Looking for a new restaurant in Louisville? Try these recommendations around the area
Where’s the best place to eat in Louisville? With so many options, it can be hard to choose.
Starting last summer, we decided to document some eateries, bars, distilleries, dessert shops, and marketplaces to feature in our weekly video series, “The Best Thing I Ate This Week.”
With some help from Louisville residents, owners, and our Instagram followers, we’ve found some amazing places to eat and drink. See all the places we’ve been to and declared “the best” in 2024.
Did we miss a place? Tell us which place we should feature in “The Best Thing I Ate” series.
WEEK 36, Sept. 1-7: Goldie's
When you think of this new NuLu shop, you should think of things that are cute, curated, and cozy, of coffee by the cup and, of course, natural wine by the bottle.
The goal of Goldie’s, a retail shop that soft-opened with a ribbon cutting in the first few days of September, is to offer a little bit of everything under the categories of food, coffee, wine, and delights, as seen by the words on the storefront. That could mean a scoop of ice cream, a sandwich to-go, or a carton of eggs to take home.
More: New in NuLu: Wine bar and next-door retail shop now open. Take a peek inside
Where should we go next week?
Which place should we feature in "The Best Thing I Ate This Week" series? Fill out the form below to submit a location that you want to see us try:
WEEK 35, Aug. 25-31: The Silver Dollar
One of Louisville’s favorite places to get “whiskey by the drink” is back.
The Silver Dollar, the honky-tonk-inspired restaurant and watering hole recognized nationally as a top bourbon bar, reopened in late August, after a new owner led a quick revamp to the space and menu.
The Clifton spot, 1761 Frankfort Ave., was listed for sale in October 2023, when longtime owner Shawn Cantley said it was “time for fresh leadership.”
More: Back and brighter, The Silver Dollar in Clifton reopens with new menu and new owner
WEEK 34, Aug. 18-24: International Catering
When you think of the Kentucky State Fair, fried food probably instantly comes to mind.
You can’t go to fairs such as this one, held through Sunday at the Kentucky Exposition Center, without wafts of funnel cakes and elephant ears, two of the original deep-fried goodies you’ll always find near a Ferris wheel.
Fried options, whether it’s chicken, mac-and-cheese, or peanut butter cups, have ballooned in recent years.
That’s plain to see based on the colorful signs for International Catering’s anchoring stand inside the South Wing’s food court.
More: We tried a new deep-fried decadent treat at the Kentucky State Fair. Here's what we thought
WEEK 33, Aug. 11-17: New York Pizza Company
New York Pizza Company, 2354 Frankfort Ave., joined the Clifton neighborhood in July in the form of a hard-to-miss red-painted building. The brick-and-mortar, with seating for about 30 inside and an outdoor patio with picnic tables, opened months after chef Michael Andrew began his pizza project as a ghost kitchen, making one pie at a time exclusively for DoorDash orders.
As orders picked up, the time came to expand.
“I saw an opportunity that this is something Louisville needed,” Andrew told the Courier Journal. “It’s our goal to bring a taste of New York to Louisville.”
More: 'Taste of New York in Louisville:' New pizza shop in Clifton area serves slices of 'magic'
WEEK 32, Aug. 4-Aug. 10: Boone's Deli
Whether it's beer, ball, chips, ketchup, or shots, you could put pickle in front of all these words.
Pickle sandwiches, in which slices of bread are replaced with two halves of a cored-out brined cucumber to hold your go-to ingredients, got picked as the latest viral food trend. Earlier this summer, the trend ticked up on TikTok, where a post about New York City-based Seven Brothers Gourmet’s pickle sandwich has been watched 4.5 million times.
The “social media craze,” as Boone described it to the Courier Journal, seemed like a good fit to try at Boone’s Deli, the Jeffersontown spot she and her husband, Seth, opened in June.
More: The viral pickle sandwich trend has made it to Louisville. Here's where you can find it
WEEK 31, July 28-Aug. 3: Richy'$ (inside Ten20 Craft Brewery)
As the newest food vendor opens this week at Ten20 Craft Brewery in Butchertown, patrons will also be introduced to a new character.
The character's name is Richy, thus inspiring the name for the eatery, known as Richy'$. It opened July 31 inside Ten20, taking over the former spot of Happy Belly Bistro, and coming from the crew behind Decade, the upscale restaurant a short walk away at 1076 Washington St.
The menu of “backyard bites” was partly inspired by Anzalone’s favorite foods as well as a desire from Decade’s three owners to offer a more casual food option in the neighborhood.
More: New food stall opens at Ten20 Brewery from team behind this upscale Louisville restaurant
WEEK 30, July 21-July 27: High Stakes Grill
High Stakes Grill, which officially opened July 18, offers “a modern approach on classic American grill dishes” and rooftop hangs in NuLu.
The new restaurant atop the also new Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu, 710 E. Jefferson St., aims to be a “tribute to the memorable underdog winners and champions in life, sports, history, and the arts,” according to a press release.
Around High Stakes Grill, you'll find nods to horse racing and other sports with quotes, such as one on the wall from Yogi Berra and another on the menu from the late Harold Peter Henry "Pee Wee" Reese, a Kentucky native and professional baseball player who famously played with Jackie Robinson. There’s also a framed quote on the wall from Dolly Parton, which reads, “I’m on a seafood diet. When I see food, I eat it.”
More: Dining up? High Stakes Grill, new rooftop restaurant, opens in Louisville. Take a peek inside
WEEK 29, July 14-July 20: Corner
In honor of Louisville Burger Week, Corner, 102 W. Main St., in downtown Louisville created the Sunrise Burger, made with a beef patty, sliced avocados, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and cheese. It's topped with a fried egg and served on a potato bun.
Corner opened in 2015 on the first floor of the Aloft Downtown Louisville hotel on Whiskey Row. The restaurant serving "flavors of Kentucky," as its motto goes, features spacious indoor seating with colorful artwork and games, as well as dog-friendly patio space.
Corner is also known for its cocktails, including a new espresso martini made with Old Forester.
More: Louisville Burger Week: This downtown restaurant's burger features a runny, fried egg
WEEK 28, July 7-July 13: Red Top Hotdogs
Ryan Cohee didn’t plan on moving to Louisville.
The experienced chef visited the city on vacation about 15 years ago and then, charmed by the place, moved here a week later.
He also probably didn’t plan on starting a hot dog business here that's — 10 years later — a local favorite.
In 2014, Cohee launched Red Top Hot Dogs as a hot dog cart, the kind you’d picture on the sidewalks of New York City.
“There was a niche that wasn’t being fed at all in this area and that was hot dogs,” Cohee told the Courier Journal.
More: Red Top Hotdogs opens new location in Germantown. Here's where to find it
Week 27, June 30-July 6: Decade
A year after Decade opened in the former Butchertown Grocery, the restaurant launched a new way to enjoy its artsy space.
Just in time for summer, Decade, 1076 E. Washington St., recently launched a happy hour menu, complete with a few items only available for a 1-hour window during the week.
Along with half-off priced glasses of wine and $2 off draft beer, two special cocktails are on the menu.
More: Butchertown restaurant launches new happy hour specials: Here's what on the menu
Week 26, June 23-29: Brown Hotel
The iconic Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville will never get rid of its namesake dish, the Hot Brown.
But, now and then over the past 100 years, it has made some changes to the menu.
Upcoming changes to the upscale and historic hotel's food offerings come on the heels of the hiring of a new executive chef.
Chef Gary Palm, who has more than 30 years of international culinary experience and has worked at five-star hotels and Michelin-star restaurants around the world, joined The Brown Hotel, 335 W. Broadway, in downtown Louisville in late May.
More: With new chef, The Brown Hotel will soon unveil revamped menu items. Here's a sneak peek.
Week 25, June 16-22: Spotz Gelato
At home in her Scott County kitchen, Beth Richardson taught herself how to make gelato. Then her husband built a food truck.
That was the start of Spotz Gelato, which has grown from a single pink truck in 2013 to eight mobile units — vintage trucks, a wagon and indoor miniature gelato bars — as well as five brick-and-mortar locations in downtowns of small Kentucky towns.
After opening spots in Midway, Shelbyville, Georgetown and Versailles, the newest location opened two years ago on Main Street in La Grange. Each one is open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday seasonally, from St. Patrick’s Day to Halloween.
“This was supposed to be a side gig on the weekends,” Richardson told the Courier Journal. “But we love it.”
More: Is this the best gelato in Kentucky? Check out this sweet spot only open seasonally
Week 24, June 9-15: Noche Mexican BBQ
1838 Bardstown Road, Suite 100
Hannah Ross, bar manager at Noche Mexican BBQ, described how she prepares the Highlands spot’s new fat-washed cocktails.
One creation, called Uncle Brisket’s Last Stand at the Noche Corral, is inspired by Noche’s smoked brisket, which is cooked in-house for 18 hours. Ross places a pan under the brisket to catch any fat drippings.
She then strains the fat and combines it with Uncle Nearest 1856, the aged Tennessee whiskey of choice for the drink.
“I let that infuse for about 24 hours and freeze it,” she said. “All the fat solidifies, and you can get the whiskey out without having that oily fat still attached to it.”
It’s complete with stave-infused demerara, angostura, and a smoked orange.
More: Heard of fat-washed cocktails? This Louisville spot uses brisket, avocado in its drinks
Week 23, June 2-8: Elderberry Provisions
3909 Chenoweth Square
Elderberry Provisions opened in April, after years of talks between Tim Dulac and his daughter, Brittany Dulac, about wanting to turn their love of family and food into something. They also wanted to blend their experiences in professional kitchens and corporate jobs.
So Brittany took a leap of faith and moved to Louisville from Los Angeles to open this space with her father.
“It seemed like an amazing way to swing and make the dream true, you know?” she told the Courier Journal.
Whether in the form of a chocolate chip cookie or a chicken sandwich, this place is about the many forms of family.
Elderberry Provisions is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
More: A community cornerstone: opening St. Matthews cafe is dream come true for father, daughter duo
Week 22, May 26 - June 1: Garage Bar
700 E. Market St.
Garage Bar aims to be a go-to spot for outdoor hangs, complete with plenty of patio seating, views of two colliding cars, rustic ping pong tables and menu items made with warm temperatures in mind.
The NuLu restaurant recently announced it will be keeping its lights on a little later ahead of the summer season, with expanded hours and a new late-night food menu.
The post-dinner menu will be available 10 p.m. to midnight Thursday-Saturday and include chef Richard Sible’s “playful take on your favorite late-night crave-ables and munchies, executed with the same high-quality ingredients and delicious delivery that guests know and love,” according to a press release.
The late-night menu includes waffle fries ($7), a falafel with tofu ($7), spiced cheese sauce ($4), a steam burger ($9), a garage dog with kimchi ($9), and a hot hand pie filled with pepperoni ($9).
More: Garage Bar in NuLu extends hours, announces late-night menu for summer. Here's what to try
Week 21, May 19-25: Ensō
1758 Frankfort Ave.
Ensō opened on Frankfort Avenue in late 2023, so you might forget it’s something new.
The Clifton restaurant’s menu, offering surprising blends of Japanese and Southern cuisines, certainly tries to introduce new tastes to Louisville.
This is one goal proclaimed by chef Lawrence Weeks, also known for his chops at North of Bourbon who was recognized earlier this year on the long list of semifinalists for the 2024 James Beard Awards in the Emerging Chef category.
Recently, Ensō launched some vegetarian options, including a rendition of the Frito pie, made with a base of Sea Island red pea chili and Charleston gold rice. Other menu options include mushroom skewers, sesame turnip greens, and an egg sandwich on Texas toast.
More: Enso in Louisville serves southern cuisine with Japanese flavors. Here's what to order
Week 20, May 12-18: The Kitchen Table
522 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont
This place has a name you know.
And it’s the kind of place that you’d like to get to know better.
Upon entering the narrow roads leading to James B. Beam Distillery in Clermont, you see the beautiful scenery and you sense the history.
And you see that the recently-renovated campus has some new things up its sleeves, including a “whiskey-forward dining experience unlike anything else,” as is said on the website.
That dining experience, called The Kitchen Table, champions flavors surrounded by the land its on, including menu items such as burgoo, pork rinds, pimento cheese, fried chicken, a hot brown pizza and, for dessert, bourbon balls.
The Kitchen Table, 522 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday-Sunday.
More: This iconic Kentucky distillery's restaurant is worth a summertime trip
Week 19, May 5-11: Pretty Decent
2235 Frankfort Ave.
At first, all you see is a sea of green.
Then pops of purple, pink, and other shades and shapes of beauty that plants show up as.
Walk a few more steps, and you see this is not just a place to peruse or purchase plants. There’s a cozy bar back there, too.
This happens a lot at Pretty Decent, a boutique plant shop and mezcal bar at 2235 Frankfort Ave. First-timers checking out the spot in the Clifton neighborhood often get a pretty nice surprise that there are two concepts in one room.
More: This mezcal bar and plant shop aims to be different in Louisville
Week 18, April 28-May 4: The B.A. Colonial
818 W Kenwood Drive
The colorful silks spark quite the view walking in. No, this scene is not seen from down the stretch at Churchill Downs, but hanging from above at The B.A. Colonial.
Ahead of the 150th Kentucky Derby, the bar and restaurant at Colonial Gardens, 818 Kenwood Drive, held an inaugural jockey silk painting party. More than 100 people showed up to show their skills and the resulting wooden silks now hang from the ceiling to create fitting Derby-themed decorations.
More: Louisville restaurant's Kentucky Derby party has Pappy Van Winkle giveaway. What to know
Week 17, April 21-27: Kentucky Derby Festival Bourbonville
829 W Main St.
Last week, the Kentucky Derby Festival held the Republic Bank BourbonVille at the Frazier History Museum — the Official Starting Point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Get a taste of these specialty drinks and be sure to mark it in your calendar for next year.
More: Looking for a new bourbon? Here are three new releases you should try this month
Week 16, April 14-20: Taste of Derby Festival
401 E Main St.
Sometimes you don't have to go to more than one place for a glimpse of Louisville's food scene.
That goes for the Taste of Derby Festival.
The 35th run of the event, held Tuesday at Louisville Slugger Field, featured bites and sips from more than 70 vendors.
More: Taste of Derby Festival returns with tastes of Louisville: Here's what we tried
Week 15, April 7-13: Board & You Bistro & Wine Bar
434 Pearl St, New Albany
A full-scale restaurant, Board & You Bistro & Wine Bar, opened in 2020 in New Albany, Indiana, and then came a next-door cheese shop. A couple of other locations opened and closed and, thanks to its delivery operation, the area’s charcuterie pioneer thrived during the pandemic.
The local charcuterie brand will provide catering services at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week.
More: Local charcuterie brand lands catering gig at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week
Week 14, March 31-April 6: Tikka Tacos
3311 Preston Hwy
Whether you’re in the mood for Mexican or Indian food, Tikka Tacos is the way to go.
The wide-ranging menu is described as Indo-Mexi fusion. On it, you'll find a little bit of everything, from dumplings to chips and queso, lamb tacos, a Philly cheesesteak, chicken tikka masala, and loaded nachos.
More: In the mood for Mexican and Indian food? Find two cuisines in one at Tikka Tacos in Louisville
Week 13, March 24-30: Phalcha Coffee
1001 Mary St.
Between the neon sign reading “good vibes only,” chill background music, and hanging plants, this new Germantown spot might look like your average coffee shop.
Upon closer look, you’ll see ingredients not found anywhere else in Louisville.
Consider colorful drinks made with ube, a type of purple yam, or a strawberry-rose latte with Nutella.
Yes, avocado toast pops up on the menu. So does tuna toast and a prosciutto sandwich. If you’re in search of something sweeter, waffles and freshly scooped ice cream are available.
This is some of what you’ll find at Phalcha Coffee, which opened in early March, alongside classic coffees and tea.
More: New Nepali coffee shop serves purple drinks, ice cream and 'good vibes' in Germantown
Week 12, March 17-23: Hi-Five Doughnuts
1940 Harvard Drive
Before Hi-Five Doughnuts found its new sweet spot in the Highlands, a lot had to happen.
The owners of Louisville’s popular specialty doughnut shop had to find a new location after the lease to their Butchertown brick-and-mortar was not renewed in late 2022. Then they had to battle a year of renovations and construction to the new digs at 1940 Harvard Drive.
Their new home comes with a larger food menu, including a fried chicken doughnut sandwich, and a full-service coffee program that includes lattes made with Hi-Five’s doughnut glaze recipe. The coffee comes from City Girl Coffee Company, a Minneapolis-based business.
Also on the menu is a hint to “Mini Widoughmaker Food Challenge,” consisting of three stacked doughnuts with a pound of fried chicken, a pound of bacon, and sausage gravy all topped with cornflakes and a grape drizzle. Customers can order a miniature version for $20.
You may like: Hi-Five Doughnuts to open in new location. Here's the story behind their sweet success
Week 11, March 10-16: Irish Rover
2319 Frankfort Ave.
Get a glimpse at why Irish Rover has been around for more than 30 years in the Clifton-Crescent Hill neighborhood, where the cozy restaurant/bar serves Irish brews such as Guinness and Harp Lager on tap. Popular plates include Scotch eggs, smoked salmon, cordon bleu fritters, fish and chips, and cottage pie.
The pub features dark wooden booths for dining and its walls are covered with Irish-themed artwork. Depending on the day, you may hear the sounds of live music near the bar.
Green beer and Irish bars: Why you should celebrate St. Patrick's Day at this longtime Louisville Irish bar
Week 10, March 3-9: St. Augustine
1310 W. Broadway
It's fried fish season!
Lent, which this year begins on Feb. 14, is here and that means fish on Fridays, with dine-in, carryout, and drive-thru available at a majority of churches in the Louisville area for the 40-day duration of Lent.
Check your church's website or the Archdiocese of Louisville website for the most updated information. Here is our list of more than 40 local fish fries taking place in Louisville for Lent.
More: It's fried fish season! Here are 44 Louisville places to get your fill during Lent 2024
Week 9, Feb. 25-March 2: Louisville Cream
632 E Market St.
Some of the ice cream flavors change with the seasons at Louisville Cream, such as strawberry cookies and cream or pistachio honeycomb.
But there’s one flavor that will never leave the menu: banana pudding.
“It was immediately very popular,” the shop’s co-owner Darryl Goodner told the Courier Journal. “I think it’s because it really tastes like banana pudding. And it looks pretty.”
More: Find unique flavors at this Louisville shop known for making 'best ice cream in Kentucky'
Week 8, Feb. 18-24: Cask Southern Kitchen & Bar
9980 Linn Station Road
Upon walking into Cask Southern Kitchen & Bar, the little chalkboard sign welcomes you with a handwritten message: “We’re happy you’re here!”
The restaurant opened in late 2019 at 9980 Linn Station Road as a different concept and turned into Cask Southern Kitchen & Bar amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The menu covers a wide span of options, from a cup of gumbo to a smoked meatloaf sandwich to a pan-seared ribeye. There are midday specials called “Lunch Box,” including bowls, smaller starters and the option to order a half-sized sandwich and soup or salad.
Popular items include the pulled pork nachos, topped with pico de gallo, pimento cheese queso, pickled red onions, pickled jalapenos, and avocado. Cask also has a weekly special on oysters, which cost $1.25 every Thursday.
More: Hunting for a new happy hour spot? Try this Louisville restaurant for nachos, oysters and more
Week 7, Feb. 11-17: The Fishery
3624 Lexington Road
After 40 years, not much has changed about The Fishery — it's part of the reason so many people enjoy coming back to the restaurant.
That’s what owners Matt Clark and Carol Clark-Kassai are going for. Thirty years ago, the siblings walked into the little seafood stop with their father to ask if The Fishery’s owner would be open to franchising.
“He said, ‘No, but you can have this one,’” Matt Clark told the Courier Journal about that conversation in 1992. “Within about two weeks, we made a deal.”
Read more: This 40-year-old seafood joint known for 'best fish sandwich' is a favorite during Lent
Week 6, Feb. 4-10: Muth's Candies
630 E Market St.
Maybe it’s the date on the calendar, telling you it’s almost Valentine’s Day, but at Muth’s Candies holidays like Valentine’s Day are celebrated with candy.
The storefront’s seasonal decorations signal that this is a good place to go for something sweet. Window shoppers along East Market Street in NuLu will see an overload of pink, red, hearts and old-timey decor. Once inside, not much changes, except for the rows and rows of chocolates and colorful candy from which to choose.
Week 5, Jan. 28-Feb. 3: Lou Lou on Market
812 E. Market St.
Lou Lou on Market was made with Mardi Gras in mind.
The New Orleans-themed restaurant at 812 E Market St. has upped its festive decor ahead of Fat Tuesday celebrations on Feb. 13. You’ll find lots of carnival masks, colorful beads, and purple, green, and gold touches around the NuLu eatery, which serves Louisiana-inspired dishes such as jambalaya, shrimp-n-grits, gumbo, red beans and rice, and, for dessert, a bundle of beignets. The menu offers a little bit of everything, including a bone-in pork chop, cheeseburger, chicken wings, pizzas and calzones.
Read More: Ready for Fat Tuesday? Here's a sneak peek at what Lou Lou on Market is planning for Mardi Gras
Week 4, Jan. 21-27: Costa del Sol at Colonial Gardens
818 W Kenwood Drive
A new restaurant serving Latin cuisine has opened at Colonial Gardens, the restored historic property in south Louisville.
The food complex near Iroquois Park includes spaces for four restaurants, two of which are currently not operating. Costa del Sol takes over the spot off New Cut Road formerly occupied by Taco Luchador.
Read more: Latin restaurant opens at Colonial Gardens in south Louisville. Here's what to expect
Week 3, Jan. 14-20: The Misfit Lou
119 S 7th St.
Walking into The Misfit Lou feels like walking into a time machine. Or, a helter-skelter museum dedicated to beer and Bigfoot.
Or, it might just feel like an artsy sandwich shop.
In reality, the newest bar and restaurant to open in downtown Louisville doesn’t fit in just one box.
Read more: Meet The Misfit - Sandwiches and live music return to downtown in site of former beloved staple
Week 2, Jan. 7-13: Watch Hill Proper
11201 River Beauty Loop
On this bourbon club and restaurant’s website, there’s an option to take a virtual tour as if to say, “This is a place you gotta see.”
When you step inside Watch Hill Proper in Prospect there’s indeed plenty to see. Your eyes might bounce from the towering shelves of bourbon behind the bar to the premium bottles behind glass to the luxury-style leather seats.
And that’s before anything has been ordered.
Week 1, Jan. 1-6: Kiwa
2235 Frankfort Ave.
Upon opening the doors of Kiwa, you’ll be greeted with a white wall and a message in small, black font. Underneath the cafe’s name, the words read: “Live, Dine, Love. All Under One Roof.”
This is the tone owner Soo Young Cho hopes to set at Kiwa, her Korean coffee and tea shop that recently opened in the Clifton neighborhood.
Read more: Korean cafe specializing in tea, coffee, desserts and art opens in Clifton. Take a peek
Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville restaurants to try in 2024: 'The Best Thing I Ate' series
