Only a block away from the state capitol, Billy’s Restaurant has long been a popular spot with Nebraska senators, lobbyists, and aides. Located in the Noble-Dawes House, which was built in 1887 as a single-family residence by Henry Noble and U.S. Vice President Charles Dawes, who was also a banker, general, and Nobel Prize winner, Billy’s took over part of the building in 1986 after its having also served as a fraternity house and eight-unit apartment house.

Divided into three dining rooms, plus a bar, Billy’s walls are filled with antique photos and items representing Lincoln’s past—a visual history lesson for me to absorb before the owner, an Iranian native named Nader Farabod who studied computer science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, joined me for a bit at my table. He asked about my camera, why I was visiting Lincoln, and how I was enjoying it so far before hurrying off to prepare my meal off the menu of hearty, unpretentious dishes.

Try This: If you’re in the mood for a sweet beverage, go with the cherry lemonade. Dinner gets a little fancier, but for lunch, start with the julienne strips of portobello mushroom caps rolled in panko breadcrumbs and served with a creamy havarti cheese sauce. There are a handful of sandwiches and pasta dishes for an entrée, but I went for the giant salad of sliced pan-seared chicken breast seasoned with Cajun spices, tossed with bell peppers, black beans, cheese, olives, onion, romaine lettuce, thick nacho chips, tomatoes, and a spicy peanut sauce.