By Morgan Mattson 

Remember the picture we painted yesterday about how hard it can be to start a new life and open a successful business in a foreign community. Now, imagine that business is a restaurant, and you are wanting to tell a story with your native dishes and share those with your new community. Or you are wanting a way to earn money to donate to humanitarian efforts where you were forced to leave? Well, that is what many refugee families have in mind when they open a restaurant in their new communities. In Nebraska, you can find authentic cuisine from many different countries and take your tastebuds on a cultural adventure. Across the state, you can find different types of food from Ethiopia, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Cuba, and many other places!

Sink your teeth into some injera, a flatbread commonly found in Ethiopian cuisine and used as a utensil for meals. Visit Lalibela Ethiopian Cuisine in Omaha! Or challenge your friends to order the spiciest curry on the menu at a Thai restaurant! Compare what restaurants prepare the spiciest dish from a variety of Thai restaurants across Omaha: Salween Thai, Mercy Thai, or Mai Tai! Maybe you would like to try a falafel or a gyro? Falafel is commonly made of mashed chickpeas and spices, formed into balls or fritters, and fried and served in a pita. A gyro is like falafel but consists of meat such as lamb or beef served in a pita with vegetables and sauce. Gyros and falafels are typically middle eastern dishes and can be found at places like Zaytuna in Omaha or Fattoush in Lincoln. Perhaps you want to try plantains in some authentic Cuban cuisine in Grand Island at La Milagrosa. Whatever it may be, you can take yourself on a culinary adventure by visiting all the refugee-owned restaurants across the state! Many restaurants are offering takeout and delivery services if you are not ready to dine in person.

Check out our full list of local, refugee-owned businesses and restaurants in the link below. If you do not see the restaurant, you know and love, please share it on our social media pages and tag it with #welcomerefugeesNE and we will add it to our list. Let us continue to support our neighbors! Do not forget to create a Welcome Refugees sign and post it to your social media page. Perhaps while dining at a refugee-owned business, you want to create a welcoming post with your welcome sign and the delicious meal you are enjoying!