Block 16

Block 16 is a small, chef-run counter spot at 1611 Farnam Street, owned by culinary partners Paul and Jessica Joyce Urban, who met in the culinary program at Metropolitan Community College. They describe their food as built on their best food memories, drawing on family cooking from Canadian, Italian-Canadian and Belgian-American relatives.

The kitchen leans on local, humanely raised and preservative-free ingredients, and much of the produce comes from the Urban family farm in the Loess Hills, which has orchards, a large summer garden and a geothermal greenhouse. The owners say they have created more than 1,400 specials, and a new daily special is posted on Facebook.

The menu centers on burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken thighs and an inventive fries list, with poutine, duck confit and cheese curds showing up in several dishes. Vegan options are offered, including plant-based swaps on some sandwiches. Beer is a rotating selection from local breweries, and root beer and cold brew come from Nebraska producers.

Order to eat in or take out. Hours are short and midday-weighted, so check them before you go. It suits a quick, memorable lunch near downtown, and groups who want something more inventive than a standard burger stop. The restaurant was a 2023 James Beard Awards semifinalist, according to its own site.

What to order

• Croque Garcon Burger – ham, cheese, sunny-side-up egg, truffle mayo
• Block Burger – Swiss-American cheese, classic toppings
• Poutine – fries with cheese curds and beef gravy
• Duck Duck Goose Fries – duck confit, curds, gooseberry gastrique
• PC Farm Fried Chicken Thighs – buttermilk-soaked, Nashville hot available
• Bacon & Brie A La Emily – duck confit, Brie, apple butter
• Pulled Pork Roll – vegan version available
• Omaha Fries – wagyu sloppy joe, Dorothy Lynch dressing, Doritos

View the full menu Opens Block 16’s official menu

Good to know

• Order online at orderblock16omaha.com for pickup
• Eat in or take out; no reservations mentioned
• Accepts credit cards, personal checks and cash
• Daily special posted on the restaurant's Facebook page; the site header sometimes shows a Closed label, so confirm hours

Recognition

• James Beard Awards semifinalist 2023 (restaurant and chef, as stated on the restaurant's website)