top 5 dining: Sunday Brunch

Sunday Brunch

La Suerte

2116 BARDSTOWN ROAD LOUISVILLE, KY 40205 (502) 883-1000 LASUERTELOUISVILLE.COM

Owner Oscar Ortiz & Executive Chef/Owner Adrian Jimarez opened La Suerte Mexican Restaurant in April 2019. According to La Suerte General Manager Arielle Sadler, “Chef Adrian's goal was to showcase the rich and diverse fl avors of Mexican & Latin cuisine beyond what you would fi nd at a runof-the-mill Mexican restaurant. With a heavy emphasis on seafood, items on our menu are made fresh, from scratch, with heart.” We dedicate the second Sunday in May to mothers. At long last, let’s treat Mom to Sunday Brunch out and about this year! We’ve narrowed down fi ve options representing a variety of cuisines and atmospheres. No matter her taste or style, one of these lovely restaurants is guaranteed to please!

BY DAWN ANDERSON PHOTOS BY DANNY ALEXANDER

La Suerte’s Brunch Menu is served 8 am - 3 pm seven days a week, but they offer the Dinner Menu all day. “It’s the only place where you can get your choice of either a $10 Breakfast Burrito or $30 Steak Ranchero at 8 in the morning.” La Suerte also boasts a huge patio and $3 Mimosas.

Sadler’s favorite day to work is when Chef Jimarez bakes the challah bread in-house for the French Toast de Caramelo. “The delightful smell of fresh-baked bread fi lls up the whole restaurant.” Vanilla custard, fresh berries, caramel sauce, and whipped cream top the homemade challah. Another sweet spot is the cornmeal-based Tres Leches Pancake. Chilaquiles Rojos features chorizo and a chipotle tomato sauce. The Verdes version has chicken and tomatillo sauce. Huevos Benedicto puts a Mexican spin on Eggs Benedict with guacamole, pico de gallo, jalapeno hollandaise, cilantro, and pickled onions. Huevos Divorciados is two eggs any style, home fries, refried beans, and red and green sauces topped with queso fresco and cilantro. La Suerte accepts reservations, offers full-service catering, and has a private dining room that can accommodate up to 25 people. For more information, visit lasuertelouisvilleky.com. Stay in the loop on events and specials by following @lasuertelouisville on Instagram and Facebook.

Gralehaus

1001 BAXTER AVE LOUISVILLE, KY 40204 (502) 857-7457 • THEGRALES.COM

Owners Lori Beck and Tyler Trotter’s travels inspired Gralehaus and craft beer bar Holy Grale. When Gralehaus opened in Spring 2014, Jonathan Searle was the sous chef. After a successful stint with 21C Museum Hotels in Lexington and Louisville as Proof on Main Executive Chef and then directing culinary operations, he has returned to lead the Gralehaus kitchen.

Gralehaus is “a neighborhood institution, tucked away on Baxter Avenue” in the Highlands. “The atmosphere is light and bright but cozy, with the high energy of the open kitchen and baristas,” says Chef Searle. The brunch menu refl ects the sourcing and quality of the coffee program. “We put a refi ned edge on a comfortable, casual meal period - combining hearty, familiar dishes with the freshness of California-style cuisine.”

Chef Searle recommended some “snacks and shares” to get the table started. Whipped Burrata Toast is “homemade, light and fl uffy haus sourdough” topped with red pepper jelly and whipped burrata. Or try Smashed Avocado with thin, crisp Ian’s Russian rye toast and pepita relish. The Best Damn Coffee Cake or Lemon Pound Cake satisfi es the sweet tooth.

For entrées, Chef suggests the seasonal frittata with spring vegetables or Biscuit & Gravy with a tall, fl aky, salty scratch biscuit, Jake’s Fresh Country Sausage, local maple syrup, farm eggs, and fresh sage. The more exotic Eggs & Grains features farro verde, poached eggs, seasonal vegetables, feta, and chimichurri. Chef declares The Biscuit Sandwich “best in town” with scratch biscuit, scrambled egg, Jake’s Country Sausage, BAB’s pimento cheese, and haus sauce.

According to Chef Searle, “The courtyard Grale Garden is refreshed for sunny spring and early summer, and Holy Grale has reopened with a full renovation.” Stay tuned for Grale Goods, an exciting addition coming soon to The Grales family!

Visit thegrales.com. Follow @thegrales and @jonathanksearles on Facebook and @the_grales and @jonathanksearles on Instagram.

Morning Fork

1722 FRANKFORT AVE LOUISVILLE, KY 40206 (502) 830-9500 MORNINGFORKLOUISVILLE.COM

Co-owners Emily and Geoffrey Heyde recently merged Morning Fork with sister restaurant Fork & Barrel under one roof at 1722 Frankfort Avenue in the Clifton neighborhood. Morning Fork brunch is Wednesday through Sunday, 7 am - 3 pm. Dinner with Fork & Barrel is Tuesday through Saturday, 5 pm - 9 pm. Enjoy Happy Hour at the bar with drinks, wines by the glass, and small plates Wednesday through Saturday, 3 pm - 5 pm.

“The atmosphere continues to set Morning Fork apart,” says Emily Heyde. “Everything is served with Southern hospitality.” Chef/ Owner Geoffrey Heyde created the Morning Fork menu to include generous portions of brunch classics and Kentucky favorites. His Southern cuisine features local ingredients.

Emily shares a list of Morning Fork’s most popular brunch dishes, starting with the MF’n Breakfast Sandwich. Over hard fried eggs, crispy candied bacon, avocado, blackberry jam, and white cheddar cheese on toasted Hawaiian bread served with fresh fruit are an unbeatable sweet and savory combination. If you prefer one fl avor profi le over the other, the Sweet Crepe is bananas, strawberries, and Nutella®, while the Savory Crepe has apple, brie, arugula, country ham, hot honey, and balsamic reduction.

Try the Short Rib Benedict with braised short ribs, hash browns, poached medium eggs, béarnaise, bordelaise, and arugula salad with sweet herb vinaigrette. Or enjoy the Mexican-inspired fl avors of the Scramble with chorizo, pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo, and avocado. Satisfy a sweet tooth with Bananas Foster French Toast or a jumbo inhouse-made Cinnamon Roll.

Celebrate the restaurant merger with the Be The Fork Smash Burger or Hot Brown for more lunch in your brunch. Morning Fork is excited to deliver “The Ultimate Brunch Experience!” including frozen cocktails this spring and summer on the patio. They offer boxed breakfasts and lunches for Derby week and host monthly Theme Brunches, such as Star Wars May 11-15.

For reservations, go to morningforklouisville.com. Follow @morningforklouisville on Facebook and @MorningFork on Instagram and Twitter.

Visit Us!

Elizabethtown Location:

56 Public Square Elizabethtown, KY 42701 Phone: 270-506-2559 Store Hours: Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm Saturday: 10am-5pm Sunday: 12pm-4pm

Louisville Location:

4230 Summit Plaza Drive Louisville, KY 40241 Phone: 502-822-3585 Store Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10am-7pm Sunday: 12pm-6pm

Bardstown Location:

117 N 3rd St. Bardstown, KY 40004 Phone: 502-331-6007 Store Hours: Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm Saturday: 10am-5pm

thatcutelittleshop.com @shopthatcutelittleshop

The Café

711 BRENT ST, LOUISVILLE, KY 40204 (502) 589-9191 • THECAFETOGO.COM

The Café has remained a Louisville favorite for decades, from its beginnings in the Louisville Antique Mall in Schnitzelburg to Brent Street under the train tracks to its current location in the Stoneware & Co. building in Paristown. According to Co-Owner Wes Johnson, “That’s a tribute to original owners Cindy and Sal Rubino. We’re thrilled to be part of the next phase of growth.”

When asked what makes The Café so special, Johnson says, “It’s the vibe of the place, welcoming and comfortable. The larger atrium is big and bustling, while the smaller dining room is more intimate. The food and service contribute to that. We make everything from scratch with fresh ingredients. We have a great staff from the kitchen to the front door and everyone in between. And it shows on the plate. We serve approachable food that’s not too clever but very honest.”

The Café has long been a popular brunch destination, with breakfast and lunch now served all day. Johnson’s brunch favorite is a riff on The Hot Brown called The Stephen Foster, aka “The Sun Shines Bright on My Aged Kentucky Ham.” The Biscuits and Gravy are also a hit: “Two open-faced biscuits smothered in our homemade sausage gravy.”

Soups and sandwiches make for excellent brunch combos. The Café will only divulge a few ingredients - diced tomatoes, onions, and heavy cream - from their “way-secret” Tomato Dill soup recipe. Popular sandwiches pairings include The Victorian pimento cheese (“Add bacon!”), The Queen Anne Benedictine, and The Rubino (reminiscent of a Reuben).

Dinner service began a year ago and is currently served Thursday through Sunday. This summer, the dinner service will expand to Monday through Sunday with its “Southern-inspired classics menu.” A visit to The Café also presents an opportunity to enjoy Paristown events such as Fleur de Flea markets and shows, art fairs, and Sunday farmer’s markets.

Visit thecafetogo.com. Follow @thecafelville on Instagram and @thecafelouisville on Facebook.

Le Moo

2300 LEXINGTON RD, LOUISVILLE, KY 40206 (502) 458-8888 • LEMOORESTAURANT.COM

Entertaining brunch destination by day and glitzy, glamorous steakhouse by night, Le Moo is the always creative, ever-evolving brainchild of marketing expert and restaurateur Kevin Grangier. Grangier is the Founder, President & CEO of Belle Noble Entertainment Group, including The Village Anchor, The Sea Hag Pub, and Grassa Gramma. Located at Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive, Le Moo - a visually and emotionally accessible environment with a service level to match - has become “a place to celebrate, unlike any other.”

Le Moo’s luxurious decor combining masculine and feminine aesthetics inspired Grangier to monetize the space and earlier time of day with an entertainment concept unique to Louisville dining. In 2017, he established Drag Yourself to Brunch, Le Moo’s unforgettable, themed brunch experience. On Sundays and most Saturdays 11 am and 1:30 pm, “Le Moo and event producer Daniel Cole bring a fabulous drag show with a decadent brunch buffet.”

Brunch is served Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm at Le Moo. Grangier shared some brunch menu highlights. “Not Just for Crazy People” is 10 ounces of Kentucky Black Hawk Farms®, grass-fed, grain-fi nished beef, with fried egg, candied thick-cut bacon, double layer of Tillamook® Cheddar, hash browns, and house-made roasted garlic mayonnaise on a toasted fresh brioche bun. This breakfast burger is served with extra crispy random-sized Drunk-Cut™ fries. “I’m That Guy” is a hearty, country-style American breakfast complete with an icecold Bud or Bud Light. Other favorites include the Chicken & Waffl e, Tater Tot Casserole, and “Bayou Meets Grinstead” Gulf shrimp and Weisenberger grits with house-prepared red-eye gravy and Tillamook® cheese. In addition to fresh juices, “Keep ‘Er Mooovin” French Press coffee, and specialty cocktails, Le Moo brunch features Everyday $1 Mimosas and $3 Jumbos! 

For reservations, visit lemoorestaurant. com. Follow @LeMooLou on Facebook and Instagram. Drag Brunch Updates are available @Drag-Brunch-at-Le-Moo on Facebook.

Louisville-Middletown 12949ShelbyvilleRd,Suite101 Louisville,KY40243 (502)874-5848

Louisville-StMatthews 4505ShelbyvilleRd,Suite100 Louisville,KY40207 (502)835-2001

Jeffersonville 4229TownCenterBlvd Jeffersonville,IN47130 (812)288-1154

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