The Oven

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Family Tradition, Three Decades Deep

The Oven has been a fixture in Lincoln since 1988, when the original Haymarket location opened its doors. Owned and operated by a dedicated family of chefs, the restaurant has spent more than twenty-seven years specializing in Northern Indian cuisine — a tradition defined by rich colors, layered spice, and a cooking style rooted in the tandoor, a clay oven fired over an open flame.

That tandoor is central to everything here. Chicken, shrimp, and lamb are marinated for several hours in yogurt and spices, threaded onto skewers, and cooked alongside hand-made breads prepared fresh each day by the kitchen team. The result is meat with sealed-in flavor and a tenderness that comes from patience rather than shortcuts.

Three Distinct Spaces, One Kitchen Philosophy

Over the years, The Oven has grown into three locations, each with its own character.

The original Haymarket location at 201 N. Eighth Street carries the weight of history — a dining room set within one of Lincoln's most storied neighborhoods, serving lunch and dinner through the week.

Directly below it, The Cellar is something rarer: a full-service bar and dining space presided over by Proprietor Ngawang Rinchen and a team of sommeliers including Wine Director Pratik Ghimire, Jordan Vanek, and Chad Hoffman. Together they have assembled a collection of over 2,200 bottles of wine sourced from across the world. That program earned The Oven a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence — recognition that speaks to the seriousness with which the team approaches the pairing of Indian cuisine with wine.

The Oven East, which opened in 2008 in southeast Lincoln, brings the same Northern Indian cuisine to a space known for its outdoor patio and evening sunsets — a more relaxed setting that draws its own loyal following.

The Wine Side of the Story

The Cellar's drinks list reflects genuine range: enomatic wine dispensers, bottles from Piedmont to the Willamette Valley, and a cocktail menu that nods to the restaurant's Indian roots — a "Delhi Nights" made with rye and garam masala syrup, or a "Goa Sunset" built on gin, Aperol, and citrus. Local Nebraska taps share space with Indian lagers like Taj Mahal and Flying Horse. It is a program designed for exploration, whether or not you know exactly where to start.

For anyone looking to experience Northern Indian cuisine in Lincoln with the added dimension of a serious, award-recognized wine program, The Oven remains the standard.