LOLA'S CAFE

      Clare Watson Bartolomei and Corina Figueroa never had any intentions of opening a cafe, let alone in the heart of Dundee-Happy Hollow Historic District, but when the opportunity presented itself the two ran with the goal to create a space where anyone could sit and enjoy a homemade style meal. 

Nestled, just next to Film Streams’ Dundee Theater right on Dodge street, Lola’s Cafe has become a central location of relaxation for people from all walks of life.

      Lola’s was created in 2019 when the owner of the Dundee Film Streams location reached out to Clare explaining that the previous restaurant tenants were moving out and the space was open for the taking. Clare and Corina had previously talked about creating a cafe-style restaurant but never felt that the timing or necessity was right. When the door opened for the two to create a cafe that had previously never been seen in Omaha they took a leap of faith and created Lola’s. 

      As huge supporters of film streams and growing up going to Dundee film streams, given the opportunity to partner with a hometown favorite changed Clare and Corina's minds about opening a cafe and it was a “no-brainer” for them to create Lola’s. When asked where they got the idea for Lola’s, Clare explained, 

 

      “We drew some of our inspiration from our favorite places in New York.” 

 

      The easy-going atmosphere is palpable as soon as a guest walks in the door.  The goal is to create a relaxed space according to Clare, somewhere that people could sit for hours just visiting. A place for a quick coffee break from work, a business meeting, a first or fifteenth date and all of the events that come with day to day life.

 

       “The unifying theme throughout all is a casual cafe with high quality food and drink that can be expected at any hour of the day.”

 

      Lola’s serves all ranges of meals from quick-grab breakfasts to late-morning brunch to an informal lunch meeting and ending the day with a five-course meal. One thing Clare and Corina never expected was the resounding positivity surrounding the quality of the food that was presented.

 

      “People are surprised, they had their best meal in town, where they thought they would grab a quick bite and weren’t expecting to have a fantastic meal.” 

 

      The main strategy for the menu was to create food that was made from scratch, a scratch kitchen if you will. Lola’s tries to partner with local and organic companies as often as possible. Of course in the brutal Nebraska winters it is more difficult to have local produce brought in but over the summer and fall the kitchen is filled with all the fresh and organic produce a chef could dream of.

 

      “It’s important to us that we use high quality foods and ingredients to keep our standards to the best of our ability”

 

      Clare shared that multiple lunch parties were hosted to test different menu items and get other people’s opinions on what would eventually make up the menu. The goal was to create food that anyone could eat, no matter the allergens or intolerances that a person might have. To bond over food was an incredibly important thing for Clare and Corina when developing the menu for Lola’s.

      The two women also take any suggestions they can get as this is their first time running a restaurant. For Clare it was taking a shot in the dark with orders and preperations before the grand opening came around. Around the time that the restaurant was gaining attention so was COVID-19 across the sea. Clare and Corina were one of the first people to shut their doors in March of 2020 and were concerned that they hadn’t gained enough attention to survive as the pandemic raged on. But the food and atmosphere won over the hearts of Omaha residents and soon the two developed a curbside pick up creation to survive 2020. 

      The doors of Lola’s Cafe were once again opened in 2021 and people happily came through the door. Many of whom had eaten there previously and loads of new visitors. One person in particular, Katie Townley, felt right at home and became a chef at Lola’s in April of 2021. She appreciated Lola’s Cafe for the owners and her coworkers, the work environment for her has been a great and welcoming experience. Katie’s ideas and meal experiments are welcomed at the table and the whole food ingredients are one of her favorite things about Lola’s.

 

      “We’re focused on whole ingredients, simple but in a focused way, every ingredient shines on its own.”

 

      That it does, from the spinach feta frittata to the short ribs braised in red wine and herbs the food is a stunning composition that gives an at-home feeling with an underlying elegant quality. So, if you’re a current resident of Omaha looking for a new place, a visitor to the Dundee Happy-Hollow area or a fellow foodie, you’re sure to find more than one thing at Lola’s Cafe that will increase your spirits and make you an all-time fan of the quaint spot!

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WC: 859