Shows / Restaurant Hoppen
Restaurant Hoppen
Dan Hoppen breaks down the Nebraska cuisine scene one bite at a time. He talks to local chefs, media members, and just interesting people about what's going on in the Cornhusker State when it comes to food, where people need to eat, and how food relates to Nebraska sports.
Episodes
Restaurant HoppenElizabeth & Jack Pooley—Square Donut
When Elizabeth decided to open a donut shop in Omaha, she had no idea the trials and hardships to come. But she and her son Jack fought through tremendous…
Restaurant HoppenJohn & Seth Quiring—Le Quartier
Le Quartier has become Omaha and Lincoln's go-to spot for bread and pastries, but the path that led these brothers to open their bakery nearly 20 years ago is…
Restaurant HoppenJacque & Jake Burklund—Carinara
Tomato-free pasta sauce?! This Omaha couple never knew they'd need such a thing until they developed a heartburn-inducing sensitivity to tomatoes. Rather than…
Restaurant HoppenAngie Padgett & Tamra Johnson—Good Evans
You know that good feeling you get at certain restaurants, where it just seems everyone is operating like a family? It's rare because it's a hard culture to…
Restaurant HoppenDeVaute Nunn—Haven Express
The Haven Express food truck comes from humble beginnings, but now DeVaute and his crew are feeding Bud Crawford and the Nebraska football team! The truck's…
Restaurant HoppenNate Flick—Godega
Bodegas were a part of Nate's daily life when he lived in New York, but after moving to Omaha, he wondered if the concept would work here, too. Three years and…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Joel Hassanli—Salted Edge & Pivot Prime (LIVE)
Joel has cooked various cuisines all over the world. He's worked for celebrity chefs and private sports teams. He's cooked dinner for Oprah and her family in…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Gerald Dimabuyu—The Fifth Taste by Chef Gerald
This new food truck is bringing the unique flavors of the Phillipines and Southeast Asia to Omaha. With a great respect for traditional dishes and an obsession…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Eli Vedral - Kookaburra Cookies
A college semester abroad in Sydney changed Eli’s life. Enthralled with the country’s creative fusion dishes, he decided to combine two of his favorite baked…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Katie Arant Chapman & Brian Langbehn—Coneflower Creamery (LIVE)
In 2016, Brian called Katie, then working as a pastry chef in California with an idea: come back to Omaha and let's open an ice cream shop. Little did either…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Haley Farrell—Cafe Postale
Few food/drink establishments in Omaha can match the vibe at Cafe Postale, which mixes the space's rich history with great coffee and modern elements to create…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Garrett Kasper—Arbor Day Farm
The restaurants and food at Arbor Day Farm (Nebraska City) were overdue for an upgrade, and leadership tabbed Chef Garrett Kasper to level up the cuisine. And…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Kristin Pyle—SET The Bar
Nothing about SET The Bar is like what you'd expect at a normal sports bar. From the focus on women's sports to the elevated takes on bar food coming out of…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Juan Sanchez & Andrea Macias—Cumbia
When this couple opened Cumbia in 2021, they brought two relatively unknown concepts to Omaha: Latin American food and tapas (small shared plates). But the…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Food Truck Panel w/ Javier Trujillo, Brian Sullivan, & Nick Hyde
There's just something special about getting food from a truck, but the food truck life isn't quite as easy as it seems. The owners of 3 of Omaha's most…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Michelle Alfaro—Sauced by Alfaro and Food Network star
Let's pull back the curtain on Food Network cooking competitions! Michelle Alfaro, the chef/owner behind her beloved restaurant, Sauced by Alfaro, got the…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Hannah Sheffield—Sprinkle Joy
Outside of a high school job, Hannah had no experience in the custard/ice cream business. But her nostalgia, entrepreneurial drive, and love of frozen treats…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Mia Matlock—Oso Good Kitchen & Panaderya
Mia Matlock always enjoyed baking, especially finding ways to inject her Pilipino heritage and ingredients into common desserts. But when COVID hit and she got…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Nicole & Glenn Wigodsky—The Gourmet Granola
Granola that actually tastes good?! Believe it. People are blown away by the flavor of the products that come from The Gourmet Granola, but they're even more…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Bread & Baking Panel LIVE w/ Omaha Bagel Co., Via Farina, & Reis' Bakery
Bread is one of mankind's most universally beloved foods, and it just brings people together. But have you ever thought about how it's made, or what it would…
- Restaurant Hoppen
John Larson—Bluebird Bakery
John was a psychologist for much of his career, and now he operates a bakery selling some of the best bread in Nebraska. The road and experiences that led him…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Clayton Chapman—Noble Hospitality
For a decade, Clayton was the chef/owner of The Grey Plume, one of Omaha's most progressive and nationally recognized restaurants, racking up five Beard…
- Restaurant Hoppen
LIVE Pizza Party w/ Dan Watts, Adam Flohr, and Joel Marsh
Let's talk about the universally beloved food item: pizza! Dan (Backlot Taphouse; Backlot Pizza & Kitchen), Adam (Terrible Gerald's), and Joel (Noli's…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Paul Urban (Block 16) Interviews Dan! (Live)
Dan gets the microphone turned on him in this one-of-a-kind live episode. Paul brings the heat, asking Dan the questions so many people ask: does he ever have…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Matt Owens—The Green Room
Matt blew my mind in this episode. Behind the craft of creating cocktails, making drinks based off of guests' moods and memories, and the insane in-the-moment…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Djamil Bah-Traore—House of Bah
Chef Djamil doesn't just want to serve great food; he wants to change the way Omaha's food community interacts. In our deep, wide-ranging conversation, we…
- Restaurant Hoppen
John Rea—Via Farina
John Rea had limited experience with pizza and pasta when he took over the Via Farina kitchen nearly a decade ago. The move was a game changer for both…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Chris & Liz Alford—Frios Omaha
Frios pops combine the creamy consistency of ice cream with the convenience of a popsicle... but could the concept succeed in Omaha, where it's cold nearly…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Drew & Michelle Statz & Audrey Timm—Semo Pasta + Wine (LIVE)
In less than 2 years, Semo Pasta + Wine has established itself as a restaurant Omahans are more than happy to drive to Fremont for. The chefs and owners…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Paul Dullard—HomeGrown
How has HomeGrown, a restaurant group with 14 locations (including one that opened in Omaha in Feb. 2025) maintained its strong culture and its love for local…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Andrew Roy—Mahogany Prime Steakhouse
If you're a wine aficionado, this is the episode for you! As the General Manager at one of Omaha's classic steakhouses, Andrew has a great depth of knowledge…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Stacey Leick—Buttered Marshmallow
Why did a successful business woman leave a stable job to start a cake baking business in her home in 2019? She was tired of people saying no to her, so she…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Omaha Coffee Extravaganza (LIVE)
Omaha has never had a greater collection of coffee knowledge in one place. Autumn Pruitt (Hardy Coffee Co.), Isaiah Sheese (Archetype Coffee), and Abby McLeay…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Omed & Waheed Shah—Shaheen's Afghan Cuisine
Afghan food has a rich history and a unique blend of spices that make it particularly delicious, but there aren't many places in Omaha that offer it…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Zarina Boardman—Las Chilenas
When sisters Zarina Boardman and Debora Aguilar moved to Nebraska, they were disappointed they couldn't find any Chilean food... so they decided to make it…
Restaurant HoppenErick & Jeni Miranda—Miranda Omaha
The Miranda family is passionate about bringing Salvadoran food and their culture to Omaha, but they had no idea how quickly it would all come together! Erick…
Restaurant HoppenDonald Everett Jr & Becky Perrett—Runza
Few, if any restaurants, are as synonymous with Nebraska food than Runza. Donald (President) and Becky (Director of Marketing) take me down memory lane to the…
Restaurant HoppenFrancisca Sacasa & Rosa Quezada Sacasa (QS Grill Steak)
Francisca may not be a trained chef (she was a doctor in Nicaragua), but she has a deep passion for cooking and helping others experience Nicaraguan food and…
Restaurant HoppenMoses Moseley & Dan Whalen —Dirty Birds (LIVE)
In just a few years, these buddies went from line cooks at another restaurant to owning their other concept in one of Omaha's most historic buildings. How did…
Restaurant HoppenKim & Paul Kavulak—Nebraska Brewing Company
The stories that formed one of Omaha's most beloved breweries are priceless. The rage recipe that created NBC's flagship Cardinal Pale Ale. The lunch where…
Restaurant HoppenJohn Anderson - AJ’s Cafe
John and Lisa Anderson had no experience in the restaurant business… so how did they create a beloved diner that’s thrilled guests for over a decade? John…
Restaurant HoppenThe Reality of Restaurants (LIVE): Ben Maides, Tyler Thiessen, & Jon Stastny
As diners, there are just some things we don't know about what it's like to own, operate, and work in a restaurant, but if we understood the realities, we…
Restaurant HoppenSadie Paulsen - Via Farina
Baking gave Sadie’s life purpose during a dark period, and now she’s using her skills to bless Omaha with elite breads and desserts. Sadie talks about her…
Restaurant HoppenTiff Clifton & Matt Johnson—Long Walk Farm
In 2020, this couple decided to not only start a farm, but one that would do things others didn't. They'd grow unique produce like rainbow beets and turmeric…
Restaurant HoppenEric Vidlak—Vidlak's Cafe
Vidlak's Cafe has stood the test of time, providing Omaha diners a great atmosphere and wide array of breakfast dishes for nearly 3 decades. Co-owner Eric…
Restaurant HoppenBBQ Bash LIVE w/ James Hawk, Brady Hess, & Cory Fuller
Cooking meat over a flame is a primal feeling, but few possess the patience, talent, and potential to level up from backyard BBQ warriors to restaurant owners…
Restaurant HoppenTracy & Dan Hawkes—Nite Hawkes Cafe
Nite Hawkes Cafe has been around since 1942, thriving through four generations of the Hawkes family. But it's not just food that has made this cafe an…
Restaurant HoppenStacie Van Cleave & Matt Hyde - Veg.edible
This duo is committed to bringing vegan, gluten free, and nut free food to Omaha without sacrificing flavor. We discussed the benefits of a vegan diet, helping…
Restaurant HoppenMatt Swoboda, Tom Halstead, and Matt Bohenkamp—Harold's Koffee House
Harold's Koffee House has been a beloved Omaha institution since the 1960s, and three generations of the restaurant joined the podcast to help tell its story…
Restaurant HoppenRoss DiPrima—Jackson Street Tavern
Ross had no interest originally in getting into the restaurant industry, but the DiPrima family is very present in Omaha. And after 8 years of working at his…
Restaurant HoppenPasta Party w/ Nick Strawhecker (Dante), Dario Schicke (Avoli), & John Rea
Pasta is one of the world's most beloved foods, but it's far more technical and involved than most understand. Three of Omaha's pasta experts dish some serious…
Restaurant HoppenJacklyn & Moises Salgado—For the Love of Food Cafe
The path that led to the opening of this delightful cafe in 2024 was 20+ years in the making and includes so many twists and turns that you simply have to hear…
Restaurant HoppenMark Pogge & Dylan Foster—Tracks Lounge
A beloved Omaha institution for more than 60 years, Dylan and his brother long talked about owning Tracks... and when the opportunity came to buy it, they…
Restaurant HoppenMatthew Sheehan—Monarch Restaurant
Taking over any kitchen is a big job, but it's especially daunting when the building is as historic and important as the Hotel Deco is to Omaha. But this a…
Restaurant HoppenSam "Tiny" Laughlin & Kurtis Mast—Inner Rail Food Hall (LIVE)
How does a food hall work? Do the vendors cooperate or compete? How are the various vendors selected? And how did Sam's two concepts—Tiny's Pizza Joint and…
Restaurant HoppenDan Hoppen—Restaurant Hoppen
That's right—Dan gets the tables turned on him! To celebrate five years of the podcast, Brian Sullivan (Sully's GastroBurgers & Fries) asks Dan all the…
Restaurant HoppenAdam Flohr & Maggie Sweany - Terrible Gerald’s
Neapolitan style pizza on a food trailer? An owner who got his start by building a pizza oven in his backyard? Nothing about Terrible Gerald’s is conventional…
Restaurant HoppenCarlos Cuevas & Gillian Cromwell-Cuevas—Masa Luna Tamales
Tamales are a very important dish for Carlos Cuevas; so much so that he cooked over 600 of them to serve at his own wedding! And that sparked an idea in Carlos…
Restaurant HoppenDave Barry—Dave's Cakes of Omaha
Dave's Cakes of Omaha has taken Omaha by storm from the moment it opened, from selling over 1,000 cupcakes on its first day to making Nick Jonas' birthday cake…
Restaurant HoppenBrian Sullivan—Sully's GastroBurgers & Fries
Brian brings science to the food truck scene, creating a burger unlike any other in Omaha. The chef talks about the science behind his unique burger and how he…