Food Worth a Drive in Nebraska: Runzas to the Sandhills

Food worth a drive in Nebraska is hearty, plain and often served by the same family for three generations. The cooking runs from a yeast pocket of beef and cabbage, the runza, to prime rib carved at a steakhouse, and the roads pass wide skies, grain elevators and the Sandhills west of Omaha and Lincoln.

What is the Nebraska runza?

The Nebraska runza is a yeast dough pocket filled with beef, cabbage and onion. It descends from the bierock, brought to the Plains by Volga German settlers, and a Nebraska chain began in Lincoln.

A runza is a fast lunch for a long drive. Order it with fries, and try the cheese version if you like a milder bite. A road trip with a runza stop in every town is a Nebraska tradition.

The pocket is easy to judge. The dough should be soft but sturdy, the filling moist and well seasoned and the cabbage tender without turning to mush. Eat it while it is hot, and use the side of mustard or ketchup you like.

Which Lincoln restaurants are worth a stop?

Lincoln restaurants include a steakhouse and brewery known for slow roasted prime rib. The capital is also a college town, with casual restaurants around campus and in the Haymarket district.

Lincoln makes a good base for a drive west. It sits on Interstate 80, which connects the rest of the state. Plan a dinner in town, and an early start the next morning.

What happened to the James Beard bakery in McCook?

The same idea is still worth chasing elsewhere in the state: small, family-run places that serve a community. Check the current address and hours of any stop before you go, and ask what the kitchen is proudest of when you arrive.

What about onion rings in Fort Calhoun?

Onion rings are a Nebraska obsession. A restaurant on a scenic road in Fort Calhoun, a short drive north of Omaha, makes a good half day outing, and Omaha cafes have fans of their own, so the debate over whose rings are better is part of the fun.

An onion ring is a small thing to rate, and it is the sort of dish that a road trip brings out. Order a basket to share, and eat them hot.

What is a Sandhills road trip like?

The Sandhills cover a large part of north central Nebraska, a landscape of grass covered dunes, ranches and few towns. A Sandhills road trip is a long, quiet drive, and the drive from Lincoln to Valentine takes about four and a half hours without stops. Gas stations are scarce past Thedford, so fill the tank earlier.

A Valentine restaurant is the most-cited in the region, and its owner is a sixth-generation rancher and a third-generation restaurateur. Fine dining is extremely limited within the Sandhills, so expect simple cafes. Bring a cooler with snacks and water for the long stretches between towns.

Plan the day around daylight. Distances are long, shadows are dramatic, and the road to Valentine is better seen in good light. Bring snacks and water, and keep the phone charged, since coverage can be limited.

What are Nebraska small town cafes like?

Nebraska small town cafes are community rooms. A morning crowd of farmers and ranchers gathers for coffee and pie, and the daily special is written on a board. Order the special, and ask about the pie.

These cafes are a way to meet a place. Be friendly, tip well and check hours, since many close in the afternoon. Cash is useful at small places.

How do you plan food worth a drive in Nebraska?

Choose a direction. West from Lincoln is the Sandhills. North from Omaha follows the Missouri River. South from Lincoln is quieter farmland. Check weather in winter, since highways can close, and plan for fewer services in rural stretches.

Book rooms in Valentine and other small towns early in summer and in the fall hunting season, when lodging fills.

A final tip is to carry a cooler. Small town bakeries and meat markets sell items that travel well, such as sausage, bread and pies, and a cooler in the trunk lets you buy what you find. Ask shopkeepers what is made on site, and you will often be pointed to a specialty that no menu lists.

What else should you eat around Nebraska?

For a steak dinner at the start of the trip, read the best steak in Omaha guide. The Great Plains regional foods guide explains the runza, and food worth a drive in South Dakota goes north. The US guides page lists more.

How can Mosey help on a Nebraska food drive?

Share a list from the Mosey app with the person you are traveling with and each of you can add finds along the way. The bakeries, runza stops and steakhouses stay in one list, and the group can compare ratings by the dish before anyone leaves the house.

A long drive makes every meal count. Get the Mosey app, rate each stop by its dish, its room and its welcome, and keep a Nebraska list for the next trip.