Summer 2023 (Vol. 78) - 20th Anniversary

FEATURES

FEATURE | 20 Years of Comings & Goings

A look back at 20 years of our unique, comprehensive coverage of the Louisville dining scene and chronicling the restaurant openings and closings, year by year.

PROFILE | Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant

More than any other single Louisville restaurant, Vincenzo’s, now approaching 40, represents the city’s highest aspirations.

PROFILE | Ditto’s Grill

Frank Yang and Dominic Serratore have created a unique synergy at Ditto’s. Now in their fourth decade, Ditto’s and Stevens Deli show few signs of slowing down anytime soon.

COLUMNS

Starters

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Our Editor-in-Chief Marty Rosen reflects on two decades of F&D and the trends we’ve witnessed over the years.

Liquids

BAR BELLE | Two decades & too many memories

Nobody has devoted as many nights to chronicling the city’s nightlife as the Bar Belle — who still remembers it all in this look back.

HIP HOPS | Standing the test of time

Roger Baylor looks back over two transformative decades for brewing in the Metro.

COCKTAIL CONTESSA | What’s old is new again

Cocktails, too, come and go — and the Contessa tracks the trends and ideas about how to mix things up for modern-day tastes.

Food

EASY ENTERTAINING | Best-of grilling guest chefs

A “best-of” compilation of guest-chef grilling recipes collected over the years by our must-read entertainologists, Tim and Lori Laird.

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Dining Guide

Our comprehensive list of over 1,500 Louisville eateries is a unique and essential tool for area diners.

Maps (RESTAURANT LOCATOR)

Location is everything for diners and for restaurateurs — and our one-of-a kind maps cover the entire Metro region.

PUBLISHER

JOHN CARLOS WHITE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MARTY ROSEN

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

ROGER BAYLOR

PHOTOGRAPHERS

DAN DRY

ANDY HYSLOP

HEATHER WIBBELS

COLUMNISTS

ROGER BAYLOR

SARA HAVENS

HEATHER WIBBELS

FEATURE WRITERS

ROGER BAYLOR

CARY STEMLE

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS-AT-LARGE

TIM & LORI LAIRD

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION

ED ROTHER

JOHN CARLOS WHITE

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

GRETCHEN SHARP

IN FOND MEMORY OF OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES

RON MIKULAK | KAREN SHANE

DANIEL BOYLE

From the Editor

In 2003, when our publisher, John Carlos White, first invited me to become a contributing writer for F&D, his ambitions for the magazine struck me as both audacious and preposterous. Back then, The CourierJournal and LEO Weekly (where I was already contributing) and Louisville Magazine all offered strong dining coverage, and I knew how much of an editorial investment was involved in assembling any attempt at a comprehensive dining guide — even on an annual basis, with full-time staff, let alone on a quarterly basis with a handful of freelancers. It seemed to me an inconceivable task to gather the necessary info and then physically vet, verify, describe, classify — and then map! — every restaurant in the Metro.

But John and his Vice-President, the late Danny Boyle, assembled information from every possible source, got into their cars and drove the streets of the Metro for 10 hours a day until they had personally put their eyes on, and mapped every one of the 718 restaurants we listed in the premiere issue (bear in mind that Google Maps did not exist back then).

As far as I can tell, no other food-related publication in the country has ever undertaken such a project, let alone maintained it for two decades.

By 2003. Louisville’s national profile as a culinary center was wellestablished. Media around the country were aware that the city was home to established and emerging generations of talented chefs who were taking advantage of the region’s agricultural bounty. And I’d been writing dining reviews for LEO Weekly off and on for a few years — long enough that eventually I noticed a pattern that was already glaringly evident to everyone who followed the dining scene.

In every sector of Louisville dining you could discern the legacy of one single establishment that had closed more than a decade earlier: Casa Grisanti.

I found that 17 notable restaurants, ranging from elite fine dining to casual delicatessen cuisine, traced their origins to Casa — so I pitched that story, expecting I might get the go-ahead to write a standard 1500-word feature with a few interviews and some photos.

Instead, I got enthusiastic clearance to go as deeply as I wanted. That support — like the ambitious approach to building the initial guide and maps — persuaded me that F&D was a seriously ambitious undertaking.

For weeks I conducted interviews. In the end, I filed a story that ran an astonishing 6,400 words (three times as long as a typical feature).

That legacy endures and remains influential in today’s dining scene. (If you’re interested, use the QR code above to see that article in our online archive).

But for a more timely read, start turning the pages of this twentiethanniversary issue, where two excellent writers update parts of that story. Roger Baylor went back to the source and interviewed Vincenzo and Agostino Gabriele, who were the driving forces at Casa Grisanti, and still uphold that legacy of excellence at Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant.

Cary Stemle visits three other Chefs who were part of the Grisanti generation and have shaped Louisville cuisine in the years since: Frank Yang and Dominic Serratore of Ditto’s Grill and Susan Stevens of Stevens Deli.

Elsewhere in this issue you’ll find our outstanding corps of regular contributors looking back at various aspects of the last two decades. Of course, Louisville’s bar scene has changed over these two decades, and who knows that better than the intrepid Bar Belle herself, Sara Havens, who — yes — remembers it well!

In case you don’t quite remember (or are trying to forget) what cocktails you were drinking back then, our Cocktail Contessa offers some updated versions of favorites from that era. And for when you prefer to entertain your guests at home, we have collected some of the most popular recipes that Tim and Lori Laird garnered from guest chefs for their Easy Entertaining column.

For me, our archives now comprise a unique historical record that documents not just the restaurants we list, but a rich cluster of social, cultural, economic, and geographic trends that foodways reflect.

In our listings and maps you can track the Metro’s geographic development, you can discern patterns of immigration — and acculturation as cuisines once marginalized proliferate across the community. Each listing and every point on our maps stands for the hopes and dreams of someone constructing a community around food.

And that’s what John Carlos White understood and set out to document back in 2003.

From the beginning, we documented and reported on every restaurant opening and closing in the Metro. Until his death earlier this year, that was the work of Ron Mikulak. These days, that beat is in the hands of a worthy successor, Roger Baylor. His overview of the Comings & Goings column is an essential read.

In this issue, we have taken a look back, year-by-year, and chronicled how the local restaurant scene has changed. For the record, our listings (which do not include the major national chains) have grown from 718 in 2003 to 1528 today. Over these two decades, of course, restaurants have come and gone. In total, over the last 20 years, we have chronicled 3,416 restaurants in our guide.

Years ago, when I first interviewed Chef Frank Yang, he told me that every dinner and every meal has its own specific purpose. Sometimes the primary goal is as simple as nutrition, of course. But most meals are about more than that. When we eat in company the purpose may be business; family; special events, happy and sad; curiosity; ostentation; mourning; romance, or a host of other things.

Meals are as complex as their context, and for all of us who have had the opportunity to experience the Louisville dining scene — readers, writers, diners, front-of-house, back-of-house — I hope that looking back over these twenty years will bring back memories, not just of a dish, a dessert, a beverage, but of a moment “when.”

comings goings & Years of Restaurant

BY ROGER BAYLOR, JOHN CARLOS WHITE & RON MIKULAK | PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

2003 • NET GAIN OF 75 103 Restaurant openings / 28 Closings

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In 2003, the first year of Food & Dining’s publication, 103 new restaurants had opened and 28 closed, for a net gain of 75. That was the largest annual gain we’ve recorded — though looking back it’s possible that the gain reflects an under-count in our first rather than a surge of turbo-charged energy among local restaurateurs.

Among the noteworthy restaurants we spotlighted in 2003 were Caffé Classico,Yang Kee Noodle, Limestone and L&N Wine Bar & Bistro. After strong runs, three of these restaurants have closed; only Caffé Classico, Tommie Mudd’s stylish coffee shop-cumEuropean cafe remains, preternaturally consistent for 20 years amid an ever-changing Frankfort Avenue corridor.

The pan-Asian Yang Kee Noodle, with original recipes from John Castro, subsequently spawned two other area locations, the last of which closed in early 2023. Meanwhile, Jim Gerhardt left The Oakroom at the Seelbach, where he had been a vigorous early proponent of local ingredients (including paddlefish caviar) to start the New Southern flavored Limestone on Hurstbourne Parkway (20032014) with The Oakroom sous chef, Michael Cuhna. Len Stevens, at L&N, introduced the area to a high-tech Cruvinet wine dispensing system that gave us wine by-the-glass servings kept fresh with inert nitrogen gas. L&N Wine Bar & Bistro was shuttered in the autumn of 2012 and is now home to Chik’n Mi.

Two notable long-time favorites also closed in 2003: Timothy’s and Lanai. Timothy’s, which pioneered the now ubiquitous white chili, was the last iteration of several memorable restaurants devised by restaurateur Tim Barnes (including J. Timothy’s, one of the more fondly remembered of the string that came and went in the Mayflower Apartments in Old Louisville before Buck’s settled in). Lanai, in a comfortable old building with a sprawling porch in Middletown, left fans bereft when it closed.

2004 • NET GAIN OF 53 113 Restaurant openings / 60 Closings

F&D welcomed Volare, the upscale, Italian-themed descendent of Vincenzo’s and Casa Grisanti (and these days the social media account of choice for those who enjoy watching chef/owner Joshua

Moore displaying whatever prodigious fish of the week is on offer).

The opening of Havana Rumba heralded the arrival of Cuban émigré restaurateur Fernando Martinez, his wife Cristina and cousin Yaniel Martinez, soon to combine forces as the owners of the prolific Olé Restaurant Group.

The “Mediterranean meets Italian in New Orleans” vibe of Café Lou Lou arrived in Clifton. Three years later it shifted locations to St. Matthews. The eatery was purchased by Jared Matthews in 2017 and rebranded as Lou Lou Food + Drink, and added a second iteration (Lou Lou on Market in NuLu) in 2023.

Whether view it as a multinational chain purgatory or as a vital magnet for incoming tourists (or perhaps both), 4th Street Live! came to town, an entertainment and retail center designed in modular fashion by the Cordish Company (with significant and controversial municipal support), taking up the block between Liberty Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, and filled with an ever-churning roster of themed restaurants and bars.

In 2004 F&D bid farewell to Shariat’s, Anoosh Shariat’s first concept, a classy spot on Brownsboro Rd. Wellinghurst’s Steakhouse had a short run at Slugger Field, and Salsa South Beach briefly brought a touch of glitz to upper Clifton. Judge Roy Bean’s had occupied the corner at Speed and Bardstown Road for a while before closing in early 2004. And Jicama Grill, Anthony Lamas’s first restaurant effort, folded after a rather public feud with his business partner Jun Eugenio.

2005 • NET GAIN OF 41 123 Restaurant openings / 82 Closings

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Bourbons Bistro (Clifton) quickly became the yardstick for bourbon whiskey appreciation as well as a preferred Southern-style local table for “bourbonism’s” adherents, allowing co-owner Jason Brauner to create his own Buzzard’s Roost whiskey line, and garnering Whisky Magazine’s 2023 Global Bar of the Year.

At Seviche in the Highlands, Anthony Lamas found a winning formula and helped launch “Nuevo Latino” cuisine nationwide, while Proof on Main downtown at the innovative 21c Museum Hotel became the template for a coming generation of Instagrammable hotel eateries.

Two other restaurants that opened in 2005 had shorter tenures: Bim Dietrich’s downtown Italian bistro Primo which closed before NuLu really took off; and Danielle’s, Chef Allan Rosenberg’s first solo effort (which closed the same year).

Gumbo A Go-Go, a local chain started by ex-jockey Billy Fox, Jr., opened in Clifton. It’s now called J. Gumbo’s and has 10 stores in four states, although at its peak in 2015, the tally was 35 in nine states.

Similarly, this was a year of durable national chains first discovering the Louisville market. Cheddar’s and Famous Dave’s BBQ opened outlets to start the growth of Veterans Parkway in Jeffersonville, in addition to two upscale chains, P.F. Chang’s and The Cheesecake Factory in Louisville’s East End.

One notable departure in 2005 was the legendary first location of Impellizzeri’s Pizza on Bardstown Road, following a 25-year run in the Highlands. But nothing about the Tale of Two Impellizeris (brothers Benny and Tony) was ever simple, as Tony had already struck out on his own in 1998 with Tony Impellizzeri’s Italian on Shelbyville Road (later moved to New Albany; now closed), while Benny’s Original Impellizeri’s has proceeded in fits and starts to a current roster of four area locations.

2006

141

NET GAIN OF 38

Restaurant openings / 103 Closings

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2006 was a big year for the Louisville dining scene. We saw the second most restaurant openings (141) of any year we’ve recorded. We also lost two restaurants that had operated a collective 206 years.

Significantly, NuLu began taking shape. Some pioneers had already begun to colonize East Market Street before F&D started its run. Bruce Ucan’s Mayan Gypsy was around, a somewhat funkier but no less flavorful precursor to his Mayan Café. So was Artemisia, both drawing adventurous eaters to a then-dubious part of town. But by 2006 Ucan moved a block or two down Market and opened his immediately popular Mayan Café. A one-time neighborhood theater building, for many years a junk shop, was cleaned out, brightened up and opened as the first location of Toast on Market. It later moved a block or so west to take over the Artemisia space after it closed. The start of NuLu’s restaurant row was official.

Jeff Ruby brought his brash glitz to his Main Street steakhouse, along with a beef aging room, extensive raw bar and over-the-top appointments. It remains a destination dining spot for tourists and locals.

In 2006 a Middle Eastern restaurant began as a modest enterprise in the cottages along Brownsboro Road in lower Clifton; today the original Shiraz Mediterranean Grill has relocated to Holiday Manor and is a popular local chain with five locations in all.

However, 2006 saw some regrettable closings. Open since 1913, The Colonnade Cafeteria, which had served breakfast and lunch to perhaps the broadest spectrum of the Louisville community of any restaurant in town. Kunz’s opened in downtown Louisville in 1892 and occupied various locations over the years. When it finally closed

its doors for the final time, it was located on Fourth Street.

Another of the beloved Bim Dietrich’s always interesting efforts, Red Lounge, closed too. Their Dirty Soul Night had become an instant classic for the late-night music, drinking and dining crowds.

Another popular hangout, Alameda Bar & Grill, legendary for its Wednesday night crowds, closed in late 2006 after founder and Owner/Chef Rick Torres did away with his bread-and-butter $1 beer Wednesday nights.

2007 • NET GAIN OF 24

107 Restaurant openings / 83 Closings

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Among the new arrivals that year was a trio of heavy-hitters. For those still lamenting the loss of Red Lounge, all was forgotten when John Varanese opened his namesake Varanese in the vacated Frankfort Avenue building, where it remains today, and Dean Corbett opened Corbett’s: An American Place in the historic Von Allmen Mansion in the East End (now home to Big Bad Breakfast). Fernando Martinez and Marcos Lorenzo, co-founders of Havana Rumba, opened Mojito Tapas Restaurant to instant success. Martinez would later sell his interest in both restaurants to Lorenzo and form Olé Restaurant Group.

Also in 2007, The Galt House Hotel unveiled a modernized and glamorized rooftop revolving dining space dubbed Rivue, which provided updated competition to The Oakroom and the English Grill, more traditional hotel restaurants. Rivue has since been reinvented yet again, this time into Swizzle.

The first Wild Eggs opened in Dupont Circle to much acclaim, with owners J.D. Rothberg and Shane Hall growing the concept, then selling to a Miami-based investment group; as of 2023, there were 15 Wild Eggs in three states.

Café Lou Lou moved from Clifton to St. Matthews into the spot first established as Asiatique by Peng Looi, who emptied the space by moving Asiatique to the Highlands.

Founded by the Kyoto-born Itamae Hitomi “Hiko” Nakanishi, who is to Louisville sushi chefs what Ichiro was to baseball players, HikoA-Mon debuted in Westport Village.

And we have to mention one of our favorite restaurant names (well, sort of): Cat Box Deli opened downtown. Its longevity is a testament to its food’s ability to overcome … certain other associations.

One notable old-school closing in 2007 was Lentini’s, a Highlands institution since its opening in 1962. The Italian-American classic underwent a series of ownership changes in the new millennium and never

(opposite, clockwise from top left) Susan Hershberg owner of Wiltshire on Market; Varanese’s bourbon-barrel smoked salmon; Jason Brauner (left) and John Morrison co-owners of Bourbons Bistro; David Clancy of the former Bistro New Albany; Toki Masubuchi Chef/Owner of Dragon King's Daughter; a trio of Mayan Café’s salbutes; Wild Eggs founder J. D. Rothberg; Shiraz’s Joojeh kabob plater; Mazzoni’s famous rolled oysters.

discovered a lasting focus. Also, Azalea ended a 14-year run in the historic Bauer’s building on Brownsboro Road. In New Albany, David Clancy’s Bistro New Albany survived less than two years but helped kick-start the revitalization of a moribund and neglected downtown.

This was also a year of change at F&D. Sadly, at a moment when the magazine was finding its footing, we lost one of our founders, and Vice-President of the firm, Daniel Boyle.

2008 • NET GAIN OF 10 123 Restaurant openings / 113 Closings

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The Great Recession of 2008 hit Louisville’s restaurant industry hard — though many restaurateurs proved resilient. Although 123 restaurants opened that year, a number that would seem robust, that tally was a paper-tiger. The majority of openings were along the line of low-price-point national chains, strip-mall Chinese joints and microwave-dependent Mexican restaurants. Although the wellcrafted regional American fare of the Blackstone Grill in Prospect has carried it through to the present day.

However, in 2008 we witnessed a run of openings of quality ethnic restaurants that are still operating in 2023: Oishii Sushi, Sake Blue, Asahi Japanese, Dakshin Indian Restaurant, Caspian Grill Persian Bistro, Adrienne’s Italian Restaurant; and Selena’s at Willow Lake Tavern (Cajun).

The number of closings in 2008 rang in at 113 (tied for the second most we have recorded) including six restaurants that had collectively been open for more than 400 years — 400 years!

One of the most prominent culinary events stemming from the 2008 financial crisis was the abrupt October closing of Park Place, the four-star Slugger Field restaurant where chefs Anoosh Shariat

and Jay Denham had built a splendid fine dining program and adjoining casual brewpub Browning’s.

Mazzoni’s closed for good, after serving its famous rolled oysters for a stretch dating back to the 1880s. About as long-lived as Mazzoni’s was Steinert’s, which began as a Southern Indiana grocery in 1883. Not quite as historic, but significant for longevity in their respective neighborhoods, were Southside Inn in New Albany, a stalwart since the 1950s, and the Gaslight Inn in Jeffersontown.

Ferd Grisanti’s, also in Jeffersontown, had weathered multiple recessions in its 35 years of operation, yet the Great Recession brought it down for good. Jay’s Cafeteria opened in 1974 to become a West End institution that drew politicians and celebrities such as Al Gore, Muhammad Ali and Don King, closed its doors in 2008; the building later became the ChefSpace food and kitchen incubator.

2009 • NET GAIN OF 47 95 Restaurant openings / 48 Closings

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The troubles of 2008 seemed to calm down quickly, for in 2009, 95 new restaurants opened and only 48 closed, netting the area 47 new places to eat. Notable were openings that signaled change in the overall dining landscape. Two new “restaurant rows” continued to develop (NuLu and Whiskey Row), while a third emerged in New Albany.

NuLu’s recognition as a burgeoning restaurant row grew with the addition of Wiltshire on Market. Susan Hershberg, owner of Wiltshire Pantry & Catering, made use of a Market Street building she owned and opened Wiltshire on Market to critical acclaim. The Wiltshire brand has since grown to six locations. The eco-friendly Green Building in NuLu became the site of 732 Social, a red-hot popular hipster hangout that kept East Market Street hopping. An

infamous dispute between its owners saw it close a few years later.  Dragon King’s Daughter opened in the Highlands, fusing Toki Masubuchi’s Osaka-inspired small plates, tapas and sushi with culinary elements drawn from the American scene’s vastness (these days, DKD has two locations — in the Highlands and New Albany).

In 2009 downtown New Albany’s surging restaurant scene took a couple of steps forward when Toast on Market opened a second (now the only) location that continues to draw a loyal following. Wick’s Pizza also opened in downtown New Albany (Parlour Pizza runs there now), as did New Albanian Brewing Company’s Bank Street Brewhouse.

On-site winemaking came to the Metro with the River City Winery in New Albany and Riverbend Winery on 10th Street (Louisville), the latter subsequently morphing into Old 502 Winery.

Local Irish bar icon Tom O’Shea moved ahead of the ‘Whiskey Row’ curve and opened Patrick O’Shea’s on Main Street at considerable expense in historic preservation some months before the Yum! Center was finished.

After a devastating fire gutted the Bardstown Road building that had housed Café Mimosa and the Eggroll Machine, those businesses moved into the old Lentini’s location; both are closed today.

Other closings in 2009 include several long runs on the dining scene. Kaelin’s, which opened in 1934 (and created the cheeseburger on Oct. 12 of that year, according to its founders) closed, to be reincarnated as 80/20 @ Kaelin’s in 2018. One of NuLu’s pioneers, Artemisia, also called it quits, as did the avant garde Club Grotto near Douglass Loop. Nancy Shepherd’s early-‘80s groundbreaking spot, Café Metro, closed its doors, and the longtime beef-and-salad bar standard, Fifth Quarter Steakhouse followed suit after three decades in operation.

2010 • NET GAIN OF 45 117 Restaurant openings / 72 Closings

Two players that entered the market in 2010 have since become among the city’s most recognizable food concepts. The Village Anchor opened in Anchorage and became one of the town’s topgrossing indie restaurants. Comfy Cow’s first ice cream shop opened in Westport Village; ownership has changed since then, and now the Cow operates five metro area locations and can be found in freezers at Kroger and other retailers.

Three new restaurants had long runs: Dish on Market took over the Delta Restaurant space downtown, keeping its diner ambiance while elevating the quality of the menu, and Eiderdown, an offshoot of Nachbar, stepped in to anticipate Germantown’s ensuing dining modernization. The opening of Majid’s St. Matthews created the perfect environment for owner Majid Ghavami’s potent welcoming charm. These eateries closed in 2020, 2021, and 2016, respectively.

A few other openings lacked similar staying power. The Blind Pig made a solid debut in Butchertown in 2010, selling pork-centric creations that included house-made sausages; amid a clamorous lease dust-up, it departed in 2013. Papalino’s Pizza, under the direction of much-traveled chef Allan Rosenberg, made such a strong impression

on Highlands diners that he opened a second, more expansive store in the suburbs (and later sold his interest in the business. Both locations would eventually close.)

2010 closings included The Patron, a highly regarded spot on Frankfort Avenue; Chick Inn, a humble but fun place to eat along River Rd., and Masterson’s, whose perch near U of L’s campus had been a popular presence since before WW II. Genny’s Diner, of frickled pickles and Big Daddy Burger fame, closed after a protracted battle between owner Frank Faris and the local zoning board over the best use of a historic, but decaying neighboring property he owned next door. The site now is the headquarters of Comfy Cow.

2011 • NET GAIN OF 32

112 Restaurant openings

/

80 Closings

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New restaurants sprouted all over town in 2011, and a gratifying number of them are still serving, including two that signaled an impending explosion of Louisville-area craft beer consciousness.

At Louisville Slugger Field, Browning’s Brewery was reanimated as the cutting-edge Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse. Meanwhile, Holy Grale started serving a planet-wide array of beers and elevated pub fare in a classy, deconsecrated Highlands church. Hammerheads moved into the strange half-cellar location that previously hosted Jim Gravatte’s Swan Street Tavern — and immediately was inundated with diners clamoring for its smoked lamb ribs, fried mac and cheese and bacon-topped brownies.

Coals Artisan Pizza fired up its 900 F coal-burning oven to flash bake its stylish pies in St. Matthews, and a few blocks away Drake’s took over a street-level section of the building long occupied by Bacon’s department store. Across the street, Neighborhood Café opened but never found an audience for its quixotic premise of serving its food in a cone. Also in St. Matthews Nam Nam Café set up shop in the little store on Wallace Avenue after Simply Thai moved across the street to larger quarters.

In Clifton, The Silver Dollar opened in a decommissioned firehouse. Its bar has since gained national prominence for its clever cocktails. Gary’s on Spring opened in a handsomely renovated building in the gap between Irish Hill and Butchertown (closed 2018). Eddie Merlot’s (which closed in 2020 during the Breonna Taylor protests) converted the downtown Rodes clothing store into a classy steakhouse.

In late 2011, Coco Tran finished the complete rebuild of the burned-out building that had been Café Mimosa, and opened a pair of vegetarian and vegan restaurants: Heart & Soy (a fast-casual concept) and Roots (a full-service spot).

NuLu continued to take shape with a number of additions. Garage Bar, featuring pizza, libations and a street-side adult playground, and Please & Thank You (a coffee shop/chocolate chip cookie café) remain vibrant contributors to the unique flavor of NuLu. Harvest burst onto the scene with a menu focused on sustainable, regionallysourced agriculture until 2020, and Ghyslain on Market offered French fare until 2017.

Continued on page 12

Across the river, Louis Le Français added a charming although short-lived French provincial restaurant to New Albany’s growing dining mix. NA Exchange opened in a strip mall near Indiana University Southeast, replacing MyBar and hinting at more expansive meals to come.

2012 • NET GAIN OF 20 104 Restaurant openings / 84 Closings

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This was a year for the arrival of several major players who continue to exert a strong influence in local restaurants, as well as several stars that burned out quickly.

Among the former, we find Sway in the Hyatt Hotel and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, a pair of terrific additions to the Liberty Street end of Fourth Street Live!, where Biersch is one of the longest-tenured businesses in addition to surviving its corporate parent’s pandemic-era downsizing.

The relocation of The Exchange Pub + Kitchen to New Albany’s Main Street, and the opening of Feast BBQ adjacent to it, gave solid creds to the city’s growing downtown offerings and were major stepping stones for Ian Hall and Ryan Rogers, respectively.

The opening of Guaca Mole’s original location (now known as Guacamole Modern Mexican and situated in NuLu) marked the return of Fernando, Christina and Yaniel Martinez to Louisville, collectively re-energized after a couple of years of international travel and work, ready for a dramatic return to its adopted home and the subsequent expansion of its Olé Restaurant Group.

NuLu continued its significant momentum with the 2012 openings of four chef-driven restaurants: Rye, Decca, La Coop Bistro a Vins (with chef Bobby Benjamin) and Taco Punk, although all since have closed. Rye is now Guacamole Modern Mexican, and Decca has become Lou

Lou on Market. Today La Coop is Galaxie, and Taco Punk’s space hosts another of Ryan Rogers’ concepts, Royals Hot Chicken.

Important closings of 2012 included the family-style restaurant at Stumler’s Orchard in Floyd’s Knobs; Westport General Store on the far upriver outskirts; Avalon in the Highlands; and L&N Wine Bar & Bistro

A quick failure that surprised absolutely no one, but provided the most pleasingly jammy flavor of schadenfreude, was the PBJ Shop downtown, which chose not to create interesting or exotic varieties of nostalgic Americana — say, with various “nut butters” and unusual fruit spreads on hearty bread — but just Jif Peanut Butter and Smucker’s on white bread. A few grudging style points for the crustless white bread option.

2013 • NET GAIN OF 29 97 Restaurant openings / 68 Closings

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The list of lasting names that entered the fray in 2013 is long. We reported on the advent of Mussel & Burger Bar (another Olé Restaurant Group restaurant), since sold to new owners. Manny & Merle, which was Tony Palombino’s first (and lasting) foray into honky tonk. Susan Hershberg added another concept that’s still going strong with Wiltshire Bakery Game became our city’s only daily purveyor of exotic meats, and the Brasserie Provence set the

(clockwise from top left) The Olé Restaurant Group (from left) Yaniel, Fernando and Christina Martinez; Joy Luck’s steamed pork dumplings; the former La Coop’s Chef Bobby Benjamin; Manny & Merle’s founder Tony Palombino; Brasserie Provence’s loup de mer au gros sel et pistou; Ryan Rogers of Feast BBQ; inside 8Up; Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ’s loaded smoker.

standard for Southern French-themed cuisine and libations. Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ brought a taste of Kansas City barbecue, and famous burnt ends, to St. Matthews.

As an example of an idea that seemed unbeatable, El Camino (a Silver Dollar brand extension) touted a menu of Southern California street food, boasting what seemed to many the finest street side patio in town, but by 2016 was terminado, subsequently embarking on a strange afterlife of rumored reopenings.

Several notable closings took place in 2013, most famously the strange demise of Lynn’s Paradise Café. After a highly publicized brouhaha between management and servers, founder Lynn Winter abruptly closed what was then one of the city’s most famous restaurants, a true tourist attraction that remained empty until 2022, when Endeavor Restaurant Group brought an outpost of the Big Bad Breakfast chain to the building.

The longer-serving (1983), although less splashy veteran establishment John E’s closed its lone location in Buechel. Ernesto’s was once the largest local chain of Mexican restaurants, but the chain lost link after link, and the last store closed in 2013. The Blind Pig’s publicized internal battles between its partners and its landlord led to not only its untidy demise, but also hastened the death of its speakeasy upstairs bar, Meat, which was illegally “borrowing” The Blind Pig’s liquor license. Baxter Station, a long-time purveyor of better-than-average bar food and good beers “before they were cool” folded after it couldn’t pay back taxes due.

2014 • NET GAIN OF 14 100 Restaurant openings / 86 Closings

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In 2014 the Martinez family Olé Restaurant Group opened four new restaurants (though one replaced another in the same space). Not wanting the elegant basement rooms below Mussel & Burger Bar to go to waste, The Place Downstairs was created to showcase the group’s significant culinary talents. Soon after, Olé opened El Taco Luchador on Baxter, serving tasty tacos and tortas to long lines of patient customers. Later that fall The Place Downstairs became Cena, a modern Italian restaurant. Before the year ended, Ole opened Coconut Beach Tacos across from Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium (now L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium).

In the Highlands, Joy Luck brought true Taiwanese cuisine to Bardstown Road, later expanding to the East End, while the end of Spanish-focused De la Torre’s 26-year run made way for the opening of LouVino, a terrific new wine bar. Its inviting and accessible wine list and creative small plates menu by Tavis Rockwell turned it into an immediate hit, one prime for duplication; today LouVino has five locations in three states.

Anoosh Shariat returned to town in 2014 after years as a consulting chef to open the elegant Anoosh Bistro, located in Indian Hills’ Brownsboro Center. 8Up Elevated Drinkery + Kitchen, a glamorously modern restaurant with an expansive rooftop patio (all built atop the

(clockwise from top left) Chef/Owner of Ciao Bridgette Pizzonia; River House and Levee Chef/Owner John Varanese; The Manhattan Project’s house specialty freshwater Lake Perch; Le Moo’s 32-ounce ‘Tomahawk’ rib eye; The Fat Lamb Chef/Owner Dallas McGarity; The Seafood Lady’s seafood boil; Time 4 Thai Chef/Owner Pavana Tasanabriboon; Con Huevos co-owners Jesus Martinez and Izmene Peredo.

Hilton Garden Inn downtown) has drawn lasting crowds to savor its modern food and drink. J.D. Rothberg and Shane Hall, the team behind Wild Eggs, opened Wild Rita’s, which took up residence in the former Mozz location and featured arguably the town’s best tequila menu and modern Mexican food, said vámonos in 2019. Shawn Ward left his long-time post at Jack Fry’s kitchen to partner with Nirmesh Agrawal and Dean Corbett and open Ward 426, which closed in 2019.

Proving that runs of excellent restaurants sometimes end badly, the year witnessed the significant closures of Relish, Taco Punk, Limestone and Papalino’s (Highlands). A pair of long-lived ethnic restaurants also closed their doors, Erika’s German Restaurant and Sitar Indian

The massive Tumbleweed restaurant on River Road also closed, although a half-dozen Tex-Mex siblings in Louisville remained open. The shuttering signaled troubles to come for this prime riverfront square footage, which still awaits a permanent tenant almost a decade later.

On the lighter side, no one captured the zeitgeist of the period quite like brash young restaurateur Dustin Staggers, who arrived in Louisville with the stated intent of showing Fernando Martinez “how it’s done,” then quickly opening Roux and Rumplings; the latter was supplanted by Epic Sammich Co., and later America The Diner came and went before the ink was dry on the menus (come to think of it, so did 10 Tables). By autumn of 2016, only two years later, the tally read five up, five down, and Staggers?

He left town.

2015 • NET GAIN OF 52 120 Restaurant openings / 70 Closings

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Among the most popular food trends nationwide in 2015 were fried chicken and avocado toast, reflected locally in the creation of two multi-outlet chains.

Venerable restaurateur Tony Palombino was the first to capitalize on the new ‘hot chicken’ craze when he opened Joella’s Hot Chicken on Frankfort Avenue. Palombino ramped the concept slowly, then in 2018 accepted an offer he couldn’t refuse from the Schulte Hospitality Group — and now Joella’s has 13 locations in five states.

Meanwhile, on Frankfort Avenue, the husband-and-wife team of Jesus Martinez and Izmene Peredo opened their first Con Huevos, a bright, fresh eatery inspired by memories of Guadalajaran breakfasts in Mexico. Three other locations have followed, with more in the works.

Four stand-alone, high-end spots came into existence and have prospered. Mesh filled the space where Azalea had been (and Bauer’s and La Paloma before that) with a predictably splashy debut in Indian Hills. The end of KT’s 30-year run made an opening for Le Moo, Kevin Grangier’s vision of a polished-casual steakhouse. La Chasse appeared in the vacated Palermo Viejo space in the Highlands offering hearty French and Spanish dishes.

A fifth high-end destination, Bobby Benjamin’s Butchertown Grocery opened in NuLu with New American cuisine and artisanal cocktails, which closed in 2021.

The ever-peripatetic Olé Restaurant Group opened a groundbreaking Spanish restaurant named Artesano Tapas Vino Y Mas in Westport Village, which in 2019 morphed into Steak & Bourbon: An American Grill. Also, the second location of New Albany’s popular Feast BBQ opened in the NuLu space that once housed Cake Flour.

Chef Allan Rosenberg’s start-ups continued apace with Fontleroy’s, an American bistro in the Highlands, and Citizen 7 (casual, modern, Mexican) in Norton Commons. Fontleroy’s folded in 2016 and Citizen 7 made it until 2019.

Of the 2015 closings, the conclusion of the aforementioned Palermo Viejo’s 14-year Highlands residency came as a shock, as did the La Coop Bistro a Vins in NuLu, although as we’ve seen, its proprietor Bobby Benjamin had Butchertown Grocery in waiting. La Coop’s closure led to the opening of the clever Galaxie Bar

In Lyndon, Joe’s Older Than Dirt closed after 78 years and was quickly replaced by Red Barn Kitchen (another Olé Restaurant Group endeavor) — a barbecue and Southern foods emporium, but then Joe’s returned from the dead in 2018. The ownership group that operated KT’s (30 years old) and Austin’s (25 years) shuttered both, with Le Moo filling the void at KT’s.

2016 • NET GAIN OF 67 125 Restaurant openings / 63 Closings

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The growth continued in 2016 with big ticket openings all over town, including chef/owner John Varanese’s long-planned River House, a place where Kentucky cuisine met South Carolina low country (with a raw bar), and the more casual and entertainment-oriented Levee at the River House, both housed at a former boat storage facility, and des-

tined to be recognized nationally for their grand outdoor dining options.

Two other chef/owners stepped forward. Bridgette Pizzonia opened Ciao in the Irish Hill building where Baxter Station once reigned. With a family tree rooted in Calabria, Pizzonia’s embraced a panoply of crowd-pleasing favorites from the Old Country. In the Highlands, Dallas McGarity opened The Fat Lamb and began melding Italian inspiration with Southern-style comfort food absorbed during his South Carolina upbringing.

The Frankfort Avenue corridor remained hot, with the Manhattan Project bar and gastropub beginning on hallowed (ex-Nancy’s Bagel) grounds; Time 4 Thai introducing chef-driven Thai food with Pavana Tasanabriboon; and Red Hog’s café/salumeria/butcher occupying a former gas station under the deft stewardship of Bobby Hancock and Kit Garrett (of Blue Dog Bakery).

The Seafood Lady anticipated the coming “boil” curve with Creole-inspired seafood and shellfish served informally in Old Louisville. As a polar opposite, New Albanians welcomed Brooklyn & The Butcher, a “big steaks and small plates” modern white tablecloth establishment that was the second leg of Ian Hall’s SoIN finerdining empire.

In like fashion, 2016 saw three established Louisville restaurateurs expanding into new concepts or tweaking previous winning formulas. Anoosh Shariat’s Noosh Nosh appeared across the parking area from Anoosh Bistro, emphasizing small plates and family-friendly casual dining. Wiltshire at Speed added Susan Hershberg’s food-dri-

ven artistry to the cultural outreach at the Speed Museum on the University of Louisville campus, while Royals Hot Chicken in NuLu was a foray into Nashville ambiance on the part of Ryan Rogers.

A spate of craft brewery start-ups included Donum Dei and Floyd County Brewing Company in New Albany; Mile Wide Beer Co. in Phoenix Hill; and prospective Germantown pub anchor Monnik Beer Co.

There are openings, and there are closings, but in 2016 Doc’s Cantina, a riverside spin-off of Doc Crow’s, occupied a Hindenburglike category all its own, debuting in April following months of hyperbole and start-up expense in the massive former Tumbleweed restaurant on River Road, then perishing only six months later. The Tumbleweed chain’s moderately-priced Tex-Mex fare had made ends meet for years at the prime Waterfront Park location but could not endure. So, replacing it with a much higher-priced, upscale SoCal-themed-Mexi-fill-in seemed like a good idea? Seven years later, we await a new contestant.

Other closings included Winston’s, the staging restaurant of the culinary division at Sullivan University led by Chef John Castro; the Cajun-inflected Joe’s OK Bayou (after two decades); and Louis Retailleau’s atmospheric Old-World brasserie in New Albany, Louis le Francaise. The departure of Majid Ghavami’s namesake restaurant, Majid’s, in St. Matthews evoked memories of his pivotal place in the Grisanti narrative.

2016 also saw the passing, in June, of the formidable Nancy

2017 • NET GAIN OF 49

107 Restaurant openings / 58 Closings

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Yet again in 2017 Louisville’s food and drink operators were bullish, with an escalation of openings in ethnic cuisine and underserved niches. These added welcomed diversity to the mix, and what’s more, all of the openings reprised here remain operational.

Italian food and pizza were prominent headliners. At Sarino in Germantown, Carmelo Gabriele became the third generation of their family to own an Italian-themed restaurant (after father Agostino and uncle Vincenzo at Vincenzo’s (see feature pg. 28), and great uncle Agostino in St. Louis). Ryan Rogers’ and Andrew McCabe’s distinctive bar Vetti was an immediate hit at the 800 Building; it has since moved to larger quarters in NuLu and has furthered its popularity.

Sorrento native and New York City transplant Rocco Cadolini brought energy and flair to his ROC Restaurant in the heart of Highlands restaurant row, while at Pizza Lupo, Max Balliet’s authentic Neapolitan pizza and Euro-inspired ambiance was an immediate hit tucked away at the end of Frankfort Avenue.

Two Asian restaurants constructed to endure emerged in 2017. Tuan Phan, for 18 years was Peng Looi’s right-hand-man at Asiatique, offered popular tastes of Vietnam at Pho Café, while culinary power couple Jason McCollum’s and Aenith Sananikone-McCollum’s Chik’n & Mi in Clifton was selected by Thrillist as Louisville’s best new restaurant of the year. In 2020 they relocated to the former Bistro 1860 property.

Shepherd, whose perfectionism and larger-than-life personality helped shape the Bardstown Road restaurant row from her base at Uptown Café/Café Metro.

(clockwise from top left) 80/20@Kaelin’s cheeseburger; Carmelo Gabriele chef/owner of Sarino; Pizza Lupo’s wood-fired oysters; Rocco Cadolini proprietor of ROC Restaurant; Louis Retailleau chef/owner of the former Louis Le Français; Majid Ghavami of the former Majid’s; Fork & Barrel chef/owner Geoffrey Heyde; Chef John Castro of the former Winston’s.

Also in Clifton, Chef Geoffrey Heyde’s first solo project was Fork & Barrel, featuring upscale American cuisine, which led to Morning Fork’s breakfast and brunch extension down the street. Both are now consolidated under one roof.

A quartet of venerable food and drink businesses led the list of 2017 closings. Hall’s Cafeteria served hearty country cooking to Butchertown for 50 years, until those blue collars began turning white. The beloved 24/7/365 greasy spoon Barbara Lee’s Kitchen, a go-to place to experience a cross-section of the local scene, lasted 20 years. Colorful bar biz lifer Dennie Humphrey regrettably shuttered The Monkey Wrench bar and grill, observing that his chosen demographic was swapping bar stools for bassinets. In St. Matthews, the brewpub that put Louisville on America’s craft beer map couldn’t justify the expense of a new lease, and just like that, Bluegrass Brewing Company’s original location was gone after a quarter-century (its smaller Third Street brewpub remains open in 2023).

The Cereal Box, which served (duh) cereal and cereal dessert treats, somehow failed to achieve lasting snap, crackle and pop, opening and closing in a scant few months in 2017, then repeating the process in 2018. It seems the Lucky Charm wasn’t.

2017 also saw the untimely passing of Seviche’s John “Jack” Tapp (Feb 06, 2017) at age 48. Tapp, who first attracted attention at the venerated Dietrich’s was truly a chef’s chef, perhaps better known by his peers than by diners. At Seviche, as Chef Anthony Lamas’s “righthand man,” he helped create some of the city’s best cuisine.

2018 • NET GAIN OF 46 124 Restaurant openings / 76 Closings

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In 2018 F&D’s restaurant listings topped 1,400 for the first time, headed by a cheeseburger in absentia. 80/20@Kaelin’s, the vestigial revival of a restaurant renowned as the birthplace of the cheeseburger, oddly threw open its doors without one on the menu. A hasty last-minute correction ensued, and now the “original” cheeseburger is right up front, complete with Dusseldorf mustard.

Louisville’s new OMNI hotel added dining options downtown: The signature upscale Bob’s Steak & Chop House; Neighborhood Services for a guest’s three daily casual squares; coffee shop-cumbourbon bar The Library; and The Water Company, watering guests at the hotel’s rooftop pool.

With Grassa Gramma, restaurateur Kevin Grangier (Village Anchor, Le Moo) took modern Italian exuberantly over the top, spicing grandma’s meatballs. The Pine Room offered a more sedate gathering place in Harrod’s Creek with classic American dishes. In New Albany, Pints&union was hospitality business lifer Joe Phillips’s first foray into ownership, an Anglo-European pub with comfort food, classic beers and cocktails.

Three startups were Louisville firsts, topped by Ostra, Adam “Hammerheads” Burress’s lateral step into sustainability, ranging from mackerel to rabbits, with the occasional purposeful insect (it

closed in 2022). The Champagnery emphasized sparkling wines from the world over, and the Purrfect Day Cat Café split its space between romper rooms for humans (with libations) and frolicking kitties, the latter available for cuddling and adoption.

Three veteran establishments came to a close in 2018, including Clifton Pizza and Ann’s by the River (in Jeffersonville), both 28 years old. Special lamentations were afforded Asiatique, where for 24 years Malaysia native Peng Looi perfected Pacific Rim fusion; Looi’s dish also appeared on F&D’s very first cover.

Internal issues led to the demise of Bistro 1860, where Michael Crouch headed the kitchen. Gary’s on Spring departed after seven years, with Guy Sutcliffe having proven comfortable upscale dining could exist in a place (Irish Hill) where few expected it.

Jeffersonville’s waterfront restaurant row lost three of six anchors, including Bristol Bar & Grill and Bearno’s Pizza, both established local chains, and Rocky’s Sub Pub, which dated to August 16, 1977 (the day Rocky’s opened and Elvis died).

Junior Bridgeman’s BirraCibo, a pairing of pizza and craft beer, closed at 4th Street Live! outposts becoming the Cordish development’s twelfth casualty since inception.

When Corbett’s: An American Place, the cutting-edge East End oasis willed into existence by namesake Dean “Dino” Corbett, ended after ten years in late 2017, no one foresaw the chef’s passing at 56 less than a year later on October 13, 2018. Corbett was an alumnus of Casa Grisanti who gave us Equus and Jack’s Lounge, and gave of himself for countless good causes. Where Casa Grisanti is considered the epicenter of the first wave of Louisville’s dining scene, Dino’s tree of chefs and restaurant-runners is considered by most the second wave.

2019 • NET GAIN OF 57 131 Restaurant openings / 77 Closings

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Openings continued to outpace closings in 2019, and optimism ruled the day. In retrospect, we were about to make the acquaintance of a sizable hiccup.

Perhaps fittingly, we begin with the pharmacists turned restaurateurs Chad and Lauren Coulter, who’d hit it big with their former concept LouVino and took another spin with the breakfast- and lunch-oriented Biscuit Belly. Their Midas touch is real, and four years later it has expanded to nine locations in five states.

Of the original nine cafes, bistros, bakeries or coffee houses (in addition to vendors) at Logan Street Market’s inception, only two remain — Cold Smoke Bagels and Safai Coffee. However, the overall revolving total has risen to 14.

Chef Jon Ham’s beef bulgogi quickly became F&D’s staff favorite when his Ramen House opened to wide acclaim at Mid City Mall, and District 6, a Vietnamese gastropub in St. Matthews named for its owners’ former neighborhood in Ho Chi Minh City, excelled with modern interpretations of traditional Vietnamese dishes from Chef Hanh Duong.

Olé Restaurant Group’s Artesano Vino y Mas in Westport Village

became Steak & Bourbon, the group’s twelfth unique concept. Conversely, five long-tendered establishments gave last call in 2019, including Bussman’s Bakery at an amazing 52 years. CoCo Tran’s Café Mimosa and The Egg Roll Machine (Louisville’s first Chinese fast-food restaurant) ceased after 35 and 38 years, respectively. The last of four City Café locations halted after a quarter century, and another craft brewing pioneer, small yet mighty Cumberland Brews (founded in 2000) turned over the keys to Against the Grain, which lovingly repurposed the space into its satellite Public House

In July the partial collapse of the roof at 4107 Oechsli Ave., in St. Matthews, displaced four restaurants. Havana Rumba already was in the process of moving to a new location at Shelbyville Road, where it reopened under a new name, Mojito in Havana Del Frisco’s reappeared in the Fall of 2020 at the former Z’s Oyster Bar in the East End. Charim Korean’s owner and chef Yeon-Hee Chung opted out and recently joined Edward Lee’s new restaurant, Nami, while Half Peach Café called it quits.

In 2019, we mourned the passing of another legend in the restaurant industry. Though not as well-known as Col. Harlan Sanders, Winston Shelton, a veteran GE engineer and founder of Winston Industries (who died on April 15, 2019, at 96,) was a key part of KFC history: he invented the “Collectramatic” cooking device that Sanders called “the greatest cooker ever.”

2020 • NET LOSS OF 26 87 Restaurant openings / 113 Closings

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F&D’s Spring 2020 issue hit the streets a week before COVID-19 containment measures changed everything overnight. Perhaps the best way to view what happened next, albeit with continuing ramifications, is that the food and drink industry collectively dodged what might have been a far worse fate. We can be thankful for this if nothing else. Only two of our usual four issues appeared in 2020, Spring and Fall. Gratifyingly, 26 of 38 reported Spring openings (68%) remain in business in 2023; 32 of 49 (65%) of the new restaurants debuting in our Fall issue are ongoing.

Prominent among these were four highly anticipated “big” players who have survived the unavoidably horrendous timing. Steve Wilson’s and Laura Lee Brown’s Barn8 enjoyed ample social distancing as a component of their Hermitage Farm in Goshen. Matt Winn’s Steakhouse became the first year-round restaurant at Churchill Downs, and Swizzle took up residency at Galt House Hotel. In NuLu, Bodeguita de Mima became #13 of Olé Restaurant Group’s seemingly limitless cavalcade of popular concepts.

Sapporo owner Mi Kim’s new GOGi 1055 Korean BBQ was predicated on an expensive former theater renovation in the Highlands and somehow opened when almost no one could come inside. Ernesto Rivera, progenitor of the defunct Ernesto’s mini-chain, created I Love Tacos, and now there are three branches. The great Rick Bartlett, longtime piano muse at Buck’s, opened Ricky B’s Club Café,

his first solo restaurant and bar venture, amid the pandemic’s worst.

Turning to the inevitable closings, we find a sobering array of eight eateries with a combined tenure of 272 years, all ruefully shuttered in 2020. Kathy Cary, first lady of Louisville’s dining scene, closed Lilly’s after 46 years, and Mehrzad Sharbaiani stopped Z’s Oyster Bar after two decades. Uptown Café’s 35 years came to a close, although it reopened with new management the following year. North End Café, for 17 years Christopher Seckman’s Clifton breakfast option, also packed it in.

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, one of the first area purveyors of sushi (since 2000), said sayonara, along with the last Jerry’s J-Boy location in the Lexington-based chain after a stunning 63 years (it opened in 1957), and Ole Hickory Pit Bar-B-Que (31 years). In Indiana, Clarksville Seafood ran aground after 40 years, to be briefly revived in 2022, but closing permanently when owner Hubert “The Dock” Rockey died shortly thereafter.

Harvest and Rye, two original NuLu anchor restaurants, also ceased in 2020, as did two 4th Street Live! tenants — Eddie Merlot’s and Whiskey Dry

Bim Dietrich, whose impeccable taste — in food, ambiance, beverages, and service — for decades defined the best in Louisville dining died at 70 on August 28, 2020, after a career that included founding Dietrich’s, Allo Spiedo, RED Lounge and Primo, in addition to consulting around the country.

(clockwise from top left) Ramen House’s spicy chicken bulgogi; the beloved Chef Dean “Dino” Corbett; restauranteur Bim Dietrich, the first lady of Louisville’s dining scene Chef Kathy Cary of Lilly’s; a view inside Barn8; filet with lobster tail from Matt Winn’s Steakhouse; Rick Bartlett proprietor of Ricky B’s Club Café; Chef Peng Looi of the former Asiatique.

2021 • NET GAIN OF 30

156 Restaurant openings / 126 Closings

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Though the pandemic began in 2020, it was 2021 that brought the most volatility in the dining scene, with record numbers of both openings (156) and closings (126).

The more onerous pandemic restrictions eased in summer, and glimmers of cautious optimism flickered. By year’s end, the ratio of openings to closings was stabilized (with quick casual concepts predominant) but nerves remained fraught. Bare-bones staffing proved difficult to bolster; supply chain difficulties continued; and many guests still weren’t willing to return to pre-COVID dining habits. Recovery was going to take time.

Three restaurant resurrections caught our attention in 2021. Del Frisco’s, displaced amid the 2019 Oechsli roof collapse episode, surfaced in an East End building formerly housing Z’s Oyster Bar. Uptown Café found a Highlands angel in customer Tom Drexler, who invested in a reboot just months after the eatery shuttered. In the West End, The Palm Room reopened after many years, inspiring a fresh reassessment of the legacy of original owner Joe Hammond (1916-1997), an influential Black businessman and real estate broker (and coincidentally, F&D has a connection to Joe’s: Al Rosen, father of our editor, Marty Rosen, owned the Palm Room for a few years in the 1980s).

Louisville area craft brewing made a quantum leap with an unprecedented seven new breweries coming on line: Ten20 Craft Brewery, West Sixth NuLu, Atrium Brewing, Monnik Beer Co. New Albany (at the former NABC Bank Street Brewhouse; since closed), Upland Brewing’s Jeffersonville riverfront satellite restaurant at the former Buckhead’s, Hi-Wire from Asheville NC (taproom

only) and Shippingport Brewing in Portland.

In New Albany, the long-dormant River City Winery came back to life as Baer’s City Winery, with full restaurant service. And, checking in with Olé Restaurant Group, their fourteenth uniquely themed restaurant (Venezuelan this time), Señora Arepa, slotted effortlessly into NuLu.

Crab and seafood boils were gale force trends blowing through the city, yielding 502 Crab House, Millions Crabs (two locations), Tha Drippin Crab (Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson’s last opening; he’s hosting a Food Network game show now) and Captain Crab Seafood Boil. The crabs are resting peacefully now that all five have closed.

Another wave of closings took these nine establishments with a combined 200 years of service. Another Place Sandwich Shop was a downtown Louisville institution for 49 years, and Highland Coffee the best coffee shop in the Highlands since it appeared in 1999. Buckhead Mountain Grill’s last location in Jeffersonville closed after 25 years, with its space being filled by Upland Brewing. Pastry Plus (30+ years) on Fegenbush Lane and Pesto’s Italian Restaurant (28 years) downtown concluded. Big Momma’s Soul Food Kitchen, a West End institution for two decades, retired along with its owner Jessie Green. Tony Impellizeri’s eponymous pizza shop in New Albany wound down after 42 years; his brother’s side of the family business carries forward.

Hard Rock Café (4th Street Live!) unplugged the amps after 17 years, leaving only T.G.I. Friday’s and Howl at the Moon from the original lineup.

2021 saw the passing of Hensel “Buck” Heath Jr. who died in March 2021 at 73. He was the founder of arguably the most lavishly romantically elegant place in the city: Buck’s Restaurant in Old Louisville, a stylish, flowery bastion of old-world grace.

2022 • NET GAIN OF 52 132 Restaurant openings / 80 Closings

“It’s been a colorful, long-lasting spring,” wrote Ron Mikulak in his introduction to “Comings & Goings” in F&D’s Summer 2022 issue.

“We’ve been treated to new blossoms from forsythia, azaleas, daffodils, tulips and a variety of flowering trees. For those who like floral color displays, it’s been an abundant spring. The local restaurant scene has also been blooming — and booming. A positive sign for the health of the Louisville dining scene.”

Sadly, Ron’s own health was failing, and this was to be his 73rd and final “Comings & Goings” column. He died in January 2023, and we’ll always remember him with appreciation and fondness.

Bourbonism remained ascendant in 2022 and a peak may have been attained with the advent of Watch Hill Proper at Norton Commons, a top-table emporium with 1,600 bourbons and a kitchen headed by returning Louisville foodie favorite Michael Crouch. A radically different atmosphere could be found in Germantown at North of Bourbon, where the younger gun Lawrence Weeks dished New Orleans-inspired fare to the accompaniment of innovative cocktails. Not far away in fast gentrifying Paristown, the Village Market food hall brought together five indie eateries under one roof with an all-points house bar: Ramble Fried Chicken, Bunz Burgerz, Jeff’s Donuts, Taco Rito and Sarap Filipino

(clockwise from top left) Jessie Green chef/owner of the former Big Momma’s Soul Food Kitchen; Chef Michael Crouch of Watch Hill Proper; F&D’s own Karen Shane and Ron Mikulak; Chef Nick Sullivan; Barbque ribs from the former Buckhead Mountain Grill; A trio of tacos from I Love Tacos.

Eatery, the latter singlehandedly reviving Louisville’s moribund Filipino dining category. And very happily for fans of hot wings, the Dennie Humphrey tavern creation consortium reopened Spring Street Bar & Grill, which had disappeared during the pandemic after 33 years in business.

Two long-lasting 2022 departures were particularly hard to digest. For 29 years (until Mutter und Vater opted for retirement) the family-run Gasthaus served German cuisine as good as any you’ll find in Stuttgart or Stralsund, while a 28-year run for J. Harrod’s in Prospect ended, depriving the metro of an “Americanized” comfort food mainstay. NuLu anchor Decca shuttered after a decade of innovation, and the closure of Italian-flavored Amici Café in Old Louisville (founded in 2006) was mourned by fans of its exquisite patio.

Sadly, in 2022 F&D not only mourned the loss of Ron Mikulak, but in April we lost another colleague, Karen Shane. She was a bonafide legend in the Louisville culinary scene, a friend and mentor to many, and always a force for good.

We also mourn the passing of Nick Sullivan, whose outstanding work was admired by diners who followed him across stints at 610 Magnolia, The Oakroom, and 1894 Lodge, passed on January 31. And Joe Castro, one of the city’s most influential and popular chefs, whose fifteen-year stint at the Brown Hotel’s English Grill gave him a national and platform for advancing regional and seasonal cuisine and ingredients (and who later became a Culinary Training Manager for GE, died on April 23, at 60.

2023 • NET GAIN OF 36 90 Restaurant openings / 55 Closings

Our two-decade survey has at last returned to the present for a quick snapshot from the window of the time machine before we fill ‘er up (with beer), change the (cooking) oil, and jet straight into the future.

The year is already off to a frantic pace. In the Spring issue we reported on 40 new restaurants and 33 closings. In this issue (more on that to follow) we added another 50 spots and 22 closings. That’s a total of 90 additions six months in. At this pace, 2023 could be a record breaking-year.

Now let us recap F&D’s Spring 2023 issue. A trio of upscale steakhouses opened: The Capital Grille and Connors Steak & Seafood (both East End franchise concepts), as well as local independent Nostalgic, at the Bellwether Hotel in the Highlands.

The Cottage Inn’s resurrection in St. Joseph brought chicken livers, Salisbury steak and other staples of Southern cuisine back at an eatery dating to 1929. Lou Lou on Market in NuLu became the second location of Jared Matthews’ popular Nawlins-centric restaurant (with basement STAVE bourbon bar) in the former Decca building.

NuLu’s classy Everyday Kitchen & Café shuttered. It was the food service component of Moose International’s Lodgic Everyday Community center, also closed. In Jeffersontown, Chubby Ray’s Pizza concluded a 30-year run, to be replaced by Parlour Pizza

SUMMER 2023

(Current Issue)

50 Restaurant openings / 22 Closings

COMINGS

The military strategist Sun Tzu wrote, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity,” as with Louisville’s food and dining scene during F&D’s tenure. Our city’s chefs, line cooks, dishwashers, bartenders, bar backs, patissiers, baristas, distillers, brewers and delivery drivers keep right on coming to work through floods, blizzards and pandemics, and you, their guests, continue to dine and drink at your favorite spots, come what may. Salut!

Celebrity Chef Edward Lee’s eagerly anticipated Nami in Butchertown is devoted to exploring Lee’s Korean culinary heritage, with both traditional and modern Korean dishes. At the new Hotel Genevieve in NuLu, Rosettes is the all-purpose daily dining venue , while Bar Genevieve works afternoon and evening hours for cocktails and light Mediterranean-inspired fare plotted by James Beardrecognized culinary director Ashleigh Shanti.

Created by two alumni of the “The Walking Dead” television series, Nic & Norman’s, at Whiskey Alley downtown emphasizes Southern-inspired soups, salads, entrées, gourmet burgers and flatbreads, with signature cocktails and craft beer from local breweries. Also downtown is Number 15 on Whiskey Row, a multi-floor, Kentucky-themed entertainment complex with chef-driven edibles, urging revelers to “Drink, Dance & Discover.” A few blocks away at Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience, master blender Jason “Bourbons Bistro” Brauner’s has an interactive, educational venue for his award-winning whiskies.

Staffers from the defunct Decca joined to create Decade in the old Butchertown Grocery premises, pledging internationally-influenced American fine dining. Filling the after-dinner void nearby in Clifton, where Sweet Surrender Dessert Café’s 35-year run ended in December 2022, Bae’s Baekery is forging a new tradition.

Downtown New Albany’s popular The Exchange and Brooklyn & The Butcher have been joined by OUTCAST fish & oyster bar, reflecting owner Ian Hall’s lifelong love of South Carolina-style seafood specialty restaurants.

Ernesto Rivera and Alfredo Garcia’s popular I Love Tacos has migrated to fowl environs with the advent of I Love Pollo, featuring Adobo Rotisserie chicken prepared with diverse Latin recipes. Rivera’s new Mulligans at Glenmary in a former golf clubhouse near Fern Creek is a chef-driven sports bar with corn hole, pickleball and other adult outdoor diversions.

Two regular customers of the former Diamond Station took over the premises on Bardstown Road and rebranded as Highlands Bar & Grill. By the river in Butchertown, Goodbounce Pickleball Yard has opened its courts with Chef Ashlee “Happy Belly Bistro” Norrington providing the provisions.

Island Breeze Jamaican & American BBQ in the Highlands is run

by a native of Kingston, who complements Jamaican specialties with American soul food. The Jamaican Jerk Center opened in multicultural Buechel. Also in Buechel, Abbas Jamshidi, a native of Iran, opened Bellissimo Italian Restaurant where Italian favorites coexist alongside seldom-seen Afghan dishes like mantu and bolani.

Elsewhere world flavors continue their tasty proliferation. The former Pelicanos in Jeffersonville has become El Rayo Seafood & Grill, a marisqueria (seafood restaurant). A Toda Madre Comida Urbana Mexicana occupies a remodeled former Dairy Queen in New Albany. Also in New Albany, OhChae Korean Fusion Cuisine vends traditional Korean dishes and American-influenced fusion items from the Mesa storefront downtown. At Logan Street Market Deapster 502 is now serving staples like biryani and vindaloo, along with crosscultural tikka tacos and vegan tikka. Mochi Dog moved into The StrEATery food hall in Beechmont and serves their namesake mochi dogs (a Korean-style corn dog).

The Russell neighborhood gained four new restaurants. Mama Shadia serves a synthesis of Arabic, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. Gore’s SmokeOut BBQ and Melt 502 have occupied the first two properties of the OneWest community foundation’s chef accelerator/incubator program, and Tino's Taste of Heaven moved into Sweet Peaches old spot. Nearby in Portland Kyros Brewing Company has opened a small brewery, taproom and beer garden.

The Flour Shoppe (Highlands) is the place where two vegan baking veterans combined forces to conjure fully vegan cupcakes, brownies and cookies. And two new seafood restaurants set up shop; Sweet & Juicy Seafood in Fern Creek and Seafood Heaven in Smoketown.

The Ohio-based Condado Tacos chain has its first Louisville location at Oxmoor Center. Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken opened in the East End and just south of Churchill Downs Louisville Pizza King vends takeout and delivery pizzas only.

More coffee and tea shops are pouring with the addition of these six new spots; Barista Parlor downtown, Blak Koffee in the Russell neighborhood, 7 Brew Coffee in Jeffersonville, Sis Got Tea in Germantown, Tiger Sugar, and Bep Teahouse both in the Highlands.

A number of existing restaurants added additional locations. El Nopal’s 25th location is up and running in Clarksville, Craft House Pizza opened its fourth location in the East End and Marco’s Pizza added a second spot in the South End.

Others adding additional outposts include; Daisuki Sushi in the Highlands, Kabuki Hibachi & Ramen in downtown Jeffersonville, Atrium Brewing in Norton Commons, Tropical Smoothie Café in Prospect, Ehrler’s Ice Cream in the Highlands, Green District Salads in St. Matthews, Scooter's Coffee in Audubon Park, and Quills Coffee in St. Matthews.

MOVES & CHANGES

As always, there have been relocations and alterations. Both Green District Salads and Quills Coffee shifted their St. Matthews locations to 3939 Shelbyville Rd., an adaptively reused building known to locals as the former Bacon’s department store. Further east in

Lyndon, Goose Creek Diner has been renamed to The Goose and moved to 812 Lyndon Lane. In Jeffersontown, El Taco Luchador has occupied the former Royals Hot Chicken at 10305 Taylorsville Road.

GOINGS

Three long-established independent restaurants have come to the end of the line since our Spring 2023 issue appeared.

Angilo’s Pizza, in the South End began as a regional pizzeria franchise in 1963, succumbed to staffing and inflationary problems; Hill Street Fish & Seafood (Old Louisville) ran for 31 years and cited similar issues. The story of Rockey’s Clarksville Seafood is more complicated. It was a descendant of the old Cape Codder chain, running since the 70s, then being resurrected in 2022 by Hubert “The Dock” Rockey. Sadly, Rockey passed away – and so did the restaurant.

The BurgerIM franchise in St. Matthews couldn’t sell enough gourmet hamburgers, and International Tap House in NuLu learned that 300 beers weren’t enough (or maybe too many). Speaking of beer, the Oldham Brewing Company in Prospect closed so its owners could move and rebrand the brew kit to Inside Job Brewing Company in Old Louisville.

The Highlands became a tad less sweet when Maple Street Biscuit Company and Cookie Crush USA went away. Nearby, the vegan-centered Shahar Café ceased operations but it is seeking a

new home. Further east at the Gardiner Lane Shopping Center, Legend Crab Seafood House’s brief run concluded, to be replaced by King Buffet.

In Southern Indiana, two restaurant vacancies have been quickly filled. The short-lived Hing Wang Cajun Seafood & Sushi in New Albany is now A Toda Madre Comida Urbana Mexicana, while in Jeffersonville, Pelicanos yielded to El Rayo Seafood & Grill.

Restaurants with multiple locations have a wider array of options when the clock strikes midnight. For example, Board and You Bistro & Wine Bar retreated back to its New Albany home base when the Norton Commons fan base proved insufficient

Downtown Louisville has continued to experience post-COVID disruptions. The Heine Brothers Coffee at Fourth Street Live! became redundant, but Heine remains in the PNC Tower. Meanwhile the branch of Carali's Rotisserie Chicken made way for All Thai’d Up, which in turn found the going tough and was shuttered in late Spring.

The Colonial Gardens food court in the Kenwood Hill neighborhood continues, but without El Taco Luchador (but its other locations are open). The owners of the two Fry Daddy's locations in Clifton and Shelby Park closed both, transferring the hyper-caloric loaded fries concept to their Six Forks Burger Company in Germantown. When the Clarksville location of Rooster's suffered a catastrophic fire, its Louisville-area franchise holders began the process of rebuilding the location. F&D

Since this here magazine is celebrating 20 years of dishing out dining details for the Greater Louisville area, I wanted to look back on 20 years of Louisville’s nightlife and remember the great times we had at bars that have long been shuttered. For better or worse, each and every one of these establishments helped shape who I am today. Although I may have lost some brain cells along the way, the beersoaked memories live on like a phone number etched on a bathroom stall at The Back Door.

Closing Time

Twenty years ago brings us to 2003, and where was everyone headed to after work on Fridays? Jillian’s, of course, for their infamous happy hour that included 2-for-1 drinks, cheap draft beer, dancing and crazy bar games. I remember sumo wrestling, jousting, dancing on a pole, and one time I won $500 carrying an egg on a spoon throughout the massive complex. Don’t ask.

I also saw some great concerts at Jillian’s, like Bob Dylan, John Mayer (when he was first starting out) and Rusted Root. It’s also where Vanilla Ice poured Jägermeister directly into my mouth. Oh, the memories.

As long as we’re in that area of town, let’s give a shout out to Have a Nice Day Café, Bar Louisville and Blue Martini, and across Baxter we had @mosphere and the Tequila Factory.

Most of you probably think I should have started with these two nightlife monoliths, but I like to make you wait. Let’s go ahead

The BarBelle Belle

Two Decades & Too Many Memories

BY SARA HAVENS AKA THE BAR BELLE

and give a big round of applause to Phoenix Hill Tavern and Jim Porter’s, nightclubs that gave us endless hours of entertainment whether we were there for live music or not. These time capsules from the ’70s catered to everyone looking for a good time, and while PHT was geared to the younger folks, Jim Porter’s offered the 35+ crowd a place to dance the night away, cheek to cheek. When both places closed in 2015, Louisville was devastated. And I’m not sure our nightclub game has ever recovered.

I held court in the main room at PHT whenever the Velcro Pygmies played, and sometimes we’d sneak up to the rooftop stage in between sets to check out the band up there. My bra ended up on the big-ass ceiling fan more times than I’d like to admit, and I’d also like to forget all those hot dogs I ate as we scattered out the door after last call.

One more big nightlife complex long gone is Coyote’s downtown. This place was like a shopping mall of bars — there were four or five bars under one roof — and while Coyote’s catered to country music, the other bars offered a wide mix of music to keep everyone happy and dancing. I also saw so many concerts here I can’t even begin to list them, but the one that stands out was Snoop Dogg.

Forgive me if this list skews more toward the Highlands, but I tended to stay close to home back in the days because there was no Uber or Lyft, and taxi service was just not reliable. Neither was your mom. Heyyoohh! Who can forget Cahoots, which had some delicious cheese fries before it got too dirty to dine? Or what about my beloved Monkey Wrench with epic Halloween parties and dance nights? I even miss Bearno’s Highlands, where my No Cover Walk pub crawl always ended with a karaoke blowout.

And I’m guessing most of you didn’t go here because it was never busy, but Slick’s Tavern was always a fun time when Slick was pouring the Budweiser from the one lone tap. That tiny bar later became NV Tavern — also a great place run by the awe-

some Jo — and it’s now home to Big Bar. Another pocket of cool dive bars could be found in St. Matthews — all within walking distance. I spent many a-night listening to music by the Muckrakers, Digby and Butch Rice at Dutch’s Tavern and the BW3’s St. Matthews, and while Gerstle’s is the only one that still remains out of this group, I also need to mention Maier’s Tavern, Bluegrass Brewing Co. and 60 West.

Who can forget the Weasel Walk in that cluster of bars? It was essentially a pub crawl where you picked up a card, got it punched at each place and turned it in for an XL T-shirt you only wore to bed or the gym. But dammit, it was such a fun time year after year! Don’t ask.

Further on down Frankfort Avenue, we’ve gotta give a shout-out to Clifton’s Pizza and Longshot Tavern. Clifton’s always had solid pizza and was a great venue for singer-songwriters, and Longshot also had live music on the weekends and usually had two dogs running around the place. I miss that. And I’ve gotta throw in the Butchertown Pub here because we all have stories hidden in those walls. Speaking of music (and theatre) let’s not forget the revered Old Louisville stalwart The Rudyard Kipling, where twenty years ago you might have heard Tim Krekel one night, and seen the Le Petomane theatre troupe on another, while sipping brews and eating bean soup.

So I’m quickly running out of space but could go on and on. I’d be remiss not to mention Louisville’s thriving gay bar scene over the years. Of course we’re all mourning the loss of the downtown dance club Connections, but we also can’t forget Tryangles, Teddy Bears, Fuzion, Starbase Q, Tink’s, The Alternative, The Planet, Red Lounge and the Pink Door. I remember being at Fuzion when Obama became president for the first time; I got my Monica Lewinsky purse stolen at the Pink Door while I played Rock Band; and I sprained my ankle once jumping off the dance platforms at Connections. There you have it.

Gone but not forgotten. F&D

Hip Hops

BY ROGER BAYLOR

Standing the Test of Time

When Food & Dining Magazine appeared in metropolitan Louisville for the first time in 2003, only five “microbreweries” were active here. Today the number approaches 40, but we don’t refer to them as “micros” a ny longer. Rather, in 2023 the accepted usage is “craft” breweries.

And yes, it’s now the Golden Age for craft beer lovers. At F&D we’ve often observed that America’s beer and brewing renaissance is a joyfully malleable concept. Seemingly infinite conceptual flexibility has resulted in an incessant, restless evolution and exponential growth. As fans, we’re both stunned and gratified by the range of expanded choices.

One measure of this shape-shifting is the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), held annually in Denver, Colorado. In 2003 there were 65 style categories delineated for the GABF’s medal competition. Last year there were 98, reflecting a proliferation of IPAs, sours, “farmhouse” ales and flavored stouts, which have usurped traditional pale ales, ambers and porter on so many beer lists.

Another reflection of changing times: In 2003, most brewery startups still found it obligatory to function as restaurants (called “brewpubs”), compelling dual outlays of precious capital for expensive brewing equipment and full kitchens. These days the slimmed-down “taproom” model is king, with breweries minimizing costs by purchasing patio furniture and contracting with outsiders to run snack kiosks and food trucks on site.

All is flux and nothing stays still, so what has become of the five Louisville breweries operating at the time of F&D’s 2003 founding?

One of them is unchanged. The second

perseveres, albeit downsized. A third has reinvented itself and expanded. The remaining two have passed from the scene, but their bricks and mortar enjoy vibrant afterlives under different stewardship.

I’ll begin my survey with the two departed breweries mentioned below.

Browning’s Brewery (and restaurant) debuted in 2002 at Louisville Slugger Field (401 E. Main St.), swapping owners for a 2009 reboot before folding for good in 2011. Gone was She-Devil IPA, but the stage was set for Against the Grain (AtG) Brewery & Smokehouse’s tenancy later the same year. AtG has since emerged as Louisville’s generational craft beer standard bearer.

Concurrent with AtG’s steady ascent as a nationally renowned craft brewer, Cumberland Brews (2000) at 1576 Bardstown Rd. in the Highlands began showing unmistakable signs of old age. Cumberland ended in 2019 and AtG immediately stepped into the breach, remodeling the warm, compact restaurant and brewery space into a Public House of its very own.

By almost any measure, Bluegrass Brewing Company (BBC) is the granddaddy o f new-era Louisville “microbreweries” (sorry, I just can’t help it). BBC’s brewers began shoveling spent grain in 1993, and while old-timers (read: me) lament the loss of the original St. Matthews flagship location in 2017, the brand lives on at 300 W. Main St., downtown.

Founded in 2010, BBC at 3rd and Main is situated inside a beautifully repurposed historic bank building opposite the KFC Yum! Center, boasting a full-service restaurant, on-site brewery and Bourbon Barrel Loft event space. Old-school BBC beers like American Pale Ale, Dark Star Porter and Alt Bier continue to be brewed.

2023 is BBC’s 30th anniversary year, and I hope to be invited to the party, given that I was there on opening night in 1993. Too bad the duck ravioli no longer graces the menu.

In 2001 the original BBC in St. Matthews a bsorbed the failed Pipkin Brewing Company (1998-2001) at 636 E. Main St., downtown, now known as the NuLu district. A second corporate entity was capitalized, and the production-oriented BBC Beer

Decades later, these three local breweries are still crafting memorable beers

Company was born.

Thus began a tumultuous and melodramatic period of wonderful beer balanced by unremitting internal strife stemming from ownership disputes between the BBCs. Eventually they agreed to lead separate lives, and in 2015 the facility’s backers completely rebranded and overhauled the enterprise, henceforth Goodwood Brewing Company.

Goodwood has become Louisville’s largest beer producer by volume, with its signature Bourbon Barrel Stout aptly referencing “bourbonism’s” zeitgeist. Goodwood’s founding taproom has been augmented by similar configurations in Frankfort and Lexington, Kentucky, and fullservice brewpubs in Indianapolis, Indiana and Columbus, Ohio.

This brings us to the pleasingly retro outlier, New Albanian Brewing Company Pizzeria & Public House at 3312 Plaza Drive in New Albany, Indiana, the Louisville-area brewpub that has changed the least since F&D’s first issue in 2003.

NABC, formerly Sportstime Pizza and Rich O’s Public House (originating in 1987 and 1990, respectively), is 100% womanand family-owned. The brewery’s first batch came in 2002, making it Indiana’s 9th-oldest craft brewery in continuous operation.

Occasional bouts of interior revision haven’t altered NABC’s refrigerator pizzas, Elector Ale, breadsticks, Community Dark, beer cheese, and a moderately priced selection of guest beers. (Full disclosure: I was an NABC co-owner from 1990 through 2018, and persist in dining and drinking there.)

My first F&D beer column came with the Summer 2004 (Vol. 05) issue, in which I denounced mass market lagers and suggested alternative choices for hot weather among imported and American made beers.

A great many beer-related topics have been discussed in this space since then, but I’ve never touched on beer wholesalers.

Recall that the repeal of Prohibition brought the implementation of a “threetier” system for the distribution of beverage alcohol in America, stipulating a layer of middle men between producers and retailers. These three tiers remain largely intact, albeit blurred by exceptions in many states for small brewers, vintners and distillers,

which enable innovations like the aforementioned brewery taprooms, as well as the option of self-distribution for small-scale producers.

For as long as I’ve worked in the beer business (since 1982), the family-owned firm of L.C. Nadorff & Son has been the wholesale distributor for AB-InBev (Budweiser) in New Albany and Floyd County, Indiana.

My 41 years of service is exceedingly small beer compared with Nadorff’s jawdropping tenure. When Prohibition’s restrictions ended in 1933, Nadorff jumped back into wholesaling, having acted as the local sales agent for Evansville’s Cook’s Goldblume beer through World War I.

But staggeringly, the Nadorff family’s involvement with beer extends all the way back to 1877, when Frank Nadorff bought the Spring Brewery from Louisa Sohn, widow of the founder. The brewery was located off Vincennes Street near presentday New Albany High School, and ran until 2007, when the Nadorffs switched to wholesaling.

Accordingly, I’m saddened to divulge that on January 1, 2023 the firm of L.C. Nadorff & Son ceased to exist at the tender age of 146, having sold its portfolio to Orange County Beverage from French Lick, itself dating to the 1940s.

Verily, consolidation in beer wholesaling proceeds apace, and “little guys” like Nadorff find future business projections questionable, even when possessing profitable product lines like AB InBev’s. An auction of Nadorff’s contents concluded a truly epochal longevity that owed to many factors, not the least of which were successive generations of family members willing to perpetuate the enterprise.

As with Nadorff, the two micro-cum-craft brewers BBC and NABC have enjoyed stable family ownership. Taken together, they’re 56 years old in 2023. Throw in 25 years for the various entities operating where Goodwood brews now, add F&D’s two decades, and the total is 101 years— still almost five decades fewer than Nadorff’s mind-blowing tally. (This column will be updated in 2043, when F&D observes its 40th birthday.) F&D

Restaurateurs Vincenzo and Agostino Gabriele are showing few signs of slowing down. They’ve devoted their respective culinary careers to mastering the exacting elements of fine dining, and 37 years after their Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant opened downtown, it remains one of Louisville’s quintessential top tables.

BY ROGER BAYLOR | PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

Where everyone is treated like a guest at the Gabriele family’s own table

Twenty years ago, when F&D first started reporting on Louisville cuisine, it was clear that a major factor shaping the city’s emerging national profile was the pervasive legacy of the Grisanti restaurants, the city’s most fabled modern-era edible construct.

In our third issue (Winter 2003), we took a deep dive into the Grisanti story and found that seventeen Louisville-area restaurants at the time were owned and operated by restaurateurs who were involved with the Grisanti revolution — a list topped by Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant, then as now, a finedining lodestar, owned and operated by brothers Vincenzo and Agostino Gabriele.

From its inception in 1986, Vincenzo’s has exemplified the spirit of top-tier dining in Louisville, as attested by the roster of luminaries who’ve dined there, which includes Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Al Pacino and Tom Brady. (And not every oldschool Italian-style ristorante is immortalized in new-school hip hop lyrics like these by Louisville’s own Jack Harlow: “In the ‘Ville and I move like a Don, eating fettuccine at Vincenzo’s.”)

But leave it to co-owner Vincenzo Gabriele to remind us that celebrity is not the key to longevity in the restaurant business. “My father used to say the most important thing in hospitality is sincerity,” he says. “We treat everyone as if they are a guest at our family’s table.”

Fifty years ago, in 1973, another pair of brothers set out on the path that eventually brought Vincenzo and Agostino to Louisville. Those brothers, Don and Michael Grisanti, took over the family-style Casa Grisanti Italian restaurant founded in 1959 by their father and uncle. Their goal was to position Casa Grisanti as a paragon of fine dining.

Don and Michael had worked at Tony’s in St. Louis, a nationally renowned restaurant in the legendary Italian district called The Hill, a place where Italian immigrants (including the family of baseball legend Yogi Berra) settled in the 19th century.

Enter the Gabriele brothers

At Tony’s the Grisantis encountered Vincenzo Gabriele, a dapper native of Palermo, Sicily, whose “people person” skills as a maître d'hôtel, general manager and all-purpose service sector factotum had already marked him as a rising star. By then Vincenzo and his brother Agostino were already part of The Hill’s culinary elite.

Where Vincenzo gravitated toward front of the house jobs, Chef Agostino was an emerging master in back. From earliest childhood in Palermo Agostino had his mother shopping the markets and cooking from scratch, feeding a family of nine in a manner Agostino describes as “exquisite” even during tough economic times.

Even today, when Agostino is asked what makes Italian cuisine he doesn’t cite recipes — he recalls what he learned from his mother as a boy: “Fresh meat, never frozen; fresh vegetables, cooked fresh, every day — the tomato sauce and stock, fresh every day.”

(clockwise from top) Vincenzo’s stately entrance: a cozy table for two; a view of the main dining room; Vincenzo’s large private dining room; another, more intimate, private dining area a view of the bar; Table Captain George Stinson prepares beef cognac table side.

Agostino’s career began at age 14 with Rosticceria Domore in Palermo, followed by rapid steps up the culinary ladder, culminating at the internationally noted Le Caprice under Chef Salvatore Cascino, whom he credits as an enduring formative influence.

Agostino’s career also included stints in Germany, Northern Italy and back in Sicily, but ultimately he looped around to the Gateway City to open his own long-running eatery known as Agostino’s Little Place, where he remained until Vincenzo’s call to join him in Louisville came in 1987.

The Grisanti brothers lured Vincenzo to Casa Grisanti in 1975 with the promise of managerial responsibility, an ownership share, and treatment “as a brother.” It was a critical moment in Casa Grisanti’s shift from “a mama and papa place” to fine dining, and Vincenzo’s rigorous education and training standards shaped the restaurant’s reputation for hospitality and service.

Vincenzo focused on the idea that guest service depended on knowledgeable staffers — and providentially, his team was ready to be instructed. “If you don’t have the staff with you, you can’t succeed,” Vincenzo told F&D’s Rosen in 2004. “The thirst for knowledge of food and wine was so big that it was like an overnight thing. The staff was eager to learn.”

And Vincenzo was eager to teach them. Casa Grisanti and its spinoffs, Mamma Grisanti (1977) and Sixth Avenue (1981) gave Louisville’s dining scene a national profile, and countless employees accumulated their workplace decorations under the tutelage of Louisville’s finest. Meanwhile in St. Louis, Agostino garnered critical praise and prospered at his Little Place.

Sicily, where food is more essential than clothes

In his acclaimed novel, The Leopard, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (the last Prince of Lampedusa) wrote vividly about the politics and cuisine of his native Sicily. Here he describes a version of the iconic baked pasta dish timpani that for some captures the sensual extravagance of Sicilian cookery:

“The burnished gold of the crusts, the fragrance of sugar and cinnamon they exuded, were but preludes to the delights released from the interior when the knife broke the crust; first came a mist laden with aromas, then chicken livers, hard-boiled eggs, sliced ham, chicken, and truffles in masses of piping hot, glistening macaroni, to which the meat juice gave an exquisite hue of suède.”

Sicily is a place where food is celebrated in every social context — from the hasty street food workers’

(top) Veal chop stuffed with prosciutto and fontina cheese. (center) Sliced vine-ripened tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, basil and balsamic dressing. (right) Grilled filet of tenderloin stuffed with gorgonzola cheese and wild mushrooms with a bordelaise sauce.

meal to the hours-long, multi-course bacchanals of haute cuisine.

A volcanic island with voluminous sunshine, Sicily has been an agricultural treasure across the centuries, and the famed markets of Palermo, Sicily’s economic center, naturally became multicultural culinary crossroads, where centuries of trade commingled the flavors of the known world, North, South, East, and West. It was the ideal place for Vincenzo and Agostino Gabriele to absorb the panoply of possibilities in food and drink, if only by osmosis.

For centuries, traders, travelers, warriors, and would-be conquerors have been passing through Sicily.

Today, the conquering hordes are called “tourists,” many of whom come for the express purpose of eating. In 2016 my wife and I were among them, visiting Catania, the island’s second city, nestled stubbornly beneath the imposing bulk of Mt. Etna, and considered the horse meat capital of Italy. At a packed family-run eatery called La Terrazza del Barone, I chose an equine mixed grill, which was delicious.

I mentioned this to Agostino, whose workplace demeanor models an economy of movement — as an apprentice once noted, it’s as if Agostino has eyes in the back of his head, and these eyes sparkle with expression.

As we chatted about horse meat he tended to the slicing of a slab of veal, utilizing an all-wrists precision expected of scalpel-wielding surgeons and jazz drummers.

“Did you like the horse?” he asked.

“Yes, I did. Very much.”

Agostino nodded. “The meat is sweet; it’s good for you. It’s very good for the children to eat.”

Throughout, the chef’s wrists never stopped moving, nor ribbons of veal accumulating.

The Gabriele brothers, reunitedin Louisville

In 1969, when Vincenzo arrived in St. Louis to work at Tony’s, he had enthusiasm and a work ethic, but not a word of English. His first lesson: learning how to make sure guests were satisfied without knowing their language. Over time he developed into an unflappable, empathetic leader perfectly suited to the demands of fine cuisine and thrived in the Grisanti environment.

In September of 1984, Imasco, the Canada-based owner of Burger King and Hardee’s, acquired Grisanti Inc. in hopes of positioning the restaurants as fodder for a nationwide chain. It wasn’t a path Vincenzo cared to follow, so the following year, 1985, at 38, he resigned and began exploring options for a restaurant of his own.

That same year, Humana co-founders David Jones and Wendell Cherry had completed their iconic Humana skyscraper on Main Street, designed by renowned architect Michael Graves, the most visible component of their downtown corporate campus —which also included an elegant 1914 Beaux-Arts building repurposed into a corporate center, with two on-site restaurants.

“They were not happy with the way things were going there,” Vincenzo recalls, “and so they called and gave me a deal. It was incredible.”

“When I met with Mr. Cherry in his office, he asked me, ‘Vincenzo,

(top) Ravioli with mascarpone cheese, grilled chicken, mushrooms and spinach in a savory Alfredo sauce.

(left) Spaghetti with lobster tail, petite shrimp, arugula and asparagus tips.

how come you don't have an attorney representing you?’ I said ‘Wendell, the day that you don’t like what I’m doing here, please call me and I’ll give you the keys back.’ I believed I was dealing with honest and reputable men, above board, both of them. Mr. Jones and Mr. Cherry, they were top notch in the city.”

Vincenzo’s was born. For five years his non-compete agreement with Imasco prohibited him from using the word “Italian” — but “Continental” was allowed, and the menu focused on healthier, fitness-conscious “Eurospa” dishes, until the Italian identity was fully restored.

Agostino came aboard in 1987 as partner and executive chef. His decision to move came easily, given that the brothers Vincenzo and Agostino had married sisters, Pat and Joan. All were reunited in Louisville, and Vincenzo’s went from strength to strength. Happily, in 2018 Agostino’s sons Carmelo and Michael started Sarino, an Italian eatery in Germantown. Think of it as “Gabriele Family: The Next Generation.”

Lions in winter

On a weekday afternoon the lunch crowd at Vincenzo’s melted away, and as the inimitable Dan Dry wrapped F&D’s photo shoot, Vincenzo conferred quietly with a manager, gesturing firmly with his hands, but with his demeanor perfectly composed.

Agostino, who stood nearby in the emptying dining room, said aloud to no one in particular, “We have two groups tonight, for 30 and 115.” The chef took a deep breath, which might have signified anxiety if not for his expression of pure equanimity. The kitchen crew would rock this challenge, like always, and Vincenzo would tend to these large groups as if they were a shy couple on their very first date.

It requires no great perspicacity to suggest a linkage between traditional Italian fine dining rituals and the culture’s seemingly innate genius for operatic expression, perhaps defined as a flair for the dramatic, as well as a simple joy in the art of performance, as a counterbalance to formality.

The Italian table is about warmth, not Nordic chill; it is exuberant, not austere or detached. Alongside the linguine con gambaretti, carciofini marini, vitello saltimbocca and costolette d’agnello alla palermitana, a human(e) touch alchemizes courses — antipasti, pasta, secondi, le insalatine, vino and espresso — into a special meal, gradually cadenced, that leaves a lasting impression in the memory of guests.

It seems that a sense of purposeful timelessness takes time, whether the mood is celebrated in Palermo, St. Louis or Louisville, and yet, in a forever changing culinary world replete with new-to-market-franchise this and touchless quick casual chain’s that, is there a future for the sort of Italian-flavored long, languid, fine dining experience still available for savoring at Vincenzo’s?

According to Vincenzo himself, there is “absolutely no question” fine dining as we know it will continue. As for his own restaurant: “We're going to try to do the best we can to continue to serve our guests.”

A tad coyly, Agostino mulled the same question, his eyes playfully twinkling. Then he shrugged, and gave us the coda.

“At least we’re still young.” F&D

(top) Baked Artichoke bottoms filled with shrimp and scallops. (center) Housemade cannolis

(right) Traditional tiramisu.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY HEATHER WIBBELS

Raising the Bar What’s Old is New (and Better) Again

Acocktail revival was stirring in the late nineties and early aughts, but for most of us outside of major metropolitan cities like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco, great cocktail options had yet to arrive. Patrons were limited to drinks like the Cosmopolitan and Mojito while well-made Old Fashioned and Manhattans headed our way from the coasts. As a nation, we were still developing our cocktail palate in 2003 when Food & Dining was first published.

Today, mixologists at bars across the country have refined the drinker’s palate to expect well-balanced, consistent, satisfying drinks, and the bar scene is better for it. Modern cocktail trends include a focus on simplicity, the celebration of quality ingredients, and low/no alcohol drinks. What would it look like to reimagine some of those cocktails as if they were created today?

These drinks are a testament to the creativity and innovation of bartenders who sought to revive classic cocktails with a modern twist. Among these revived drinks are the Cosmopolitan, Moscow Mule, Mojito, and Appletini cocktails.

The Cosmo cocktail was popularized by its appearance on Sex and the City in 1998 and quickly became a staple of bars across America. The Mule cocktail was first created in 1941 and has since been revived with a modern twist using ginger beer instead of ginger ale. The Mojito cocktail has been around since the 16th century but was revived in the early 2000s with a new twist using fresh mint leaves and lime juice. Finally, the neon green Appletini cocktail was first introduced in the late 1990s but gained popularity in the early 2000s as a sweet and fruity alternative to traditional martinis.

Our way-back machine for the cocktail palate reaffirms the classic nature of these cocktails, but adds a trendy twist to those 2000s sips, a nod to the progress today’s mixologists have made in expanding the palate of bar patrons and success experimenting with the hundreds of new spirits and modifiers along the way. Let’s shake!

Agricole

Mojito Agricole

The mojito was a smash hit in the early 2000s, but today’s mixologists like to celebrate alternate spirits in the classics. Here we’re using rhum agricole, a spirit made from fresh pressed sugar cane juice, not from fermented molasses, like most other rums. The result is herbaceous, grassy, and sweet, and reminds this Kentucky girl of a spirit fresh off the still. Combined with fresh lime juice and sweet mint, you’ve got an easy and refined twist on the mojito.

2 oz rhum agricole

¾ oz fresh lime juice

½ oz sugar cane syrup (1:1 simple made with cane sugar)

8-10 mint leaves

Soda water

Garnish: lime wedge and mint sprig

Muddle the mint with the simple syrup in the bottom of a Collins glass. Add fresh juice, rhum agricole, and fill ¾ full of crushed ice. Stir for about 15 seconds, until the outside of the Collins glass frosts over. Top off with a small splash of soda and more crushed ice. Garnish and serve. Pro tip: to add a little bit of the tropics, top with a splash of coconut, pineapple, or passionfruit seltzer instead of unflavored soda water.

Cosmo-sbagliato

Mojito

Cosmo-sbagliato

Cosmos ruled the roost in 2003, and the classic recipe celebrated around the world was developed by cocktail master Dale DeGroff. In today’s bar scene, lower-ABV cocktails continue to rise in popularity. To create this low-ABV cocktail, let’s look at the template of the Negroni Sbagliato. We can make a simple substitution and replace the vodka with a rosé prosecco to create a lovely, updated summer cocktail.

2 oz rosé prosecco

½ oz triple sec

1 oz sweetened cranberry juice

½ oz lime juice

½ oz Lillet Rosé

Garnish: expressed orange peel

Add all ingredients but bubbles to a cocktail shaker and shake briefly. Add to a champagne flute and top with prosecco. Garnish with expressed orange peel.

Mezcal Mule

A classic Moscow Mule, made with vodka, uses the spirit to bolster proof, but tequila and mezcal are hot spirits in the market right now, both at home and behind the bar. Mixing a little smoky mezcal into the drink makes this a supremely quenching cocktail to sip. For a tropical vibe add Q Mixers Tropical ginger beer.

1.5 oz mezcal (split with tequila blanco if you prefer less smoke)

¾ oz lime juice

¼ oz agave syrup

4 oz ginger beer

Garnish: mint and lime wedge

Add the mezcal, lime juice, and agave syrup to a copper mule mug. Fill ½ way with crushed ice, stir briefly, and fill to the top with ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish.

Not Your Vodka Redbull

A cocktail renaissance may have started in the late 90s, but in Kentucky and surrounding areas, the vodka Redbull was the drink of choice for many young bar patrons in the 2000s. A healthier energy drink option in the form of either Yerba Mate sparkling, Phocus caffeinated seltzer or Celsius energy drink makes this easy two-ingredient cocktail actually palatable and fun to drink. This cocktail works with Yerba Mate for those who prefer less sweet drinks and Celsius for those who lean sweet.

1.5 oz modern citrusy gin

4-6 oz Yerba Mate sparkling grapefruit ginger OR Celsius Tropical Vibe

Garnish: a spritz of orange bitters, pineapple wedge/leaves, or a simple lime wheel

To a Collins glass filled with ice, add the vodka, then top with either Yerba Mate sparkling or Celsius, spritz with a bit of orange bitters, and garnish. If you prefer a sweeter drink pair vodka with Alani Energy Dream Float. If you favor the driest of the dry, pair vodka with Phocus Blood Orange.

Modern Appletini

There’s no reason to revisit the neon green, sour-apple martinis of the late 90s and early aughts. But, well-crafted calvados or fine apple brandy creates a delicious, cultured base for a classic apple sour. Garnish with a fan of apple slices and a cherry for a striking presentation.

1½ oz calvados or Laird’s apple brandy

½ oz Lillet blanc

¾ oz lemon juice

1 oz fresh apple cider

½ oz apple cider syrup*

Garnish: apple fan and cherry

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 10-12 seconds, then strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish.

* Apple Cider Syrup:

Add 1 cup of apple cider to a sauce pan and heat to a simmer. Let simmer until about ⅓ of the cider has evaporated. Add ½ cup raw sugar and take off the heat. Cool and store in the fridge. F&D

Mezcal Mule

Ditto’s Grill The Art of Figuring it Out

BY CARY STEMLE PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

ou might say Ditto’s Grill and Stevens Deli are the result of a decades-old “recipe” built on random occurrences and big dreams. Start with beef stroganoff. Lots of it.

Add a dash of geography.

Throw in some General Electric and Hollandaise Sauce.

To finish, top with Grade A Shared Experience — in this case, working together in the elite Louisville dining organization called Grisanti Inc.

Mix it up, and y ou get the venerable co-located establishments at 1114 Bardstown Road, still going strong more than 30 years later.

Ditto’s opened on April Fool’s Day 1990, and Stevens & Stevens Food Shop (now Stevens Deli) opened exactly one year later.

Frank Yang and Dominic Serratore (right)

with citrus salad

Let’s start at the beginning...

From China to Long Island

Born in 1954, Frank Yang was raised on Long Island by parents who fled the Communist takeover of mainland China. His father, Dr. Ching Huan Yang, was an engineering professor at SUNY at Stonybrook. His mother, Teresa Shi-bing Yang, was an analytical chemist for Grumman Aircraft.

Yang’s brothers — both now doctors — were pointed toward bachelor of science degrees while Frank was deemed a better fit for a bachelor of arts degree. On the advice of his father’s brother, Dr. Thomas S. Wang, who also fled China and later became Secretary of Agriculture in The Philippines, Frank matriculated at Michigan State University to study accounting.

He’d worked in restaurants since age 15, and he pursued his culinary interests through The School of Hospitality Business at MSU. Under the tutelage of famed food scientist and inventor L. J. Minor, Yang stood out — to the extent he was asked to prepare a meal for the National Hotel and Motel Association’s 50th anniversary gathering.

On the menu: Beef Wellington for 400.

“In that audience were three of the six master chefs in the country,” Yang recalls. “They told me it was one of best meals they’d ever had, and they asked me to be sponsored by them to go to Johnson & Wales culinary school (in Providence, R.I.) after I finished my accounting studies.

“I was the first student (in a new program) where a grad from MSU could get their culinary degree. I was thinking I’d go to New York City and be an accountant. I said, ‘Sure, I’ve got a year.’”

How Do You Get to Louisville?

About the same time, Dominic Serratore was in Miami, working a grueling but edifying job at the five-star Café Chauveron.

Born in Philadelphia in 1951, Serratore was raised in food. His father Joe ran a door-to-door produce company called Joe Banana’s, then opened a nightclub with food called Little Joe’s in Doylestown, Pa. His mother, Louise, helped with the business and worked as a secretary and administrative assistant.

“My dad was gregarious, very open and extremely casual,” Serratore says. “It wasn’t just business for him. It was his lifestyle. He was a true people person.”

The younger Serratore studied restaurant administration at Bucks County Community College, then graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. He also envisioned working in New York City and interviewed at places like the Four Seasons. There were no openings, but his interviewers mentioned the Miami opportunity. Serratore jumped.

“Everyone was French, and they spoke French,” he recalls. “The dishwashers were Haitian, the busboys were French-Canadian. The chef was my dad’s age, and the sous chef was close. The captains were older, and they’d been in World War II. I was the American kid in there. I worked Entremetier (entrée preparer) in year one and Rotisserie in year two. It was 32 weeks, seven days a week.”

He did two seasons, Labor Day to Memorial Day, before joining the upscale Capriccio’s in Providence, R.I. Johnson & Wales later helped Yang get a job there, and Serratore was his trainer. They hit it off instantly.

Serratore’s wife Lorey was graduating from Rhode Island School of

Design, and he’d been on the road a lot — when he was off from Café Chauveron, he worked seven days a week at resorts.

“I told her I’d go where she wanted,” Serratore says. “She had one interview — at GE — and one job her whole life.”

After he rode in a Bicycle Across America event, he joined her in Louisville in the fall of 1978. Serratore expected to be here for a year.

He inquired at the Fig Tree, where chef Kathy Cary was making her mark, and Top of the Tower. To celebrate his 27th birthday, Lorey took Dominic to Casa Grisanti; he also hoped to speak with Chef Vincenzo Gabriele about a job. Vincenzo wasn’t there, but Serratore left an impression by pointing out an issue with the Hollandaise Sauce.

“They put sugar in it instead of salt,” he says. “It was a faux pas. They redid it. It was a lovely meal. Later, I came back to interview with Vincenzo for a sous chef position, and he said, ‘No, you can take over as a chef under my guidance.’”

Don’t Get on the Plane

In 1979, Grisanti was set to add a sister restaurant called Sixth Avenue and looking for additional managerial muscle. Yang was the corporate executive sous chef for Playboy Club International in New York City. With his accounting and culinary background, he showed acumen for managing labor and food costs. Serratore asked Yang to come to Louisville for a look.

“He told me I had to take it seriously,” Yang says. “I went through all the motions.”

He headed for the airport after the initial offer.

“They said, ‘If you come down here, you have to take a pay cut.’ And I said, ‘Absolutely not. I’m the wrong person for you … I expect a pay increase.’ They said nobody makes that kind of money down here, and I said then you need to find somebody else. Before I got on the plane, they made me another offer.”

Inflation reached 14 percent in 1980, leading to recession. Serratore recalls it was difficult to get financing for Sixth Avenue. The delay allowed Yang to focus on other things like talent attraction, and he recruited people like John Marzilli (opening Chef for Sixth Avenue), Paul Kruzel (opening GM for Sixth Avenue) and Bob Zelinski (Pastry Chef for Casa Grisanti).

Landing in a ‘Special Bubble’

Sixth Avenue’s roster eventually included a young Susan Stevens, who had no idea Yang would someday ask her to become his business partner.

Born in 1961 and raised in Louisville by Edward and Gloria Shrader, an eye doctor and artist, Stevens grew up with an appreciation of food. Her father researched interesting restaurants, and before family vacations he’d write to request reservations. Her mother helped Susan make elaborate gingerbread houses and Easter cakes.

Stevens earned a marketing and advertising degree from Mount Vernon College, then contemplated a couple

(top) Dry rubbed ribs with KC masterpiece sauce and tobacco onions. (above) Certified Angus beef burger. (right) Susan Stevens of Steven’s Deli.

of career paths — “either dining or horses,” she says.

Family friend Camille Glenn, who ran a cooking school and catering business and wrote about food for The Courier-Journal, recommended that Susan attend École de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris. She wanted to be a Garde-Manger, the chef in charge of cold foods.

“That was a real experience,” Stevens recalls. “Six days a week, 8 a.m. to 9 or 9:30 at night. The whole course was six months, all in French. I learned a tremendous amount.”

Glenn helped her land a position at Sixth Avenue in 1986. “It was like a special bubble somehow,” she says of the Grisanti organization. “I can remember so much of it clearly … it was my first job. It was so organized, so professional, and gave you all of the structure, whether it be lunch or regular dining or lunch for 200. We were known for having the best business lunch. These famous people would come to town, and they always came to Casa or Sixth Avenue. There were so many shows across the street (at Kentucky Center for the Arts). … To do all of that takes a tremendous amount of effort from everyone.

“You feel like you’re one part of many moving parts that are well thought out, that you can trust. It felt like a special place with special people, and the opportunity to be part of it was a little humbling.”

A New Concept for Louisville

In 1983, Yang became project manager on a prototype called Grisanti’s Casual Italian Restaurant in Bloomington, Ind. Imasco Ltd., owner of the Hardee’s fast-food chain, purchased Grisanti’s with plans to expand the concept into a national chain.

Sixth Avenue closed in 1989, and Casa Grisanti in 1991. Yang and Serratore took a buyout, and Yang had ideas that began with he and Serratore becoming partners in a new venture called Ditto’s Food and Drink. American dining trends were changing.

“It wasn’t about dressing up anymore,” Serratore says, “it was about meeting friends no matter what you were doing. Fusion and ethnic food had become more popular. We looked at places in Chicago doing this sort of cutting-edge thing and put our heads together on what our style would be.”

They bought the 1920s building at 1114 Bardstown Road, which originally housed a Model T dealership owned by Hubert Ditto and Buford Hartzell. The site most recently was Den of Steven antique mall, where Serratore had purchased an armoire.

(top) Thai salmon with steamed vegetables and teriyaki rice. (center) Pork Chop with a port wine sauce, mashed potatoes, portabellas, caramelized onions and sautéed spinach. (left) Medallions of beef with mashed potatoes, red wine sauce and tobacco onions.

Opening a new business wasn’t on Serratore’s radar. His father had lost his restaurant during a recession, and he’d seen good ideas fail.

“A lot of chefs crash and burn because they over-estimate their abilities,” he says. “You need somebody with a strong financial background to keep you focused and away from tangents.”

Someone like Yang.

“He’s very analytical — nothing about shooting from the hip,” Serratore says of his partner. “He’s like, ‘I want to see statistics, I want to see production sheets, I want to see usages. … I was raised more intuitive, a bit more footloose.”

During the Ditto’s build-out, Yang left space open in the back. He foresaw a deli and spoke with Stevens, who was managing Animal Crackers children’s clothing boutique, about playing a role. Time passed, Ditto’s opened, and Yang came back around. Stevens said yes.

“I really wouldn’t consider going into business with anybody else,” she says.

A Marriage Made in the Real World

Beyond talent, a few other words kept coming up when I spoke with Yang, Serratore and Stevens.

Loyalty, Honesty. Trust. Essential ingredients.

“When I decided to go into business with Dominic and Susan, my parents wanted to meet them,” Yang says. “They gave me the wink to say, ‘These are good people.’ They said, ‘You know, this is a marriage now, and for better or for worse, whatever the strengths and weaknesses are, at the end of the day you’ve gotta be in bed with them. There’s no divorcing here. There’s no replacing them. You grow with them.’”

Both restaurants mix old and new. The Ditto’s menu, for example, includes longtime favorites like ribs, shrimp, steaks, fajitas and crab cakes.

(Stevens calls Serratore “one of the best sauciers in the country.”) At Stevens Deli, the signature offerings remain corned beef and pastrami — not to mention its carefully researched matzo ball soup and house-made rye bread. Some of the signature wall paintings are her mother’s.

Yang always keeps an eye on the future. For example, the rapid shift to takeout during the Covid pandemic exposed deficiencies in Ditto’s online ordering system. It’s been completely redone, and the same process is underway for Stevens Deli. Yang also enlisted Spectrum Enterprise to target specific households with marketing messages, and he utilizes artificial intelligence to identify job applicants who look like a good fit.

He believes success is largely based on figuring things out.

“We’ve gotta figure out things in life all the time,” he says. “After I jumped from the sounding board of Grisanti, I could’ve landed flat on my face, but I took all of my experiences and learning and failures and used them to my advantage.”

As for those random occurrences — Yang ending up at Michigan State, Serratore coming to Louisville and so on — there’s another: after Serrratore graduated high school, his best friend invited him to Block Island, which is part of Rhode Island and just beyond Long Island. That’s where he met Lorey. Now Serratore is an elder in the Louisville dining scene — on “Secrets of Louisville Chefs,” he’s affectionately known as “grandpa.”

The pandemic recalibrated their succession plans, but they can each see a day coming where they pull back. Stevens’ 30-year-old son Jordan is running the deli now.

Yang retains his enthusiasm.

“Today the food scene in Louisville is very dynamic, and to be good at it, you have to be better than you were 10 years ago. … I can’t wait for the next 10 years.” F&D

BY TIM & LORI LAIRD PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

Our Favorite Guest Chefs Grill Recipes

It’s Summertime and that means we all have a license to grill. It’s also the 20-year anniversary of F&D. To celebrate, we want to share some of the best grilling recipes from guest chefs we have hosted over the years.

Easy Entertaining’s first appearance in the magazine featured grilled pizza in 2008. But it wasn’t until 2015 that we started hosting guest chefs to share their recipes (we have hosted over 40 of Louisville’s best chefs since).

The first guest chef trio of David Danielson, Michael Crouch and Josh Moore were asked to give us their take on grilled pizza. They each answered the call and took it to new levels with creative and tasty ingredient combinations. We thought that to be an appropriate start in our parade of greatest grilled recipe hits.

Next up is fish. We invited Chef John Varanese — noted for his seafood skills — to drop by and show us some new ideas on grilling fish. His whole Florida snapper recipe is so easy, even for people who are intimidated by cooking fish.

Everyone loves simple, and delicious side dishes. We have that covered with a pair of chefs — Fernando Martinez and Bruce Ucan

— who shared their recipes for a trio of menu best-sellers from their restaurants.

How about a seafood boil, but done on the grill instead? Chef Allen Sims brought us this very creative take inspired by his childhood in western Michigan. Sims’ family would hit the beach, fish, fire up a grill, and cook their catch. His memories of those beach parties are the inspiration behind this grilled Michigan-style take on a traditional clambake.

Grillers love a good spice rub. Chef Patrick Roney introduced us to his unique baharat spice mix with his leg of lamb dish. Roney discovered the spice mix when he was a private chef on a yacht sailing from southern Turkey to Italy. His baharat spice is a keeper.

The final recipe in our recap comes from the late Dean Corbett. We asked him to put together a dish that highlighted the flavor potential in cooking with bourbon in 2016. He did not disappoint with Rock Shrimp Jenkins, which ended up being a menu staple at his restaurant. (Technically, it’s not a grilled dish — although you can grill the shrimp instead — but we had to include it as a tip of the hat to Deano.)

Ham and Egg Pizza

Note: Use the same pizza dough recipe, pizza sauce recipe and cooking instructions to follow.

Michael Crouch

• Watch Hill Proper

Ham and Egg Pizza (Serves 2)

Pizza toppings:

Ricotta creamed corn

Ricotta cheese

Woodlands farm ham

Arugula pesto

Mozzarella

Garlic scape

Egg

Dave Danielson

• Dant Crossing

Moroccan Lamb Pizza (Serves 2)

Pizza toppings:

Spicy red sauce

Moroccan lamb

Goat cheese

Mint

Josh Moore

• Volare

Roasted Cauliflower Pizza (Serves 2)

Pizza toppings:

Roasted garlic olive oil

Ricotta

White cheddar, mozzarella and provolone cheeses

Roasted cauliflower

Basil and parsley

Lemon

Bourbon and apple cider reduction

For the pizza dough:

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 packages pizza yeast

1½ cups warm water (120 to 130 degrees)

2 tablespoon olive oil

Cooking spray

4 tablespoons cornmeal

Combine first four ingredients in a large food processor or stand mixer fitted with a dough blade or dough hook, then slowly add the water and oil. Mix until dough forms a ball, about four to five minutes.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down, let it rise a second time then punch it down again. Lightly coat plastic wrap with olive oil, wrap the dough ball, then refrigerate it for two days.

Divide into 4 equal-sized balls. Working with one ball at a time roll into a 10-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.

Place dough on a pizza pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Repeat with remaining dough.

For the pizza sauce:

28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons sugar

Pour crushed tomatoes into a large bowl and add the garlic and sugar. Mix and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Cooking the pizza:

On medium heat, place dough on clean grill grates for only two to three minutes, check to make sure it has slightly browned.

Flip the doughs, brush with olive oil, then top with sauce, toppings and finally cheese.

Grill with lid down another 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese has melted. Check bottom of crust periodically to make sure it does not burn.

Roasted Cauliflower Pizza

Moroccan Lamb Pizza

From left: David Danielson, Mcihael Crouch, Josh Moore, and Tim Laird Crouch,

John Varanese

• River House, Varanese

Grilled Whole Florida Snapper

(Serves 2)

¼ cup olive oil

1large banana leaf

¼ pound fingerling potatoes, sliced into thin rounds

¼ red onion, peeled and julienned

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 Snapper, approximately

1½ pounds

2limes, cut into half-moon slices

2 ounces ginger, sliced

½ cup scallions, cut into ½-pieces

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper

Preheat grill to 400°F. Place the banana leaf on a cutting board fully opened. Toss the potatoes with half of the red onion, olive oil and salt and pepper. Pile the mixture in the center of the banana leaf. Make 3 slices on a bias on each side of the fish, angled toward the head. Place a half-moon slice of lime and ginger in each cut. Place cut scallions and butter inside the fish belly. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish. Place fish on top of potato mixture and fold the banana leaf around the fish like an eggroll to seal in all the ingredients. Set on grill potato-side down. Grill for 10 minutes on each side until the fish is cooked through.

Bruce Ucan • Mayan Café

Tok-sel Lima Beans

(Serves 4)

If frozen limas are used, they will have to be defrosted. If you use fresh limas, blanch them

for 1 minute, then rinse and dry. All the ingredients should be ready to go since this is a quick process, similar to using a wok.

1 tablespoon sesame oil

½pound fresh or frozen lima beans

1 bunch green onions, chopped ½bunch parsley, minced

Salt to taste

6 ounces roasted pumpkin seeds, ground in a blender

Lime juice to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using fresh beans, blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute, then rinse and dry. If you use frozen beans, defrost.

Roast the pumpkin seeds in the preheated oven, then grind them (medium to fine) in a food processor.

Put the sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat. When the oil starts smoking, add the lima beans first. Sauté them, stirring or tossing, until they are brown and roasted.

Add the sliced green onions, parsley, salt and ground pumpkin seeds and sauté for another minute. Add lime juice and serve.

Grilled Whole Florida Snapper

Tok-sel Lima Beans

Stuffed Dates

Mexican-style Corn

John Varanese

Bruce Ucan

Fernando Martinez

Fernando Martinez

• Olé Restaurnt Group

Stuffed Dates

(Serves 6)

12Medjool dates (pits removed)

6ounces goat cheese

12slices thick cut bacon

Honey (for drizzling)

Salt and pepper

12wooden skewers

Place the goat cheese in a bowl, soften with a fork, and season with salt and pepper. Open each date and stuff with about a tablespoon of goat cheese, then wrap in bacon, securing with a skewer. Grill until the cheese is melting and the bacon is crispy.

Mexican-style Corn

(Serves 6)

6ears of corn, peeled and cleaned

1cup of your favorite mayonnaise

1cup of Mexican grated cotija cheese or freshly grated Parmesan

2tablespoons of chili powder

½ bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

65”-6” skewers

Place skewers firmly in each ear to make it easy to turn the corn on the grill. Grill the corn evenly on all sides until it’s nicely grilled and charred in spots. Remove from heat. Using a brush, cover the corn with the mayo, and sprinkle the cheese, chili powder and cilantro over all sides of corn.

Allen Sims

•

Formerly of Buck’s

Michigan Shrimp, Clam, and Mussel Bake

(Serves 6-8)

¼ cup olive oil

12 medium new potatoes, halved

4 ears of corn on the cob, halved

2 pounds Polish sausage

2 pounds deveined shrimp (with shells still on)

2 pounds mussels

2 pounds clams

1 pound butter, divided

1 pound pecans in shells or mesquite wood chips, soaked in water for at least 3 hours

½ cup parsley

¼ cup Old Bay

1 roll of paper towels

Butcher paper

Remove rack from grill, cover with foil, and brush with olive oil. Arrange the ingredients on the rack in a mound with potatoes on the bottom (face-down); then corn, sausage, and finally the shrimp and mussels on top. Place the clams around the mound.

Melt the butter. Place half of the melted butter in a bowl and place 8 paper towels in the butter to soak. Once the grill has reached a temperature of 350°, place the paper towels over the mound. Place pecans or wood chips over your coals to start the smoke. Place the mound on the grill. Cover with lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove paper towels and ladle the remaining butter on top of the bake, letting it cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle parsley and Old Bay before removing the mound from the grill and transferring it to the butcher paper to be served.

Patrick Roney

•

Monogram Experience Center

Baharat Spiced Leg of Lamb

(Serves 6)

1 pound butter, divided

3 pound leg of lamb (boneless, silver skin removed and butterflied)

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sea salt

¼ cup Kentucky Honey Farms Habanero Honey (or add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to regular honey)

2 fresh lemons

Baharat seasoning (recipe to follow)

Pat the leg of lamb completely dry with paper towels. Then rub with olive oil to coat. Drizzle

Allen Sims

Patrick Roney

honey over lamb and massage into flesh, and season lamb with sea salt. Generously sprinkle Baharat seasoning all over lamb and massage again.

Place lamb on a very hot section of the grill. Cook 2 minutes and rotate the meat 45 degrees. Grill for 2 more minutes and flip meat over. Repeat the rotations as on the first side.

Place a thermometer in the center of the thickest part of the lamb and cook until temperature reads 125 for medium rare, or 130-135 for medium, about 10 minutes. If the meat needs more time it should continue cooking off of direct heat. Let lamb rest for 15 minutes. Slice lamb against the grain and serve.

For the Baharat spice:

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon nutmeg (grated)

¼ cup cumin

or even grilled vegetables during the summer. Quantities can be halved if a pound of spice mixture seems too much to keep around. Store extra spice mixture in a jar with a screw top.

Dean Corbett

• Formerly of Equus

Rock Shrimp Jenkins (Serves 4)

½ cup cold butter

½ teaspoon minced, blanched garlic

½ teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary

¼ cup light brown sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup white wine

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons bourbon

1 pound rock shrimp, peeled & deveined

½ cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Salt and pepper

½ teaspoon Tabasco

1 teaspoon fresh chopped chives

In a hot sauté pan melt 4 tablespoons of cold butter while adding garlic, shallots, rosemary and brown sugar. Stir together until garlic and shallots are translucent. Deglaze pan with lemon juice and white wine and heat for about 20 seconds.

Add Worcestershire sauce and bourbon (reduce or flame the alcohol). Add rock shrimp and cook slowly over medium heat, turning shrimp frequently. Add chicken broth. Make a slurry by mixing together water and cornstarch. Add to stock gradually to thicken. Reduce heat and add remaining cold butter. Season to taste with Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Add chives.

¼ cup black peppercorn

2 tablespoons pink peppercorn

2 tablespoons fennel seed

2 tablespoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon ground clove

1 tablespoon cardamom

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons sumac

1 teaspoon dill pollen

1 teaspoon fennel pollen

Toast all the spice ingredients at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Blend all the spices together in a spice grinder, in batches if necessary, to a fine powder. Set aside.

Note: Quantities will make about 1 pound of spice mixture, which can be used on any grilled meat

Baharat Spiced Leg of Lamb

Rock Shrimp Jenkins

Dean Corbett

Bourbon Lemonade

1½ounces of Monk’s Road bourbon

3ounces grilled lemonade

Rosemary spear for garnish

Add bourbon and lemonade to a rocks glass with ice. Stir and garnish with rosemary.

For the grilled lemonade:

(Makes 2½ quarts)

1 quart freshly squeezed lemon juice

1quart grilled lemon juice (recipe follows)

3 cups rosemary simple syrup (recipe follows)

Rosemary spear for garnish

In a large container (at least 4 quarts) add the fresh lemon juice, grilled lemon juice and 3 cups of the rosemary simple syrup. Adjust the sweetness to taste.

For the grilled lemon juice:

(Makes 1 quart)

12 lemons, halved

½cup sugar

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Put sugar in a small mixing bowl then, one at a time, dip the cut side of each lemon into the sugar to coat. Put the coated lemons on the hot grill and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sugar has caramelized to a deep brown color. Remove from the grill and cool. Squeeze cooled lemons into container.

For the rosemary simple syrup:

(Makes 3 cups)

3 cups water

3 cups sugar

4 rosemary spears

Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, add the rosemary and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes. Strain before using. F&D

Bourbon Lemonade

Cuisine Style

African..............................74

Asian/Chinese..................74

Asian/Filipino...................75

Asian/Japanese...............75

Asian/Korean...................76

Asian/Thai........................76

Asian/Vietnamese............77

Bar & Grill/Taphouse........70

Barbecue.........................65

Bistro/New American.......54

Breakfast .........................61

Burgers/Chicken..............58

Cafés...............................60

Cafeterias/Buffet..............70

Cajun/Creole....................77

Casual Dining..................62

Coffee/Tea Houses..........84

Cuban/Caribbean.............77

Deli/Sandwich..................66

Alphabetical Index

Restaurants Listed Alphabetically —

Followed by PAGE NUMBER, CUISINE STYLE, MAP NUMBER(s) [

Desserts/Bakery..............83

Diner/Home Style.............68

GUIDE KEY

$$$$ = under $10 $$$$ = $10-$15

$$$$ = $16-$24

$$$$ = $25 & up

jj bakes

211 CLOVER LANE RESTAURANT 211 Clover Ln., 896-9570. Tucked away since 1993 across the rail¬road tracks in St. Matthews amid a little cluster of upscale shops, 211 Clover rewards those in the know with drinks in a quiet elegant lounge and impeccable seasonal menus. Owner/chef Andrew Smith and managing partners Lee and Chad Middendorf have reestablished lunch service. $$$$ D pf

610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. Since taking over this Old Louisville landmark restaurant in 2004, Edward Lee has become a Food TV fixture and opened several new restaurants. Jeff Potteris the Executive Chef at this perennial top table and continues the adventurous prix-fixe menu. $$$$ D pf

BARN8 10500 W. US Hwy 42, 398-9289. The newest project of Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson is refashioning their Hermitage Farm as an agro-tourism destination. Building number 8 of the historic thoroughbred stable (where Dark Star,

who defeated Northern Dancer in 1953, was foaled) is now a restaurant open to the public. Diners can choose to dine at private tables (in the stalls) or rent the Hayloft for parties up to 200. Executive Chef Seth Kinder’s eclectic menu features heirloom, local and seasonal ingredients drawn heavily from the farm’s extensive gardens. $$$$ D pf

BUCK’S 425 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-5284. This elegant, understated dining room has been an upscale lunch and dinner destination since 1992, an Old Louisville institution that draws patrons from across the city. The lavish white flowers in the bar remain, as does the crispy fish and spicy noodles on the menu. Also on the menu are well-made traditional dishes: fried chicken livers and shrimp cocktail, Bibb lettuce salad, filet mignon and seafood rigatoni. $$$ L D pf

DECADE 1076 E. Washington St., 749-0110. Former Decca coowner Chad Sheffield, Executive Chef Andy Myers, and Chef de Cuisine Matt Johnson got the band back together, reworking the old Butchertown Grocery premises and branding their project as Decade in a purposeful nod to their collective past in NuLu. The motif is American fine dining with myriad international influences, boasting an upstairs event space dubbed “b side.” $$$$ D pf

HEIRLOOM CHEF’S TABLE 9448 Norton Commons Blvd., 8221184. There are only 6 tables at this suburban outlet for United Catering. Chef Ryan Smith creates multi-course meals for small groups, emphasizing foods from local purveyors. $$$$ D p JACK FRY’S 1007 Bardstown Rd., 452-9244. Inside its unprepossessing exterior is one of Louisville’s longest-running top tables. Seating is tight but the food is consistently excellent. Chef Duncan Williams has continued classic menu items that regulars love (crab cakes, shrimp and grits) and worked in newer items (braised pork shank, squash risotto). $$$$ L D p LA CHASSE 1359 Bardstown Rd., 822-3963. Font-of-the-house man Isaac Fox creates the ambience of a fine European country inn in the heart of the Highlands. The frequently-changing

menu, overseen by Chef Alex Dulaney, fuses the tastes and techniques of Southern France and Northern Spain. $$$$ D p

SEVICHE A LATIN RESTAURANT 1538 Bardstown Rd., 4738560. Chef Anthony Lamas’ menu offers an eclectic range of LatinAmericandishesinadditiontoitsnamesake,theLatino seafood dish “cooked” in tart citrus juices. Continuing to get notice throughout the Southeast for his imaginative cooking, he is setting a standard of cool for the Bardstown Road eating scene. $$$$ D pf

SWIZZLE 140 N. Fourth St. (The Galt House), 252-2500. The GaltHousereplacesRivue,its25thfloorrestaurant,with Swizzle, a retro-meets-modern redesigned room with a menu focused on steaks, chops and sustainable seafood served up from the open-concept exhibition kitchen in the middle of the restaurant, allowing diners to watch the action. The retro beverage program will focus on classic cocktails, with seasonal specials. $$$$ D p

VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. Founded in 1986 and known for its suave professional service, high-end Northern Italian fare and many trademark dishes finished at tableside, Vincenzo’s continues to hold its own amid a constantly changing downtown scene. Those hits (Toasted Ravioli Diavolo, Pasta Cacciatore, Crepes Agostino) just keep on coming, along with a regular garnering of plaudits: the 50 best Italian restaurants in America list (Yahoo, 2020) and a 2022 AAA Four Diamond Award, among others. $$$$ L D pf

THE 1894 LODGE 409 E. Main St., New Washington IN, 6289006. This ambitious restaurant, housed in a historic building a not-too-distant trek up Rte 62, offers two different dining rooms and a bar area. The menu has some typical bar fare (burgers, chicken tenders, sandwiches), but also some less usual items: Korean salmon, bone-in pork chop, Cajun pasta. $$$ D pf

8UP ELEVATED DRINKERY AND KITCHEN 350 W. Chestnut St. (Hilton Garden Inn), 631-4180. This rooftop restaurant and bar above the hotel at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut has three elegant areas - an upscale casual dining room, the bar with a separate kitchen and menu, and an expansive outdoor patio that overlooks downtown. The bar kitchen’s two woodfired ovens offer small plates to nibble while sipping; the main kitchen overseen by Executive Chef Henry Wesley serves fine dinners. $$$ B D pf

BLACK RABBIT 122 Sears Ave., 897-9721. The long-standing Equus in St. Matthews has been comprehensively reimagined as Black Rabbit, a speakeasy-themed “behind the bookcase” experience serving chef-driven small plates (examples include smoked duck legs, octopus and French dip sliders), with craft cocktails, top-end bourbon and an extensive wine list available amid a warren of five uniquely atmospheric dining and drinking areas: Jack’s Bourbon Lounge, Rabbit Hole Dining Room, The Burrow Speakeasy, The Parlor and Hatter (patio lounge). $$$ D pf

BLACKSTONE GRILLE 9521 U.S. 42, 228-6962. Long-time restaurateur Rick Dissell’s comfortable, casual restaurant in the Prospect Center continues to please regulars and to find new fans. The menu offers sandwiches and an array of bistro entrées — pasta, seafood, beef and chicken, including fried chicken livers and “light” fried chicken. $$$ Br D pf

BRAVO! 206 Bullitt Ln. (Oxmoor Center), 326-0491. Management describes the Ohio-based Bravo! chain as “a fun, white-tablecloth casual eatery … positioned between the finedining and casual chains.” A Roman-ruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare. We particularly enjoyed appetizers and first-rate grilled meats. $$ Br L D pf

BRISTOL BAR & GRILLE 1321 Bardstown Rd., 456-1702, 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-0627, 614 W. Main St., 582-1995. A cornerstone of Louisville’s restaurant renaissance, Bristol started three decades ago on Bardstown Road. Now, with three venues around town, diners can always find dependable pub grub, eclectic entrées, and evergreen standards like the greenchile won tons and the Bristol Burger. $$ Br L D pf

CC’S KITCHEN 651 S. Fourth St., 215-0797. Bright, whimsical brunch/dinner menus offer inventive and idiosyncratic riffs on traditional dishes and drinks (a cotton candy martini, anyone?). Consider goat cheese-stuffed deviled eggs, ribeye steak stroganoff and various flatbreads. Seats go fast for weekend drag brunches, featuring goodies-laden bloody marys, mimosas, stuffed French toast, biscuits & gravy and (of course) chicken and waffles. $$$ D pf

CHARR’D BOURBON KITCHEN & LOUNGE 1903 Embassy Square Blvd. (Marriott Louisville East), 491-1184. The J’town Marriott Hotel’s restaurant is on the Urban Bourbon Trail. The eclectic menu offers classic American and Kentucky fare with many dishes that incorporate some of the bar’s 75 offerings of Bourbon. $$$ Br L D p

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY 5000 Shelbyville Rd. (Mall St. Matthews), 897-3933. One of 175 outlets of the Californiabased chain, this popular restaurant maintains a large and diverse menu that entices and satisfies a wide range of diners. Food quality is above average for this kind of restaurant chain, though its namesake cheesecakes are baked in California and North Carolina. $$$ Br L D pf

COPPER & KINGS ROOFTOP RESTAURANT 1121 E. Washington St., 561-0269. Up on the third floor of the distillery, with a fine view over the city, you can find a menu of cocktails using Copper & Kings distillates, and a food menu that ranges from the familiar (pimento cheese, Caesar salad) to the unusual (salmon tartine, sesame scallion pancake). $$$ Br L Dpf

CULTURED CHEESE, CHEERS, AND CHARCUTERIE 1007 E. Main St., 409-8706. Made-to-order charcuterie boards, including some with vegan and vegetarian options. Cheese selections showcase the owner’s family’s Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese and other mainly local food products. $$ L D p f

DOC CROW’S 127 W. Main St., 587-1626. Doc Crow’s solidly anchors the dining choices on Whiskey Row. Oysters from both coasts, raw and fried, fried green tomatoes, pork rinds, shrimp and grits, all served in a handsome renovation of one of Main Street’s classic cast-iron front buildings. $$ L D p

FORK & BARREL 1722 Frankfort Ave., 830-9500. Chef/owner Geoffrey Heyde has consolidated his two “Fork” restaurants into the Lower Clifton space that had been Morning Fork. With all three meals Heyde serves up on local ingredients, craft cocktails and southern hospitality. Look for starters like langostino fritters, buttermilk soaked fried chicken livers, or devilish eggs; entrees such as vegetarian ravioli, salmon and beef tip stroganoff. For dessert choose from cheesecake, fruit-filled sweet crèpe or triple chocolate brownie. $$$ D p

FUZZY'S THE 15TH CLUB, FOOD & SPIRITS 4900 Water Tower Rd., Jeffersonville IN, 812-670-5713. New Albany native Fuzzy Zoeller enjoyed a successful golfing career, then launched Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, which pours at his new branded restaurant inside the Hilton Garden Inn Jeffersonville. It’s open to the public, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, featuring American cuisine of precisely the sort you’d expect Fuzzy and friend John Daly to enjoy. $$ B L D pf

HOUSE OF MARIGOLD 10310 Shelbyville Rd., 384-3767. A husband-and-wife catering team has repurposed an eatery on the west side of Middletown into “a little bit of Nashville, a little bit of Naples, a little bit Beverly Hills Hotel,” offering full-service breakfast and lunch (“seasonal comfort food,” sourced locally) with a cocktail bar, in addition to event hosting.$$$ B Br L p f

J. ALEXANDER’S REDLANDS GRILL 102 Oxmoor Court, 3392206. This comfortably upscale venue, a Nashville-based chain, features “contemporary American” fare with a broad menu that ranges from burgers and sandwiches to such upscale eats as grilled tuna or a New York strip steak. $$$ D p

LEVEE BOURBON LOUNGE 3015 River Rd., 897-5000. John Varanese’s riverside music bar has been redesigned and rebuilt as a Bourbon-centric bar and lounge, with Bourbon barrel tables, sofas and easy chairs in the lounge, artwork and decor made from barrel tops and staves, and, of course, a large, eclectic selection of over 200 Bourbons (and other spirits). Order from the River House menu while you sip: sautéed mussels, grilled octopus, a charcuterie tray or any of the delights on the raw bar. $$ D pf

MELTING POT 2045 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-4762. If you have pleasant memories of fondue parties of the ’70s, The Melting Pot is for you. If you can melt it and dip things in it, it’s probably on the menu. $$$ D p

MESH 3612 Brownsboro Rd., 632-4421. The lush modern building and the casual/elegant menu have made a strong presence in the neighborhood. The cosmopolitan menu includes kung pao calamari, beet salad, Amish chicken and mushroom strudel, all served in an atmosphere of “contemporary elegance and comfort.” $$$$ Br L D pf

NAPA 1211 Herr Ln., 423-5822. The former Napa River Grill in the East End at Westport Village has simplified its name and remodeled, with longtime Chef Seth Butkus introducing a new “elevated” menu, including handmade pasta, dry-aged steaks and a raw bar, but retaining “Napa Signature Originals” like Pad Thai, tomato soup and shrimp scampi, which reference the restaurant’s original Pacific Rim influences. $$$ Br L D pf

NIC & NORMAN’S 108 W. Washington St., 963-5654. Greg “Nic” Nicotero and Norman Reedus, alumni of “The Walking Dead” television series, teamed up to create their own restaurant concept, and the fifth one in this series is located at Whiskey Alley downtown, emphasizing Southern-inspired entrées (homestyle meatloaf, whiskey citrus salmon, Coca-Cola braised pork shank) plus a selection of salads, soups, gourmet burgers and flatbreads, with signature cocktails and craft beer from local breweries. Weekend brunch too. $$ Br L D pf

NORTH OF BOURBON 935 Goss Ave., 749-3305. New Orleans and the Deep South converge in Germantown with inventive lunch, brunch and dinner menus from Chef Lawrence Weeks, focusing on traditional and heirloom ingredients, with dishes like Shrimp Yakamein (a New Orleans fusion dish said to cure hangovers), Crawfish Boudin Balls and Chicken & Sausage Gumbo. The bar features more than 300 bourbons and a range of bourbon cocktails. $$$ L D pf

PROOF ON MAIN 702 W. Main St. (21c Hotel), 217-6360. The restaurant attached to 21C Museum Hotel has, from its inception, under several different executive chefs, offered one of the most creative menus in town. The bison burger and charred octopus have been there from the start. The most recent menu includes salmon crudo and parsnip soup, duck confit and dumplings, and coconut curry spaghetti squash. $$$ B Br L D pf

RICKY B'S CLUB CAFÉ 2901 Brownsboro Rd., 333-0110. This vaguely Moorish-style building that has housed several restaurants over the years is now a supper club run by the wellknown pianist Rick Bartlett. His “world fusion” eclectic menu includes short ribs, fettuccine Alfredo, sea bass, “mystical” fries and Bartlett’s signature Bouncin' Back Burger. Bartlett, along with others, will entertain diners. $$$ D p

RIVER HOUSE RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 3015 River Rd., 897-5000. Chef John Varanese’s riverside restaurant complex never ceases to evolve. His elegant reimagining of a former boat dealership building befits the always interesting seafood dishes inspired by Nawlins and Charleston, where Varanese began his career. There’s also an extensive raw bar, dockside service for boaters, the adjacent Levee Bourbon Lounge, event space upstairs (Savor at River House) for 300 of your closest friends, and to seal the deal, in 2022 River House was named one of the 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in America by OpenTable diners. $$$$ Br L D pf

ROSETTES 730 E. Market St. (Hotel Genevieve), 676-7199. Chef Ashleigh Shanti, a 2020 James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year semifinalist noted for a culinary outreach rooted in Black foodways and Southern regional cookery, helms the Hotel Genevieve’s primary restaurant, a venue for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. $$$ B Br L D pfS

SCENE 501 W. Main St., 566-5297. Scene is the latest dining venture in the space at the Kentucky Center for the Arts that has seen a lot of things come and go. Open before shows for drinks and small plate dining served in the fast-casual style. Flatbreads, burgers, pasta dishes, crab cakes; a small but good wine and beer selection and a full bar. $$ D p

SWAY 320 W. Jefferson St. (Hyatt Regency), 581-1234. The handsome dining room on the entry level of the hotel has a bar

that opens to Fourth Street in good weather and a menu based on the “Southern Way,” from whence comes the name Sway. The fried chicken, cooked to order, quickly became a signature dish. $$$$ D pf

UPTOWN CAFÉ 1624 Bardstown Rd., 405-8898. The iconic Highlands restaurant re-opens under new ownership, with an updated kitchen and a renovated interior, but with many of the former kitchen crew and staff (including Chef Matt Weber), with a menu re-creating many fan favorites, and some new additions.

VARANESE 2106 Frankfort Ave., 899-9904. Chef John Varanese’s signature restaurant (he has River House and Levee too) has a slate-backed interior waterfall and a folding front wall that opens in good weather. The lively, international seasonal menu is buttressed by frequent special wine, whiskey or beer dinners. Live jazz, contemporary art and urban style complete the mood. $$$ D pf

WALKER’S EXCHANGE 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House Hotel), 272-1834. The Galt House’s Kentucky-style brasserie, located in the West Tower, is styled after a 19th-century restaurant of the same name. The menu juxtaposes familiar French and American dishes — including classic Southern-style comforts like short rib hand pies and shrimp po-boys. $$$$ B Br L D p

WATCH HILL PROPER 11201 River Beauty Loop 230-1982. This new “Premiere Bourbon Club” in Norton Commons houses one of the largest selections of American whiskeys in the world. It is membership-based, but open to the public on a first-come, firstserved basis. The interior has an old-world country club vibe with overstuffed leather seating and warm woods throughout. Chef Michael Crouch, long-time Louisville veteran, helms the menu of shareable small plates, such as lobster hush puppies and build-your-own custom charcuterie boards. $$$$ D pf

WILTSHIRE ON MARKET 636 E. Market St., 589-5224. Veteran

Chef Eric Morris, has taken over the Executive Chef reins upon the long-awaited reopening of this NuLu restaurant. The finely crafted small plates menu changes weekly to showcase the best seasonal ingredients. Start with the weekly charcuterie board or cheese plate, followed by a seasonal flatbread or salad, and perhaps a pasta dish. Open Thur.-Sun. only. Reservations suggested. $$ D pf

ANOOSH BISTRO 4864 Brownsboro Rd., 690-6585. Anoosh Shariat’s elegant Brownsboro Center space has an eclectic lunch and dinner menu that includes trout provençal, coconut curry tofu, grilled romaine salad, and house-made pastas and risottos. $$ L D p

BOARD AND YOU BISTRO & WINE BAR 434 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 913-4109. Look for handcrafted cocktails, charcuterie boards with meats and cheeses from around the world, entrées, small plates, salads, soups and house-made desserts such as blueberry pie bar, mascarpone cheesecake and a pots de creme flight. $$$$ B L D pf

BOURBONS BISTRO 2255 Frankfort Ave., 894-8838. Located in a historic Clifton building, Bourbons Bistro has become one of the prime bourbon bars in the America, with its stock of more than 130 bourbons, including a barrel selection program. It was this almost two-decade devotion to bourbon that has earned Bourbons Bistro “Bar of the Year” in 2022 by Whisky Magazine Chef Jereme McFarland’s bourbon-inspired, seasonallyinfluenced menu recently has featured spicy fried oysters, Prince Edward Island mussels and a charcuterie board as appetizers. Entrées include shrimp and grits, and a bourbon chop. Dessert choices include, of course, bourbon bread pudding. $$$ D pf

BRIX WINE BAR 12418 La Grange Rd., 243-1120. The use of an obscure wine term (it’s pronounced “bricks” and refers to the sugar content of ripe grapes at harvest) hints that the proprietors of this wine bar know their vino. Interesting wines and a short bistro-style menu make it a welcome suburban alternative. $$ D p

CUVÉE WINE TABLE 3598 Springhurst Blvd., 242-5200. Scott Harper and others from the Bristol Bar & Grille organization

have made this wine bar and café in the East End a fine stop for after work. Drop in to explore Master Sommelier Harper’s adventurous wine list with tasting pours and small plates of charcuterie, cheeses, salads and snacks from the kitchen. Look for regular casual classes organized on various wine themes. $$ L D pf

DITTO’S GRILL 1114 Bardstown Rd., 581-9129. This informal Highlands space masks the work of classically trained ownerchefs Dominic Serratore and Frank Yang. Don’t overlook Serratore’s “gourmet casual” menu of New England crab cakes, fanciful salads and Sunday brunch egg dishes. $$ L D pf

GARAGE BAR 700 E. Market St., 749-7100. Housed in a former service station in NuLu, Garage Bar serves up draft and bottled craft beers, Bourbons, seasonal cocktails and wine, pizzas from a wood-fired brick oven and Southern specialties, with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients. The ham flight is not to be missed. $$$ D pf

HAMMERHEADS 921 Swan St., 365-1112. Hammerheads, one of the hippest of Germantown’s restaurants, run by owners Adam Burress and Chase Murcino, serve BBQ beef brisket, pork and lamb ribs, roasted duck sandwiches and soft shell crab tacos. $ Dpf

HAPPY BELLY BISTRO 1020 E. Washington St. (Ten20 Brewery), 835-8202. Fusion food from all culinary backgrounds has characterized Ashlee Northington’s fare as she has progressed from sous chef (Mayan Café, Woodhaven Country Club) through food truck catering, and now to a kitchen inside Butchertown’s Ten20 Brewery. Menu items rotate, but usually include purposeful burgers, tacos and at least one vegan choice. $$ L D pf

HARVEY’S 2011 Frankfort Ave., 314-0432. The former Logan Street Market cheesemonger has relocated to Clifton and is now a cheese shop by day and an Australian-themed eatery by night, influenced specifically by Sydney, the country’s multicultural culinary center. $$$ L D p f

HOLY GRALE 1034 Bardstown Rd., 857-7457. There are a lot of places to quaff craft beers in town, but Holy Grale’s frequently changing draft selection is among the most esoteric. Couple that with the seasonally adapted menu of small plates and the oddity of being housed in a renovated church and you have a unique dining and drinking experience. $$ L D

HUGE IMPACT RESTAURANT 566 S. Fifth St., 208-2887. This home-style restaurant takes over the spot on Fifth and Chestnut that had for decades been Pesto’s. Salads and sandwiches, fried corn on the cob, and daily specials like crab legs, lamb chops, and ribeye with loaded potatoes and greens. $$ Br L D

LOU LOU FOOD + DRINK 106 Sears Ave, 893-7776. The original Lou Lou in St. Matthews retains its casual setting and a culinary focus on Nawlins-style Cajun and Creole dishes like gumbo, jambayala and etouffe, while in recent years incorporating Mediterranean and Italian influences, including a strong selection of pizza, pasta and calzones. There’s a solid sandwich list, too, and the muffuletta, gyro and Cajun short rib melt are unique to the St. Matthews location (as of 2023, Lou Lou on Market is open in NuLu). $$ Br L D p

LOU LOU ON MARKET 812 E. Market St., 515-9699. NuLu now has its very own Lou Lou, as owner and Louisiana native Jared Matthews, whose holdings in St. Matthews (no relation) include Equus & Jack’s Bourbon Restaurant/Lounge, Black Rabbit speakeasy and The Fox Den, brings much of the suburban Lou Lou’s Nawlins-centric menu (and some of the pizzas, pasta and calzones) downtown, adding show-stoppers like blackened mahi and a low country boil. STAVE is the bourbon bar with live jazz in the basement, and an outdoor French Quarter-styled courtyard with even more live music (jazz, brass and bluegrass) is coming in late Spring. $$$ L D p f

LOUVINO 1606 Bardstown Rd., 365-1921, 11400 Main St., 7421456. Steve Ritchie, former CEO at Papa John’s Pizza, has taken over this popular wine bar and small plates restaurant. He is keeping on Executive Chef Tavis Rockwell and his staff, so fans will still be able to enjoy the seasonal shareable small plates menu and clever organization of the wine list. A myriad of wines by the glass are available fresh from their winedispensing cruvinet system. $$ Br D pf

MERLE’S WHISKEY KITCHEN 122 W. Main St., 290-8888. Tony Palombino’s popular Whiskey Row food and music spot across from the KFC Yum! Center offers live music on a regular basis and a menu that emphasizes tacos and Southern fried chicken. Sides offered include sweet potato casserole, longcooked green beans and a candied bacon appetizer. 100 bourbons are currently on offer, including handpicked private barrels from Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey and others. $ L D pf

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 313-6664. This casual eating option in the Omni hotel serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers relaxed indoor and outdoor dining. Enter from the hotel or street. $$$ B L D pf

NOOSH NOSH 4816 Brownsboro Ctr., 205-2888. Named for its founder and former owner, Louisville culinary legend Anoosh Shariat, this family-friendly eatery in Brownsboro Center is built around a rustic stone oven in an open kitchen, offering “homey comfort food” influenced primarily by Mediterranean and Italian cuisine: flatbreads, pizzas, sandwiches, pasta and shareable small plates. $$$ B Br L D pf

NOUVELLE BAR & BOTTLE 214 S. Clay St., 631-9428. This French-style wine bar s ells 40+ wines by the glass (in 3-, 6- or 9-ounce pours) and 200 to 300 wines by the bottle, focusing on affordable, interesting wines. A selection of beers, ciders, classic cocktails, bourbons and scotches also are available to accompany cheese and charcuterie boards, along with desserts.

$ L D pf

NUMBER 15 121 W. Main St., 526-5691. “Drink, Dance & Discover” at this unique multi-floor Kentucky-themed entertainment complex on Whiskey Row (there’s chef-driven food, too), as brought to you by a holding company with similarly-styled social halls scattered across America. Vive la difference! $$ Br L D p

OFF THE RAILS TASTING ROOM AND WINE DEPOT 2118 Bruce Ave., 822-0738. Enjoy three favorite adult beverages at this Buechel winery – wine, craft brews, and bourbon. The wines made by owners Kenny and Denise Jewell include a Cabernet and Reisling, and several fruit blends. The beers and Bourbons are from all over Kentucky. $$ Br D pf

P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO 9120 Shelbyville Rd., 327-7707. This Arizona-based, Chinese-themed restaurant offers a loud, happy scene with Chinese-style dishes. To its credit, everything is prepared well and service is consistently fine. $$$ L D pf

SIDEBAR AT WHISKEY ROW 129 N. Second St., 630-2012. On the west side of Whiskey Row, above Troll Pub under the Bridge, Sidebar focuses on burgers, Bourbon and beer, a potentially boffo combo for those going to or coming from the Yum! Center across the street. The emphasis is on craft cocktails served alongside a short but bold selection of sandwiches, appetizers and desserts. $$ L D p

SOMEWHERE LOUISVILLE 1135 Bardstown Rd., 552-6942. Now you can dine and have some cocktails, and then slide right next door to Nowhere for late-night fun and games. The Southern-inspired menu includes beer cheese and pretzels, smoked wings, buttermilk fried chicken and 3 varieties of flatbreads. $$ D pf

THE CHAMPAGNERY AT ARCHITYPE GALLERY 1764 Frankfort Ave., 896-8050. This Clifton business hosts art shows and now also has a full bar with a focus on more than 120 Champagnes and sparkling wines plus a menu of light bites –oysters, caviar, charcuterie, cheeses, fruit and desserts. $$$ D p

THE FAT LAMB 2011 Grinstead Dr., 409-7499. The first of Chef/owner Dallas McGarity’s dining properties, this comfortable, classy Highlands bistro serves lunch and dinner, focusing on small plates such as onion and chive hushpuppies, lamb meatballs, curry-seared salmon, tandoori-seared scallops and ricotta ghnocchi with truffled mushroom cream. $$$$ L D pf

THE HUB LOUISVILLE 2235 Frankfort Ave., 777-1505. Clifton has taken to this sprawling modern restaurant, cocktail bar and adult rec center with gusto. The Southern-inspired small plates menu and its specials board of rotating entrees pleases multiple tastes. The bar boasts a big rum and tequila selection, with alcoholic floats a specialty. The lively patio is packed in good weather. $$ D pf

THE PINE ROOM 6325 River Rd., 528-4422. Augusta Holland is behind the modern incarnation of this classic Prospect restaurant, in the space that most recently was Cast Iron Steakhouse. Start with, perhaps, the chicken liver lettuce wraps, or sweet potato falafel. Then go for the blackened pork chop or the grain bowl. The buttermilk fried chicken is a dining favorite.

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THE SILVER DOLLAR 1761 Frankfort Ave., 259-9540. In this Clifton honky tonk bar and restaurant, the music, all on vinyl, is the “Bakersfield sound” — a fusion of Mexicali and American roots music. The southern country-style menu with sophisticated nuances has happy fans crowding in mosty nights. Choose from more than 80 Kentucky Bourbons, ryes, tequila and mescal, but no “foreign whiskey” like Scotch. $$ Br L D pf

VILLAGE ANCHOR PUB & ROOST 11507 Park Rd., 708-1850. In the heart of Anchorage is this two-level Euro-village inspired concept. On the upper level, a French bistro with an outdoor terrace. Downstairs at The Sea Hag the ambience is a British pub. The hearty upscale comfort food-style menu is served lunch and dinner with weekend brunch. A short, well-selected wine list and ambitious beer list with more than 50 craft and import choices accompany 55 Bourbons to boot. $$$ Br L D pf

WILTSHIRE AT THE SPEED 2035 S. Third St., 634-2976. This sunny, elegant café at the Speed Museum is currently open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The often-changing seasonal menu currently offers salmon and dill chowder, a breakfast croissant, and a vegetable frittata. $$ B Br L pf

BONEFISH GRILL 657 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-4666. This franchise concept from the Florida-based Outback Steakhouse chain offers impressive seafood in a comfortable setting. Add Bonefish to your short list of suburban chain eateries that do the job right. $$$ D p

BRENDON’S CATCH 23 505 S. Fourth St. (Embassy Suites), 909-3323. This downtown upscale seafood restaurant’s fish menu depends on what has come in fresh that day. The 2 and 3 tier seafood towers are a fun shared appetizer for a group. Other choices include lobster mac ’n’ cheese, cornmeal-crusted salmon, and wild-caught grouper and sea bass. There is a substantial steak selection as well. $$$ D p

CADILLACS CHICKEN AND FISH 7105 Fegenbush Ln., 2873437. This family-operated food truck has found a permanent space, where you can find catfish, codfish plates, chicken tenders and fish tacos, with simple sides of fries, coleslaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, onion rings and hushpuppies. $$

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CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS RIVERSIDE GRILLE 5700 Captain’s Quarters Rd., 228-1651. One of the city’s most attractive eateries for atmosphere, Captain’s Quarters matches the beautiful setting with quality bistro-style fare that won’t disappoint. Summer or winter, it’s a delightful place to dine. $$ Br L D pf

CATFISH HAVEN PAY LAKE & RESTAURANT 7208 Whipple Rd., 937-7658. If you like to fish, or if you like to eat fish, you’ll likely enjoy Catfish Haven, a simple, down-home eatery in Southwestern Jefferson County. Seafood is the specialty. Fishermen will enjoy their pay-to-fish lake. $$ L D f

CUNNINGHAM’S CREEKSIDE 6301 Upper River Rd., 2283625. One of the longest-lived restaurants in the city, Cunningham’s has had several incarnations since 1870, and now pulls in old timers and new fans at its Harrod’s Creek location. There you can find fine fish sandwiches and pub grub, and absorb some of the nostalgia associated with this long-time favorite. $ Br L D pf

THE FISH HOUSE 1310 Winter Ave., 568-2993. Louisville is as overflowing as a well-stocked lake with fish-sandwich houses, and The Fish House is right up there with the best. Crisp breading laced with black pepper is the signature of Green River fried fish from Western Kentucky. And on weekends the space morphs into Café Beignet, serving hearty breakfasts and New Orleans-style beignets. $ Br L D pf

HOOKED ON FRANKFORT 3202 Frankfort Ave., 690-9835. The owners of Frankfort Ave Beer Depot operate this fish house two doors away. The menu features fried fish sandwiches, fish

tacos, baskets of shrimp or oysters or frog legs. Clam/conch chowder and seafood gumbo, too, or mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches for those who can’t do fish. $$ L D p

HUNGRY PELICAN 5412 Bardstown Rd., 239-7145. The sole remaining representative of a quite popular chain still keeps up the tradition. The cooks and servers are old-timers who understand the intricacies of getting perfectly fried seafood to customers in timely fashion. Generously-filled rolled oysters, too. $$ L D pf

JOE’S CRAB SHACK 131 River Rd., 568-1171. The setting on the edge of Riverfront Park is bright, noisy and fun, with a wraparound deck providing a panoramic river view. $$ L D pf

KINGFISH RESTAURANT 3021 Upper River Rd., 895-0544, 601 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 284-3474. Fried fish in a family dining setting has made Kingfish a popular favorite for many years. Aficionados of rolled oysters and frog legs can find both here, as well as a large selection of fried and broiled seafood, as dinners and sandwiches. Both locations boast river views. $$ L D pf

MIKE LINNIG’S 9308 Cane Run Rd., 937-9888. This popular riverside restaurant has been dishing up tasty fried fish and seafood at family prices since 1925. There’s indoor seating and a bar, but the picnic grove with its giant shade trees makes Linnig’s a special place in season. Out of season — Nov. to Jan. — the family shutters the place and takes a nice vacation. $ L D f

MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 4031 Summit Plaza Dr., 412-1818. The decor of this upscale eatery evokes the feeling of a large fish market, with an open kitchen that offers views of chefs at work. Quality seafood and service have made Mitchell’s a popular destination. $$$ L D pf

OUTCAST FISH & OYSTER BAR 207 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 812-770-4315. New Albany’s popular The Exchange and Brooklyn & The Butcher are joined by a seafood-themed restaurant reflecting owner Ian Hall’s lifelong love of South Carolina-style seafood specialists. The elegantly remodeled space features an interactive oyster bar and an atmospheric outdoor patio. The happy-hour-priced oysters are a bargain. $$$$ D p

PASSTIME FISH HOUSE 10801 Locust Rd., 267-4633. If you are looking for an honest fish sandwich and a cold beer, with no frills, this Jeffersontown tavern is just the ticket. Belly up, place your order, and be sure to have cash — no credit cards accepted here. $$ L D f

RED LOBSTER 4639 Outer Loop, 964-9647, 986 Breckenridge Ln., 899-3334, 951 E. Lewis and Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 812-285-0444. Consistent quality and moderate prices have maintained this seafood chain’s popularity in the casual dining category since its founding more than fifty years ago. Periodic promotions please repeat customers and draw new folks into the fold. $$$ L D pf

RUMORS RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 245-0366. Visualize Hooter’s without the scantily-clad waitresses, and you’ve drawn a bead on Rumor’s, the original Louisville home of the bucket-of-oysters and impressive raw bar. $$ L D pf

SAM'S SEAFOOD & GRILL 4918 Poplar Level Rd., 966-6940. The choices here include jack salmon, frog legs, grouper and red snapper, as well as catfish, tilapia and shrimp. The fishaverse can fill up on chicken wings or gizzards or a range of meat-filled sandwiches. $$ L D

SEAFOOD HEAVEN 600 E. Broadway, 290-7399. A reclaimed fast-food building doing double duty as a seafood market (with grocery basics) and takeout-only seafood restaurant, Seafood Heaven emphasizes healthier baked and steamed options and sides. $$ L D

SHARK’S SEAFOOD 3099 Breckenridge Ln., 450-5775. Several types of crunchy-breaded fried fish - white fish, shrimp, catfish, salmon - to choose from, as well as wings and side dishes like fried mushrooms and fried okra. $ L D

SINCLAIR SMOKED SALMON 2208 Dundee Rd., 548-1203. You can find just verlasso salmon here, in various sizes of fillets, hot smoked over hickory, using a process developed by a hobbyist turned weekend seafood entrepreneur. Order ahead and takeaway only. $$$$

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

THE FISHERY 3624 Lexington Rd., 895-1188. This fried-fish eatery has been popular in the St. Matthews neighborhood since 1983. The Fishery remains justly popular for its quick, sizzling hot and affordable fish and seafood meals. $ L D f

THREE BROTHERS 2001 Seventh Street Rd., 409-7447. The menu of this Algonquin neighborhood fish house includes Chicago-style fried perch, cod, salmon and catfish, the best seller. $ L D

SEAFOOD BOILS

PIER 17 CAJUN SEAFOOD 1975 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4099857, 5362 Dixie Hwy., 963-5120. Pier 17 introduced Louisville to the Vietnamese-Cajun fusion concept of Asianspiced seafood boils (which originated on the Texas-Louisiana coast). Now this variation on the seafood boil has opened a second location in Pleasure Ridge Park. $$$ L D pf

SEAFOOD LADY 3207 Fern Valley Rd., 907-5251, 601 E. Jefferson St., 907-5251. The lure here is fresh fish, shrimp and crab legs brought up from the Gulf Coast, prepared with Cajun spices, and served simply and relatively cheaply. $$ L D f

STORMING CRAB 1360 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 5903773, 4801 Outer Loop, 999-9998. Here you can get market price seafood boils in several spice levels and flavors (crab house Cajun, garlic butter and plain) to take home or dump on papercovered tables to eat as they should be eaten. Other Cajun dishes too, like gumbo and crawfish etouffé. $$$ L D

SWEET & JUICY SEAFOOD 8402 Hudson Ln., 333-0964. Another food truck opting to root indoors, with various Cajuninfluenced seafood boils, shellfish and fried fish as well as nonseafood options like chicken wings and burgers. $$ L D f

American thoroughbred racing. A steak menu offers seven prime selections, from ribeye to filet to 28-oz. porterhouse. Seafood, too (crab cakes, scampi, lobster tails), and sumptuous desserts.

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BRAZEIROS CHURRASCARIA 450 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live) 290-8220. This Knoxville-based company’s first satellite location has been a downtown hit. A churrascaria works like this: You choose drinks, visit the salad bar and await visits from “gaucho chefs” who bring yard-long skewers of grilled meats (beef, lamb, sausage) to your table for slicing — as much as you wish — along with side dishes. $$$$ L D pf

BROOKLYN & THE BUTCHER 148 E. Market St., New Albany IN. 590-2646. Ian Hall of The Exchange Pub + Kitchen opened this steakhouse in a renovated historic hotel with lots of cool touches: black and white tiles on floor and walls, an open kitchen and a vintage bar counter from an old local Woolworth’s store. The bar program emphasizes bourbon, Scotch and craft beers. The menu includes fresh seafood, small plates and lots of beef — New York strip, bone-in ribeye, flat iron steaks — all as locally sourced as possible. $$$ D pf

CAST IRON STEAKHOUSE 1207 E. Market St., Jeffersonville IN, 590-2298. Buck’s owner Curtis Rader also operates this riverside eatery where the kitchen cooks steaks and sides in cast iron pans at moderate prices. The ambience is upscale with “no peanuts on the floor, antlers on the wall or country music,” Rader promises. $$$ D pf

CATTLEMAN’S ROADHOUSE 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3847623, 139 Historical Trail, 543-3574, 3500 St. Joseph Rd., New Albany, 725-7166. These local outlets of the small regional chain offer mid-priced beef choices and starters such as fried pickle chips and jalapeño poppers, grilled chicken, salmon, and plenty of sandwiches. $$$ L D pf

CONNORS STEAK & SEAFOOD 615 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 812-1122. The Hurstbourne corridor (ex-Mimi’s Cafe) is the home of the first Louisville location for this purveyor of aged, mesquite-grilled steaks and seafood, with pastas, salads and sandwiches filling out the menu. $$$$ L D p

DEL FRISCO’S 101 Whittington Pkwy., 897-7077. This long-time St. Matthews steakhouse resumed operation and has settled in at the former location of Z's Oyster Bar & Steakhouse. The highend menu offers steaks, a variety of surf ’n’ turf selections, seafood and, of course, its famous spinach dish, green phunque. $$$$ D p f

GORDON RAMSAY STEAK 11999 Casino Center Dr. SE (Caesars Southern Indian), Elizabeth, IN, 866-676-7463. Caesars welcomes the renowned, multi-starred Michelin chef’s signature steakhouse concept, emphasizing dry-aged beef, lamb, seafood, and appetizers like smoked beef tartare and Kurobuta (“black hog”) pork belly. Ramsay’s famed Beef Wellington and Sticky Toffee Pudding are both on the menu, accompanied by an extensive wine and bourbon lists, and hand-crafted cocktails. $$$$ D p

JEFF RUBY’S STEAKHOUSE 325 W. Main St., 584-0102. This Cincinnati restaurateur has made an impact in Louisville with his outstanding steaks, glittery bar, urban vibe and top-notch service. The rooms have Churchill Downs themes. The steaks take the rail with seafood and sushi coming up fast on the outside. $$$$ L D p

LE MOO 2300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. Restauranteur Kevin Grainger has created a lively and amusing space with a decor that delights in lots of steel, neon and velvet. The menu has some unusual choices: a filet “flight” of choice, prime and wagyu beef; sliced loaded baked potato; drunk-cut fries; chicken and waffles; and drinks like the Moohatan or the Le Mule. The Sunday drag brunches have become a thing. $$ Br L D pf

LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 970 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-9789, 1540 Alliant Ave., 266-6009., 5229 Dixie Hwy., 448-0577. With more than 100 properties in 17 states, this Nashville-based chain parlays peanut shells on the floor and steaks on the table into a popular formula. $$ L D p

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2535 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 6715350, 9700 Von Allmen Ct., 326-7500, 1210 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 284-5800, 4813 Outer Loop, 969-9790. Oversize steaks and a “big sky” western theme are the draw at this

BOB'S STEAK & CHOP HOUSE 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 313-6664. The signature restaurant located off the lobby in the Omni Hotel offers refined service and a decor focused on

chain eatery, although most of its properties are east of the Mississippi. $$ L D p

MALONE'S 4370 Summit Plaza Dr., 618-0702. This Lexingtonbased restaurant serves lunch and dinner. Menu choices include various cuts of prime steaks, fish and seafood, including sushi, and house favorites, such as bottomless salad and bread. $$$ L D p f

MATT WINN STEAKHOUSE 700 Central Ave. (Churchill Downs) 636-4888. This premier steakhouse restaurant at Churchill Downs is a stunning and extensive dining space, with exquisite food and a memorable view over the landmark track and infield. Open all year, not just during racing meets, serving Maryland-style crab cakes and deviled eggs with lobster and salmon roe; charcuterie boards; selections from the raw bar; and entrées of prime beef, pork chops, and trout, among others.

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MORTON’S 626 W. Main St., 584-0421. This below-ground temple to the red meat gods is elegant and masculine, full of wood paneling, brass rails and leather booths. Louisville reveres its home-grown restaurants but has welcomed this Chicagobased chain with open mouths. $$$$ D p

NOSTALGIC 1306 Bardstown Rd., 999-2560. A themed Highlands chophouse next to the apartment-hotel Bellwether, from the owner of Naïve and her chef, with menu items and drinks inspired by nostalgia for childhood edibles (hamburger helper, potato skins, hot pockets) and potables like a cereal milk Alexander and circus animal cracker shot. $$$$ D p f

OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE 6520 Signature Dr., 964-8383, 9498 Brownsboro Rd., 426-4329, 8101 Bardstown Rd., 231-2399, 1420 Park Place, Clarksville IN, 283-4329. The name suggests Australia, and so does the shtick at this popular national chain, but the food is pretty much familiar American, and the fare goes beyond just steak to take in chicken, seafood and pasta. $$$ D p

PAT’S STEAK HOUSE 2437 Brownsboro Rd., 896-9234. A local favorite since 1958 and as traditional as a steakhouse gets. Pat Francis, like his father before him, cuts the meats himself. Its combination of quality beef and hospitality rank it among the best steakhouses in town. $$$$ D pf

REPEAL OAK-FIRED STEAKHOUSE 101 W. Main St. (Hotel Distil), 716-7372. The main restaurant at the new Hotel Distil on Whiskey Row fires the steaks over used bourbon barrel staves. If steak isn’t your dish, check out the sole meunière, the truffled spaghetti, the well-stocked raw bar, or grab a blue crab omelet at lunch. As you might expect, the spirits list is deep.

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RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE 6100 Dutchman’s Ln., 4790026. The long-standing Louisville location of this New Orleans-based international chain is perched atop the 16-floor Kaden Tower. Ruth’s Chris serves excellent steaks, chops and seafood in an atmosphere of elegance that will make you feel pampered, at a price to match. $$$$ D p

STEAK & BOURBON 1321 Herr Ln., 708-2196. Ole Restaurant Group has branched out with this affordably-priced premium steakhouse. In addition to the signature 24 oz. cowboy cut Angus ribeye (aged a minimum of 30 days) the menu offers panroasted chicken, grilled Verlasso salmon, steak & cheese hand pies, Maryland-style crab cakes and carrot cake with bourbon caramel icing. Try the House Punch or choose from over 100 bourbons, including a reserve list. $$$ L D pf

STONEY RIVER LEGENDARY STEAK 3900 Summit Plaza Dr., 429-8944. Stoney River in the Springhurst shopping center is one of the chain’s first properties outside its Georgia home. It draws big crowds with its memorable steaks and trimmings, with extra points for friendly service and a comfortable atmosphere. $$$$ Br D p

TEXAS ROADHOUSE 757 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy. (Green Tree Mall), Clarksville IN, 280-1103, 4406 Dixie Hwy., 448-0705, 3322 Outer Loop, 962-7600, 13321 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0085, 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 897-5005. The spirit of the West sets the theme for this popular steak house. Salads, vegetables and breads with hearty side dishes round out your meal options. This is family-style dining, with no tray sliding — service at your table. $$ L D p

THE CAPITAL GRILLE 7600 Shelbyville Rd., 653-4373. Dryaged steaks (curated by an on-site butcher), seafood, shellfish and an extensive wine list, including rare and allocated selections, are hallmarks of the high end at this Darden Restaurants property on the north side of Oxmoor Mall, which also boasts private event space and an in-house events coordinator to help with patrons’ planning. $$$$ L D p

looking out on the lively Cifton streetscape. The new menu includes short rib sliders, chicken and waffles and four kinds of fries. Mac ’n’ cheese has its own menu section listing almost a dozen possible adds ons—from bacon to crab to pork cheek to grilled chicken. TMP has become popular for its brunch, tacos & trivia Tuesdays, and the original space in the rear is a great sports watching or special party venue. $$ Br L D pf

CORNER 102 W. Main St., 583-1888. Corner is the bar and restaurant attached to the chic, contemporary Aloft Hotel downtown. The emphasis here is on the bar, with a wine and cocktail menu longer and more creative than the food side. Still, there are solid bar munchies, from dips and deviled eggs to sandwiches, salads and tacos. $$ B D pf

DOC'S BOURBON ROOM 129 W. Main St., 742-2449. Doc Crow’s has taken over the space next door to create what they say is “the nation's biggest whiskey bar.” It carries thousands of Bourbons and other whiskeys, served as flights, tastes, pours and cocktails. Menu items include beef tartare, lamb flatbread, fingerling poutine and fresh-baked pretzels. A coffee bar is open early in the morning. $$$ D p

DOWN ONE BOURBON BAR & RESTAURANT 321 W. Main St., 566-3258. Situated down one flight below street level, this cool, shaded watering hole stocks 150-plus Bourbons, local craft beer and serves wines by the glass. Well-priced bar food like biscuit sandwiches, tacos and Frito Pie make for a quick, satisfying lunch. Bluegrass music several times a week too. $$ L D pf

EXCHANGE PUB + KITCHEN 118 W. Main St., New Albany IN, 948-6501. Owner Ian Hall has made his gastropub in a sumptuously renovated historic building such a fun place to sit and sample the eclectic bistro-style menu that he has had to expand his dining room and patio. Wash things down with something from its substantial beer, wine and cocktails list that even includes house-made ginger ale. $$ L D pf

FOUR PEGS BEER LOUNGE 1053 Goss Ave., 634-1447. Twelve craft beers on tap and a 30 bottle beer list bring in the fans, who also appreciate the award-winning veggie burger and other wellpriced pub grub such as a chicken and waffle sandwich and an estimable burger with fried green tomatoes and beer sauce. $ D f

GALAXIE 732 E. Market St., 690-6595. The guys behind RYE just down the street now have the Green Building space for a bar dedicated to moderately priced drinks ($7 cocktails are what they are shooting for) and a bar menu of “international-inspired street food,” which was described as “easy to take with you,” so you can nosh as you imbibe. $$ L D pf

GRALEHAUS 1001 Baxter Ave., 857-7457. Gralehaus has fully reopened its cafe for coffee, breakfast and lunch and a new concept, Grale Goods, will open next door to Holy Grale in early 2022, selling beer and other foodstuffs. The new concept, Gralehaus and Holy Grale are collectively known as "The Grales.” $$ B L f

H. M. FRANK'S AN O'SHEA'S PUBLIC HOUSE 355 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 913-1174. Upon gutting the interior and rebuilding the facade of this 1880’s-era building, the original identity of H.M. Frank’s Dry Goods store was uncovered, a discovery that has given this O’Shea’s outpost its name. The bar is made from repurposed barn wood, there’s an event space upstairs, and upscale bar food is created by Chef John Knightly.

$$ L D pf

HAUCK'S CORNER 1000 Goss Ave., 384-9374. Hauck’s Handy Store, a humble corner grocery, closed in 2019 after 107 years as a Schnitzelburg neighborhood icon. The late George Hauck is revered locally for reviving the tradition of Dainty, an immigrant German street game. Hauck’s Corner has now reopened with a bar and restaurant in the comprehensively remodeled building, with voluminous outdoor seating. Chef Allan Rosenberg developed the new menu —which proudly proclaims the return of the famous Hauck’s bologna sandwich.

$$ L D pf

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT 2101 Frankfort Ave., 749-8925. This upscale gastropub has expanded, with a main room now

WORLD OF BEER 9850 Von Allmen Ct., 690-4280. This Floridabased chain serves a wide variety of craft beers and sports a tavern menu that is a few notches above the usual bar food: wings and sandwiches, sure, but also chimichurri meatballs, ahi tuna poke and chipotle BBQ chicken flatbread. Its giant pretzel and beer cheese is a great shared nibbler. $$ L D pf

80/20 @ KAELIN’S 1801 Newburg Rd., 200-8020. The original Kaelin’s, with its dubious history of inventing the cheeseburger, underwent several incarnations before current owners Bill DuBourg and Matt Staggs revived its nostalgic charm. There’s an indoor/outdoor rectangular bar, a fenced-in wrap-around patio and an adjacent malt shop and ice cream parlor. The restaurant menu features burgers, of course, as well as salads, sandwiches and dinner entrées.$$ L D pf

BUFFALO WILD WINGS 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7732, 9134 Taylorsville Rd., 499-2356, 10206 Westport Rd., 394-9596, 12901 Shelbyville Rd., 254-9464, 1112 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-9464, 4917 Outer Loop, 964-5803. As much a sports bar as a restaurant, this national franchise chain offers tasty snack-type fare, including the chain’s trademark Buffalo chicken wings. $$ L D pf

BUNZ RESTAURANT 712 Brent St. (The Village Market), 6321132. Gourmet smash burgers, a selection of sandwiches, fries, onion rings and all the fixings (Bunz relocated to Village Market after 11 years in the Highlands). $$ L D pf

THE CHICKEN HOUSE 7180 Hwy. 111, Sellersburg IN, 2469485. The parking lot of this white frame building in rural Indiana is packed on weekend nights as families from throughout the area wait on delectable fried chicken. This is the very heart of American comfort food, including green beans, dumplings, and mashed potatoes. $$ L D

CHICKEN KING 639 E. Broadway, 589-5464. Spicy, crunchy and sizzling hot fried chicken is the primary draw on a short, affordable menu. $ L D

CHICKEN SALAD CHICK 12009 Shelbyville Rd., 842-4341, 1520 Veterans Pky., Jeffersonville IN, 504-2360. The name says it all: here you can find a baker’s dozen styles of chicken salad, as a scoop or a sandwich, plus pimento cheese sandwiches, soups and salads. $$ L D f

CLUCKERS WINGS 4308 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 944-8100, 100 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 590-3662. At this growing chain, you can get your wings doused in an array of sauces, from honey barbecue to spicy garlic barbecue to sweet Thai chili to inferno — a habanero-based sauce that has a legit name. Also breaded and grilled tenders, chicken sandwiches, appetizers and salads. $ L D pf

CULVER’S 4630 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2001, 1555 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 913-0810, 11801 Interchange Dr., 618-0838. When the signature item is called a “ButterBurger” and frozen custard tops the dessert menu, you know you’re not in for diet fare. Quality fast food and friendly service make this chain popular. $ L D f

DIXIE CHICKEN 1785 W. Oak St., 690-2748, 3947 Dixie Hwy., 448-2102. A growing fried chicken spot that serves up honest fried chicken and good, standard sides at reasonable prices. $$ L D

DIZZY WHIZZ DRIVE-IN 217 W. St. Catherine St., 583-3828. This neighborhood eatery, an institution that goes back more than 70 years, hasn’t changed much. It opens early, stays open late and offers good value for what you’d expect. $ L D f

FAMILY TIES 1030 Cecil Ave., 907-6548. This West End convenience store also has a vibrant carryout business offering a family-friendly menu of burgers, wings, rib tips, hot dogs and brats. $ B L D

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES 2221 State Street, New Albany IN, 944-9958, 4116 Summit Plaza Dr., 426-1702, 4226

Shelbyville Rd., 891-8848, 4917 Outer Loop, 822-3702, 13303 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1027. Based in Virginia, this burger chain invokes the early days of fast food with freshly-grilled burgers, big smoky kosher dogs, enough condiments to satisfy any craving, fresh-cut fries and a cheery rock’n’roll sensibility. $ L D

GET IT ON A BUN AT BOOTY’S 822 State St., New Albany IN, 292-3800. Another successful food truck finds a permanent home. Booty’s made their name with the Booty Dog, Booty Burger and chili but the menu now ranges from jerk chicken to pulled pork on brioche to a meatloaf cupcake.$ L D

GRIND BURGER KITCHEN 829 E. Market St., 851-7333. Owners Liz and Jesse Huot are firmly established now in NuLu, giving them much-needed parking, as well as a full bar. In addition to their signature burgers, the Huots have a chopped chicken sandwich, an “adult” grilled cheese made with Brie and Gruyere and a couple of salad choices. $$ L D f

GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN 117 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 509-0146. This fried chicken chain grew from the Bonner family’s outlet in tiny Mason, Tennessee establishes a presence in the East End, daring chicken-loving Louisvillians to compare Gus’s closely guarded spice combination with the slightly more famous one touted by Colonel Sanders. $$$ L D

HOME RUN BURGERS & FRIES 2723 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 409-7004, 12949 Shelbyville Rd., 384-8403, 303 W. Cardinal Blvd., 708-1818. Burgers, dogs and fries with a baseball theme highlight these suburban spots, and more than 20 toppings offer you a fielder’s choice of options to dress your burger. $ L D f

HOOTERS 4120 Dutchmans Ln., 895-7100, 4948 Dixie Hwy., 449-4194, 7701 Preston Hwy., 968-1606, 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 218-9485, 941 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 284-9464. Hooter’s may draw crowds with its long-standing reputation as a party scene, but you’ll stay for the food, an appetizing selection of soups, salads, seafood and, of course, wings. $ L D pf

I LOVE POLLO 243 Blankenbaker Pkwy. Ernesto Rivera and Alfredo Garcia’s popular I Love Tacos concept migrates to fowl territory with this eatery featuring adobo rotisserie chicken prepared according to a diverse selection of Latin-influenced recipes. $$ L D pf

INDI’S RESTAURANT 1033 W. Broadway, 589-7985, 3820 W. Market St., 778-9099, 2901 Fern Valley Rd., 969-7993, 5009 S. Third St., 363-2535, 2970 Tenth St., Jeffersonville IN, 2888980, 4590 Dixie Hwy., 447-4856, 4419 Cane Run Rd., 4481109, 4901 Poplar Level Rd., 969-5352. Grown from a tiny West End takeout spot to a mini-chain, Indi’s vends a variety of affordable soul food and barbecue specialties to take out or eat in. $ L D

INKREDIBLES BURGERS & SHAKES 1506 Dixie Hwy., 6181217. Angus burgers, chicken sandwiches, hand-spun milkshakes and express breakfast items are among the options at this family-owned eatery housed in a former chain restaurant structure in the Algonquin neighborhood. $$ B L D f

JAGGERS RESTAURANT 6464 Dutchmans Ln., 242-9311, 10690 Westport Rd., 576-4867. Louisville’s homegrown Texas Roadhouse chain continues to refine its Jaggers fast-food restaurant offshoot, offering chicken sandwiches, burgers, shakes and salads. $$ L D f

JOELLA’S HOT CHICKEN 3400 Frankfort Ave., 895-2235, 13401 Shelbyville Rd., 254-1111, 1225 Veterans Pkwy, Clarksville IN, 913-7555. You can find Nashville-style hot chicken – medium, hot and hotter – at all three locations. House-made sides local craft beers and wine and fresh-squeezed lemonade as well. $$ L D pf

KING’S FRIED CHICKEN 1302 Dixie Hwy., 776-3013 $ L D MUSSEL & BURGER BAR 9200 Taylorsville Rd., 384-4834, 113 S. Seventh St., 749-6451. The unusual combination in the name sparks immediate interest; the consistently excellent offerings of both shellfish and meat patties keeps satisfied customers coming back. Choose from six different sauces for the mussels, and 12 clever twists on burgers. The downtown venue has an expanded menu and a handsome outdoor courtyard L D pf

OLLIE’S TROLLEY 978 S. Third St., 583-5214. A little piece of fast-food history remains in Old Louisville. It’s one of the nation’s few surviving trolleys of the Louisville-based chain that spread across the nation in the ’70s. Oversize burgers with a spicy, homemade flavor are just as good as ever. $ L

OSKAR'S SLIDER BAR 3799 Poplar Level Rd., 395-9010. Jesse and Liz Huot (Grind Burger Kitchen) expand on their burger concept with a new slider bar. Oskar’s (the name inspired by the Huots’ son, Oskar) offers over a dozen slider choices – chicken, fried fish and pork belly in addition to the expected ground beef mini-burgers. Fries and salads, too. $$ L D p

RAILBIRDS HOT CHICKEN 4520 Poplar Level Rd., (Derby City Gaming), 961-7600. Grab some wings or jumbo tenders at your choice of heat level or other non-spicy chicken dishes and sides like fries and slaws before you head back to the games. $ L D

RAISING CANE’S 10490 Westport Rd., 425-4040, 6811 Bardstown Rd., 654-7737, 5212 Dixie Hwy., 742-9035, 1250 Bardstown Rd., 822-1188, 1905 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4099441. A national chain with a single core product — chicken fingers. Six locations in town now, all offering simple and straightforward fried chicken finger combos and sandwiches with slaw and fries on the side. $ L D f

RAMBLE 712 Brent St. (The Village Market). Fried chicken sandwiches available in a variety of culinary guises: Nashville Hot, Cajun, General Tso’s and Korean, among others.$$ L D pf

RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS 9870 Von Allmen Ct., 3398616, 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 899-9001. This Seattle-based chain serves up its well-regarded “gourmet burgers” and trimmings in two East End locations and S. Indiana. Despite a full bar, it reportedly attracts hordes of happy youngsters. $$ L D pf

ROOSTERS 7405 Preston Hwy., 964-9464, 4420 Dixie Hwy., 384-0330, 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 883-1990, 5338 Bardstown Rd., 618-1128, 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 708-2798. With a wide footprint in Ohio, this Columbus-based wings-andbrews chain is now spreading its franchise rea ch across Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky. Its six local properties

have gained popularity for a lively sports bar setting and oversize wings. $ L D pf

ROYALS HOT CHICKEN 736 E. Market St., 919-7068. Ryan Rogers first pressure-fries his chicken, then, in the Nashville style, blankets it with a paste of oil and spices delivering mild to “Gonzo” heat. If you’re not in the mood for bird, salads and even Southern-fried tofu are on the menu. $$L D f

SIX FORKS BURGER CO. 1039 Ash St., 565-9750. This popular Germantown spot has moved to larger digs in Schnitzelburg. In addition to burgers you can find hot dogs, Polish sausage, notyour-ordinary grilled cheese and several vegetable side dishes.$

L D p

SMASHBURGER 9409 Shelbyville Rd., 326-4141, 312 S. Fourth St., 583-1500, 600 Terminal Dr. (Louisville Airport) 363-2526. A growing chain located mostly in the West and the South now has three Kentucky locations serving made-to-order Angus beef burgers, and is looking to open more area locations. $ L D f

STEAK ‘N SHAKE 4545 Outer Loop, 966-3109, 980 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN., 285-1154. One of the oldest fastfood chains in the U.S., Steak ‘n Shake traces its ancestry to an Illinois roadside stand in 1934. It now boasts 400 outlets in 19 states but still sticks to the basics: quality steak burgers and handdipped shakes served, if you dine in, on real china. $ B L D

THE CHICKEN BOX 5905 Terry Rd., 618-0430. This Pleasure Ridge Park restaurant offers six flavors of wings, all cooked to order: buffalo, extra hot, bbq, lemon pepper, hot garlic Parmesan and lemon pepper hot. The waffle biscuit has impressed fans. $ L D f

THE CHILLBURGER 500 LaFollette Station Dr., Floyds Knobs IN, 728-8283; 1225 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 725-9157. These two Southern Indiana burger places tout freshly-ground USDA Choice beef, fresh-cut fries and milk shakes and sundaes from hormone-free dairy. Chicken and fish sandwiches, too. $ L D f

THE EAGLE 1314 Bardstown Rd., 498-8420. This small Cincinnatibased chain serving fried chicken, five-cheese macaroni, housemade biscuits and other comfort food, has established itself firmly in the Highlands restaurant row. The three-season patio is a great place to enjoy the beer list. $$$ L D pf

THE WING ZONE 905 Hess Ln., 636-2445, 3038 Hunsinger Ln., 618-0106, 5210 Dixie Hwy., 409-7112. Wing Zone, with locations scattered across the eastern U.S., excels with jumbo wings in 25 flavors, including traditional Buffalo-style wings that range from Tame to Nuclear Habanero. Burgers, fried shrimp and sides as well. $ L D f

VIRTUE BAR & LOUNGE 1971 Brownsboro Rd., 290-0830. Relocated to the Clifton neighborhood from downtown, and still offering regular nightclub-style entertainment, Virtue’s kitchen has been expanded and features turkey legs, catfish nuggets and chicken wings (with a wide variety of sauces and dry rubs). $$ D pf

WALDO’S CHICKEN & BEER 10700 Meeting St., 434-4035. Where’s Waldo? In Norton Commons, where the Endeavor group (Big Bad Breakfast, LouVine) has introduced this Southern-style, chicken-led concept, with fried fowl “on the bone, on a bun, in a bowl, or in a basket,” and beer solemnly promised to be cold. $$ L D pf

WEEK-END BURGERS 5600 National Tpke., 994-8215. Another food truck business has gone off the wheels. Week-End Burgers boast their “burgers are the way burgers used to be made years, years ago, good, tasty & messy).” Philly sandwiches, too, and sides and desserts. $ L D f

WINGSTOP 4812 Dixie Hwy., 409-6000, 2007 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-7171. This Texas-based chain with 500 restaurants nationally, now reaches into Louisville. Their specialty? Wings of course, and you can get them 9 different ways. $$ L D p

W.W. COUSINS RESTAURANT 900 Dupont Rd. 897-9684, 4913 Dixie Hwy., 742-1583. After 30+ years of offering buildyour-own burgers on substantial house-baked buns and a huge condiment bar, this popular burger place has finally opened a second location, in a revamped Steak ’n’ Shake building. $ L D

ZAXBY’S (8 Locations) There are now 9 outlets in Louisville and Southern Indiana. The casual dining chain cutens its menu with

a lot of “z’s”: zappetizers, zalads, platterz, wingz and fingerzthat sort of thing. $ L D

ALLEY CAT CAFÉ 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 245-6544. This suburban Alley Cat is a cozy and bright little place, and the lunch-only menu is affordable and appealing. $ L f

ANGIE’S CAFE 2781 Jefferson Centre Way, Jeffersonville IN, 9200831. Angie’s cooks up a solid breakfast menu – eggs, omelets, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes – and creates hearty hot and cold sandwiches for lunch, at pleasantly retro prices. $ B L

AROMA CAFÉ & BAR Caesars Southern Indiana, Elizabeth IN, 866-676-7463. Grab a bite before hitting the casino. Sandwiches, salads, sides, cold beverages and coffee will fuel you for a night of entertainment. $$$ B L D p

ATRIUM CAFÉ 9940 Corporate Campus Dr. (Embassy Suites), 426-9191. An eclectic bistro atmosphere in the heart of the hotel. Specials run from their popular crab cakes and array of pasta dishes to a Reuben sandwich or fruit pie. $$ B D p

BLUE DOG BAKERY AND CAFÉ 2868 Frankfort Ave., 8999800. Tables are always at a premium at this popular Crescent Hill breakfast and lunch spot. And its artisanal bakery continues to produce hearty European-style breads that have set a gold standard on restaurant tables and in better grocery stores around town. $$ B L D f

BLUE HORSE CAFÉ 830 Phillips Ln. (Crown Plaza Hotel), 3672251. $$$ L D p

BOOMER’S CAFÉ 722 W. Main St., 585-4356. Named after the owner’s dear, departed beagle, Boomer’s is a popular, low-key downtown deli in the heart of the museum district. Sandwiches, burger and fries, homemade chocolate cookies, and good coffee. $ L

BORSALINO CAFÉ & DELI 3825 Bardstown Rd., 807-5325. This Buechel store is somewhere between a coffee shop, a fancy bakery and a deli. You can stop in for your morning coffee and sweet bun to go, buy a cake for dessert or take away a stuffed pita for lunch. $ B L D f

CAFÉ 360 1582 Bardstown Rd., 473-8694. Highlands diners enjoy an eclectic and international menu at this friendly corner place, with Southern fried catfish and Indian lamb biryani in immediate juxtaposition. You can get it all, diner-style, just about 24/7. $ B L D pf

CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 895-0076. At first a coffee bar, but over the years the classy space at Clifton and Frankfort has matured into an elegant bistro serving an eclectic menu — salmon croquettes with wasabi aioli, empanadas, an international array of salads, panini, bocadillos and pizzas. A stylish place for lunch or supper. $$ B L D f

CHEDDAR BOX CAFÉ 12121 Shelbyville Rd., 245-2622. An attractive — and busy — Middletown lunch spot where owner Michelle Bartholmew serves popular salads, sandwiches and soups, as well as hot entrées such as lasagna and Brie and cranberry-stuffed chicken. Pick up some frozen appetizers for your next cocktail party. $ L D f

CHRISTI'S CAFÉ 12810 Dixie Hwy., 937-3110. This familyoperated restaurant in Valley Station serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, all the dishes you know you want: omelets, hotcakes, wings, chili, bean soup, giant burgers, open-faced roast beef with mashed potatoes and liver and onions. $ B L D

CLEAN EATZ 3565 Springhurst Blvd., 653-7865. This outpost of a Wilmington, NC franchise, the first of three planned for the area, houses a café, where customers can dine or collect weekly meal plans featuring health-conscious prepared meals that can be reheated at home. $$ L D

CORNER CAFÉ 9307 New Lagrange Rd., 426-8119. This familyowned and operated, classier-than-the-average-strip mall place has quietly turned out delicious menus for better than 30 years. The Frederick family serves an eclectic menu (blackened tenderloin, Andouille-stuffed chicken, garlic-basil chicken pizza) and dishes like the Irish pork have won prizes at local charity contests. $$$ L D pf

CRAVE CAFÉ & CATERING 2250 Frankfort Ave., 896-1488. Experienced caterers and chefs offer casual quality café fare in this comfortable frame house in Clifton. Three variations on chicken salad are available, 8 different green salads, 8 hot sandwiches (many with cute names: The Big Dirty, The Guido). Vegetarian choices and cheesecake or cookies, too. $$ L D

CUP OF JOY 2507 Bank St., 919-9074. This coffee shop and café, located in a former bar, is a project of Haven Ministries and run mostly by volunteers. According to founder Esther Lyon, the food is “homemade, down-home cooking … biscuits and gravy, homemade potato soup, chicken and dumplings, turnovers, pastries.” Nothing on the menu tops $5. $ B L

DERBY CAFÉ EXPRESS 704 Central Ave. (Kentucky Derby Museum), 637-1111. You can get both grab-and-go eats, and made-to-order breakfast and lunch items before or after your visit to the Derby Museum. At breakfast, choose from hot and cold breakfast items, fresh pastries and kolache. The lunch menu offers deli-style sandwiches, paninis, soups, salads, Derby Pie (of course) and Benedictine. There is also a full bar. $ B L pf

HOT BOX EATERY 438 W. Market St., 822-3995. Try their fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and daily specials. Menu choices include a Brie and salami wrap, Indonesian chicken peanut satay, pork schnitzel, a turkey club wrap and a gyro — in other words, an appealingly diverse selection. $ L

I LOVE JUICE BAR 13317 Shelbyville Rd., 690-9938, 10512 Meeting St., 630-2051. There are two locally-owned franchises of this regional chain, situated in Middletown and Norton Commons. Vegan and gluten-free juices and smoothies are the house specialties, but there is a full array of smoothie bowls (acai, pitaya and pb&j, among others). $$ B L

J. GRAHAM’S CAFÉ & BAR 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. The home of the legendary “Hot Brown” sandwich, J. Graham’s offers a more casual bistro-style alternative to the upscale English Grill, with choice of menu service or buffet dining. $$ B L pf

JW CAFÉ & BAKERY 2301 Terra Crossing Blvd., 907-5248. The bakery part of this East End spot offers scones and cupcakes and other expected bakery treats. The café part has a variety of lunch items, including Korean specialties. The smoked salmon salad has won fans quickly. $ B L f

KAYROUZ CAFÉ 3801 Willis Ave., 896-2630. Tucked in among St. Matthews sidestreets is one of the best sandwich places in Louisville. The tuna salad, Portobello mushroom Reuben, fish, chicken and hamburger — all are innovative and all come with some of the best fries in town. $ L D f

ORANGE CLOVER KITCHEN & MORE 590 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 282-1005. Find quick breakfast and lunch items here, such as the Orange Clover muffin: poppy seed and blood orange flavors with a blood orange drizzle, as well as a cupcake version with cranberries. Two soup specials offered every day out of a recipe rotation of 75 possibilities

PLAYA BOWLS 4600 Shelbyville Rd. (Shelbyville Road Plaza)., 882-1100. Two Jersey Shore surfing enthusiasts have parlayed their love of acai, pitaya, chia, coconut bowls and smoothies into a nationwide chain of health food restaurants, with the first of two Louisville shops open in St. Matthews and the other coming soon to Middletown. $$ B L D

PURE BLENDZ 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 640-8668. This kiosk at the Logan Street Market offers pure, unprocessed foods in the form of superfood smoothie bowls, avocado toast, kombucha, lemonade tea fogs and more. $ L D f

PURRFECT DAY CAT CAFÉ 1741 Bardstown Rd., 916-5051. One room is a wine bar with snacks and small bites provided by local bakeries. The other room, by reservation, is a Cat Room, populated by cats needing homes, provided by the Humane Society. Bring in a drink, and play and cuddle with kitties — and maybe take one home. $ B L D p

RAMSI’S CAFÉ ON THE WORLD 1293 Bardstown Rd., 4510700. The beating bohemian heart of the Highlands, Ramsi Kamar brings a wonderfully eclectic spirit to the environment and to his menu, where you can find Cuban, Jamaican, Greek, and Middle Eastern dishes at moderate prices. A weekend brunch and late-night hours add to the draw. $$ L D pf

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

RED HOG 2622 Frankfort Ave., 384-0795. Kit Garrett and Bob Hancock, owners of Blue Dog Bakery, now also have this butcher shop and café offering artisan cured meats in Crescent Hill. Pasture-raised pork, beef, bison, lamb and poultry are available. The café serves small plates and pizzas fired from their wood-burning oven. The bar offers craft cocktails and 12 beer taps. $$ L D pf

SHADY LANE CAFÉ 4806 Brownsboro Center, 893-5118. This perennially popular little East End eatery, long a go-to choice for breakfast and lunch, now provides dinner on Friday nights too. $ Br L D f

STARLIGHT CAFÉ 19816 Huber Rd., Starlight IN, 923-9813. This café in the Winery building at Huber Farm provides light lunch items such as seasonal soups, Rueben sandwiches, a turkey club, chicken salad or artisan flatbread pizza. Dine inside in the dining room or outside on the patio that overlooks the 550-acre farm. Huber wines and cocktails made from spirits distilled on the premises available too. $$ L D pf

TAYLOR’S CEREAL BOWL KITCHEN 438 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN., 812-260-1161. Taylor’s pursues an utterly unique mission among area ice cream and sweets shops, providing a safe environment suitable for autistic and neurodivergent children, complete with games, sensory toys and 3D printers. $$ L

TERRI LYNN'S CAFÉ AND CATERING 133 E. Market St., New Albany IN, (812) 923-1503.After two decades in the catering business, owner Terri Lynn Doyle now has a brick-and-mortar café in downtown New Albany, in the space that had recently been Adrienne & Co. Bakery Café. The menu features Terri Lynn’s staples such as salads, baked goods and sandwiches. $$ B L f

THE CAFÉ 711 Brent St., 589-9191. The transition is complete. The Café is now across the street from its original Paristown location, in a newly renovated, airy space, part of the Paristown Pointe development. The menu, with its complement of hearty breakfast and lunch dishes, remains the same. $$ B Br L D pf

THE CHEDDAR BOX 3909 Chenoweth Sq., 893-2324. Since 1975 this St. Matthews tradition has delighted ladies who lunch, hungry students who munch, and just about everyone else with their sandwiches, pasta salads and tasty desserts. It caters parties with almost 50 choices of appetizers, party sandwiches, dips, cheese rings and crostini. $ L f

THE CHEDDAR BOX TOO 109 Chenoweth Ln., 896-1133. Cheddar Box owner Nancy Tarrant has extended her presence with a café just across the parking lot. Look for the same tasty salads, soups and desserts that have made her take-away business so popular. $ B L

THE SILLY AXE CAFÉ 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 290-7197. Silly Axe (a play on celiac disease) is a completely gluten-free and peanut-free dining concept. After a three-year residency at Douglass Loop, owner/chef Angela Pike has moved the restaurant to shared space at the Logan Street Market in Shelby Park, where the emphasis is on celiac-appropriate chicken dishes, though not excluding vegan and vegetarian options. $$ L D pf

THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI 8034 New Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $ L

THE TABLE 1800 Portland Ave., 708-2505. This West End nonprofit, social entrepreneurship experiment serves locally-grown, fresh food and operates under a pay-what-you-can model. Pay suggested prices if you can, or if not, contribute your time. Or donate more to “pay it forward.” The menu offers soups, salads, sandwiches and sides. $ L D

TOP HAT CAFÉ 1300 Muhammad Ali Blvd., 583-8822. Located inside the Old Walnut Plaza, this neighborhood coffee shop and breakfast and lunch café, named after an historic West End nightclub, is a project of the Louisville Central Community Center, in its effort to connect the Russell neighborhood to its past and to encourage fellowship and neighborhood networking.$ B L D

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ 13128 Shelbyville Rd., 290-9903, 5023 Mud Ln., 709-5420, 4114 Summit Plaza Dr., 384-4386.

A full range of smoothies accompanies an extensive menu of flatbreads, wraps quesadillas, and other health-minded menu items, courtesy of this national chain’s “born on a beach” ethos.

$$ B L D

VIC’S CAFÉ 1839 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 944-4338. $ L D

WAYCOOL CAFÉ 120 W. Broadway, 582-2241. Wayside Christian Mission trains people here in its community re-entry program in restaurant service and management. Breakfasts for under $5; a lunch buffet is $8 for unlimited trips. A dinner menu too. It’s a do-gooder place that serves good food. $ L D

WILTSHIRE PANTRY BAKERY AND CAFÉ 901 Barret Ave., 581-8561, 6301 Moonseed St., 581-8560, 605 W. Main St., 749-1683. Caterer/ Restaurateur Susan Hershberg’s popular bakery and café operation now has three locations, with the opening of a downtown café in the former Atlantic No. 5 space. At all three you can find artisanal breads, scones and croissants, full breakfasts (Tuscan egg sandwich, breakfast grain bowl, frittata, smoked salmon plate) as well as sandwiches, side salads and paninis. $ B L

BREAKFAST

BIG BAD BREAKFAST 984 Barret Ave., 289-8227, 5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd., 709-5420. The buildings known locally as the Lynn’s Paradise Café and (Dean) Corbett’s: An American Place have become part of the regional chain Big Bad Breakfast. The extensive breakfast and lunch menus include Creole omelet (filled with shrimp and andouille), chicken and waffles, and huevos rancheros made with grits, chicken sausage and saucy black beans. $$ B Br pf

BISCUIT BELLY 900 E. Main St., 409-5729, 3723 Lexington Rd., 690-2945, 13301 Shelbyville Rd., 208-8722. Chad and Lauren Coulter, of LouVino fame, own this breakfast- and lunchoriented eatery. You’ll find over-sized biscuit sandwiches filled with chicken, country ham or brisket; oatmeal, hash and

Nutella toast, as well as an adult beverage program that includes beers and coffee-inflected cocktails. There’s non-alcoholic coffee, too, and eggs however you like them. $$ B Br L pf

CON HUEVOS 2339 Frankfort Ave., 384-3027, 4938 US-42, 384-3744, 400 S. Second St. (Omni Hotel), 2125 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy, 384-2432, 10639 Meeting St., 290-4123. The hugely popular Mexican breakfast and lunch restaurant continues to expand to meet demand, adding its fifth location in the very epicenter of Norton Commons. Choose from huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, breakfast-style enchiladas (with eggs, of course), frijoladas, churros, molletes and more, and with tortas and tacos at lunch. Expect a wait on weekends – but worth it. $ B Br L

EGGS OVER FRANKFORT 2712 Frankfort Ave., 709-4452. Husband and wife team Jackson and Cortney Nave have creatively refurbished this Crescent Hill space into a “very traditional” breakfast spot. Its menu includes omelets, eggs Benedict, waffles and oatmeal, as well as salads and sandwiches for lunch. $ B Br L

HIGHLAND MORNING 1416 Bardstown Rd., 365-3900, 111 St. Matthews Ave., 883-0203. You can order breakfast anytime at both locations, with an eclectic menu that also encompasses brunch, burgers, soul food, Southern dishes and vegetarian fare as well. $ B L D

MORNING FORK 1722 Frankfort Ave., 830-9500. The breakfast and brunch concept from Chef/Owner Geoffrey Heyde has found firm footing in Lower Clifton. The varied menu offers well-made breakfast/brunch classics alongside dishes like short rib eggs Benedict and hot honey fried chicken and Liege waffles. Heyde’s popular sister restaurant, Fork & Barrel, has relocated here and is sharing the space with Morning Fork. Both restaurants are now at the Lower Clifton location, where all three meals will be served. $$ B Br L p f

SLEEPY ROOSTER MORNING KITCHEN 2204 State St. New Albany IN, 812-725-0814. Are you ready for the Mexicali Benedict? Churros meet corned beef hash at this New Albany spin-off from the creators of Señor Iguanas and La Catrina, fusing breakfast, brunch and lunch favorites from the American and Mexican culinary traditions. $$$ B Br L D pf

TOAST ON MARKET 141 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 812941-8582. After a period of pandemic hibernation, the New Albany location of Toast has reopened as the only location of Toast. Auf Wiedersehen, NuLu. There are no new developments on the trendy breakfast or lunch menus of American café classics with a twist, but all dishes are fresh, made with care, and familiarly tasty. $ B Br L pf

TWIG & LEAF RESTAURANT 2122 Bardstown Rd., 451-8944. A popular Highlands hangout, the “Twig” is probably at its best for breakfast — whether you’re enjoying it while venturing out on a leisurely Sunday morning or heading home very late on a Saturday night. It’s a place to grab a quick, filling bite and doesn’t pretend to be more. $ B L D f

WILD EGGS 3985 Dutchmans Ln., 893-8005, 1311 Herr Ln., 618-2866, 153 S. English Station Rd., 618-3449, 121 S. Floyd St., 690-5925, 1450 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 9134735, 223 W. Fifth St., New Albany IN, 850-9453, 9010 Taylorsville Rd (Stony Brook Shopping Center), 473-5959. Specialty omelets, the “everything” muffin, spicy egg salad sandwiches — these dishes and more have made Wild Eggs a wildly popular breakfast and lunch spot. Prized seats at weekend brunch can soon be found at this growing mini-chain’s seventh outlet in New Albany, is expected to open in October.

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ZEGGZ AMAZING EGGS 11615 Shelbyville Rd., 882-1650. This quick-service breakfast and lunch spot offers five house omelets (plus the chance to build your own), three variations on eggs Benedict, as well as biscuits and gravy, croque madames, waffles and pancakes. Luncheon fare includes a B.A.L.T (the ‘a’ is for avocado), salads and soups. $$ B Br L pf

is, well, nice enough to have branched out to three locations. All specialize in simple, down-home breakfast and lunch at affordable prices. $ B L

AGAVE & RYE EPIC TACOS 426 Baxter Ave., 873-5111, 324 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 993-8226. This Covington-based chain has added a second area store in southern Indiana. Offerings include tacos, bourbon, arcade games and 70+ tequilas. The Rooster taco contains crispy chicken, mac & cheese and hot sauce. The Bang Bang is a vegetarian dish, with crispy cauliflower, corn fritters, queso and spicy carrots. $$ L D p f

APPLEBEE’S 4717 Dixie Hwy., 448-1399, 10006 Will Way, 231-1661, 4535 Outer Loop, 969-1228, 771 E. Lewis and Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-3594.. This cheery national chain features an eclectic assortment of salads, steaks, ribs, poultry and pasta as well as full bar service. It’s as consistent as a cookie cutter, but competent execution makes it a good bargain for those whose tastes run to mainstream American cuisine. $$ L D p

ASPEN CREEK RESTAURANT 8000 Bardstown Rd., 2392200, 302 Bullitt Ln., 425-0077. A lodge-style restaurant that invokes the rustic feel of the Rockies, and offers a menu of pastas, burgers, and poultry at prices that aren’t mountain high. $$ L D p

BAER’S CITY WINERY 321 Pearl St., New Albany IN, (812) 9247348. Under new ownership, this successor to the long-running River City Winery has the same winemaker, with Brandon Noe as the new chef. $$ L D p f

BLIND SQUIRREL 592 N. English Station Rd., 384-6761. This American-style restaurant is part of the King Louis Sports complex. The 400-seat, two-story dining facility boasts outdoor seating overlooking the sand volleyball courts, 27 TVs inside, a performance venue, a cigar humidor and outdoor smoking lounge. Chef Chris Goss serves up his take on American family standards: burgers, sandwiches, pizza and so on. $$ L D pf

BOOMTOWN 110 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 590-1314. A third restaurant takes over the former home of the legendary South Side Inn, Boomtown focuses on affordable classic dishes: several burgers, including a wild game option, steak dinner with two sides and pork chops. $$ L D pf

BRICK HOUSE TAVERN + TAP 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3263182. Brick House, a Houston-based chain, has upgraded its image with an increased focus on food. Serving brunch, lunch and dinner, with a half-dozen local beers on tap, and an unusual menu of beer cocktails. $$ L D pf

CHAMPIONS GRILLE 505 Marriott Dr. (Radisson Hotel), Clarksville IN, 283-4411. Known by locals for its Saturday night buffet of New York strip, ribeye and prime rib. Salads, sandwiches, soups and a kid-friendly menu round out the selection. $$ B Br L D p

CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN 10403 Westport Rd., 3395400, 3521 Outer Loop, 966-3345, 1385 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 280-9660. This popular Dallas-based chain draws big, hungry crowds with its large bar and familiar “casual to upscale American” fare. $ L D pf

CHEF SHAQ’S KITCHEN 612 S. Fifth St., 614-7527. Shaquan McDonald, a two-decade food business veteran, describes his first foray into eatery ownership as “American style with a twist.” Early standouts include the Smoketown Burger, Thunder Over Louisville Fries with bacon and white queso, and McDonald’s signature Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. $$ L D

CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-6800, 3623 Bardstown Rd., 301-8888, 11600 Antonia Way, 301-8181, 9720 Von Allmen Ct., 301-8880, 3007 Poplar Level Rd., 638-5202, 940 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 670-3000. More than just a place to chow down on baby back ribs, this national chain has a wide selection including fajitas, burgers, sandwiches and veggies. $$ L D

CURRITO 6460 Dutchmans Pkwy., 883-0043. This Cincinnatibased chain offers Asian versions of grain bowls and wraps, with a choice of meat or tofu. Their signature drink is the Dreamsicle Shake. $ L D

DENNY’S 4030 Dutchmans Ln., 896-2669, 434 Eastern Pkwy., 636-2538. What better place for travelers to get breakfast than Denny’s? This venerable chain knows its customers, pleasing them with familiar diner food in big portions. The late-night scene in this 24-hour refuge for the hungry makes for colorful fun. $$ B Br L D

DOUBLE DOGS 13307 Shelbyville Rd., 244-4430. Double Dogs, a Bowling Green, Ky.-based chain with four locations, has its first Louisville-area restaurant in Middletown. Double Dogs describes itself as “a family friendly restaurant with a sports atmosphere,” serving a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers and pizza. $ L D pf

EAT YOUR BOURBON MARKETPLACE 2708 Frankfort Ave., 618-0939. Owner Matt Jamie extends his Crescent Hill Bourbon Barrel Foods concept with this grab-and-go prepared foods store that uses recipes from Jamie’s "Eat Your Bourbon" cookbook: charcuterie boards, sandwiches and other prepared foods from Chef-in-Residence Michael Crouch and Butchertown Grocery Bakery. $$ B Br L D p

FIRST WATCH 201 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-6075, 960 Breckenridge Ln., 618-1955, 1205 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN., 575-3447, 2225 Taylorsville Rd., 444-7744, 12913 Shelbyville Rd., 233-0770, 4948 U.S. 42, 242-9444, 10639 Fischer Park Dr., 410-5129. This Florida-based chain offers both traditional breakfast fare (fried eggs, sausage), proprietary specials, like French toast Monte Cristo (made with ham, turkey and Swiss cheese), crepes with plenty of fillings and healthful dishes like egg white omelets and cranberry nut oatmeal. $ B L

GAME 2295 Lexington Rd., 618-1712. Though under new ownership, the specialties here remain the same: sliders, meatballs and burgers made from ground exotic meats. Start with bone marrow or fried frog legs, try some wild boar chorizo sliders, or build your own burger from kangaroo, venison or alpaca, with bun choices ranging from brioche to pretzel to Kaiser roll. $$ D f

GANDER, AN AMERICAN GRILL 111 S. English Station Rd., 915-8484. Chris and Anne Mike, of Goose Creek Diner, have opened Gander, An American Grill, serving steaks, burgers, pasta and sandwiches — "a little bit of everything that makes America what it is," according to Mike. $$$ Br L D pf

GATSBY’S ON FOURTH 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hilton Hotel), 585-3200. The casual dining space on the first floor of the Seelbach reflects its connection of the hotel to F. Scott Fitzgerald. There are two breakfast buffets, American and Continental, as well as a la carte choices from the griddle or from a “Healthy Sunrise” menu. $$ B L p

GREEN DISTRICT SALADS 126 Breckinridge Ln., 409-5293, 225 S. Fifth St., 822-3055, 13301 Shelbyville Rd., 565-4986, 1449 Bardstown Rd., 792-9011, 4227 Town Center Blvd., Clarksville IN, (812) 712-4351, 9850 Von Allmen Ct., 9965666, 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 409-5293. This quickly expanding fast-service restaurant now has six area locations, with the latest in St. Matthews. Customers watch their salads being constructed while they wait, and house-made soups and wraps are also available.$$ L D

HARROD’S CREEK TAVERN 6313 River Rd., 919-8812. Commuters trundling home to the suburbs can mingle with Prospect residents, river rats and parched kayakers docking out back on Harrod’s Creek. Look for an expanded bar food menu, brown bag lunches to go and late-night food service. $ L D pf

IN SEASON 324 W. Main St., 323-3200. Sourcing ingredients from his farm, owner Daniel Passafiume, offers healthy options like salads, stir fry and harvest bowls, designed with what is currently in season. The menu will rotate at least four times per year. $$ L

A NICE RESTAURANT 3129 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 404 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs IN, 9237770. A Nice Restaurant, billed as “New Albany’s Finer Diner,”

CORELIFE EATERY 1225 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 6705680, 9365 Viking Center Dr., 709-7131. This Syracuse-based franchise offers vegetable and grains bowls, bone and vegetable broth, and grass-fed steak, chicken and tofu power plates. $$ L D

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES 1220 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 285-1772, 1401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 618-2250. IHOP fans can choose to go out to the East End or across the river to satisfy their jones for the national chain’s inimitable food. $ B L D

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

JOE'S OLDER THAN DIRT 8131 New Lagrange Rd., 434-7470. The Lyndon landmark has returned to its old spot, replacing Red Barn Kitchen, which had replaced Joe’s. The bar is rebuilt and another stuffed moose has been found. But Olé Restaurant Group remains a partner, providing the food: smoked wings, brisket chili, cheese fritters, a mac and cheese burger and a daily lunch plate, all at prices that will appeal to Joe’s original fan base. $$ L D pf

KAREM’S 9424 Norton Commons Blvd., 327-5646. Karem’s Grill & Pub, one of the first restaurants to open in the village-like Norton Commons, carries the look and feel of a neighborhood watering hole inside and out. The test of a restaurant, though, is the food, and Karem’s is excellent. $$ L D

MOYA'S AMERICAN KITCHEN 10000 Linn Station Rd., 4966692. This "good old American comfort food" restaurant in Jeffersontown offers fare such as jalapeño hushpuppies, fried green tomatoes, grilled cheese and tomato soup, smothered pork chop, chopped steak, meatloaf and fried catfish.$$ L D pf

NAÏVE 1001 E. Washington St., 749-7856. This Butchertown vegetarian restaurant has been catering for some months in preparation for its opening as a sit-down restaurant. Its dishes include savory rice bowls, burritos, frittatas and quiches, savory toasts, salads and sandwiches. $$ D pf

NOODLES & COMPANY 1225 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 6320102, 4302 Summit Plaza Dr., 791-9015, 319 Cardinal Blvd., 632-2846. This Colorado-based fast-casual chain offers an eclectic noodle array: Asian style (pad Thai, Bangkok curry), pastas (Tuscan fresca, penne rossa) — or select from a lineup of savory sandwiches and salads.. $ L D f

O’CHARLEY’S 1901 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-8372, 962 Breckenridge Ln., 899-9430, 4404 Dixie Hwy., 447-9203. O’Charley’s, Inc. could serve well as the picture in the dictionary next to “American casual dining.” The Nashvillebased chain operates 206 properties in 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest, serving a straightforward steak-and-seafood menu with the motto

RAFFERTY’S OF LOUISVILLE 988 Breckenridge Ln., 897-3900. This full-service, casual dining establishment has a hearty menu. Specialties like Red Alfredo Pasta showcase the gourmet offerings along with some of the largest and most

SAM’S FOOD & SPIRITS 702 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs IN, 923-2323. Fans of Sam Anderson’s steaks, chicken, pizza and pasta know it is well worth the trip up into the Knobs above New Albany to enjoy the conviviality of his restaurant, and his always satisfying take on classic American steak, sandwiches and seafood. $$ L D p

SHONEY’S 6511 Signature Dr., 969-8904. For nearly 50 years, Shoney’s restaurants have been one of America’s top choices for fast roadside dining, and happily they’ve kept up with the times.

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SKYLINE CHILI 1266 Bardstown Rd., 473-1234, 340 Whittington Pkwy., 429-5773, 4024 Dutchmans Ln., 721-0093, 3505 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 725-7176. Louisville’s outposts of a famous Cincinnati chili restaurant, these casual eateries offer the regional favorite (really it’s Greek spaghetti sauce, but keep it quiet) and other fast-food dishes. $ L D

TGI FRIDAY’S 416 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 585-3577. The original place to loosen the tie and congregate after the whistle blows. TGIF carries on its party atmosphere tradition with American bistro dining and libations. The bill of fare ranges from baskets of appetizers on up to contemporary entrées. $$ L D pf

THE B.A. COLONIAL 818 Kenwood Dr. (Colonial Gardens), 242-8686. Another entry into the Iroquois-area resurrection of the historic Colonial Gardens. The menu here features American casual cooking, such as freshly-ground burgers, salads and seafood. A full bar serves a five-cocktail list, margaritas, rum punches, and its own take on the Old Fashioned. $ L D p f

THE SOUTH SEAS 1301 Story Ave., 618-1301. The Butchertown space that had been Butchertown Pizza, then Hog Father Pizza, and for a generation before that, Hall’s Cafeteria, is now a tiki bar. Here you will find original ’50’s era fruity tiki cocktails, a

family-style pig roast, spicy chicken tortas, Spam fried rice, and Baja fish tacos. Brunch seven days a week, featuring different variations of Hawaiian-style pancakes and Spam and eggs. $$$$ D p f

THE STREATERY 304 W. Woodlawn Ave., 398-5777. Welcome to the diverse Beechmont neighborhood’s collective kitchen and evolving food court, as helmed by Dung Tran, whose second Fresh Out of the Box eatery (which also distributes Char’Cute’rie Creations) operates there along with Soul Hi Vegan, Ms. Lisa’s (Vietnamese), and various weekly kitchen pop-ups. Tran is working toward six permanent food vendors and a full bar. $$ L D f

TUCKER’S 2441 State St., New Albany IN, 944-9999. Tucker’s gives you a little bit of everything with a down-to-earth flair, offering burgers, ribs, steaks, a variety of appetizers and pastas. $ L D p

8TH STREET PIZZA 411 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 7250004. This “boutique, pay-it-forward pizza shop and ministry” serves New York style pizza with a “pay what you can afford” concept. Pay the full suggested price, pay what you can afford to pay, or pay the full amount of the suggested meal price plus a little extra to "pay it forward”. $ L D f

ANNIE’S PIZZA 2520 Portland Ave., 776-6400, 4771 Cane Run Rd., 449-4444. Annie’s has made-to-order pizza and a variety of stacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Strom with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $$ L D

ARNI’S PIZZA 1208 State St., New Albany IN, 945-1149, 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-9805. A favorite Hoosier pizza and sandwich stop. Insist on getting the Deluxe. $$ L D

ARNO’S PIZZA 3912 Bardstown Rd., 384-8131.$$ L D

BEARNO’S PIZZA (14 locations) What began as a simple, familyrun pizzeria near Bowman Field has morphed into a local chain with, at last count, 14 locations. $$ L D f

BLAZE FAST-FIRE’D PIZZA 4848 Shelbyville Rd., 895-7800, 13317 Shelbyville Rd., 822-3677, 4118 Summit Plaza Dr., 9158731, 1225 Veterans Pkwy., Clarsville IN, 406-4347. At this California-based pizza franchise you customize your own pie from a lineup of meat and vegetable toppings, cheeses and several sauces. The pie bakes in just 2 minutes in a flaming hearth oven. There are ready-to-order signature pies also for those who can’t make up their minds. $$ L D p f

BONNIE & CLYDE’S PIZZA 7611 Dixie Hwy., 935-5540. It may look like a dive that hasn’t been renovated in ages, the service can be surly at times, and you have to pay in cash, but devoted fans of its thin-crust pizzas and hoagies keep coming back and talk it up with their friends. $$ L D f

BOOMBOZZ PIZZA · WATCH BAR 1448 Bardstown Rd., 4588889, 1890 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 265-4591, 1315 Herr Ln., 394-0000, 1450 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, (812) 9134171. After two decades of success with his gourmet pizza stores, Tony Palombino is reimagining his brand and retooling both the decor and the menus at all of his locations. That reimagining includes audio/video enhancements, a new company logo and slogan (“Crafted for You”), an expanded wine and cocktail list and a dedicated takeout entrance. New menu items include jumbo tater tots stuffed with bacon and cheddar cheese, a cauliflower crust pizza, seasonal pizzas and game day specials. $$ L D pf

BORROMEO’S PIZZA & ITALIAN 9417 Smyrna Pkwy., 9687743. Serving up old-school thin-crust pizzas to chowhounds south of the Gene Snyder. $$ L D pf

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 425-5125. California pizza became a trend when famous chefs gave this simple Italian fare a multi-ethnic spin with non-traditional Pacific Rim toppings. CPK successfully translates this trend for the mass market. $$ L D pf

CHARLESTOWN PIZZA COMPANY 850 Main St., Charlestown IN, 256-2699. This welcoming venue on Charlestown’s town square, a short trip upriver from Jeffersonville, is run by folks who learned their pizza and beer at New Albanian Brewing Company. That’s a fine pedigree, and it shows in impressive quality. $$ L D

CHEF'S CUT PIZZERIA 9901 LaGrange Rd., 265-1320. This reasonably priced Lyndon pizza place has sandwiches too, from chili dogs to turkey clubs, and pasta dishes. $ L D p

COALS ARTISAN PIZZA 3730 Frankfort Ave., 742-8200, 11615 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0106, 600 Terminal Dr. (Louisville Airport). Middletown and airport travelers now partake in what St. Matthews diners have enjoyed for a few years–excellent pizzas made in coal-fired ovens burning at 800 degrees F, crisping the crust in 4 minutes and “leoparding” it with black spots. Toppings are fresh and regionally-sourced. $$ L D pf

CRAFT HOUSE PIZZA 4041 Preston Hwy., 363-4880, 9601 Newbridge Rd., 409-6276, 12607 Taylorsville Rd., 742-8700, 2813 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 861-1012. These four Louisville metro pizzerias embrace owner Tom Brown’s move into craft beer, brewed since 2019 at the Preston Highway location (still called Hometown Brewing). The pizzeria menu offers pasta dishes, hoagies and strombolis as well as one-of-a-kind pies like the Bacon Cheeseburger pizza, with the tasty added innovation of crusts using spent grain from the brewhouse. In 2022, Beer Connoisseur Magazine selected Foxbody 5.0 lager as #58 in its Top 100 American beers of the year. $$ L D p

DANNY MAC’S PASTA & PIZZA 1836 Mellwood Ave., 8906331. Dan McMahon sells generously-topped pizzas at the walk-up venue in the courtyard of the Mellwood Arts Center. The choices are mostly traditional with outliers like Hawaiian and Kentucky Hot Brown. His butter-drenched garlic breadsticks, aka “Cracksticks,” are a fan favorite. McMahon’s pizzas can also be found at Tim Tam Tavern. $$ L D

DEENO'S PIZZA & WINGS 9100 Dixie Hwy., 653-7814. This ambitious little family-run place rolls and shapes house-made dough to order, and bakes, then air-fries wings before tossing them in one of 11 sauce coatings. The weekend buffet offers pizza, wings and a taco bar. $$ D f

DERBY CITY PIZZA 5603 Greenwood Rd., 933-7373, 2500

Crittenden Dr., 384-4777, 10619 Manslick Rd., 742-3940,

2331 Brownsboro Rd., 290-0677, 9910 Linn Station Rd., 3848733, 12900 Dixie Hwy., 290-2310. When 15-year-old Larry Davis went to work at a local pizzeria in 1991, you might say the pie was cast. Three decades later Davis’s family-oriented local pizza chain stresses solid and reasonably priced Italian food, with seven signature pizzas as well as a build-your own; gluten free and low carb crustless options; wings, salads and toasted subs; and lasagna and spaghetti with genuinely “jumbo” meatballs. $$ L D pf

DIORIO’S PIZZA & PUB 310 Wallace Ave., 618-3424, 917 Baxter Ave., 614-8424. Residents in St. Matthews and in the Highlands can savor pizza by the slice, as well as by the mammoth 30-inch pie. Also grilled sandwiches, salads, wings, queso sticks, and a good selection of domestic and import beers. $$ L D pf

EMMY SQUARED PIZZA 825 E. Market St., 785-5800. This Detroit-style pizza chain joins a growing list of properties in the Nulu Marketplace, anchored by West Sixth Brewing. The square pizzas here share the menu with burgers, including the doublestack "Le Big Matt.” $$$ L D p f

FAT JIMMY’S 12216 Shelbyville Rd., 244-2500. This friendly neighborhood nook offers a cold mug of beer and a hot slice of pizza, along with sub sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads. $$ L D

GOODFELLAS PIZZERIA 642 Baxter Ave., 398-5704. This Lexington-based regional pizza chain, known for its large, latenight slices, is one of the early tenants in the apartment/retail development across from the entrance from Cave Hill. Pizzas are denoted by Mafia-style names: the Wiseguy, the Don, Tommy “Two Times.” $$$$ L D

HIDEOUT PIZZARIA 5620 Barrett Ln., 742-3145. This familyfriendly sports bar has 12-foot TV screens, pool and cornhole, arcade games and live music, in addition to pizzas, burgers, spaghetti and an array of sandwiches. $$$ L D

HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 245-4555. The Middletown outlet of this Kentucky regional chain offers pasta dishes, hoagies and stromboli as well as signature pies, including a trio of chicken specialties: White, Buffalo and Barbecue. $$ L D p

IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ L D

JAKE & ELWOOD’S 2230 Frankfort Ave., 690-2167. The main draw to this Clifton spot is Chicago-style deep dish pizzas, but Jake and Elwood’s menu includes hot dogs and sausages, Italian beef sandwiches, wings, chili, fries and salads. $$ L D p

JET’S PIZZA 101 S. Hubbards Ln., 895-4655, 3624 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1700, 235 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 2444440, 6523 Bardstown Rd., 239-0000, 2500 Bardstown Rd., 458-5387, 10494 Westport Rd., 426-1181. Now with seven Louisville outlets, this Detroit-based chain offers sit-down service and carry-out. The menu features eight crust flavors and some gourmet pizza options such as a BLT and chicken parmesan. $$ L D f

LAROSA’S PIZZERIA 10641 Fischer Park Dr., 513-347-1111. The first Louisville location of a Cincinnati-based pizza chain, which strives to be family-friendly, is open in Springhurst, offering thin crust pizza, calzones, hoagies and pasta. $$ L D p

LEGACY PIZZA & BAKERY 1001 Vincennes St., New Albany, IN, (812) 725-0021. This sincere little pizza joint sells New York-style pizzas, calzones, strombolis and breadsticks. $$ L D

LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA (12 Locations) This pizzeria chain lost market share in the ’90s, but business analysts say the company known for its two-for-one “pizza pizza” deal has turned things around with a renewed commitment to quality and service. $$

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LOUISVILLE PIZZA KING 3505 Taylor Blvd., 333-0647. The original Pizza King dates to 1957 in Lafayette, Indiana. Although this 2023 version south of Churchill Downs isn’t directly affiliated with the remaining Hoosier network, the takeout and delivery pizzas only follow the unique Pizza King template. $$ D

LUCKY LEOPARD PIZZA 1032 Story Ave. Located inside High Horse Bar in Butchertown, Lucky Leopard focuses on thin crust Neapolitan pizzas, flash-cooked in a 900-degree oven. The pizza

dough is also used in the Panozzo sandwiches, flash baked to order and filled with pulled pork and caprese with black olive vinaigrette, among other choices. $$ D p

LUIGI’S PIZZERIA 712 W. Main St., 589-0005. New York Citystyle pizza, a treat that you’ll find on just about every street corner there, has been making inroads in River City, but Luigi’s was one of the first to offer in its authentic form here. $$ L f

MA ZERELLAS 949 S. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-9517. A pleasant family-run-for-family-fun establishment. Pizza, pasta, salads and subs served for lunch and dinner seven days a week. $$ L D

MAC'S @ MILE WIDE 636 Barret Ave. (inside Mile Wide Beer Co.), 409-8139. Beneath the silos at Mile Wide Brewery, Mac’s offers a concise menu of personal-size pizzas with clever names, also salads and appetizers that pairs well with Mile Wide’s tap list. There’s even a Nutella dessert pizza. $$ L D p

MARCO’S PIZZA 2011 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 9411144, 8800 Dixie Hwy., 890-8266. Pasquale “Pat” Giammarco, an immigrant from Abruzzo, founded this rapidly growing (1,100+ sites) pizza chain in 1978. Marco’s has added a Louisville location to its longtime New Albany kitchen, drawing plaudits for generous toppings, cauliflower crusts and pizza bowls. $$ L D

MIMO’S NEW YORK STYLE PIZZERIA 2708 Paoli Pike, New Albany IN, 945-7711. People move to the Knobs for its bucolic setting, but locals still crave their pizza fix. Mimo’s provides that with daily specials, such as Buffalo pizza, calzones, heroes, wraps or salads. Mangia, mangia! $$ L D p

MOZZA PI 12102 Lagrange Rd., 890-4832, 1020 E. Washington St., 2200 Bardstown Rd., 724-7751. Tom Edwards began MozzaPi several years ago as one of the first food trucks in Louisville. At his Anchorage pizza place he drafts artisanal pies from flour he mills himself. He makes bread too, and gives courses in artisanal baking. Now with two outposts in TEN20 Brewery. $$$ L D pf

MR. GATTI’S 703 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 2835005, 10035 Dixie Hwy., 632-2504, 4200 Outer Loop, 9640933. This Austin-based chain was one of the first national pizzerias to reach Louisville in the 1970s, and quality ingredients — plus Gattiland playgrounds for the kids — have made its crisp, thin-crust pizzas a popular draw. $$ L D

NEON PIZZA 1201 S. First St., 635-6960. This Old Louisville corner has been the site of several businesses over the years. The newest branding is as Neon Pizza, a name that disguises the fact that favorite sandwiches and soups from the Toonerville Deli days are still available, along with, of course, pizzas. $$$ L D pf

NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. PIZZERIA 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 944-2577. Touting “the best pizza in Southern Indiana” is quite a boast, but pizza only tells half of this tasty story. NABC combines the fine pies of Sportstime Pizza with the pub formerly known as Rich O’s. The remarkable beer list, with more than 100 selections from around the world — plus locally brewed craft beers — has won international awards. $$ L D OLD SCHOOL NY PIZZA 12907 Factory Ln., 882-1776, 10600 Meeting St., 882-3000. You want Sicilian-style pizza, just like they make in Brooklyn? Now you can get it in these two Eastern suburbs locations. Top it with vegetables supplied by local farmers, or tie into a calzone and finish with gelato. $$ L D pf

ORIGINAL IMPELLIZZERI’S 1381 Bardstown Rd., 454-2711, 4933 Brownsboro Rd., 425-9080, 805 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 653-7243. Impellizzeri’s massive pies, loved for a generation, are the draw but there is also a full menu of Italian-inspired meals including hoagie sandwiches and pasta dishes at all three locations. $$$$ L D pf

PAPA MURPHY’S PIZZA (7 Locations) There are eight locations for this take-and-bake pizza purveyor scattered around town. $$ L D

PARLOUR PIZZA 131 W. Chestnut St., Jeffersonville IN, 9147400, 2636 Frankfort Ave., 895-9400, 225 State St., New Albany IN, 920-6400, 133 W. Liberty St., 888-1515, 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 267-1188. It all started with a lively pizzeria and beer garden in Jeffersonville at the foot of the Big Four

Bridge. Now Parlour has expanded to five locations on both sides of the Ohio River, the most recent in Jeffersontown in the space occupied for decades by Chubby Ray’s Pizza. All Parlour locations serve topping-heavy New York pies and offer dozens of craft beers on tap. $$ L D pf

PIZZA DONISI 1396 S. Second St., 213-0488. Old Louisville hipsters have long needed a nearby pizza joint. Now they have it and it’s owned by Danny Fitzgerald, impresario behind Mag Bar. Get it by the slice or in whole artisan pies, along with appetizers, fried ravioli and more. $$ L D f

PIZZA KING 3825 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4405, 1701 E. 10th St., Jeffersonville IN, 282-8286. The pizza is baked in a sturdy, stone oven and hand-tossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. We heartily recommend the barbecue pizza. $$ L D

PIZZA LUPO 1540 Frankfort Ave., 409-8440. Max Balliet, the owner of Holy Molé taco truck, now also has Lupo, a casual Italian restaurant where he bakes up pizzas on a fire-engine-red wood-fired oven. Along with pizza, Lupo offers a variety of handmade pastas in a restored 19th century Butchertown building. $$ D pf

PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $$ L D pf

PIZZAVILLE 2901 Goose Creek Rd., 754-3001. Owner Todd Case once was a pizza scientist, overseeing corporate pizza dough varieties. His own versions of New York-style hand-tossed and Detroit deep dish pizzas have become so popular that Pizzaville is expanding into an adjoining Westport Plaza (East End) business suite formerly occupied by Bandido Taqueria. $$ L D

PRIMO'S PIZZERIA 2043 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 749-7072. Based on a recent visit, this new spot is off to a great start. There are no conveyor belts here. Well-trained pizza makers give each pie individual attention, the toppings and accents (like fresh basil) are fine quality, and the assortment of crusts — wheat, thin, rising, deep dish, cauliflower, broccoli — is first rate. The lunch special, ten bucks for a big fresh salad with a generous personal pizza is a steal. $$

SHERRILLI'S PIZZA PARLOR 496 N. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-3346. $$ L D f

SICILIAN PIZZA & PASTA 629 S. Fourth St., 589-8686, 8133 Bardstown Rd., 491-3663. Ready for takeout or eat-in, both the downtown storefront and its suburban sister site offer good, standard pizza and other familiar Italian-American dishes. $$ L

SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter Ave., 568-5665, 4005 Shelbyville Rd., 895-0755. This locally-owned pizzeria, widely known for their Philly Cheesesteaks and massive slices of pizza has added a third location. All are open until 5 am nightly Wednesday through Saturday. $ L D

SQUARE CUT PIZZA AND SUGAR ROOM 741 E. Oak St., 2905721. The Sugar Room serves soft-serve ice cream in unusual flavors: burnt marshmallow, chocolate sea salt, s’mores swirl and others. Roman-style pizzas, with thin but airy crusts, is the concept in the larger Shelby Park space, which also sells Italian cured meats. $$ L D f

THE CORNER 4111 Murphy Ln., 426-8340. $$ L D

THE GRAIN HAUS 41 W. First St., New Albany IN, (470) 5882337. Part of Floyd County Brewing, the separate building across the court yard boasts a wood-fired pizza oven and a rotating list of guest beers. $$ D pf

THE POST 1045 Goss Ave., 635-2020. Germantown has long needed a classic New York-style pizza joint, and this spot, in a former VFW post, has provided it. Pizza is available by slice or whole pie, mostly classic tomato sauced varieties, but a few oddities, like the chicken dinner pizza with Buffalo-based sauce, chicken, cheddar, onion and ranch drizzle. Calzones, subs and salads, too.$$ D p

UNION 15 5205 New Cut Rd. (Colonial Gardens), 653-7494. Now under new ownership after a brief closing in early 2023, the pizza and tap house’s name refers to Kentucky joining the Union as the 15th state. The menu includes Chicago thin crust pizza, wings and sandwiches, and the bar has more than 50 beers, wines and bourbon on tap. $$ L D pf

WICK’S PIZZA PARLOR 975 Baxter Ave., 458-1828, 3348 Hikes Ln., 907-5542. Wick’s wins popularity with a welcoming mix of good pizza, a quality beer list and a friendly neighborhood feel at both of its eateries. The pies are straightforward, made with ample toppings. “The Big Wick” is a favorite. $$ L D pf

ZA’S PIZZA 1573 Bardstown Rd., 454-4544. $$ L D

AMERICAN SMOKEHOUSE STADIUM 5580 Hwy. 62, Jeffersonville IN, 282-6700. This Southern Indiana BBQ joint does the usual stuff – brisket, pulled pork and chicken. But also look for the smoked prime rib, burnt ends, smoked lamb gyros or fried tofu. $ L D p

BABY MAE'S 1817 Graybrook Ln., New Albany IN, 914-7040. Barbecue and soul food in the old Mom & Pop’s Cone Corner building. Baby Mae’s reasonably priced menu includes everyone’s comfort foods: ribs, pulled pork, smoked turkey, mac and cheese, home fries and the “grandaddy of chili dogs.” $ L D

BACK DECK BBQ 801 W. Kenwood Dr., 705-7662. What began as a popular barbecue food truck has settled down at the late, lamented Jimbo's Bar-b-Que spot near Iroquois Park. In addition to the expected pulled pork and chicken, brisket and sausages, burnt ends are available Friday and Saturday. $$ L D f

BARREL 33 TAVERN & GRILL 14049 Shelbyville Rd., 2446868. This Middletown outpost has a long menu of better-thanthe-usual pub grub (barbecue, chicken made several ways, tacos), salads, wraps and sandwiches (including a Kentucky Cuban, made with country ham and pimento cheese). The bar runs a robust bourbon program. There’s a lively atmosphere all nights, and live music on weekends. $$ L D p

BIG BEN’S BBQ 600 Quartermaster Center, Jeffersonville IN, 284-4453. This family run BBQ joint is now at the Quartermaster Center, smoking up a storm and impressing

locals who recommend Johnnie’s Smokin Ribs, Joecille’s Backbone (brisket tips), Big Ben’s shredded pork sandwich and Alvin’s Wild-Side shredded chicken sandwich. $$ L D f

BOOTLEG BARBECUE COMPANY 9704 Bardstown Rd., 2392722.Bootleg Barbecue offers a touch of rusticity and a good helping of country hospitality, as it dishes out hearty portions of well-prepared and affordable smoked meats and fixin’s. It’s one of the few places in Louisville where you can get Western Kentucky-style mutton barbecue. $ L D f

CARR'S BBQ AND MARKET 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 728-8106. This Floyds Knobs restaurant uses locally-sourced meats in its pulled pork, brisket, smoked turkey breast, chili and ribs. Choose sandwiches, plates with sides, or order by the pound. $$ L D f

CITY BARBEQUE 329 Whittington Pkwy., 996-8003, 4027 Poplar Level Rd., 206-6085. This Ohio-based BBQ chain specializes in brisket, but doesn’t neglect pulled pork (served with slaw on top) and St. Louis ribs. It also smokes turkey breast, chicken and sausage. $$ L Dpf

FAMOUS DAVE’S BAR-B-QUE 8605 Citadel Way, 493-2812. This franchise chain operation maderby cityderbuyy be based in the twin cities, but it looks like a Georgia gas station with its exuberant, if tongue-in-cheek faux country decor. The important thing, though, is the food, and Dave’s excels with genuine, hickory-smoked barbecue. $$ L D pf

FDKY BBQ 9606 Taylorsville Rd., 785-4273. The logo shows that “FD” stands for Fire Department — after all, those guys know all about smokin’. Eat dinner in or order a couple of pounds of pulled pork, marinated pulled chicken, brisket or smoked sausage, firehouse chili or Res Q stew and all the required side dishes to go. Ribs on Wednesdays and Friday calls for fried fish.

$$ L D f

FEAST BBQ 909 E. Market St., 749-9900, 10318 Taylorsville Rd., 749-6534. Owner Ryan Rogers brings a modernist sensibility to the art of barbecue to both NuLu and Jeffersontown. He has formulas for brining times and uses a high-tech smoker to keep the temps low and the smoke from overwhelming the meats. $

B L D pf

FRANKFORT AVENUE BEER DEPOT 3204 Frankfort Ave., 895-3223. The aroma greets you as soon as you get out of your car when the smokers are fired up out front. FABD is a neighborhood watering hole that welcomes all comers with some of the most notable ’cue in town. The pulled pork ranks as some of the best in the city. The ribs, smoked salmon and fried fish sandwich are hits too. $$ L D pf

GUY FIERI'S SMOKEHOUSE 434 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live!), 919-7299. The latest creation of the Food TV’s bad boy chef caused some serious musing about the meaning of “celebrity” chefs to local eating. But see the hoopla for yourself, and try some of the fried chicken brined in pickle juice, brisket with pomegranate, sorghum-glazed pork chops or Triple Crown grilled cheese sandwich. $$ L D pf

HARLEY’S HARDWOODZ BAR-B-Q 1703 Charlestown-New Albany Pk., Jeffersonville IN, 284-4490. Owner Frank Harley said “I found my calling, which is barbecue.” He smokes up barbecue pork, chicken and brisket, marinated in Harley’s own barbecue sauce. A menu specialty: smoked chicken white chili. $ L D

HOLY SMOKES BAR-B-QUE 7508 Preston Hwy., 968-5657. The former Bootleg Bar-B-Q franchise on Preston Hwy. has become Holy Smokes Bar-B-Que. Owner Mark Weatherholt smokes his wings for three hours, his ribs and chicken for five, and his pork lingers overnight. He does brown sugar wings, too. $ L D

JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BAR-B-QUE 7626 New Lagrange Rd., 241-5829. Jucy’s offers exceptionally good Texas-style barbecue from a little wooden shack that looks just like a country BBQ joint should. Highly recommended. $$ L D f

LOUIE’S HOT CHICKEN & BARBECUE 4222 Poplar Level Rd., 709-4274. The chicken here ranges through 4 levels of heat, the hottest using the notorious ghost pepper. BBQ choices include pulled pork and brisket and smoked wings. $ L D f

M&M BBQ 1401 Bluegrass Ave., 996-0163. The Ekklesia Christian Life Ministries operates this BBQ joint that offers rib

tips, meat loaf, an assortment of traditional sides, and keeps a limited schedule (Tuesday-Friday, 11:30-7). The food is popular enough that they sometimes sell out, so get there early.

$$ L D f

MACK BROS BBQ 2700 Rockford Ln., 384-4590. This family owned and operated restaurant serves ribs, rib tips, chicken and sides, including a fan favorite: cornbread salad. $$ L D

MARK T'S SLAB HOUSE 4912 Preston Hwy., 409-7366. That would be slabs of r ibs, of course. A wonderfully direct name for a barbecue restaurant. Several drum-style smokers out front exude a savory cloud, attesting to the work being done inside those drums. $ L D

MARK’S FEED STORE 11422 Shelbyville Rd., 244-0140, 1514 Bardstown Rd., 458-1570, 10316 Dixie Hwy., 933-7707, 3827 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 285-1998, 6501 Bardstown Rd., 442-0808. Mark’s routinely takes local honors for its sauces, sandwiches and its meaty baby-back ribs. And don’t miss the smoked take-home turkeys at Thanksgiving. $$ L D pf

spot garnered so many barbecue fans that a second outlet opened in the East End for the overflow. Knot on your bib for Kansas City-style smoked pork and beef ribs (a house specialty), brisket, chicken, pulled pork and all the standard sides. Their wings are a contender for best in all the city. Momma's “2% for Louisville” program steadily donates 2% of earnings to local charities. $$ D f

RIVER ROAD BBQ 3017 River Rd., 592-7065. Right next to the Water Tower, this little take-out-only place now has seating inside and out. Smoked brisket is the house specialty with pulled pork close behind. Some days one sells out, on other days the other. Winter hours are 11-6 or until the meat runs out. Potato salad, slaw and drinks. Buy it by the sandwich or by the pound. $ L D

RUBBIE’S SOUTHSIDE GRILL & BAR 6905 Southside Dr., 367-0007. This South End family knows how to do BBQ. It may be off the beaten path for some folks but here you’ll find a bounty of secret BBQ recipes. $ L D pf

RUBBIN’ BUTTS BBQ 8007 Highway 311, Sellersburg IN, 7487266. Up the road a ways you will find this “traditional” BBQ joint with some house specialties not so traditional: smoked deviled eggs, BBQ pork queso and their signature, the BBQ PigE-Chonga, a flour shell stuffed with baked beans, cheese, and pulled pork, then deep fried and smothered in queso and BBQ sauce. $ L D

SHACK IN THE BACK BBQ 10706 W Manslick Rd., 363-3227. It’s a new location for this long-time Fairdale restaurant. In addition to standards like ribs, pulled pork and chicken, you can find smoked bologna, turkey ribs and pork rinds, plain or loaded with your choice of toppings. $ L D f

SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 491-7570. This Stony Brook-area eatery combines a sports-bar with a barbecue concept. Its large and varied menu includes wings and burgers, steaks and pork chops, and several takes on mac ‘n’ cheese, as well as righteous ribs. $$ L D p

SOUTH END BBQ 8610 Dixie Hwy., 290-9614. Feeding residents of Valley Station ribs, pulled pork and chicken since 2019, with all the savory sides, but also offering a Mexican menu card composed of tacos, nachos, burritos and more. Full bar featuring draft beer and margaritas. $$ L D p

THE SMOKERY 2354 Frankfort Ave., 709-5176. Smoked gouda mac? Texas armadillo eggs? They’re two of Chef Giovanni Tenace’s added enticements in Clifton at a tiny former bar where Tenace can usually be found smoking pork, chicken, brisket and ribs, alongside still more to eat: tacos, sliders and burgers. $$ D p f

BARRY’S CHEESESTEAKS 5408 Valley Station Rd., 298-9371. Barry Washington’s establishment in Valley Station is an edible manifestation of his ministry, featuring classic Philly cheesesteaks and fries (he’s originally from Philadelphia) in addition to mushroom cheesesteaks and sandwiches loaded in various creative ways. $ L D

BRIAN’S DELI 531 S. Fourth St., 561-0098. Between Chestnut Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Brian’s services the downtown lunch crowd with soup, salads, sandwiches and snacks. $ B L

MARTIN'S BAR-B-QUE JOINT 3408 Indian Lake Dr., 242-4666. Pretty famous in Tennessee, but Louisvillians can now savor the meats smoked in the open pit (the whole hogs take 24 hours). All dishes, meats, sides and even sauces are made in-house daily. For a different kind of treat, try the smoked turkey sandwich. $$ L D pf

MISSION BBQ 4607 Shelbyville Rd., 206-3331, 1213 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 269-3860. The National Anthem is played every day at noon at this Baltimore-based chain, which makes a point of supporting soldiers, firefighters, police officers and other first responders. Look for Texas-inspired brisket, smoked turkey, pulled chicken and pork, and even smoked salmon. There are also ribs, of course, sandwiches and scratchmade sides. $$ L D pf

MOMMA’S MUSTARD PICKLES & BBQ 102 Bauer Ave., 9386262, 119 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 290-7998. The St. Matthews

BRUEGGER’S BAGELS 119 Breckenridge Ln., 618-1158. The bagel/sandwich chain has set up shop in the middle of St. Matthews, offering another quick breakfast and lunch option. Choose from bagels and breakfast sandwiches, muffins, panini, salads and soups. $ B L f

BUTCHER’S BEST 9521 US Hwy. 42., 365-4650. This fullystaffed meat store in Prospect offers custom-cut beef, lamb, pork, bison, chicken and veal, plus a well-stocked deli and specialty foods, with skilled butcher Jimmy Mike at the helm. $ L D f

CHICAGO STEAK & LEMONADE 9015 Galene Dr.,742-1381. This local spot serves a variety of Philly cheese steaks, gyros, lemon-pepper fish dinners and wings. The lemonade comes in a passel of different flavor combos. $ L D

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

COLD SMOKE BAGELS 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 309-4269. Four kinds every day, with a schmear of your choice. Bagels, sandwiches and the weekend brunch highlights latkes. $ B Br L f

EV'S DELI 500 W. Jefferson St., 614-6300. A cozy downtown deli located in the Hilliard-Lyons building. Open for breakfast and lunch, it offers a good selection of sandwiches, panini and wraps at budget prices. $ L

FIREHOUSE SUBS 215 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 365-3473, 4905 Outer Loop, 749-4257. This national chain touts that they steam their meat and cheese sandwiches. Specialty subs carry out the Firehouse theme and the kids meals include a little fire helmet. $ L D

FRANK'S MEAT & PRODUCE 3342 Preston Hwy., 363-3989. Frank’s has been around a long time, treating those in the know to piled-high deli sandwiches for prices so reasonable it might seem you stepped into a time warp. There are steaks and chops and produce and other groceries, but it is best known for lunchtime service, where the long lines move fast, and the constant turnover ensures freshness of sandwiches and soups. $ L D

GALAN'S MEAT MARKET & DELI 2801 W. Market St., 6148514. This old-school butcher shop also offers piled-high deli sandwiches and sides such as German potato salad or sour cream macaroni and cheese salad. Eat-in at the handful of small tables or take away. $$ B L D

GOOD BELLY 2216 Dundee Rd., 322-0300. Riffing off a New York Jewish deli motif, features include pastrami, corned beef and Reuben sandwiches as ex-food truck operators refashion a Douglass Loop storefront. $$ L D

GORE’S SMOKEOUT BBQ 516B S. 18th St., 341-0985. A longtime food truck operator and caterer, Gore’s has taken one of two Russell neighborhood properties of the OneWest community foundation’s chef incubator program. Expect the full range of barbecued meats and sides, including more esoteric items like Grippo-encrusted chicken wings and smoked meatloaf. $$ L D

GORILLA BOB’S GRUB SHACK 8503 Terry Rd. The line forms early at the window of this tiny, carry-out-only kitchen kiosk in Pleasure Ridge Park, where devotees from near and far flock for the best-selling Hot Brown, and also other substantial sandwiches: A Reuben, Meatball, Philly Cheesesteak and Cuban, among others. $ L D f

HONEYBAKED CAFÉ 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 895-6001, 6423 Bardstown Rd., 239-9292, 3602 Northgate Crt., New Albany IN, 941-9426. Before holidays, you go in and carry out huge spiral-sliced hams or turkey breasts or beef roasts for your own parties. In the off season, you sit down in the café and order generous, filling sandwiches made from those same meats, served on rolls or croissants, cold or with a hot cheese melt. Soup and salads too. And cookies. $ L D f

JASON’S DELI 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 896-0150, 410 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-4101. Don’t look for a New York kosher-style deli at this Texas-based chain, but suburbanites are lining up at its multiple locations for oversize sandwiches, salads, wraps and more. $ L D f

JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS 10266 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1991, 10519 Fischer Park Dr., 425-1025, 1983 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3841384, 3013 Poplar Level Rd., 263-7002 404 W. Daisy Ln., New Albany IN, 812-590-1359, 5530 East Hwy. 62, Jeffersonville IN, 812-920-0359, 1305 Veterans Pky. Clarksville IN, 812725-8799. East Coast-style sub shop with local faves that include cheese, ham, prosciuttini, capicola, salami, pepperoni and fixings. $ L D f

JIMMY JOHN’S SUB SHOP (15 Locations) This national sandwich-shop chain offers a wide selection of over stuffed subs that benefit from fresh quality ingredients. But what sets them apart from the rest is their value — and they deliver. $ L D f

LADY TRON’S 147 E. Market St., New Albany, IN 725-9510. Owner Summer Seig has created an eclectic sci-fi theme for her soup and sandwich diner. Outside is Lady Tron, a smiling robot with red hair and a yellow apron; inside, you can find seasonal soups and sandwiches. $ B L D

LENNY’S SUB SHOP 3942 Taylorsville Rd., 454-7831. Another semi-national chain, covering mostly the South and Midwest, brings a selection of familiar subs, sandwiches and salads to Louisville diners eager for more standardized semi-fast food. $

L D f

LONNIE’S BEST TASTE OF CHICAGO 121 St. Matthews Ave., 895-2380. This appetizing operation offers genuine Chicago style hot dogs and a taste of Chicago atmosphere for a fair price.

$ L D f

LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. This familyowned pioneer in gourmet cheeses, oils, dips, hummus and, of course, pasta has been in operation for 37 years now. They are mainly an eclectic specialty-food store but fans stand three-deep at the sandwich counter every afternoon. And next door is a comfy café, to eat that deli sandwich, or get coffee and dessert.

$ L D f

MAIN EATERY 643 W. Main St., 589-7200. Smack dab in the middle of the Main Street historic district, this fashionable deli lures the savvy business midday crowd. $ L

MANHATTAN GRILL 429 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 561-0027.

$ B L

MAYA BAGEL EXPRESS 3029 Poplar Level Rd., 883-2333. Launched by savvy expatriates from the East Coast, Maya’s has eager customers lining up to nosh on New York-style bagels, including widely praised lox and pastrami equipped varieties. $ B L

MCALISTER’S DELI (11 Locations) Emphasizing quality customer service, this delicatessen ladles up such soups as gumbo and chicken tortilla along with cutting board favorites. They have a special way with a tumbler of sweet iced tea. $ L D

MELT 502 516A S. 18th St., 373-8121. “Gooey and delicious” egg rolls and sandwiches crafted from unusual combinations, all named after hip-hop or soul singers. The "Hot Boy" sandwich has grilled buffalo chicken, cream cheese and ranch sauce; the "M.I. Yayo" egg roll is stuffed with shrimp and cheese, and "Big Poppa” rolls contain jalapeños, bacon, and three cheeses. $$ L D

MORRIS DELI & CATERING 2228 Taylorsville Rd., 458-1668. Many locals still know this small, popular Highlands deli as Karem Deeb’s after its longtime previous owner. Mostly for takeout — it packs in a few crowded tables — it’s known for high-quality, hand-made deli fare. $ L

PANERA BREAD CO. (11 Locations) Warm breads finish-baked on the premises make a tasty base for a variety of sandwiches. Soups, salads, coffee drinks and a free WiFi hotspot make Panera’s outlets popular gathering places. $ B L D f

PARNELLI'S CHICAGO EATERY 3548 E. 10th St., Jeffersonville IN, 913-0025. If you crave Windy City classics like Vienna Beef hot dogs with neon relish or wet Italian beef sandwiches with giardiniera, head to the Jeff suburbs for Chicago specialites, incuding Greektown favorites like gyros and falafel. $ L D f

PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3922 Chenoweth Sq., 896-8918, 4946 Brownsboro Rd., 426-5070, 12119 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0072, 3704 Taylorsville Rd., 456-4750. One of Louisville’s popular sources for produce, cheeses, deli items, and the like. Deli sandwiches and salads are available (takeout only). $ L D

PAYNE STREET BAKEHOUSE 225 S. Spring St., 895-8323. Nancy’s Bagel Grounds has remodeled the space that had been Willingers Beer Depot after moving from its longtime digs on Frankfort Ave. Despite the name change, you can still get bagels and cream cheese with your coffee or juices as well as a breakfast sandwich called The Willinger. $ B L

PENN STATION (17 Locations). Billed as the East Coast Sub Headquarters, this sandwich kitchen does a brisk business here in the Louisville area. $ L D

POTBELLY SANDWICH SHOP 302 S. Fourth St., 540-1100, 4023 Summit Plaza Dr., 420-9616, 9018 Taylorsville Rd., 2904820. This local outpost of the Chicago chain offers substantial sandwiches, salads and even breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal both to the downtown lunch crowd along Fourth St., and out at the Summit in the eastern suburbs. $ L D f

QUIZNO’S SUBS 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 9817849. Toasted breads, a sandwich selection of meats, veggies and fish are built to fight hunger. Fresh soups are available daily, from chili to chowder; so are salads and desserts. $ L f

SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI 10531 Fischer Park Dr., 425-8447. The original Schlotzsky’s offered just one kind of sandwich — “The Original” — when it opened its first eatery in Austin, Texas, in 1971. Now this national chain vends a full selection of deli-style fare, with one significant improvement on the traditional deli: the servers are invariably polite. $ B L D f

SEEDS AND GREENS NATURAL MARKET & DELI 207 W. First St., New Albany IN, 944-3800. Browse among the organic vegetables and health foods, and stop by the deli for soups and salads, hot and cold sandwiches, vegan, vegetarian and omnivore preparations. $ L D

SOUPY’S 3027 Hunsinger Ln., 451-5325. Back in 1987, Danny Bowling’s mother-in-law, Bette, started making pots of soup in a corner of Bowling's Meats & Deli, a family courtesy that led in 1995 to Soupy’s. Now it’s about 2 million cups of soup later, by Soupy’s estimate, all using Bette’s recipes, cooked up in small batches daily. Salads, sandwiches (including veggie burgers) and sweets as well. $ L D

STEVENS DELI 1114 Bardstown Rd., 584-3354. This authentic New York-style deli occupies the rear third of the Ditto’s space in the heart of the Highlands. Take out or eat in one of the booths, you’ll get piled-high pastrami, brisket and corned beef and you’ll love lox and a schmear on your bagel — even if you don’t know what a schmear is. $ L

SUB STATION II 3101 Fern Valley Rd., 964-1075. The hardy No. 19, a six-meat-and-cheese super sub, keeps the store buzzing. An array of sandwiches, salad sides and desserts fill out an appetizing menu. $ L D

THE BLOCK GOURMET DELI 14041 Shelbyville Rd., 7854689. A husband and wife team with considerable experience in restaurants runs this Middletown deli. Fans report excellent thick sandwiches, fresh salads and homemade soups. Box lunches and catering also available. $$ L D

THE SALAD CHIC 428 W. Market St., 650-4450. At this downtown lunch spot customers can build their own salads,

salad and fruit kabobs or wraps, or choose from a prepared salad menu and changing daily soups. $$ L f

THELMA’S DELI 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House), 589-5200. Located in the glassed-in walkway (conservatory) between the two hotel towers, Thelma’s provides breakfast items, coffee, sandwiches and snacks 24/7 for Galt House guests and anyone else who needs, say, a pizza at 3 a.m. $$ B L D

TORINO'S SANDWICH BAR 821 E. Market St., 785-6800. Torino’s is one of two additions to NuLu Marketplace. An Italian-style deli, Torino’s offers Italian, roast beef and meatball subs, artichoke & eggplant panini, salads, deli counter items, and grab & go items. It is also a front for its sister business, Gertie’s Whiskey Bar. $$ L p

UNCLE D’S FRANKS 6409 Bardstown Rd., 963-5024. A familyowned Fern Creek carryout eatery offering hand-dipped corndogs with a variety of batter options, including honey, bacon or jalapeño, as well as all-beef franks with a choice of toppings for customizing. $ L

VINAIGRETTE SALAD KITCHEN 203 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 205-9933, 3012 Bardstown Rd., 874-5740, 4037 Summit Plaza Dr., 323-5515. This Lexington-based modestly upscale salad restaurant offers locally sourced soups and salads and fresh lemonade. The menu includes the Bluegrass Blackberry salad; chicken taco and maki shrimp salads; and soups such as creamy tomato and sausage, kale and potato. Be sure to try one of three fresh lemonades on offer daily. $$ L D

WHICH WICH? 9850 Von Allmen Ct., 290-3721, 221 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 708-2535, 13124 W. Hwy 42, 228-0621, 3531 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 920-0637. The concept here is “create your own sandwich” and draws on variety of proteins and over 30 toppings choices. The subs are the draw, but they also have wraps, and now a variety of shakes. $$ B L D

BURGER BOY 1450 S. Brook, 635-7410. For a real slice of Louisville life, this weathered greasy spoon at the corner of Brook and Burnett is the real thing. Neighborhood denizens drink coffee and chow down on burgers and breakfast until the wee hours (the joint is open 24 hours). If Louisville is home to a budding Charles Bukowski, there’s a good chance he’s sitting at their counter right now, recovering from last night’s excesses. $ B L D

BURGER GIRL 3334 Frankfort Ave., 709-5454. Dan Borsch, who owns Burger Boy Diner and Neon Pizza, has expanded into Crescent Hill. Burger Girl is a 24-hour burger grill, the sister to long-time somnambulists’ favorite Burger Boy. $$ B L D f

CHECK’S CAFÉ 1101 E. Burnett Ave., 637-9515. You can whiff a scent of Louisville history coming off the old walls of this quintessential Germantown saloon. The bar food here is about as good as bar food gets, and that’s not bad. The open-faced roast beef sandwich, with mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts, is a F&D favorite. $ L D pf

COTTAGE CAFÉ 11609 Main St., Middletown, 244-9497. This nostalgic old house in the countryside offers a taste of Kentucky-style cookery in an array of lunch specials that range from homemade soups and sandwiches to the traditional Hot Brown. $ L

THE COTTAGE INN 570 Eastern Pkwy., 919-7099. History meets comfort food in a neighborhood cottage in the St. Joseph neighborhood, where fried chicken, chicken livers, pork chops, Salisbury steak and other staples of Southern cuisine began being served in 1929 and resumed in 2023 after a brief hiatus.

$$ L D

D. NALLEY’S 970 S. Third St., 618-2429. The nostalgia here is almost palpable. The interior has been upgraded, but changed as little as possible. The food offerings continue to be diner standards, like what was served when it first opened 50+ years ago. $ B L D

DAVE & PEG’S COPPER KETTLE 276 Main Cross St., Charlestown IN, 256-4257. $ B L D

FOUR KINGS CAFÉ 4642 Jennings Ln., 968-2930. Steam-table service featuring spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and chicken

attract a hungry lunch crowd at this casual spot, and brunch specialties are just as popular. $ L D pf

FRONTIER DINER 7299 Dixie Hwy., 742-2478. The name “diner” says it all, and this friendly neighborhood spot on Dixie Highway delivers just what you’d expect in down-home comfort fare. The word on the street, though, is simple: Go for the pancakes. They’re worth a special trip. $ L D

GASLIGHT DINER 10509 Watterson Trl., 694-2322. The owners of Mac’s Dough House did some research and decided that one more pizza place was more than J’town needed, so they have converted their space to a diner: all day breakfast, lunchtime specials and comfort food dinners to appeal to all ages. $$ B Br L D f

GERALDINE’S KITCHEN 402 Wall St., Jeffersonville IN, 9247707. Geraldine is the late mother of owner/chef Bob Hoyland; Geraldine’s Kitchen is a tribute to her sense of hospitality. Breakfast and lunch are served in an inviting, homey atmosphere. $ B L

LIL' WAGNERS 4520 Poplar Level Rd., (Derby City Gaming), 961-7600. A sit-down restaurant when you need a break from betting. Burgers and sandwiches (including fried bologna), starters like nachos, fried pickles and crab cakes, and soups and salads. Also a grab-and-go menu of wraps, sandwiches and desserts. $ L D

LINDSAY'S KITCHEN 5300 Cane Run Rd., 384-4823. Good ol' southern hospitality and home-made food are the draws at this modest place in the far southwest of the city. The menu includes chicken-fried steak, meatloaf and liver and onions. $ B L D

METRO DINER 4901 Outer Loop, 357-0767. The first local outlet of this Florida-based chain features "classic comfort food with flair.” Harking back to the glory days of diners, Metro Diner offers breakfast, lunch and dinner menus all day long. Signature dish is fried chicken and waffles, with burgers, seafood and salads also available. $$ B L D

O’DOLLYS 7800 Third St. Rd., 375-1690. Homestyle steam-table favorites, available from breakfast to dinner, not to mention full bar service that makes O’Dollys a Southwest Louisville destination. $ B L D p

THE GOOSE 812 Lyndon Ln., 339-8070. “Re-Make/Re-Model” in Lyndon, where the renamed former Goose Creek Diner has new digs at the former Sal’s Pizza Pub; a refocused, bar-oriented neighborhood hangout approach; and a menu adding new shareable items while retaining previous favorites like fried green tomatoes and salmon croquettes. $ B Br L D

WAGNER’S PHARMACY 3113 S. Fourth St., 375-3800. A trackside institution for over 100 years that has as much history as the nearby Twin Spires of Churchill Downs. Soups, sandwiches, shakes and an early bird “trainer’s” breakfast can be enjoyed all year round. Racing history on the walls and servers who’ll call you “hon.” $ B L

ADA'S KITCHEN AND CATERING 214 W. Broadway, 5613762. The late Ada Smith’s astounding half-century of community culinary service lives on at Smith’s namesake eatery downtown, where her children and grandchildren continue to prepare “your first choice in home-style cooking,” with soul food staples like fried chicken and fish, meatloaf, pork barbecue and “Kentucky oysters” (chitterlings), along with all the sides, including mashed potatoes, mac ‘n’ cheese and baked beans. $ L

BOOK & BOURBON SOUTHERN KITCHEN 600 Terminal Dr. (Louisville Airport). This library-themed concept at this upscale, airport dining venue offers more than 100 bourbons, along with a classic craft cocktail list. The food menu tweaks Southern comfort food with items such as fried green tomato Benedict and buttermilk fried chicken and waffles. $$ B L D p

CASK SOUTHERN KITCHEN & BAR 9980 Linn Station Rd., 614-6499. The former SOU! Southern Kitchen & Bar has been reconceptualized as, as one customer called it, a “Bbq plus restaurant.” Gumbo, Brunswick stew, grit fritters and pulled pork nachos, dry rubbed oak-smoked ribs, smoked meatloaf sandwi ch (served hot or cold) and buttermilk

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

Southern fried chicken sandwich are among the new items on the menu. $$$ D p

DASHA BARBOURS SOUTHERN BISTRO 217 E. Main St., 882-2081. This peripatetic, family-owned restaurant with a fine reputation settled anew, moving from Buechel to downtown, into the former Celtic Pig. Dasha’s certainly gives the “bistro” concept a down-home Southern twist. The menu is Southern comfort food: excellent fried chicken, pork chops, sweet potato casserole, and mac and cheese. $$ B L D p

FLO'S HOUSE OF SOUL 3400 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 7423065. You order at the window and eat on the patio, which has heaters for cooler weather and TVs for watching big games. Owner Jason Hatcher tries to do good for his community, offering food rewards to kids with good report cards. Choices include burgers, chili dogs, Philly cheesesteaks, whiting and catfish sandwiches, nachos and ice cream. $$ Br D pf

FORTY ACRES AND A MULE RESTAURANT 1800 Dixie Hwy., 776-5600. $ L D

FRANCO’S RESTAURANT & CATERING 3300 Dixie Hwy., 448-8044. Long-time fans of Jay’s Cafeteria (including politicians and national entertainers) are no longer bereft. Jay’s former owners serve up Southern Soul food in Shively at familyfriendly prices. Look for smothered pork chops, collard greens, fried chicken, fried catfish and fruit cobbler. $ L D

FUN FOOD KITCHEN & DELI 4106 Murphy Ln., 329-2266. This East End strip mall soul food outlet has it all: jumbo chicken wings and tenders, pork ribs and rib tips, fish, sandwiches, home-cooked sides, peach cobbler and banana pudding. $ L D f

LUCRETIA’S KITCHEN 1812 West Muhammad Ali Blvd. (Chef Space), 294-8143. It’s Wing Wednesday, Rib Tip Thursday, Fried Fish Friday and Soul Food Sunday at this ambitious little startup operating in the business incubator in the near West End.$$ Br L D

MATTIE'S KITCHEN 1018 S. 15th St., (St. Stephens Family Life Center), 544-8954. Open Wednesdays and Fridays for lunch

and dinner, and Sundays for after-church dining. The flexible menu can list fried or baked chicken, pork chops, mac n’ cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and on Fridays, catfish is a special.$ Br L

PO-Z'S KITCHEN 6801 Dixie Hwy., 883-0073. Pleasure Ridge Park residents in need of chicken wings, fried fish and side dishes like fried cabbage, mixed greens and sweet baked beans can find them here. Desserts too, like banana pudding and honey bun cake. $$ L D p

SHIRLEY MAE’S CAFÉ 802 Clay St., 589-5295. This Smoketown institution draws hungry locals as well as celebrities in town hungry for the soul food of their youth. BBQ ribs and hot-water cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillets. Pig’s feet and chicken wings and collards, all seasoned with Shirley Mae Beard’s spice rack — salt and pepper. $ L D

SOUL FOOD DINING 4900 Poplar Level Rd., 915-8239. A cafeteria-style restaurant that offers all that a soul food fan would want: BBQ chicken, meatloaf, ribs, pork chops (with or without gravy), catfish, buffalo, and whiting, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, greens, green beans, sweet potatoes and slaw.

$$ L D

SOUL HI VEGAN 1860 Mellwood Ave., 402-2577. Progressing from pop-up to ghost kitchen to space at the Mellwood Art Center, Kamysha Blackwell continues to refine her signature vegan soul food dishes, whether vegetable based or prepared using Impossible and Beyond meats, like Philly cheese “steaks” and fried “chicken.” $$$ D f

SOUTHERN EXPRESS 418 W. Oak St., 963-1719. This wellknown West End carryout spot has moved into a sit-down location in Old Louisville. There, classic soul food is served for eat-in or takeout and at rock-bottom prices. Diners build their own meal at $1 per item. Choices vary daily, but look for fried chicken, cooked cabbage, fried whiting, pork roast, fried or smothered pork chops, mac and cheese and rib tips. $ L D f

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY 3402 W. Broadway, 822-1474. A family sports bar that satisfies all ages with its homey

atmosphere and its well-crafted familiar food like double cheeseburgers, fried chicken with hot water cornbread, catfish, wings and ribs. $ L D p

SOUTHERN RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 301 W. Market St., 649-0037. This corner spot that was for many years Deke’s Marketplace Grill has new life. Now, during the day, it is an upscale dining destination, featuring a Southern-inspired menu. In the evening it becomes a lounge with live music and limited menu. $$ D p

SUE'S TOUCH OF COUNTRY 2605 Rockford Ln., 450-5059. Sue’s provides Shively with the kind of “stick to your ribs” food you go to a country/family style restaurant for. Daily Specials, homemade desserts and breakfast served all day. $ B L D

THE BLACK JOCKEYS LOUNGE 630 S. Fourth St., 587-0526. Most recently this downtown space was Encore on 4th. Now, in partnership with the Project to Protect African-American Turf History, Black Jockeys Lounge celebrates the history of Black jockeys. Waitstaff wear jockey-inspired uniforms and the menu features items the jockeys may have ordered themselves: chicken and waffles, jerk chicken, prime rib, fried catfish and bread pudding. $$ Br L p

THE KITCHEN TABLE 522 Happy Hollow Rd., Clermont, KY 347-2920. Jim Beam Distillery’s on-site restaurant serves highquality traditional Kentucky dishes (burgoo, fried catfish, fried chicken) and interesting variations (dick poppers, hot smoked trout). Bourbon balls, of course, are among the dessert choices. $$$ L pf

TINO'S TASTE OF HEAVEN 1800 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 356-0232. The inheritor of the ex-Sweet Peaches space in the West End, Tino’s has been offering lavish “Soul Food Sunday” spreads (Noon to 4:00 p.m.) in preparation for a resumption of daily business hours. $$ D

V-GRITS 1001 Logan St., 889-6333. Co-owner Kristina Addington’s soulful vegan renditions of southern comfort food have a new, downsized portal at Logan Street Market in Shelby Park, having relocated from Germantown in early 2023.

Addington’s former V-Grits sister business, Chimera Brewing Company, has closed. $$$ L D p f

VIBES RESTAURANT & ULTRA LOUNGE 1346 River Rd., 568-6691. This sleek, chic, eclectic music and food venue is in the former Relish building. Vibes serves bar bites such as burgers and sandwiches, appetizers, loaded hot dogs and entrees like wings, tenders, shrimp and fish at lunch, brunch and dinner. $$ Br L D p

CRAVINGS ALA CARTE 101 S. Fifth St. (National City Tower), 584-6846. This thrifty deli offers a variety of build-your-own sandwiches, a soup-and-salad bar and specialty bars featuring baked potatoes and a monthly ethnic creation. $ L

GOLDEN CORRAL 1402 Cedar St., Clarksville IN. 812-9137577, 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 883-5700. All you can eat cafeteria style family dining at one price very resonable price these days. If the quantity doesn’t surprise you, the food quality will. Steaks are served beginning at 4 p.m. $ L D

ABOUT TIME BAR AND GRILL 12406 La Grange Rd. At this suburban sports bar and grill you can find casual fare like fried cod, fish and steak tacos and Philly cheesesteaks. The bar serves an extensive cocktail menu, beer and wine. $ L D p f

AMY Z’S PUB 813 Lyndon Ln., 290-7334. A staple in Lyndon for more than a decade, with televised sports, live entertainment, pool tables, and an outdoor patio. Dining options include homemade burgers and old-school comfort food. $ D pf

BACKSIDE AT WHISKEY ROW 108 W. Washington St., 6302012. Taking over the space near the Yum! Center that had briefly held The Hall on Washington, Backside’s menu leans toward American dishes: burgers, chicken sandwiches, honeybutter biscuits and salads. The restaurant is also adding bourbon flights to qualify for a listing on the Urban Bourbon Trail. $$ L D p

BAR AT HOTEL GENEVIEVE 730 E. Market St. (Hotel Genevieve), 586-7049. For afternoon and evening hours, the Hotel Genevieve’s upper floor bar offers libations with light culinary fare inspired by Mediterranean-influenced French street food, as created by Chef Ashleigh Shanti Indoor and outdoor seating come with a panoramic view of the city. $$ D pf

BAXTER’S 942 BAR & GRILL 942 Baxter Ave., 409-9422. Lively music offerings and excellent barbecue have made this Lower Highlands bar and grill a satisfying place to dine. The BBQ comes as pulled chicken, pork and brisket in sandwiches or full dinners. $ D pf

BEEF O’BRADY’S 241 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-2322, 5628 Bardstown Rd., 239-2226, 3101 S. Second St., 637-3737, 11324 Preston Hwy., 969-5559, 105 LaFollette Ct., Floyds Knobs IN, 923-1316. If you think your basic sports pub is only suitable for guys guzzling beer, take another look: Beef O’Brady’s puts the “family” in “family sports pub,” offering a wholesome environment. $ L D f

BIG AL’S BEERITAVILLE 1715 Mellwood Ave., 893-4487. Good people, good food, cold beer: The sign out front says it all, and we might add “cool atmosphere” in praise of this small but friendly Butchertown oasis. $ L D pf

BROWNIE’S THE SHED GRILLE & BAR 9900 Linn Station Rd., 326-9830, 826 W. Main St., New Albany IN, 920-0030. Restaurant owner and namesake Keith Brown used to host neighborhood gatherings in a shed at his home. Now he brings the same sociable concept to his two sports pubs, the area’s official homes for Cincinnati Bengals fans. $ L D pf

BUBBA'S 33 4631 Medical Plaza Way, Clarksville IN, 284-5933. The 12th location of the growing chain from the guys at Texas Roadhouse, Bubba’s is a family friendly sports bar with TVs galore and corn hole boards on the patio. The menu offers chicken with two types of bacon, chili-rubbed salmon, smoked chipotle wings, a spicy habanero burger and pizzas. $$ L D pf

BUD’S TAVERN GOOD FOOD & BARBECUE 4014 Dixie Hwy., 384-9131, 9119 Galene Dr., 409-6066. This wellestablished Shively tavern has added a second location in Jeffersontown. It’s noted for excellent service and honest bar food that consistently receives high praise. Signature dishes — “gently fried” grouper, burgers (including a Reuben burger), as well as burritos and barbecue — are now available at both locations. $ L D pf

BUNGALOW JOE’S BAR & GRILL 7813 Beulah Church Rd., 931-5637. A “family friendly sports bar and grill” in the Fern Creek area boasts 23 HDTVs including a 5- by 7-foot HD projector for 3D football viewing, a game room for kids, and plenty of wings, shrimp, burgers and beer. $$ L D pf

fried bologna sandwiches and Cajun dry rub chicken wings. $$ L D p

FLANAGAN’S ALE HOUSE 934 Baxter Ave., 585-3700. Gourmet pizzas, hoagies, and an enormous beer selection draw Highlands folks to this cozy neighborhood pub. For a late night pizza (the kitchen’s open until 2 a.m.), it’s one of the best options in the city. $$ L D pf

GERSTLE’S PLACE 3801 Frankfort Ave., 742-8616. A popular St. Matthews neighborhood tavern since 1924. Although dining is secondary to booze and sports here, the food goes well beyond mere pub grub. $ L D pf

GERTIE’S SPORTS BAR NEXT DOOR 823 E. Market St. (NuLu Marketplace), 785-6800. The owners of Gertie’s Whiskey Bar have opened a sports bar right next door, featuring a Fireball machine and tequila snow cones. Watch games and indulge in“sophisticated hotdogs” and Frito pie, as well as shareable snacks. $$ D p

GERTIE'S WHISKEY BAR 821 E. Mar ket St., 785-6800. Nashville chef (and Louisville native) Matt Bolus has opened a second location of his popular Gertie's Whiskey Bar, hidden away, speakeasy-style, behind Torino's Sandwich Bar; both businesses are part of Nashville-based Red Pebble Hospitality. Bolus has hand-picked 11 single barrel selections to augment the 100+ bottles of whiskey in stock. $$$ D p f

GOODBOUNCE PICKLEBALL YARD 1515 River Shore Dr., 290-2730. If pickleball is inevitable, you might as well accompany the exercise with fried pickles, pickle-brined fried chicken, and build-your-own nachos, bowls and tacos prepared on-site by Chef Ashlee Northington of Happy Belly Bistro. $$ L D pf

GRANVILLE INN 1601 S. Third St., 636-2748. A longtime gathering place for U of L students, faculty and fans, this sturdy redbrick tavern just north of the university campus offers a good variety of bar munchies, sandwiches and simple grilled fare plus pizza. It’s perhaps best known, though, for the signature Granville Burger, widely reputed as one of the best burgers in town. $ L D p

GREAT AMERICAN GRILL 2735 Crittenden Dr. (Hilton Garden Inn), 637-2424. Salads, burgers, pastas and sandwiches are available for the casual diner; main entrées include New York strip, filet of salmon and more. $ Br D pf

HARBOR AND HOPS 3010 Gottbrath Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 748-2622. TIn 2020 the Brown family localized and rebranded their erstwhile franchise operation, emerging with the largest selection of draft beer in Southern Indiana (85 taps) plus draft wines, hard ciders, kombucha and hard seltzer. The hearty pub menu is familiar and comforting – lots of burgers, beer cheese soup, salads and sandwiches, and a limited entree selection. $$$ L D pf

BUZZARD’S ROOST WHISKEY ROW EXPERIENCE 624 W. Main St., 315-8688. An educational downtown sampling and sales venue showcasing expressions of master blender Jason “Bourbons Bistro” Brauner’s award-winning Buzzard’s Roost whiskies and also incorporating classes designed by F&D contributors Susan Reigler and Heather Wibbels. $$$ L D p

DRAKE’S 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 614-7327, 3921 Summit Plaza Dr., 384-3921, 2651 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 409-6130, 1520 Veterans Pkwy. Jeffersonville IN, 812-913-5060. Lexingtonbased Bluegrass Hospitality Group has three local outlets that offer twenty-four craft beers on tap to wash down the traditional pub grub of tacos, ribs and — these days — sushi. Familyfriendly by day and a hoppin’ spot at night, with music videos and a DJ. $$ L D pf

DUNDEE TAVERN 2224 Dundee Rd., 458-6637. After a few flips and changes, Dundee Tavern has found its soul again as a neighborhood bar. A lot of beer choices on draft and in bottles, and a comfort food menu that includes wings and fingers, fried pickles, chili, burgers and sandwiches and Tavern Specialties like grilled flat iron steak and southern-fried cod. $$ L D pf

FIRST STRING BAR AND GRILL 5921 New Cut Rd., 3660049. This South End sports bar offers pizza, baked spaghetti,

HARRY’S TAPHOUSE & KITCHEN 130 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN., 725-1111. The terrace and patio of this family-friendly riverside spot provide wide views of the Ohio, where you can chow down on well-crafted bar food – fried pickles or jalapeño cheese balls, harvest apple salad, a chicken wrap, Philly cheesesteak or grilled bologna sandwich, baby back ribs or smothered chicken over jasmine rice or a full 1/2 pound burger. $$ L D pf

HELL OR HIGH WATER 112 W. Washington St., 587-3057. The entrance is through Hello Curio, an ostensible arts and crafts gallery. Downstairs is the main bar in a two-story library with a mezzanine floor, looking out onto a small live entertainment area. Craft cocktails are bourbon-focused but not exclusively. There is a small bites menu, but drinks are the center of the “speakeasy” experience. $$ D p

HIGHLANDS BAR & GRILL 2280 Bardstown Rd., 963-5956. Two regular customers of the former Diamond Station have taken over the premises on Bardstown Road, with a “bar food” menu of sandwiches, salads, and burgers. House-made sauces and dressings are derived from venerable family recipes. $$ D pf

HIGHLANDS TAPROOM GRILL 1058 Bardstown Rd., 5845222. Another nice choice for beer and bar food along the B’town Rd. corridor, but owner Tommy Clemons’ menu includes, but extends beyond, the usual beer cheese, chili and

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

burgers. Look for the crabby patty or the French toast sausage. The pulled pork spring rolls are on their way to becoming legendary. $$ L D pf

HILLCREST TAVERN 3212 Frankfort Ave., 290-6917. Dan Borsch, who runs several Old Louisville spots like Burger Boy Diner and Old Louisville Tavern, has expanded into Clifton with this renovation of a long-time neighborhood watering hole. The menu mirrors that of Old Louisville Tavern, with burgers, sandwiches, appetizers and a few entrée items. A vintage 100-year old bar will anchor the nostalgic ambiance. $$ L D pf

HILLTOP TAVERN 1800 Frankfort Ave., 742-2908. The Skelton brothers (John is an alum of Seviche) have settled in at this prime Clifton location. Their tavern fare is focused on barbecue, with pulled pork and beer-butt chicken specialties, along with hefty sandwiches (their meatloaf is a standout). $ D p

HITCHING POST INN 7314 Fegenbush Ln., 239-4724. In addition to its full bar and beer garden, and lively conversation, the Hitching Post Inn offers an array of pub grub, including burgers, chicken tenders, and sandwiches. $ L D pf

HOOPS GRILL AND SPORTS BAR 6733 Strawberry Ln., 3754667. The name says it all: sports, casual dining and good things to drink all find their natural meeting place at this friendly neighborhood spot that boasts 3 different steak sandwiches, along with pizza, burgers and chicken. $ L D pf

JOHN O’BRYAN’S TAVERN 4123 Flintlock Dr., 449-4940. $ B

L D f

KERN’S KORNER 2600 Bardstown Rd., 456-9726. This familyowned tavern, a popular neighborhood pit stop since 1978, offers freshly made ham, chicken salad sandwiches and soups. The hamburgers, though, might be the best unpretentious burgers in town: freshly ground daily, always cooked perfectly, and served on a toasted bun. The chili ranks among the top in the city too. $ L D pf

KHALIL’S 10966 Dixie Hwy., 632-2227. A family sports bar in Valley Station boasts plenty of TVs, including some tabletop TVs in booths. Menu presents the usual bar food suspects — salads, wings, burgers — but the burgers are on pretzel buns. $

L D p

LEGENDS CAFÉ 2602 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, (812) 920-0786. This small, family-owned cafe, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with $1 beer every day. Daily specials rotate monthly, and Fridays are a fish-only menu. $ B L D p

LOSERS812 1005 W. Market St., Jeffersonville IN, 812-9131414. Two local musicians who saw an unfilled market niche for rock and roll in all its many permutations put their money where their chords are, and the result is live music seven days a week, a late-night kitchen, full bar, billiards, a small arcade, and corn hole. The Jeffersonville venue lies in the shadow of the Clark Memorial Bridge. $ L D pf

LOUISVILLE INTERNATIONAL PUB 5343 Mitscher Ave. 3843952. A neighborhood bar with an international focus. Eclectic bar food options cover the globe with dinner and sandwich options like nachos, chili, falafel, poppers, burgers, kabobs, and shawarma.$ L D p

MG'S PRIME TIME CAFÉ 7017 Global Dr., 333-0719. If you find yourself hungry on the far Southwest side of town, this café can satisfy with appetizers like jalapeño poppers or fried pickles, burgers built your way, or an range of sandwich options. $ L D pf

NEAT BOURBON BAR & BOTTLE SHOP 1139 Bardstown Rd., 690-3254. This Highlands vintage Bourbon bar takes advantage of the Kentucky vintage spirits law that allows bar owners to buy, sell and trade on the secondary market. The result is Neat’s focus on old and rare bottles that people have collected over the years and now want to sell or trade. $$ L D p

NEIL & PATTY’S FIRESIDE BAR & GRILL 7611 IN 311, Sellersburg IN, 246-5456. A family owned and operated outpost up the road a piece, long known for their warm and welcoming, down-home atmosphere, has expanded their craft beer selection. The local cognoscenti know they can also find excellent pastas, steaks, seafood, and salads. Homemade soups are created daily. Breakfast served until 2 p.m. $$ Br L D p

NEW DIRECTION BAR & GRILL 2630 Chamberlain Ln., 2438429. $ L D pf

OLD HICKORY INN 1038 Lydia St., 634-3011. John Murrow, long involved with Check’s Café, has re-opened this iconic Germantown bar, setting out to return the troubled property to its historic role as a quintessential neighborhood dive bar. $

L D p

OLD LOUISVILLE TAVERN 1532 S. Fourth St., 409-6281. It’s risen from the ashes, the interior gutted and redone, a new kitchen installed, but the menu is the same as before: top-flight bar grub made from scratch. An expanded beer program with 16 new taps includes a selection of local and craft beers. $$ L D pf

O-LINE SPORTS GRILL 2813 N Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-6171. You can watch every game, every sport all year long, they claim. While you do, you can chow down a variety of bar food, such as the juicy Lucy cheese burger or nacho burger. The kids might like the mini-footballs, franks encased in pastry dough, fried and served with dipping sauces. $ L D p

PARLAY 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 384-4239. $$ D p

PEARL STREET TAPHOUSE 407 Pearl Street, Jeffersonville IN, 285-0890. Located in an historic home that was saved through a preservation grant, this pub has 24 taps with a heavy focus on local breweries, with regional and national choices as well. Food choices range from pizzas to bacon-wrapped dates to corned beef grilled cheese sandwiches. Everything is fresh and nothing is deep-fried. $ L D p f

PINTS&UNION 114 E. Market St., New Albany IN., 913-4647. Beer maven (and F&D contributor) Roger Baylor and partner Joe Phillips have renovated an old neighborhood bar, where the taps dispense familiar quality beers and ales, the bar crafts interesting cocktails and the bottled beer selection skews toward Belgian ales. The small kitchen offers pub-inspired small plates with an Indian accent. $ L D p

PORCH KITCHEN & BAR 280 W. Jefferson St. (Marriott), 6714246. As part of the recent renovation of the Marriott, this allday restaurant replaces Champions Sports Grill. The name reflects the intention of the new restaurant to be a homey, welcoming downtown spot. Look for American-style comfort foods and a friendly bar. B Br L D pf

RAILYARD BILLIARDS & SPORTS BAR 630 Barret Ave., 6184033. Serious pool players and rabid sports watchers will find common cause amid 4,000 square feet of fun, or put another way, 31 pool tables, three bars with craft beer and cocktails, pub fare, 26 TVs, a covered deck and live music. All this, and Mile Wide Beer Co. is just downstairs, too. $$ L D FB f

RECBAR 10301 Taylorsville Rd., 509-3033, 336 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 670-5234. Family fun is the object here, with games galore: pool and ping-pong, skeeball, arcade games (for Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Super NES) and card and board games. A full bar and pub-style food, too. $$ L D pf

RED YETI RESTAURANT 256 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN. 2885788. The small brewing system is gone; rotating craft beer taps remain, and the kitchen is as ambitious (and popular) as ever. It’s the little things, like ample street-side seating and a genuinely thoughtful kid’s menu. Appetizers like Goat Cheese Fritters and Truffle Fries lead logically to Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Brisket and a Kentuckiana Hot Brown. $$ L D pf

RIVER CITY DRAFTHOUSE 1574-1/2 Bardstown Rd., 6905111. Another beer joint along the Bardstown Road corridor boasts more than 20 taps focused on independent, American, craft beer (in sample, half-pint and pint sizes) and several bottled options. Its limited (for now) bar menu has garnered early praise for its wings. $$ L D f

ROOTIE’S SPORTS BAR & GRILLE 12205 Westport Rd., 3654681. The first entry of the Buffalo-based chain to open in the area. Rootie’s angle is charcoal-grilled wings with a thick, hickory-smoked spicy sauce. $ L D pf

SAINT’S 131 Breckinridge Ln., 891-8883. Almost like two restaurants in one, Saints features both a small, intimate, candle-lighted room and a larger, happily boisterous main room with the look and feel of a sports bar. $$ L D pf

SANGRIA BAR AT UNION 125 W. Chestnut St., Jeffersonville IN, 812-725-7778. This colorful and airy weekends-only bar

specializing in sangria and sparkling mimosas is freestanding, but shares ownership with the bustling adjacent Union Restaurant & GameYard, just yards from the Big Four Walking Bridge. $$ BL D pf

SEASONED PUB & GRILL 6021 Timber Ridge Dr., 290-6215. A quintessential sports bar with TVs galore and a classic bar menu: beer cheese, tots, onion rings or fries But also strombolis and other hot sandwiches, burgers and wings, of course, and salads. $$ L D p

SERGIO’S WORLD BEERS 1605 Story Ave., 618-2337. Despite minimal signage, Sergio’s Butchertown digs pull in his fans, who dig the quirky website, and the whole aura of haughty mystery. What you really need when you locate the place is a desire to explore Sergio’s world beer inventory, nearing 1000 different brews. $$ D

SHOPBAR 950 Barret Ave., 709-4696. The former gas station has been converted into a small artisanal boutique and welcoming bar with a food truck — FoodShop at the rear. The menu rotates, but recently it included fried white fish, a pork jowl sandwich served on a pretzel bun, and mushroom tostadas. $ Br D pf

SPRING STREET BAR & GRILL 300 S. Spring St. The beloved Irish Hill eatery and watering hole closed in 2020 after a 33year run but has been seamlessly revived by the owners of High Horse bar and Darling’s. Wings remain the draw, augmented by sandwiches, soups and salads. $$ L D p

TAVERN ON FOURTH 427 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 588-8888. This spacious sports bar adds to the festivities at Fourth Street Live. You will find plenty of games, filling upscale bar food and lots of drink choices at the bar. $$ D pf

THE BACK DOOR 1250 Bardstown Rd. (Mid City Mall), 4510659. A Louisville legend. You need a bit of perseverance to track down this saloon on the back side of Mid-City Mall. When you do, you will find one of the city’s friendliest pubs, a most eclectic clientele, with a reputation for the best pour of drinks around. Limited bar fare, but solid. But don’t miss out on the chicken wings.$ D pf

THE EARL 109 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 590-2611. This bar offers craft cocktails and upscale bar food such as spicy pimento cheese with pretzel bread, cheese and charcuterie boards, and roasted cauliflower with bleu cheese. $$ D p

THE FOX DEN 3814 Frankfort Ave., 742-0068. Returning to his roots in the restaurant biz, Jared Matthews has revamped the St. Matthews Diamond Billiards space into The Fox Den. Plenty of sports-oriented fun can be found here: Ample big screen TVs, 11 pool and billiard tables, darts and live music, plus a menu of elevated bar food. Open every night till 4am. $$ L D pf

THE KESWICK CLUB 1127 Logan St., 640-2032. A Shelby Park bar and performance venue situated in the legendary former home of the Keswick Democratic Club (from the 1950s an apolitical stage) and much later, Red Top Gourmet Hotdogs. Food trucks (including Red Top’s) and pop-ups provide meals. $$ L D

THE LIBRARY 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 313-6664. By day, the Library serves coffee, lattes and tea along with freshly baked pastries. By late afternoon, it morphs into a bourbon bar with locally inspired cocktails. $ B L p

THE PALM ROOM 1821 W. Jefferson St., 581-1251. The classic West End entertainment and dining spot is back, with a variety of special nights – Tuesday comedy, Thursday ladies’ night, Sunday brunch and jazz at night. The menu focuses on wings, salads and dinner specials. $$ D p

THE PEARL 1151 Goss Ave., 996-7552. The Pearl aims to be a classic neighborhood pub (not unlike Pauly’s, which it replaces). It also aims to be a spirits-focused hangout, with a bar menu limited to snacks like pickled eggs, country ham and cheese sandwiches and free popcorn or roasted nuts. In the works is a permanent food truck to be parked in the rear to expand food offerings. $$ L D pf

THE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB 427 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 568-1400. This Cordish-owned spot has four bars — including one that opens out onto the street — plenty of TVs to catch every game, and even a “stadium style sports media

room.” Chow down with the usual burgers, sandwiches and wings. $$ L D pf

THE WATER COMPANY 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 3136664. There is a 3rd-floor rooftop pool at the new Omni Hotel, and this is the bar that goes with it, also offering seasonallyinspired light bites. $$ L D p f

THIRSTY HOUND SPORTS BAR 7207 Fegenbush Ln., 9197003. This Fern Creek hangout offer all that a sports fan could want: wings and ribs, nachos, potato skins, fried pickles, sandwiches, pork chops and steaks. $$ L D pf

TIM TAM TAVERN 1022 Clarks Ln., 883-0101. Named for the 1958 Kentucky Derby winner, the Schnitzelburg/ Audubon neighborhood bar has a new look and a kitchen that serves bar staples like burgers, fried pickles and cheese curds plus pizza from Danny Mac’s Pizza. (Dan McMahon, owner of Danny Mac’s Pizza, is a partner.) $ L D p f

TIN ROOF 3921 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1914. This Nashville-based chain in the heart of St. Matthews has a split personality: a family-friendly vibe during the lunch hours; and a rockin’ juke joint at night with live music until 3 a.m. Its menu encompasses everything you expect from bar grub: deep-fried hot dogs, hot wings, quesadillas and salads for the ladies. $ L D pf

TOASTY'S TAVERN 1258 S. Shelby St., 614-7094. An addition to the Germantown bar scene, Toasty’s addresses the needs of late night hungry imbibers with cheeseburgers and breakfast sandwiches, loaded fries, and a vegan hot dog. Signature cocktails include watermelon mint margarita and flavored daiquiris. $ D pf

TROLL PUB UNDER THE BRIDGE 150 W. Washington St., 618-4829. On the downslope alongside the Clark Memorial Bridge, a large troll beckons the adventurous into a space excavated out of the lost space in the old whiskey warehouse. The renovation boasts lots of dark, brick-walled spaces, as well as a funky outdoor dining area in the lightwell. The menu offers stacked sandwiches, bison burgers and sweet potato tots, and ribeye steaks. $$ L D pf

ZANZABAR 2100 S. Preston St., 635-9227. An icon of the ’70s bar scene. The stylish tile front has been recreated anew, the arcade is stocked with vintage games and top-flight live music plays late into the night. $ L D

3RD TURN BREWING 10408 Watterson Tr., 482-3373. Jeffersontown’s first brewery inhabits a repurposed 150-yearold church building, and offers an ever-changing roster of beer styles. Guests are welcome to bring their own food. 3rd Turn’s second location is Oldham Gardens at 6300 Old Lagrange Rd. in Crestwood KY, boasting an acre of indoor and outdoor space at a former garden center. $ D pf

AGAINST THE GRAIN BREWERY 401 E. Main St., 515-0174. Slugger Field once again has a beer-pub. The owners, veterans of the local brewing revival, have worked out an ambitious rotating beer selection and a smokehouse theme for the kitchen, with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. $$ L D pf

AKASHA BREWING COMPANY 909 E. Market St., 742-7770.

Rick Stidham brews a full range of craft beers. Akasha is known for variations on a theme of kettle-soured Gose, as well as the scrupulously recreated Fehr’s XL, Louisville’s celebrated preProhibition Pilsner. There is no food, but numerous NuLu eateries are located within carryout and delivery distance. $ D pf

APOCALYPSE BREW WORKS 1612 Mellwood Ave., 742-0090. Veteran home brewers Leah Dienes, Paul Grignon and Bill Krauth run this brewery in Butchertown, dedicated to fresh craft beer in a space that heats with solar, recycles and reuses materials and grains. Their taproom, dubbed The Fallout Shelter, serves up to 10 of their concoctions. $ f

ATRIUM BREWING 1154 Logan St., 690-3069, 11203 River Beauty Loop, 290-0501. Shelby Park’s exuberant and innovative brewery touches all points on the stylistic map, from Italian Pilsner to Hazy IPA, with renowned fruit-infused sours. Daryk’s food truck provides sandwiches and fries. Atrium’s chic Norton

Commons taproom opened in 2023, currently without food (but eateries are nearby). $ L D p f

B.J.’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE 7900 Shelbyville Rd.(Oxmoor Center), 326-3850. This Southern California chain arrived east of the Mississippi, including a large and imposing brewhouse at Oxmoor Center. A full range of made-in-Nevada craft beers is dispensed, along with upscale-casual pub grub. $$ L D p

BLUEGRASS BREWING COMPANY 300 W. Main St., 5620007. BBC, one of the first, if not the first, craft breweries in town, continues to produce their beers and ales here, and to feed upscale bar food to hardy souls who come downtown for entertainment. The Theater Square outlet at 600 S. 4th St. has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic. We are delisting that outlet and look forward to reinstating that location in the future. $$ L D pf

BUTCHERTOWN BREWING 1860 Mellwood Ave., 437-9407. Small batch brewery and taproom located on the first-floor courtyard of The Mellwood Arts Center, where Andy Cobb has garnered a determined cult following for an array of fruited sours and behemoth-scale stouts like Arise, a boozy 12% barrelconditioned Imperial Stout. No food, but Mellwood’s vendors are nearby. $ D pf

DONUM DEI BREWERY 3211 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 590-2478. Owner Rick Otey maintains that beer is a gift from god, hence the name of his craft brewery. The interior is starkly Scandinavian modern. A distilling permit has made it the area’s first “brewstillery.” $ L D p

EPIPHANY BARREL HOUSE 1525 Highland Ave., 384-5758. Craft brewing on site has been delayed (its inception TBA), but the establishment is open and slinging farm-to-bar craft cocktails, bourbon, tequila and mezcal, with guest craft beers from local breweries and bar snacks (Froggy’s caramel popcorn, Red Hog salami, Kenny’s cheese spread). $$ L D pf

FALLS CITY TAPROOM 901 E. Liberty St., 257-7147. This historic brand that was first brewed in 1905 has been revived (2010) and re-imagined as a modern craft beer. Now you can sip on their offerings at their new taproom and beer garden operating just east of downtown where Phoenix Hill and NuLu merge. $$ L D pf

FISTFUL OF ALE 2708 Paoli Pk., New Albany IN, 557-0226. The bar attached to A Fistful of Tacos offers 20 or so taps of a wide variety of “strong-flavored” craft beers such as IPAs, stouts and porters, and unusual lagers. $$ D pf

FLOYD COUNTY BREWING CO. 129 W. Main St., New Albany IN, (470) 588-2337. Walk in this new brewpub and you will find what looks like a medieval banquet hall, but scaled down to a Yorkshire public house. Brewer Jeff Coe’s repertoire includes Braun Jovi (Brown Ale), Hefe’ns Gate Hefeweizen and Vlad’s India Pale Ale, which complement perfectly menu items like fish and chips and oversized turkey legs. $ L D

GALLANT FOX BREWING 2132 Frankfort Ave., 822-1988. Located in that odd Clifton intersection of Frankfort Ave., New Main St. and the railroad tracks, this brewery concocts things like blood orange blonde ale, Space Force IPA and mango-guava American pale ale. Ten guest taps feature regional brews. $$ D pf

GOODWOOD BREWING + SPIRITS 636 E. Main St., 5842739. Located at “The Brewery Corner of Main & Clay,” where beer has been brewed continuously since 1997, Goodwood is Louisville’s biggest brewer by volume, hosting a taproom and BBQ-specialty kitchen. Goodwood’s Bourbon Barrel Stout is a style perfectly attuned to Louisville. $$ L D p

GORDON BIERSCH BREWERY RESTAURANT 400 S. Fourth St., 589-8935. The growing national brewery and restaurant chain has become an anchor at the corner location at 4th and Liberty, brewing their characteristic German-style bottomfermented lagers, Hefeweizen, bocks, pilsners and Schwarzbiers. The large menu offers the usual pub-grub, but touted as fresh, seasonal and made on the premises. $$$ Br L D pf

GRAVELY BREWING CO. 514 Baxter Ave., 822-3202. The musically-themed taproom is adjacent to an outbuilding from B = Breakfast Br = Brunch

the legendary Phoenix Hill Brewery; the old subterranean lagering cellars lie directly beneath. Beer styles rotate, including Sprockets (a “dry” Pils) and Debaser, a hazy IPA. The brewery’s on-site food partner is Li’l Toasty’s Food Truck, an offshoot of Toasty’s Tavern, with sandwiches (including vegan options), sausages and sides. $ L D pf

GREAT FLOOD BREWING CO. 2120 Bardstown Rd, 208-0882, 12717 Shelbyville Rd., 208-0882. The original Douglass Loop location is just a taproom, with no food service. The Middletown taproom occupies a former Wick’s Pizza complete with a kitchen that offers pizza and other pub fare made on site. $$ L D pf

HI-WIRE BREWING 642 Baxter Ave., 717-4500. This Ashevillebased brewery has opened its first out-of-state operation in the Lower Highlands. The bar has 21 taps of Hi-Wire beer, from a variety of IPAs to seasonal brews such as S’more porter to specialties such as honey lager and chocolate macaroon stout. Family-friendly activities on offer include table tennis, foosball, and shuffleboard. $ L D p f

HOLSOPPPLE BREWING 8023 Catherine Ln., 708-1902. Rustic, family-friendly Lyndon taproom owned and operated by a husband and wife team. Holsopple’s IPAs are highly rated, although blueberries, toasted hemp seeds and cinnamon have been used to flavor a range of styles. Twinspire Pizza bakes onsite. $ D pf

HOMETOWN BREWING CO. 4041 Preston Hwy., 363-4880. Tom Brown, partner in the Hometown Pizza chain, and high school friend Mark Allgeier, owner of the now-closed Cumberland Brewery, have opened this craft brewery in the space where Brown has stored his car collection, which inspire the names of his beers. His goal is to make craft beer more accessible in small towns out in the state, where Hometown Pizza has 18 scattered locations. $$$ L D pf

KYROS BREWING COMPANY 2425 Portland Ave. Three couples who bonded over homebrewing during the pandemic have joined forces and ramped up their fermenters to open this small brewery, taproom and beer garden in Portland, without food, but stressing a family-friendly atmosphere. $$ D pf

MILE WIDE BEER COMPANY 636 Barret Ave., 409-8139. Mile Wide’s reputation as the Hazy/New England-style IPA champions of Louisville is both deserved and slightly ironic, considering brewer/co-owner Kyle Tavares’ brewing education in Bavaria. His lagers are great, too. Tasty Neapolitan-style pizza is served by Mac’s at Mile Wide. $$ L D p

MONNIK BEER CO. 1036 E. Burnett St., 742-6564. This popular Germantown microbrewery offers Euro-pub inspired menu includes three kinds of double-fried fries, pork and currant pie, and several burgers. Frequently changing guest taps join the house brews of Mild George and King George (British brown ales), His Dark Materials (stout) and Hauck’s American pilsner. $$ L D pf

NEW ALBANIAN BREWING COMPANY 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 812-944-2577. NABC dates to 2002 and is the 9tholdest Hoosier brewery in continuous operation, with two dining areas serving locally renowned pizza and pasta (see the restaurant listing under “pizza”), a games arcade, guest taps, and perennial house beers like Community Dark and Elector Ale. $$ L D p

NOBLE FUNK BREWERY 922 S. Second St., 755-2739. Louisville's newest brewery is in the massive former Old Louisville Krogers building. The 25-tap brewery also has a short wine and cocktail selection. The brewery’s sister concept, Noble Hearth Pizza, serves specials like "Date Night," topped with dates, bacon, spinach and spicy aioli, and "Pollo Diablo,” topped with house-made chicken sausage, jalapeños and spicy sauce. $$ D pf

OLD LOUISVILLE BREWERY 625 W. Magnolia Ave., 365-4886

Established in 2016 in an extensively remodeled historic structure, Old Louisville Brewery functions as a Cheers-level neighborhood hangout where the regulars have yet to meet a stranger. There’s an eclectic selection of house beers, both traditional and experimental, but no food. $ D pf

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HOPS 300 Foundation Ct., New Albany IN. This brewery offers 12 taps (currently 8 house and 4 guest taps), as well as plenty of space for playing games like

cornhole, darts, Jenga; pool, and video golf. If you work up an appetite, food trucks will tend your hunger on Friday and Saturday nights. $$ D

PIVOT BREWING COMPANY 1753 Bardstown Rd., 953-4001. This Louisville satellite taproom of Pivot Brewing plans to open in September, next door to the Purrfect Day Cat Cafe. The brewery/cidery, which is a signatory to the Brewers’ Climate Declaration, will bring its beers, ciders and commitment to community outreach initiatives to this location from a solarpowered home base in Lexington, Kentucky. $

PUBLIC HOUSE BY AGAINST THE GRAIN 1576 Bardstown Rd., 409-9866. After almost 20 years of fine craft brewing, Cumberland Brews founder Mark Allgeier has passed the taps over to the guys at Against the Grain, who have redubbed the popular Highlands space the Public House. All the taps serve ATG brews (to-go growlers are available). The menu features pub grub with a twist, including burgers, paninis, pimento cheese balls and French onion soup. Brunches promise to be destination weekend events. $$ Br L D pf

SHIPPINGPORT BREWING CO. 1221 W. Main St. 690-2002. Owner and brewer Amelia Pillow located her new brewery in Portland to encourage beer drinkers to venture beyond their west-of-9th-Street comfort zone. Her first brewing efforts include an American IPA, an oaked Helles Bock, a Belgian IPA and an Imperial / Double Coffee stout, among others. The food menu is geared to panini-style sandwiches and vegetable side dishes. $ L D p

TEN20 CRAFT BREWERY 1020 E. Washington St., 290-6820, 11505 Park Rd., 384-8714, 2200 Bardstown Rd., 290-0187. From its sprawling multi-level ziggurat of a brewery complex in Butchertown, TEN20 has already established two satellite taprooms (Anchorage and the Dundee Loop). Veteran brewer Larry Horwitz brews a range of lagers and ales to an unfailingly high standard of quality. $$ L D p f

UPLAND BREWING CO. 707 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, (812) 750-1234. This Hoosier brewing operation has opened a southern outlet on the Ohio River, taking over the former

Buckhead’s space, with its extensive pet-friendly patio overlooking the Louisville skyline. A full range of craft beer styles is on offer, along with a menu of hearty bar-food standards — pizza, sandwiches, burgers, wings, bison meatballs and mussels. $$ Br L D p f

WEST SIXTH NULU 817 E. Market St., 234-4733. West Sixth Brewing's (Lexington KY) spacious local taproom in NuLu Marketplace includes a small brewery, private event space and open-air courtyard. The Galley is West Sixth’s house kitchen, utilizing window service to vend Central American-influenced tacos, nachos, sliders, wings and more. $ L D p f

WILD HOPS BOURBON BAR & LOUNGE 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 384-2001. The name speaks to the range of offerings at this bar inside the Logan Street Market. The onsite brewery crafts its own beer, and there is an extensive cocktail menu and a large selection of bourbons and other whiskeys. $$ B L D p f

DAVE & BUSTER'S 5000 Shelbyville Rd., (Mall St. Matthews), 963-0940. Fun galore with arcade, billiards, sports TVs, and a 16 page menu with surprising options for every special diet like flavorful lettuce wraps, the Impossible Burger and full entrees like steaks or salmon plus expected bar fare: nachos, sliders and wings. Desserts, beers and festive cocktails of impressive size, too. $$ L D p

DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE 525 Marriott Dr., Clarksville IN, 288-8281. The play’s the thing at Derby Dinner, Louisville’s long-running entry in the dinner-theater sweepstakes. The expansive seasonal buffet offerings have fans returning show after show. $$$ L D p

HOWL AT THE MOON 434 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 562-9400. What’ll they think of next? How about a nightclub featuring a “dueling” piano bar with two pianos and a sing-along concept? You’ll find this 4,000-square-foot club at Fourth Street Live on the ground level. $ D pf

JOE HUBER FAMILY FARM & RESTAURANT 2421 Scottsville Rd., Starlight IN, 923-5255. A pleasant 20-minute drive from downtown Louisville, Huber’s has built a solid reputation for simple farm fare that’s well-made, fresh and good. Some of the produce is grown on the premises in season. $$$ L D pf

MAIN EVENT BAR & GRILL 12500 Sycamore Station Pl., 2405555. This Dallas-based chain offers plenty of fun: bowling, laser tag, a high ropes course, billiards, video games — along with pizzas, sandwiches, full dinners and a full bar. $$ L D p

MESA 216 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 725-7691. Mesa calls itself a “collaborative kitchen-classroom,” in which local established and aspiring chefs offer cooking demonstrations and food prep advice for a small audience, who will then eat what the chefs prepare before them. There is also a boutique selling high-end cookware and food products. $$ D p

MULLIGAN'S AT GLENMARY 10200 Glenmary Farm Dr. As one facet of redeveloping the former Glenmary Country Club grounds, veteran restaurateur Ernesto “I Love Tacos” Rivera has teamed with project developer Chris Thieneman on this sports bar with chef-driven bar food inside the clubhouse. Outside, there is pickle ball, corn hole, ping pong and trash can beer pong (yes, it’s real); a putting green and driving range will arrive during phase two.$$ L D pf

MY OLD KENTUCKY DINNER TRAIN 602 N. Third St., Bardstown KY, (502) 348-7300. Talk about a nostalgia trip: My Old Kentucky Dinner Train offers a four-course meal during a two-hour voyage along scenic Kentucky railroad tracks near Bardstown in vintage 1940s-era dining cars. Reservations are strongly recommended. $$$$ L D p

OVRDRIVE GAMES 112 W. Jefferson St., 653-5853. Plenty of ways to have fun here: virtual reality car racing, ax throwing, rage rooms (where you can destroy TVs and home appliances), and immersive VR games. The food and beverages aren’t virtual though: made-to-order pizza, wings and appetizers, and a selfpour tap wall featuring 15 beers and 6 pre-mixed cocktail choices. $$ L D p

PIN + PROOF 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 313-6664. The Omni’s bar has a cool angle. There are four bowling lanes, as well as hors d’oeuvres to enjoy in the “the opulent and mysterious atmosphere." $ D p

THE GOAT 700 Landis Ridge Dr., 791-8325. Ohio-based LC Lifestyle Communities operates this small chain of unusually named upscale-casual restaurants. Enjoy Italian pizza rolls, stuffed potatoes, salads, “double-grind” burgers, wings, pizza, wraps and craft beer on the expansive deck or around the community pool, or join one of the competitive leagues in euchre, corn hole or volleyball. $$ L D pf

UNION RESTAURANT & GAMEYARD 115 W. Chestnut St., Jeffersonville IN, 590-1285. Those wanting more fun as well as some food after strolling across the Big Four bridge can find both here, near the bridge’s Indiana-side off-ramp. Burgers, of course, and brisket, pork belly and brined chicken breast sandwiches. After eating, play iceless curling, four-way volleyball, cornhole or ping-pong. $$ L D pf

ABYSSINIA 554 S. Fifth St., 384-8347. This downtown Ethiopian restaurant has gained many fans with its variety of hearty stews, known as “wots,” and interesting vegetarian choices, with large portions and reasonable prices. $ L D

ADDIS ABABA ETHIOPIAN BAR & RESTAURANT 4750 Bardstown Rd., 384-6296. This modest little place joins other ethnic eating spots in the Buechel area. The menu includes a wide variety of richly seasoned Ethiopian fare including the national dish doro wat (a berbere-spiced chicken and egg stew) and many vegetarian options too. $$ B L D

AFROKANZA LOUNGE 1578 Bardstown Rd., 379-5734. This Afro/Caribbean/soul food fusion restaurant and nightclub brings a new vibe to Bardstown Rd.’s restaurant row. Drinking and dancing till 4 am, with menu items like grilled red snapper and rice with peanut sauce to keep those late-night partiers fueled. $$ D p

FA & ADA AFRICAN CUISINE 4806 Bardstown Rd., 777-7100. Senegalese cuisine represents a mélange of influences, African as well as European, and this small family-owned eatery features an enticing selection of grilled chicken, lamb and tilapia; beef and fish pie; and plassas, a lamb and spinach stew. $$ L D

FUNMI’S AFRICAN RESTAURANT 3028 Bardstown Rd., 4545009. Funmi’s offers a range of dishes from North and Central African cultures. Sample goat in a soup or a thick stew. Try soya, a West African shish kebab with a spicy peanut rub or moin-moin, a savory bean cake or lablabi, a Tunisian chickpea soup. $$ L D

IMANKA RESTAURANT 737 S. Eighth St., (International Mall) 210-7503. Somali immigrant entrepreneur Mohamed Abbi Abdalla and his family serve their native cuisine at the International Mall. Suggested dishes include chicken suqaar (a chicken stew-like dish) or goat seasoned with onions and green peppers. $$ L D

QUEEN OF SHEBA 2804 Taylorsville Rd., 459-6301. This authentic Ethiopian restaurant offers a wide selection of intriguing dishes, including a variety of vegetarian selections as well as the traditional beef and chicken specialties. Ethiopian fare is made for sharing and eating with the fingers, but they’ll gladly make forks available for the finicky. $ L D

SENEGAMBIA AFRICAN RESTAURANT 4109 Bardstown Rd., 491-3152. $$ L D

WOLOGISI RESTAURANT 3707 Klondike Ln., 883-0054. The space that was Alwatan is now a Liberian restaurant (goat soup; torborgee, a bean stew; palm butter with fufu) that also tempts American tastes with items like Philly cheesesteak and gyros, as well. $$ L D

888 GREAT WALL 9464 Brownsboro Rd., 425-2811. Strip mall Chinese food is an accurate description of what to expect here. Locals from the neighborhood have said good things about the garlic chicken and their crab Rangoon. $ L D

A TASTE OF CHINA 1167 S. Fourth St., 585-5582, 8105 Lagrange Rd., 327-6863. $ L D

ASIAN BUFFET 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 9451888. Competent cookery and careful management ensures food offerings here stay fresh and hot. The name remains the same, but service is now cafeteria style, not self-serve buffet, a change done with customer health in mind. $ L D

ASIAN WOK 2235 Frankfort Ave., 822-3385. This pan-Asian spot offers a very large selection of Chinese & Japanese dishes in the stir-fried, hibachi-grilled and sushi categories. A lot of familiar things — Kung Pao chicken, pepper steak with onion, veggie fried rice, rainbow roll, hibachi steak, and so on. $$ L D

AUGUST MOON 2269 Lexington Rd., 456-6569. Housed in a soaring, open space with a Zen master’s style, consistent commitment from the kitchen makes it a top spot for Asian fare. A lovely patio at the rear affords a pleasant al fresco dining experience. $$$ L D pf

CHEER KING STAR 231 S. Fifth St., 587-8686. Just what downtown needed — a Chinese buffet for quick lunches. Mostly the familiar, a mix of Cantonese, Szechuan and Hunan choices for those who need a little spice to fire them up to get back to work. $ L D

CHINA 1 123 Breckinridge Ln., 897-6511. $ L D

CHINA 1 8105 Lagrange Rd., 327-6863. $ L D

CHINA BISTRO 234 W. Broadway, 583-8988. $ L D

CHINA BUFFET 706 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-8989. Chinese buffets are ubiquitous, but this one is squarely in the upper range. Regularly refreshed steam tables, attentively fried rice, and properly spicy General Tso’s Chicken raise it above the other places typical of the genre. $ L D

CHINA CAFÉ 8625 Preston Hwy., 969-9222, 9246 Westport Rd., 425-1818. $ L D

CHINA CASTLE 7420 Third Street Rd., 367-4272. $ L D

CHINA CHEF 7813 Beulah Church Rd., 384-5322. Pretty standard Chinese choices can be found at this new store in the South End. Eat in or carry out. $ L D

CHINA COAST 4952 Manslick Rd., 363-4259. $ L D

CHINA DRAGON 8507 Terry Rd., 995-9897. The far southwest corner of the city can get its Chinese table hot food fix here. $ L D

CHINA GARDEN 7309 Preston Hwy., 968-4672. A busy restaurant with the double pleasure of Chinese and American menu items. $ L D

CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 240-0500. $ L D

CHINA STAR 291 N. Hubbards Ln., 896-1818. $ L D

CHINA TASTE 135 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville IN, 2845580. $ L D

CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628, 6445 Bardstown Rd., 231-0393. $ L D

CHOPSTICKS HOUSE 2112 W. Broadway, 772-3231. Fans of this somewhat funky Chinese place post positive notices about the quality of its food. No strange Asian dishes here, just familiar Chinese hot table fare that Americans recognize. $ L D

CHUNG KING PALACE 110 E. Market St., 584-8880. $ L D

DOUBLE DRAGON 1255 Goss Ave., 635-5656, 2600 W. Broadway, 778-2573. Every neighborhood seems to need a Chinese steam table outlet serving up Asian dishes familiar to Americans. Double Dragon does that job for its neighborhoods. $ L D

DOUBLE DRAGON II 12480 LaGrange Rd., 241-7766, 6832 Bardstown Rd., 231-3973, 3135 S. Second St., 367-6668, 5222 Dixie Hwy., 448-1988. $ L D

DOUBLE DRAGON 9 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 267-5353.$ L D

DRAGON CAFÉ 13206 W. U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-1885. This Prospect-area Chinese restaurants offers many familiar dishes. East End fans say the service is quick and the food aboveaverage tasty. $ L D

DRAGON CITY 6413 Greenwood Rd., 935-6111. It used to be First Wok. It still is a strip mall Chinese-American place with a standard menu of crab Rangoon, fried rice, lo mein dishes, and a wide variety of stir-fries. $ L D

EAST STAR BUFFET 161 Outer Loop, 368-2868. $$ L D

FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh Street Rd., 448-0588. $ L D

GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $ L D

GOLDEN STAR CHINESE RESTAURANT 3458 Taylor Blvd., 368-1833. $ L D

GREAT WALL 1977 Brownsboro Rd., 891-8881. This Clifton restaurant ranks high up in the fast-food Chinese pack. Offering steaming-hot, competently prepared and flavorful dishes. $ L D

GREEN TEA CHINESE RESTAURANT 2206 State St., New Albany IN, 812-924-7780. Noted locally for its fresh vegetables, mei fun (rice noodles, particularly Singapore-style) and sizeable tofu portions, Green Tea does a brisk carry-out trade from its shop on State Street near the hospital and I-265 interchange. $ L D

HAPPY CHINA 9106 Taylorsville Rd., 493-1001. $ L D

HAPPY DRAGON 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8788. You guessed it: a good, go-to standard pan-China family-style restaurant in Jeffersontown that’s always there when you’re tired of cooking dinner for the clan. $ L D

HIBACHI BUFFET 5372 Dixie Hwy., 449-8688. This far South Louisville Asian buffet gets strong positives from locals who appreciate its cleanliness, its range of choices (including hibachi grilled meats to order and sushi) and a buffet bar that is kept freshly loaded. $ L D p

HIBACHI SUSHI BUFFET 5729 Preston Hwy., 969-3788. Capitalizing on two seemingly persistent trends in American dining, this hot table place offers standard Chinese buffet dishes, and standard sushi choices. Cashew chicken, shrimp with garlic sauce, Dancing Dragon roll, spring and summer maki — it is all here. $$ L D

HING WANG CHINESE RESTAURANT 2123 E. Spring St. New Albany IN, 812-542-2728. No one in New Albany can remember exactly when the unassuming Hing Wang was launched in a strip mall on the east side of town; perhaps it dates to the advent of home video, but in truth, probably around 2002. The carry-out Chinese dishes (primarily standard Cantonese fare) have been flying out the door ever since. $ L D

HONG KONG FAST FOOD 5312 S. Third St., 367-8828. One of the many international eateries in Iroquois Manor, this fast-food Chinese spot offers Cantonese standards hot and fast and inexpensively. Check out the daily specials for an occasional intriguing item. $ L D

JADE PALACE 1109 Herr Ln., 425-9878. Jade Palace offers familiar Chinese food choices, as well as a long list of Chef’s Specials, with names in Chinese characters as well as English (a sure sign you are in for authentic Chinese fare). Dim sum is offered daily, but on weekends it is served from a traditional rolling cart. $$ Br L D p

JASMINE 13823 English Villa Dr., 244-8896. Like many Chinese restaurants, Jasmine is in a strip mall, but this is not just another hot table stir fry joint. There is an American menu, but those in the know will ask for the 14-page Szechuan menu, featuring such interesting things as pig ear in sesame oil, hot and spicy intestines, spicy diced rabbit foot, frog legs, beef maw and tendon Szechuan style — one of the most popular choices, the manager said. $ L D p

JASMINE ASIAN BISTRO 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 618-3000. The owners of Jasmine Essential Chinese on English Villa Dr. have gone more upscale with this bistro-style location. Expect the same authentic Chengdu-style Sichuan cuisine (be adventurous!) and well-executed Americanized dishes, sushi and other offerings. $$ L D p

JOY LUCK 1285 Bardstown Rd., 238-3070, 9850 Von Allmen Ct., 618-1601. This fine Asian restaurant across from Mid-City Mall has opened a suburhan site too. Both serve familiar Chinese dishes very well done, as well as authentic Taiwanese offerings. Duck dishes are cooked in three different styles — Cantonese, Taiwanese and Beijing. $$ L D pf

JUMBO BUFFET 2731 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 742-8550. Housed in a good-looking dining room, high on Chinatown-style glitz and glitter, Jumbo offers a standard all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, with a larger-than-average selection of American dishes for those who want something less exotic. $$ L D

LING LING 10476 Shelbyville Rd., 245-2100. Modern and efficient in its East End shopping center location, Ling Ling is a cut above fast-food Chinese; better yet, it adds a few Vietnamese dishes to the bill of fare. $$ L D

LIU’S GARDEN 11517 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9898. Small but charming, with white tablecloths and soft Chinese music, family-run Liu’s gains our approval with fresh, competent cookery and courteous, friendly service that makes you feel like you’re visiting a Chinese family at their home. $$ L D

ONION RESTAURANT TEA HOUSE 4211 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 981-0188. Masterful Chinese and Japanese cuisine (including magnificent hotpots, donburi dishes, and wooden-bucket steamed rice) set this airy restaurant apart from the horde of other Asian spots. $ L D f

ORIENTAL CAFÉ 3360 Hikes Ln., 451-0077. $ L D

ORIENTAL HOUSE 4302 Shelbyville Rd., 897-1017. New owners continue the tradition at this long-standing St. Matthews restaurant, featuring both traditional Chinese-American and now, authentic Cantonese, menus. $ L D p

ORIENTAL STAR 4212 Bishop Ln., 452-9898. A long-time area favorite in this heavy traffic lunch area. This establishment is quite good with Lo Mein Noodles, and Sweet and Sour Chicken. $ L D

PANDA EXPRESS 1075 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN 288-0774, 1232 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 326-8430, 13311 Shelbyville Rd., 489-3980, 10600 Westport Rd., 425-1678. The Pentagon even has one of the 1500+ outlets of the nation’s largest Chinese fast food chains, and now we have four. Moderately priced chow such as orange chicken, Beijing beef, SweetFire chicken breast and honey walnut shrimp fill the menu. $ L D

RED SUN CHINESE RESTAURANT 3437 Breckinridge Ln., 499-7788. $ L D

RICE BOX 6810 Southside Dr., 380-2209. This typical Chinese hot table provides South End residents with the kind of Chinese food you would expect at budget prices. $ L D

SICHUAN GARDEN 9850 Linn Station Rd., 426-6767. Another Asian restaurant that has stood the test of time, Sichuan Garden offers high-end Chinatown style and well-made dishes, plus a few Thai specialties to spice up the bill of fare. $ L D

TEA STATION CHINESE BISTRO 9422 Norton Commons Blvd., 423-1202. This comfortable, sit-down Chinese restaurant has a large and eclectic menu, with lots of spicy dishes and daily double shot specials at the inviting bar. Now offering delivery to Norton Commons and adjacent suburbia. $$ L D p

YEN CHING 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ L D

YOKI BUFFET 1700 Alliant Ave., 267-2277. A Chinese foodoriented buffet, with sushi as well, offers more options near the Jeffersontown Industrial Park along the Blankenbaker Rd. corridor. $$ L D

ASIAN / FILIPINO

SARAP FILIPINO EATERY 712 Brent St. (The Village Market). Filipino cuisine is under-represented in Louisville, and Sarap’s lumpia, pancit, adobo and other dishes are a welcome corrective, along with a weekend-only silog (garlic fried rice and egg) brunch. $$ L D pf

ARATA SUSHI 9207 U.S. 42, 409-4880. Arata is a dedicated sushi place, with only a few items that fall outside of the maki, nigri and sashimi offerings. The elegant modern interior, and the commitment to the freshest ingredients have been drawing in fans from beyond the East End. $$ L D p

ASAHI JAPANESE 3701 Lexington Rd., 895-1130. This small room in St. Matthews houses a neighborhood sushi spot that also serves grilled dishes and tempura. $ L D

ASIANA SUSHI 6435 Bardstown Rd., 614-7244. This ambitious Asian restaurant in Fern Creek offers an extensive sushi selection, hibachi meals, various noodle choices and even a few Korean dishes such as bulgoki and bi bim bap. $$ L D p

BENTO ASIAN KITCHEN + SUSHI 12951 Shelbyville Rd., 8221202. Order from anassortment of teriyaki or fried bento boxes, rice or noodle bowls, poke bowls or sushi and sashimi at this ambitious Middletown newcomer. $$ L D p f

BLUE BAY SEAFOOD & SUSHI 4322 Poplar Level Rd., 9198994. The owners of the defunct Hibachi Sushi Buffet and Ville Chicken restaurants have combined elements of their previous menus in South Louisville, offering seafood by the pound, seafood combo dinners, chicken wings, hibachi rice, sushi and even sushi tacos. $$ L D f

DAISUKI SUSHI 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 4342395, 1604 Bardstown Rd., 434-2395. The original location in Logan Street Market has been joined by a sit-down venue (with bar and expanded menu) in the Highlands. At both, owner and Thailand native Nattaya Reznicek has all the rolls (try the Heart Attack), spicing the proceedings with touches of home, like red curry. $ L D p

AJI SUSHI AND ASIAN CUISINE 5610 Outer Loop, 618-1781. Okolona area residents can now get their sushi fix. The extensive menu offerings include egg rolls, salads and soups, noodle, rice and curry dishes, and tempura, as well as a large variety of raw and cooked sushi preparations. $ L D p

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER 1534 Bardstown Rd., 6322444, 129 W. Market St., New Albany IN, 725-8600. Founder Toki Masubuchi’s eclectic flair for culinary fusion is simultaneously adventurous and rooted in tradition, and with the original Louisville DKD’s move to much larger digs in the Highlands at the former Café Mimosa, her forever creative tacos, bibimbap, quesadillas and sushi rolls have space to

breathe. A full bar boasts numerous cocktail, craft beer and sake selections. $$ L D pf

FUJI ASIAN BISTRO 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-0488. $$ L D p

FUJI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 3576 Springhurst Blvd., 3391978. Part of the fun of sitting at the sushi bar is that you get to watch the chef at work. Put in your order, then sit back and sip your tea while the artist creates edible delights. This suburban sushi bar does the job well. $$ L D p f

GINZA ASIAN BISTRO 9420 Shelbyville Rd., 749-8878. A onestop Asian restaurant. Choose to eat from the Chinese, Japanese or Thai kitchen, or sidle up to the sushi bar for all manner of vegetarian or fish-focused rolls, or sushi combos that include miso soup and salad. A la carte sushi entrées too. $$ L D p

HEART & SOY 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6678. To the left is Roots, a sit-down restaurant. To the right is Heart & Soy, serving vegetarian “street food,” and entertaining passers-by with a glass-walled tofu-making room. State-of-the-art equipment from Taiwan transforms organic soy beans from Ohio into soy milk and then coagulates and presses it into tofu as you watch. $ L D

HIKO A MON SUSHI BAR 1115 Herr Ln., 365-1651. Japanesetrained chef Norihiko Nakanashi brings his skills to this sushi bar and Japanese grill in Westport Village. In addition to fine dining at the bar or in traditional Japanese dining rooms, Hiko A Mon offers sushi-grade fish from a small fish market. $$$ L D p

JUNO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 5406 Antle Dr., 409-7094, 4110 Hampton Lake Way, 632-2777. A wide-ranging menu of Japanese options make these two restaurants interesting destinations. Diners have plenty of sushi options, as well as hibachi dinners, yakisoba, udon and ramen noodle dishes, tonkatsu and tempura. $$ L D p

KABUKI HIBACHI & RAMEN 2784 Meijer Rd., Jeffersonville IN, (812) 590-3430, 253 Spring St. Jeffersonville IN, 812-9247197, 5170 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 812-924-7324.

A full range of Japanese dishes include sashimi and sushi, hibachi grilled meats and seafood, ramen, bento boxes and seaweed salad. Kabuki’s third area location in downtown Jeffersonville offers expanded seating and an anime motif. $$ L

D FB$$ L D p

KANSAI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 218-9538, 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 6181870. Traditional Japanese dishes and sushi are available here, but like most Japanese Steakhouses, choose the grill tables with their slice-and-dice Japanese chef show for maximum entertainment. $$$ L D p

L & J ASIAN CUISINE 6017 Timber Ridge Dr., 228-8399. A slight change of focus at this East End Asian fusion spot adds Hawaiian BBQ dishes and a wide selection of ramen preparations to the eclectic menu. $$ L D f

MASA JAPANESE 12336 Shelbyville Rd., 409-5040. Middletown, too, joins in the sushi expansion. Open for lunch and dinner, the standard menu is bolstered by daily chef’s specials. Lunch specials include the Japadawg, a hot dog with Japanese toppings, a range of teriyaki choices and ramen noodles, Japanese style. $$ L D f

MISAWA HIBACHI & SUSHI BAR 7931 Bardstown Rd., 2901780 The hibachi grills here are not for show, just for grilling, which keeps prices lower than other Japanese steak houses. Rodeleo See, a sushi chef with almost two decades of experience runs the sushi bar. $$ L D p

MT. FUJI 309 W. Cardinal Blvd., 637-5887. The quick-eating strip on the north side of U of L’s campus needed a Japanese place to satisfy students’ sushi cravings. The menu also has tempura and Japanese noodles. $ L D p

OISHII SUSHI 2810 Taylorsville Rd., 365-3474. This small, attractive and popular sushi spot serves all the popular maki and nigri near Bowman Field. $$ L D

OSAKA SUSHI BAR 2039 Frankfort Ave., 894-9501, 426 W. Market St., 588-8899. This long-standing Clifton favorite also has a second location downtown, serving up sushi and other Japanese dishes in a bright and cheery environment to a loyal clientele. $$ L D

POKEHANA 436 W. Market St., 996-7994. Poke, an increasingly popular Hawaiian raw fish salad, is given a fast-casual Asian fusion twist here in the space that had been Chop Chop Salads. Choose your combination of protein and vegetables and toppings such as ginger, jalapeno and seaweed salad. Also fried rice, bibimbab and noodle-bab, made with sweet potato noodles.$$ L

RAMEN HOUSE 1250 Bardstown Rd. (Mid City Mall), 709-4374. Luckily for those seeking to join Japanese film director Juzo Itami “at the intersection of cinephilia and ramen obsession,” chef Jonathan Ham’s popular eatery adjacent to Baxter Avenue Theatres packs them in for traditional ramen, rice bowls, steamed buns, handmade gyoza and killer tonkatsu.. $$ D

ROOTS 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6688. Veteran restaurateur Coco Tran looks to seduce the vegan/ vegetarian world of the Highlands with this crisp, elegant room. Eat at tables in the front, enjoy smoothies and tea at the bar, or snuggle down in a Japanese pit table in the back. Choose from an international selection of small plates. $ L D

SAKE BLUE JAPANESE BISTRO 9326 Cedar Center Way, 7081500. This Fern Creek restaurant brings the “full-service” Japanese restaurant experience to the southeast part of Louisville Metro. Look for hibachi grill tables and a sushi bar, along with a traditional dining room and cocktail bar. $$ L D p

SAKURA BLUE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 897-3600. Located in elegant, upscale quarters in a St. Matthews shopping center, Sakura Blue ranks among the city’s top sushi bars. $$ L D

SAMURAI 12905 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0036. Middletown gets some artistic sushi, as well as hibachi-grilled steak and seafood. Teppan-style (food cooked on an iron griddle) lunch and dinner entrees are a specialty. $$ L D p

SAPPORO JAPANESE GRILL & SUSHI 1706 Bardstown Rd., 479-5550. The remodeled Highlands location has an expanded kitchen, new sushi bar and new fixtures, giving trendy, glitzy Sapporo new bona fides as one of the city’s top spots for sushi and Japanese fare. $$$ L D p

SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 9026 Taylorsville Rd., 499-5700. Shogun’s decor is attractive, and quality food and service make it a pleasant dining destination. It’s unthreatening enough to appeal to those who find exotic cuisine “challenging,” but good enough to satisfy just about anyone who craves a Japanese dinner or a bite of sushi. $$$ L D p

STAR SUSHI 2781 Jefferson Centre Way, Jeffersonville IN, 7258444. Jeffersonville joins the sushi craze with its own source of yellowtail rolls, sashimi and nigiri, which is drawing fans for the freshness and flavor of its offerings, and its very fair price point.

$$ L D

SUSHI MASTER 9415 Norton Commons Blvd., 890-5157. This traditional Japanese restaurant offers sashimi, classic sushi rolls, noodle dishes such as udon and cold soba and entrees such as teriyaki chicken, and grilled fish. A few Korean dishes such as bulgogi are on offer too. $$ L D pf

TOGO SUSHI 700 Lyndon Ln., 883-0666. ToGo offers primarily drive-thru sushi-to-go, but it does have a five-seat bar and three two-top tables inside. Owner Chet Gurun also owns Samurai Sushi & Hibachi in Middletown and is also part owner of Oishii Sushi near Bowman Field. If sushi isn’t your thing, there are items like fried oysters, fried calamari and shrimp tempura, as well as some vegetarian options. $$ L D

TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 3397171. It’s appealing, pleasant in atmosphere and friendly in service, and most important, this East End sushi bar serves excellent Japanese treats, prepared with care and flair from high-quality, impeccably fresh ingredients. $$ L D

TOMO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 4317 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 941-0200. This Japanese hibachi steak house offers a good show of knife skills and tableside grilling, as well as sushi. Patrons seem to admire the oversize sushi rolls, the salads with ginger dressing, and the grilled chicken and scallops. $$ L D p

TSUBAKI SUSHI & BAR 13823 English Villa Dr., 244-8896. A new addition to Jasmine, many people’s favorite Chinese restaurant in

town. Look for both raw and cooked two-piece nigiri and threepiece Sashimi, a variety of vegetable rolls and deep fried rolls, and special rolls almost beyond counting. $$ L D p

WILD GINGER SUSHI & FUSION 1700 Bardstown Rd., 3849252. This Highlands sushi and Asian fusion spot has a sushi bar up front, and a pan-Asian menu in the back dining room. Entrees include standard Japanese entrées such as teriyuaki chicken, Japanese curry, and soba and udon noodle dishes. $$ L D p

YAMATO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 345 New Albany Plaza, New Albany IN, 590-1380. A lot of Japanese food preparations are on the menu at this southern Indiana restaurant, located between State Street and Green Vallley Road. Offerings include: ramen bowls and bento boxes, yaki soba and sushi rolls, and steak, chicken or seafood hibachi grilled dishes. $$ L D

FRESH OUT THE BOX 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 303-3322. This food truck serving Asian fusion street food now has a stand in the Logan Street Market too, serving well-crafted tacos, rice and noodle bowls and Korean dishes. $$ L D

GOGI 1055 KOREAN BBQ 1055 Bardstown Rd., 747-4644. The venue is an old neighborhood theater, and the bill of fare is Korean, specifically a grill-your-own-table-side eatery with a full bar (soju, anyone?) The choices are many, among them galbi, bulgogi, pork belly, squid and jumuluk, as well as varied banchan (sides). $$$$ D p

KIM & BAB 3012 Charlestown Crossing Way, New Albany IN, 725-9844. This little Korean restaurant is getting rave notices from locals who love the mandu (dumplings), japchae (a noodle dish), galbi (short ribs) and dak-kangjung (fried marinated boneless chicken in a spicy sweet and sour sauce). More familiar things like bulgogi and fried rice too. $$ L D

KOREANA II 5009 Preston Hwy., 968-9686. One of the city’s few restaurants devoted entirely to authentic Korean fare, Koreana is worth a special trip for this ethnic cuisine that offers a hearty, spicy alternative to the more familiar Chinese. $$ L D p f

LEE’S KOREAN RESTAURANT 1941 Bishop Ln., 456-9714. This little spot has been a secret since the ’70s, and it just keeps on going. Walk into what looks like a diner in an office building, but push past the counter to the back room, where you’ll find generous heaps of really authentic Korean food for next to nothing. $$ L D

NAMI MODERN KOREAN STEAKHOUSE 835 E. Main St., 690-2067. Famed Chef Edward Lee’s Korean culinary heritage is celebrated at the Martin on Main building in Butchertown, offering traditional dishes as well as contemporary interpretations of barbecue, bibimbap, kimchi, banchan and many others. The main dining room, bar and lounge are downstairs, while the upstairs features a private dining space along with tables equipped with Korean table grills. $$$$ D p OHCHAE, KOREAN FUSION CUISINE 216 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 812-286-2830. Working from the Mesa storefront, OhChae combines traditional Korean dishes like kimchi soup, bibimbap, and galbi (marinated short ribs) with Americaninfluenced fusion items, including bulgogi subs, a Korean burger, and gamja fries. $$ Br L D

RICE BOWL 3114 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 590-6786. Rice Bowl is another addition to the restaurant row area near the IUS campus. It serves Korean and Asian dishes. You will find clay pot bibimbap, chicken curry rice, several varieties of ramen. $$ L D

SARANG 1908 Eastern Pkwy., 709-4282. The store on the Eastern Parkway side of the Schuster Building most recently was a Ce Fiori yogurt shop, but it now serves Korean food such as bibimbap, mandoo, ramen and dak-kangjung. Bubble tea is back, too. $ L D

BAHN THAI 8125 Bardstown Rd., 231-1992, 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 365-2776. “Bahn” means “home” in Thai, and

the Klomklao family business has two domiciles: Bahn Thai in Fern Creek (the original), and of more recent vintage, Bahn Thai & M at Holiday Manor Center, succeeding the beloved but departed Thai Café. Both locations prepare the gamut of hearty, flavorful Thai soups, salads, noodles, rice dishes and curries. $$

L D p f

MAI’S THAI RESTAURANT 1411 E. Tenth St., Jefferson-ville IN, 282-0198. With a broad range of well-prepared and authentic Thai dishes, Mai’s is the eatery to beat among the metro area’s Thai restaurants. For both authenticity and quality, it’s right up there with the top Thai places in New York, San Francisco and Seattle. $ L D

SIMPLY THAI 323 Wallace Ave., 899-9670, 12003 Shelbyville Rd, 690-8344. Owner Mahn Saing and his wife, a classically trained Thai chef, are pleasing diners in St. Matthews and Middletown. Their menu of traditional Thai dishes, well-made sushi and a few upscale Thai-style “fusion” dinner items use many ingredients from their small home garden. $$ L D f

TANTHAI RESTAURANT 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 948-2012. It’s in a strip mall, but the folks who run TanThai create a distinctive atmosphere by hanging sheer white scrims that divvy the room up into serene little chambers. The menu of Thai specialties is small — just a dozen or so entrées — but nicely executed and beautifully presented. $ L D

THAI NOODLES 5800 Preston Hwy., 961-9018. The menu covers Thai standards like pad Thai and curries, with some interesting variations, including several duck items, such as Bangkok duck and pineapple curry duck. Noodle dishes range from flat and thin egg noodle to bean thread and rice noodle. $ L D

TIME 4 THAI 2206 Frankfort Ave., 996-7899. The elegantly redone interior is matched by some unusually elegant Thai dishes, such as the volcano Cornish hen, a whole bird, marinated with Thai herbs and spicy chili sauce, which is flambéed at the table. All dishes are cooked to order, so choose your spice level. $$ L D p

ANNIE CAFE 308 W. Woodlawn Ave., 363-4847. Annie Cafe ranks not just as one of the better Vietnamese restaurants, but one the city’s best of any variety, particularly when value and price are taken into account. Authentic Vietnamese food is made with care and served with pride. $ L D

CAFÉ THUY VAN 5600 National Turnpike, 366-6959. A bit off the beaten track, this South End spot is true, authentic Vietnamese. Friendly service overcomes any language barrier, and prices are hard to beat. Don’t miss the banh mi, traditional Vietnamese sandwiches. $ L D

CHIK'N & MI 1765 Mellwood Ave., 890-5731. A brief try at maintaining two locations has resulted in consolidation at the former Bistro 1860 location, which is serving the original Asianinspired comfort foods — Laotian spiced fried chicken, hearty ramen noodle soups and an extensive selection of sake, craft beer and cocktails. $$ Br D p

DISTRICT 6 3930 Shelbyville Rd., 873-5561. Named after the veteran restaurant owners’, the Thai family’s, native district in Saigon, District 6 features traditional Vietnamese cuisine based on their mother Nga’s recipes, updated with modern influences. Look for items like the bone-in short rib pho, spicy fried hot wings, beef lettuce wraps, red curry chicken and Vietnamese spicy street corn, as well as noodle bowls — and whole crispy fried fish. $$ L D p

EATZ VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT 2244 Frankfort Ave., 7854550. This Vietnamese spot has moved from Germantown into larger quarters at the former Fork & Barrel on Frankfort Avenue. You’ll still find Pho and Bahn mi sandwiches, of course, but also other noodle dishes, a bento box and crispy tofu in chili sauce. $$$$ L D pf

LEMONGRASS RESTAURANT 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 2447110, 2956 Richland Ave., 614-7448. Lemongrass Café offers an appealing blend of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese fare in a simple setting that transcends an obviously low budget with style and grace. $ L D

NAMNAM CAFÉ 318 Wallace Ave., 891-8859. This small St. Matthews Vietnamese restaurant has gained many enthusiastic fans who flock there for the pho, the banh mi and other authentic Vietnamese dishes. $ L D f

PHO BA LUU 1019 E. Main St., 384-6822. This Butchertown restaurant focuses on Vietnamese street food such as pho, the classic noodle soup, and banh mi sandwiches. The very cool repurposed space was once a welding shop; its large open spaces and high ceilings make for an elegant place to sip sweet iced coffee or munch on an Imperial roll or tuck into a rice or noodle bowl. Fast casual service at lunch; after happy hour the full bar and large patio have full service. $$ L D pf

PHO CAFÉ 1704 Barstown Rd., 916-2129. Local restaurant veteran Tuan Phan, who worked at Asiatique for 18 years along with a stint at Dish on Market, is serving Vietnamese-style home cooking. There is pho, of course, the signature noodle soup, as well as other noodle and rice dishes, banh mi sandwiches and a small selection of stir-fries. $$ L D

PHO PHI 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 290-3019. A Vietnamese restaurant joins the choices in Shelbyville Road Plaza, setting up shop in the former Home Run Burgers site. Phos, of course, and Bahn mis, and rich Vietnamese coffee. $$ L D

VIETNAM KITCHEN 5339 Mitscher Ave., 363-5154. This little South End storefront is well worth seeking out. The chef goes beyond the ordinary, preparing authentic Vietnamese dishes of unusual subtlety and flavor. We have yet to be disappointed with the quality of the food or service. $ L D

VINBUN VIETNAMESE BISTRO 12422 Shelbyville Rd., 7081470. Middletown now has access to the delights of Vietnamese cooking. Run by husband and wife team Vinh Nguyen and Dieu Dinh — both Vietnamese immigrants. The restaurant serves a variety of authentic Vietnamese noodle dishes, Banh mi sandwiches, salads and appetizers. This spot has already gained a loyal following for its authenticity and quality. $$ L D

BOUDREAUX’S CAJUN COOKING 11816 Shelbyville Rd.

Inside the tiny Boudreaux's New Orleans Style Sno-Balls shack in Middletown, you can now find take-out only New Orleans style spicy gumbo (lunch only). Eat on the patio, or take home to reheat for supper. $ L f

J. GUMBO’S 8603 Citadel Way, 493-4720, 1616 Grinstead Dr., 873-5006, 2109 Frankfort Ave., 896-4046. Former jockey Billy Fox has come full circle with his chain of popular quick-service Cajun restaurants — his most recent outlet is in the little house near Bardstown Rd., where it all began. Among the hearty, affordable dishes that have made J. Gumbo’s a go-to spot is the drunken chicken, still a favorite. $ B L D f

SELENA’S AT WILLOW LAKE TAVERN 10609 LaGrange Rd., 245-9004. This Cajun/Creole place in a renovated Anchorage roadhouse continues to find fans. Shrimp or fish with Manale sauce is a tribute to Pascal Manale’s in New Orleans. $$ Br L D pf

TAYLOR'S CAJUN MEAT CO. 3306 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 725-0039. A few blocks down Grant Line Rd. from I-265, Taylor’s is a spic-and-span shop run by a family from Lafayette, LA. Daily plate lunches often sell out quickly. A great variety of fresh and frozen savory Cajun specialties (sausages, stuffed everything) are always available, as well as crawfish and shrimp pies, gumbo and étouffée, and special orders. This place is the real deal. $ L

CUBAN RESTAURANT AND BAKERY 5614 Preston Hwy., 9197074. Among the range of Latin restaurants along Preston Hwy, this unassuming place has garnered many fans, for the satisfying Cuban food in the café, as well as for its baked goods.

$ B L D

EDEN & KISSI 3912 Bardstown Rd., 384-9102. Another addition to the growing ethnic food choices in Buechel, this AfroCaribbean restaurant serves several kinds of jerk chicken, chicken curry, and peri-peri wings. Daily specials include Ivory Coast style jollof rice, and a shrimp burger. $$ L D

GRIYO CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT 519 W. Oak St., 8223046. Haitian cuisine draws from French, African and Middle Eastern influences, which Griyo blends and vends from a small house in Old Louisville: bouyon soup, fried plantains, cornmeal with beans, stewed goat, creole jerk chicken and many more dishes seldom seen hereabouts. $$ L

HABANA BLUES RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 6112 Preston Hwy., 842-2262. After more than a decade in downtown New Albany, restaurateur Leo Lopez—who came to America in 1994 as a penniless refugee aboard a hand-built raft—has moved his tapas-driven Cuban kitchen to Louisville for expansion into a full-blown, Latin-themed restaurant, nightclub and concert complex at the former Trixie’s (opening in September). $$ L D p

HAVANA BAKERY CAFÉ 5510 Fern Valley Rd., 509-3410. This Cuban spot offers sweets and savories: tres leches cake, coquitos (coconut-caramel rolls) and flan; sandwiches or meat and fish combos (ropa vieja, albondigas, pechuga de pollo). $$ L D

HAVANA RUMBA 12003 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5375. A true taste of Old Havana can be found at this consistently busy Cuban restaurant. Bountiful servings of Cuban fare as good as any in Key West or Miami, not to mention a hopping mojito bar, have earned Havana Rumba a place on our short list of local favorites. $$ L D p f

HAVANA RUMBA & TAPAS BAR 2210 Bardstown Rd., 7494600. The Havana Rumba family brings Cuban food to the Douglass Loop, and adds a large selection of Spanish tapas as well. Fans have also spoken reverently of the mojitos and other cocktails in the stylish bar. $ L D pf

ISLAND BREEZE JAMAICAN & AMERICAN BBQ 1991 Brownsboro Rd., 290-1104. Kingston native Shyamala Mothersill’s Jamaican specialties include jerk chicken, oxtails, beef patties and curried goat. On the soul food side of the menu, barbecued ribs and fried chicken are standouts. And all at very affordable prices. $$ L D

JAMAICAN JERK CENTER 2220 Hikes Ln., 354-5829. Jamaica natives Ian and Paulene Coram began by serving tastes of home from a food truck before establishing this storefront in multicultural Buechel. Jerk chicken, oxtails and curries (chicken and goat) are among their specialties of the house. $$ L D

LA BODEGUITA DE MIMA 725 E. Market St., 690-5016. Adjacent to the AC Hotel in NuLu, this Cuban restaurant is the latest restaurant concept from Fernando Martinez and his Olé Restaurant group. Cigar lounge, rum bar, 1950s Havana décor and a menu of classics from family recipes, like Cuban tamal con Puerco, pan con bistec and some delectable desserts. $$ D pf

MI SUEÑO 3425 Bardstown Rd., 709-4526. This honest little bodega and hot table restaurant serving Latin groceries and a variety of Cuban-centric Latin dishes was, as the name translates, the owner’s dream. $ B L D

CARIBBEAN CAFÉ 317 W. Woodlawn Ave., 434-7711. The diverse Woodlawn neighborhood welcomes the area’s first Haitian restaurant. The boldly-painted exterior is decorated with cool Haitian folk art; the menu offers generous portions of jerk chicken, fried red snapper, goat, and hearty sides of rice, beans and plantains. $ L D

CHICAGO’S JERK TACOS 227 S. 30th St., 780-9410. From this “ghost kitchen” Chef Aaron Williams offers a variety of wraps, quesadillas, tacos, and burgers featuring his signature jerk sauce. Takeout and catering only. $$ L D

MOJITO IN HAVANA 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 897-1959. Longtime Louisville favorite Havana Rumba has resurfaced with a new identity in the location previously occupied by Waylon’s Food & Firewater. The roomier location of this Cuban favorite offers diners a two-tier menu that brings together the best selections from both Mojitos Tapas Restaurant and Havana Rumba. Look for some new offerings, as well, including shrimp croquettes and a selection of flatbreads. $$ B Br L D pf

OPEN CARIBBEAN KITCHEN 4735 Poplar Lever Rd., 6011332. Owner/Chef Ernest Pierre is originally from Haiti, but his interpretation of “open” implies a mélange of Caribbean influences crossing national boundaries. The ingredient list for

Pierre’s popular Rasta Pasta’s (penne pasta, jerk chicken, sausage, shrimp, onions, peppers and homemade sauce) hints at the many flavor combinations. $$ L D

ROOF TOP GRILL 414 W. Oak St., 618-2287. This Jamaican restaurant serves the native cuisine of owner Courtney Johnson. Look for jerk chicken, curry with chicken, turkey, goat and rib tips, along with Kentucky favorites like fried catfish, barbecue and beef patties. $ L D

BISTRO LE RELAIS 2817 Taylorsville Rd. (Bowman Field), 4519020. This art deco spot makes stylish use of an historic 1920s airport building to present elegant modern French cuisine. Owner Anthony Dike’s refocus of the restaurant around a bistro menu continues its popularity. $$$$ D pf

BRASSERIE PROVENCE 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 883-3153. This Provençal-style brasserie serves classical and Southern French specialties, the comfort food enjoyed by owner Guy Genoud in his childhood home of Cannes, France. Dine like the French do on fish and seafood, a variety of meat and fowl, a daily "plat du jour", French cheese and charcuterie, specialty cocktails, draft beer and a large selection of French wine. $$$ L D pf

Building. Now moved to a larger space in the AC Hotel in NuLu, bar Vetti continues to draw fans with the smashed meatball burger, the popular eggplant Parmesan sandwich, pastas and pizza. $$$$ L D pf

BELLA ROMA AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RESTAURANT 134 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 725-9495. Bella Roma adds classic Italian-American choices in a pleasant environment in the midst of New Albany’s growing restaurant row. $$$ L D f

BELLISSIMO ITALIAN RESTAURANT 2217 Steier Ln., 6902040. In culinary terms, Bellissimo (“very beautiful”) is where Abbas Jamshidi, a native of Iran who learned to cook from Agostino Gabriele at Vincenzo’s, offer Italian favorites (alfredo and ravioli) alongside seldom seen Afghan dishes like mantu and bolani. $$ L D

BLACK OLIVE ITALIAN RESTAURANT / EL NOPAL 2745 Crittenden Dr., 690-2014. Sharing space with the Mexicanflavored El Nopal at the former Cardinal Hall of Fame, Black Olive’s menu offers varied takes on traditional Italian-American comfort food—ravioli, parmigiana, alfredo, pesto—in addition to a more substantive collection of seafood dishes and steaks. $$ L D p

BUCA DI BEPPO 2051 S. HurstbournePkwy., 493-2426. Buca di Beppo’s recipe has all the necessary ingredients: huge portions of excellent food served with flair and the Buca scene is fun, a conscious parody of the exuberant decor of family ItalianAmerican restaurants of the 1950s. $$ L D p

MILANTONI ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1600 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 742-8210. This East End restaurant serves up all you would want in a casual Italian eatery: mozzarella sticks and calamari; subs and Philly cheesesteaks; pizzas and calzones; and a dozen or so different pastas. $$ L D p

OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 235 W. Market St., 581-1070. One of the original ventures of this national firm. Bright and noisy, it offers well-made if basic Italian family fare and dishes it out for surprisingly low prices. $$ L D p

OLIVE GARDEN 1320 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 339-7190, 9730 Von Allmen Ct., 425-3607, 4805 Outer Loop, 968-2978, 1230 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 218-8304. The top property of the Darden chain, Olive Garden now operates more than 500 properties and bills itself as the leading Italian restaurant in the casual dining industry. Hearty pastas of all shapes and sauces, appetizers and combo platters all carry the Italian theme. $$ L D p

PORCINI 2730 Frankfort Ave., 894-8686. This anchor trattoria of the Crescent Hill dining scene has been serving up risotto, ossobuco and bistecca since 1992. Start with fried artichokes, a Roman specialty. Opt for the grilled Romaine salad, then the gnocchi with spicy sausage. The grilled veal chop is a fine choice, and finish with tiramisu. $$$ L D pf

IRISH ROVER 2319 Frankfort Ave., 899-3544. Owner Michael Reidy is the Irish rover, having come to the U.S. from County Clare in 1984. His saloon is as smooth as Guinness, as warm as fish and chips, as genuine as Scotch eggs. Serving classic Irish fare. $ Br L D pf

MOLLY MALONE’S 933 Baxter Ave., 473-1222. Molly Malone’s, as authentically Irish as the Wearin’ o’ the Green, has anchored the dining scene in the Lower Highlands for many years. You’ll find fish and chips, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash and shepherd’s pie, along with Irish interpretations of American bar food like wings and pretzels and beer cheese.$$ L D pf

MORE SHENANIGAN’S 4521 Bardstown Rd., 493-3585. $ L D pf

O’SHEA’S TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB 956 Baxter Ave., 5897373. The O’Shea family has been operating an Irish pub since the early 1900s. Today they have one of the most popular pubs on the entire Bardstown-Baxter corridor. Diners of all ages like its burgers, flat breads, sandwiches and fish and chips. When music fills the rooms, it’s great to be Irish, even if you’re not. $$ L D pf

PATRICK O’SHEA’S 123 W. Main St., 708-2488. This downtown Irish bar was one of the first to open in the Whiskey Row complex. Crowds have been elbowing in for upscale Irishinflected bar food and plenty of sports talk. $$ L D pf

SHENANIGAN’S IRISH GRILL 1611 Norris Pl., 454-3919. Not just a neighborhood tavern (although it’s a fine neighborhood tavern), Irish-accented Shenanigan’s goes an extra step with an estimable selection of memorable burgers. $ L D pf

THE RAVEN 3900 Shelbyville Rd., 882-2222. The St. Matthews outpost of Molly Malone’s has been remodeled and rebranded to offer “an authentic, Irish cultural experience.” Gaelic legends and myths inspire the decor, and rugby, hurling and football (by which they mean soccer) are the sports that fans come watch while chowing down on shepherd’s pie and fish and chips. The extensive menu offers American food as well as Irish dishes. $$$ L D p f

ADRIENNE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 129 W. Court Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 282-2665. A part of the dining renaissance on the sunny side of Louisville, Adrienne’s has been pleasing Indiana diners with home-style Italian dishes. The owners also operate Adrienne’s Bakery in Jeffersonville. $$ L D

BAR VETTI 727 E. Market St., 883-3331. The crew behind Feast BBQ and Royals Hot Chicken scored another win when bar Vetti, an upscale casual Italian eatery, opened in the 800

CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4122218. Not your ordinary suburban shopping-center franchise eatery. This place dramatically exceeds expectations. From warmed bread dishes with quality olive oil to first-rate ItalianAmerican fare at reasonable prices. $$$ L D pf

CIAO 1201 Payne St., 690-3532. Chef/owner Bridgette Pizzonia’s family tree is rooted in Calabria, the toe in Italy’s boot. An established Irish Hill favorite, Ciao’s lunch options include Siciliano hot brown, panini con prosciutto and Italian beef sandwiches alongside salads and pizza. Chicken Marsala, crab arancini and linguine alla vongole are among a wide range of traditional Italian dinner choices. $$ L D pf

COME BACK INN 909 Swan St., 627-1777. Come Back Inn wouldn’t be out of place in Chicago or Brooklyn. This neighborhood eatery houses a family Italian spot of days gone by. Owner Cathy (with a C, as she will remind you) Zachari holds court behind the bar. This gregarious mother hen oversees a staff that will make you feel like you have been invited into their home. The dishes are all well-crafted. Nothing pretentious here. Just plentiful, fulfilling dishes in an enjoyable setting. $$ L D p

DIFABIO’S CASAPELA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 2311 Frankfort Ave., 891-0411. Reminiscent of a menu that harks back to the red-checked tablecloth and Chianti bottle era of Italian restaurants. Look for baked stuffed mushrooms and toasted ravioli, veal parmesan and chicken piccata, and your choice of pastas with your choice of sauce. $$ D f

GRASSA GRAMMA 2210 Holiday Manor Ctr., 333-9595. Kevin Grangier’s newest dining idea is his take on familiar Italian food, just like your robust Italian grandmother made, only better. There’s lasagne, of course, and spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli and gnocchi and several other pastas, but prime beef filet with Gorgonzola sauce, veal scallopini, whole roasted branzino, and pizza, too. $$$$ Br L D p

MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr. 394-9797. Now locally owned, Martini’s continues to serve hearty, wellfashioned Italian entrées, pastas and pizzas, a comfortable approximation of a Tuscan trattoria. An open kitchen with wood-fired oven gives a peek at the culinary goings-on. $$$ Br

L D pf

MILANO ITALIAN RESTAURANT 11300 Westport Rd., 7422926. This family-owned restaurant with locations in Shelbyville and Mt. Washington has opened its first Louisville location. The menu, based on owner Jonathan Balderas’s grandmother’s recipes, features items like calzones, thick- and thin-crust pizzas, pasta and more than a dozen house specials with all dough, sauces and dressings made from scratch in house. $$ L D p

ROC RESTAURANT 1327 Bardstown Rd., 459-7878. New York City chef/restaurateur Rocco Cadolini has transformed a Highlands building into an elegant upscale restaurant, with a handsome pergola in the front garden. The first floor has a large bar and casual dining, and upstairs sees a more formal white tablecloth space with several private dining rooms. Here you will find authentic Italian food, served with flair. Now open for lunch and the “disco brunches” are becoming legendary. $$$ D pf

SARINO 1030 Goss Ave., 822-3777. Owners and brothers, Carmelo and Michael Gabriele, the next generation of the noted Gabriele family (owners of the highly revered Vincenzo’s), have taken over the short-lived Goss Ave. Pub space for their casual, authentic Italian restaurant that emphasizes fresh pasta and Neapolitan pizza, something Germantown had been lacking. The menu also features Sicilian street fare, Italian cheeses paired with charcuterie, and traditional entrees. $$ D p

SILVIO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 104 Fairfax Ave., 883-6369. Owned by one of the Melillo family, fondly remembered for their NuLu retaurant before NuLu became popular, this St. Matthews spot evokes the classic New Jersey style Italian restaurants of the “Big Night” era: baked pasta dishes, cheesestuffed rice balls, pasta fagiole, and eggplant Parmesan. $$ L D p

SPAGHETTI SHOP 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 9445400. Baked pasta dishes, subs, salads and appetizers are prepared while you wait. $ L D

THE BLACK ITALIAN 2009 Highland Ave., 690-8914. Unpretentious Italian home-cooking is the style at this Highlands spot. Choose from six pasta dishes, grilled meatballs and chicken wings, and sub sandwiches. $$$ L D

TOWN 415 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 285-1777. The former Southern Indiana branch of the Come Back Inn has a new identity and a menu still focused on pasta dishes and pizzas with several new salads, sandwiches and a revamped appetizer selection. Other entrees include items like chicken piccata and Greek lamb pasta. $$ L D p

TUSCANY ITALIAN RESTAURANT 165 Outer Loop, 363-0308. Adding an appetizing option to a stretch of the South End that hasn’t been over-served by restaurants, this good-sized storefront near New Cut Road boasts a Mexican chef who demonstrates an expert’s hand with hearty, red-sauced ItalianAmerican fare at a price that’s right. $$ L D p

VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. Chef and co-owner Josh Moore has revised his menu after an inspirational tour of Italy, and brings in fantastic whole fish for seafood specials on Fridays. His pasta extruder allows him to do things like squid ink fettuccine. Volare continues to be a top spot for suave Italian dining. Moore supplies his kitchen with vegetables he raises himself on his Taylorsville farm. $$$ D pf B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

BARCELONA BISTRO BAR 10415 Taylorsville Rd., 614-6055. Jeffersontown gets a Spanish restaurant thanks to chef/owner Alba Clementson. Here she offers Catalan-style spinach with caramelized onions, roasted cashews, cranberries, and peanuts; paella; Serrano ham croquettes; and albondigas (pork meatballs in almond sauce), among other dishes. $$$ Br D p

MOJITO TAPAS RESTAURANT 2231 Holiday Manor Center, 425-0949. An offshoot of the popular St. Matthews Cuban restaurant Havana Rumba, Mojito quickly established its own identity as the East End spot for Spanish-inspired small plates with a global taste profile. Always crowded on weekends; no reservations, but call ahead to get high on the waiting list. $$ L

D pf

APNA CAFÉ 11322 Maple Brook Dr., 690-7555. This Indian café attached to the neighboring grocery offers a colorful and aromatic assortment of curries and more. $$ L D

BOMBAY GRILL 216 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-8892. With its broad array of Indian regional specialties including the requisite lunch buffet, this spot in The Forum on Hurstbourne is winning praise for its aromatic flavors and bountiful portions. $$ L D f

CHAMLING KITCHEN & BAR 2249 Hikes Ln., 451-2500. Another entrepreneurial immigrant family has opened Louisvillians’ taste buds to more ethnic possibilities. In the former Empress of China space, the Rai family serves standard Chinese hot table dishes, but also adds Nepalese and Indian fare. $ L D p

CLAY OVEN INDIAN RESTAURANT 12567 Shelbyville Rd., 254-4363. Northern Indian cuisine with a focus on the clay oven specialties of the region, including some Nepalese dishes, like goat curry and chicken mo-mo (a kind of chicken and dumplings dish). Also selections of lamb dishes and, of course, a large vegetarian menu. $$ L D

DAKSHIN SOUTH INDIAN RESTAURANT 4742 Bardstown Rd., 491-7412. This Indian restaurant has won many fans with its aromatic and spicy Southern Indian fare to the Buechel-Fern Creek neighborhood in the Eastland Shopping Center. $$ B L D p

DEAPSTER502 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 795-2227. Deap Patel’s “India-meets-world” salsas and sauces were such a hit at Logan Street Market that he enlisted his family and created a restaurant there, serving staples like biryani and vindaloo, along with cross-cultural tikka tacos, vegan tikka and a full complement of dessert items. $$ L D p f

EGGHOLIC 1947 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 690-2116. This small Chicago chain boasts that its dishes are just like those found on Indian lahris (street carts). The menu offers egg dishes prepared in various styles of Indian cuisine, as well as sandwiches, rice dishes and curries. $$ B Br L D p

HYDERABAD HOUSE LOUISVILLE 12412 Shelbyville Rd., 405-8788. The first of this international chain of Indian restaurants to arrive in Louisville, this Middletown restaurant boasts that its Indian food is more authentic than other restaurants, with over 200 dishes on its menu, including several biryanis, curries, masalas and naan. $$ L D p

KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1277 Bardstown Rd., 4738765. One of the city’s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh nor expensive, and it produces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ L D f

KATHMANDU KITCHEN AND BAR 3825 Bardstown Rd., 2021481. Named for the capital city of Nepal, this crisp, modern place in Buechel serves Nepalese food (a sort-of fusion of Chinese and Indian cuisines). Expect dishes such as pakoras, biruanis and even chow mein, but also Nepali items such as pork sakuwo (spiced pork chunks cooked on skewers), fried mo-mo (a kind of dumpling with dipping sauce) and khasikomaasu ra bhata, an aromatic stew with curried accents. $$ L D pf

PARADISE AMERICAN-INDIAN CUISINE 12951 Shelbyville Rd., 230-7121. In paradise, presumably there’s a menu item for us all. At the actual Paradise eatery in Middletown, the expansive menu includes Indian (tikka masala, pakora), American (wings and nachos), with chicken chow mein, salmon and red velvet case for good measure (did we mention a full bar, too?) $$$ L D p

SANKALP LOUISVILLE 9008 Taylorsville Rd., 690-8355. The Guinness Book of World Records credits a Sankalp franchise somewhere (the chain is headquartered in India) for creating the longest dosa (a type of crepe) in the world. The menu is also pretty long, with dozens of dishes, including uthappa, rava, idli, chaat and more than 35 different curries. $$ L D

SHALIMAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-8899. Modern and sleek in appearance, modest in price, this restaurant has become the patriarch of local Indian restaurants. With a substantial lunch buffet and a full range of dinner items, it has built a loyal clientele. $$ L D

SHREEJI INDIAN VEGETARIAN STREET FOOD 1986 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 890-4000. The extensive, completely vegetarian menu of this East End restaurant looks to the street food of India for dishes not often seen here: a variety of chaats,masala pav, hakka, dosa and even an aloo mutter sandwich, filled with a blend of potato, peas and a balance of savory spices. $$ L D

TAJ PALACE 2929 Goose Creek Rd., 423-9692. Focused on Northern Indian cuisine, the menu offers a wide range of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian dishes. Spiciness can be decided by the customer. Lunch buffet and dinner menu. $$ L D f

TANDOORI FUSION 4600 Chamberlain Ln., 255-2590. Owner Purna Veer offers authentic Indian cuisine with a locallysourced flair in the East End (tandoori, biryanis and seldomseen dumplings called Karvepaku Manchurian), using Indian vegetables grown on his Oldham County farm; the restaurant’s chicken, goat and lamb are certified Halal. As a bonus, Veer has “hired” a robot to deliver food and bus tables, the Louisville area’s first such labor-saving innovation. $$ B L D pf

TIKKA HOUSE 3930 Chenoweth Sq., 749-4535. Tikka House has garnered positive notice for both its lunch buffet and a la carte dinner service. Diners have praised dishes such as lamb masala with roasted coconut, Tandoori wings, fish pakora, paneer chili, several daal preparations and saag paneer. $$ L D pf

GRAPE LEAF 2217 Frankfort Ave., 897-1774. For those in the know, the Grape Leaf has long been a destination spot, well above the generic Middle Eastern eatery nich in both ambiance and quality of food. Prices remain affordable; the food and mood justify a special trip. $$ L D f

JERUSALEM KITCHEN 4413 Saint Rita Dr., 614-6465. Little Jerusalem Café has moved from the Iroquois Manor area and moderately rebranded itself. You can still find a range of Mediterranean dishes here, shawarma and fattoush, gyros and hummus and so on. $$ D f

LITTLE GREEK FRESH GRILL 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 690-8348. This Arkansas-based chain is now serving dolmades and spanikopita, pita sandwiches and wraps, a variety of skewers and mousaka and pastitsio. $$ L D p

MAMA SHADIA 2300 W. Market St., 830-4685. Arabic and Middle Eastern cuisine comes to the Russell neighborhood, with a twist; one co-owner is from Bahrain, where chicken masala, beef curry, and tikka are among the most popular dishes. The eatery also boasts shawarma, falafel, burgers, wings, and kebabs. $ L D

MASALA GRILL 528 S. Fifth St., 562-0202. $ L

MIRAGE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 4100 Preston Hwy., 363-7788, 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 891- 0388. MIRAGE Mediterranean Restaurant 4100 Preston Hwy., 363-7788, 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 891- 0388. Spanning the gamut of Middle Eastern, North African, Turkish and Greek cuisine (dare we say “comfort food”?), the daily offerings are a delightful kaleidoscope of kabobs, gyros, schwarma, hummus, falafel and much more. The “Express” location in St. Matthews has the same basic menu but adds a daily steam table for grab-and-go. $$ L D f

PASHA'S MEDITERRANEAN 3904 Bardstown Rd., 409-4532. You can find the usual Mediterranean fare here – falafel, baba ghanouj – but with influences of Jordanian recipes such as Kalaya, ground lamb cooked in tomatoes, and char-grilled lamb liver. Fans cite the value-sized portions. $$ L D f

SAFIER MEDITERRANEAN DELI 641 S. Fourth St., 585-1125. You can get standard American fare at this downtown quickeats spot, but who’d do that when you can enjoy such appetizing Arabian delights as hummus, mutabal, falafels and the gyros-like (only better) shawarma beef-on-pita sandwich? $ L D f

SAM’S GYRO 3123 S. Second St., 709-4292. This hummus and kebab joint, with its tasty food and friendly service, has moved out to the South End. The menu features everything you would expect from a typical Eastern Mediterranean menu: falafel, tabouli, gyros, baklava and spanakopita. $ L D

AL SULTAN MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 8129 Bardstown Rd., 630-3334. Located in the Glenmary Shopping Center, this Middle-Eastern restaurant offers the classics — shwarma and kofta, tabbouleh. $$ L D f

ALADDIN’S MEDITERRANEAN 37 Bank St., New Albany IN, 489-7969. After bringing a higher level of Middle Eastern cuisine to the still-growing dining scene in New Albany, Aladdin’s has moved to the cool new Underground Station complex. You will still find well-crafted gyros, chicken shawarma, tabbouleh and hummus in their sleek new environs. Finish your meal with thick Turkish coffee. $ L D

CASPIAN GRILL PERSIAN BISTRO 2716 Frankfort Ave., 2906050. Middle Eastern food of an above-average quality. Kabobs and hummus, of course, but also shirazi salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a lemony dressing, and chicken stew with pomegranate and walnuts. $ L D

CHARCOAL 2805 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 749-8888. Chicken cooked over charcoal and served with garlic sauce is just one of the draws at this new Mediterranean restaurant. The menu also lists classics like falafel, chicken shawarma, hummus, baba ganoush, tahini salad — and baklava cheesecake. $$ L D f

EAT A PITA 2286 Bardstown Rd., 473-7482. Enjoy MediterraneanMiddle Eastern favorites, as well as the addition of a few “American” sandwiches — on fresh pita, of course. $ L D

FALAFEL OASIS 226 W. Broadway, 742-2030. The owner of Superior Market and Deli a few doors away has also opened this Middle Eastern restaurant, serving gyros, falafel, and other regional fare. $ L D

SHIRAZ MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 426-9954, 201 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-3440, 3521 Poplar Level Rd., 632-2232, 4614 Chamberlain Ln., 919-9014, 1565 Bardstown Rd., 749-0385. From a tiny neighborhood storefront, Shiraz quickly grew out of its original location and expanded into a local mini-chain. In all its locations, Shiraz shines with authentic Persian (Iranian) cooking, such as chargrilled kebabs, fine pitas and lavash. $ L D f

SIMPLY MEDITERRANEAN 2900 Brownsboro Rd., 963-5577. The menu is based on “perfected” family inherited recipes. There are familiar and expected choices: kebabs and shawarma, baba ganooj and kibbeh. Also cheese and spinach pies, chickpea salad, and fried cauliflower. $ L D

SYRIAN GRILL ABU ABDU 3325 Bardstown Rd., 749-0071. This Middle Eastern restaurant, tucked away amid other businesses just past the Watterson, serves familiar Mediterranean dishes — kibbeh, shawarma, biryani — and also family size meals of mixed grill and the Syrian rice dish mansaf.

$$ L D

TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ 13317 Shelbyville Rd., 2446222, 106 Fairfax Ave., 212-5373, 1580 Veterans Pkwy., (812) 404-1191. At these Alabama-based chain outlets the food is made fresh daily with vegan and gluten-free choices. The menu includes grilled chicken roll-ups, a grilled tilapia sandwich with dill-caper sauce, gyros, a grilled vegetable and rice plate, roasted potatoes and baklava, along with beer and wine. $$ L D pf

ZOE’S KITCHEN 4126 Summit Plaza Dr., 329-8963. This chain has been growing throughout the South and Southwest, and

now has two Louisville locations. An eclectic menu offers kabobs, hummus, quesadillas, roll-ups, pita sandwiches and chicken, tuna and shrimp salads. $ L D

CARALI'S ROTISSERIE CHICKEN 9148 Taylorsville Rd., 6180699, 642 Baxter Ave., 12531 Shelbyville Rd., 618-2725, 5439 New Cut Rd., 963-5698, 703 E. Lewis and Clark Pkwy., (812) 286-2900. You will find Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken and other South American dishes here: lomo (grilled marinated steak), chaufa rice and various salads and side dishes (such as stuffed avocado). Sandwiches as well as full dinners, and take away half and full roasted chickens. $ L D p

CLASSICO TAKEOUT AND EMPANADAS 104. S. Preston St., 489-1380. Downtown eaters now have a way to enjoy some of the crowd-pleasing dishes of well-knonw to fans of Clifton’s Caffe Classico. Restaurateur Tommy Mudd’s new downtown kiosk will focus on hand-held takeaway choices, including his well-regarded empanadas. Espresso too, and limited outdoor seating. $$ B L p f

EL SAZON DE ABUELA 8506 Preston Hwy., 290-0030. The ethnic food choices along Preston Highway continue to expand with this Puerto Rican restaurant. Mofongo, – smashed plantains infused with garlic and seasonings – is a comfort food staple of PR cuisine made with shrimp, chicken, seafood, or veggies and broth. Breakfast dishes, burgers, and sandwiches are also on offer. $$ B L D f

EMPANADAS ALCHEMY 10640 Meeting St., 333-0834, 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmore Center). NThe Michelangeli family’s Venezuelan-Latin American fusion food — pepitos, patacones, arepas and yes, empanadas — is available at a kiosk in Oxmoor Center, via a roving food truck, and in a bricks ‘n’ mortar restaurant setting at Norton Commons. $$ L D pf

I LOVE TACOS 9909 Taylorsville Rd., 384-2154, 1534 Bardstown Rd., 742-4119, 3550 Springhurst Commons Dr., 749-6847. The opening of the third location of this locallyowned Mexican spot testifies to restaurant’s popularity. The menu’s focus extends beyond the expectations of the name with burritos and quesadillas too. But the birria taco, filled with spiced stewed beef and then crisped on a griddle, has become a sort of signature dish. $$ L D pf

LA BODEGUITA DEL MEDIO 5700 Outer Loop, 742-2144. You can find a variety of Latin dishes here, from tamales and tacos to cerdo asado (roast pork in citrus marinade), ropa vieja and churrasco, seafood and soups. $$ L D p

LA GUANAQUITA 4231 Taylor Blvd., 822-1343. This South End spot serves the dishes of Guatemala and Honduras: pupusas and baleadas and pescado frito (fried fish), served whole, head and tail on, garnished with lime wedges and avocado slices. $$ L D

LA SUERTE 2116 Bardstown Rd., 883-1000. Owner Chris Seckman has transformed his Douglass Loop North End Café site into a Latin restaurant. Partner and Executive Chef Adrian Jimarez Neri offer dishes inspired by his mother and grandmother. The dinner menu includes pollo tostadas, shrimp a la parilla, pork posole and shrimp a la diabla. Brunch will offer molletes, migas, and jalapeño biscuits with chorizo gravy. $$$ Br D pf

SABOR LATINO 1273 S. Brook St., 276-4954. A welcome addition to Old Louisville is this tiny restaurant serving a “Latin Culinary Mix,” as a sign advertises. The menu offers Cuban sandwiches, patatas bravas, burritos, quesadillas, carne asada, ropa vieja and pollo de vacaciones – a chicken stew. $$ L D f

SENORA AREPA 721 E. Market St., 795-3995. The long-awaited Senora Arepa serves the rich Venezuelan cuisine, with influences from Spanish, West African, and Native American cultures. Arepas, the cornmeal bread stuffed with meat or cheese that is ubiquitous in northern Latin America, anchors the casual menu. $$ L D pf

YUMMY POLLO 4222 Bishop Ln., 618-1400. You can get Peruvian-style charcoal roasted chicken here by the piece, half or whole bird. American-style side dishes include fried or mashed potatoes, rice, steamed vegetables, slaw and pasta salad.

$ L

A TODA MADRE COMIDA URBANA MEXICANA 2116 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 599-9938. For monolingual souls seeking brevity, “Mom’s Meal’s” will do just fine. The Mexican offerings are familiar, with homemade chorizo scoring early raves from the neighborhood crowd. $ L D

BANDIDO TAQUERIA MEXICANA 423 University Blvd., 9967788, 2901 Goose Creek Rd., 547-1825, 4214 Shelbyville Rd., 384-4024. These three San Diego-influenced Mexican eateries (near U of L, on Westport Road and the newest in St. Matthews) serve tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos, burrito bowls and salsas with California flair. $$ L D f

BUBBAKOO’S BURRITOS 12919 Factory Ln., 384-0778, 4214 Shelbyville Rd., 630-2017. This East Coast fast-casual chain offers lots of standard Mexican fare (tacos, quesadillas, nachos), along with wings and choice of six sauces. One house specialty is the Chiwawa, a stuffed rice ball, breaded and fried. $$ L D

CAFÉ AROMA 2020 Brownsboro Rd., 618-3434. This little shop along the lower Brownsboro food corridor touts “a world of flavor with a Mexican flair.” It’s mostly Mexican and really mostly good, according to our friends in the neighborhood. Affordable, casual and filling. $ L D

CANCÚN 808 Lyndon Ln., 883-1924, 9424 Shelbyville Rd., 7423697. Now with two locations, Cancún offers familiar dishes, combination platters, and steak and seafood specialties like carne bandito and tostados de ceviche. $$ L D pf

CHIPOTLEMEXICANGRILL 315S.FourthSt.,584-8606, 10333 Westport Rd., 526-5170, 1075 Bardstown Rd., 4528990, 13303 Shelbyville Rd., 244-7173, 420 S. Hurstbourne Ln., 425-3017, 7710 Bardstown Rd., 398-3452, 2133 State St. New Albany IN., 812-920-4463. Now with seven area locations, this increasingly popular Tex-Mex chain, with an emphasis on cooking with humanely-raised meat products, seems to have struck a chord with consumers. $ L D f

CONDADO TACOS 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 8058300. The Ohio-based taco chain has arrived brandish margaritas and tequila-based cocktails alongside build-yourown tacos, nachos and bowls. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are available. $$ L D pf

EL CAPORAL 2209 Meadow Dr., 473-7840, 1909 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 266-9605. Louisville’s growing Mexican-American community has fostered a happy trend: excellent, authentic Mexican food. El Caporal bridges the gap between the Latino and Anglo communities. $ L D p

EL COMAL TAQUERIA 9609 Dixie Hwy., 632-2053. As one might expect, the main focus here is on tacos, including party taco trays, but other choices include burritos, quesadillas and chilaquiles. $ L D p

EL MAGUEY 1015 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 812-725-0002. One of a half-dozen authentic Mexican eateries within a few hundred yards of each other in Clarksville. Portions are large; tortas, street tacos and horchatas are among the popular choices from a lengthy menu. $$ B L D p

EL MARIACHI 9901 La Grange Rd., 413-5770. Mexican eatery with quick, friendly service, situated in enlarged and remodeled quarters, with a Latino butcher shop, bakery and grocery mere steps away. Tacos and burritos are made with the bakery’s fresh tortillas; gorditas, huaraches and sopesitos are also popular options. $ B L D p

EL MOLCAJETE 8106 Preston Hwy., 742-3485, 2932 S. Fourth St., 638-0300. You can get gringo-style tacos (with shredded lettuce, cheese & sour cream) at this south-end Mexican joint. But if you come here, why not eat like a native? Lash your pork, beef and chicken tacos with fresh-squeezed lime juice and a heap of sliced radishes. Want to get truly authentic? Step up to beef tongue (lengua), intestine (tripas) or brain (sesos). $$ L D p

EL MUNDO 2345 Frankfort Ave., 899-9930, 1767 Bardstown Rd., 384-5633. he crowded little Crescent Hill storefront, offering creative renditions of Mexican regional specialties that make most diners want to yell “Olé!”, now has a second outlet in the multilevel space in the Highlands that once was Asiatique. Both locations provide high-quality Mexican food and drink. $ L D pf

EL NOPAL (24 Locations) These locally-owned restaurants have comprised a steadily growing mini-chain, winning popularity on the basis of delicious and inexpensive Mexican fare in com¬fortable surroundings, and proliferating to the point where currently El Nopal is second only to Starbucks in number of metro Louisville locations. $ L D pf

EL PASTORCITO 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 365-3277, 4132 Outer Loop, 618-0520. El Pastorcito serves Mexican street food (tacos, sopes, tortas, etc.) and a range of Mexican/American entrées (gorditas, quesadillas, burgers and chicken tenders). $$ L D p f

EL RAYO SEAFOOD & GRILL 1537 E. Tenth St.,Jeffersonville IN, 913-0070. Formerly Pelicanos, this marisqueria certainly doesn’t neglect standard Mexican menu items but enormous grilled seafood platters have top billing, alongside an uncommonly large selection of ceviches and aguachiles. $$$ L D p

EL RIO GRANDE 10001 Forest Green Blvd., 632-2403. A Mexican restaurant has taken over the expansive space that once was Limestone. Patrons report good experiences, with both the food and the service. $$ L D p

EL RODEO MEXICAN 5204 Elzie Rd., 995-8722. Classic Mexican-American cuisine, serving Shively, Pleasure Ridge Park, and Valley Station since 2000, and locally renowned for its lunch buffet Monday through Saturday, featuring all the staples (tacos, quesadillas, wings, salad and even flan), with a range of margaritas to wash it all down. $$ L D p

EL SINALOENSE MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5520 Fern Valley Rd., 712-9707. An extensive array of beautifully plated, reasonably priced Mexican dishes is augmented by lesserknown ceviches and seafood, including a show-stopping trompo al pastor, with guacamole, onions, cilantro, sauces, tortillas on the side and marinated pork steak on a spit, ready for you to carve your meat into DIY tacos. $$ L D p

EL SOMBRERO 2784 Meijer Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 285-0109. An Indianapolis restaurant group has taken over the old Bearno’s near Meijer in J’ville, and opened this “Americanized Mexican” restaurant. $ B L D pf

EL TACO LOCO 5622 Preston Hwy., 225-7229. This unpretentious Mexican restaurant tries to be as authentic as it can, and has persuaded many fans with its efforts. Inexpensive, freshly made tacos, quesadillas and other familiar Mexican dishes, served in value sizes. $ L D

EL TACO LUCHADOR 938 Baxter Ave., 583-0440, 112 Meridian Ave., 709-5154, 10305 Taylorsville Rd., 708-1675. Olé Restaurant Group’s three signature taquerias (a luchador is a Mexican wrestler) have diners lined up out the door. Familiar taco names — barbacoa, carnitas, carne asada — get clever riffs in the kitchen. Call it elevated Mexican street food. And do try the fantastic tortas. $ L D f

EL TARASCO 5425 New Cut Rd., 368-5628, 110 Fairfax Ave., 895-8010. El Tarasco’s take on Mexican food appeals both to the area’s growing Latino population and Anglos who want to enjoy a South-of-the-Border culinary adventure without compromise. $ L D p

EL TORAZO 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-7272. A familyoriented Mexican restaurant offers the expected menu items, as well as some more sophisticated dishes, such as 7 mares sopa, a soup with shrimp, scallops and octopus; banderillas, a colorful beef brochette; and chuleta sabrosa, a Durango-style grilled steak. $$ L D pf

EL TORO CANTINA & GRILL 10602 Shelbyville Rd., 489-3839. One of the top Mexican restaurants in the metro, El Toro earns our recommendation for food, service and environment. TexMex dishes are fine, but save room for the authentic Mexican seafood specialties. $ L D pf

FELIPE’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 7429142, 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 919-7014. The second East End location seems to show that the ethnic fare at Felipe’s is well-made, and tasty. The menu lists 16 chicken dishes from various areas of Mexico, along with variations on fajitas and tacos. $$ L D p

FIESTA MEXICANA 4507 Bardstown Rd., 491-2922 $ L D p

FIESTA TIME AMIGOS 8133 Bardstown Rd., 231-2444, 135 S. English Station Rd., 254-7755. These traditional Mexican

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

restaurant’s locations serve the expected things, like fajitas and burritos. But there is also an extensive grill menu, with items such as steak tampiqueño (rib-eye steak with ranchero sauce), Chile Colorado and Los Amigos cheese steak. $ L D pf

FIESTA TIME MEXICAN GRILL 11320 Maple Brook Dr., 4259144. $ L D p

FISTFUL OF TACOS 2708 Paoli Pk., New Albany IN, 557-0226. This ambitious little taco joint in the Knobs offers five taco choices - The Good (chicken tinga, citrus slaw),The Bad (beef, pico de gallo), The Ugly (Bourbon pork, mango salsa), The Vegan (roasted sweet potato, black bean) and The Pesky (scallop ceviche, melon). $$ L D f

FOKO 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), (210) 792-5858. Chef Paco Garcia fuses his two favorite cuisines, Mexican and Southern. The result is chicken with jalapeno gravy or tortas with collard greens, among others. $$ L D f

GUACAMOLE MODERN MEXICAN 900 E. Market St., 2128225. This popular East End modern Mexican restaurant has relocated to NuLu, taking over the space that had been Rye. No Tex-Mex here, just pure Mexican: asados and moles and pibils, along with authentic variations on familiar choices such as tacos, burritos and enchiladas. The bar menu is centered on Mexican cocktails. $$ D pf

GUSTAVO’S MEXICAN GRILL 6051 Timber Ridge Dr., 4347266, 10715 Meeting St., 690-7070, 401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 420-1100. Gustavo’s offers “bold Mexican flavors.” Everything you would expect — fajitas, burritos, tacos — but also vegetarian options, house specialties like enchiladas verdes, chimichangas, shrimp tacos and pollo feliz (grilled chicken with chorizo and pineapple). $$ L D pf

ISRAEL’S DELICIAS DE MEXICO GOURMET 604 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 725-9139. Israel Landon introduced Kentuckiana to his Mexican home-style cooking at La Rosita a few years ago. Now he is moving into the former Destinatins Booksellers space by the end of March. Look for street tacos and Mayan quesadillas and weekly specials highlighting cuisine from

various regions of Mexico, including seafood dishes and new desserts. $ L D f

JOELY'S BAR & GRILL 1999 Brownsboro Rd., 742-9456. Taking over the former El Frijol location in Clifton, this Mexican restaurant serves breakfast, burritos, quesadillas, tortas and chimichangas. Dinner choices range from pollo con arroz to carnitas de puerco to seafood. $$ L D p

LA BAMBA 1237 Bardstown Rd., 451-1418. The revamped and updated Highlands authentic fast food place still offers burritos as big as your head, and tacos, quesadillas and tortas too. $ L D

LA CATRINA MEXICAN KITCHEN 202 E. Elm St., New Albany IN, 725-8264. The owners of Señor Iguanas restaurants have opened this Mexican party food and street food restaurant in the building that Dragon King’s Daughter moved out of. Look for naked and dressed tacos, soups, salads and shareable dishes and seasonal menu updates. $$ L D pf

LA CHAPINLANDIA 1209 McCawley Rd., 384-7075. If those tiny hole-in-the-wall places are the best for real Mexican food, this little South End place will satisfy Okolona’s need for tacos and burritos. $ L D p

LA LOMA 560 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 812-283-3775. This seafood-heavy Mexican grill with all the expected menu staples takes special pride in its weekend menu, featuring menudo, barbecued lamb and shrimp broth. $$L D p

LA LUPITA 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 285-0083. Tucked away at an inconspicuous strip mall in a neighborhood exploding with Mexican food and drink options, this venerable Mexican food purveyor isn’t a secret any longer. The Mexican staples are here (with Oaxacan accents) pambazos, tlacoyos, tlayudas and aguachile, as explained by cheerful staffers. The owners also operate a bakery in front of the same building, featuring breads, pastries and coffee. $$ L D pf

LA POPULAR 2521 Seventh St Rd., 636-3688.$ L D p

LA RIVIERA MAYA 8104 National Turnpike, 361-3566. This South End Mexican restaurant is popular with local Latinos, which is always a good sign. Look for gorditas and carne asada,

as well as familiar fare like enchiladas. Word is that the horchata is rich and spiced just right. $ L D p

LA ROSITA TAQUERIA 8730 Westport Rd., 618-4588, 5059 Preston Hwy., 618-2883. For those who crave genuine Mexican tacos, you want them convenient when the urge to scarf one down strikes. These little places will certainly satisfy those cravings. $ L D

LA SIERRA RESTAURANT AND TAQUERIA 6501 Shepherdsville Rd., 969-7938. $

LA TERRAZA FOURTH STREET 654 S. Fourth St., 409-6103. Inheritor of Bluegrass Brewing’s 4th Street satellite location, which did not return from the pandemic, La Terraza also assumes the role of a well-situated, pre-concert drinks and dinner option; several music venues are nearby. It’s Mexican cuisine, emphasizing quesadillas, taquitos, tacos and outdoor seating with a solid vantage point for people watching. $$ L B pf

LA TORTA LOCA 5213 Preston Hwy., 966-3254. This simple, strip mall eatery has been around long enough to gain dedicated fans of their well-seasoned and fairly spicy versions of familiar Mexican dishes. Some of those fans recommend the agua de Jamaica (hibiscus).

LA TROPICANA 5215 Preston Hwy., 964-5957. This Latino grocery store has been selling a full range of fruits, vegetables, meats and grocery items for a while. Now there is a steam-table buffet with a wide range of lunch choices. It’s mostly take-away, but there’s also limited outdoor and indoor seating. $$ B L D f

LAS CAZUELAS 4214 Bishop Ln., 614-8634. This unassuming strip mall eatery has amassed a dedicated local clientele with fast, friendly service, cold margaritas and well-prepared familiar Mexican fare. $$ L D pf

LAS GORDITAS 4756 Bardstown Rd., 492-0112. As Louisville’s small, thriving Latino community grows, it’s now possible to enjoy an authentic Mexico City-style dining experience at this taco and gordita wagon that rolls up in the Eastland Shopping Center. Family owners and chefs Pat and Esperanza Costas and

Ofelia Ortiz now also have a sit-down storefront just down the street. $ D f

LAS MARGARITAS MEXICAN RESTAURANT 12220

Shelbyville Rd., 963-5503, 307 Central Ave., 690-8071. The emphasis here is on the cuisine of the Gulf coast of Mexico. You will find the familiar (tacos, fajitas) and the slightly different — caldo de pollo (Mexican chicken soup), mole poblano and salmon al ajillo (garlic salmon) and tlayollos, a variation on tamales. $$ L D p

LIMÓN Y SAL 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 423-4604. This authentic Mexican kitchen offers suburbanites many choices: taquitos, bocadillos and dips to start, soups such as pozole and caldo de camarón (shrimp soup), tacos, tortas and combination dinners. $$ L D pf

LOS AZTECAS 445 E. Market St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 4263994, 9207 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-2450. Genuine Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville thanks to a growing immigrant community. Los Aztecas, one of the best, has moved its W. Main St. anchor store to E. Market, taking over the larger, spiffy space left by Wild Rita’s closing. It’s satellite locations are still bustling too. $ L D pf

LUCKY BURRITO 2118 Bardstown Rd., 883-1000. Christopher Seckman and partner Adrian Jimarez Neri morphed the Douglass Loop location of North End Café into the Modern Latin restaurant La Suerte. Now the team has added a new offering next door: Lucky Burrito is a quick-service place with hefty burritos, nicely-priced tacos, and plenty of interesting ingredients and an assortment of deftly-crafted tacos. $$ L D f

LUNA'S MEXICAN ROTISSERIE 5213 Preston Hwy., 962-8898. The owners came from Puebla, Mexico, but made a stop in Los Angeles before moving to Louisville and starting Luna’s Rotisserie. Their specialty is slow-cooked rotisserie chicken from the coast of Veracruz. There’s plenty more on the board, such as tamales, quesadillastarlights and menudo. On Saturdays & Sundays, pozole and cabo de camaron are added. $$ L D

MANGO’S BAR & GRILL 4632 Hendrik Dr., 671-5291. This Mexican-American restaurant chain serves a Latin lunch buffet seven days a week as well as a full dinner menu. You will find burritos, tacos and tamales, but also several steak dishes and Mexican-style desserts. $$ L D

MARIA’S TACOS 825 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 812-7257705. The kitchen is in view and the atmosphere intimate at this taqueria, described by one regular customer as “just like eating at Grandma’s.” Lengua tacos are recommended, but Maria’s might be the top choice in Clarksville for tamales. $ B L D

MAYAN CAFÉ 813 E. Market St., 566-0651. Chef Bruce Ucán arguably kicked off the restaurant renaissance along East Market Street, in the area now known as NuLu. His stylish bistro serves distinctive cuisine from Ucán’s native Yucatan Peninsula. $$ D pf

MEXA TACOS 3701 Lexington Rd., 290-1334. This fast-casual restaurant features a list of signature steak tacos customizable with house-made salsas, guacamole, peppers and other toppings, such as the special house queso made with poblano peppers. Owner Lorena Casas-Ostos is a steak taco purist, but she offers fish, shrimp and pork pastor too. $$ L D p

MEXICO CITY TAQUERIA & RESTAURANT 3826 Hamburg Pk., Jeffersonville IN, 283-1072. This bright little Mexican place in a Jeffersonville strip mall offers the usual, and on weekends adds traditional Mexican soups like caldos de camarones, menudo and pozole. $ L D

MEXICO LINDO 912 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 812-2888450. Another of the Mexican eateries in the Clarksville cluster, famed locally for its 20+ daily lunch combos and vegetarian options, and also presenting a wide concentration of chicken and seafood favorites. $ L D p

MI BONITO PINOTEPA 7200 Preston Hwy., 290-5328. Dishes from southern Mexico, around Oaxaca, are the focus of this Okolona strip mall restaurant. Look for Oaxacan-style tamales, various moles and tlayudos, a kind off open-faced quesadilla. $

MI CASITA PARRILLA MEXICANA 520 S. Fourth St., 3150666. Enthusiastic fans of the restaurant formerly known as Mi

Cocina will find the same quick and efficient lunch service and dishes executed with skill under the new name change. The margaritas at Happy Hour are notable. $$ L D pf

MI TIERRA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 7429142, 2610 Chamberlain Ln., 384-3101. These two clean, welllighted places in the East End serve up familiar Mexican food –fajitas, tacos, carne asada – in a friendly, efficient atmosphere that is drawing raves from its local fans. $ L D pf

NEW WAVE BURRITOS 3311 Preston Hwy., 963-2727. The late-night burrito delivery service that has been operating out of borrowed kitchen spaces since late 2014 has moved into its own space at the former Grind Burger location. In addition to their five signature burritos new items include tacos, tortas and chicharrones. $$ D

NOCHE MEXICAN BBQ 1838 Bardstown Rd., 467-8015. Inside a de-commissioned Lutheran Church, illuminated by the large stained glass windows in the sanctuary/dining room, you can find authentic Tex-Mex barbecue. Look for brisket and pulled pork smoked with Noche’s special spice blend, fajitas, flautas, green chili macaroni and cheese and grilled Mexican street corn. $$ D pf

OLE FRIJOLE 5612 Bardstown Rd., 822-3388. After a bit of a hike out Bardstown Rd., you will find oversized margaritas, wellpriced, nicely made familiar Mexican food, and a welcoming atmosphere. The customize-your-guacamole bar is a popular feature. $$ L D p

PIÑA FIESTA REAL MEXICAN GRILL 7895 Dixie Hwy., 9956775. Fans of Mexican food have another place to try, out along the wide, wide highway. You won’t find anything new here, but they say it will be real. $ L D p

PUERTO VALLARTA 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-3588, 125 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville IN, 288-2022, 7814 Beulah Church Rd., 239-4646. $$ L D p

QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL (18 locations). This chain operation extends from Louisville to Frankfort and Lexington. Fastfoodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors on variety and interesting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can afford.

$ L D f

RAMIRO’S CANTINA 149 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 812-9247770. Long-time restaurateur Ramiro Gandara closed his fullservice Frankfort Ave. eatery in early 2023, speedily shifting operations to his quick-casual Jeffersonville cantina, which moved a block south, quadrupled in size and became Gandara’s flagship. Order at the counter, grab and go, or sit down and enjoy. Ramiro’s favorites remain: burritos, chicken bowls, nachos, tortas and tacos, as well as a complete bar. $ L D pf

SANTA FE GRILL 3000 S. Third St., 634-3722. This tiny eatery in a century-old South End storefront near Churchill Downs never fails to satisfy with genuine Mexican tacos and other simple fare at prices that will leave you plenty of change for an exacta bet at the races. $ L D

SEÑOR IGUANA’S (3 locations) This local chain has gone upscale with re-designed crisp modern decor, well-prepared Mexican food, and plenty of it, in a casual, comfortable modern atmosphere. $ L D pf

SOL AZTECAS 2427 Bardstown Rd., 459-7776. Founded by Saul Garcia down on Main St.’s museum row, his restaurant has an extensive menu that satisfies those who want standard fare like tacos, fajitas and burritos, and also offers more sophisticated fare like salmon and shrimp, steak and several Mexican chicken preparations. $ L D pf

TACO CHOZA 3922 Westport Rd., 409-5080. In the heart of St. Matthews, this locally-owned taqueria also makes burritos and quesadillas, pours craft beers, and offers daily margarita specials. $ L D pf

TACO CITY LOUISVILLE 1283 Bardstown Rd., 409-9454, 11601 Shelbyville Rd., 742-1638, 3085 Breckenridge Ln., 4434286. The trio of locations of this Mexican place — run by a trio of Mexican natives — serve tacos on homemade corn tortillas, tortas, salads and burritos, using recipes straight from Mexico like the mole sauce by the owner’s grandma. $ L D f

TACO RITO 712 Brent St. (The Village Market). Located in the Village Market Food Hall Taco Rito offers six proteins

(including a tofu option) that are available as tacos, burritos or bowls with rice. $$ L D pf

TACO TICO 5925 Terry Rd., 449-9888. Founded in Wichita in 1962, the same year Taco Bell was born in Southern California, the Taco Tico chain had been gone locally for more than a decade. Its happy return has been drawing remarkable crowds. $ L D

TAQUERIA DON JUAN 615 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 9201238. This addition to Clarksville’s rich array of Mexican restaurants focuses on seafood: ceviche, oysters, seafood cocktails, and caldo de camarones. But it doesn’t neglect meats. Choose tacos filled with lengua or cabeza (tongue or meat pulled from the head) as well as more familiar fixings. $$ L D p

TAQUERIA EL MEXICANO 7611 Preston Hwy., 690-4044. You can enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner at this Okolona spot. A variety of ceviche, tortas, tacos, burritos and quesadillas are available every day, but pozole and menudo are weekend specials. $$ B L D p

TAQUERIA LA MEXICANA 6201 Preston Hwy., 969-4449. The tacos are fine at this tiny storefront. This is seriously ethnic stuff, but Anglos are thoroughly welcome, the staff is bilingual, and they will happily provide a menu with all the English translations written in. $ L D

TAQUERIA LOS GORDITOS 2017 Brownsboro Rd., 509-8676. Joining the burgeoning taco-oriented restaurant choices is this new spot in Clifton. “Gorditos” means “the fat ones.” so expect overfilled tacos, burritos and other Mexican standards. $ B L D

TINO'S TACOS 161 Outer Loop, 742-3030. An extensive menu here offers all the Mexican food choices Americans are familiar with including tortas, burritos, gorditas, quesadillas and fajitas. $ L D p

TORCHY'S TACOS 1540 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, (812) 645-4800. This Texas-based taco chain has expanded east to Jeffersonville. Try the "Trailer Park" taco with fried chicken, green chiles and pico de gallo, or go for a Scallywag, with coconut-battered shrimp, bacon, green chiles, and peach habanero jam. Or choose a salad, fajita or burrito, There’s a full bar featuring margaritas and specialty cocktails. $$ B L D p f

VALLARTA MEXICAN SEAFOOD AND GRILL 9874 Linn Station Rd., 290-6268. This family-owned restaurant serves freshly cooked seafood dishes in the style of Mexico’s Pacific coast, as well as more familiar Mexican fare (tacos, fajitas, burritos). Fans enjoy the large portions. $ L D p

VICTORIA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2918 Hikes Ln., 7095178. $ L D f

YELLOW CACTUS 9111 Galene Dr., 749-5922, 3620 Paoli Pk., Floyds Knobs IN, 903-0313, 2350 Frankfort Ave., 749-0767. Didn’t think Sammy Hagar could replace David Lee Roth, did you? Well, Yellow Cactus has taken over in Clifton where Ramiro’s Cantina reigned supreme for 15 years, with an extensive range of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tapas, cervezas and margaritas. Owner Moises Moran’s other area Yellow Cactus eateries are located in Jeffersontown and Floyds Knobs, Indiana. $ L D p

ZOMBIE TACO 100 W. Washington St. (Moxy Hotel), 716-7377. This always-open walk-up taco window at the new Moxy Hotel features Taco Tuesdays specials on tacos and margaritas, a 3taco survival box with a side of chips and salsa, and deep discounts for restaurant industry workers on Sundays and Mondays. $$ B L D pf

CHUY’S 104 Oxmoor Ct., 327-3033, 1440 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-2489. The Austin, Texas “unchain,” has two area locations, offering a complimentary happy hour nacho “car bar” set in the back end of a 50s era auto, plenty of Elvis memorabilia, and a wall of chihuahua photos. Oh, and Tex-Mex food at reasonable prices. $$ L D pf

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4911800, 1001 Breckinridge Ln., 893-6637, 4652 Chamberlain Ln., 425-3330, 9310 Cedar Center Way, 614-7722. The food may be more fast-food Mexican-American than authentic South-

of-the-Border fare, but it is freshly made from quality ingredients and comes in oversize portions, and that’s not a bad thing. $ L D

SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 285 N. Hubbards Ln., 8975323, 12915 Shelbyville Rd., 365-1424. Another entry in the hot “Fresh Mexican” niche that features gigantic burritos made to order. Now with two locations, in St. Matthews and Middletown. $ L D f

TUMBLEWEED TEX MEX GRILL & MARGARITA BAR (8 locations). Starting as a humble Mexican restaurant in New Albany, Tumbleweed grew to become an area favorite serving bold, southwest-inspired food such as burritos, spicy chile con queso, mesquite-grilled steaks, fish and chicken. The Margarita Bar offers two dozen tequila varieties and dozens of sweet and tangy margarita combinations. $ L D p

ADRIENNE & CO. BAKERY CAFÉ 129 W. Court Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 282-2665. If you need something for your sweet tooth and won’t be denied, count yourself lucky if the craving strikes when you’re in the vicinity of this cozy Southern Indiana spot, with its good selection of homemade cakes and treats. $ f

ANNIE MAY’S SWEETS CAFÉ 3110 Frankfort Ave., 384-2667. The only gluten and nut-free bakery in the state caters to customers with dietary issues such as celiac disease and allergies. Cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, wedding cakes all made without wheat, dairy, eggs, soy or tree nuts. Arrive early, before the vegan and allergen-free oatmeal cream pie cookies sell out. $

BAE’S BAKERY 1804 Frankfort Ave., 614-5001. Abigail McGreevy filled the void left by the closure of Sweet Surrender, shifting her Old Louisville bakery to Clifton for jumbo stuffed cookies, cakes by the slice, pastries and both vegan and glutenfree treats, along with biscuits and breakfast sandwiches via an arrangement with the Susan Brown Bakery. $ B f

BIG NITA’S CHEESECAKES 1011 E. Main St. Cheesecake savant Nicole Clark, who effortlessly conjures Strawberry Swirl, Banana Pudding and many more styles, has parked her wildly successful dessert-oriented food truck and launched a bricks and mortar shop in Butchertown (formerly Hi-Five Doughnuts). $ L

BOOMTOWN CREAMERY 114 E. Main St., New Albany IN, (812) 590-1314. Next door to Boomtown Kitchen (in the space that housed the legendary South Side Inn), this ice-cream shop serves hand-dipped ice cream and large shakes. $ L D

BOUDREAUX’S NEW ORLEANS STYLE SNO-BALLS 11816 Shelbyville Rd., This little family run shop offers the garishly colored shaved ice treat with all sorts of syrup flavors and toppings. $ f

BUTCHERTOWN GROCERY BAKERY 729 E. Main St., 7428315. With its move from a cramped upstairs space on Washington Street to more spacious digs on Main, Butchertown Grocery’s bakery maven Barbara Turner now offers a wide range of pastries, breads, chocolates, cookies, sandwiches, soups and take-home dinners. Good Folks coffee provides fresh-squeezed juices and local kombuchas, coffee and espresso. $$ B Br L D p

CLIFTON DONUTS 2317 Brownsboro Rd., 749-6896. A family from Thailand produces very fresh donuts of all sorts daily to an appreciative crowd from the Clifton corridor. Fans favorably compare the offerings here to those at the chains, lauding freshness of product and friendliness of service. $ B

COLD STONE CREAMERY 1013 Jefferson Commons Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 913-0034, 2015 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4997750, 976 Breckenridge Ln, 894-6292. The angle that distinguishes this ice cream chain is the long list of add-ons that fans can choose to have worked into their favorite flavor: bananas, berries, candies, cookies and nuts, to name a few. Ice cream cakes, smoothies and shakes too. $

THE COMFY COW 1301 Herr Ln., 425-4979, 2223 Frankfort Ave., 409-4616, 339 W. Cardinal Blvd., 409-5090, 13301 Shelbyville Rd., 883-4128, 4005 Summit Plaza Dr. (Paddock Shops), 423-4465, 600 Terminal Dr. (Louisville Airport). Now

fans of this “new-fashioned” ice-cream parlor can find their favorite flavors popping up all over town. And, you can now find Comfy Cow products in Krogers ice cream section. $ f

CRUMBL COOKIES 12949 Shelbyville Rd., 405-8156, 4110 Summit Plaza Dr., 509-2828. This gourmet cookie chain specializes in fresh-baked cookies with a weekly rotating menu that always includes a warm milk chocolate chip cookie and a chilled sugar cookie. $ B L D f

DAIRY KASTLE 575 Eastern Pkwy., 634-8990. A long-time seasonal favorite that has drawn celebrities (like Denny Crum and Rick Pitino) and is ever popular with Germantown folks craving cones, flurries, milkshakes, sundaes and chili dogs. Seasonal: March-November. $ f

DALAT’S GATEAUX & BAKERY 6915 Southside Dr., 368-9280. New co-owners Anthony Pham and his partner Bill Ho (whose parents founded DaLat’s in 1999) renovated the bakery and café earlier this year. The business is named after Da Lat, the largest city of the Central Highlands in Vietnam, where Ho’s parents were bakers before they immigrated. The café is known for its pastries, banh mi desserts, boba tea, and Vietnamese coffee. $ B L D

DINO’S BAKERY 4162 Bardstown Rd., 493-2396. Dino Ghazawi, whose family owned a bakery in his native Jordan, has renovated space in the Buechel Plaza Shopping Center, installed three ovens for baking pita, French and Italian bread and pies. Many of those are sold wholesale, but retail shoppers can get locally made fresh pita and other Middle Eastern groceries. $ B

DUCK DONUTS 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 614-6657. This coastal North Carolina-based chain offers high concept donuts (S’mores donuts, maple-bacon donuts) and a create your own donut option. Or, try a breakfast sandwich built on a donut, if you dare. $

EHRLER'S ICE CREAM 201 E. Main St., 749-2236, 2500 Bardstown Rd. Louisville’s iconic ice cream shop returns after a long hiatus. Now with two locations. Good, locally-made ice cream and nostalgia for the ice cream treats of childhood will be the main draws. $ f

GELATO GILBERTO 9434 Norton Commons Blvd., 423-7751. 9434 Norton Commons Blvd., 423-7751, 2240 Frankfort Ave., 422-0908. Justin and Kristin Gilbert so loved the gelato they ate as students in Italy that they returned there after graduating to study gelato making. Their popular Norton Commons store now has a sibling in Clifton. You can get crepes at both stores as well. $

GEORGIA'S SWEET POTATO PIE CO. 1559 Bardstown Rd., 742-2852. If you watched Grace & Frankie, you know how versatile sweet potatoes can be. In addition to several variations on sweet potato pie, ice cream and cookies, you can find sweet potato-infused soy candles, room sprays and wax melts. $ L D

GIGI’S CUPCAKES 1977 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 499-4998. This Tennessee-based chain offers a changing selection of high-end cupcakes in designer flavors — Bailey’s Irish cream, apple spice, coconut snowball, and so on. $

GLOW WORM PLAY CAFÉ 962 Barret Ave., 690-4633. Calling itself “the first play café in Louisville,” Glow Worm offers three play sessions per day for children 6 and under, while parents wait, mingle or work in the full-service café. $ B L

GOLD SWEET BAKERY 529 Lyndon Ln., 614-6342. The husband and wife team behind Gold Sweet Bakery, who were bakers in Cuba, immigrated to Louisville in 2017 in hopes of opening an authentic Cuban bakery. Mission accomplished. Expect cakes, pastelitos, flan and rice pudding, plus an assortment of sandwiches as well as Mexican pizza. $ B L D

GOLDEN GATE DONUTS 8605 Smyrna Pkwy., 883-0012. This South End donut shop has garnered copious fans for their always freshly-made donuts and cream-filled Long Johns, French crullers, giant bear claws and apple fritters. Savory breakfast sandwiches too. $ B L

HEITZMAN TRADITIONAL BAKERY & DELI 9426 Shelbyville Rd., 426-7736. The Heitzman family has been baking in the Louisville area since your great-aunt was a girl ordering dinner rolls. Made fresh daily, the pies, cakes, cookies and specialty pastries provide tasty nostalgia for all who visit. $ B L D

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM & PIE KITCHEN 2525 Bardstown Rd., 459-8184, 3737 Lexington Rd., 893-3303, 3521 Springhurst Commons Dr., 326-8990, 5606 Bardstown Rd., 239-3880, 3113 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 5903580, 4810 Dixie Hwy., 409-6100. $ L D f

HONEY CREME DONUT SHOP 514 Vincennes St., New Albany IN, 945-2150. Off the beaten track, this down-homey bakery in a plain white building offers a wide selection of doughnuts, fritters and Danish that keeps the shop’s fans coming back again and again. $ B

HONEYDEW 135 Breckenridge Ln., 963-5657. The owner of District 6 in, the popular Vietnamese restaurant in St. Mathews, now adds a smoothie bar with healthful, fresh-pressed juices, smoothies and croffles, something between a croissant and a waffle that is opular in Asia. $ B L

INSOMNIA COOKIES 1913 S. Fourth St., 385-5143, 948 Baxter Ave., 665-0237. This late-night (til 3 a.m.) cookie and ice cream delivery business was so successful with U of L students that the owners opened a second location in the Highlands. You can order ice cream sandwich cookies too; drink choices are milk or chocolate milk, of course. $ L D

JASMIN BAKERY 2201 Steier Ln., 458-0013. This “Europeanstyle” bakery offers an eclectic menu of Eastern Mediterranean fare, such as gyros and baklava, as well as breads. $ B L D f

JEFF'S DONUTS 5420 IN-62, Jeffersonville IN, 283-3636, 6401 Dutchmans Ln., 365-3299, 712 Brent St. (The Village Market), 6405 Bardstown Rd., 384-4451, 1985 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 365-3162. Jeff concocts 40 variations of donuts. The Texas donut (order in advance) is large enough for several people. Also available are apple and cherry hand pies, cinnamon twists and glazed honey buns. The Jeffersonville location is open 24 hrs. $ B L D

JJ BAKES & CO. 210 W. Liberty (Omni Hotel), 606-226-3566. This counter service and custom order bakery specializes in wedding cakes and spectacular desserts. Owner Jackie Joseph, encouraged by stints at The Brown Hotel and her gig cooking for the 2010 Olympic team, entered — and won — the Food Network’s “Best Baker in America” in 2021.$ B L

KING DONUT 814 Eastern Pkwy., 742-9003. You’ll find a tasty selection of donuts, along with ice cream, breakfast sandwiches and smoothies at this friendly, brightly lit neighborhood favorite on the edge of Germantown. $ B L D

KING DONUTS 608 Lyndon Ln., 890-5293. Donuts, yes, but you can also choose muffins, breakfast sandwiches and sandwiches for lunch. Healthy juices as well as coffee. $ B L D

LA MAISON AUX CREPES 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market). Eight kinds of filled crepes, savory and sweet, and two kinds of waffles are available at this addition to the restaurant row at Logan Street Market. $$ B L D p

LA PANA BAKERY 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 9360307. At this takeaway kiosk you can find traditional Oaxacan sweetbreads or pan dulce: orejitas, a fried dough pastry not unlike elephant ears; concha, a sweet roll and pan de muerto, a sweet bread eaten on the Day of the Dead. Be sure to try the donuts filled with lechesilla custard. $ B L pf

LEANN'S HOME MADE CHEESECAKES 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market), 919-597-1625. Whole cheesecakes and cheesecake cupcakes can be found at this new grab-and-go food option at Logan Street Market. $$$ L D p

LEAVEN BAKERY 1515 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 536-8823. Zechariah and Kimberly Maxey, veterans of Jack Fry’s and the Brown Hotel, have opened a French bistro/bakery in a 100-yearold New Albany building. In addition to baked goods, the bakery will also serve breakfast and lunch items: eggs Benedict, omelets, mussels with spicy marinara sauce, BLTs with pork belly and other seasonal menu choices. $$ B L f

LOUISVILLE CREAM 632 E. Market St., 882-1516. Owner Daryl Goodner takes milk from grass-fed cows at JD Country Farms and makes it into small batch ice cream vended from his NuLu shop. There is a mix of classic flavors and rotating seasonal creations, including French Vanilla, Bourbon Baklava, Banana Pudding, Pistachio Honeycomb and many others. $ L D f

LUEBERRY ACAI & SUPERFOODS 808 E. Market St., 7420640, 5000 Shelbyville Rd. (St. Matthews Mall), 618-1378, 6308 Meeting St., 384-7708. These shops serve açai bowls topped with things like goji berries, banana, chia, strawberries and coconut. Smoothies and other healthful options also available. $$ B L D

MOCHI DOG 304 W. Woodlawn Ave., (The StrEATery), 270-8399577. Mochi is a Japanese rice cake used to craft Asian fusion doughnuts, while a mochi dog refers to a Korean-style corn dog. Both of these are house specialties at Mochi Dog. $$ B L

MY FAVORITE MUFFIN 9800 Shelbyville Rd., 426-9645. All the muffins are made right in the store, including such popular choices as the Cinnamon Crumb and the Turtle Muffin. $ B

NORD’S BAKERY 2118 S. Preston St., 634-0931. This old-school, family-owned bakery on the edge of Germantown has a devoted following, drawn by divine Danish, donuts, and great coffee from the nearby Sunergos micro-roastery — and if you’re a sucker for over-the-top excess, try the caramel donut topped with — yes, it’s true — bacon. $ B

NORMA JEAN’S BAKED GOODS 821 E. Broadway, 324-3338. A prolific and seemingly limitless array of cakes, cookies, brownies, chess bars, honey buns, curated at a new shop in Phoenix Hill by Jerrica Tinsley, an alumnus of the Chef Space food business incubator. $ D

NORTH LIME DONUTS 1228 S. Seventh St., 384-2320, 1301 Herr Ln., 963-5734. This Lexington-based bakery offers madeon-premises donuts, certain of them uncommonly flavored (blueberry cheesecake, French toast and pumpkin cream cheese) and coffee in an invitingly renovated 19th-century factory building on the western edge of Old Louisville. A second location in the ‘burbs (Westport Village) is now open. $ B Lf

PANCHITOS ICE CREAM 8112 Preston Hwy, 554-6222, 2245 Bardstown Rd., 554-4190. Lexington-based Panchito’s now has two outlets in Louisville, offering Mexican ice cream, popsicles (paletas), tacos, quesadillas and other Mexican snacks. The new Highlands outpost is in the former Bánh Mi Hero building. $ L D

PARIS BANH MI & BAKERY 1237 Bardstown Rd., 384-9676. You will find a wide variety of Vietnamese sandwiches here, as

well as pastries ranging from croissants to apple turnovers and a long list of cakes, some gluten-free. $$ B L D f

PEARL STREET TREATS 301 Pearl St., Jeffersonville IN. 2888850. An invigorating walk across the Big Four Bridge will bring you down very close to this family-run frozen yogurt shop that also serves soup, chili, cookies, popcorn, and frozen dog treats. Novelty soda flavors in the cooler, but they will refill your water bottle for free. $ L D

PENNY AND PEARL'S BAKESHOP 106 Fairfax Ave., 890-6004. This St. Matthews bakery offers 8 to 10 flavors daily of cookies with a crispy edge and a softer middle. Look for weekly specials which include snickerdoodle with brown butter, crème brulée cookies and salted caramel pretzel ‘sammies’. $ B L

PHILLY'S BEST FROZEN DESSERTS 3912 Bardstown Rd., 9960640, 307 Wallace Ave., 916-2022. This variation on cold summer refreshment serves water ice, a summer staple in the owners’ hometown of Philadelphia. This version of flavored water uses a process that shaves ice until it is finely textured and creamy, to which is added a variety of sweet fruit flavors. $ L D f

PLEHN’S BAKERY 3940 Shelbyville Rd., 896-4438. A neighborhood institution, this bakery is as busy as it is nostalgic. Enjoy the hometown soda fountain with ice cream while you wait for your hand-decorated birthday cake, breakfast rolls or colorful cookies to be boxed. $ B

POLLY FREEZE 5242 IN-62, Georgetown IN, 945-6911. The scenic drive out Highway 62 to this Southern Indiana institution on hot summer nights has been a tradition since 1952. Soft serve ice cream in any variation (cones, sundaes, shakes, floats), a wide range of burgers, dogs, sandwiches and sides. Worth the trip. $ L D f

RAWNAISSANCE DESSERTS 1759 Bardstown Rd., 424-3638. Owner Barbora Shneydman offers “guilt-free” dessert concoctions, a variety of chocolate and fruit truffles, and cakes made with raw vegan ingredients. Everything is free of sugar, grains, soy, dairy and eggs. $ L D

SNOWHAT 3801 Poplar Level Rd., 742-6080. After a hot day at the zoo, stop by this New Orleans-style snoball shop for a cooling cone. Blueberry and strawberry flavors, and for the more adventurous: lavender lemonade, watermelon basil and jalapeño margarita. $ L D

SUGAR AND SPICE DONUT SHOP 5613 Bardstown Rd., 2311411. This Fern Creek bakery has loads of loyal fans, who often buy out their favorite donut by mid-morning. Coffee to go too, of course, and even little half-pints of chocolate milk. $ B

SWEET STUFF BAKERY 323 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 9482507. This long-time southern Indiana home-style bakery is noted for baked goods just like your grandmother made. Its specialty: painted sugar cookies, with designs in white chocolate that change with the seasons and holidays. Also custom cookie and cake designs. $ B

SWEETS BY MORGAN 533 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN. 7250080. Owner Morgan Coomer is dedicated to scratch baking and using real butter in her icings. Expect the usual sweet bakery items like cookies and cupcakes, along with clever specialties. $ B L D

THE FLOUR SHOPPE 619 Baxter Ave., 290-7399. Two veteran vegan bakers meet while working together at a commissary kitchen, then combine forces to conjure fully vegan cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and doughnuts (Sundays), with future plans that include custom-baked cakes and gluten-free items. $ L

THE PEACH COBBLER FACTORY 805 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 496-4020, 2237 Bardstown Rd., 690-4004. These dessert café makes a dozen or so fruit cobblers served with ice cream. Cinnamon rolls and banana puddings (tricked out with added flavors) are also on the menu. $ L D f

WILLIAM’S BAKERY 1051 N. Clark Blvd., Clarksville IN, 2842867. $ B

7 BREW COFFEE 3545 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville IN, 479-3589274. This rapidly expanding Arkansas-based chain of doubledrive-thru coffee dispensaries, also featuring tea, smoothies, and infused energy drinks. $ B L D

ABOL CAFÉ 102 1/2 Cannons Ln., 384-9430. The coffee served in this St. Matthews shop is from Ethiopia, as are many of the dishes on the brunch menu, which includes checheba (Ethiopian flatbread served with scrambled egg or honey) and quanta firfir, a dried beef and tomato stew. $ B Br L f

BARISTA PARLOR 500 W. Jefferson St. Emphasizing ethical sourcing, Barista Parlor’s first coffee shop outside its home of Nashville TN. Also biscuits, avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches. $ B L

BEAN 1138 Goss Ave., 785-4079. $ B L

BLAK KOFFEE 1219 W. Jefferson St. Black-owned business in the Russell neighborhood stressing diversity, community, quality and economic empowerment. In addition to coffee, tea and smoothies, the shop offers pastries, salads, breakfast items and sandwiches. $ B L

BLACKBEARD ESPRESSO 718 W. Main St., 618-0004. Former food truck Blackbeard Espresso now has a Main St. storefront, taking over for Mrs. Potters. Look for coffee, hot and cold teas, milkshakes and smoothies, which the truck’s limited generator couldn’t handle. Baked goods include muffins and scones for those who need a carb lift with their caffeine. $ B L

BREW & SIP COFFEE BAR 3800 Shepherdsville Rd., 618-3416, 505 W. Broadway, 589-1020. Here you will find an ambitious menu of exotic coffee drinks, teas and smoothies, and, for an ostensible coffee bar, an unusual food menu: not just pastries, but sandwiches, wings, and soups. $ B L

CAFE COMMONS 10616 Meeting St., 365-1059. What was once the FIX coffee shop is now Café Commons, with new ownership and a fresh mandate to deliver barista-created coffee to residents of the 600-acre Norton Commons mixed use community, including a compact menu of egg, cheese and sausage biscuit sandwiches, grilled cheese, donuts, cookies and macarons. $ B L f

COFFEE CROSSING (1-888-465-6067) 140 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 410 Patrol Rd., Jeffersonville IN, 805 Talaina Pl., New Albany IN, 8105 Highway 311, Sellersburg, IN. All five locations please their Southern Indiana clientele with a full roster of coffee drinks, teas, cider and smoothies.$ B L f

CULTIVATOR COFFEE 1415 E. Spring St., New Albany IN. Hot coffees and espresso here are sourced from Louisville’s Sunergos, while rotating guest roasters from across the country will provide pour-overs and iced coffees. $ B L D f

DAD’S COFFEE 2204 Dundee Rd. Located in the former Breadworks location off Dundee Road, Dad’s serves locally roasted Quill’s coffee as well as baked goods sourced from Payne Street Bakehouse and The Pocket Bakery, along with chocolate chip cookies from “mom” (a.k.a., one of the coowners). $ B L f

DAY’S ESPRESSO AND COFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456-1170. Dark and cozy, with an old-fashioned feeling, Day’s has everything you would expect in a college-neighborhood coffee shop except a college near by. $ f

ENDLESS SUMMER PADDLE & COFFEE COMPANY 1301 Frankfort Ave., 203-1041. Located in the Waterside Apartments, this stand-up paddleboard livery also offers a coffee shop. Fresh juice, smoothies and snacks are available for paddlers, paddleboard students, and landlubbers. $ B L

FANTE'S COFFEE 2501 Grinstead Dr., 454-0543. Owner Leo Fante has been in the coffee business most of his life, and has finally opened his own shop across the road from Cherokee Park. Fante imports his beans from small suppliers around the world, and roasts on premise. There is also a limited menu of sandwiches, soups and salads, and breakfast pastries. $ B L D pf

FLEUR DE TEA 10704 Meeting St.742-9561. Choose from a selection of tea varieties, pastries and bubble tea at this ubercute Norton Commons tea shop. $ B L D

FRESCO TEA BAR 216 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 725-7691, 223 Pearl St., Jeffersonville IN., 2441 State St.New Albany IN. Bubble tea in many manifestations is the focus here, but stop in for a breakfast bagel or burrito, or cookies or fudge, or a wide selection of “wellness teas.” $ B L

FULL STOP FILLING STATION 1132 E. St. Catherine St., 2608046. A former Germantown gas station converted to a fullservice neighborhood coffee shop and kitchen, specializing in various human fuels: An extensive coffee program; hot food for breakfast, lunch and dinner; package and draft beer (also kombucha on tap); and a small market. $ B L p

FUN TEA 1613 Bardstown Rd., 749-1376. Tea in many variations – pure tea, milk tea, tea lattes, and Taiwanese bubble tea – can be found here, along with slushies, smoothies and bubble puff cake. $ L D f

HARAZ COFFEE HOUSE 1541 Highland Ave., 690-2113, 655 Fourth St., 963-5813. The first two Louisville iterations of this family-owned café (four others operate in Michigan) are located downtown (in the historic Ohio Theater building) and in the Highlands. They take their identity from the mountainous Haraz coffee-producing region in Yemen, supplier of the family’s preferred organic beans.$ B D pf

HEINE BROTHERS’ COFFEE (15 locations) Heine Bros. continues their dominance in the local brewing scene. The stores are always friendly and affordable, with good coffee roasted on the premises and a short list of pastries, desserts and panini sandwiches. $ f

HIGHVIEW ICE CREAM & COFFEE 7525 Outer Loop, 6183809. This suburban oasis offers coffee and specialty coffee drinks made from Sunergos beans and serves locally-made Bernoulli Small Batch Ice Cream. $ B L D f

HONEY DEPOT & COFFEE HOUSE 10512 Watterson Tr., 2126228. This Jeffersontown location of HoneyBear Farms’ evolving retail concept stocks regionally-produced honey, jams and jellies in addition to serving locally-roasted coffee on premise, accompanied by pastries (including cinnamon rolls). $ B L f

JACKDAW COFFEE & BOURBON BAR 120 S Floyd St., 9774590. The Cambria Hotel on Whiskey Row is a property of O’Reilly Hospitality Management, hence billing modern Irish “fusion” branding for its bar and restaurant, as revealed by the use of corned beef in the breakfast burrito, plus Irish bacon, a ploughman’s plate, and Irish soda bread. The cocktail list quite properly eschews Irish uisce beatha for the preferred Kentucky variant. $ B L D p

KOLKIN COFFEE 2736 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 5998410. This family run caffeine dispensary on the north side of New Albany serves coffee from Sunergos roastery in a cheerful, inviting environment. $

LOUISVILLE TEA COMPANY 9305 New LaGrange Rd., 3652516. Teas of all sorts, pastries and cookies make for a perfect morning snack the English call “elevenses.” $ B L

MICKEY’S 624 Vincennes St., New Albany IN. Owner Mickey Ball’s former McQuixote Books and Coffee in Portland lives on as a socially conscious used bookstore and coffee shop in New Albany, with Good Folks Coffee, Elmwood Inn Fine Teas and baked goods from Viking Hat Bakery and Payne Street Bakehouse. $ B L D f

NTABA COFFEE HAUS 2407 Brownsboro Rd., 871-5082., 2860 Packerland Way, 919-7121. It is always fun to see former chain restaurant buildings repurposed. The one-time Pizza Hut in Clifton on Brownsboro Road is now a purveyor of Africansourced coffees and teas. A second location is open off Fern Valley Road near the airport. $ B L

PEARL STREET GAME & COFFEE HOUSE 405 Pearl St., Jeffersonville IN, 648-1663. The name says it all: you can play your favorite boards games from the extensive library of such while enjoying coffee drinks, fresh fruit smoothies, lavender lattes, and sandwiches. $ B L D f

PLEASE & THANK YOU 800 E. Market St., 553-0113, 2341 Frankfort Ave., 432-8614, 9561 U.S. Hwy 42, 544-9225. This small-batch bakery and coffeehouse offering quiches, panini, cookies, and a hip vibe. $ B L f

PREGAME COFFEE 1737 Frankfort Ave., 645-0324. It’s a coffee shop. No, it’s a sports bar. Well, it is both. Stop in in the morning to talk about sports and order from a selection of coffee drinks, teas and beer and wine as well. Or come back during game time and watch your games in a coffee house environment. $ B L D p f

QUILL’S COFFEE SHOP 861-5947, 930 Baxter Ave., 742-6129, 802 E. Main St. 10501 Watterson Trl.,3939 Shelbyville Rd., 11213 River Beauty Loop. Since 2007, Quills has purveyed locally roasted coffee (and various hot and cold extensions) while consciously cultivating its community gathering spots, which now number five, including the two most recent locations in St. Matthews and Norton Commons. $ pf

RED HOT ROASTERS 1399 Lexington Rd., 569-0000. Sondra Powell has closed her Butchertown Block sit down store and returned to purveying her excellent house-roasted coffee and refreshing coffee drinks from her drive-thru location in Irish Hill. $ f

SAFAI COFFEE 1707 Bardstown Rd., 384-3555, 1001 Logan St. (Logan Street Market). This casual spot boasts the ambiance of a friendly old-fashioned book shop, with comfortable seating, house-made crepes, and coffee roasted at the Logan Street Market, where there is a second shop. $ B L f

SCOOTER'S COFFEE 4703 Dixie Hwy., 260-8642, 11506 Shelbyville Rd., 690-6349, 9060 Dixie Hwy., 690-4042., 4036 Poplar Level Rd., 290-2329, 3410 Preston Hwy., 384-7488, 210 Market Place Dr. This Omaha-based chain of drive-through coffee stops has plans to add several more Louisville-area locations to its portfolio of over 300 outlets around the Midwest. Red Bull infusions, too, and pastries and breakfast items. $ B L D

SIS GOT TEA 976 Barret Ave., 694-2085. All things tea-related. Both brewed on-site and available by retail, with bakery goods, snacks. Proprietor Arielle Clark’s shop is a Black, LGBTQ and woman-owned safe and sober place.$

SISTER BEAN’S 5225 New Cut Rd., 364-0082. $ f

STARBUCKS COFFEE (46+ locations) $ f

STARLIGHT COFFEE CO. 3131 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 542-1522, 101 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-1404, 7613 Old Hwy. 60, Sellersburg IN. 748-7000. For almost twenty years this staple of the Southern Indiana coffee culture has been roasting and serving its custom-blends to happy Hoosiers. Owner Jim Book has recently expanded north to Sellersburg, where he will move the company’s roasting and wholesale operations. $ f

STOMPING GROUNDS COFFEE CO. 10019 Dixie Hwy., 9967473. This friendly, locally-owned coffee shop serves Sunergos roasted coffees in all sorts of popular versions, hot and cold. $ B L D

SUNERGOS COFFEE 2122 S. Preston St., 634-1243, 306 W. Woodlawn Ave., 368-2820, 231 S. Fifth St., 589-3222, 1647 Norris Pl., 919-9676, 3922 Willis Ave., 956-3541. Matthew Huested and Brian Miller used to roast their own coffee beans as a hobby. Their friends said they did it so well, they should turn pro — the result is Sunergos Coffee. $

THE BEP TEAHOUSE 1702 Bardstown Rd., 657-3252. The firstever franchise of a Houston TX bubble tea chain stressing drinks made with organic tea and tapioca balls (or “boba”). Also Vietnamese-inspired nibles (spring rolls, pot stickers) are available. $ L D pf

THE COFFEE BOXX 1512 Portland Ave., 544-5787. This new Portland coffee bar fills the former McQuixote Books and Coffee space and offers all you’d expect: a range of popular coffee drinks, teas and some specialty items such as Vietnamese coffee and caramel cream cold brew. $ B L f

THE COFFEE ZONE 9601 Whipps Mill Rd., 708-1522. North Carolinian transplant Craig Bishop has established a beachhead in Louisville. In addition to some good java, he features bakery items, such as pastries, and assorted sandwiches. $ f

THE OLD LOUISVILLE COFFEE CO-OP 316 W. Ormsby Ave. A unique worker-owned business with an ambitious agenda, including partnerships with Three Keys Coffee (Houston TX), Sis Got Tea and Kizito Cookies; a 24-hour schedule on weekends; the offering of alternatives to the bar scene for people in recovery; and serving as an LGBTQ safe space. $ B L D

TIGER SUGAR 1501 Bardstown Rd., 365-4155. It’s the first Kentucky outpost of the Taiwan-based bubble tea shop chain, which has earned its “tiger stripes” among connoisseurs worldwide via clever hand-poured syrup infusions. $ L D