Published July 12, 2026 | Updated September 2, 2026

Along the Streetcar Line is an ongoing series spotlighting businesses along Omaha’s streetcar route as they navigate construction ahead of its planned opening in 2028.

With the project well underway, I’m stopping by the businesses working to stay open, doing what I can to bring them some attention.

This week I dropped into Zen Coffee, located along a stretch referred to as Farnam Hill. It is home to apartments, hotels, and other businesses including International Cafe, The Next Chapter bookstore, and Very Important Pizza and The Grove Juicery.

Founded in 2017, Zen Coffee is a family-built, woman-owned, Green Certified business that started in Omaha. The website states that Zen believes “coffee is more than a drink, it is an experience.” It is passionate about creating welcoming spaces that are both thoughtful and inclusive and reinvests a portion of its profits directly to the community and local non-profits.

Inside, the space is divided into two rooms and has an outdoor patio. A large counter sits prominently in the main room and features a menu board showing the variety of coffee including lattes and americanos as well as lemonades, tea, toasts, and pastries. The bright space is accented with plants and artwork including a hand painted mural of a branch climbing the wall in the back room. The shop also features pendant lights and a mixture of bistro tables, lounge seating beneath a “good vibes only” sign, and an oversized chair. It has large windows that look out onto Farnam Street complete with fencing and construction cones. Of the two rooms, the front with the ordering counter is the more lively of the two while the back is a bit quieter providing space to study, read, work, or enjoy a conversation. Zen is perhaps best known for its coffee and toast flights allowing you to try a variety of flavors.

I ordered a white chocolate latte and a caprese toast. I’ve been to Zen before so I knew what to expect. It’s not my usual go-to for coffee but it’s on my shortlist of favorites. I received my order a few minutes later and proceeded to the quieter space to people watch and take in the vibe. I’ve said it before, I’m not a food reviewer so I won’t go into detail other than to say both hit the mark. I left a little more energized and with a full stomach. Note to self, take photos of my order next time!

I should point out that despite the usual maneuvering of lanes as you drive to Zen Coffee, it does have something many other businesses in the area don’t and that is off-street parking along 25th and Farnam. It also has parking meters out front.

Going forward, these articles will share just a bit of history. History is how this site started after all. As the city continued to grow, the area became known as auto row due to the prevalence of car dealerships including Rosen-Novak. Its nearby building has been the home to All Makes office equipment store since the 1960s. According to the assessor, the Zen building dates back to 1924 and served as the home to Old Hickory Barbecue for a time. Fast forward decades and it was renovated in 2015. Some of you may remember that it was home to Smoke Pit Barbecue and its famous “Happy Anniversary Forever in Blue Jeans” billboard.

While Zen Coffee has multiple locations including a new one in the Central Public Library, the shop in Farnam Hill sits at 2504 Farnam Street (the nearest streetcar stop will be nearby at 24th and Farnam). Its hours are 6:30 am to 5 pm Sun-Thurs and from 7 am to 6 pm on Fri and Sat. Be sure to check out its website for more or possible changes to hours: https://www.zencoffeecompany.com/

The streetcar remains on track to launch in 2028 and it can’t get here soon enough! There’s no doubt that it will bring significant changes when that happens. Here’s to hoping that the closure of businesses isn’t among them.

Omaha Exploration, 2026. All rights reserved. Excerpts and links are welcome with full credit given to Omaha Exploration and a link back to the original content.