Owners of Lola’s in Dundee to operate new cafe, Fig., in Kiewit Luminarium

The team behind Lola’s restaurant in Dundee will operate a cafe inside the Kiewit Luminarium, the new science center that’s set to open on the Omaha Riverfront next spring.

The eatery, Fig., is expected to open in April 2023. Its concept will be different from Lola’s, but it will feature high-quality ingredients and sustainable sourcing like its sister, say owners Clare Watson Bartolomei, Corina Figueroa and Philip Schaffart.

It also has another thing in common with Lola’s: Both are providing food service for Omaha attractions. Lola’s is located inside Film Streams near 50th and Dodge Streets.

Fig. will be on the southeast corner of the 82,000-foot Luminarium, with views of the river and an outdoor dining area.

It will offer family-friendly breakfast, lunch and happy-hour menus, plus a bakery that will produce items such as sourdough bread and pastries. It will also provide lunches for field-trip groups and catering for event rentals.

Owners also have formed a creative partnership with the Luminarium to explore science and culture through food. The Luminarium will have weekly adults-only nights when visitors can explore exhibits and enjoy educational programs focused on food and drink.

“We’re going to get to do what we love doing every day while creating new experiences for visitors outside the walls of the cafe,” Figueroa said. “For example, we can demonstrate and discuss a process like fermentation, which we use in our baking.”

The Luminarium will have more than 100 exhibits that will encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to explore their curiosity. As construction on the museum progresses, staffers have been working with community members on exhibit development and engaging prospective visitors with a series of pop-ups at locations throughout the region.

“With Fig., we have a fresh local concept and committed program partner that is also an experienced maker and excellent operator,” said Silva Raker, the Luminarium’s CEO. “We look forward to ‘playing with our food’ through an accessible science lens.”

Article originally published by the Omaha World Herald by author Betsie Freeman. View original article here.