Restaurants in Papillion

Aron Mackevicius can still conjure vivid memories of his childhood spent in Omaha's Lithuanian Bakery, when ovens of baking sourdough bread would warm him as he whisked up flaky tortes. While working at his family’s bakery, Aron developed a talent and appreciation for the culinary arts. He would go on to work in fine eating establishments throughout Omaha, developing and refining a style that he described to reporters from the Omaha World-Herald as "a new approach to comfort cuisine everybody can relate to." Aron earned his position at 7M Grill by dazzling owner Graeme Swain with an original dish—a coconut-crusted chicken with corn salsa and mango-jalapeño sauce.

Today 7M Grill features Aron's winning coconut-chicken dish on the menu, alongside a wide variety of internationally inspired comfort dishes—including the 2011 Art and Soup–celebrated caribbean chicken-and-rice soup. The innovative fusion dishes pair with bottles of fine wines out in the chic dining room, where glowing walls bathe the hardwood floors and abstract paintings in a warm orange light. The restaurant also offers an intimate chef's table service experience, where guests sample numerous courses of exclusive dishes while sipping on wine in an elegant, secluded back room, ideal for guests looking for a way to commemorate a special occasion or a place to practice whale impersonations in privacy.

Born and raised in France, chef Cedric S. Fichepain carried his family recipes and passion for traditional French fare across the pond in 1997. Four years later, Cedric cut the ribbon at Le Voltaire Restaurant, which serves up classics such as croque madame sandwiches and coq au vin stewed in white wine. The cellar's 1,000-bottle inventory of French wines has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence eight years in a row, and the eatery was also recognized as one of the city's best French dining experiences in _Omaha Magazine'_s Best of Omaha 2012. The restaurant's lemon-yellow walls and rough-hewn wooden door create a rustic feel, and beneath a unique glass bar top is a display of carefully arranged dried flowers.

Named business of the year in 2010 by Heritage Nebraska, patrons sit down at the Heartland Cafe for breakfast and lunch amid traces of local history inside a building constructed in 1919. In this setting, diners dig into fresh-made pancakes and made-to-order omelets, conversing and creating new memories. The quiche florentine brims with bacon, spinach, and mushrooms baked in a housemade pie crust and covered with hollandaise. For lunch, the cooks whip up reuben sandwiches, fish ‘n’ chips, and elk burgers. Heartland Cafe's owner, Sharon Janovsky, was also named 2012 business person of the year by the Western Douglas County Chamber of Commerce for the cafe's active role in the community, such as hosting the annual tree lighting ceremony.

Chocolatier Melissa Stephens, owner of The Cordial Cherry, began her chocolate shop with a recipe for cherry cordials passed down from her Grandma Sheldon. Today, Stephens—along with her mother and sister—works to turn out her signature cherries hand-dipped in chocolate and filled with a liquid cordial center. In addition to the specialty dessert, Stephens also crafts satin fudge, chocolate -dipped goji berries, and sea-salt caramel loaves.

The restaurant’s ambitious menu, which is heavy on the seafood, aims to please with the genuine intent of the Crayola 64 Big Box. Start with an order of fajita nachos ($7.59) or guacamole ($9.59) before moving on to entrees that include combination plates, shrimp plates, and an ocean’s worth of seafood-centric dishes. Try the whole deep-fried red snapper, neighbored with soup or salad, choice of starch, and tortillas ($12.59). Side selections with an order of chips and salsa ($3.29) or beans ($1.89), and save room for flan ($2.50), which can be eaten or used as a smooshy pillow for taking a full-belly-induced siesta.

Polish immigrant Frank Kawa founded Johnny’s Cafe in 1922, improving upon an existing saloon with an expansion, the addition of electricity, and a rule that forbade ketchup fights. However, despite its renovations, the restaurant still surrounds guests with old-fashioned saloon decor, including moose heads and slick leather chairs, and sates guests with hearty steakhouse fare. Hewn from corn-fed, USDA-choice beef, hand-cut and aged steaks include options such as porterhouses, rib eyes, and prime rib, served with salads, freshly baked rolls, and potatoes. Broiled lobster tails and half chickens round out the menu alongside complimentary liver pate, paired with wines and classic cocktails such as the old-fashioned, the Manhattan, and the martini.