Lincoln restaurants offer everything under the sun

Lincoln is filled with culture and diversity.

The best part of a diverse city is its melting pot of cuisine. The downtown area offers many interesting and delicious items indigenous to places around the world. From Mexico to Europe to Thailand, numerous cultures are represented in Lincoln's downtown area.

This is an opinionated guide to some of the places not to miss during the short stint of life known as college.

Starting with American restaurants, Buzzard Billy's offers Cajun-Creole cuisine and a funky atmosphere located in the Haymarket at 247 N. 8th St. Ste 101. The restaurant's great menu offers some authentic replications of true New Orleans and original creations.

Magnolia is the ideal romantic date stop. Also over in the Haymarket at 301 N 8th St., Magnolia offers a wide variety of food and wine.

Pizza may have originated somewhere in Italy, but it is Chicago that has given us the true "pie" formation with the deep dish. Suite 1 Pub and Pizza, 311 N. 8th St. (downstairs), offers fresh ingredients and a killer menu of the classic Chicago-style pizza.

For great traditional toppings, Lazzari's, located at 1434 O St., is a good place to enjoy a good pie. Also, it is home of the original spicy chicken pizza, which is my top recommendation.

If you are looking for exotic pizza, the place to go is Yia Yia's, just across the street from Lazzari's. They have many toppings and regional pizzas, along with a large selection of beers from around the world.

Sticking with Italy, Vincenzo's offers a more classy style of pasta, 808 P St. #100. Also a great date place, this is not a cheap location, but the portions are worth the cost.

Lincoln has many delis around town, yet the best place I have visited is Highnooners, 1414 O St. Not only do they have good food, but they deliver, which comes in handy for the months you wish to avoid the cold.

Wings are everywhere now. Not only the many flavors available at Buffalo Wild Wings, but many restaurants and bars have been adding sauces to the menus to tap into this great finger-food item. While most prefer saucy, The Watering Hole,  1321 O St., literally a hole-in-the-wall bar, offers grilled wings. This is by far the best wing around. Their burgers and sweet potato fries are also top-of-the-line. Open to all ages until the late evening, 1321 O St. is not a place to skip.

For fans of Mexican food new to downtown but not to Lincoln is the best stop after a night of drinking or otherwise, D'Leons. With locations all around Lincoln, many of which are open 24 hours, this is a great place to get a plate of carne asada or great fish tacos.

At the corner of 14th and O streets are two Greek spots, Ali Baba's and Gourmet Grill. Both offer the same menu and atmosphere, and both are worthy of the great gyro and fries, known as the Z Plate.

Blue Orchid offers a great atmosphere in the Old Federal building, 129 N 10th St., and the best Thai cuisine in town.

For great Indian cuisine, The Oven, 201 N. 8th St., and Sher-e-Punjab, 1601 Q St., offer competing menus but both have their strengths. The Oven focuses more on North Indian cuisine, and offers great Tandoori meals. Sher-e-Punjab is a great stop for lunch on Sundays with the best buffet in town.

Right across from campus, Dat's Cuisine, 1209 Q St., offers great Vietnamese dishes. With fast service, this is a perfect place to make a stop any day or to meet up between classes.

Japanese selections are limited, with Wasabi being the only location in walking distance from campus, 114 S. 14th St. Offering sushi, Japanese noodles and Philly Cheese steaks – and also the home of Phreddy's Phillies – there is a wide selection of choices in one spot.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, are the coffee houses. The Coffee House, 1324 P St., is a great place to go for something to drink, grab a muffin or to study with their large study area in the back. There are many other coffee houses downtown, and I recommend searching to find one to call your own.

This is only a brief introduction to the endless list of restaurants located in walking distance from campus. Hopefully, this will not deter anyone from venturing to the other establishments, but for those who are scared to try new things, this is just a stepping stone.

kylenewfeld1@dailynebraskan.com