Block 16 is a downtown Omaha restaurant known for its farm-to-table street food and rotating daily specials.



Owned by Paul and Jessica Urban, the restaurant opened in 2012 and quickly gained attention for its creative approach to casual dining.



The dining area is small, with simple wooden tables and chairs spread across two connected rooms. The walls are decorated with framed press clippings, awards, and photos. There’s a chalkboard displaying the day’s specials, and the ordering counter is the focal point up front.



The Croque Garçon burger, made with a beef patty, ham, fried egg, and truffle mayo, was famously praised by chef Alton Brown as the best burger he had ever eaten. I ordered the Frenchie - smash patty, braised short rib, gruyere, caramelized onion, sauce, pickle. The cheese adds a nutty, creamy richness while the onions bring a subtle sweetness that balances the savory meat.



I also had OMAHA FRIES - Topped with wagyu sloppy joe, griddled cheese curds, house ranch, Dorothy Lynch, scallion, and Doritos. Dorothy Lynch is a sweet and tangy salad dressing that originated in Nebraska and has become a regional favorite across the Midwest. It’s often described as similar to French dressing, but creamier and with a distinct flavor that combines tomato base, sugar, vinegar, and a blend of spices. This trash-tastic dish is everything I've ever dreamed of.



Grade: A

Archetype Coffee is a local favorite in Omaha known for its dedication to high-quality, small-batch roasting and community-driven vibe.



The shops feature a clean, minimalist industrial design with exposed brick, wood accents, and plenty of natural light, creating a cozy yet modern atmosphere perfect for both working and relaxing.



Their menu focuses on expertly crafted coffee drinks such as pour-overs, cappuccinos, and lattes, while also offering matcha, chai, pastries, and hearty brunch options.



While their coffee is exceptional, the hot chocolate is a standout -- rich, creamy, and well-balanced, it’s often praised as one of the best in the city.



Their Sweet Corn Coffee Cake balances natural corn’s gentle sweetness with a moist crumb - offering a creamy, subtly grainy texture, without leaning overly sweet.



Their coffee philosophy highlights small-batch roasting, meticulous flavor profiles, and craftsmanship -- led in part by notable baristas like Isaiah Sheese, a U.S. Barista Champion and world finalist. Their space is clean yet vibrant. And it all led to one tasty cuppa.



Grade: A

Coneflower Creamery is an award-winning shop that handmakes their ice cream in Omaha, Nebraska.

"Crafted with creativity and a love of real, local ingredients, our ice creams, waffle cones, and heck, even the sprinkles are made in our own kitchen. We put time, passion, and pure ingredients into our sweet delights, and the results are worth it! What we don’t make ourselves we bring in from the best shops sharing our passion for quality ingredients." "Our classic flavors include traditional flavors like Vanilla Bean, Cookies and Cream, Dark Chocolate, and Salted Caramel and a blend from our friends across the street at Archetype Coffee. We also pay homage to butterbrickle, first introduced in the 1920s by the Blackstone Hotel." There was a long line to enter the ice cream shop, so after waiting for quite some time, I was excited to finally see the inside and all the different options. It was worth it for Yelp’s #1 Ice Cream Shop in America (2023): Coneflower Creamery was honored as the top ice cream shop in the United States, based on customer reviews and ratings on Yelp. Their famous flavor is BLACKSTONE BUTTER BRICKLE - "One of our classics and most popular, Blackstone Butter Brickle, is based on the famous butter brickle ice cream created at the Blackstone hotel. Our version is loaded with housemade toffee that is covered in chocolate." The Blackstone Butter Brickle features house-made toffee coated in dark chocolate, mixed into a sweet cream ice cream base. This combination creates a delightful blend of sweetness, saltiness, and buttery goodness. Grade: A

Goodies serves all-day breakfast alongside a diverse menu of American comfort classics— think egg sandwiches, burgers (including a unique “Breakfast Burger”), wraps, fried seafood, Belgian waffles, pancakes, hot dogs, salads, and house-made desserts like rice pudding.



All I wanted here was a strawberry milkshake. It was a bit tangy - like maybe it was made with yogurt. Just a little different. Still lightly sweet and satisfying.



Grade: B

The Freefolk Brewery is owned by husband and wife, Jeff and Sarah Edwards. Freefolk is nestled in the heart of the New River Gorge and celebrates the Appalachian vibe and culture. Jeff began experimenting with fermentation in his Morgantown, WV backyard in 2014. He started with a 15-Gallon system that he cobbled together from a few garage sales. What started as a hobby soon progressed as he fell in love with the process of creating beer. After spending a lot of years in Morgantown raising their son Seth, Jeff and Sarah decided it was time for a change and moved to Fayetteville and opened the brewery in downtown Fayetteville. With the help of Freefolk’s co-founder, WV artist Jamie Lester, they filled the space with handcrafted steel features, wood, and concrete and covered the walls with painted murals. The original brewhouse was 3.5 bbl and some of the first brews were Moondog’s Blonde Ale, Trucker Speed IPA, and Orange Oswald SMaSH IPA. The Freefolk brand and team quickly grew and in the fall of 2022 they upgraded to a 20 bbl brewhouse. The production brewery found a second home in Hico, WV - 9 miles north of the original location. I had previously visited the Fayetteville location, which is now shuttered. So, I was excited to visit the Hico location and have been here a few times over the last couple years. During my first visit, there was a cryptid festival going on, and the entire space was opened to vendors, artist and food trucks. They had limited food and drinks, but I still enjoyed both. I was especially pleased to see a West Virginia pepperoni roll served with a side of marinara. These were cut on a bias and warm. Topped with parmesan. Tasty. I returned recently now that they have an on-site pizza shop: Ample Pizza. There were a handful of pizza options available: margherita, pepperoni, cherry tomato & ramp. I went with the fig, prosciutto, and goat cheese pizza. It had caramelized onions and a balsamic drizzle, as well. There was a ton of goat cheese and not quite enough fig. Overall, I enjoyed the pizza and would like to try some of the other options. Have you been? Grade: A