Bars and Restaurants in Omaha’s Countryside Village

Countryside Village on 87th and Pacific was Nebraska’s first planned shopping center when it opened in 1953. The 30,000 square foot building had air conditioning in each bay—something that was unprecedented at that time—and took just 18 months (and $250,000) to complete. In 1955, a second building was added due to the concept’s success. Over the years, the shopping center has welcomed and bid goodbye to a number of shops, restaurants, and bars, but continues to be a go-to destination for fine dining, unique bars, and locally owned shops.

While there is certainly more to do than eat and drink in Countryside Village, I decided to start there because…well because I love to eat and drink. There. I said it. Here is an overview of some of the dining and drinking options in this upscale yet still casual and fun neighborhood hangout. I couldn’t fit them all in this time, so stay tuned for Countryside Village Part 2!

The Casual Pint Craft Beerstro

You didn’t read that wrong. The Casual Pint is not a BISTRO, it’s a BEERSTRO, defined on their website as where to go for craft beer, fantastic food, and a great time. And this place certainly has all three! Depending on when you stop in, you may find a low-key environment where you can enjoy a flight of craft beer and chat with a few other patrons OR you might find a packed house of people playing trivia.

The Casual Pint is constantly introducing new beers, having tap events for specific types of beers or breweries, and just generally making sure everyone who walks through the door learns more about beer and has a good time. Yep, it’s pretty much my idea of heaven.

One of the best features (in my beer-loving opinion) of the place is that, in addition to the MULTIPLE beers on tap, you can also grab a can (or cans) from their market area and either drink it in the bar or take it home.

A question most taphouse and brewery lovers often ask is, “Do they have food?” Fortunately, the answer in this case is YES. Pretzels and beer cheese, sidewinder fries with a variety of toppings, and flatbreads or just a few menu items you can enjoy pairing with your beer (or, if you’re silly and don’t like beer, with your glass of wine or cocktail).

Cedar

Sometimes you just want a cozy, dark bar where you can sip on a cocktail and think about how well (or not so well) your day went. For this purpose, I present Cedar. Open at 3 pm every day of the week, Cedar has an environment that just invites you to settle at the bar, absorb the atmosphere, and share gossip with your friend or listen in on the conversations going on around you (I’m a terrible eavesdropper—it goes hand in hand with being a writer).

Cedar has a nice selection of drinks that are helpfully written on a big board behind the bar. The helpful waitress told me that they’re known for their Old Fashioneds, especially once Fall settles in, and that a popular warm-weather drink they serve is the Cucumber Smash—basically a martini made with your choice of liquor and a cucumber garnish.

Though Cedar doesn’t have a full food menu, they do have some snacks like pizza rolls, pigs in a blanket, and house mixed nuts. You’re also welcome to bring in any food you want. You can sip on your drink and munch on your snacks while listening to their fun sound system or just chilling with your friends (or alone. There’s nothing wrong with going to a bar alone!).

Inkwell

A bar dedicated to famous writers AND with delicious craft cocktails?? Yes, please! Inkwell is a cool little bar decorated with portraits of writers from Mark Twain to Toni Morrison to the ol’ drunk himself, Ernest Hemingway. It’s got the vibe of a speakeasy but you don’t need a code word or to enter some back alley to get in!

Inkwell is a very small bar, which adds to the intimacy, but can also mean you may not be able to snag a seat if you come during a busy time. Fortunately, we visited at 4 pm on a Wednesday so had our pick of table—and the full attention of the GM/bartender. He went over the menu with us and made some suggestions.

We settled on a Tijuana Brass (Illegal Mezcal Joven, agave syrup, lime, cucumber espuma) and the Old Fashioned (Evan Williams, sugar cube, angostura bitters, citrus expression), both of which were delicious. In addition to their craft cocktails, they also offer a variety of beers and wines. This is a great place to go with a significant other or good friend—especially if you both enjoy drinking in the company of the country’s most iconic authors.

Timber Wood Fire Bistro

Timber has long been a favorite restaurant of mine. My daughter and I both love their Warm Board (basically a charcuterie board with focaccia instead of crackers—add the whipped ricotta to take it up a notch!) and you just can’t beat the cozy atmosphere complete with the lovely smell of food being cooked over a wood fire.

I’m also a fan of their multiple seating options, including communal high-tops, bar seating, and traditional four and six tops in both the front and back areas. Although I tend to gravitate toward the bar (no one who knows me would be surprised by that!!), it’s always good to have options!

The food selection at Timber is pretty hard to beat—as is their happy hour (tons of food specials on apps and pizzas, special cocktails, $2 off wines by the glass, $3 bottled beer, and $1.50 off all drafts). You can choose from hand-stretched pizzas (my daughter and I had the Lobster Gratin, which was fantastic), pasta dishes like the Timber Mac and Cheese, and an assortment of meat dishes like St. Louis ribs and the Niman Ranch Cajun ribeye.

When I have guests come into town, I often take them to Timber for an impressive dining experience before hitting Inkwell or Cedar for an after-dinner cocktail.

This is just a small selection of everything there is to eat and drink in this iconic shopping and dining area. Do you have a favorite in Countryside Village or any other area in Omaha? I’d love to hear about it! Email me at [email protected].

Written by Angela Chaney, publisher of WhirLocal Omaha and partner at Pixel Fire Marketing.