Jeanette George, executive chef and co-owner of Lyle’s Pizzeria, has always had a love of farm-to-table cooking. She grew up in central Nebraska on a large farm where her mother had a vegetable garden. “My first memories are of making potato salad with home grown veggies and canning pickles, salsa, and fresh tomato sauce,” George reminisced.
Summers were spent at Johnson’s Lake for family reunions when a traditional meal called “soo-wee” was made by filling an old milk churn with cabbage, sausage, corn, carrots, onions, and cheap beer. The mixture was put on the fire where it would bubble away for hours while the kids fished, swam, and basked in the sun. “Our Great Uncle Glen would ring a bell and yell, “Soo-wee!” and the kids would run up from the lake to the house knowing that dinner was ready,” George shared. “It was dumped into a small DIY trough lined with plastic, and we would dip crusty bread and butter in the mix. I miss those summers.”
George began her restaurant career at Lot 2 as a server and host. She’d always cooked at home, and one day she moved into the prep kitchen and worked under Joel Mahr, who became her mentor. She subsequently worked at the French Bulldog, The Blackstone Meatball, and La Buvette, where she served as head chef.
Then Philip Schaffart approached George to start a new restaurant called Lyle’s Pizzeria. The two met when she was at Meatball, where he was impressed with her culinary abilities. “Jeanette is a great leader and advocate, not only for our business, but also for our community. She’s a very tough person—no one will outwork her. Her team adores her and respects her. She’s also so kind and has such a warm presence and heart,” said Schaffart, co-owner of Lyle’s Pizzeria. The name Lyle’s is an homage to Lyle Ray—a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and beloved pet of the Schaffart family.
In April 2023, Lyle’s Pizzeria opened on the corner of 52nd and Leavenworth streets in a former Max I. Walker dry cleaner. Built in the 1930’s, the building originally served as a post office. Today, the kitchen for Lola’s bakery, located several blocks away in Dundee, is housed in the basement, and both Lola’s baked goods and Lyle’s pizza dough are crafted there.
Lyle’s space has the look and feel of a restaurant that has been in the neighborhood for decades. A colorful mural by local artist Jeff Sedrel greets guests as they pull into the parking lot. “We wanted to have something that was fun, whimsical, and showcased our personality—he nailed it!” George said. The floor is lined with black and white subway tiles. A long bar with seating sweeps across the restaurant. There are a few more sets of tables to make up the cozy atmosphere. George and Schaffart plan to add a patio for additional seating later in the year. Green plants rest along the windows and hang above the bar. The artwork features enlarged black-and-white photos of Omaha street scenes and images of people and their dogs. George handpicked the photos from the Durham Museum’s historical photo archives.
The idea was to look timeless and to showcase the local community.
“We really wanted to create a vibe that was a third space—a place to go between work and home. We are in a great community, and we wanted to be a welcoming spot,” George explained.
The menu consists of small plates like marinated olives, salads, and pizzas. The 12-inch pizzas are made with hand-stretched sourdough that bakes to a crispy crust topped with fresh ingredients. The sausage pizza, a favorite of many customers, is covered in tomato sauce, fennel sausage, goat cheese, mozzarella, pepperoncini, and Mike’s Hot Honey. The Bianco is a mix of fontina, fior di latte mozzarella, goat cheese, roasted garlic, basil, and olive oil. Vegan options and gluten free crusts are available. The menu changes seasonally with daily specials based on the local ingredients.
On the day I visited, George had a container of fresh picked wild oyster mushrooms that she incorporated into a special pizza called the “Wild Child.” It included a mixture of wild ramp pesto, house lemon ricotta, and pistachios.
“The menu is simple, but simple can be hard to execute. It’s remarkable what she does with so few ingredients,” Schaffart said.
The bar menu features craft cocktails, beer, and wine. The wine list is biodynamic, organic, and sourced from sustainable farming wineries. George likes to feature women and BIPOC-owned wine makers.
For chefs coming onto the scene, George’s advice is that “creativity has no bounds—and failure isn’t so much failure, but learning. Cooking is a skill that compounds on itself—so keep pushing, keep working. You will never know everything, and you will always continue to learn and improve your skills. Read a lot, be a team player, and have fun.”
George’s curiosity is what drives her the most, along with her personal philosophy of walking through the world with kindness and creativity. She’s grateful to share that through food and hospitality.
“Lyle’s is excited and grateful to be a part of this community! We can’t wait to welcome you in. We’re only just getting started,” said George.
To learn more, visit lylespizzeria.com.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
