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elsewhere. The Grant Line spot provides quick but fine taqueria fare. $ f ✿ LA ROSIT A T AQUERIA 1404 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville, IN, 284-1362. $ LA TAPATIA RESTAURANT 8106 Preston Hwy., 9619153. One of the most authentic ethnic Mexican restaurants in Louisville, this little storefront offers memorable tacos and burritos and mor e. $ p ✿ LAS GORDITAS 4756 Bardstown Rd., 492-0112. As Louisville’s small but thriving Latino community grows, it’ s now possible to enjoy an authentic Mexico City-style dining experience at this taco and gor dita wagon that r olls up in the Eastland Shopping Center every Friday thr ough Monday evening. Family owners and chefs Pat and Esperanza Costas and Ofelia Or tiz are completely bilingual, and as friendly as can be. $ f ✿ LOLITA’S TACOS 4222 Poplar Level Rd., 459-4356. This tiny place may look like a fast-food joint, but the food is about as authentic Mexican as you’ll find. Crisp or soft tacos and burritos the size of paper-towel r olls turn a meal her e into a r eal bargain. $ f ✿ LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 426-3994, 9207 U.S. Hwy . 42, 228-2450. Authentic Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a gr owing immigrant community . W ith fr esh bar and blender offerings, cr eative appetizers and comfor table seating, Los Aztecas is one of the best, with tasty Mexican dishes good enough to lur e us back again and again. $ p ✿ MAYAN CAFÉ 813 E. Market St., 566-0651. Chef Bruce Ucán has r eturned to his original location in the burgeoning NuLu gallery district, and updated it into a stylish bistr o. The distinctive cuisine, fr om Ucán’s native Y ucatan Peninsula, tr eats pork, scallops, mussels and even lima beans memorably. $$ ✿ MEXICAN FIEST A 5414 Bar dstown Rd., 762-0840, 4507 Bardstown Rd., 491-2922 $ ✿ MEXICANO 6911 Shepher dsville Rd., 962-8526. Traditional Mexican fare from the Ramirez family. $ ✿ MEXICO TIPICO REST AURANT 6517 Dixie Hwy ., 933-9523, 12401 Shelbyville Rd., 253-9828. One of the r egion’s first authentic Mexican eateries, Mexico T ipico has built a loyal following in for good Mexican food and friendly , fully bilingual service; now it r eaches the East End with a brandnew property in the Middletown area. $ p e ✿ MY PATRIA 808 Lyndon Ln., 339-9420. $ ✿ PUERTO V ALLARTA 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 945-3588, 125 Quar termaster Ct., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-2022, 7814 Beulah Cur ch Rd., 239-4646. $$ p ✿ QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL 1500 Bar dstown Rd., 454-3380, 970 Breckinridge Ln., 721-8100, 4059 Summit Plaza Drive, 429-5151, 100 Daventr y Ln., 412-6202, 2730 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4939606, 3021 Poplar Level Rd., 637-5405, 4302 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 941-9654, 1321 Herr Ln., 618-3622, 11910 Standifor d Plaza Dr ., 736-6198. This chain operation extends fr om Louisville to Frankfor t and Lexington. Fastfoodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors on the basis of variety and inter esting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can af ford. $ f ✿ ROSTICERIA LUNA 5213B Preston Hwy., 962-8898. Tiny and cluttered and very friendly, this little spot on Pr eston looks like another tacqueria but the specialty, Mexican-style roasted chicken, takes it to another level, juicy and succulent and r oasted golden br own. Chicken simply doesn’ t get any better than this. $ ✿ RUBEN’S MEXICAN REST AURANT 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 258-0417. $$ p ✿ SANTA FE GRILL 3000 S. Third St., 634-3722. This tiny eater y in a centur y-old r ed-brick South End 80 Fall 2009 www.foodanddine.com
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storefront near Chur chill 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. $ ✿ SEÑOR IGUANA’S 1415 Br oadway St., Clarksville, IN, 280-8555, 3105 S. Second St., 368-0876. These two Mexican-American eateries — the Indiana venue is in the former Jerry’s — are known for their hearty, well-prepared Mexican food, and plenty of it, in a casually laid-back, comfor table spor ts-bar atmosphere. $ p f ✿ SOL AZTECAS 2427 Bardstown Road, 459-7776, 2350 Frankfort Ave., 895-3333. Saul Garcia, who’s known for the local chain of Los Aztecas eateries, has started this new chain, raising the bar with a broader menu. His many Los Aztecas fans will find familiar dishes, along with some pleasant surprises. $ p h ✿ TACO BUENO 2909 Hwy. 62 Jef fersonville IN, 2844073, 2350 Shane Dr ., 493-2008. This gr owing Texas-based chain, a competitor to Taco Bell, now has two locations in the Louisville metr o. Early reports declare it “better than the Bell.” $ f ✿ TACO TICO 5925 Terry Rd., 449-9888. Founded in Wichita in 1962, the same year as T aco Bell was born in Southern California, The T aco Tico chain has been gone fr om Louisville for mor e than a decade. Its happy r eturn has been drawing remarkable crowds. $ ✿ TACQUERIA LA MEXICANA 6201 Pr eston Hwy ., 969-4449. The tacos are fine at this tiny storefront. This is seriously ethnic stuf f, but Anglos ar e thoroughly welcome, the staff is bilingual, and they will happily pr ovide a menu with all the English translations written in. $ ✿ YELLOW CACTUS 3620 Paoli Pk., Floyds Knobs, IN, 903-0313. Another in a gr owing list of ar ea TexMex r estaurants. New place calls itself a Mexican restaurant and American steakhouse. $ p h ✿
MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 1001 Br eckinridge Ln., 8936637, 4652 Chamberlain Ln., 425-3330, 1020 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, (812) 288-6637, 9310 Cedar Center W ay, 614-7722. The food may be mor e fast-food Mexican-American than authentic South-of-the-Border fare, but it is freshly made fr om quality ingr edients and comes in oversize portions, and that’s not a bad thing. $ ✿ ON THE BORDER 10601 Fischer Park Dr ., 4122461. A contemporary spin on traditional favorites offers a range of delights fr om the Ultimate Fajita to margaritas in a setting that emulates Old Mexico décor. $$ p f ✿ SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 285 N. Hubbar ds Ln., 897-5323. Another entry in the hot “Fr esh Mexican” niche that features gigantic burritos made to order. Its colorful free-standing building houses a sit-in restaurant and an inviting bar. $ p f ✿ TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (15 locations). Tumbleweed started as a humble Mexican restaurant in New Albany and eventually came to dominate Louisville’s Tex-Mex niche with colossal margaritas, gigantic burritos and spicy chili con queso. Southwestern far e adds steaks and grilled far e to the familiar Tex-Mex with a formula that continues to draw diners in dr oves, but the ’Weed doesn’t stray far from its roots. $$ p f h ✿
BEAN STREET CAFÉ 101 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1404. Bean Str eet intr oduced the Sunny Side to the joys of serious espr esso. Like all good coffee shops, they’re not just an eater y, but a cultural hangout. $ f
RED = ADVERTISER
CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 894-9689. $ COFFEE CROSSING 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 981-2633. $ COFFEE POT CAFÉ 234 E. Gray St. (Medical Tower South), 584-5282 $ f ✿ DAY’S ESPRESSO AND COFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456-1170. Dark and cozy , with an old-fashioned feeling, Day’ s has ever ything you would expect in a college-neighbor hood cof fee shop except a college near by. $ f DERBY CITY ESPRESSO 331 E. Market St., 4420523. A highlight in Louisville’ s r oster of serious coffee shops, Derby City featur es quality cof fee from several ar tisanal r oasters, plus fine tea, pastries, and now craft beers. $ f e ✿ EXPRESSIONS OF YOU 1800 W . Muhammad Ali Blvd., 584-6886. $ f e ✿ HEINE BROTHERS COFFEE 2714 Frankfor t A ve., 899-5551, 1295 Longest A ve., 456-5108, 2200 Bardstown Rd., 515-0380, 118 Chenoweth Ln., 893-5103, 1449 Bar dstown Rd., 454-5212, 4123 Shelbyville Rd., 894-9413. Spar tan, friendly and affordable, with good coffee r oasted on the premises and a shor t list of pastries, desserts and panini sandwiches, Heine Br os. has earned its outstanding local reputation. $ f e HIGHLAND COFFEE CO. 1140 Bardstown Rd., 4514545. Of fering two ways to get wir ed, this cozy neighborhood cof fee shop also functions as one of Louisville’s top Internet cafés, where you can enjoy a hot cappuccino while you surf the ’net in a WiFi hot spot. Funky Seattle-style ambience is a plus. $ f THE HOBKNOBB ROASTING CO. 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1458. HobKnobb of fers fresh hot cof fee, espr esso drinks and fr esh baked pastries, cakes and cookies. $ f JAVA BREWING COMPANY 9561B U.S. Hwy. 42, 2922710, 516 W . Main St., 568-6339, 135 S. English Station Rd., 489-5677, Fourth Street Live, 561-2041, 2309 Frankfor t Ave., 894-8060. These casual spots boasts the ambience of a friendly old-fashioned book shop, with comfor table seating, a good selection of pastries, and quality coffee from Seattle. $ JEWEL’S HOUSE OF TEAS 632 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 282-8327. $ JOE MUGGS 994 Breckenridge Ln. (Books-a-Million), 894-8606, 4300 Towne Center Dr., 426-2252. $ f LA VIDA JA VA COFFEE CO. 1301 Herr Ln., 4129393. La V ida Java of fers espr esso drinks and pastries in this welcoming spot in the W estport Village shopping center. $ f MRS. POTTER’S COFFEE 718 W. Main St., 581-1867. $✿ OLD LOUISVILLE COFFEE HOUSE 1489 S. Fourth St., 635-6660. $ f ✿ PERKFECTION 359 Spring St., Jef fersonville, IN, 218-0611. $ e QUARTER REST CAFÉ 3640 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 491-9396. Inside the Hurstbourne Music Center , music lovers can find music-themed br eakfast dishes to for tify them as they shop for instruments or practice their craft. $ f e QUILL’S COFFEE SHOP 930 Baxter Ave., 742-6129. With its r ecent move to Bar dstown Road, Quills has updated its image, but faithful fans find that the joe is still fine, as are the pastries, and everyone lingers, with laptops and books. $ RAY’S MONKEY HOUSE 1578 Bardstown Rd., 4594373. A very nice fit with its crunchy-granola Highlands neighborhood, this “progressive coffee shop and gathering place” is consciously child-friendly . Look for quality or ganic cof fee r oasted on the premises and vegetarian/vegan snacks. $ f e ✿ RED HOT ROASTERS 1402 Payne St., 569-0000. The old drive-thr ough standby, Jackson’s Or ganic
p = FULL BAR
f = OUTDOOR DINING
e = LIVE MUSIC