Tracking the latest openings on Lincoln restaurant scene
Local restaurants seem to have weathered the coronavirus pandemic and the improving economy pretty well.
According to local real estate agent Robin Eschliman, 2022 was one of the best years for Lincoln restaurants in the past decade.
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Eschliman recorded 37 new Lincoln restaurant openings or new locations for existing restaurants, compared to 27 closures. According to her research, that was the most openings since 2013 and the largest gap between openings and closings since 2016.
“It’s been a pretty good year, which has surprised us,” said Eschliman, president of Eschliman Commercial Real Estate and co-host of the radio show Grow Lincoln.
Another surprise, she said, was that about 70% of the restaurants that opened last year were local operations. In recent years, that number has been closer to 50-50 or even tended toward national chains.
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The positive momentum appears to have carried over into 2023, with several restaurants either opening new locations or planning to open soon. Here is a list of some of them:
* Naughty Buddha Burger Bar, an Omaha-based restaurant specializing in vegetarian and vegan fare, opened a Lincoln location on January 15 at 330 S. 21st St., adjacent to The Mill Coffee & Tea in the Telegraph District.
* Another restaurant chain in Omaha is planning a location in Lincoln. Ika San Ramen and Izakaya, which as its name suggests is a restaurant specializing in ramen noodles, plans to open a location in the SouthPointe Pavilions. An opening date has not yet been announced for the chain, which has four locations in the Omaha area, but it filed an application for a liquor license last month.
* SoulFull Cocina, a food truck serving grilled food and hot dogs, has announced plans to open at the former Boxcar BBQ area on Havelock Ave. 6105 to open a stationary location.
*Per recent building permits, Sonic is planning a new drive-in restaurant at 1540 NW 50th Street adjacent to the new Lincoln Northwest High School and Little Caesar’s is planning a new location at 4630 Bair Ave near 33rd and of Superior Street.
* Hy-Vee recently began work on adding two more Lincoln Choice burgers at its stores at 84th Street and Holdrege Street, and 40th Street and Old Cheney Road.
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Eschliman said Lincoln hasn’t seen much expansion of national restaurant chains in recent years, but that trend may be changing.
“We’re tending to see more national chains opening in the market than we’ve seen in the last year or two,” she said.
Eschliman only tracks restaurants that serve meals (like breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner) at least twice a day, so their stats don’t count cafes, ice cream parlors, and the like.
If you include these companies, the numbers look even better.
Two regional coffee chains, 7 Brew and Ziggi’s Coffee, have opened branches in Lincoln in recent months, and both plan to expand further.
7 Brew opened its first Nebraska location at 56th Street and O Street in December and has already applied to the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department for a second location near 56th Street and Nebraska 2.
Ziggi’s opened a location near 70th Street and Pine Lake Road in January.
A number of other coffee shops have recently opened additional locations in Lincoln, including Harbor Coffeehouse, and Dunkin’ Donuts is planning an additional location at 29th and O Streets.
Another restaurant that is expanding is 402 Creamery. The ice cream shop plans to open two new locations this spring, one in the Telegraph District and the other in the Fallbrook development in northwest Lincoln.
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Lincoln restaurants that opened last year
B&T’s – December
Barbara Selwyn, the owner of B&T’s Diner, poses with some of the food served at her restaurant on Wednesday February 1, 2023. B&T’s is located at 4700 Vine St. and opened in December.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Fleetwood-November
Bartender Spencer Johnson mixes a drink at Fleetwood, which opened at 801 E St. in the Haymarket in mid-November.
Journal Star file photo
Masa Sushi – October
Jolyl Roll and other rolls can be seen at Masa Sushi. The all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant opened on October 22 at 1701 Pine Lake Road.
JUSTIN WAN Journal Star
Oishii Japanese Steakhouse – September
Lolla Liu from Oishii Japanese Steakhouse on October 19th. The restaurant opened on October 3 at 2949 N. 27th St. where the Village Inn used to be.
JUSTIN WAN Journal Star
Chief Shawarma – September
A plate of chicken tikka served over rice with a side salad and a homemade garlic sauce. Chef Shawarma opened September 10 at 831 N. 48th St. and has a drive-thru.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
The Mettle Grill – August
The dining room at The Mettle Grill overlooks the TVs at the bar. Formerly located in Hickman, the restaurant is located in the Edgewood Shopping Center at 56th Street and off the Nebraska Parkway where The Parthenon used to be.
Jeff Korbelik, photo courtesy
Motor Food – July
The screaming demon at MotorFood. The food truck opened a brick-and-mortar location at 621 N. 48th St. in mid-July.
JUSTIN WAN, journal star
Pita & Naan – June
Omar Attaie (right) from Pita & Naan and his father Mahboob Attaie. The restaurant with Mediterranean and Eastern cuisine opened on June 8th at 1434 E St.
JUSTIN WAN, journal star
Lila Mae’s Southern Kitchen and Lounge – June
Tramesha Cruse poses for a photograph at her restaurant, Lila Mae’s Southern Kitchen and Lounge, Wednesday August 10, 2022. The restaurant at 2110 Winthrop Road opened in June.
JUSTIN WAN Journal Star
Sabor Latino – May
Honduras Pastelitos, Chuleta Frita, Baleadas and Pollo con Tajadas (clockwise from left) at Sabor Latino. Located at the corner of 48th Street and St. Paul Avenue at University Place, the restaurant opened in May 2022.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Good & Good – April
The ancho bison burger is one of three sandwich items on Well & Good’s lunch and dinner menus. The restaurant opened in April at the Scarlet Hotel on the Nebraska Innovation Campus.
Jeff Korbelik, photo courtesy
L’s Kitchen – April
Co-owner Lawrence De Villiers (left) and chef Kevin Milligan work together on the L’s Kitchen menu. The restaurant opened on April 1 around 17th and Van Dorn streets.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Ms. Chen 56 – March
Happy family having half lobster tail, shrimp, chicken, beef, scallops, roast pork and mixed vegetables seen May 4 at Ms. Chen 56. The restaurant opened March 15 at 56th Street and Nebraska Parkway at the Alamo mall.
JUSTIN WAN Journal Star
Ika San Ramen and Izakaya
Ika San Ramen and Izakaya, a restaurant serving ramen and casual Japanese favorites, is opening soon at the SouthPointe Pavilions on 27th and Pine Lake.
Ika San Ramen and Izakaya Facebook page
Tavern Aragon
The Certified Piedmontese owners plan to open the Aragon Tavern at Lied Place at 11th and Q Streets downtown this summer.
Tavern Aragon Facebook page
Bob & Willie’s Wonderbowl
Bob & Willie’s Wonderbowl features pizza, bowling and more when it opens at 84th and Van Dorn.
Bob & Willie’s Wonderbowl Lincoln Facebook page
choice burger
Wahlburgers has started work at two other Lincoln locations, in the Hy-Vees at 84th and Holdrege and 40th and Old Cheney.
Lauren Delgado, Orlando Sentinel
402 Dairy
402 Creamery is planning a new location in Lincoln’s Telegraph District at 330 S. 21st St. and in the Fallbrook development in northwest Lincoln.
Journal Star file photo
Reach the author at 402-473-2647 or [email protected].
On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.