Star City Blog / Food

Review: PJ's Baby Cakes, Lincoln's First Exclusive Cupcake Bakery

By Alexis Abel

Sometimes life gives you lemons. But sometimes, it also gives you cupcakes. That’s what happened when I was assigned to write about PJ’s Baby Cakes, a relative newcomer to Lincoln’s bakery scene.

PJ’s Baby Cakes, Lincoln’s first exclusive cupcake bakery, is the brainchild of owner and baker, Amanda Bragg. PJ’s Baby Cakes are made fresh daily in decadent flavors of Twix, Snickers, German Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Strawberry and Lemon, just to name just a few.

Cupcakes are made to order or can be purchased at the bakery in University Place at 2808 North 48th Street. Bragg also sells her consumable confections every Saturday at the Lincoln Farmer’s Market and every Sunday at Tomato Tomäto, Omaha’s indoor farmer’s market.

Vegetarian Series Review: Maggie's Vegetarian Café

By Cory Kibler and Dennis Kornbluh

Maggie’s Vegetarian Café is a small, locally owned restaurant situated in the Haymarket at 311 N. 8th Street near the northwest corner of "Q" Street.  It's a cozy space, but the menu is extensive, offering multiple vegetarian and vegan wraps, soups, and salads.  You can order at the counter and sit comfortably at one of the five small tables in the store, or have your order wrapped to-go.

Previously, I’ve enjoyed breakfast and soup at Maggie’s, but until my most recent visit I hadn't sampled their signature dish: the wrap. After studying the menu for several minutes, I found myself torn between the three-cheese and the avocado wrap. I ended up deciding on the latter, which, I had been told, is one of the most popular items on the menu.

Vegetarian Series Review: Bread & Cup

By Cory Kibler
Bread & Cup is one of a few culinary stars in Lincoln's constellation of fine restaurants.  The brick facade and slightly off-the-beaten-track Haymarket location belie the focus of this establishment, which is fine food, served well, at a reasonable price.  The ambiance is cozy and minimalistic, but pleasant, and not at all ostentatious.  You may come dressed casually, but your taste buds will want to wear a tux.

Because they do their best to use as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible, Bread & Cup’s menu changes daily, depending on the types of ingredients that are available on any particular day.  It should be noted that Bread & Cup is not a vegetarian restaurant per se, but they always feature one or more vegetarian entrees.

Thursday is “pizza and beer” night and is comprised of a few different pizza choices and a dollar-off special on all beers (and they make it clear; “no light beers” -- only the finest in drafts, both regional and global). 

Review: thé Cup

By Cory Kibler and Alexis Abel

thé Cup is a small, charming café and bakery at 643 S. 25th Street.  It’s somewhat hidden from the crowd, residing in the red-bricked Bottler's Building near the Arts & Humanities Focus School and Lincoln High School. Conveniently, there are two bike trails that practically take you to the restaurant's doorstep -- one along the Capital Parkway and the other runs along the east side of the spillway.

The café is open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-4 p.m., and on Saturday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. thé Cup (which means “tea cup” in French) specializes in fair-trade coffees and teas and organic baked goods. 

Review: The Parthenon Greek Grill and Taverna

By Marcus Scheer

On Tuesday evening, my friends and I headed to The Parthenon Greek restaurant at 56th and Hwy 2. With tall, imposing stone columns inside and outside the building, it was clear that this restaurant is dedicated to presenting customers with a unique and authentic Greek dining experience. Paintings of sculptures and full wine racks were on display around the restaurant.

Vegetarian Series Review: Thai Garden

By Cory Kibler

My wife and I headed to Thai Garden at about 8 p.m. last Wednesday to try out their vegetarian-friendly menu options.  Thai Garden, which is located downtown on 13th Street across from Chipotle, is a modestly-sized Thai Restaurant that you might not notice right away, as it is hidden away neatly under a red brick parking garage.
 
The restaurant closes at 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, so we were able to get in right under the wire.  The space is relatively small and very tidy. It is also mostly lit by natural light, which pours in through the large window facing East. 

Review: Mamasitas Restaurante

By Marcus Scheer

Last week, four friends and I took a short drive out of town to visit Mamasitas Restuarante. Located in Bennet, about 20 minutes southeast of Lincoln, Mamasitas offers fresh, flavorful Mexican dishes with a family feel.

The restaurant is decorated with bright colors and black-and-white portraits of owner Dennis Gardner’s family. While it may not be the largest restaurant, Mamasitas’ friendly, helpful staff and informative menu definitely provided a personal touch to our dining experience.