Nebraska's Best Italian Restaurant Is A Family-Owned Gem That's Over 100 Years Old

Some restaurants really do stand the test of time, and that is certainly the case for Orsi's Italian Bakery and Pizzeria. Opened in 1919 in Omaha, Nebraska's Little Italy neighborhood, it's a traditional delicatessen, pizzeria, bakery, and market, rather than a mere sit-down restaurant, and was ranked as our very own favorite restaurant in the state. With its long history, time-honed menu, and devoted local clientele, it's not hard to see why.

The eatery is located in a classic red-brick building, and has a distinctly no-frills, unpretentious demeanor: it's substance over style, and the sort of place where you know you'll be having a good meal. In our roundup, we looked at a mixture of industry nods, critic reviews, and reception from customers, and Orsi immediately shined for one main reason: its devotion to high-quality products, specifically their Sicilian-style pizzas — one of the staples of the Italian-American tradition and some takes on lesser-known Italian recipes.

With 4.8 out of 5 stars on Tripadvisor on the basis of around 680 reviews, it's clearly favored by its diners: "the pizza sauce was perfect," one reviewer stated, "as was the crust. Now 'that's Italian.'" But Orsi's welcoming atmosphere has also been praised by customers. "The gentleman at the register could tell we were here from out of town and gave us some garlic bread for free. Good food and very friendly service," remarked another user on Tripadvisor. It's clearly also an impression that's been left on local reports, as Omaha Magazine noted how owner Jim Hall remembered regular customers and their orders, further reinforcing the place's deep-seated community-focused, local ethos.

Orsi's isn't just a local foodie favorite, but a true nugget of Nebraskan history. It has been serving diners Italian specialties since the end of World War I. Founded in 1919, it was established by a veteran of the "Great War" himself, Alfonso Orsi, with his brother Ralph also being involved in the business since its genesis. Moving to its current location on 621 Pacific Street in 1931, the restaurant has been a multi-decade fixture in Omaha's culinary scene and Italian-American lineage, facing several upheavals and occasionally dramatic incidents.

Orsi's is an intergenerational story of family succession: In 1949, Alfonso's son Claudio took the reins, and then in 1987, it was passed down to his own son, Robert "Bob". In 1997, things took an unfortunate turn when the bakery was ravaged by a fire, with locals helping rebuild the establishment a mere few months later. The Orsi family — who has roots in the Tuscan walled town of Lucca — would ultimately relinquish control of the business to long-time employee, Jim Hall, and his wife Kathy, who became owners in 2010.

But the history of Orsi's isn't just in the bricks and foundations of its historic building. It's told through its own menu. Among the available orders are fresh breads like the Italian Twist, rectangular pizzas that customers can order in quarter, half and full sheet sizes, and one particularly distinctive item: a double-crusted pizza called goudarooni. This isn't just a novelty specialty, but a testament to a longstanding Sicilian connection with a traditional stuffed bread recipe known as "cuddurini," from the towns of Lentini and Carlentini — places that many of Omaha's residents can be traced back to.