Written by Zejnije | For Omaha Food Magazine
I grew up halfway across the world, in a country called Kosovo, where the scent of roasted lamb, garlicky yogurt, and grilled peppers drifted from every open window. Food was connection. It was family. It was survival and joy. When I came to Omaha, I wasn’t looking for a taste of home — I didn’t expect it. But I found it. Slowly, bite by bite, place by place.
This city surprised me.
Over the last few years, Omaha’s Greek and Mediterranean food scene has grown into something worth writing home about. From classics like Greek Islands to newer spots like Clio and Meddy’s, it’s no longer hard to find flaky spanakopita or fire-roasted shawarma. Some places feel like a street café in Athens, others like a quiet courtyard in Beirut.
Below is a guide, not to every place, but to the ones doing it with heart. The ones who remind me that food still tells the truth.
Restaurants Featured in This Guide
A: Ahmad’s Persian Cuisine • Aladdin Mediterranean Restaurant Omaha
C: Cateus Pita Arabian Grill • Clio – Omaha
E: El Basha. Best Mediterranean Cuisine
F: Feta’s Greek Restaurant • Fovero Greek & Homestyle Cafe
G: Gate 10 Bar & Grill • Greek Islands Restaurant • Greenland Market • Gyro Kings
I: Istanbul Food Court • Izmir Gyro House
J: Jim & Jennie’s Greek Village
K: King Kong Restaurants
L: Legacy Gyros
M: Mazza • Mediterranean Bistro • Meddys • Omaha Kebabs
T: TAJ TASTE Mediterranean
Z: Zaytuna Mediterranean Cuisine
Ahmad’s Persian Cuisine
Address: 4646 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68132
Phone: (402) 341-9616
Website: ahmadspersiancuisine.com
Ahmad’s has been in business for over 32 years. It’s a snug spot, full of charm, sidewalk seating, and a menu that feels like it came straight from Tehran. Their meze and kebabs are the real deal.
Photo Credits: Omaha Food Magazine
Aladdin Mediterranean Restaurant Omaha
Address: 5092 S 136th St, Omaha, NE 68137
Phone: (402) 769-9805
Email: restaurantaladdin1@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/AladdinOmahaNE
This is a neighborhood sleeper with bold flavors. The shawarma wraps are packed, and the service feels personal. Nothing pretentious, just comfort food cooked with care.
Cateus Pita Arabian Grill
Address: 7627 Cass St, Omaha, NE 68114
Phone: (402) 993-4060
Website: cateuspita.com
Email: cateusomaha@gmail.com
One of the newer spots in town. Their pita sandwiches are stuffed like they’ve got something to prove. Brooklyn Riggles called their falafel “shockingly fresh — like it had just been picked and fried 30 seconds earlier.”
Clio – Omaha
Address: 1202 Howard St, Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (402) 671-0098
Website: xoxoclio.com
Email: hello@xoxoclio.com
Clio isn’t just Mediterranean — it’s art. Their rotating menu explores ingredients across the Levant and beyond. Since opening, they’ve raised the bar for what modern Mediterranean cuisine can look like in Omaha.
El Basha. Best Mediterranean Cuisine
Address: 7503 Pacific St, Omaha, NE 68114
Phone: (402) 934-6266
Website: elbashagrill.com
Owner: Ahmad Nabulsi
Email: ahmadnabulsi@hotmail.com
Ahmad Nabulsi serves up deeply flavorful dishes rooted in Jordanian traditions. The chicken shawarma and lamb kabobs get high praise, but it’s the hospitality that stays with you.
Feta’s Greek Restaurant
Address: 743 N 114th St, Omaha, NE 68154
Phone: (402) 504-4976
Website: fetasgyros.com
Email: info@fetasgyros.com
Owner: Terri Poulos
A longtime West Omaha staple. Feta’s has earned a loyal following for its gyros, lemon potatoes, and house tzatziki. You’ll find regulars who’ve been coming here for decades.
Fovero Greek & Homestyle Kitchen
Address: 839 Tara Plaza, Papillion, NE 68046
Phone: (402) 331-7110
Fovero is a cozy spot blending Greek classics with homestyle American comfort. The menu leans into breakfast plates, baked goods, and Greek favorites that feel like they came out of someone’s kitchen, not a chain. Warm, welcoming, and built for regulars.
“Adorable space and delicious! The service was lovely as well. 100% recommend.” — Jenny H.
Gate 10 Bar & Grill
Address: 414 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (402) 359-1290
Instagram: @gate10omaha
Email: gate10barandgrill@gmail.com
Owner: Aron
Located just steps from the Old Market, Gate 10 combines Greek bar food with a modern edge. Think souvlaki with a shot of bourbon on the side. It’s a little loud, a little gritty — and all the better for it.
Greek Islands Restaurant
Address: 3821 Center St, Omaha, NE 68105
Phone: (402) 346-1528
Website: greekislandsomaha.com
Owner: Laki Sgourakis
An Omaha institution. For decades, Greek Islands has served up homestyle moussaka, saganaki, and grilled lamb with a smile. It’s the kind of place where families celebrate milestones and old timers remember the good years.
Greenland Market
Address: 4087 S 84th St, Omaha, NE 68127
Phone: (402) 592-1877
Part grocery, part bakery, part restaurant — Greenland Market is more than a place to eat. It’s a cultural stop where Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors meet shelves stocked with imported goods. You can grab fresh bread, spices, or a hot meal, all under one roof.
Gyro Kings
Address: 632 N Saddle Creek Rd, Omaha, NE 68132
Phone: (531) 375-5845
Facebook: Gyro Kings
Email: gyrokings23@gmail.com
They’re new, but already making noise. Evan Kenkel said their gyro plate “hit like something out of Astoria, Queens — bold, greasy, and absolutely perfect.”
Istanbul Food Court
Address: 3428 S 42nd St, Omaha, NE 68105
Phone: (402) 964-2999
Website: istanbulfoodcourt.com
Don’t let the humble name fool you. This place serves some of the most authentic Turkish dishes in the metro. Their lentil soup alone is worth the drive.
Izmir Gyro House
Address: 1507 Galvin Rd S, Bellevue, NE 68005
Phone: (402) 889-7488
Website: izmirgyrohousebellevue.com
Izmir Gyro House is a counter-serve spot that blends Mediterranean and Greek comfort food with Turkish touches like strong coffee and sizzling kebabs. The menu runs deep — gyros, hummus, falafel, chicken and beef kebabs, even hamburgers and wraps. It’s casual, affordable, and unfussy, the kind of place where the food does all the talking.
“Very kind workers and bomb lamb kebabs. Best lamb kebab I've had in the Omaha area. I eat this at minimum one time a week.” — Chris C.
Jim & Jennie’s Greek Village
Address: 3026 N 90th St, Omaha, NE 68134
Phone: (402) 571-2857
Website: jimandjennies.com
Owner: Jim Anastasiou
Email: jim@jimandjennies.com
Family-owned and proudly traditional. Jim & Jennie’s feels like stepping into someone’s home. Get the lamb chops or the avgolemono soup — better yet, get both.
King Kong Restaurants
Address: 5250 S 72nd St, Omaha, NE 68127
Phone: (402) 932-6420
Website: kingkongrestaurants.com
Owner: Nick Triantafillou
Email: info@kingkongrestaurants.com
Facebook: King Kong Omaha
A quirky mix of American diner and Greek grill. Known for big portions and kitschy vibes. Their gyro burger is a local legend.
Legacy Gyros
Address: 16920 Wright Plaza #114, Omaha, NE 68130
Phone: (402) 934-1002
Facebook: Legacy Gyros
Email: legacygyros@gmail.com
West O favorite with fast service and killer lamb gyros. If you’re in the neighborhood, this one’s a reliable go-to for a quick Mediterranean fix.
Mazza
Address: 220 S 31st Ave #3101, Omaha, NE 68131
Phone: (402) 496-3333
Website: mazzacuisine.com
Email: omaha@mazzacuisine.com
Mazza brings together flavors from the Middle East in an upscale, modern space. Great for date night or a quiet dinner solo.
Mediterranean Bistro
Address: 1712 N 120th St, Omaha, NE 68154
Phone: (402) 493-3080
Website: medbistro.com
Email: medbistro1@gmail.com
Owner: Shohreh Ma
Iranian-owned and locally loved. They serve up kabobs, koobideh, and rice dishes that are equal parts hearty and elegant.
Meddys
Address: 17255 Davenport St #111, Omaha, NE 68118
Phone: (402) 509-7400
Website: meddys.com
Email: guestsupport@meddys.com
Founder: Alex Harb — LinkedIn
One of the most exciting newcomers to Omaha’s food scene. Wichita-born, Meddy’s offers clean branding, bold Mediterranean flavors, and a growing fanbase.
Omaha Kebabs
Address: 2101 N 120th St Unit C5, Omaha, NE 68164
Phone: (402) 315-1155
Website: omahakebabs.com
Omaha Kebabs specializes in Armenian-style shish kebabs, grilled over open flame and served with rice and salad. The menu is deep — from lamb chops and pork belly kebabs to hummus, beet salad, and falafel burgers. It’s a mix of homestyle Armenian cooking and classic Mediterranean comfort, served in a warm space that invites both families and celebrations.
TAJ TASTE Mediterranean
Address: 3871 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68131
Phone: (402) 505-0931
Instagram: @taj_taste
A small joint with big flavor. Their chicken shawarma is one of the better-kept secrets in Midtown.
Zaytuna Mediterranean Cuisine
Address: 423 S 13th St, Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: (402) 575-8857
Website: thezaytuna.com
Just south of the Old Market, Zaytuna serves up authentic Mediterranean with a fast-casual twist. It’s a newer face in a growing lineup of Old Market options.
My Final Thoughts
When I think of home, I think of scent before taste. I think of grilled meats, cracked pepper, and warm bread. These places — each one — gave me a small piece of that back.
Omaha may be landlocked, but its food scene stretches well past its geography. It’s built on grit, on immigrants, on families who never stopped cooking. And now, we get to eat.
If you’re hungry, go. If you’re curious, go. And if you’re homesick like I was — go.
