By Jeff Koterba
Celebrating Omaha Restaurants
September 11th, 2025
What better time than Omaha Restaurant Week to ask some of our hosts about their favorite current restaurants–or restaurant memories–in town?
When it comes to her favorite place to eat in Omaha, for Coleen Cook—host of the Classical Commute—it’s Vincenzo’s. “I like the relaxed atmosphere, the vintage decor and pictures, and of course, the food. There’s such a nice variety of Italian specialties available,” she says, “including the Spumoni for desert. Real Spumoni is hard to find!”
Coleen Cook enjoying dinner at Vinceno’s.
Allyson Jay, host of Afternoon Classics and Modern Classics, says, “It’s hard to choose just one favorite, but if I must, it would be Au Courant. My husband and I like to go there on special occasions, and the food is always sublime. I’m remembering a particularly incredible ceviche.”
Emily McIvor concurs with Allyson. Emily is KVNO’s Music Director and host of Friday Favorites, and says, “Au Courant is amazing—my husband and I celebrated our engagement by going there, and then went back for our anniversary a couple of years later. Everything is delicious.
Emily adds: “For sushi, Umami in Bellevue is fabulous, and a bit more casual in feel—it’s an old Pizza Hut building, if I remember correctly. My other favorite is Yoshitomo, both for the food and for the experience. World-class food right here in Omaha.
And for Mexican-Asian fusion,” she says, “Corner Kitchen is amazing! (They call themselves Mexican street food with global influences.)”
Sherry Brownrigg, KVNO’s General Manager and host of Midday Classics, recalls King’s Food Host—a restaurant that included a phone with a direct line to the kitchen at each booth. “As a kid,” she says, “the coolest thing ever was to place your order at King’s using a phone! My brother and sister and I always fought over who got to do it.”
Sherry also has a specific memory from Spaghetti Works on 84th Street. “My husband and I got engaged on the patio there,” she says. “We’d been dating almost four years, and I asked him if we were ever going to get married? He replied, ‘Well, let me ask you a question—will you marry me?’ The truth is, he’d been planning to ask me to marry him when the ring was ready, but I spoiled his plan. We’ve been married 33 years, so I guess you could say it turned out okay.”
Miranda McQuillan, who recently joined KVNO as a fill-in host and is also a cheese-monger in her own right, recalled how the Bohemian Cafe was a place her whole family loved.
“We spent holidays, birthdays, and any day in between there,” she says, “enjoying all the wonderful food and people.” She also fondly recalls when she was little and her mother worked at the Westroads Mall. They would occasionally have lunch at a spot at the mall called the Peacock Room. “It was one of my first food memories,” she says.
Miranda at the Bohemian Cafe with her friends, Corinna Rudeen, and Nick Kline.
Back to the Bohemian Café: when the restaurant closed Miranda was there and took a few photos. Later, she went and her mom went to the Bohemian Café auction where they picked up a few items like menus.
One of the Bohemian Cafe menus Miranda bought at the auction.
Gabriel Escalara, from KVNO’s Arts Desk, says: “Living in Omaha for over thirty years, I’ve watched so many of the city’s iconic food spots close down, and it’s been a real loss to the local dining scene. One place I truly miss is Piccolo’s Pete’s, a steakhouse that was my absolute favorite but is no longer around.”
“As for Mexican food,” he adds, “I’m still waiting to see a restaurant that offers more than just tacos and enchiladas—something upscale with amazing food and service that stands out, because honestly, if it’s just the basics, I’d rather stay home!”
Regarding Gabriel’s cooking, Jeff Koterba, host of Morning Classics, weighed in: “Suffice it to say, that Gabriel’s cooking is top level. Now, if only he’d open a restaurant.”
Until then, Jeff’s favorite taco memories come from California Tacos and More. Don’t tell anyone, but he once ate there every weekday for six years straight (well, except for when he was on vacation out of town, of course). Beyond that, he adores La Casa Pizza on Leavenworth, and Wilson & Washburn. And no, not just because they occasionally feature the “Koterba” sandwich.
Jeff Koterba at Wilson & Washburn, pointing out “The Koterba.”
More than anything, his favorite spot on the planet is La Buvette. “It’s a slice of Europe in the Old Market,” he says. “Even when he’s in Paris, he often finds himself longing for “Buv,” as locals sometimes call it. “When I’m at Buv, I’m home.”
Jeff enjoyed ratatouille and wine on a recent evening at La Buvette.
