 after some visitors to Omaha mentioned to one of the founders, Alan Rust, that he would be a great tour guide as he was busy telling them all about some of the places they had to visit while they were in town. It wasn’t long before Alan and his business partner Dakotah Smith started Discover Omaha with the idea that they would provide a luxury culinary tour experience that featured the hottest bars and restaurants in Omaha!

Nebraska Tour Company Tours

The tour we took with Nebraska Tour Company was one of their featured chauffeured tours, Dishes and Drinks , where we had the chance to sample the best cocktails and tastings from some of the top chefs in Omaha. If fine dining and top cocktails aren’t your thing, Discover Omaha has other options available including Tequila and Tacos, Sushi and Sake, Gastropub and Brewery, Bakery and Sweets or the Brunch and Cocktails tour. These all feature luxury transportation (we had a sweet 12 passenger limo van!) that picks you up from your home or hotel, a knowledgeable guide, and a VIP experience at each location so you just get to sit back and enjoy experiencing the bet that Omaha has to offer!

Au Courant Restaurant

One really cool part we liked about the experience is that Nebraska Tour Company didn’t tell us the destinations until we were already loaded up in the limo, which brings the element of surprise. In our case we started out with one of our favorite restaurants in Omaha’s trendy Benson neighborhood, Au Courant , which is truly a fine dining experience, combining a top notch cocktail menu with inspired European style farm to table cuisine.

Le Bouillon Restaurant

Our second destination, Le Bouillon , is a downtown mainstay featuring the cuisine of James Beard nominee Paul Kulik and his take on rustic French comfort food. Located in Omaha’s historic Old Market, Le Bouillon just launched a tapas menu for happy hour, and we had a chance to sample their new tapas menu and a cup of their house punch (which at $5 for a cup is a smoking hot deal speaking as a cocktail enthusiast!)

Della Costa Restaurant

(Della Costa has since been closed) For our third destination, we headed to Della Costa , (Della Costa is now closed) a Mediterranean inspired restaurant featuring fresh seafood and high end takes on traditional Mediterranean dishes paired up with a great selection of wines and a delicious cocktail menu! Located in the Midtown Crossing complex, Della Costa should definitely be on your list to check out as they have a gorgeous space and one heck of a view from their expansive patios overlooking some prime real estate for some of Omaha’s coolest events!

Stirnella Restaurant

Our final venue for the night, Stirnella , (has since closed) is located in Omaha’s Blackstone District, a part of town that is absolutely exploding with new restaurants and bars. Stirnella is a great gastropub that draws inspiration from locally sourced ingredients to bring some amazing dishes to the table all while pairing up a menu featuring a seasonal cocktail menu and a carefully curated wine list!

The whole tour was a top notch experience that makes you feel like a real VIP, from the luxury transpiration that picks you up right at your door, passionate guides that are informative, and the personal attention from some of Omaha’s top chefs and mixologists, Discover Omaha is one great way for visitors and locals alike to find the best dining in Omaha !

Check out another foodie destination in Grinnell, Iowa !

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Omaha Culinary Tour serves up food, history

timtrudell Nebraska , Omaha Omaha 26

Want a slice of history with your lunch?

Omaha’s new culinary tour does just that.

Omaha Culinary Tour offers a walk around Midtown Crossing Mall (near 33 rd and Farnam streets). The tour guides combine the area’s rich history with samples of tastes from area restaurants.

Suzanne Allen, who owns OCT along with Jen Valandra and Jim Trebbien, thought Omaha was ripe for such a foodie tour.

“The culinary scene is vibrant” with several local establishments, Suzanne said.

Midtown Crossing came about as part of Mutual of Omaha’s desire to develop the area for retail and entertainment opportunities.

The historical aspect of the Midtown tour covers the one-time wealthy neighborhood, where Omaha’s key civic players lived and played.

In addition to the Blackstone, tour guides highlight the three Fortune 500 companies with offices in Midtown. Mutual of Omaha and Kiewit Corporation are within a couple of blocks of the retail and entertainment center.

Probably, the wealthiest and likely most famous Omaha has a suite of offices in the Kiewit building (allegedly). Warren Buffet, the Oracle of Omaha, owns Berkshire-Hathaway. It’s the third Fortune 500 Company in the area.

So, the food tour includes six establishments – Chef2 (Chef Squared) Oil and Vinegars, Brix, Crescent Moon, Grey Plume, Marrakech and Wohlner’s.

The tour starts at Chef2. The store opened in 2013 and offers a variety of infused oils and vinegars – actually, about 30 varieties.

My favorite was a spiced pumpkin balsamic. It has a nice sweet taste to it.

My second favorite was a blood orange – pear champagne balsamic. It was like combining two of my favorite fruits with balsamic. I could see putting it on salad, or with crackers and cheese.

I thought our daughter Steph would love the place. She enjoys cooking, and I thought she’d enjoy sampling the oils and vinegars in the store. I would even volunteer to go with her.

Moving on from Chef2, we stopped at Brix.

Brix is built U-shaped. It is a huge facility. It offers beer, wine and other liquors, as well as a party room.

While we enjoyed our stop at Brix, it was time to move on.

The third stop on the food tour was Crescent Moon.

Remember earlier, I mentioned one of the stops played a role with the Blackstone? Well, this is it!

The Rueben sandwich was invented in Omaha. Supposedly, a hotel guest at one of the poker games – Rueben Kulakofsky – told an employee to have the chef in the New Orleans Room make him something new. He was tired of the regular menu.

Crescent Moon is home to Omaha’s No. 1 Reuben sandwich. It consistently wins in the “Best of Omaha” competitions.

The bar and restaurant host a Reubenfest, where they also make Reubenritos and Reuben pizza (with pumpernickel crust).

Crescent Moon uses more than 13,000 lbs of corned beef a year, said Jack, a manger.

They average selling 50 Reubens daily, he said. They sell up to 100 sandwiches on a busy Saturday, Jack said.

After sampling the delicious Reuben (Lisa and I plan to come back and have our own whole ones), it was off to our next stop.

The Grey Plume is a “green” restaurant. It was built using recycled wood. The floor, host stand and visitor bench are recycled wood. The lighting is sustainable.

Opened in 2010 by Chef Clayton Chapman, Grey Plume prides itself on using local suppliers for food. They get their vegetable and fruits from local merchants. Meat is obtained locally.

We sampled a bison sausage pizza. A cheese spread was the base. The toppings included kale and pickled beets. The combination was pretty decent.

After having sampled bread with oil and vinegar, meat and cheese, a Reuben and now bison pizza, I wasn’t sure I could go on. But, it was time for the fifth stop on our 3-hour tour.

Our next stop was a longer, but nice walk.

A statue that stands on the bar used to call Mr. C’s home. The north Omaha restaurant closed a few years ago.

They served so much food that we were able to bring home some leftovers. It was pretty good warmed up the next day.

Ok, this time, I was absolutely stuffed. No way could I take another bite of anything.

So, on to our final visit of the tour – Wohlner’s neighborhood grocery store.

A side note: the establishments on the tour will offer special menu items, if possible. We had samples for people who eat gluten-free, as well as vegetarian dishes.

The Midtown food tour was excellent. It was a fun way to spend three hours. You do need to commit 2 ½ to 3 hours for the tour.

As we wrapped up the tour, we also gained some new friends. The six people on the tour all became friends. We had a couple from Grand Island, NE, as well as two people from the Douglas County Historical Society.

Next up is a Valentine’s Day event. A chocolate and pastry tour will be hosted evenings on Feb. 8, 12 th and 13 th , Suzanne said. They will eventually add a Saturday, she said.

They would like to do a sports-themed tour (yes, please) during the College World Series in June, Suzanne said.

OCT plans to offer a craft beer tour, she said.

Other possible tours may include neighborhood tours in historical Benson, Dundee and the Old Market, she said.

A classic steakhouse tour will include transportation to at least four local steak eateries. Yum!

“The sky’s the limit as far as food goes,” Suzanne said.

We had a great time on our history and food tour. I’d be willing to go on any of those tours in the future.

For more information on Omaha Culinary Tours, please visit their website at www.omahaculinarytours.com .

Disclaimer: Our food tour was provided complimentary by Omaha Culinary Tours for purposes of this review. However, all comments and thoughts belong to us. We will be open and honest regarding service and/or attractions

Tim Trudell

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Food and Farm Tour in Omaha, Nebraska

By: Author Natasha Nicholes

Whew! It’s been a whirlwind of traveling for me, and I’m so happy that I finally have some time to sit and share with you all! Last month, I was fortunate enough to travel with USFRA (United States Farmers and Ranchers Association) to Omaha, Nebraska to talk farming practices, and visit a finishing farm. For those of you wondering what a finishing farm is, it’s a farm where farm animals go to hit market weight before they are processed. Yes. To eat. No, I am not going to show you any processing photos, so you don’t have anything to worry about. 

This visit was learning more about the food that we seem so enamored about in general, and the practices that go along with getting it to our homes. I definitely did a food tour while in Omaha as well, and the food was just the icing on the cake. 

Our tour started with me arriving in Omaha and touring the Old Market area of downtown by myself, because I knew that we wouldn’t have time the second or third day of the time there. If you have a chance, I highly suggest that should you land in Omaha, the FIRST thing you should do is walk downtown and pick from one of the MANY places to eat. I ended up settling on a restaurant called Jams, and enjoyed my lunch alone immensely. I ordered the Agave Shrimp Tostada but BEFORE that, I had the shrimp and lobster bisque that was the soup of the day. So very delicious, with just the right amount of heat to wake up the palate. 

I walked a bit downtown (it was hot) for a while, and saw places that I must visit when I come back. The museums alone are worth the drive there. I did stop on a bridge, which for me is a big deal – I’ll explain later, to get a shot of the Missouri River. 

Later that evening, we headed Upstream, and had dinner with the entire Digital Voices Council, which is a program through USFRA that partners with farmers, nutritionists, scientist, and urban farmers like me to help quell some of the issues surrounding food facts. Or the lack thereof. Of course, I chose the ribeye – which will be a recurring theme on this trip, and a Shirley Temple in honor of Mr. Houseful. No photo of the ribeye, because it just didn’t make it. 

Let me tell you something. Cattle are NOSY animals. We approached the field, and they all moved as a unit as close to the gate as they could without coming into direct contact with us. There were a couple that moved closer than the group, and they allowed me to take photos of them. They are beautiful, although they have a lot of mucus coming out of their noses, and mouths – which is normal – so don’t fret. It rained quite a bit while we were on the farm, and because of the downpour, the cattle all moved to one corner of the pen they were in, put their heads down, and weathered. It was fascinating to witness, and now if I’m driving down 57 in the rain, and see cattle doing this, I’ll know why. There were also windbreakers in the corners of all of the pens to help protect from the wind and snow (during the winter months) and help the area stay free of accumulation. 

We had lunch at Eat, and I had a burger that I can’t even properly describe. It was so good. Everything is made fresh, so if you stop by, know that there may be a bit of a wait. It’s worth it though. 

We came back to the hotel, and were able to rest for a bit before getting ready for dinner at Sullivan’s where I ordered another ribeye, and we listened to USFRA Board Member, Anne Meis as she spoke about what called her into being an agvocate in general. She married a farmer, and is a high school math teacher that uses what free time she has to spread more knowledge about farming practices, and food in general. All in all, it was an interesting discussion, and I loved that she had taken time to stop by all of the blogs of those of  us on the Digital Voices Council. 

I’ve been sharing my thoughts on the Food Dialogues blog and would love it if you could swing by and check it out. There are so many other talented and educated writers sharing over that way as well. Until next time! 

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Desiree Lopez

Wednesday 28th of June 2017

It's always amazing to me how much hard work farmers and ranchers do each and every day. I have so much respect for them! It sounds like a very informational tour.

Hali @daytodayMOMents

Very interesting! Love fun trips like this, and the good eats help too!

So interesting. I great up on a farm and even I had no idea what a finishing farm was. Sounds like you had an interesting day and the food looks delicious too.

Amber Edwards

I grew up on a grain farm, that was next to cow farms, so this is like a visit back to my childhood life. Such great photos! It's fascinating to see how other farmers work across the country.

This city girl would absolutely adore a trip to the farm. I wonder if hugging cows is a thing. All of the food you were served looks absolutely fantastic, by the way.

Watch CBS News

How much do caddies make at the Masters? Here's how their pay at the PGA tournament works.

By Khristopher J. Brooks

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: April 11, 2024 / 3:54 PM EDT / CBS News

Being a caddie at the Masters is an entirely different experience than doing the job anywhere else — just ask Ken Martin.

"Caddies are treated really great at Augusta," said Martin, who caddied for Scottish golfer Sandy Lyle at the major tournament last year. "We had our own locker room. They feed us just wonderful food — the best food I've ever had really. But it's a long week. You have to be fit to get around that hilly course."

Some of the biggest names in professional golf, including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, will converge on the famously hilly course Thursday to compete in the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Golfers are playing for a multimillion dollar cash prize and the chance to don the coveted green jacket for a year.

• How to livestream PGA Tour golf: Your options, explained (plus 2024 schedule)
• Caddie's misstep costs professional golfer six-figure prize
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• Evans Scholarships sending 70 high school caddies to college for free

Much of this year's attention will be on the cash prize the winning golfer will receive at this year's tournament. The purse for the 2023 Masters totaled $18 million, which was $3 million more than the purse the year before — the largest year-over-year increase in tournament history. Of that total, 2023 winner Jon Rahm took home $3.24 million .

But players aren't the only ones in line for a big payout. The winner's caddie can easily go home with a six-figure paycheck after four days of work. But snagging the four-day gig is the culmination of years spent working one-on-one with the same professional golfer, Martin said. 

Caddies develop a strong friendship with a golfer long before it's time for an elite competition like the Masters, Martin said. Fans seated in the stands, as well those watching at home, can only see the caddie handing the player a club, but in reality, there's a constant back-and-forth communication taking place between golfer and caddie during commercial breaks and while the two are walking to the next hole, he explained. Martin, who played professionally from 1982 to 2015, now teaches the sport at Keiser University in Florida. 

Aside from carrying the heavy bag, the caddie also provides input on which club to use, as well as swing technique, Martin said. That's because most caddies working PGA Tour games  are former professional players with a wealth of knowledge on the game. 

But technique is only a small part of the exchange, he added. With a strong camaraderie forged over the years, it's very likely the two spend most of time chatting like old friends, he said. 

"It's boring to talk about only golf for four to six hours," Martin said. "You're out there for a long time together so the friendship part of it plays a larger role." 

How much do caddies make at the Masters?

Caddies like Martin earn a salary from two sources during the Masters. One part is a weekly wage between $2,000 and $4,000 depending on the caddie's experience, the Association of Professional Caddies and the Caddies Network told CBS MoneyWatch. The weekly wage helps caddies recoup financially because they're required to pay their own travel to Georgia, along with hotel and food while working the tournament. 

Caddies also get a percentage of whatever their player earns after the tournament ends. The caddie of the Master's winner will get 10% of the prize money. For context, Jon Rahm won the Masters' last year and got $3.24 million. 

The caddie for the runner up at the Masters will get 7% of that player's prize winnings; every caddie after that will get 5%. 

Caddies Network CEO John von Stade told CBS MoneyWatch there are rare occasions when a caddie has a private contract with the player, in which case that person's salary will not follow the traditional setup. 

Over the past five years, caddie have seen some positive changes. PGA Tour officials have increased caddies' weekly wages and players' prize money has also climbed — potentially giving caddies a chance to bring home six figures after a tournament.

"But what hasn't changed is, if your player doesn't make the cut, there is no other source of money other than the weekly fee," von Stade said. 

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.

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