Old Market is Omaha’s oldest commercial district, occupying roughly ten square blocks along the Missouri River bluff between 10th and 13th Streets and Howard and Jackson Streets. The neighborhood developed in the late 1800s as a produce and wholesale warehouse hub, and its original cobblestone streets and red-brick facades remain largely intact today. It functions as the city’s primary destination for independent dining, local galleries, live music, and weekend markets.
What is Old Market Omaha known for?
Old Market is known for its preserved 19th-century warehouse architecture, cobblestone streets, and dense concentration of locally owned restaurants and boutiques, making it the most walkable and historically significant commercial district in Omaha. The area spans roughly ten blocks and includes working artists’ lofts, antique shops, wine bars, and the longest-running outdoor farmers market in Nebraska. The historic Market House building and the passageways connecting Howard and Harney Streets are defining structural landmarks.
Best things to do in Old Market Omaha
Visitors can explore the Omaha Farmers Market on 11th Street, operating Saturdays mid-May through mid-October and drawing over 100 local vendors selling produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts. The district also offers gallery walks along Howard Street, live jazz and blues at indoor venues, shopping at independent boutiques in the Market Arcade building, and tours of the historic cobblestone alleys and passageways unique to the district.
- Browse the Saturday Omaha Farmers Market on 11th and Jackson Streets
- Walk the brick passageways between Howard and Harney Streets
- Visit rotating exhibits at local galleries on Howard Street
- Explore antique and specialty shops in the Market Arcade building
- Attend live music at venues along 12th and Howard Streets
Where to eat in Old Market Omaha
Old Market contains some of Omaha’s most established independent restaurants, with options ranging from steakhouses to French bistros and craft cocktail bars within a walkable four-block radius. M’s Pub on Howard Street has operated since 1972 and is a neighborhood institution known for its wine list and European-influenced menu. Vivace on Howard Street serves Italian cuisine, and the district hosts multiple craft beer bars and wine shops within the same corridor.
- M’s Pub on Howard Street, open since 1972
- Vivace for Italian cuisine on Howard Street
- Multiple craft beer and wine bars along 11th and 12th Streets
- Spezia for contemporary American dining in the district
How to get to Old Market Omaha
Old Market sits in downtown Omaha, approximately one mile west of the Missouri River, and is accessible by car, rideshare, and the Omaha Metro bus network, with several routes stopping along Farnam and Douglas Streets at the district’s northern edge. Paid surface lots and parking garages are located on 10th, 11th, and 13th Streets. The neighborhood is walkable from the downtown hotel corridor along Farnam Street within about ten minutes on foot.
- Omaha Metro bus routes along Farnam and Douglas Streets
- Paid parking garages on 10th and 13th Streets
- Rideshare drop-off on Howard or Harney Streets
- Walking distance from downtown Omaha hotels on Farnam Street
Where to walk in Old Market Omaha
The most rewarding walk in Old Market follows Howard Street from 10th to 13th Streets, passing the densest concentration of restaurants, galleries, and shops, then cuts south through the brick passageways to Harney Street before looping back along 11th Street past the farmers market site. A secondary route extends north on 10th Street toward the Gene Leahy Mall and the newly renovated Heartland of America Park along the riverfront, connecting Old Market to the broader downtown greenway.
Best time to visit Old Market Omaha
Saturday mornings from mid-May through mid-October offer the best combination of the farmers market, mild weather, and peak foot traffic, while Friday and Saturday evenings year-round are the liveliest periods for dining and live music. Winter weekends remain active due to the density of indoor venues, and the district hosts a well-attended holiday market in December. Summer evenings along Howard Street draw the largest crowds and the widest range of open storefronts and outdoor seating.
