Summer 2019 (Vol 64)

Cover Pages_Summer19_Ed.qxp_Cover_JW03_Spring11 5/29/19 10:55 PM Page 1

Cover Pages_Summer19_Ed.qxp_Cover_JW03_Spring11 5/29/19 10:55 PM Page 2

Contents_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Contents_for Robin.qxd 5/29/19 11:28 PM Page 1

Contents_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Contents_for Robin.qxd 5/29/19 11:28 PM Page 2

Contents_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Contents_for Robin.qxd 5/29/19 11:28 PM Page 3

Contents_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Contents_for Robin.qxd 5/29/19 11:28 PM Page 4

SUMMER 2019

PUBLISHER JOHN CARLOS WHITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JESSICA MATHIS EXECUTIVE EDITOR RON MIKULAK BUSINESS MANAGER JON LARMEE PHOTOGRAPHERS DAN DRY ANDY HYSLOP COLUMNISTS STEVE AKLEY ROGER BAYLOR JAY FORMAN RON MIKULAK FEATURE WRITERS MICHAEL L. JONES SUSAN REIGLER ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS-AT-LARGE TIM & LORI LAIRD GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION ED ROTHER JOHN CARLOS WHITE SALES MANAGER GINA R. WOLFE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES KAREN SHANE ANNETTE B. WHITE

Food & Dining Magazine® P.O. Box 665, Louisville KY 40201 502.509.EATS (3287)

www.foodanddine.com socialmedia@foodanddine.com facebook.com/foodanddine @FoodAndDining

For Advertising information call 502.509.3287 (EATS) Food & Dining Magazine® is published quarterly by Louisville Dining Magazine, Inc. P.O. Box 665, Louisville KY 40201 The publisher and advertisers are not responsible or liable for misprints, typographical errors or misinformation. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. *Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

ON THE COVER Tuna Poke from LouVino (page 38) Photo by Dan Dry 4

Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

Contents_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Contents_for Robin.qxd 5/29/19 11:28 PM Page 5

contents SUMMER 2019 | VOLUME 64

RESTAURANT GUIDE

44 | Dining Guide 82 | Maps

Our comprehensive listing of over 1,400 area restaurants, complete with reviews.

(RESTAURANT LOCATOR)

Find all of the restaurants in our Dining Guide on these user-friendly maps — a unique resource you can’t find elsewhere.

FEATURES Building Restaurant Empires: Get to know three of Louisville’s most prolific restaurateurs.

18 |

PROFILE | Fernando Martinez Fernando Martinez is one of the most prolific restaurateurs this city has ever known. With 15 restaurants to their credit, he and his team at Ole’ Restaurant Group are set to launch another volley.

PROFILE | Jared Matthews | 28

Over the last decade, Jared Matthews has blossomed into a rising star as the managing partner in four restaurants and bars. Hold the press! Make that five.

38 |

PROFILE | Chad Coulter Chad and Lauren Coulter’s LouVino has grown to five locations in three states, and they’ve opened the first of their newest concept, Biscuit Belly.

COLUMNS Starters

8| 12 |

COMINGS & GOINGS A summary of changes in the local restaurant scene — with openings, closings, changes and more.

HUMOR | Disruptive Restaurant Tech Resident food humorist Jay Forman imagines a line of technology that might disrupt the food industry in the future.

Food

24 | 36 |

COOKING WITH RON | A Vegan Paradise Ron creates vegan dishes from the summer bounty of excellent fresh vegetables and fruit by local farmers.

EASY ENTERTAINING | A Toast to Toast Tired of avocado toast? Tim and Lori Laird offer a variety of other creative toast treat recipes that are sure to please.

Liquids BOURBON | An Almost 300-Year-Old Legacy | 14

Maybe you’ve never heard of the Neeleys, but they’ve been making whiskey for 11 generations and legally for one. Steve Akley recounts their family history.

34 |

HIP HOPS| Craft Beer All Grown Up Craft Beer has gone from mom n’ pop shop to button-down boardroom, and Roger Baylor learns firsthand that the business of craft beer is business.

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019

5

Comings & Goings_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/29/19 11:39 PM Page 6

6 Summer 2019Â www.foodanddine.com

Comings & Goings_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/29/19 11:39 PM Page 7

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 7

Comings & Goings_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/29/19 11:39 PM Page 8

starters | comings & goings

comings & goings

BY RON MIKULAK

Everyone knows that starting a restaurant is a risky business. One supposed statistic that is frequently bandied about is that 90% of new restaurants fail within a year.

Though this “fact” does not stand up to much scrutiny (Forbes magazine a couple of years ago reported on a 10-year longitudinal study that reckoned new restaurant failures to be no more likely than most new business failures), starting a new restaurant does require considerable capital investment in equipment, in hiring and training of staff, in promotion and in achieving consistency of product. Restaurants are a volatile business challenge, a fact that makes the Louisville area’s burgeoning restaurant scene worthy of notice. Once again, and for the 26th issue of the last 30, we can report that openings of new restaurants outnumber the closings by a total, in this issue, of 32 to 20.

The willingness of a restaurant owner who has experienced the headaches and overcome the roadblocks of starting and running a successful business to try to do so again by opening other restaurants, we think is worth special notice. The fact that five of the new restaurants noted here are being opened by experienced restaurant operators is a special detail that speaks well of those restaurant owners reading into the future promise of the Louisville dining scene. We devote this issue to profiling three such operators of multi-location — and even multi-concept — restaurants: Fernando Martinez, Chad and Lauren Coulter and Jared Matthews, who have all taken chances, tried out new ideas, built on prior successes and have injected new energy into the restaurant community and delighted Louisville diners.

Fernando Martinez and his partners in Olé Restaurant Group have, for the past decade or so, been salting the city with one interesting restaurant concept after another: Mojito, Mussel & Burger Bar, Mercato Italiano— all of which Martinez has developed and then sold. He has stayed with his successful El Taco Luchador concept; he plans in June to open his fourth Luchador location in the recently renovated Colonial Gardens at 5205 New Cut Rd. and his fifth at 9204 Taylorsville Rd. in Jeffersontown this fall.

8 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

And that's not all. This past spring Martinez closed his Artesano Vino Tapas y Mas restaurant in Westport Village and almost immediately opened Steak & Bourbon in the same space at 1321 Herr Ln. In this issue’s profile (pg. 18) of Martinez, he explains why he thinks his new concept will work well in the Westport Village complex.

Another multi-restaurant group, the ambitious couple Chad and Lauren Coulter, who have LouVino restaurants in Cincinnati and Fishers Indiana (an Indianapolis suburb) as well as two in Louisville, have also launched something new for them. The Coulters’ newest idea is Biscuit Belly, a breakfast and lunch spot that just opened at 900 E. Main St. The Coulters discuss their career switch from pharmacists to restaurateurs in this issue (pg. 38).

Also profiled in this summer issue (pg. 28) is Jared Matthews, who is building a multi-concept restaurant empire in St. Matthews. Currently the co-owner and operator of Diamond Pub & Billiards, Lou Lou Food + Drink, Equus & Jack's Bourbon Restaurant | Lounge, Matthews and partners plan to open another new concept this summer, Diamond Street Grub & Hops, 3920 Shelbyville Rd. in the one-time Mellow Mushroom Pizza location. There, diners will find street food dishes from around the world as well as a wide choice of draft beers.

Comings & Goings_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/29/19 11:39 PM Page 9

comings & goings | starters

NEW TABLES

The fourth established restaurant owner is Dan Borsh, whom we listed last issue as opening Burger Girl Diner at Frankfort Avenue and Cannons Lane. In this issue we report that he will take over Hillcrest Tavern, 3212 Frankfort Ave., a neighborhood institution that has had many identities in recent years. Borsh will return it to an updated neighborhood bar concept by the end of June.

Christopher Seckman has run North End Café, 1722 Frankfort Ave., since 2003 and expanded into a second location in the Highlands in 2011. But Seckman and his partners decided to close the Highlands restaurant (and its accompanying pizza purveyor, Slice) earlier this year. Now Seckman, partnering with long-time Chef Adrian Jimarez Neri and Oscar Ortiz, has renovated and reopened the space at 2116 Bardstown Rd. as La Suerte, an upscale Latin restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Nearby, at 2216 Dundee Rd., the Silly Axe Café is open, responding to the needs of gluten-intolerant diners with a glutenfree menu that will not aggravate the conditions of sufferers of celiac disease. (Celiac / Silly Axe. Get it?)

Another new Highlands dining spot is Al Hamra Halal Buffet at 1250 Bardstown Rd. in Mid City Mall. Halal cooking takes into account food restrictions and rules derived from the Quran.

Owner Ibrahim Quasim offers 25 cold dishes, mezze and salads, and 25 hot dishes reflecting the food traditions of Muslim societies around the world, so look for pakoras and samosas as well as for falafel and kibbe.

Downtown, at 217 E. Main St., The Celtic Pig food truck has found a brick-and-mortar home in the Ice House complex. There diners can find Scotch eggs, shepherd’s pie, fish and chips and two interpretations, hillbilly and traditional, of the famed (and frequently defamed) Scottish sausage, haggis.

Three other food and drink businesses that have opened more or less downtown include Mattie’s Kitchen, providing soul food at 1018 S. Fifteenth St. (in St. Stephen’s Family Life Center). On the eastern edge of downtown is Palatucci’s Italian American Ristorante, which takes over the former Gary’s on Spring space at 204 S. Spring St. Falls City Taproom is now at 901 E. Liberty St., which will be the permanent brewing and serving space of Falls City Brewery, and Bandido Taqueria will open its second location next door to the Taproom, supplying food options to them by the end of summer.

Falls City isn’t the only brewery announcing a collaboration; Goodwood Brewing Co. has opened their first satellite, Goodwood Brewhouse and Live Room, on the second and third floor of Cox’s Hot Chicken in Jeffersonville. And on this side of the river, Mile Wide Beer Co. has announced a Neopolitan pizza focused collaboration with J’town’s Mac’s Dough House, who will operate in a small second space within the brewery at 636 Barret Ave. There has been a café at the Kentucky Derby Museum, 704 Central Ave., for a long time. After reconsidering the needs of racetrack and museum visitors, the café space has been reconceived and redesigned into Derby Museum Express, a quick serv-

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 9

Comings & Goings_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/29/19 11:39 PM Page 10

starters | comings & goings

ice, grab-and-go breakfast and lunch spot.

At 5905 Terry Rd., you can choose from six flavors of coating on the chicken wings at The Chicken Box. At 9909 Taylorsville Rd., Crystal’s Southern Food & Spirits serves traditional regional breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

Four new ethnic restaurants have opened: Pho Phi, a Vietnamese restaurant, has taken over the Home Run Burgers space at 4600 Shelbyville Rd.; Aji Sushi and Asian Cuisine is at 5610 Outer Loop; Louisville Café India has opened at 12412 Shelbyville Rd. in Middletown; and La Bonita Tienda Mexicana is open at 1999 Brownsboro Rd. Two other new businesses of interest are The Ntaba Coffee House at 2407 Brownsboro Rd., which sells and serves only coffees and teas grown in Africa. And downriver a bit, just over the Hardin County line as you cross the Salt River on Dixie Highway is West Point Pizza, serving slices and pies at 407 South St., West Point.

In addition to new restaurant brands, four established businesses have opened one or more additional locations in the last three months. A mission-driven business, Scarlet’s Bakery strives to employ women recovering from abuse and exploitation by teaching them baking, customer service and self-empowerment skills. In addition to the Shelby Park original site, two new locations, 200 S. 5th St. (in the First Trust Center) and 106 Fairfax Ave., produce cookies, muffins, cakes, salads and simple sandwiches.

In the East End, Mi Tierra Mexicana Restaurant has opened a new branch at 2610 Chamberlain Ln. and relocated its Glenview Pointe Shopping Center store into the roomier space vacated by Zeggz Amazing Eggs at 2400 Lime Kiln Ln. Also in the East End is a new Which Wich? at 13124 W. Hwy. 42 in Prospect.

Across the river, the area’s tenth McAlister’s Deli is open at 3508 E. 10 St., in the Jeffersonville Ridge development.

And Jeff’s Bakery will be opening a second location at 4430 Charlestown Rd. in New Albany sometime this summer.

Mexa Tacos plans to open its second store this summer at 305 W. Market St. downtown, and Liège and Dairy has a second ice cream store at 12003 Shelbyville Rd. in Middletown.

10 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

CLOSINGS

Of the 13 businesses that have totally left the scene, five had been around for several years. The remainders are relatively new and couldn’t seem to gain a solid market foothold.

Of the former sort, the most senior business is Bistro 301 at 301 W. Market St. First known as Deke’s Marketplace Grill, the two large rooms at the corner of Market and Third Streets, with a convivial bar on the right and a quieter artsy dining room to the left, flourished in the early 2000s and seemed to hold steady through an ownership change and during the long, traffic-disrupting renovations of the Convention Center just across the street. But the realities of trying to do business as the city changed around it proved too disruptive; Bistro 301 closed suddenly this spring.

On the other end of Market Street on the in-town edge of NuLu, Wild Rita’s, 445 E. Market St., has also abruptly closed.

When it first opened, its sophisticated, glitzy vibe, upscale approach to Mexican fair and large selection of tequila and tequila-based cocktails drew in crowds.

But as happens in the bar and restaurant biz, that panache faded.

Speaking of panache, the California pizza chain Mellow Mushroom entered the crowded pizza market with exuberance, quickly establishing three locations scattered around the county. But in the last year, one by one, Mellow Mushroom contracted its local presence, closing first its Middletown store, then its bespoke location in the Highlands. With the closing of the St. Matthews outlet at 3920 Shelbyville Rd., Mellow Mushroom’s presence in Louisville is now kaput.

Bank Street Brewhouse, 415 Bank St., was among the earliest food and drink businesses to anchor the New Albany dining and entertainment revival. But in recent years the business underwent ownership changes, and the brewery operation continued with a variety of food-providing partners. Now both the brewhouse and its most recent food partner, Taco Steve, have ceased operation.

The Brewhouse was originally an offshoot of New Albanian Brewing Co., a business that is still operating as New Albanian Brewery Pizzeria & Public House at 3312

Comings & Goings_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/29/19 11:39 PM Page 11

comings & goings | starters

Grant Line Rd. The original “research and development” brewery is located there, too.

Another once popular establishment closed this past spring.

The Bistro at 3701 Frankfort Ave. was, for a while, the cognoscenti’s favorite secret lunch spot. Tucked away in the lower level of The Olmsted, an event space on the Masonic Home campus, the bistro provided simple, well-prepared breakfast and lunch fair for practically nothing.

Like many observers of the local food scene, I found the battling frozen confection purveyors on the foot-and-auto-heavy-traffic corner of Eastern Parkway and Bardstown Road to be an interesting phenomenon to watch. Alas, Lula’s Frozen Yogurt at 1501 Bardstown Rd., lost the battle of location competition. It has closed, and only Comfy Cow remains on the opposite corner.

The California import, Top Round Roast Beef, which couldn’t find a firm foothold in the crowded fast food and fast casual restaurant field east of St. Matthews, has closed at 4214 Shelbyville Rd. Fishery Station at 5610 Outer Loop has closed, as has Jimbo’s BBQ at 801 Kenwood Dr. Two Latin restaurants have also closed; Floridita, which concocted Cuban and Caribbean fare at 9909 Taylorsville Rd. and El Barrio Tequila and Whiskey Bar at 129 West Main St. Six multi-location businesses have reduced their local footprint by one location or more. Once boasting three locations, Yang Kee Noodle, following the closing of their Highlands location earlier

this year, recently closed their Oxmoor Mall store, 7900 Shelbyville Rd., after a 15-year run, reducing their presence to only their Middletown store. With the closing of the store at 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., Zeggz Amazing Eggs is now down to just the Middletown location, 11615 Shelbyville Rd. Cox’s Hot Chicken is left with one outlet after the closing of the New Albany location at 110 E. Main St. Shiraz Mediterranean Grill is left with five local stores after closing the one downtown at 237 S. Fifth St. Jason’s Deli closed the outlet at 410 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., leaving two area locations. And Steak ‘n Shake has been going through some corporate restructuring, resulting in the temporary closure of two corporateowned locations at 3232 Bardstown Rd. and 4913 Dixie Hwy., presumably until franchisees willing to take them over are found.

CHANGES

And finally, the long-standing and much beloved breakfast and lunch spot The Café at 712 Brent St. is undergoing considerable change. The restaurant group behind Buckhead Mountain Grill has bought the business, but long-time owners Sal and Cindy Rubino will continue to run it until the Paristown Pointe development is complete. The Rubinos will then retire after a long run with several restaurants over the years. The Café will move into what is currently the Louisville Stoneware building and add dinner service in response to the imminent opening of the Old Forester Paristown Hall entertainment venue. F&D

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 11

Humor_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:27 AM Page 12

starters | humor

Disruptive Restaurant

Tech

That I’d Like to See

BY JAY FORMAN

People claiming to know a lot about big important things often like to wax rhapsodic about ‘Disruptive Tech’ and the impact it has had on various industries. Uber has upended the taxi business; Airbnb has hotels on their heels, and so on, but there is at least one industry for which big tech has not yet managed to flip the script. Restaurants have proven to be remarkably resilient to the incursion of technology.

Maybe it’s the messy, unforgiving environment of the professional kitchen that spells death for delicate electronic devices. Maybe it’s that paper and carbon have done a pretty good job for the last 80 years. Thus far, tech has basically only nibbled at the edges of an industry that resists change in the same way a rhinoceros doesn’t like to be poked with sticks. We’ve got Square, thank you, and some web-based management tools that live safely on a laptop or back in the office, but chaos, inertia and dysfunction still reign.

With this in mind, I’ve tried to brainstorm a few approaches by which tech can finally penetrate this market by providing us with things that we actually need.

Tracker Jackers for AWOL Cooks

In “The Hunger Games,” genetically engineered wasps called “Tracker Jackers” zeroed in on their targets, mercilessly injecting a hallucinogenic venom capable of causing madness or even death. Building on this concept, entomological bio-hackers can create a new super-breed of vespids that can receive employee payroll data from an ADP downlink and hunt down cooks and other disreputable sorts who happen to oversleep their shift by 17 hours — again!

Using a proprietary stimulant as their venom, these creatures can inject enough CCs to awaken even the most somnambulant line guy. A plus: employees waive their right to sue when they opt in by signing the payroll packet. A minus: some employees might come to like this course of action and seek to hijack Tracker Jackers for recreational use.

Asses-n-Seatz • A few years back, I profiled the inimitable Ella Brennan — a legend in the New Orleans

Providing Jobs in the Gig Economy

12 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

restaurant scene — for an industry award.

When I asked her about the look of the renovated dining rooms of Commander’s Palace post-Katrina, she told me that her favorite restaurant décor was “asses in seats.” I’ve never forgotten this.

And now I find myself operating a new establishment which has been, shall we say, slow to catch on. Of course, it has a prominent corner location with huge plate glass windows where everyone can look in and see that there is nobody there. We all know that people like to be where other people are and that people shy away from an empty restaurant, so I am fretting about this.

What is the solution? A modeling agency buyout? A poorly conceived flash mob? Load up a truckload of those guys that hang out in front of the Home Depot looking for gigs?

How about the Asses-n-Seatz app? It’s a new micro-employment tool that can summon a cadre of unemployed actors looking to earn a few bucks. Just pick the number of man-bun coiffed unemployed bartenders and bespectacled Etsy doily Bedazzlers you need, and they will descend upon your establishment at a pre-arranged time to make it look busy and culturally relevant. Some of them might even work just for the irony.

HotLinez

These days everything is for sale.You can get a B-list celebrity to send your best friend a personalized birthday greeting at the touch of a button from sites like Cameo. You can buy valuable exposure from influencers to direct their social firehose at whatever enterprise you represent a la Viral Nation. So, what about a mash-up of the two directed at the hospitality industry?

Introducing HotLinez, a service matching media-seeking restaurateurs with unscrupu-

Humor_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:27 AM Page 13

humor | starters lous chefs looking to parlay their diminishing stature for enough filthy lucre to enable their Kratom habit for another ten days. This one has a heavy-duty paywall so not everyone can see how this sausage gets made, but basically you select a chef from a pull-down menu and enter an opinion you’d like him to have; if he accepts, he blasts it across all his social handles. It works for you; it works for them. It works for the unregulated nutritional herbal supplements market. Everyone wins.

POS With Benefits

One area in which tech has visibly infiltrated restaurant operations is tablet-based Point of Sale systems. No doubt you’ve seen Square, Toast, Shopkeep and their ilk running on swivel-stand mounted iPads on countertops everywhere. For most casual operators, they represent a vast improvement over their predecessors: clunky dinosaurs with graphic interfaces straight out of 1983.

These new systems can generate real-time reports, manage marketing outreach and a whole lot more, but there are a lot of things they can’t do.

To put it delicately, they can’t do those little things that restaurants do to get by, like under-reporting sales to avoid paying taxes and sending reports to a separate, more private QuickBooks company for personal use.

Not that I do these things, of course… I’m just saying some people do.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Their cameras could be used to scan dining rooms to identify food critics with facial recognition scans. Credit card info could be crossindexed with Google to learn about which diners are the best targets for free glasses of wine. You know: the creepy stuff. The good news is that lots of these POS apps allow for third-party integrations, so developers looking to capitalize on an unserved niche can start coding today. Chances are they will have to sell through the Android marketplace rather than Apple’s App Store.

But until these things hit the market, we’ll just have to get by the same way we always have — with cooked books and unreported cash. Did I say that? I’m sorry, but really... this whole business is a mess anyway. The truth is the wine guys are potheads. The line cooks are drunks. The beer guys do yoga, and the carefully-groomed waiters are opportunistic hyenas. None of it makes any sense. Disrupt it, please. The sooner the better! F&D www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 13

Spirits-Neeley_Sum19_Ed-final.e$S_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:43 AM Page 14

LIQUIDS | bourbon

BY STEVE AKLEY | PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEELEY FAMILY DISTILLERY

In 1906 on a fateful August day in Owsley County, Kentucky, 14-year-old Leonard Neeley stood behind a tree with a gun in his hand just outside the home of moonshiner Robert Allen. Leonard’s older brother, McKinley, had told him he would flush Robert out of the back of the cabin by entering through the front. If McKinley wasn't able to get a clean shot at him as he came through the interior of the house, it would be Leonard’s job to shoot Robert as he came out the back door.

14 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

ust a week earlier in Owsley County, tensions between two moonshining families — the Allens and Neeleys — had led to a gun battle that would leave the head of the Neeley family, Jess, dead. He was killed by the head of the Allen family, Robert. The gun battle also took the life of an Allen family member and injured eight others between the two clans.

Not long after Robert’s arrest, a mob of Neeley family members gathered outside with plans to rush the courthouse where he was held and deliver their own brand of justice. This prompted authorities to transfer Allen under a heavy escort of federal troops to a more secure facility.

McKinley had gotten word that Robert had made bail and was planning on going home to pick up some personal effects before going into hiding as he awaited trial. The boys knew they would have to take care of this by themselves before he disappeared if they were going to get the justice they sought for their father.

Leonard, behind the tree with the gun held at his side, heard glass breaking as McKinley broke through the front door.There was yelling and commotion but no gunshot. Suddenly, the back door

J

flung open, and Leonard jumped out from behind the tree, face-to-face with a surprised Robert…

Meet Royce Neeley

I could literally feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising as Royce Neeley, the 27-year-old owner of Neeley Family Distillery, stood in the front room of his distillery by a case that contained the guns, artifacts and newspaper articles from the story he was telling me. A 14-year-old boy standing by himself in the woods, waiting with a gun for the man who killed his father? This isn’t real life; this is the kind of story reserved for the movies or TV shows like The Sopranos.

I could tell as he paused between sentences Royce wasn’t bragging, but he wasn’t embarrassed either. He was simply telling me the story of his family. It was evident from the passion in retelling this event, even though he wasn’t involved in a gunfight which occurred over 100 years prior, it was his story. It was the story of the Neeley family and making whiskey and everything that goes with it. It has become his own personal history.

When we think of whiskey and how the history of it ties to U.S. history, two families are often in the mix: the Samuels and the Beams. Makers Continued on page 17

Spirits-Neeley_Sum19_Ed-final.e$S_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:43 AM Page 15

Spirits-Neeley_Sum19_Ed-final.e$S_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:43 AM Page 16

Spirits-Neeley_Sum19_Ed-final.e$S_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:43 AM Page 17

bourbon | liquids Mark President Rob Samuels is an eighth-generation whiskey maker. Freddie Noe, who is in the process of taking over the role as Master Distiller at Jim Beam from his legendary father Fred Noe, is also an eighth-generation distiller.

Despite the amazing pedigrees of the Samuels and Beam/Noe families, the Neeleys may have the longest lineage in American whiskey. Before recounting the McKinley/ Leonard faceoff with Robert, Royce had walked me through the Neeley family history.

He is the 11th generation in his family to make whiskey. James Neeley, the family’s patriarch, had come over from Northern Ireland in 1740 with his copper pot stills in tow. He immediately started making whiskey to supplement his family’s farming income.

When talks began in 1850 about taxing whiskey to raise money to fund troops for what would become the Civil War, his greatgreat-grandson, Joseph Neeley, moved the family to remote Owsley County in Eastern Kentucky where they would be able to continue to make whiskey in the woods without worrying about paying taxes.

Royce noted that being born into the Neeley family meant you had one of two career paths: moonshining or law enforcement.

Royce is fully aware of the dichotomy between the two careers. If you are going to run an illegal moonshining operation, though, it’s always a little easier if you have the law on your side.

Royce notes that his father, Roy, intended to be the last generation in the family to make whiskey. The violence and murder and having to always look over your shoulder was not something he wanted to subject his family to.

So Roy gave up making whiskey and ultimately became a well-respected contractor, building homes in Owsley County.

Royce said hearing the stories of his father, grandfather, and the generations before were better than any movies or TV shows he watched, so he became infatuated with moonshining. Young Royce's persistence led to his father relenting and finally showing him how to make moonshine just like the generations of Neeleys before him. Roy did this only to share family history, never with the intention of having Royce get into the business.

While Royce was attending the University of Kentucky, his mother, Michele, noticed he had quit asking for his monthly spending money.

That seemed to be unusual for a college student, so she decided to pay him a surprise visit.

What Michele found was a full-fledged distilling operation going on inside of Royce's dorm

room. She confiscated the still and made Royce agree never to make whiskey again.

Royce went on to say he explored his options after graduating from the University of Kentucky, but all he really wanted to do was to make whiskey. Seeing his passion, his parents finally agreed to assist him in making his dream come true. They acquired a plot of land right next to Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and began building the Neeley Family Distillery.

The First Legal Neeley Distillery

The distillery opened in July 2017 and is a monument to everything all eleven generations of Neeleys have brought to whiskey.

Production is a throwback to what his family has always made: whiskey. The fermenters — stainless steel or plastic in most facilities — are cypress wood, which imparts a unique flavor you can’t recreate in the cheaper, more industrial fermenters most distilleries use.

These cypress fermenters are also open-air (no lids), allowing local yeast strains from the air to be introduced as the yeast turns the mash into alcohol and imparting a flavor that couldn’t be recreated anywhere else (even with the same recipe and equipment).

A column still and a sour mash (using some of the mash from a previous batch like a sourdough bread starter), which you see at almost every other distillery, would mean Royce could be much more efficient in what he is doing. Instead, he eschews the often-used shortcuts and elects to use a pot still and sweet mash process, meaning all of the equipment has to be cleaned thoroughly after each batch. Yes, it slows things down, but that's how 10 generations of Neeleys before Royce made their whiskey, and he isn't changing something tried and true for almost 280 years.

After our family history lesson, Royce took us through the production area where we saw the process he goes through to make his whiskey. I noticed a guy who looked like the prototype of a moonshiner working the pot still. “That’s my Grandfather Earl on my mother’s side. He used to be a customer of my great-grandfather Leonard back when he was ‘shining,’ ” Royce noted. He proudly continued, “He used to drive two counties over just to buy a pint of Grandpa Leonard’s whiskey.”

So, How Does the Moonshine Royce is Selling Now Taste?

My tour ended with a sampling of the Neeley products, and Royce pointed out he was thrilled the government didn’t make him

change the recipe for his now legal moonshine. I took a sip and enjoyed the buttery, sweet and incredibly smooth whiskey. Royce also noted their first release of a 13-monthold bourbon came out in 2018, and they will continue to make sporadic releases of bourbon until they have enough aged to have it regularly on store shelves.

I was also lucky enough to try a sample of his bourbon. I can tell you it’s like no other bourbon on the market today. His old-school process gives you a pop of flavors from those grains you just don’t find in the mass-produced offerings on crowded liquor store shelves.

Distiller Royce Neeley

es, it’s true on that August day in 1906 Leonard Neeley shot and killed Robert Allen, but he was released after a hung jury was unable to convict him. He then continued selling his whiskey his entire life, dying in 1991 at the age of 101. Today, the Neeleys continue the family tradition of making whiskey. If you stop by, you will meet Royce, Roy, Michele and grandfather Earl, as only family members work at the distillery. F&D

Y

Neeley Family Distillery 859.394.3258 4360 KY-1130, Sparta, KY Tours available Tues.–Sun.

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 17

Fernando_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:50 AM Page 18

profile | fernando martinez

F

ernando Martinez is one of the most

prolific restaurateurs this city has ever known. Since 2002, he has opened Havana Rumba, Mojito Tapas, Guaca Mole, two Mussel & Burger Bar locations, Cena Italian Trattoria, the Place Downstairs, three El Taco Luchador restaurants, Mercato Italiano Trattoria, Coconuts Beach Tacos, Artesano Vino Tapas y Mas, Red Barn Kitchen and Steak & Bourbon.

That’s 15 restaurants! The list is even more impressive when you consider that Martinez took a break from the restaurant business from 2009 to 2012 after launching Havana Rumba and Mojito Tapas. He sold his interest in those restaurants and took the opportunity to travel and hone his craft.

After Martinez returned to Louisville, he formed the Olé Restaurant Group with his wife Cristina, cousin Yaniel Martinez and managing partner Rick Moir. His three children also work for their company, and the chef views being able to combine his passions for cooking, business and family as a gift.

“This is a family business. I wish I could say I was so clever that I knew exactly how everything was going to happen, but that’s not how it is. It is a group thing. It is something that happened with time, experience and opportunity,” he added.

Martinez approaches the restaurant industry as more of a lifestyle than a business. He is always in motion, transitioning between chef and businessman seamlessly. When Food & Dining caught up with him in late April at Artesano Vino Tapas y Mas, he was in the process of transforming the tapas restaurant in Westport Village into Steak & Bourbon: An American Grill in time for Derby weekend.

“Artesano was doing okay, but we don’t like okay.

We like busy,” he quipped. “Besides Louisville is a meat and potatoes town.”

The Olé Restaurant Group’s willingness to experiment with new concepts and change course quickly if it is not working has been a key factor in the company’s success. When the Lyndon barbecue restaurant Red Barn Kitchen was not working, Martinez formed a partnership with Crescent “Cres” Bride, owner of R Place Pub, to change the concept.

Bride had operated the space as Joe’s Older Than Dirt before Red Barn Kitchen moved into the space. The location is now Joe’s Older than Dirt once again, but Bride is handling the management duties while Martinez’s company runs the kitchen.

18 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

BY MICHAEL L. JONES PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

Fernando_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:50 AM Page 19

fernando martinez | profile

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 19

Fernando_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:50 AM Page 20

The Olé Restaurant Group has at least four restaurants on deck for 2019. A fourth El Taco Luchador location should be opened in the redeveloped Colonial Gardens complex near Iroquois Park by the time this magazine goes to press, and a fifth is scheduled to open on Taylorsville Road in Jeffersontown by the end of the summer. It will be followed later this year by two new concepts in Nulu, one Cuban and the other Venezuelan.

Martinez also wants to open two more El Taco Luchador locations in Louisville by the end of next year.

“We have big dreams for our company. We want to be a big player in Louisville. One day we’d like to venture outside Louisville, especially with El Taco Luchador. That would be a big way to grow for our company,” Martinez explained.

El Taco Luchador is modeled after traditional Mexican taquerias (small restaurants that specialize in tacos and tortas). Martinez opened the first taqueria on Baxter Avenue in 2014. A second location in St. Matthews came along in 2017, and he put the first location to offer breakfast downtown in a space formerly occupied by Zoë’s Kitchen in 2018.

Martinez said the Taco Luchador concept is easier to replicate than most of his other restaurants because it uses a fast-casual model that doesn’t involve table service. That translates into less overhead and allows his company to keep prices low. Most of the menu items cost less than $10.

All the Luchador locations are decorated in bright colors with bold print designs that emphasis their Mexican influence. The menu includes typical Mexican fare with a few surprises like sweet potato fries. Popular choices include the Baha Fish Tacos with beer battered cod, spicy aioli and pickled red cabbage or the Carnitas Tacos with crispy pork, queso fresco, pickled onions, tomatillo, crema and guacamole. There is also a Torta with bacon, Mexican chorizo, smoked ham, tomato and fried egg that goes down well with the margaritas and sangria sold at all locations.

If you’re at the Highlands or either of the slaited locations, you can order other libations from their full bars.

Martinez promised the Luchador in Colonial Gardens will be a showstopper. Underhill Associates has completed a $5 million, six-year renovation project at Colonial Gardens, transforming the long-vacant south Louisville landmark into a high-end food court that will house four restaurants around a large outside beer garden. Martinez said this South End El Taco Luchador will feature a bar with garage doors on either side so patrons can sit outside in the beer garden during the spring and summer months.

Martinez was the first restaurateur to publicly express interest in moving to the new development. He said the project appealed to him because of the geography and demographics of the Iroquois area.

Colonial Gardens is close to Churchill Downs and just across New Cut Road from the entrance to Iroquois Park, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Martinez believes the complex will become a South End destination spot.

The El Taco Luchador Expansion Plan

(from top) Baxter Avenue Luchador’s location exterior and interior. Pork tacos with pickled onions, tomatillo and crema. Elote Callejero (grilled corn). (opposite, from top) Beer battered cod taco; Mexican Crunchy Salad; Carnitas torta with a guajillo dipping sauce.

Fernando_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:50 AM Page 21

fernando martinez | profile “When we opened the first Mussel & Burger Bar four or five years ago, J’town was all chain restaurants. I knew the area was ready for something local and different. I think the same applies for that area around Colonial Gardens,” he said.

“The people don’t have huge houses, but they have good disposable income. A lot of younger families are moving over there – artists, professionals. I think the demand for what we do is going to be there.”

The Olé Restaurant Group traces its roots back to a poor rural area just outside of Havana, Cuba.

Both Martinez and Yaniel grew up there.

Martinez said he found himself drawn to the kitchen from an early age. He loved to watch his mother Yolanda and his grandmother as they cooked family meals. Eventually, the women gave him little jobs peeling vegetables or cleaning up after them. That was the start of his culinary apprenticeship.

Martinez’s entrepreneurial spirit also manifested itself early. When he was still a teenager, he came up with the idea of making quick cash by selling sandwiches to the busy cabbies in Havana.

Like many of his later ventures, this one was a hit with the dining public.The sandwiches developed a fan base, and before long Martinez and his mother were operating an illegal underground restaurant in their living room.

The long lines snaking out of the Martinez home drew the attention of Cuban government officials who shut down the budding enterprise.

Commerce is strictly regulated in the communist country and starting a business without permission is a serious violation. Martinez spent time in jail for the offense.

After his release, Martinez started plotting his escape from the oppressive Cuban regime. He built a 16-foot raft in secret. In 1994, Martinez, his mother and six friends launched the raft into the Straits of Florida, which separates Cuba and the Florida Keys.

The group traveled through shark-infested waters for three days and endured a tropical storm before the U.S. Coast Guard picked them up near Key West. Instead of taking them to the mainland, the Coast Guard took them to Guantanamo Bay, where they spent some time before finally being allowed to immigrate into the U.S. legally. Martinez was released in 1995, and he headed to California.

“I lived in San Diego for a year, then a friend invited me to visit Louisville. I loved the city so much that I never went back to San Diego,” he remembered. “Louisville is not a small town, but

Living Out His American Dream

21

Fernando_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:51 AM Page 22

profile | fernando martinez it’s not a big city either. I immediately saw the opportunity here. I wanted to open a Cuban restaurant and this city didn’t have anything like it.”

Martinez’s culinary career did not start out any easier in Louisville than it did in Cuba. He worked a series of menial jobs for seven years in order to save up enough money to open his restaurant. He worked as a janitor, dishwasher and cook. He even did a stint at McDonalds’s at one point. The last time Martinez worked for someone else, he was the manager of Ernesto’s Mexican Restaurant.

He opened Havana Rumba Cuban Restaurant in St. Matthews with former partners Marcos Lorenzo and Pedro Hernandez in 2002. The restaurant was a small affair.

There were only 15 tables. The kitchen staff consisted of Martinez, his mother Yolanda, one other cook and a dishwasher.

Martinez was so involved in every aspect of Havana Rumba that it wasn’t unusual for him to pop out of the kitchen to play maracas and sing along with the musicians. Despite the fun

Building The Empire

family atmosphere, Havana Rumba struggled until a 3.5 star by former Courier-Journal food critic Susan Reigler appeared in the newspaper. The attention got diners through the door and word of mouth made Havana Rumba a hit.

In 2007, Martinez and his partners opened Mojito Tapas in Holiday Manor. The new restaurant was a fusion spin on tapas and Cuban cuisine. Martinez’s cousin Yaniel, who had operated a large catering and food operation in Cuba, moved to Louisville to help him with the cooking at the new place.

During this period, Martinez took a sixweek course at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris, France because he wanted to learn to utilize French cooking techniques in Cuban and Spanish food. The experience ignited an urge to further elevate his craft. He sold his shares in Havana Rumba and Mojito in 2009 and moved his family to Venezuela, Cristina’s native country. Martinez spent his time there sampling food and picking up new cooking techniques.

The chef moved his family back to America after a year abroad. They settled in Miami,

where he worked as a sous chef for Chef Douglas Rodriguez at Hotel Astor and the Hilton Bentley Hotel. Martinez followed that with a stint as Executive Chef at Café L’Europe in Palm Beach. That ended when he started to get home sick.

“When I moved out of Louisville, I’d lived here for 15 years. I loved the city, but I needed a break. I took that time to travel and learn.

When I decided to settle down again, I was like ‘Why not go back to Louisville?’ Me and my family did really well here. Our friends and family were here. It was home,” he said.

In Martinez’s absence, Yaniel had become the executive chef at the original Havana Rumba and a partner in the restaurant’s second Middletown location. The cousins joined forces in the Olé Restaurant Group in 2012.

The company’s first restaurant was the Mexican-themed Guaca Mole on Ormsby Station Road in Lyndon. It was followed quickly by Mussel & Burger Bar in Jeffersontown and the short-lived Cena Italian Trattoria. After that, the company continued to produce one concept after another.

“We don’t like to be comfortable, because

Mole taco with braised chicken, roasted corn-poblano, crema, and queso fresco.

22

Fernando_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:51 AM Page 23

fernando martinez | profile if you are comfortable you don’t grow,” Martinez said. “We like to challenge ourselves and our employees. We have a system where we make people who have worked for us a long time and are hungry into partners. That way every restaurant has someone there who cares about it.”

The Olé Restaurant Group currently has about 150 employees. That will double by the end of the year. Martinez said the Cuban and Venezuelan concepts he is opening are among the most personal businesses he has ever created.

The Cuban restaurant called Mima, the Spanish word for mom, is dedicated to Yolanda and the things she has taught their family. Martinez brought in a designer from Miami to work on the restaurant, which is located next to the AC Hotel. He promised a festive place with live music and a rum bar.

“For a long time, we have been looking for the right location to open a Cuban restaurant.

We finally found a house next to the AC hotel that looked like an old house in Havana,”

Combining His Past and Present

Martinez said. “Everyone calls my mother Mima. She is like the unofficial mom of the whole company. This is going to be a restaurant that honors her, our culture and our background.”

The new Venezuelan concept, which doesn’t have a name yet, was inspired by his travels in that country. It will be located next to Mima and much of the menu will focus on Arepa, a pre-Columbian dish made of ground maize that is a Venezuelan staple.

“It is kind of like a Mexican gordita, a white corn cake. You stuff it with chicken, beef and all kinds of things. You can do a breakfast Arepa.You can put all kinds of toppings inside.

I think the concept will go well with the area and it’s really different,” he declared.

Martinez expects the future expansion of Olé Restaurant Group to be more measured than in the past. Although he doesn’t rule out doing a one-off restaurant, he said most of the company’s attention will be focused on El Taco Luchador. Martinez and his partners want to be very strategic about the national rollout of the brand. He said they might focus on smaller and medium-

sized cities before trying the business in big metropolitan areas.

After opening three restaurants this year, Martinez said he plans to take things easy for a while before starting his company’s next chapter. Besides his duties with the Olé Restaurant Group, the chef also consults with outside businesses. But his kids will probably be leaving for college soon, and he wants to spend as much time with them as he can before that happens.

“My wife has stepped back from the business and now she just manages the numbers.

I think about doing something like that sometimes,” the chef said.

F&D Publisher John Carlos White, a friend to Martinez since his days at Ernesto’s, is not buying it. White said his friend is too creative and full of life to stay still for too long.

“Every time he opens two or three restaurants at once, Fernando starts talking about taking a break,” White said. “Then he comes up with something that sounds crazy like selling Mussel & Burgers and he turns it into a great restaurant. Who knows what concept he’ll come up with next?” F&D

Torta with bacon, Mexican chorizo, smoked ham, tomato and fried egg.

23

Cooking with Ron_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Copy of profile_sTEFAN_fall05.qxd 5/30/19 1:05 AM Page 24

food | cooking with ron

Summer in Louisville is a

Vegan Paradise

BY RON MIKULAK | PHOTOS BY ANDY HYSLOP

Summer! What a wonderful time it must be to be a vegan in Louisville. I am not a vegan (one philosophically and morally committed to avoiding consuming any products, food or apparel derived from animals), but I often cook vegan meals, and look forward in the summer to eating lots of the excellent fresh vegetables and fruits grown by local farmers and sold at the burgeoning number of farmers markets in the area.

24 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

I try to cook all-vegetable meals several times a week in the summer and find I don't miss meat

or other animal products (cheese, yogurt or

egg-based sauces) at all at such meals.

Now, I don’t go long without eating meat,

poultry, fish or dairy products, so I don’t think I

have experienced “meat hunger.” But apparently meat hunger is a thing, and one that local veg-

ans seem to experience if the menu offerings of

local vegan restaurants are a guide. Diners who

don’t want to actually consume animal prod-

ucts still seem to want the taste of meat and cheese—or as close as industrial food process-

ing can get to the taste of meat and cheese by

treating vegetable protein with texturizers and artificial flavorings.

Hence, local vegan diners can confront the

ontological paradox of avoiding eating actual

chicken, beef, pork, fish or cheese by ordering a chicken parmesan sandwich made with oyster

mushrooms, a crab patty made with jackfruit, Buffalo chicken wings made with seitan (a prod-

uct gluten-sensitive stomachs should avoid since it is processed wheat gluten), or a roast

beef sandwich made with tofu and topped with cheese made from nuts.

The mystery for omnivores is why such items

cannot be more honestly labeled as oyster

mushroom sandwich, jackfruit patty, Buffalo sei-

tan strips, and sliced roasted tofu sandwich with finely ground nut sauce.

I'm here to celebrate vegan cooking based

on fresh vegetables and fruits, flavored with

fresh or dried herbs and spices, and presented

as what the food honestly is. For those who

subscribe to “clean eating” in the best sense of

that term, recipes such as these, made with

ingredients that are fresh and locally produced as much as possible, are the best way to go.

Cooking with Ron_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Copy of profile_sTEFAN_fall05.qxd 5/30/19 1:06 AM Page 25

–––––––––––––––––––––––––– Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Makes 12 spring rolls to serve as canapés or as a first course)

3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms 2 1¾-ounce packages cellophane noodles, also known as bean thread noodles 2 carrots, scraped and cut into thin julienne 1 cup snow peas, strings removed and cut into fine julienne 1 cup bean sprouts 12 6- to 8-inch inch rice papers 12 large fresh basil leaves 24 fresh mint leaves 3 scallions, cut into thin slivers Salt and pepper to taste Boston or leaf lettuce for serving garnish Peanut dipping sauce (recipe below) Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain, remove stems carefully and discard (or compost), and slice the caps into fine julienne. Set aside.

Soak the cellophane noodles in boiling water until soft, 5 minutes or so. Drain and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for blanching vegetables. Blanch carrots and snow peas separately, each for about 1 minute. Remove, drain and keep vegetables in separate bowls.

For easiest construction of the rolls, arrange all ingredients in separate work bowls on the counter in front of you. (Here is where an orderly mise en place is essential.)

Lay out a clean kitchen towel on the counter. Fill a wide, shallow bowl half-way with warm water. Soak rice paper sheets one at a time until pliable, about 30 seconds or so.

Arrange soaked rice paper as smoothly and evenly as you can on the towel, and place 2 mint leaves end-to-end across the lower third of the rice paper. On the mint leaves place about two tablespoons of the bean threads followed by about 1 tablespoon each of the mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts and snow peas. Sprinkle with scallion and season lightly with salt and pepper. Fold the bottom of the rice paper over onto the vegetables, fold in the sides evenly and roll one turn. Add a basil leaf and continue rolling until you have a tight cylinder. Assemble the remaining spring rolls in the same fashion. Once assembled, the spring rolls will keep—covered with a damp

towel and plastic wrap—for up to six hours in the refrigerator.

To serve, cut each spring roll in half.

Arrange the rolls on a platter covered with lettuce leaves. Serve with a peanut dipping sauce.

Peanut Dipping Sauce: (Makes about 1 cup)

3 tablespoons chunky peanut butter 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated 2 scallions, trimmed and very finely chopped 1 ⁄ 3 cup vegetable broth 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon hot sauce of your choice Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Correct the seasonings, adding soy sauce, vinegar or honey to taste.

wwwfoodanddine.com Summer 2019 25

Cooking with Ron_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Copy of profile_sTEFAN_fall05.qxd 5/30/19 1:06 AM Page 26

food | cooking with ron

––––––––––––––––––––——–– Ratatouille Tart (Serves 6 as a main course)

1 prepared pie crust ½ cup olive oil, divided 1 small onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice 1 large Japanese eggplant, trimmed, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1 ⁄ 3-inch thick 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch pieces 1 zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1 ⁄ 3-inch chunks 1 cup fresh tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped or 1 8-ounce can crushed tomatoes 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pie crust so it fits into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Press to fit with your fingers, trimming off any excess. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line the dough in the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with

26 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

pie weights. Bake 15 or 20 minutes until edges of dough start to brown. Remove the weights and lining and bake until crust is light golden brown, another 8 to 10 minutes or so. Remove from oven and let cool.

While the crust is baking, make the ratatouille. In a large saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and when shimmery add the onion and cook, stirring, over moderate heat until softened. Add the eggplant and 3 more tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 more minutes. Add the red peppers, zucchini, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook until soft, another 10 minutes or so. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano and cook until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, season with salt and pepper and spoon into the tart shell. Return to oven until heated through, 15 minutes or so.

Slice into wedges to serve as a main course.

–––––––––––––––––––—-––––– Spicy Asian Carrot Soup (Serves 6) Aside from salads, soups are probably the easiest dishes to reconceive as vegan. It would be fun to start with something spicy

and sort of exotic.

1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 ¼ 2 1½ 1½ 2-3 1 1

tablespoon olive oil tablespoon vegetable oil onion, peeled and chopped stalk celery, strings removed and chopped clove garlic, peeled and minced cups vegetable stock pound carrots, peeled and chopped ¾-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and cut into thin slices teaspoon or more red pepper flakes tablespoons fresh lime juice teaspoons soy sauce tablespoons smooth peanut butter teaspoons of sugar teaspoon sesame oil cup coconut milk Salt and pepper Sliced scallions for garnish

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery and garlic and sauté, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vegetable stock, carrots, ginger and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until carrots are

Cooking with Ron_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Copy of profile_sTEFAN_fall05.qxd 5/30/19 1:06 AM Page 27

very tender 20 to 30 minutes.

Purée with an immersion blender. Add lime juice, soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar and sesame oil. Stir in coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or chill in refrigerator at least one hour and serve as a cold soup. Garnish with sliced scallions.

–––––––––––––––––––––——– Summer Fruit Sorbet (Serves 6) Sorbets are the ideal summer dessert, adaptable to whatever is fresh, in season, and are able to be made a day ahead of time and are very easy to put together. This peach sorbet is a master recipe; use approximate amounts of other fruits (strawberries, raspberries, cantaloupe) as they come into season.

1 cup simple syrup (2⁄ 3 cup water, 2⁄ 3 cup white sugar, brought to a boil, stirring occasionally, then cooled and chilled. These proportions make about 1 cup syrup; double the ingredients and keep the excess syrup in the fridge to sweeten iced tea.)

2 pounds ripe peaches 1 vanilla bean, split 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Blanch peaches in boiling water a minute or two. Cool, then peel peaches, and cut flesh into chunks. Measure out 3 cups of chunks, and simmer peaches, vanilla bean and 1 cup simple syrup in a saucepan until peaches are tender, 5 minutes or so. Remove vanilla bean and purée mixture in blender or food processor.

Add lime juice and mix in well. Cool the sorbet

mixture and then process in an ice cream machine, if you have one.

If not, pour puréed fruit into a shallow metal pan, such as a square brownie pan, and freeze.

Thaw sorbet briefly so it can be easily scraped again into the blender or food processor. Puree mixture again, return to freezer and freeze. If the mixture sits too long in the freezer and begins to crystallize, repeat partial thawing and blending step. Before serving, place sorbet in the refrigerator for about an hour to make it easier to scoop out servings and to eat with a spoon. F&D

wwwfoodanddine.com Summer 2019 27

Jared Matthis_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:36 AM Page 28

profile | jared matthews

E

verywhere he’s worked, Jared Matthews has risen into management by caring about the work he does and people he’s

served. Now he’s showing that same care as St. Matthews’ rising star restaurateur.

Chances are you met him slinging drinks or you’ve asked him to book your band. Perhaps you met him at Southeast Christian Church or in his most recent role: owner of multiple restaurants. Maybe you haven’t met him at all, but it sure seems like most people, especially in St. Matthews, have. Jared Fox Matthews, father, restaurateur, and friend, seems to be an unstoppable force in the Louisville restaurant scene who is now a partner/owner in the two locations of Diamond Pub & Billiards plus their new Diamond Street Grub & Hops opening this month, Lou Lou Food + Drink, and the legendary Equus & Jack’s Lounge founded by the late Dean Corbett.

Just over ten years ago, he was single and became a managing partner at Diamond Pub. Now, he balances his time between these four restaurants under his care and his wife Rebecca and their four children: Ian (14), Tristan (12), Lexy (3), and Jared Fox Matthews, Jr. (nine months).

While the last decade has certainly been good to him, it is a life-long culmination.

His love for food began further south in his hometown, Marksville, Louisiana. That’s where his foodloving East Coast parents were transferred.

“My dad fell in love with Cajun cooking and became responsible for crawdad boils for the neighborhood when we moved to Alabama and then Kentucky,” he said. “Our Christmas tradition includes boils, gumbo and etouffée on Christmas Eve.” Although his dad instilled a childhood love for food, Matthews started his career working at Dairy Queen before he ended up running a pizza place named Figaro’s in high school. “The owner didn’t really do much with it, so we just kind of ran it ourselves,” Matthews explained.

When he went off to the University of Kentucky in Lexington, he got his first job in the bar industry as 28 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

BY JESSICA MATHIS PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

Jared Matthis_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:36 AM Page 29

jared matthews | profile

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 29

Jared Matthis_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:36 AM Page 30

profile | jared matthews a barback and then bartender at Two Keys Tavern. Then he worked as a manager at Columbia Steakhouse, where he helped the restaurant open a new location. Everywhere he worked, he seemed to rise into management. “There are many times I would just want to bartend,” he said. “But if you care, the owners see it, and you end up running things eventually.”

It is through this type of observation that Matthews ended up as a partner in Diamond Pub & Billiards on Frankfort Ave. He was working behind the bar at a place called Harper’s on Hurstbourne Lane when one of their regulars, who had just bought Diamond’s, noticed his hustle and offered him a job.

The pool hall ended up changing hands a few times, but Jared stayed on, managing the bar for each of the owners.

“It was kind of originally an ‘old man’ pool hall,” Matthews explained. “But when I first came to see it, it was really nice inside. I wanted to bring a younger vibe and make it a more ‘happening’ place. I worked to get regular live music there throughout the week and on the weekends inside and out on the patio.”

Then Diamond’s regular Jeff Griffith bought the bar, but he didn’t know anything about running it. He offered Matthews partnership if he stayed to run the business.

The first thing to go? Two tube TVs behind the bar.The day Griffith bought the business is the same day they went right out to buy a new 42-inch flat screen and proudly hang it center bar.

“We thought, ‘This television is going to change this bar,’ ” Matthews remembered, laughing.

Mission accomplished. The failing pool hall was transformed into a thriving sports and music hall with a special concert room that held about 60 people. When they expanded to their massive second location on Barret Avenue, their capacity to host concerts changed dramatically, boasting room for 800 people.

Their menu has been elevated from the wings and few fried foods once served. Both locations offer American bar grub and appetizers you might expect like pizzas, burgers, wings, nachos, and quesadillas but with less common flavor mixes and profiles, as evidenced in their large variety of burger options, such as the interesting Pizza Burger (topped with marinara, onions, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and provolone cheese before being wrapped in a flour tortilla and baked) or their most popular dish: the Breakfast Burger (topped with an over easy egg, bacon, American cheese and a touch of Cayenne).

A Cajun Family Tradition

Matthews had created quite a life at Diamond’s, but it was those early Louisiana roots that led him to being a regular at Cafe Lou Lou (now Lou Lou Food + Drink), which was launched by Chef Clay Wallace.

An assortment of Lou Lou dishes. (top) Crab cakes with chili hollandaise, served with a feta and sundried tomato salad. Shrimp and grits (center, left) and red beans and rice with smoked andouille sausage (center, right). The Lou Chicago – a double deep dish pizza (left).

30

Jared Matthis_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:36 AM Page 31

“I was ready to get into the restaurant business, and he was ready to get out,” he said. “I always knew I wanted to own a restaurant.”

He didn’t know it would be food he had such a connection to. He approached childhood friend Thomas Barnes about investing and picked up a silent partner for the brightly colored 90-seat restaurant that features a “Cajun soul with a Greek and Mediterranean influence” according to Executive Chef Johnathan Pauly.

Pauly has had a love for food since childhood when his grandmother taught him to make eggs in a basket. It excited him to see others enjoy his food, and he’s had his hand in food ever since. His curiosity led him to ask the chef at his high school job the difference between olive oil and virgin olive oil. When the chef didn’t know, Pauly decided to go to culinary school. Schooling at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and working in a variety of restaurants there and in Louisville (like Jack Fry’s) gave him the answers he was seeking and led him to the level of focus required to now manage multiple kitchens. Pauly managed the kitchen under Wallace, and Matthews kept the entire staff when he set out to make a few tweaks.

“Clay and I agreed the place needed some TLC, and I didn’t want the ‘Lou Lou’ name to go away,” Matthews explained. “It was already a good restaurant with a good name.”

His desire to “breathe new life” into the restaurant was a welcome investment to Pauly.

“Clay did a great thing for Lou Lou,” Pauly added. “It was an intelligent, well-thought out restaurant from the beginning but by the end of it, he was tired and he was letting other people run it, and anytime you take your thumb off something, it will start slipping.”

Updates came in the form of some new art, a more modern dining room with the same colorful Mardis Gras appeal, new signage and some tweaks to the menu. Most notably, gluten free options for the pizza and pasta were added with input from Rebecca, because she eats gluten-free.

“I really wanted to bring consistency to the dishes,” admitted Pauly. “The main thing I did in the kitchen is create permanent positions that didn’t exist before.”

Their consistently good dishes include appetizers like shrimp & grits with Cajun spices, Wild Bill’s famous Cajun cheese with breadsticks, a Thai chili chicken lettuce wrap, soups, and salads — also, entrees like pastas, sandwiches, pizzas, calzones, and staples like pan-seared salmon or chicken breast topped with a choice from a variety of sauces including mango jalapeño salsa, and chili hollandaise Cajun butter.

From the bayou, there is Jambalaya, Chef Clay’s Famous Gumbo and other Cajun favorites. The Cajun influence extends to their pasta section where you can find Cajun crawfish bucatini puttanesca or linguini, or black bean lasagna that gets its kick from jalapeños, pepper jack cheese and green chiles. Other entrees include twin crab cakes, Cajundusted oysters and a Hot Brown to name a few.

Cocktails feature originals from Matthews like Makers McKnight Tea (blood oranges infused for 24 hours with Orange Curaçao, muddled into his own recipe for sweet tea and Makers Mark; named for the founder of Forecastle) and

(top) Lou Lou’s blue cheese polenta topped with asparagus, portabella mushrooms with a roasted red pepper sauce. (above) Lou Lou’s Chicken Portabella Roll with tomatoes, spinach, feta, and spicy roasted red pepper sauce rolled in lavash flatbread. Views of Lou Lou’s dining room (right and below right) and bar (below).

Jared Matthis_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:36 AM Page 32

profile | jared matthews sips left over from Wallace like Helen’s Relaxation (Finlandia Vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup: named for Wallace’s mom). The dessert cocktail menu features Ballotin flavored whiskeys.

Especially popular are quarterly family-friendly special events: a big crawfish boil and bands (June), a tailgate big bayou buffet and football kickoff (September), a Christmas shrimp boil (December), and Mardi Gras (March).

“They’ve all been going too well,” said Pauly, to which Matthews added, “We need a bigger boat.”

And that is why they have their eyes set on opening an additional location—or three.

Saving a Legacy

It was during a search for additional locations that Louisville’s legendary restaurateur Dean Corbett asked Matthews — a regular at Equus & Jack’s Lounge — about interest in buying the business. Although completely honored, Matthews wasn’t interested at first, but it came down to two possible outcomes: he would buy it and keep the names alive or Havana Rumba would buy it, and Corbett’s 34-year legacy, named for his father Jack, would disappear.

“We wanted to keep the tradition of Louisville and St. Matthews alive,” he explained about his decision to buy it.

“We wanted to do the same thing we did with Lou Lou: just improve it a little. We kept the entire staff; some have been there for up to 20 years.”

Like Lou Lou is tied to Matthews’ childhood memories, Equus is coincidentally a throwback to his partner Barnes’ childhood. When Corbett pitched the restaurant to his father, Jack went into his financial advisor, Thomas Barnes Sr. Barnes Sr would bring clients to the restaurant, and now Barnes Jr (also in finance) brings his clientele to the restaurant.

What began as a rescue mission has become an homage since Corbett passed away unexpectedly. His accomplishments hang everywhere, including his chef ’s coat in the center room.

“He was one of the most legendary and influential chefs to come out of Louisville,” Matthews promised. “We’re going to keep his legacy alive and keep it going so he’d be proud of us and our changes.”

Transformed into Equus & Jack’s Bourbon Restaurant | Lounge, that legacy now features about 75 different bourbons in the elegant lounge, which is reminiscent of a study with dark woods and seats for about 10 at the bar plus another 90 in an assortment of comfortable leather sofas and overstuffed chairs.

The menu is where the most changes have occurred.

A variety of Equus & Jack’s Bourbon Restaurant | Lounge dishes. (top) Housemade meatballs with an Asian bourbon barbecue sauce. Parmesan crusted sea bass over whipped potatoes, served with sautéed squash and zucchini with a lemon beurre blanc (center). Salad of mixed greens with quinoa, white cheddar and a balsamic vinaigrette (far left). Flourless chocolate cake topped with ice cream (left).

32

Jared Matthis_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:36 AM Page 33

Pauly slashed the prices by about thirty percent, partially possible by bringing Lou Lou purveyors with them such as Chicago based Allen Brothers, whose beef is used for the 8-ounce Jack’s Prime Burger at Equus and also in Lou Lou’s most popular dish: The Cajun Lou Lou Cheeseburger. Then, Matthews assigned menu design to Co-Executive Chefs William “Dub” Heare and Aaron Farschman, whose carefully considered dishes are displayed on the menu as appetizers (Asian Meatballs with Asian bourbon barbecue; Equus Slaw; Tuna Tataki), Soups & Salads (Seasonal Salad; Equus Mushroom Fume; Steak and Spanish Manchego Salad), and entrees from ”Land” (Yankee Pot Roast; London Broiled Flat Iron Steak; Bourbon Mustard Pork Tenderloin) or “Sea” (Parmesan Crusted Sea Bass with whipped potatoes, sauteed squash, zucchini and lemon beurre blanc; Blackened Sea Scallops with lemon cilantro quinoa, bourbon tomato jam).

Other changes consist of new awnings, paint, and updated bathrooms. Matthews bought new furniture and a fire pit for the popular year-round patio that seats about 30, and white tablecloths now grace the tables in the back and center room, which have combined seating for 125.

When people want a private dining experience, another 60 seats hide in the private EP room.

Still Growing

Matthews isn’t slowing down any time soon. Following the Equus transformation, he’s been on the search for the next Lou Lou location, but before we could even get this issue to print, he and his partners at Diamond Pub & Billiards told us about a new spin-off called Diamond Street Grub & Hops. It’s slated to open later this month at 3922 Shelbyville Rd —where Mellow Mushroom just closed.The new venture will feature street foods from around the world and about 40 craft beers in a sports and entertainment environment that features plenty of televisions, acoustic music at night, indoor shuffleboard and pinball.

Matthews told F&D that he wants “families to feel comfortable to come in and have a great dinner as well as folks getting together to watch a sporting event while having a good beer.”

With so much already in motion, one might wonder how Matthews and Pauly — who will not be part of Diamond Street — plan to manage more Lou Lous.

“If you have a good team, you can open tons of restaurants,” Matthews said.

Pauly said that Jared takes great care of the teams and has taught him to think like a businessman, saying “It’s made me the best version of myself I’ve ever been.”

Being a great leader appears to stem from the same passion that Matthews started with as a bartender: a genuine love for serving people. Unlike many business owners who acquire businesses until they can retire, he longs for the day he can return to the bar.

“I figure I have another 10 years in me of hustling,” he said. “I spend most of my time doing paperwork, but anytime I get to hop behind the bar, it’s great. That’s what I plan to do again one day.” F&D

(top - from left) Executive Chef Johnathan Pauly, Equus Chef William “Dub” Heare, Equus Chef Aaron Farschman, Chef Cristian Garay, Owner Jared Matthews. (above) Cod tacos with shredded cabbage and citrus aioli. Equus dining room (right) and Jack’s Lounge (below, right). Diamonds’ Breakfast Burger – Angus beef patty with an over-easy egg, cheese and bacon (below).

Hip Hops_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:40 AM Page 34

LIQUIDS | HIP HOPS

BY ROGER BAYLOR PHOTO BY ANDY HYSLOP

When the subject of your passion makes the huge leap from obscure cult following to international phenomenon, it’s no longer enough to laze in a comfortably upholstered corner booth while reading the sports

New breweries

page and chasing chicken wings with a full-flavored robust porter.

continue to sprout,

Instead, the usual electronic outlets intrude upon the winter months with a

but amid a maturing

pressing question: What’s the biggest craft beer trend coming THIS year?

craft beer segment,

We mull the ever-shifting details.

Will dry Brut IPAs supplant juicy New

more breweries

England IPAs among hopheads? Are kettle sours yielding to wood barrel

are closing than

souring? Can craft-brewed lagers make a dent in the hegemony of

ever before.

mass-market brands?

Is 2019 the year when craft beer’s bubble finally bursts?

No, probably not. The biggest craft beer trend as yet maintains its exalted status as a powerhouse, one still enjoying wide appeal despite its annual growth rate falling below double digits.

34 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

There is some pushback, and befuddlement is understandable when confronted with an IHOPS Pumpkin Pancake Stout (yes, it’s real). But whether an individual favors this inspired concoction or dowdy Miller Lite, it cannot be debated that having a choice in beers is better than having none at all.

In turn, with so many of us taking expanded choice for granted, perhaps we haven’t noticed the corollary: craft brew-

ing’s inexorable evolution from mom ‘n’ pop shop to buttoned-down boardroom.

Glancing quickly at Google, there seem to be as many publications and web sites devoted to the business of beer as those documenting the pleasures in drinking it.

The word “craft” itself seems misplaced, if not fatally compromised. How can millions of barrels of beer be “handcrafted,” anyway?

Fortunately the brewery failure rate in

Hip Hops_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:40 AM Page 35

hip hops | liquids America remains remarkably low compared with restaurants and food service businesses. Despite 997 breweries opening in 2017 and only 165 closing, it’s clear the era of muddling through has ended. The margin for error grows ever narrower and less forgiving, which is something I know from personal experience.

The New Albanian Bank Street Brewhouse in downtown New Albany closed at the end of May after ten years in operation. Brewing continues at the NABC Pizzeria & Public House at 3312 Plaza Drive, my former company’s flagship location since 1987.

Bank Street Brewhouse was my baby. It debuted in 2009 as NABC’s larger, production-oriented brewery, brewing quantities sufficient to distribute beer regionally. Craft beer’s growth seemed exponential, so we quadrupled NABC’s brewing capacity, hired talented people, signed distribution agreements, and commenced a short, glorious and untrammeled march to brewing domination.

Except it didn’t turn out that way.

Bank Street Brewhouse was a ringing artistic success, with its beers, food and vibe attracting large and loyal crowds. Sadly our brewery production numbers never added up. Profit depended on a certain level of beer being sold from the back of the house, and we didn’t achieve it.

The reasons we stumbled reflect experiences common to breweries everywhere.

Breweries must select recipes, brands, graphics packaging options and sales strategies, then be able to adapt quickly to a marketplace that changes by the week.There never are enough family members and friends. It’s about making loyalists out of complete strangers and retaining their interest long-term.

It doesn’t help to be undercapitalized. The friendly bankers floating the concept don’t care if a brewery uses Cascade hops, rutabaga juice or yeast from the brewer’s beard (Rogue did that). They just want their money back each month, like clockwork.

For NABC the pieces didn’t fit together. I have no regrets; it isn’t as if capitalism was new to me. The baleful ghost of an Industrial Revolution factory owner might have told me that spending top dollar for a machine to manufacture any product means it cannot sit idle. If it does, there might not be enough working capital to correct the reasons for its underuse.

NABC’s bid to be the next Lagunitas failed.

Did anyone notice? In 2019, craft beers are available at your butcher, baker, ballpark and barber shop.The nagging First World Problem for consumers is deciding which single sixpack to buy from the six dozen on display, which encompass a bewildering array of styles that didn’t exist until a brewer bolted upright at 3:00 a.m. with an idea for an ale that tastes like Lucky Charms cereal (also a real beer).

Craft Beer Nation wins because people like craft beer, but when we swipe our debit card for a case of Founders Solid Gold, it’s just the final transaction of many required to take beer to our waiting lips from its origins in water, malt, hops and yeast.

Crops of cereal grain and hops are planted, tended and harvested. Barley must be malted and hops processed, then transported to the brewery, where gleaming stainless steel tanks, kettles, mash tuns, hopbacks, yeast propagators and fermenters await.

Bottles, cans and kegs are necessary for filling with finished beer. Fleets of trucks transport the beer and return with more raw materials. There are coasters to be produced as well as neon signs, business cards, tap handles, advertising wearables, and branded glassware—the list goes on.

The economic activity generated by more than 7,000 American breweries is staggering, and I think craft beer is too big to fail. Look at the money flowing into it. Examples of which include A-B InBev’s craft brewery purchases, craft brewery stakes taken by foreign brewers and leveraged by homegrown venture capitalists, and the recent Samuel Adams and Dogfish Head merger.

There’ll be casualties, and craft beer’s dreamers, schemers, pundits and poets likely are suffering a measure of marginalization.

Maybe I’m one of them. After throwing punches for six years at Bank Street Brewhouse, I was finished and sold out to my partners, who kept the dream alive a while longer until craft beer business realities became inevitable.

The 1970s band Hot Chocolate’s hit song turns out to be mistaken, because, in the mature craft brewing business, everyone is NOT a winner, baby— even if they’re crafting the finest Mexican Spiced Hot Chocolate Beer you ever tasted.

That one’s been brewed, too. F&D www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 35

Easy Entertaining_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:44 AM Page 36

food | easy entertaining

EASY entertaining

T

he current culinary rage is avocado toast. These crunchy and

creamy treats can be seen on menus with many other top-

pings and are also being enjoyed at home.

Avocado toast is the most recent recreation of a long-standing French dish called tartine – literally meaning “a slice of bread.”

Few experiences can make you feel more French than sitting at a sidewalk table of a Parisian café early in the morning, watching the world go by, sipping a café au lait and eating a tartine de beurre, a ficelle (a small baguette) split horizontally and spread

AToast toToast The creamy and crunchy texture of avocados sliced and arranged prettily or smashed chunkily and spread thickly on toasted bread has been quickly adopted by American restaurant chefs and inquisitive home cooks. Seeing the potential variations that can be played upon this simple idea of toast and toppings, we thought it would be fun to create our own combinations. They can be served as appetizers/canapés before a summer patio dinner party, or offer a selection of toasts along with perhaps a frittata and sliced melon or berrybased fruit salad for a simple-to-puttogether brunch on the deck.

36 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

thickly with butter and perhaps some confiture, the thick French jam. This is the basis on which the concept of the tartine is built and which has finally migrated westward to become an American food fixation in the form of avocado toast.

BY TIM & LORI LAIRD | PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

You hardly need a recipe to make tartines. The hardest part is thinking of new combinations for toppings. And, of course, choosing the right bread for those toppings is important. We offer specific suggestions for pairing bread and toppings, but there is no reason to go overboard and stuff your breadbox. For any party, no matter the varieties of toppings you want to include, two or three different loaves will do fine. That said, here are some of our suggestions.

You can go with geographical themes, as some of our recommendations below imply. Some of our toppings that seem quintessentially French, like on the French

Fantasy, work well on French bread, either baguettes or slices of boule, the round country bread. Or focus on Kentucky ingredients, like the one we below call the Bluegrass Supreme, which you can put on a country loaf. You can go all vegetarian, like the Fig, Cream, and Green or the Broccoli Spice, in which case you could use a multigrain bread or a loaf that incorporates very healthful ingredients like flax seed.

Some toppings meld well with rye bread, or try sourdough. In all cases, you will want to toast the bread, lay on something spreadable (or meltable) and then garnish with savories or even sweets. A party based on toasts is so easy to put together that you can enlist anyone to help. If they can manage to spread things on bread and carefully place sliced meat or vegetables on top, give them an apron and promote them to sous chef.

We also created a special cocktail to go with all these toasts, a “fusion,” if you will, of a screwdriver and a mimosa, a drink that would be welcomed either in the early evening before dinner, or on a late weekend morning with brunch. Our name for our creation is the Finmosa, since we used Finlandia vodka, Korbel California Brut Champagne and orange juice. Enjoy our wonderful combination of toasts, raise your Finmosa and give a toast! My toast is, “May your only pain be champagne.”

Easy Entertaining_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:45 AM Page 37

Simply Salmon (This is more or less a standard avocado toast with just a few small, elegant additions. Use a bread that will give you long, skinny slices.)

Smoked salmon Avocado Sliced tomatoes Chives

French Fantasy (Blue Dog baguettes might have too airy and open a crumb to hold a tartine’s fillings. Opt for a firmer crumb bread, perhaps a pretzel bread baguette.)

Melted Brie Cherry preserves Bacon

Bluegrass Supreme (Use a country loaf here, something rustic or at least rustic-sounding.)

Country ham (very thinly sliced, sliced prosciutto style) Sour cream Crumbled blue cheese Sliced pears Arugula Honey drizzle

Broccoli Spice (Try sourdough bread for this or focaccia.)

Ricotta Roasted broccoli with garlic chips Bourbon Barrel Foods Togarashi Honey drizzle

Fig, Cream, and Green (A sourdough loaf seems the right base here.)

Goat cheese Fig Arugula Crushed pistachios

Sweet Hazel (Use a richer tasting bread like whole wheat or oatmeal bread.)

Nutella Sliced Strawberries Crushed Pecans

Finmosa Makes 1 cocktail

4 ounces Korbel California Brut Champagne ½ ounce Finlandia Vodka 2 ounces fresh squeezed orange juice orange twist, for garnish In a white wine glass, add the champagne, vodka and orange juice. Garnish with an orange twist.

CHAD COULTER__Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:50 AM Page 38

38 Summer 2019Â www.foodanddine.com

CHAD COULTER__Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:50 AM Page 39

chad coulter | profile

It’s early in the evening on a weeknight, and the sleekly contemporary, wood-accented interior of LouVino, a wine bar and restaurant on Bardstown Road in the Highlands, is busy.

More than half of the closely spaced tables are occupied. The room is noisy with conversation and a pumped up music system. The bartender is shaking craft cocktails and dispensing six-ounce pours of wine from a series of high tech wine cabinets.

Those gleaming metal cabinets each hold four bottles behind their glass doors and line the counter behind the bar. They are the key to LouVino being able to offer each of the 60 wines on its list by the glass. A combination of temperature control and argon gas will keep an opened bottle fresh for up to two months. Though given the turnover in glasses here, it seems unlikely any ever last that long. LED panels on the machines offer precisely measured, different-sized pours: one six-ounce glass or the three two-ounce glasses in a tasting flight.

BY SUSAN REIGLER | PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

In short, the format is tailor made to encourage wine exploration and experimentation. Given the variety of styles among the selections, seasoned wine enthusiasts are certain to find something to fit their tastes, and wine newbies can sample to learn about different varietals and discover what they like. Both can pair their selections with an array of small plates from the LouVino menu, a mix of regular and seasonally rotating dishes.

Surely this wine centric establishment must be the brainchild of a serious oenophile. But before husband and wife co-owners Chad and Lauren Coulter started LouVino, they were pharmacists, not restaurateurs or sommeliers. They were simply looking for a business opportunity.

“I suppose I always had an entrepreneurial desire,” explained Chad Coulter. He and Lauren moved to Louisville from their native Georgia 10 years ago. He had a teaching position in the pharmacy school at Sullivan University, and she went to work at Humana. At the time, his entrepreneurial ambition centered around having his own family-owned corner pharwww.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 39

CHAD COULTER__Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:50 AM Page 40

macy, but he soon figured out that the competition from the big drugstore chains had made that dream impractical.

He was leading Sullivan students on a trip to Australia when he got a call from Lauren.

“She went to this painting and drinking place in Alabama while visiting a girl I went to pharmacy school with,” Coulter recalls. He could tell she was excited as she said, “I just painted this picture in class while drinking wine and it turned out pretty well. I think we should bring this concept to Louisville!”

He spent a week researching wine and painting businesses on the Internet and discovered a franchise opportunity. That resulted in the 2012 opening of Uptown Art on Bardstown Road. Such was its success that they opened a second location in New Albany the next year.

But Coulter’s entrepreneurial impulse still wasn’t satisfied.

“We were selling a lot of wine [at Uptown Art], and I thought there was a kind of unmet demand,” says Coulter.

He had noted plenty of local places with great bourbon and great beer selections. Wine by the glass? Not so much.

An Idea Becomes Reality

The couple started looking around for a location to open a wine bar, and it so happened that in 2014, Maggie and Miguel De la Torres had decided to retire and close their eponymous Spanish restaurant on Bardstown Road. The Coulters bought the building from the De la Torreses and transformed the subdued Old World interior with clothed tables and tile accents into the hip LouVino.

Coulter says, “We were very, very busy and after the first couple of years, we were still doing very well, but I thought, ‘Okay, a lot of people are coming here from the East End, so lets look at a location in the East End.’ ” The result: In July 2016, the second Louisville location opened in Shelbyville Road in Middletown in a building the Coulters had designed expressly for the restaurant with about triple the seating capacity of the Highlands location.

With its seasonal patio it can accommodate about 200.

Coulter was just getting started.

In December of 2016, a third LouVino opened in Fishers, Indiana. The upscale suburb of Indianapolis presented a challenge Coulter hadn’t encountered before.

“The new location was probably the most difficult from a staffing standpoint because it's the North Side super affluent area of Indianapolis. Yeah. Like you just don't get a lot of [restaurant workers]. It's hard to find talent, especially with a concept like this. It’s got to have the right person in the kitchen and it’s not going to work if you don't have the right person behind the bar.”

Coulter was conscientious about finding the right professionals to run his restaurants, including beverage manager, Michael Henry, who had been a sales representative for Vanguard Wines and was knowledgeable about an Informed by both comfort and elegance, seating in the Middletown LouVino ranges from the suave main dining room (top) to the hall-style bar (center) and the planked, open-air patio (left).

40

CHAD COULTER__Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:51 AM Page 41

extensive portfolio. Coulter readily admits that his wine knowledge was “minimal.” So Henry provided the expertise to make the carefully curated wine list possible and he is responsible for the wine lists in all locations. Bar manager Felicia Corbett (no relation to Dean Corbett.) was responsible for creating the craft cocktails and mocktails for all of the LouVino locations.

Tavis Rockwell, a veteran of Corbett’s: An American Place and a protégé of the late award-winning chef, Dean Corbett, also came on board as the chef with the first LouVino. He now oversees the kitchens at all LouVino locations. And yet another trusted professional was Elliot Checinski, who came from Village Anchor and Le Moo to the original LouVino and then went to the Middletown location. Coulter sent him to oversee the kitchen at Fishers, and the location has been successful enough that a second Indianapolis location recently opened on Massachusetts Avenue in downtown Indy, a street lined with restaurants and shops with a decidedly Louisville Bardstown Road vibe.

From the beginning Coulter looked for people who would be “open to moving around [geographically] and moving up” in his restaurants.

One would think that having restaurants in two states would be plenty to juggle. Apparently that’s not Chad Coulter’s style. In 2017, before the second Indiana location opened, Cincinnati’s trendy Over-the-Rhine neighborhood got a LouVino of its own.

LouVino appears to be a successful formula that translates well in multiple cities. What worked on Bardstown Road has been eminently exportable.

That formula is a mix of casual and sophisticated.There is no feeling upon entering the original LouVino that it is a place for “wine snobs” and “foodies.” Large bay windows lined with banquettes allow patrons to watch the passing variety show of people on Bardstown Road sidewalks. Instead of wearing white tablecloths, tables are finished bare wood. People are engaged in conversations over wine, not conversations about wine.

Descriptive headings on the wine list itself are meant to take the mystery out of the selection and dispel any anxiety that you might have about being a dedicated oenophile worthy of occupying a chair here. These headings are especially helpful if your wine knowledge is limited and you are trying to find a sip to fit your palate.

Instead of just “red” and “white,” each type is divided into categories by taste profile as well as well-known varietals such as chardonnay and cabernet. For example, sparkling wines from France, Italy, and Spain are found under the heading Touch of Tingle and are priced from $9 to $15 per glass. An international selection of white wines, Generous & Juicy Gems ($9-$12), consists of ries(top) Port wine brisket with chili cornbread. (center) Brussels sprouts salad with sweet potato and chili salsa. (right) Tuna poke over baby kale and rice noodles. (far right) Three-cheese ravioli with pomodoro sauce and pesto.

41

CHAD COULTER__Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 6:51 AM Page 42

profile | chad coulter lings from Austria and Germany, a Vouvray from France, and a torrontés from Argentina.

Bold, Beautiful & Broad Shouldered reds ($16-$22) are an Italian barolo, a French Châteauneuf du Pape, a Spanish rioja, and an Argentinian malbec. Find a selection of Californian and French Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc under O Cabernet, My Captain! ($9-$29).

If your taste runs to rosé, those are The Other White Wine ($8-$12). The rather sweet fortified wines such as madeira, sherry, and port are, appropriately, listed as Dessert First ($6-$10).

The flights of three two-ounce pours are named after celebrities with Kentucky ties, both current and historic. A flight of reds is dubbed Muhammad Ali (since each is “big, strong, and packs a punch”). The Jennifer Lawrence (“Well rounded, bubbly, and beautiful”) is the name of the sparkling wine flight.

Mixologist Corbett also created a list of wine cocktails, combining spirits with wine. One example is Honest Abe ($11), which uses Rittenhouse rye, merlot, smoked cherries, and black walnut bitter. She also created a trio of mocktails for the designated driver or teetotaler and in keeping with LouVino’s Kentucky roots, named them after famous racehorses. The Secretariat is sparkling water infused with mint and lime. American Pharaoh blends seasonal juices and is garnished with fresh fruit. And Sea Biscuit is house-made blueberry infused lemonade.

Wine cocktails and mocktails are the same at all of the LouVino locations. But some of the flight headings and selections change to be more appropriate to their locations. For instance, the bold red selection named for Louisvillian Ali becomes The Steven Spielberg in Cincinnati, where the director was born. Those wines are described as “bold, red blockbusters.” And thanks to different liquor distribution patterns in different states, the wines change a bit, too. Though Coulter emphasized they try to maintain the same variety of styles, even if the exact producers may not be the same.

Recognizing Louisville’s love affairs with bourbon and beer, LouVino has a more than respectable selection of each. Across locations, the bourbon selection is pretty consistent with favorites from all of Kentucky’s heritage distilleries. But, like the wine flight names, draft beer selections reflect their regions. The Kentucky restaurants offer mostly local beers from Goodwood, Apocalypse, and Gravely breweries. Local favorites TwoDeep and Bier Brewing are found in Indianapolis. Beers from Rhinegeist and MadTree are featured in Cincinnati.

Of course, the point of having a small plates menu is to be able to mix and match bites with sips. The regular dishes anchoring the food menu ($8-$14) include such savories as bacon wrapped dates, duck fat frites, confit chicken wings, and crab and lobster cakes. Similarly priced seasonal plates change every couple of months or so.

Coulter says that the chef at each location determines what he or she wants to do with the rotating dishes.

The restaurant doesn't actually recommend specific 42 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

(top, from left) Executive Chef Tavis Rockwell, Co-owner Chad Coulter, Chef Jackson Skelton. (above) BLT croissant with cheddar, fried green tomato and an over-easy egg. (right) Stuffed French toast with vanilla mascarpone, seasonal jam and bourbon maple.

CHAD COULTER__Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 5/30/19 12:49 PM Page 43

food and wine pairings, though. Coulter said that, “We don't keep any stats on who orders what dish with which wine. People drink what they want and eat what they like.”

It’s a philosophy in keeping with the laid back atmosphere cultivated at LouVino.

The Next Idea

Asked about future plans for LouVino locations, Coulter said he was happy with the current line-up. But, that doesn't mean he’s finished with new ventures.

“We’re going to focus on a new thing we’re doing, a concept I’ve wanted since we first opened LouVino.”

That concept is Biscuit Belly, a biscuit sandwich place that opened for breakfast and lunch in NuLu in May. Citing the “little biscuit shacks” he and his wife grew up with in Georgia and similar ventures such as Pine State Biscuits in Portland, Oregon, he thinks the fast casual restaurant appeals to a wider clientele than LouVino.

Those mom-and-pop Georgia biscuit spots were “very simple, just a fluffy biscuit with fillings such as some combination of sausage or bacon and maybe a fried egg and/or cheese.” He noted practically every gas station had biscuit sandwich offerings and remembered one place that was “the Subway model” where customers could go down a line and choose the ingredients to go in their biscuits.

While Biscuit Belly is casual, (Coulter says, “It’s more of a family place. It can also serve business people downtown for breakfast and lunch”), there are more elaborate choices. This is the result of LouVino alum Chef Nate Gibson’s culinary imagination.

The flagship biscuit sandwich is The Rockwell Supreme, named for Tavis Rockwell. It is made with fried chicken, Kenny’s Farmhouse cheddar cheese, bacon, and goetta sausage gravy. Mama’s Boy pairs fried chicken with roasted jalapeño pimento cheese, Pop’s pickles, and fried green tomatoes. The Edgy Veggie dresses fried green tomatoes, Kenny’s cheddar, and an egg with frondosia mushroom gravy.

A selection of coffee and espresso drinks, as well as favorite brunch cocktails – mimosas, bloody marys, and a pecan-inflected old fashioned – will anchor the bar menu.

In case you have lost count, Biscuit Belly is now the Coulters’ sixth restaurant. Coulter says that he has been able to grow their restaurant ventures and open in other cities thanks to their “extraordinary team.” And he does admit to feeling that he’d like to relax for a bit.

Nonetheless, he says with his self-admitted entrepreneurial streak still going strong, “I can see expanding Biscuit Belly in other cities, but certainly more locations in Louisville.” F&D (top left) Crispy shrimp and grits with ham, spicy maple syrup and egg from LouVino. From Biscuit Belly (center) The Mama’s Boy — fried chicken jalapeño pimento cheese and fried green tomato and (right) The Rockwell Supreme — fried chicken, Goetta gravy, cheddar, bacon and egg.

43

dining guide

Guide Index_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Layout 1 5/30/19 6:56 AM Page 44

Cuisine Style

African..............................70 Asian/Chinese..................70 Asian/Japanese ...............71 Asian/Korean ...................72 Asian/Thai........................73

Asian/Vietnamese ............73 Bar & Grill/Taphouse........67 Barbecue .........................62 Bistro/New American .......50 Burgers/Chicken ..............55 Cafés ...............................57 Cafeterias/Buffet ..............67 Cajun/Creole....................73 Casual Dining ..................59 Coffee/Tea Houses ..........81 Cuban/Caribbean.............73

Alphabetical Index RESTAURANT 211 Clover Lane 21st Amendment Tavern 321 Deli 4 Seasons Restaurant 410 Bakery 502 Bar & Bistro 610 Magnolia 80/20 @ Kaelin’s 888 Great Wall 8th Street Pizza 8UP Drinkery A Nice Restaurant A Taste of China Abyssinia Á-Châu Restaurant Addis Grill Adrienne & Co. Bakery Café Adrienne’s Italian Africa House Against The Grain Aji Sushi and Asian Cuisine Al Hamra Halal Buffet Aladdin’s Mediterranean Alley Cat Café Alwatan Restaurant American Smokehouse Stadium Amici Angie’s Home Cooking Angilo’s Pizza Angio’s Italian Restaurant Annie Café Annie May’s Sweets Café Annie’s Pizza Anoosh Bistro Another Place Sandwich Shop Apocalypse Brew Works Applebee’s Arata Sushi Arni’s Pizza Arno’s Pizza Aroma Café Art Eatables Asahi Japanese Asian Buffet Asian Wok Aspen Creek Restaurant Aspire Café At the Italian Table Atlantic No. 5 Atrium Café August Moon B.J.’s Restaurant & Brewhouse B3Q BBQ Babie Bac’z Good Grill Baby Mae’s Back Yard Burger Bandido Taqueria Mexicana Bar Vetti Baraka Restaurant Barrelhouse on Market Barry’s Cheese Steaks Baxter’s 942 Bean Bean Street Café Bearno’s Beef O’Brady’s Bella Roma Bella’s Diner Big Al’s Beeritaville Big Ben’s BBQ Big Momma’s Soul Kitchen Biscuit Belly Bistro 42 Bistro Le Relais Blackbeard Espresso Blackstone Grille Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza Blind Squirrel Blue Dog Bakery Blue Horse Café Bluegrass Brewing Company Bob’s Steak & Chop House Bombay Grill Bonefish Grill Bonnie & Clyde’s Pizza Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen Boombozz Pizza

RESTAURANTS LISTED ALPHABETICALLY, FOLLOWED

BY THE PAGE NUMBER OF ITS REVIEW, THE CUISINE STYLE, AND THE CORRESPONDING MAP NUMBER(S). [ ] DENOTES UNMAPPED MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 48 54 64 76 79 50 48 55 70 60 48 59 70 70 73 70 80 74 70 69 71 76 76 57 76 62 74 65 60 74 73 80 60 50 64 69 59 72 60 61 57 80 72 70 70 59 57 74 57 57 70 67 62 62 62 55 77 74 70 67 64 67 81 81 61 67 74 65 67 62 66 59 74 74 81 49 61 59 57 57 69 54 76 53 61 66 61

MAP #

Fine Dining 3 Gastropub 13 Deli / Sandwich 1 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 11 Desserts / Bakery 14 Bistro / New American 8 Fine Dining 13 Burgers / Chicken 2 Asian / Chinese 8 Pizza 14 Upscale Casual 1 Casual Dining 14, 16 Asian / Chinese 1 African 1 Asian / Vietnamese 13 African 1 Desserts / Bakery 14, 16 European / Italian 16 African 12 Microbreweries 1 Asian / Japanese 11 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 2 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 14 Cafes 5 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 4 Barbecue 16 European / Italian 13 Diner / Home Style 9 Pizza 13 European / Italian 4 Asian / Vietnamese 13 Desserts / Bakery 3 Pizza 9, 12 Bistro / New American 7 Deli / Sandwich 1 Microbreweries 2 Casual Dining [5] Asian / Japanese 10 Pizza 14 Pizza 4 Cafes 14 Desserts / Bakery 1 Asian / Japanese 3 Asian / Chinese 14 Asian / Chinese 2 Casual Dining 3, 11 Cafes 1 European / Italian 2 Cafes 1 Cafes 5 Asian / Chinese 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 5 Barbecue 14 Barbecue 12 Barbecue 14 Burgers / Chicken 6 Mexican 1, 13 European / Italian 1 African 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 16 Deli / Sandwich 1, 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Coffee / Tea Houses 13 Coffee / Tea Houses 14 Pizza [13] Bar & Grill / Taphouse 5, 3, 14 European / Italian 14 Diner / Home Style 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Barbecue 16 Southern / Soul Food 9 Casual Dining 1 European / Italian 10 European / French 4 Coffee / Tea Houses 1 Upscale Casual 10 Pizza 3, 5, 8, 15 Casual Dining 5 Cafes 2 Cafes 13 Microbreweries 1 Steakhouse 1 Indian 5 Seafood 5 Pizza 12 Southern / Soul Food 13 Pizza 2,6,15

44 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

Indian ...............................76 Latin American .................77 Mediterranean/Mid East...76 Mexican ...........................77 Microbreweries ................69 Pizza ................................60 Seafood ...........................53 Southern/Soul Food.........66 Southwest/Tex Mex..........79 Steakhouse......................54 Upscale Casual................48

Deli/Sandwich ..................64 Desserts/Bakery ..............79 Diner/Home Style.............65 Entertainment Dining .......70 European/French .............74 European/German ...........74 European/Irish .................74 European/Italian...............74 European/Spanish ...........76 Fine Dining.......................48 Gastropub ........................54

RESTAURANT Boomer’s Café Bootleg Barbecue Co. Borromeo’s Pizza & Italian Borsalino Café & Deli Boudreaux’s Cajun Cooking Boudreaux’s Sno-Balls Boujie Biscuit Bourbon Raw Bourbon’s Bistro Brasserie Provence Bravo!

Brazeiros Churrascaria Breadworks Brendon’s Catch 23 Brian’s Deli Brick House Tavern + Tap Bridge and Barrel Bristol Bar & Grille Brix Wine Bar Brooke & Billy’s Brooklyn & The Butcher Brownie’s ‘The Shed’ Bruegger’s Bagels Bubba’s 33 Buca Di Beppo Buckhead Mountain Grill Buck’s Bud’s Tavern & Barbecue Buffalo Wild Wings Bungalow Joe’s Bar & Grill Bunz Restaurant Burger Boy Burger Girl Butcher’s Best Butchertown Grocery Butchertown Pizza Hall Café 157 Café 223 Café 360 Café Aroma Café Magnolia Café Mimosa Café On Meigs Café Thuy Van Caffe Classico California Pizza kitchen Cancún Captain Ville Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille Carali’s Rotisserie Chicken Cardinal Hall Of Fame Café Caribbean Café Carrabba’s Italian Grill Casa Fiesta Caspian Grill Persian Café Cast Iron Steakhouse Cat Box Deli Catfish Haven Restaurant Cattleman’s Roadhouse Cellar Door Chocolates Chamling Kitchen & Bar Champions Grille Charim Korean Restaurant Charlestown Pizza Co. Charr’d Bourbon Kitchen Check’s BBQ & Blues Check’s Café Cheddar Box Café Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Cheer King Star Chef’s Cut Pizzeria Chicago Steak & Lemonade Chicken King Chik’n & Mi Chilakiles Oaxacan Breakfast Chili’s China 1 China Bistro China Buffet China Café China Castle China Chef China Coast China Dragon China Garden China Inn China King China Star

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 57 62 61 57 73 80 59 49 50 74 49 54 80 49 64 59 51 49 51 59 54 67 64 67 74 59 48 67 55 67 55 65 66 64 51 61 57 57 57 77 59 73 57 73 58 61 77 53 59 77 59 73 74 77 76 54 64 53 54 80 76 59 72 61 49 63 66 58 59 70 61 64 56 73 77 59 70 70 70 70 70 71 71 71 71 71 71 71

MAP #

Cafes 1 Barbecue 11 Pizza 13 Cafes 4 Cajun / Creole 5 Desserts / Bakery 5 Casual Dining 2 Upscale Casual 1 Bistro / New American 2 European / French 5 Upscale Casual 3 Steakhouse 1 Desserts / Bakery 2, 5, 7 Upscale Casual 1 Deli / Sandwich 1 Casual Dining 6 Bistro / New American 16 Upscale Casual 1,2,5 Bistro / New American 8 Casual Dining 1 Steakhouse 14 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 6, 14 Deli / Sandwich 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 15 European / Italian 6 Casual Dining 4, 16 Fine Dining 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 12 Burgers / Chicken 3,5,6,8,11,12,15 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 11 Burgers / Chicken 2 Diner / Home Style 13 Diner / Home Style 3 Deli / Sandwich 10 Bistro / New American 2 Pizza 2 Cafes 14 Cafes 16 Cafes 2 Mexican 2 Casual Dining 1 Asian / Vietnamese 2 Cafes 16 Asian / Vietnamese 13 Cafes 2 Pizza 5 Mexican 5 Seafood 9 Casual Dining 10 Latin American 1, 6 Casual Dining 13 Cuban / Caribbean 2 European / Italian 5 Mexican 8 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 2 Steakhouse 16 Deli / Sandwich 1 Seafood 12 Steakhouse 6, 13 Desserts / Bakery 1, 2 Indian 4 Casual Dining 16 Asian / Korean 3 Pizza 16 Upscale Casual 6 Barbecue 5 Diner / Home Style 13 Cafes 3 Casual Dining 8, 13, 15 Asian / Chinese 1 Pizza 5 Deli / Sandwich 9, 12, 13 Burgers / Chicken 1 Asian / Vietnamese 2 Mexican 13 Casual Dining 2, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 15 Asian / Chinese 3, 5 Asian / Chinese 1 Asian / Chinese 15 Asian / Chinese 8, 13 Asian / Chinese 12 Asian / Chinese 11 Asian / Chinese 13 Asian / Chinese 12 Asian / Chinese 13 Asian / Chinese 13 Asian / Chinese 4, 6 Asian / Chinese 3

RESTAURANT China Taste Chinese Express Chipotle Mexican Grill Choi’s Asian Food Market Chong Garden Chopsticks Chopsticks House Christi’s Café Chubby Ray’s Louisville Pizza Co. Chung King Palace Chuy’s Ciao Citizen 7 City Barbecue City Café Clarksville Seafood Clay Oven Clifton Donuts Clucker’s Wings Coals Artisan Pizza Coconut Beach Tacos Coffee Crossing Come Back Inn Common Table Con Huevos CoreLife Eatery Corner Corner Café Cottage Café Cottage Inn Couvillion Cox’s Hot Chicken Crave Café & Catering Cravings Ala Carte Creekside Outpost & Café Crescent Hill Craft House Cricket’s Café Crystal’s Southern Food & Spirits Culver’s Cumberland Brews Cunningham’s Creekside Cup of Joy Cuvée Wine Table D. Nalley’s Daddy Rich’s Daisy Mae’s Dakshin Indian Restaurant DaLat’s Gateaux & Bakery Danish Express Pastries Danny Mac’s Pasta & Pizza Dasha Barbours Bistro Dave & Buster’s Dave & Peg’s Copper Kettle Day’s Espresso Decca Del Frisco’s Derby Café Express Derby City Pizza Derby Dinner Playhouse Desserts By Helen Diamond Pub & Billiards Diamond Street Grub & Hops Difabio’s Casapela Dino’s Dino’s Bakery DiOrio’s Pizza & Pub Dish On Market Ditto’s Grill Divine Treats Dixie Chicken Dizzy Whizz Drive-In Doc Crow’s Donum Dei Brewery Double Dogs Double Dragon Double Dragon 9 Double Dragon II Down One Bourbon Bar Downtowner Deli Dragon Café Dragon King’s Daughter Drake’s Dundee Tavern East Star Buffet Eat A Pita Eatz Vietnamese Restaurant Eddie Merlot’s Egg Roll Machine Eggs Over Frankfort Ehrler’s Ice Cream Eiderdown El Caporal El Mariachi El Molcajete El Mundo El Nopal El Rinconcito El Rio Grande El Sabor de Cuba El Sinaloa Mexican Restaurant El Sombrero El Taco Loco El Taco Luchador El Tarasco El Torazo El Toro Cantina & Grill El Vaquero Equus Exchange Pub + Kitchen Executive Bistro Falls City Taproom Family Ties Famous Dave’s Fante’s Coffee Farm to Fork Café Fat Jimmy’s FDKY BBQ Feast BBQ Fiesta Mexicana Fiesta Time Amigos Fiesta Time Mexican Grill Firehouse Subs Firenza First Watch First Wok Five Guys Burgers Flanagan’s Ale House Flat 12 Bierwerks

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 71 71 77 72 71 71 71 58 61 71 79 74 77 63 58 53 76 80 56 61 77 81 74 59 77 59 54 58 66 66 73 56 58 67 58 55 58 66 56 69 53 58 51 66 56 66 76 80 64 61 66 70 66 81 49 54 58 61 70 80 67 67 74 56 80 61 51 51 80 56 56 49 70 59 71 71 71 55 64 71 72 67 67 71 76 73 54 71 51 80 74 77 77 77 77 77 77 77 73 77 77 77 77 77 77 77 77 49 55 66 67 56 63 81 58 61 63 63 77 78 78 64 61 59 71 56 67 70

MAP #

Asian / Chinese 16 Asian / Chinese 12 Mexican 1, 2, 5, 8 Asian / Japanese 5 Asian / Chinese 12 Asian / Chinese 1 Asian / Chinese 9, 13 Cafes 12 Pizza 6 Asian / Chinese 1 Southwest / Tex Mex 3,15 European / Italian 2 Mexican 8 Barbecue 5 Cafes 1, 13 Seafood 15 Indian 5 Desserts / Bakery 2 Burgers / Chicken 14, 16 Pizza 3, 5, 13 Mexican 13 Coffee / Tea Houses 14 European / Italian 1 Casual Dining 9 Mexican 2, 8 Casual Dining 15 Gastropub 1 Cafes 5 Diner / Home Style 5 Diner / Home Style 13 Cajun / Creole 13 Burgers / Chicken 16 Cafes 2 Cafeterias / Buffet 1 Cafes 14 Gastropub 2 Cafes 15 Southern / Soul Food 6 Burgers / Chicken 6, 15 Microbreweries 2 Seafood 10 Cafes 9 Bistro / New American 8 Diner / Home Style 1 Burgers / Chicken 1 Southern / Soul Food 14 Indian 11 Desserts / Bakery 13 Deli / Sandwich 3 Pizza 2 Southern / Soul Food 2 Entertainment Dining 3 Diner / Home Style 5 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Upscale Casual 1 Steakhouse 3 Cafes 13 Pizza 12, 13 Entertainment Dining 16 Desserts / Bakery 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2, 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3 European / Italian 2 Burgers / Chicken 4 Desserts / Bakery 9 Pizza 2, 3 Bistro / New American 1 Bistro / New American 2 Desserts / Bakery 15 Burgers / Chicken 9, 12, 13 Burgers / Chicken 1 Upscale Casual 1 Microbreweries 11 Casual Dining 5 Asian / Chinese 9, 2 Asian / Chinese 6 Asian / Chinese 8,11,12,13 Gastropub 1 Deli / Sandwich 1 Asian / Chinese 10 Asian / Japanese 2, 14 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3, 8 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3 Asian / Chinese 13 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 2 Asian / Vietnamese 2 Steakhouse 1 Asian / Chinese 2 Bistro / New American 2 Desserts / Bakery 1 European / German 13 Mexican 4, 6 Mexican 5 Mexican 13 Mexican 2 Mexican [22] Latin American 11 Mexican 5 Cuban / Caribbean 13 Mexican 14 Mexican 16 Mexican 13 Mexican 1, 2, 3, 6, 13 Mexican 3, 5, 13 Mexican 6 Mexican 5 Mexican 11 Upscale Casual 3 Gastropub 14 Diner / Home Style 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Burgers / Chicken 9 Barbecue 6 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Cafes 9 Pizza 5 Barbecue 6 Barbecue 1, 6 Mexican 4 Mexican 5, 11 Mexican 8 Deli / Sandwich 5, 11 Pizza 5 Casual Dining 3, 5, 6, 15 Asian / Chinese 12 Burgers / Chicken 3, 5, 8, 11, 14 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Microbreweries 16

Guide Index_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Layout 1 5/30/19 6:56 AM Page 45

RESTAURANT Flavour Flo’s House of Soul Flora Kitchenette Floyd County Brewing Co. Fond Fork & Barrel Fort Knockers Mess Hall Forty Acres & A Mule Restaurant Four Kings Café Four Pegs Beer Lounge Franco’s Restaurant Frankfort Ave. Beer Depot Frank’s Meat & Produce Fredrick’s Frontier Diner Fuji Asian Bistro Fuji Japanese Steakhouse Full Stop Filling Station Funmi’s African Restaurant Galan’s Meat Market & Deli Galan’s Meat Market & Grille Galaxie Game Gander, An American Grill Garage Bar Gasthaus Gatsby’s On Fourth Gelato Gilberto Geraldine’s Kitchen Gerstle’s Place Gigi’s Cupcakes Ginza Asian Bistro Golden Buddha Golden Corral Golden Star Chinese Goose Creek Diner Gordon Biersch Brewery Gracious Plenty Gralehaus Granville Inn Grape Leaf Grassa Gramma Gravely Brewing Co. Great American Grill Great Wall Great Wok Green District Salads Green Leaf Vegetarian Bistro Griff’s Grind Burger Kitchen Growler USA Guaca Mole Gustavo’s Mexican Grill Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse Gypsy’s Sports Grille H. M. Frank’s Habana Blues Tapas Half Peach Café Hammerheads Happy China Happy Dragon Hard Rock Café Harley’s Hardwoodz Bar-B-Q Harrods Creek Tavern Harvest Havana Bakery Café Havana Rumba Havana Rumba & Tapas Haymarket Bistro Heart & Soy Heine Brothers’ Coffee Heitzman Bakery & Deli Hell or High Water Hibachi Buffet Hibachi Sushi Buffet Hi-Five Doughnuts Highland Coffee Co. Highland Morning Highlands Taproom Grill Highview Ice Cream & Coffee Hiko A Mon Sushi Bar Hill Street Fish Fry Hillcrest Tavern Hilltop Tavern Himalayan Restaurant Hitching Post Inn Holy Grale Holy Smokes Bar-B-Que Home Run Burgers Homemade Pie Kitchen Hometown Pizza Honey Crème Donut Shop Honeybaked Café Hong Kong Fast Food Hooked on Frankfort Hoops Grill and Sports Bar Hooters HopCat Hosanna’s Kitchen Hot Box Eatery Howl at the Moon Hull & Highwater IHOP Ikebana Imanka Restaurant Indi’s Restaurant Inwave Restaurant & Juice Bar Iroquois Pizza Israel’s Delicias de Mexico Gourmet J. Alexander’s Redlands Grill J. Graham’s Café J. Gumbo’s J. Harrod’s Jack Binion’s Jack Fry’s Jack’s Bourbon Lounge Jade Palace Jasmin Bakery Jasmine Jason’s Deli JB’s Pub Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse Jeff’s Bakery Jeff’s Burger Shack Jersey Mike’s Subs Jersey’s Café Jerusalem Kitchen Jets Pizza

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 73 66 80 70 50 50 68 66 66 55 66 63 64 59 66 72 72 58 70 64 74 55 60 60 51 74 60 80 66 68 80 72 71 67 71 66 70 58 55 68 76 75 70 68 71 71 60 60 68 56 68 78 78 63 68 55 74 80 51 71 71 51 63 60 50 74 74 74 58 72 81 80 68 71 71 80 81 58 68 81 72 53 68 68 76 68 52 63 56 80 61 80 64 71 53 68 56 68 66 58 70 53 60 72 70 56 60 61 78 50 58 73 50 48 48 52 71 80 71 64 68 54 80 56 64 68 76 61

MAP #

Cajun / Creole 2 Southern / Soul Food 9 Desserts / Bakery 2 Microbreweries 14 Upscale Casual 2 Upscale Casual 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 12 Southern / Soul Food 13 Diner / Home Style 4 Gastropub 13 Southern / Soul Food 12 Barbecue 3 Deli / Sandwich 13 Casual Dining 9 Diner / Home Style 12 Asian / Japanese 12 Asian / Japanese 8 Cafes 1 African 4 Deli / Sandwich 9 Cuban / Caribbean 9 Gastropub 1 Casual Dining 2 Casual Dining 5 Bistro / New American 1 European / German 7 Casual Dining 1 Desserts / Bakery 8 Diner / Home Style 16 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3 Desserts / Bakery 6, 8 Asian / Japanese 5 Asian / Chinese 13 Cafeterias / Buffet [4] Asian / Chinese 13 Diner / Home Style 8 Microbreweries 1 Cafes 2, 10 Gastropub 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 2 European / Italian 7 Microbreweries 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Asian / Chinese 2 Asian / Chinese 13 Casual Dining 1, 3 Casual Dining 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Burgers / Chicken 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 16 Mexican 5 Mexican 8, 10 Barbecue 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 11 Gastropub 16 Cuban / Caribbean 14 Desserts / Bakery 3 Bistro / New American 1 Asian / Chinese 6 Asian / Chinese 6 Bistro / New American 1 Barbecue 16 Casual Dining 10 Upscale Casual 1 Cuban / Caribbean 11 Cuban / Caribbean 3,5 Cuban / Caribbean 2 Cafes 1 Asian / Japanese 2 Coffee / Tea Houses [16] Desserts / Bakery 5 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Asian / Chinese 12 Asian / Chinese 11, 13 Desserts / Bakery 1 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Cafes 2, 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Coffee / Tea Houses 11 Asian / Japanese 1, 5 Seafood 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Indian 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 11 Bistro / New American 2 Barbecue 13 Burgers / Chicken 5, 6, 13 Desserts / Bakery [8] Pizza 7 Desserts / Bakery 14 Deli / Sandwich 3, 11, 14 Asian / Chinese 13 Seafood 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Burgers / Chicken 3,13,12,15,16 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Diner / Home Style 9 Cafes 1 Entertainment Dining 1 Seafood 14 Casual Dining 6, 15 Asian / Japanese 2 African 1 Burgers / Chicken [8] Casual Dining 5 Pizza 13 Mexican 14 Upscale Casual 3 Cafes 1 Cajun / Creole 2, 6,16 Upscale Casual 10 Fine Dining 14 Fine Dining 2 Bistro / New American 3 Asian / Chinese 5 Desserts / Bakery 4 Asian / Chinese 5 Deli / Sandwich 3, 6 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Steakhouse 1 Desserts / Bakery 14, 16 Burgers / Chicken 12 Deli / Sandwich 5, 8 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 15 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 13 Pizza 2, 3, 5, 8, 11

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 45

Guide Index_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Layout 1 5/30/19 6:56 AM Page 46

RESTAURANT Jimmy John’s Sub Shop Joe Huber Restaurant Joella’s Hot Chicken Joe’s Crab Shack Joe’s Older than Dirt John O’Bryan’s Tavern Johnny Brusco’s Pizza J-Town Beach Jucy’s Smokehouse Jumbo Buffet JW Café & Bakery Kai Lana Sushi Kansai Japanese Steakhouse Karem’s Kashmir Indian Kathmandu Kitchen and Bar Kayrouz Café Kentucky Taco Company Kern’s Korner Kevin’s Picnic Khalil’s Kim & Bab King Donuts KingFish King’s Fried Chicken Kobe Japanese Steak Kolkin Coffee Koreana II L & J Asian Cuisine La Bamba La Bonita Tienda Mexicana La Catrina Mexican Kitchen La Chapinlandia La Chasse La Guanaquita La Hacienda Guadalajara La Lupita La Peche La Popular La Que La Riviera Maya La Rosita Taqueria La Sierra La Suerte La Torta Loca La Tropicana Lady Tron’s Las Americas Mexican Restaurant Las Gorditas L’bads Ice Cream Parlor Le Moo Le Petit Café Lee’s Korean Lemongrass Restaurant Lenny’s Sub Shop Levee at River House Liège & Dairy Ice Cream + Waffles Lil’ Wagners Lilly’s Ling Ling Little Caesar’s Pizza Little Greek Fresh Grill Liu’s Garden Logan’s Roadhouse Longboard’s Taco & Tiki Longhorn Steakhouse Lonnie’s Best Taste Of Chicago Los Aztecas Lotsa Pasta Lou Lou Food + Drink Louie’s Hot Chicken & Barbecue Louisville Café India Louisville Cream Louisville Tea Co. Louvino Lucretia’s Kitchen Lueberry Acai & Superfoods Luigi’s Luna’s Rotisserie Lupo M+A+F Gallery & Café Ma Zerella’s Maa Sha Allah Mack Bros BBQ Mac’s Dough House Main Eatery Main Event Bar & Grill Maira Mediterranean Grill Mai’s Thai Restaurant Mama’s Kitchen Carryout Mango’s Bar & Grill Manhattan Grill Marco’s Pizza Mark T’s Slabhouse Marketplace Restaurant Mark’s Feed Store Martini Itialian Bistro Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint Masa Japanese Masala Grill Mattie’s Kitchen Mayan Café McAlister’s Deli McQuixote Books & Coffee Melrose Café Mercato Italiano Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen Mesa Mesh Metro Diner Mexa Tacos Mexico City Tacqueria Mi Casita Parrilla Mexicana Mi Sueño Mi Tierra Mexican Restaurant Migo Mike Linnig’s Mike’s Tavern Milantoni Italian Restaurant MilkWood Mimi’s Café Mimo’s Pizzeria Mirage Mediterranean Restaurant Mirin Misawa Hibachi & Sushi Miss Ada’s Mission BBQ Mitchell’s Fish Market

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 64 70 56 53 60 68 61 68 63 71 58 72 72 60 76 76 58 78 68 58 68 72 80 53 56 72 81 72 71 78 78 78 78 48 77 78 78 58 78 73 78 78 78 78 78 78 64 78 78 80 54 58 73 73 64 52 80 66 48 71 61 76 71 54 78 54 64 78 64 52 63 76 80 81 52 66 80 61 78 61 81 61 70 63 62 64 70 76 73 66 78 64 62 63 50 63 75 63 72 76 66 78 64 81 58 75 52 70 50 66 78 78 78 74 78 78 53 68 75 48 60 62 76 60 72 66 63 53

MAP #

Deli / Sandwich [11] Entertainment Dining 14 Burgers / Chicken 3,5 Seafood 1 Casual Dining 5 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 12 Pizza 8 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 6 Barbecue 5 Asian / Chinese 6 Cafes 5 Asian / Japanese 11 Asian / Japanese 6, 15 Casual Dining 8 Indian 2 Indian 4 Cafes 3 Mexican 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Cafes 5 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 12 Asian / Korean 14 Desserts / Bakery 5 Seafood 6, 7, 16 Burgers / Chicken 9 Asian / Japanese 16 Coffee / Tea Houses 14 Asian / Korean 13 Asian / Chinese 10 Mexican 2 Mexican 2 Mexican 14 Mexican 13 Fine Dining 2 Latin American 13 Mexican 13 Mexican 15 Cafes 2 Mexican 13 Asian / Vietnamese 2 Mexican 13 Mexican 5, 13 Mexican 11 Mexican 2 Mexican 13 Mexican 13 Deli / Sandwich 14 Mexican 4 Mexican 11 Desserts / Bakery 9 Steakhouse 2 Cafes 2 Asian / Korean 13 Asian / Vietnamese 4, 5 Deli / Sandwich 4 Bistro / New American 7 Desserts / Bakery 5, 7 Diner / Home Style 13 Fine Dining 2 Asian / Chinese 5 Pizza [15] Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 3 Asian / Chinese 5 Steakhouse 6, 12, 15 Mexican 14 Steakhouse 6, 8, 13, 15 Deli / Sandwich 2 Mexican 5, 10 Deli / Sandwich 3 Bistro / New American 3 Barbecue 13 Indian 5 Desserts / Bakery 1 Coffee / Tea Houses 5 Bistro / New American 2, 5 Southern / Soul Food 9 Desserts / Bakery 1 Pizza 1 Mexican 13 Pizza 2 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Pizza 15 African 4 Barbecue 9 Pizza 6 Deli / Sandwich 1 Entertainment Dining 6 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 3 Asian / Thai 16 Southern / Soul Food 9 Mexican 3, 6, 13 Deli / Sandwich 1 Pizza 14 Barbecue 13 Upscale Casual 1 Barbecue 2, 5, 11, 12, 14 European / Italian 8 Barbecue 2, 8 Asian / Japanese 5 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 1 Southern / Soul Food 9 Mexican 1 Deli / Sandwich [10] Coffee / Tea Houses 9 Cafes 10 European / Italian 8 Bistro / New American 1 Entertainment Dining 14 Upscale Casual 3 Diner / Home Style 11 Mexican 1, 3 Mexican 16 Mexican 1, 6 Cuban / Caribbean 4, 13 Mexican 5, 7 Mexican 2 Seafood 12 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 14 European / Italian 6 Fine Dining 1 Casual Dining 5 Pizza 14 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 13 Casual Dining 2, 14 Asian / Japanese 11 Southern / Soul Food 1 Barbecue 3, 15 Seafood 8

46 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

RESTAURANT MOD Pizza Moe’s Southwest Grill Mojito Tapas Restaurant Molly Malone’s Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ Momma’s Pizza Monnik Beer Co. More Shenanigan’s Morels Café Morris Deli & Catering Morton’s Of Chicago Mozza Pi Mr. Gatti’s Mt. Fuji Mussel & Burger Bar My Favorite Muffin My Old KY Dinner Train Naila’s Caribbean Cuisine Naïve NamNam Café Nancy’s Bagel Box Napa River Grill Neighborhood Services Neil & Patty’s Fireside Grill New Albanian Brewing Co. New Albany Roadhouse New China New Direction Bar & Grill New Wave Burritos Ngon Appétit Nirvana No Baked Cookie Dough Noodles & Company Noosh Nosh Nord’s Bakery North End Café North Lime Donuts Nouvelle Bar & Bottle Ntaba Coffee Haus O’Charley’s O’Connell’s Irish Pub O’Dolly’s Oishii Sushi Old Chicago Old Hickory Inn Old Louisville Chili Bowl Old Louisville Tavern Old School NY Pizza Old Spaghetti Factory Old Stone Inn Olé Frijole Ole Hickory Pit BBQ O-Line Sports Grill Olive Garden Olive Leaf Bistro Ollie’s Trolley Onion Restaurant & Tea House Orange Clover Kitchen Oriental Café Oriental House Oriental Star Original Impellizzeri’s Osaka Sushi Bar O’Shea’s Irish Pub Oskar’s Slider Bar Ostra Outback Steakhouse P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Palatucci’s Italian Ristorante Panchitos Ice Cream Panda China Panda Express Panera Bread Co. Papa Murphy’s Pizza Parlour Pasha’s Mediterranean Passtime Fish House Patrick O’Shea’s Pat’s Steak House Paul’s Fruit Market Payne Street Bakehouse Pearl Street Taphouse Pearl Street Treats Peking City Express Penn Station Peppers Bar and Grill Perfetto Pizza Pesto’s Italian Pho Ba Luu Pho Café Pho Phi Pieologoy Pin + Proof Piña Fiesta Mexican Grill Pints&Union Pita Pit Pizza Bar Pizza Donisi Pizza King Pizza Place Please & Thank You Plehn’s Bakery PokeHana Polly Freeze Ponderosa Steakhouse Porch Kitchen & Bar Porcini Porkland BBQ Portage House Potbelly Sandwhich Shop Primo’s Delicatessen Proof On Main Prospect Café Puerto Vallarta Purrfect Day Cat Café Qdoba Mexican Grill Queen of Sheba Queue Café Quick Wok Quill’s Coffee Quizno’s Subs Rafferty’s of Louisville Railbirds Hot Chicken Raising Cane’s Ramen Inochi Ramiro’s Cantina Ramiro’s Cantina Express Ramsi’s Café

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 62 79 76 74 64 62 70 74 58 64 54 62 62 72 56 80 70 74 60 73 64 50 52 68 62 60 71 68 78 73 68 80 60 52 80 58 80 52 81 60 74 66 72 62 68 60 68 62 75 50 78 64 68 75 52 56 71 58 71 71 71 62 72 74 56 52 54 52 75 80 71 71 65 62 62 76 54 74 54 65 65 68 80 71 65 68 62 75 73 73 73 62 70 78 68 76 62 62 62 62 81 80 72 81 54 68 75 64 60 65 65 50 58 78 58 78 70 58 71 81 65 60 56 56 72 79 79 58

MAP #

Pizza 4 Southwest / Tex Mex 3,6,8,11 European / Spanish 7 European / Irish 2, 3 Barbecue 3, 5 Pizza 15 Microbreweries 13 European / Irish 4 Cafes 2 Deli / Sandwich 1, 2 Steakhouse 1 Pizza 5 Pizza 12, 13, 15 Asian / Japanese 13 Burgers / Chicken 1, 6 Desserts / Bakery 5 Entertainment Dining 13 Cuban / Caribbean 15 Casual Dining 2 Asian / Vietnamese 3 Deli / Sandwich 1 Upscale Casual 5 Bistro / New American 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 14 Pizza 14 Casual Dining 14 Asian / Chinese 5 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 5 Mexican 13 Asian / Vietnamese 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Desserts / Bakery 6 Casual Dining 6, 8, 13 Bistro / New American 7 Desserts / Bakery 13 Cafes 2 Desserts / Bakery 13 Bistro / New American 1 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Casual Dining 3,6,8,13,12,15 European / Irish 11 Diner / Home Style 13 Asian / Japanese 4 Pizza 6, 8 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Casual Dining 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Pizza 5 European / Italian 1 Upscale Casual 6 Mexican 11 Barbecue 11 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 8 European / Italian 6,8,11,15 Bistro / New American 16 Burgers / Chicken 1 Asian / Chinese 14 Cafes 16 Asian / Chinese 4 Asian / Chinese 3 Asian / Chinese 13 Pizza 1, 2, 5, 10 Asian / Japanese 1, 2 European / Irish 2 Burgers / Chicken 13 Bistro / New American 2 Steakhouse 3,8,11,13,15 Bistro / New American 5 European / Italian 2 Desserts / Bakery 2, 13 Asian / Chinese 10 Asian / Chinese 5, 6, 8, 15 Deli / Sandwich [10] Pizza [10] Pizza 16 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 4 Seafood 6 European / Irish 1 Steakhouse 2 Deli / Sandwich 3, 4, 5, 7 Deli / Sandwich 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 16 Desserts / Bakery 16 Asian / Chinese 3 Deli / Sandwich [17] Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Pizza 6 European / Italian 1 Asian / Vietnamese 2 Asian / Vietnamese 3 Asian / Vietnamese 3 Pizza 6 Entertainment Dining 1 Mexican 12 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 14 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 1 Pizza 1 Pizza 13 Pizza 14, 16 Pizza 4 Coffee / Tea Houses 1, 2 Desserts / Bakery 3 Asian / Japanese 1 Desserts / Bakery 14 Steakhouse 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 European / Italian 2 Barbecue 1 Casual Dining 16 Deli / Sandwich 1, 6, 8 Deli / Sandwich 14 Upscale Casual 1 Cafes 10 Mexican 11, 14, 16 Cafes 2 Mexican [17] African 4 Cafes 1 Asian / Chinese 1 Coffee / Tea Houses 1, 2, 3, 13, 14 Deli / Sandwich 1, 5,14,15 Casual Dining 3 Burgers / Chicken 13 Burgers / Chicken 2, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12 Asian / Japanese 2 Mexican 2 Mexican 16 Cafes 2

RESTAURANT Rawnaissance Desserts Recbar Red Hog Red Hot Roasters Red Robin Red Sun Chinese Restaurant Red Top Gourmet Hot Dogs Red Yeti Brewing Co. Rice Bowl Rice Box River City Drafthouse River City Winery River House Restaurant River Road BBQ Riverside Café Rivue Roadrunner Kitchen ROC Restaurant Romano’s Macaroni Grill Roof Top Grill Roosters Rootie’s Sports Bar Roots Royal’s Hot Chicken Rubbie’s Southside Grill Rubbin’ Butts BBQ Ruby Tuesday Rumors Raw Oyster Bar Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Rye S Bar Sabor Latino Safai Coffee Saffron’s Safier Mediterranean Deli Saint’s Sake Blue Sakura Blue Sala Thai Sal’s Pizza & Wings Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina Sam’s Food & Spirits Sam’s Gyro Samurai Sandi’s Kitchen Sante Fe Grill Sapporo Japanese Grill Sarang Sarino Savannah Restaurant Scarlet’s Bakery Scene Schlotzky’s Deli Seafood Lady Seeds & Greens Deli Selena’s At Willow Lake Tavern Señor Iguana’s Sergio’s World Beers Seviche A Latin Restaurant Shack In The Back BBQ Shady Lane Café Shalimar Indian Shark’s Seafood Shenanigan’s Irish Grille Shine’s Diner Shiraz Mediterranean Grill Shirley Mae’s Café Shogun Shoney’s Shreeji Indian Vegetarian Sichuan Garden Sicilian Pizza & Pasta Sidebar Silvio’s Italian Restaurant Simply Thai Sir Dano’s Pizza Parlor Sister Bean’s Skyline Chili Smashburger Smoke & Rye Smokey Bones BBQ SnoWhat Sol Aztecas Somewhere Louisville Soul Food Dining Soupy’s Southern Express Southern Hospitality Spaghetti Shop Spinelli’s Pizzeria Spring St. Bar & Grill Star Sushi Starbucks Coffee Starlight Café Starlight Coffee Co. Starving Artist Café State Donuts Steak & Bourbon Steak ‘n Shake Steel City Pops Steve O’s Italian Kitchen Stevens & Stevens Deli Stoney River Storming Crab Stout Burgers & Beer Stricker’s Café Sub Station II Sue’s Touch of Country Sugar & Spice Donut Shop Sullivan’s Tap House Sunergos Coffee SuperChefs Sushi Master Sway Sweet Frog Sweet Peaches Sweet Peaches 2 Roll Sweet Stuff Bakery Sweet Surrender Sweets By Morgan Taco Choza Taco City Taco Tico Taj Palace Tandoori Fusion TanThai Restaurant Taqueria La Mexicana Tavern On Fourth

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 81 68 58 81 56 71 56 70 73 71 68 52 50 64 58 48 65 75 75 74 56 68 72 56 64 64 60 54 54 50 60 77 81 76 76 68 72 72 73 62 79 60 77 72 66 79 72 73 75 57 81 66 65 73 65 73 79 69 48 64 58 76 54 74 66 77 66 72 60 76 71 62 52 75 73 62 81 60 57 52 64 81 79 52 66 65 66 66 75 62 69 72 81 59 81 59 81 54 57 81 75 65 54 73 57 59 65 67 81 69 81 60 72 50 81 65 65 81 81 81 79 79 79 76 76 73 79 69

MAP #

Desserts / Bakery 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 14 Cafes 2 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Burgers / Chicken 3, 8, 15 Asian / Chinese 4 Burgers / Chicken 13 Microbreweries 16 Asian / Korean 14 Asian / Chinese 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Bistro / New American 4 Upscale Casual 7 Barbecue 7 Cafes 16 Fine Dining 1 Deli / Sandwich 14 European / Italian 2 European / Italian 5 Cuban / Caribbean 1, 9 Burgers / Chicken [6] Bar & Grill / Taphouse 8 Asian / Japanese 2 Burgers / Chicken 1 Barbecue 13 Barbecue 14 Casual Dining 6 Seafood 5 Steakhouse 3 Upscale Casual 1 Casual Dining 12 Latin American 13 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 1 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3 Asian / Japanese 11 Asian / Japanese 3 Asian / Thai 11 Pizza 5 Southwest / Tex Mex 3,5 Casual Dining 14 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 13 Asian / Japanese 5 Diner / Home Style 12 Mexican 13 Asian / Japanese 2 Asian / Korean 2 European / Italian 13 Burgers / Chicken 13 Desserts / Bakery 1, 3, 13 Southern / Soul Food 1 Deli / Sandwich 8 Cajun / Creole 1, 13 Deli / Sandwich 14 Cajun / Creole 5 Mexican [5] Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Fine Dining 2 Barbecue 13 Cafes 7 Indian 6 Seafood 4 European / Irish 2 Southern / Soul Food 9 Mediterranean/Middle East 2, 5, 7, 8, 13 Southern / Soul Food 1 Asian / Japanese 6, 8 Casual Dining 13 Indian 6 Asian / Chinese 6 Pizza 1, 11 Bistro / New American 1 European / Italian 3 Asian / Thai 3, 5 Pizza 15 Coffee / Tea Houses 13 Casual Dining 2, 3, 6 Burgers / Chicken 1, 5, 13 Bistro / New American 14 Barbecue 6 Desserts / Bakery 13 Mexican 2, 11 Bistro / New American 2 Southern / Soul Food 13 Deli / Sandwich 4 Southern / Soul Food 13 Southern / Soul Food 9 European / Italian 14 Pizza 1, 2, 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Asian / Japanese 16 Coffee / Tea Houses [36] Cafes 14 Coffee / Tea Houses 14 Cafes 5 Desserts / Bakery 8 Steakhouse 5 Burgers / Chicken 6, 8, 13, 15 Desserts / Bakery 2, 3 European / Italian 2 Deli / Sandwich 2 Steakhouse 8 Cajun / Creole 15 Burgers / Chicken 2 Cafes 16 Deli / Sandwich 13 Southern / Soul Food 12 Desserts / Bakery 11 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3 Coffee / Tea Houses 1, 13 Casual Dining 2 Asian / Japanese 8 Upscale Casual 1 Desserts / Bakery 15 Deli / Sandwich 9 Deli / Sandwich 9 Desserts / Bakery 14 Desserts / Bakery 2 Desserts / Bakery 16 Mexican 3 Mexican 2 Mexican 12 Indian 8 Indian 8 Asian / Thai 14 Mexican 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1

Guide Index_Sum19_Ed-final.qxp_Layout 1 5/30/19 6:56 AM Page 47

RESTAURANT Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe Tea Station Chinese Bistro Texas Roadhouse TGI Friday’s Thai Café Thai Noodles The Arctic Scoop The Back Door The Bakery The Bard’s Town The Block Gourmet Deli The Butchertown Social The Café The Celtic Pig The Champagnery The Cheddar Box The Cheddar Box Too The Cheesecake Factory The Chicken Box The Chicken House The ChillBurger The Coffee Zone The Comfy Cow The Corner The Cozy Kitchen The Eagle The Earl The English Grill The Falafel House The Fat Lamb The Fish House The Fishery The Fudgery The Goat The Golden Wall The Grain Haus The Hall on Washington The Hub Louisville The Irish Rover The Joy Luck The Library The Manhattan Project The Melting Pot The Oakroom The Pearl The Pine Room The Planet Bar The Post The Silly Axe Café The Silver Dollar The Sporting News Grill The Sports & Social Club The Spot The Sword & the Scone The Table The Water Company The Wing Zone The Wright House Bar B Q + Eatery Thelma’s Deli Tikka House Tim Tam Tavern Time 4 Thai Tin Roof Toast on Market ToGo Sushi Tokyo Japanese Tomo Japanese Restaurant Tony Impellizzeri’s Toonerville Tavern Topp’t Pizza & Chopped Salad Town Troll Pub Under The Bridge Tsubaki Sushi & Bar Tucker’s Tumbleweed Tuscany Italian Restaurant Twig & Leaf Uptown Café Urban Bread Co. Varanese Verbena Café V-Grits Vic’s Café Victoria Mexican Restaurant Vietnam Kitchen Village Anchor Pub & Roost Ville Chicken and Seafood Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen Vincenzo’s Vint Coffee Vis a Vis Bar & Grill Volare W.W. Cousin’s Wagner’s Pharmacy Ward 426 Waterfront Wine & Spirits Way Cool Café Waylon’s Feed & Firewater Webb’s Market Wei Wei Chinese Express West Point Pizza Which Wich?

Whiskey Dry Wick’s Pizza Wild Dog Rose Tea Boutique Wild Eggs Wild Ginger Sushi & Fusion Williams Bakery Wiltshire at the Speed Wiltshire On Market Wiltshire Pantry Bakery and Café Wingstop World of Beer Yafa Café Yang Kee Noodle Yellow Cactus Yen Ching Yoki Buffet You-Carryout-A Yummy China Yummy Pollo Zanzabar Za’s Pizza Zaxby’s Zeggz Amazing Eggs Zoe’s Kitchen Zoup!

Z’s Oyster & Steak Bar

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE 77 71 54 60 73 73 80 69 81 70 65 67 59 74 52 59 59 49 57 56 57 81 80 62 66 57 69 48 76 52 53 53 81 69 71 61 55 52 74 71 69 55 50 48 69 52 69 62 58 52 69 69 60 81 59 69 57 64 65 76 69 73 69 60 72 72 72 62 62 62 76 69 72 60 79 76 60 50 52 50 59 67 59 79 73 52 54 65 48 81 69 76 57 66 48 52 59 67 66 71 62 65 57 62 81 59 72 81 53 50 59 57 55 77 71 79 71 71 71 71 77 69 62 57 59 77 65 48

MAP #

Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 3, 5 Asian / Chinese 8 Steakhouse 2, 5, 12, 13, 15 Casual Dining 1 Asian / Thai 7 Asian / Thai 13 Desserts / Bakery 5 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Desserts / Bakery 4 Entertainment Dining 2 Deli / Sandwich 5 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Cafes 1 European / Irish 1 Bistro / New American 2 Cafes 3 Cafes 3 Upscale Casual 3 Burgers / Chicken 12 Burgers / Chicken 14 Burgers / Chicken 15 Coffee / Tea Houses 5 Desserts / Bakery 2,5,13,15 Pizza 8 Diner / Home Style 2 Burgers / Chicken 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 14 Fine Dining 1 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 2 Bistro / New American 2 Seafood 2, 5 Seafood 11 Desserts / Bakery 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 5 Asian / Chinese 13 Pizza 14 Gastropub 1 Bistro / New American 2 European / Irish 2 Asian / Chinese 2, 8 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Gastropub 2 Upscale Casual 6 Fine Dining 1 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Bistro / New American 10 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 2 Pizza 13 Cafes 2 Bistro / New American 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Casual Dining 6 Coffee / Tea Houses 6 Cafes 9 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Burgers / Chicken 4, 13 Barbecue 14 Deli / Sandwich 1 Indian 3 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Asian / Thai 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 3 Casual Dining 1, 14 Asian / Japanese 5 Asian / Japanese 7 Asian / Japanese 14 Pizza 14 Pizza 1 Pizza 13, 14 European / Italian 16 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 Asian / Japanese 5 Casual Dining 14 Southwest / Tex Mex [8] European / Italian 13 Casual Dining 2 Upscale Casual 7 Bistro / New American 14, 16 Upscale Casual 2 Cafes 8 Southern / Soul Food 2 Cafes 14 Mexican 4 Asian / Vietnamese 13 Bistro / New American 5 Seafood 13 Deli / Sandwich 5 Fine Dining 1, 4 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 1 European / Italian 2 Burgers / Chicken 3 Diner / Home Style 13 Fine Dining 2 Bistro / New American 1 Cafes 1 Southern / Soul Food 3 Diner / Home Style 1 Asian / Chinese 1 Pizza 12 Deli / Sandwich 6, 8 Burgers / Chicken 1 Pizza 2, 4, 6, 14 Coffee / Tea Houses 2 Cafes 1, 3, 5, 15 Asian / Japanese 2 Desserts / Bakery 15 Bistro / New American 13 Upscale Casual 1 Cafes 2 Burgers / Chicken 6, 12 Gastropub 8 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 1 Asian / Chinese 5 Mexican 14 Asian / Chinese 6 Asian / Chinese 6 Asian / Chinese 15 Asian / Chinese 11 Latin American 13 Bar & Grill / Taphouse 13 Pizza 2 Burgers / Chicken 5, 12, 13, 14, 16 Cafes 5 Mediterranean/Middle Eastern 3,8 Deli / Sandwich 1 Fine Dining 5

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 47

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 48

GUIDE KEY Average Entrée Price:

$$ = under $8 $$$$ = $15-$20 $$ = $9-$14 $$$$ = $21 & up RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

p = Full Bar

OPEN TILL/PAST 11 PM

f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

ALL RESTAURANTS ARE LOCATED IN LOUISVILLE (unless noted otherwise).

All phone numbers are local calls. When out of the area, use area code 502 for all listings except Indiana, use 812 or 930.

211 CLOVER LANE RESTAURANT 211 Clover Ln., 8969570. 211 Clover Lane has been tucked away across the railroad tracks in St. Matthews, in the corner of a little cluster of upscale shops for two decades or so. Those who know how to find it enjoy drinks in a quietly elegant lounge, and dine off seasonal menus from Chef Allen Heintzman, who, along with owner Andrew Smith, keeps 211 Clover Lane among the town’s top tables. $$$$ Br L D pf

610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. Since taking over this Old Louisville landmark restaurant over a decade ago, Edward Lee has become a Food TV fixture, and opened new restaurants. Kevin Ashworth, newly promoted to Executive Chef at this perennial top table, continues the adventurous prix-fixe menu. The Wednesday a la carte nights allow sampling the menu at a more modest price point. $$$$ D pf BUCK’S 425 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-5284. Elegant and understated, this fine dining room in the Mayflower Apartments is overseen by Chef W. Colter Hubsch, who has kept long-standing favorites like the crispy fish and spicy Cantonese noodles but has extended his menu into new areas with the fried oysters Rockefeller, pad Thai salad, Bourbon chicken saltimbocca, and country-fried quail. Rick Bartlett continues his long tenure at the piano during dinner. $$$ L D hpfe ENGLISH GRILL 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. Executive Chef James Adams oversees the formal dining room in one of downtown’s historic hotels.

The Hot Brown is still on the menu, but new dishes tempt visitors and old timers: roasted cauliflower with quinoa and mushrooms, crispy skin duck and a vegetarian harvest plate built around pesto risotto. The chef’s table in the kitchen is still a great place for a special party. $$$ D p JACK BINION’S STEAKHOUSE Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth IN, 888-766-2648. When you hit it big at the Horseshoe Casino, Binion’s has everything a high roller craves. Start with oysters Rockefeller or shrimp cocktail, French onion soup or crab bisque. Then, choose Chilean sea bass, lobster tail, rack of lamb or a choice of prime steak, including Wagyu tenderloin. $$$$ D hp JACK FRY’S 1007 Bardstown Rd., 452-9244. Inside its unprepossessing exterior is one of Louisville’s longestrunning top tables. Seating is tight but the food is

consistently excellent. Chef Steve Gustafson has continued classic menu items that regulars love (crab cakes, shrimp and grits, lamb shank with polenta) and worked in newer items (caramelized squash pasta, charred lemon chicken). $$$$ L D hpe LA CHASSE 1359 Bardstown Rd., 822-3963. Chef Kristina Dyer joins front-of-the-house man Isaac Fox in creating the ambience of a fine European country inn in the heart of the Highlands. The frequently-changing menu always includes some game dishes (rabbit, wild boar), harderto-find items like sweetbreads and octopus, and unusual salads. $$$$ D hp LILLY’S 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. A Louisville institution for more than a quarter-century under much heralded owner-chef Kathy Cary, Lilly’s continues to be as fresh as the locally-sourced foods she features on her Kentucky-accented menus. Her frequent special wine dinners are among the more affordable and creative in the area. $$$$ Br L D p MILKWOOD 316 W. Main St., 584-6455. Owner Edward Lee has made the downstairs space at Actors Theatre a dining destination. The menu, now under the control of Glenn Dougan, blends Asian and Southern influences (smoked chicken wings, gochujang fried chicken, braised black BBQ pork shoulder, ramen noodles) and has received national attention. $$$ D p THE OAKROOM 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hotel), 5853200. A Louisville landmark since 1907, has entertained guests like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Al Capone. To keep this historic room a top table, The Oakroom has closed for extensive remodeling, although it will remain open for private and corporate events for up to 150 guests and will host its "legendary Holiday Brunches" for Easter, Derby, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. $$$$ Br D pe RIVUE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 140 N. Fourth St., (Galt House Hotel) 568-4239. The sleek black and white modern decor, slowly spinning to give a panorama of the city, brings to mind an old Fred Astaire movie. Chef Kendall Linhart’s upscale menu adds another top hotel dining experience to the city. $$$ Br D hp SEVICHE A LATIN RESTAURANT 1538 Bardstown Rd., 473-8560. Chef Anthony Lamas’ menu offers an eclectic range of Latin American dishes in addition to its namesake, the Latino 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. $$$$ D hpf VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. Known for its suave professional service, high-end Northern Italian fare and many trademark dishes finished at tableside, Vincenzo’s continues to hold its own against growing downtown competition. $$$$ L D hpe WARD 426 426 Baxter Ave., 365-2505. In this elegant, warm fine dining space, Chef Shawn Ward’s lunch and dinner menus feature regional American fare with a Southern twist. Among the dishes winning raves: lobster and crab cakes, bbq pork confts and vegetarian or vegan stuffed grape leaves. $$$$ L D hpf Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE 101 Whittington Pkwy., 429-8000. This long-standing suburban upscale steak and oyster concept offers splendid steaks, extraordinary seafood, fine service and clubby ambience. $$$$ L D hp

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

48 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 49

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 wood-fired ovens offer small plates to nibble while sipping; the main kitchen serves fine dinners. $$$ B D hpf BLACKSTONE GRILLE 9521 U.S. 42, 228-6962. Longtime restaurateur Rick Dissell’s comfortable, casual restaurant in the Prospect Center continues to please regulars and to find new fans. The menu offers sandwiches and an array of bistro entrées — pasta, seafood, beef and chicken, including fried chicken livers and “light” fried chicken. $$$ Br D pf BOURBON RAW 446 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 568-9009. This bar and restaurant in Fourth Street Live! features a raw seafood bar, an eclectic Southern menu, special Bourbon dinners and more than 85 Bourbons.

The classy interior includes a 57-foot marble bar top, and an outdoor patio area. $$$ Br L D hp 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 fine-dining and casual chains.” A Romanruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare.

We particularly enjoyed appetizers and first-rate grilled meats. $$ Br L D hpf BRENDON’S CATCH 23 505 S. Fourth St. (Embassy Suites), 909-3323. This restaurant inside Embassy Suites hotel has a strong seafood focus: “wild caught” Hawaiian tuna, king crab, Chilean sea bass, fresh oysters, black grouper, and the famous Brendon’s seafood tower. The setting is a relaxed but elegant atmosphere; other choices include steak and Low Country cuisine. $$$ D hp BRISTOL BAR & GRILLE 1321 Bardstown Rd., 4561702, 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. $$ Br L D hpf CHARR’D BOURBON KITCHEN & LOUNGE 1903 Embassy Square Blvd. (Marriott Louisville East), 4911184. The J’town Marriott Hotel’s restaurant is on the Urban Bourbon Trail. Chef Raquel Romero’s eclectic menu offers chicken-fried pork shank, Kentucky Kobb salad, and several dishes (Buffalo Trace Reuben, Makers Mark ribs) that incorporate some of the bar’s 75 offerings of Bourbon. $$$ Br L D hp THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY 5000 Shelbyville Rd. (Mall St. Matthews), 897-3933. One of 175 outlets of the California-based 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. $$$ Br L D hpf DECCA 812 E. Market St., 749-8128. Decca’s handsomely re-done 19th-century building, its serene garden, its classy basement bar and breezy second-floor eating balcony are all fun. But Chef Anne Pettry’s inventive, locally sourced menu combined with the restaurant’s wine program make it a classy place to dine. $$$$ D

hpfe

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 castiron front buildings. $$ L D hp EQUUS 122 Sears Ave., 897-9721. A Louisville institution for more than 30 years under the ownership of the late culinary icon Dean Corbett, Equus is now under the

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 49

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 50

stewardship of Jared Matthews, who has made some updates to the rooms and patio but has striven to keep the restaurant’s classic upscale casual atmosphere and approachable menu. Some new steak and pasta choices from Chef Jon Pauly and daily drink or food specials have been added. $$$ D p FOND 2520 Frankfort Ave., 727-3631. Chef Madeleine Dee will be closing her Crescent Hill restaurant, known for her elegantly served and delicious meals, July 1st.

Then she will become the resident chef at Logan Street Market when it opens this summer. $$$$ Br L FORK & BARREL 2244 Frankfort Ave., 907-3675.

Chef/owner Geoffrey Heyde serves upscale modern American cuisine in upper Clifton, with an emphasis on local ingredients, craft cocktails and southern hospitality.

Look for pork shank with roasted garlic grits, F&B dip, buttermilk-soaked and cornmeal dusted chicken livers and chocolate bourbon truffles.. $$$ D hp HARVEST 624 E. Market St., 384-9090. This true farm-totable restaurant celebrates its local suppliers with photo murals on the walls. Chef Jeff Dailey’s seasonal menus, using ingredients sourced within a 100-mile radius, are tweaked monthly, but you can always find the buttermilk fried chicken, several seasonal pastas and catfish from Kentucky Lake. $$$ Br D hpf J. ALEXANDER’S REDLANDS GRILL 102 Oxmoor Court, 339-2206. 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 hp J. HARROD’S 7507 Upper River Rd., 228-4555. This twodecade-old Prospect mainstay is now owned by longtime employees Charissa Humston and Jenny Neaveill.

The substantial menu—grilled steaks and chops, pasta, seafood, fried green tomatoes and chicken livers with gravy—is served with aplomb in a quiet, comfortable dining room. $$$ D p

RIVER HOUSE RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 3015 River Rd., 897-5000. John Varanese’s river-side restaurant complex is getting more complex as he begins renovations on the upper floor to create new dining and party spaces. The elegant reimagining of the former boat dealership building befits the always interesting seafood dishes inspired by Nawlins and Charleston, where Varanese began his career. There’s an extensive raw bar, too, and dockside service for boaters. $$$$ Br L D

hpf

RYE 900 E. Market St., 749-6200. New York hip meets Kentucky farm produce and meats, resulting in a daily menu focused on what is freshest. Dishes show unpretentious flair, served in a sleek East Market Street ambiance. $$ D hpf 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. $$$$ D pf UPTOWN CAFÉ 1624 Bardstown Rd., 458-4212. The Uptown has been an excellent spot for lunch and bistrostyle dinners for so long that people seem to take it for granted. Those in the know find it an excellent value, for its Highlands location and sophisticated ambience, as well as the eclectic modern menu that includes seasonal small plate selections by long-time chef Matt Weber. $$$ L D hpf

MARKETPLACE RESTAURANT 651 S. Fourth St., 6253001. Going to a show downtown? Chow down first at Marketplace. The elegant decor, whether at the circular bar, in the serene dining room, or any of the three outdoor spaces will get you in the mood, and the seasonal Italian-influenced southern cuisine will get you to the curtain well fed indeed. $$ L D hpf

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 hpfe

MELTING POT 2045 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3125. 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 hp

VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. (See review under European/Italian.)

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. $$$ Br L D pf NAPA RIVER GRILL 1211 Herr Ln., 423-5822. An eclectic mix of California-inspired fusion dishes served in a clean, crisp, informally classy atmosphere have made Napa a long-time favorite. Chef Seth Butkus’s lunch offerings range from smoked salmon wontons to beerbattered fish and chips. The lovely patio makes for lazy summer dining on baked goat cheese, vegetable pad Thai or wagyu steak. $$$ Br L D hpf OLD STONE INN AND TAVERN 6905 Shelbyville Rd., Simpsonville, KY. (502) 722-8200. This century-old restaurant has taken on renewed popularity and cachet under the ownership of Churchill Downs Executive Chef David Danielson, whose team appreciates its history as much as he does. His menu and service strive to connect the past with the present. Dine in the main rooms, the bar or on the impressive patio. $$$ D pf

50 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

PROOF ON MAIN 702 W. Main St. (21c Hotel), 2176360. Executive Chef Jonathan Searle has kept the bison burger and the charred octopus, favorites from Proof’s start, even as he has put his own stamp on the menu with dishes such as coconut roasted cauliflower steak, ham and clams spaghetti and extensive charcuterie choices.

The bar remains one of the hippest in town. $$$ B Br L D hpf

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

Understated elegance and creative dishes from Chef Rory O’Connell characterize 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

502 BAR & BISTRO 10401 Meeting Pl., 742-4772. This sleek, contemporary spot in Norton Commons, has lots of TVs, but the food is several notches above the norm of sports bars. Try Chef Ming Pu’s charred broccolfi soup, brown butter sage gnocchi or cauliflower steak. A full bar and signature cocktails, and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. $$ Br D hpf 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 BOURBONS BISTRO 2255 Frankfort Ave., 894-8838.

Located in an historic Clifton building, Bourbons Bistro

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 51

stocks a selection of more than 130 bourbons, including a barrel selection program. Chef Jereme McFarland’s bourbon-inspired, seasonally-influenced menu recently has featured tuna poke tacos, cacio e pepe pasta and bourbon bread pudding. $$$ D pf BRIDGE & BARREL 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 206-7170. Bridge & Barrel, offering upscale Southern comfort foods like fried green tomatoes, blackeyed pea hummus, smoked pork shoulder sandwiches fried chicken and catfish platters. Enjoy it all with sweeping views of the Ohio River and the Louisville skyline. $$ L D pfe 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. $$ D hpe BUTCHERTOWN GROCERY 1076 E. Washington St., 742-8315. Bobby Benjamin’s restaurant offers housemade pasta and charcuterie, a chef’s table near the kitchen, and dishes such as whole rotisserie chicken and the Grocery steak, a bone-in, 55-day dry-aged ribeye served with black truffle béarnaise. An upstairs entertainment space, Lola, has intimate seating and its own kitchen for late-night noshing. $$$ Br L D hp 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 hpf DISH ON MARKET 434 W. Market St., 315-0669. Owner Marshall Grissom offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in the comfortable, brick-walled downtown space. Get your day going with eggs, omelets or bread pudding French toast. Lunch on salads, sandwiches or burgers or choose a dinner entrée (a notable Hot Brown or chicken and waffles) any time of the day or night. $ B Br L D pf DITTO’S GRILL 1114 Bardstown Rd., 581-9129. This informal Highlands space masks the work of classically trained owner-chefs 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. $$ Br L D hpf EGGS OVER FRANKFORT 2712 Frankfort Ave., 7094452. Husband and wife team Jackson and Cortney Nave have creatively refurbished this Crescent Hill space into a “very traditional” breakfast spot. Its menu includes omelets, eggs Benedict, waffles and oatmeal, as well as salads and sandwiches for lunch. $ B Br L GARAGE BAR 700 E. Market St., 749-7100. Housed in a former service station in NuLu, Garage Bar serves up draft and bottled craft beers, Bourbons, seasonal cocktails and wine, pizzas from a wood-fired brick oven and Southern specialties, with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients. The ham flight is not to be missed. $$$ D hpf HAMMERHEADS 921 Swan St., 365-1112. One of the more unusual restaurant spaces in town, Hammerheads is also one of the hippest. Adam Burress and Chase Murcerino, who share owner and chef duties, fire up their BBQ smoker street-side, and fans far and wide flock to the semi-basement space on the edge of Germantown to partake of pulled pork and beef brisket, pork and lamb ribs, roasted duck sandwiches, pork belly BLTs and soft shell crab tacos. $ D h HARD ROCK CAFÉ 424 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 568-2202. Louisville’s Fourth Street Live echoes with a bang amid hammering guitars and happy throngs at the

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019

51

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 52

local branch of this popular shrine to rock. The music scene is the draw, but you’ll have no complaints about Hard Rock’s standard American cuisine. $$ L D hpfe HOLY GRALE 1034 Bardstown Rd., 459-9939. There are a lot of places to quaff craft beers in town, but Holy Grale’s frequently changing draft selection is among the most esoteric. Couple that with the seasonally adapted menu of smll plates and the oddity of being housed in a renovated church and you have a unique dining and drinking experience. $$ L D h e JACK’S LOUNGE 122 Sears Ave., 897-9026. Under new ownership of Jared Matthews, Jack’s remains a sophisticated, elegant bar associated with the Equus restaurant next door. Regulars are happy that the change in ownership has not changed much about Jack’s convivial atmosphere and stellar bar offerings $ D pf LEVEE AT RIVER HOUSE 3015 River Rd., 897-5000.

Levee is the more casual, family oriented component to River House, and part of .John Varanese’s multi-million dollar expansion plan that includes covering one of the patios. Small plates and other light eats, all priced under $15, and entertainment are on offer nightly. The live music program includes an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, salsa and even “beachy music.” $$ D hpfe LOU LOU FOOD + DRINK 106 Sears Ave, 893-7776.

Jared Matthews, who also operates Equus and Jack’s Lounge, continues the Café Lou Lou tradition of Nawlins-style Cajun food, but Chef Jon Pauly has added other casual fare including pizza and calzones. $$ Br L D hp LOUVINO 1606 Bardstown Rd., 365-1921, 11400 Main St., 742-1456. These two wine bars have become so popular that owners Chad and Lauren Coulter have opened outlets in Cincinnati and Indianapolis. The

seasonal shareable small plates menu and clever organization of the wine list make this a prime spot for a night out with friends. A myriad of wines by the glass are available fresh from their wine dispensing cruvinet system. $$ Br D pfe

Mexicali and American roots music. The southern country-style menu with sophisticated nuances has happy fans crowding in most nights. Choose from more than 80 Kentucky Bourbons, ryes, tequila and mescal, but no “foreign whiskey” like Scotch. $$ Br D hpf

MERLE’S WHISKEY KITCHEN 122 W. Main St., 2908888. 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, long-cooked 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 hpe

SMOKE & RYE Horseshoe Casino Hotel, (812) 969-6423.

This eatery focuses on house-ground burgers and BBQ (with buns baked fresh daily on premises) and offers, according to management, “one of the nation’s largest selections of Bourbon and Rye whiskey found under a single roof.” Sip your specialty cocktails or spiked milkshakes while listening to live music. $$ L D hpe

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 313-6664. This casual eating option in the new 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.

Anoosh Shariat’s second restaurant in the Brownsboro Center is a family-style eatery centered around a rustic stone oven in an open kitchen. Breakfast offers several omelet choices, tikka eggs and tofu florentine. For lunch or dinner, share smoked salmon bruschetta, Nosh nachos or Thai-style mussels, pastas, flatbreads or sandwiches. $$$ B Br L D pf NOUVELLE BAR & BOTTLE 214 S. Clay St., 631-9428.

This French-style wine bar sells 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. A small bites menu – cheese, charcuterie, hummus, baked goods – is offered, along with desserts. $ L D hpf OLIVE LEAF BISTRO 130 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 913-1252. Walk over the Big Four bridge for a meal that draws on the rich food traditions of countries ringing the Mediterranean. Olive Leaf Bistro serves everything from spanakopita and falafel to rigatoni bolognese and lobster, shrimp and crab ravioli to burgers, gyros and panini. $$$ L D hpf OSTRA 1758 Frankfort Ave., 915-0160. Adam Burress (Game, Hammerheads, Migo) and partners have taken over the funky Barcode 1758 space in Clifton, serving a menu focused on sustainable food. The seasonal menu includes shellfish, rabbit, locally sourced poultry and even some unusual sustainable foods, like crickets in the brownies. $$ 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. $$$ L D hpf RIVER CITY WINERY 321 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 9459463. All the wines here – 26 varieties in all – are produced and bottled on the premises. Wine tastings and, upon request, wine cellar tours are available. The winery is also a full-service restaurant, with brick oven pizzas a specialty. $$ L D e SIDEBAR AT WHISKEY ROW 129 N. Second St., 3841600. 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 hpe 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

52 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

SOMEWHERE LOUISVILLE 1135 Bardstown Rd., 5526942. Now you can dine and have some cocktails, and then slide right next door to Nowhere for late-night fun and games. The kitchen is run by Scott Darnell, formerly of Lilly’s, cooking up an eclectic Southern-inspired menu. The fare includes beer cheese and pretzels, smoked wings, buttermilk fried chicken and 3 varieties of flatbreads. $$ D hpfe THE CHAMPAGNERY AT ARCHITYPE GALLERY 1764 Frankfort Ave., 896-8050. This Clifton business hosts art shows and now also has a full bar with a focus on more than 120 Champagnes and sparkling wines plus a menu of light bites – oysters, caviar, charcuterie, cheeses, fruit and desserts. $$$ D hp THE FAT LAMB 2011 Grinstead Dr., 409-7499. Dallas McGarity, a veteran of several top restaurants, now has his own place in the heart of the Highlands, serving lunch and dinner. He focuses on small plates such as lamb meatballs with tzatziki and peperonata, ricotta brioche toast, fried tandoori spiced cauliflower, ricotta gnocchi and lamb ragu. $$ D hpf 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. $$ D hpfe THE PINE ROOM 6325 River Rd., 528-4422. Augusta Holland is behind the modern incarnation of this classic Prospect restaurant, in the space that most recently was Cast Iron Steakhouse. James Moran has taken over as chef, with a new seasonal menu. Start with, perhaps, the pan-fried spinach dumplings, then go for the cocomut red curry salmon, or the bone-in pork chop with Bourbon mustard sorghum glaze. The buttermilk fried chicken is still there, too. $$$ Br D hpfe URBAN BREAD CO. 1000 Auction Way, Jeffersonville IN, 913-1426, 130 W. Riverside Dr. (inside Flat 12 Bierworks), Jeffersonville IN, 590-3219. This company now has two locations selling their roti sandwiches and creative side dishes. Specializing in rotis, reminiscent of tacos, with a softer, chewier texture, come with an eclectic choice of toppings, from ancho chicken to Nutella and bacon to blackened salmon to smoked tofu. $BLDp 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 hpf WATERFRONT WINE & SPIRITS 222 E. Witherspoon St., 822-3033. This wine shop located in Waterfront Park Place condominium building has a 20-seat bar area serving charcuterie, cheeses and soon, small plates,

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 53

where you can sample before you buy from the large array of wines and bourbons or a smaller selection of other spirits. Craft beers, too. $ D pfe WILTSHIRE AT THE SPEED 2035 S. Third St., 6342976. Susan Hershberg and her team led by Chef Reed Johnson bring “artfully inspired, creative and seasonal” breakfast and luncheon fare to the Speed Museum. Open at 10 a.m. for pastries, croissants, coffee and tea, lunch is served until 3 p.m. with soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees such as buckwheat noodle salad with seared salmon. A grab-and-go counter is open until 5 p.m. And now a limited dinner menu is served Fridays when the museum is open until 8 p.m. $$ 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 hp CAPTAIN VILLE 2001 Seventh Street Rd., 996-7426. The menu of this Algonquin neighborhood fish house includes perch, cod, salmon and catfish, the best seller.

There are crab cakes, too, and sides of fried green tomatoes, fried okra and hush puppies. $ L D h 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 payto-fish lake. $$ L D f CLARKSVILLE SEAFOOD 916 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 283-8588. As the only surviving descendant of

Louisville’s old Cape Codder chain, Clarksville Seafood upholds a long and honorable tradition. The menu is simple — fried fish and fried seafood, served on paper trays — but it is consistently excellent and affordable.

And now open until 8 p.m. most nights. $ L D CUNNINGHAM’S CREEKSIDE 6301 Upper River Rd., 228-3625. One of the longest-lived restaurants in the city, Cunningham’s has had several incarnations, 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 hpf 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 THE FISHERY 3624 Lexington Rd., 895-1188. This friedfish eatery has been popular in the St. Matthews neighborhood for going on two decades. The Fishery remains justly popular for its quick, sizzling hot and affordable fish and seafood meals. $ L D f

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. $$ L D hp HULL & HIGH WATER 324 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 725-1054. Eric Morris and Garrett Petters are partners in this moderately priced seafood restaurant and bar, a niche that so far has been overlooked in New Albany’s restaurant renaissance. The “approachable, affordable and fun” menu features low-country boils, raw oysters, po’ boys, fish and chips, and a catch of the day. $$ D

hpf

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. $$ L D hpf KINGFISH RESTAURANT 3021 Upper River Rd., 8950544, 1610 Kentucky Mills Dr., 240-0700, 601 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 284-3474. Fried fish in a family dining setting has made this local chain a popular favorite for many years. Two of its properties — upper River Road and Riverside Drive — boast river views. $$ L D hpfe

HILL STREET FISH FRY 111 E. Hill St., 636-3474. This Old Louisville tradition is small and easy to miss, but it’s worth the effort to find. Its oversized fried whitefish sandwich is the flagship dish, but a varied menu is also available. $ L D f

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

HOOKED ON FRANKFORT 3202 Frankfort Ave., 6909951. The owners of Frankfort Ave Beer Depot now operate this fish house two doors away. The menu features fried fish sandwiches, po’ boys, fish tacos,

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

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 53

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 54

have made Mitchell’s a popular destination. $$$ L D

hpf

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. $$ L D fe RUMORS RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 245-0366. Visualize Hooter’s without the scantily-clad waitresses, and you’ve drawn a bead on Rumor’s, the original Louisville home of the bucket-ofoysters and impressive raw bar. $$ L D pf 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 h VILLE CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD 4322 Poplar Level Rd., 919-8994. The name certainly reveals the focus of this well-kept little neighborhood spot that has reworked an old Arby’s building. There are crawfish and crab legs, too, corn on the cob and very commendable real Southern sweet tea. $$ L D

BOB'S STEAK & CHOP HOUSE 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 313-6664. The signature restaurant located off the lobby in the new Omni Hotel offers refined service and a decor focused on 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. $$$$ D p 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 hpf CATTLEMAN’S ROADHOUSE 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-7623, 139 Historical Trail, 543-3574. 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. $$$ L D hp DEL FRISCO’S 4107 Oechsli Ave., 897-7077. Loyal Louisville carnivores continue to fill up this 38-year-old St. Matthews steakhouse, with its brick walls and beamed ceilings. Any red meat enthusiast would know to order the filet or Porterhouse, but only regulars know the glories of something called green phunque. $$$$ D hp EDDIE MERLOT’S PRIME AGED BEEF 455 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 584-3266. Located on the ground floor of the Starks Building is one of the largest dining spaces in town. The Ft. Wayne-based small chain with big ambitions boasts glittering mosaic artwork, a handsome bar and luxurious seating in secluded nooks and corners.

The menu encompasses high end steaks, well-prepared seafood and seasonal specials. $$$$ L D hpe 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. $$$$ L D hpe LE MOO 2300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. Kevin Grangier of Village Anchor & Pub in Anchorage has re-imagined the space that was for decades KT’s, creating a new interior design he calls “Paris brothel meets vintage warehouse,” a lively and amusing space with lots of steel, neon and velvet, a large bar, and an outdoor patio. Chip Lawrence, sous chef at Village Anchor, is executive chef, devising a Euro-eclectic menu with an emphasis on steaks. $$ Br L D hpfe LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 970 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-9789, 1540 Alliant Ave., 266-6009.

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

hp

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2535 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 671-5350, 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 chain eatery, although most of its properties are east of the Mississippi. $$ L D hp MORTON’S 626 W. Main St., 584-0421. This belowground temple to the red meat gods is elegant and

54 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

masculine, full of wood paneling, brass rails and leather booths. Louisville reveres its home-grown restaurants but has welcomed this Chicago-based chain with open mouths. $$$$ D hp OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE 4621 Shelbyville Rd., 8954329, 6520 Signature Dr., 964-8383, 9498 Brownsboro Rd., 426-4329, 8101 Bardstown Rd., 231-2399, 1420 Park Place, Clarksville IN, 283-4329. The name suggests Australia, and so does the shtick at this popular national chain, but the food is pretty much familiar American, and the fare goes beyond just steak to take in chicken, seafood and pasta. $$$ D hp PAT’S STEAK HOUSE 2437 Brownsboro Rd., 896-9234.

A local favorite for more than 60 years 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. $$$$ D pf PONDEROSA STEAKHOUSE 11470 S. Preston Hwy., 964-6117. Family-style dining with the ranch theme kept alive with the open flame from the grills. An extensive buffet with hot and cold foods, salads and desserts is also available. $ L D RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE 6100 Dutchman’s Ln., 479-0026. The long-standing Louisville location of this New Orleans-based international chain is perched atop the 16-floor Kaden Tower. Ruth’s Chris serves excellent steaks, chops and seafood in an atmosphere of elegance that will make you feel pampered, at a price to match. $$$$ D hpe STEAK & BOURBON 1321 Herr Ln., 708-2196. Ole Restaurant Group has replaced Artesano Tapas with this affordably-priced premium steakhouse. In addition to the signature 24 oz. cowboy cut Angus ribeye (aged a minimum of 30 days) the menu offers pan-roasted chicken, grilled Verlasso salmon, steak & cheese hand pies, Maryland-style crab cakes and carrot cake with bourbon caramel icing. Try the House Punch or choose from over 100 bourbons, including a reserve list. $$$ 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. $$$$ Br D hp TEXAS ROADHOUSE 757 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy. (Green Tree Mall), Clarksville IN, 280-1103, 4406 Dixie Hwy., 448-0705, 3322 Outer Loop, 962-7600, 13321 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0085, 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 8975005. The spirit of the West sets the theme for this popular steak house. Salads, vegetables and breads with hearty side dishes round out your meal options. This is family-style dining, with no tray sliding — service at your table. $$ L D hp

21ST AMENDMENT TAVERN 1481 S. Shelby St., 6547221. The former Club 21 has been restored and reimagined as a Schitzelburg neighborhood bar with a food menu that is both Kentucky-centric and a nod to longmissing German-American food. In addition to a selection of burgers, look for the baloney burger, a Neighborhood Nosh meat board with braunschweiger and pickled eggs and other retro bar favorites. $$ L D

hpf

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

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 55

dips and deviled eggs to sandwiches, salads and tacos. $$ B D pf

described as “easy to take with you,” so you can nosh as you imbibe. $$ L D hpf

CRESCENT HILL CRAFT HOUSE 2636 Frankfort Ave., 895-9400. This beer pub serves only locally produced beers, and the menu is focused on local food sources.

You’ll find everything from charcuterie and cheese curds to salads, fun sandwiches and dinner plates of striped bass or chicken. There is live music and outdoor dining in season. $$ Br L D hpf

GRALEHAUS 1001 Baxter Ave., 454-7075. In the house behind the Holy Grale is Gralehaus, a café and deli. Its breakfast and lunch menu includes biscuit and duck gravy, an open-face short rib sandwich, crepes, and a coffee bar, with house-made sodas, shrubs and kombucha. Also beers on tap and in the cooler. $$ B Br Lf

DOWN ONE BOURBON BAR & RESTAURANT 321 W. Main St., 566-3258. Situated down one flight below street level, this cool, shaded watering hold 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 pfe

H. M. FRANK'S AN O'SHEA'S PUBLIC HOUSE 355 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 913-1174. Upon gutting the interior and re-building 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 hpf

80/20 @ KAELIN’S 1801 Newburg Rd., 200-8020.

Burgers are back at the birthplace of the cheeseburger.

Chef Matt Staggs's “rustic regional” menu offers 7 burgers and 7 entrées at this complete renovation of the classic Kaelin’s space. There’s a malt shop serving fountain drinks and house-made ice cream on one side, and a family-friendly restaurant and bar on the other.

Seating on the spacious patio/porch, and upstairs is a large private room for parties and meetings. $$ L D h

THE HALL ON WASHINGTON 111 W. Main St., 3841600. Inspired by the conviviality of German beer halls, this Whiskey Row spot serves a menu featuring small plates of sausages, charcuterie, cheeses and pickled vegetables, plus beef, lamb, chicken and seafood entrées.

The full bar has dozens of rotating draft beers and ciders, canned and bottled beers. $$ L D hp

BACKYARD BURGER 1800 Priority Way, 240-9945. The open flame at this counter-service diner provides the next best thing to a family cookout. Sandwiches, fresh salads, fruit cobblers and old-fashioned hand-dipped milkshakes enhance the nostalgic theme. $ L D

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 hpfe 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 well-priced pub grub such as a chicken and waffle sandwich and an estimable burger with fried green tomatoes and beer sauce. $ D h f GALAXIE 732 E. Market St., 690-6565. 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

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT 2101 Frankfort Ave., 7498925. This upscale gastropub has expanded, with a main room now 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

hpfe

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

WORLD OF BEER 9850 Von Allmen Ct., 690-4280. This Florida-based 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 hpfe

pf

BUFFALO WILD WINGS 6801 Dixie Hwy., 935-1997, 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

hpf

BUNZ RESTAURANT 969 1/2 Baxter Ave., 632-1132.

This little Highlands made-to-order gourmet hamburger

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 55

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 56

shop concocts quality burgers with a range of standard and oddball toppings. $ L D h f THE CHICKEN HOUSE 7180 Hwy. 111, Sellersburg IN, 246-9485. 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 h 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 hpf COX'S HOT CHICKEN 134 Spring St., Jeffersonville 5903281. Taking over the space formerly occupied by Big Four Burgers, Cox’s positions itself as a family-friendly sports bar with burgers and sandwiches as well as chicken, with a Goodwood Brewing taproom on the second floor. $ B L D hpf CULVER’S 4630 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2001, 1555 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 913-0810. When the trademark 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 DADDY RICH’S 617 W. Oak St., 290-9110. The kitchen incubator Chef Space gave birth to this new Old Louisville soul food spot. Owner Rodrick Martin named

it after his late grandfather, who inspired him. The limited cooked to order menu includes chicken wraps, mini-waffles and ten wing flavors.

DINO’S FOOD MART 2601 W. Broadway, 774-4333.

This little grocery and convenience store also serves up some of the most popular takeout fried chicken in the West End. $ L D DIXIE CHICKEN 1785 W. Oak St., 690-2748, 3947 Dixie Hwy., 448-2102, 8118 Preston Hwy., 450-5002. A growing fried chicken spot that serves up honest fried chicken and good, standard sides at reasonable prices, Dixie Chicken now has an eat-in outlet on Preston, in addition to their take-out only spots in Old Louisville and on the edge of Shively. $$ L D h DIZZY WHIZZ DRIVE-IN 217 W. St. Catherine St., 5833828. This neighborhood eatery, an institution that goes back more than 70 years, hasn’t changed much. It opens early, stays open late and offers good value for what you’d expect. $ L D hf FAMILY TIES 1809 W. Jefferson St., 915-7069, 1030 Cecil Ave., 907-6548. This pair of restaurants has a dual personality. The Jefferson St. location is more sports bar with a menu of burgers, wings, hot dogs and brats. The Cecil Ave. location offers more of the same, but the main focus is on barbecue. $ B L D h FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES 2221 State Street, New Albany IN, 944-9958, 4116 Summit Plaza Dr., 4261702, 4226 Shelbyville Rd., 891-8848, 4917 Outerloop, 822-3702, 13303 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1027. Based in Virginia, this burger chain invokes the early days of fast food with freshly-grilled burgers, big smoky kosher dogs, enough condiments to satisfy any craving, freshcut fries and a cheery rock’n’roll sensibility. $ L D GRIND BURGER KITCHEN 829 E. Market St., 8517333. Owners Liz and Jesse Huot are firmly established now in NuLu, giving them much-needed parking, as well as a full bar. In addition to their signature burgers, the Huots have a chopped chicken sandwich, an “adult” grilled cheese made with Brie and Gruyere and a couple of salad choices. $$ L D f 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

hpfe

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, 288-3980, 4590 Dixie Hwy., 4474856, 4419 Cane Run Rd., 448-1109, 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. $LDh JEFF'S BURGER SHACK 14126 Dixie Hwy., 384-0972.

The building was once an A&W outlet; now it is a locally-owned casual fast food spot offering freshly made burgers (with a wide choice of toppings), freshly-cut fries, and milkshakes. $ L D JOELLA’S HOT CHICKEN 3400 Frankfort Ave., 8952235, 13401 Shelbyville Rd., 254-1111. At this Nashville-style chicken emporium, diners will find

56 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

traditional Southern-fried chicken spiced medium, hot and hotter. House-made sides, of course, and local craft beers and wine, and fresh-squeezed lemonade, too. $$ L D hpf KING’S FRIED CHICKEN 1302 Dixie Hwy., 776-3013, 5603 Preston Hwy., 654-7707. $ L D h MUSSEL & BURGER BAR 9200 Taylorsville Rd., 3844834, 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 hpfe 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 Huot’s 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. $$ L D p RAILBIRDS HOT CHICKEN 4520 Poplar Level Rd., (Derby City Gaming), 961-7600. Grab some wings or jumbo tenders at your choice of heat level or other nonspicy chicken dishes and sides like fries and slaws before you head back to the games. $ L D h RAISING CANE’S 10490 Westport Rd., 425-4040, 6811 Bardstown Rd., 654-7737, 5212 Dixie Hwy., 742-9035, 1250 Bardstown Rd., 822-1188, 12009 Shelbyville Rd., 434-7681, 1905 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 409-9441. A national chain with a single core product — chicken fingers. Six locations in town now, all offering simple and straightforward fried chicken finger combos and sandwiches with slaw and fries on the side. $ L D f RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS 9870 Von Allmen Ct., 339-8616, 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 899-9001, 1354 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 948-9895. This Seattlebased chain serves up its well regarded “gourmet burgers” and trimmings in two East End locations and S. Indiana. Despite a full bar, it reportedly attracts hordes of happy youngsters. $$ L D hpf RED TOP GOURMET HOT DOGS 1127 Logan St., 6402032. The journey from street cart to food truck to storefront is complete. Ryan Cohee's all beef, nitrate and preservative free hotdogs can be found now in Shelby Park. Bison and Waygu beef choices, as well as vegan/ vegetarian-friendly dogs. Columbus-style sauerkraut balls, too. $ L D hp ROOSTERS 7405 Preston Hwy., 964-9464, 4420 Dixie Hwy., 384-0330, 1601 Greentree Blvd., Clarksville IN, 590-3391, 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 883-1990, 5338 Bardstown Rd., 618-1128, 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 7082798. With a wide footprint in Ohio, this Columbusbased wings-and-brews chain is now spreading its franchise reach across Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky. Its six local properties have gained popularity for a lively sports bar setting and oversize wings. $ L D

hpf

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

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 57

SAVANNAH RESTAURANT 2750 S. Seventh St., 2425108. This modest little near West End spot provides neighborhood diners with wings, fried fish, burgers and fries. $ L D h 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, 2717 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3397, 10721 Fischer Park Dr., 326-3625, 980 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN., 285-1154. One of the oldest fast-food 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 LDh STOUT BURGERS & BEER 1604 Bardstown Rd., 4598234. This California burger and brew concept serves a custom beef blend of chuck and brisket ground and grilled in-house two ways: pink and not pink, and the limited menu of chef-created sandwiches is clever and tasty. Craft beers from local, national and international breweries are poured from 30 taps and a selection of bottles, and each is paired by suggestions written on the food menu. $ 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

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 AROMA CAFÉ Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth IN, 888766-2648. 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 hp ASPIRE CAFÉ & JUICE BAR 332 W. Broadway, 8044756. This African-soul food fusion restaurant, relocated in the Heyburn Building, offers vegetarian and vegan foods, including a specialty, a Nigerian stew. $ B L f ATLANTIC NO. 5 605 W. Main St., 883-3398. Owners Mary Wheatley and Rebecca Johnson offer fresh takes on breakfast and lunch in this sharp Main St. renovation.

Eat in or take away hearty biscuits, ham slider breakfast sandwiches, bagels or house-made granola. At lunch choose simple grilled cheese or specialty sandwiches like Mediterranean tuna or Cuban press. $ B Br L pfe 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. $$ B L D hp BLUE DOG BAKERY AND CAFÉ 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. Tables are always at a premium at this popular Crescent Hill breakfast and lunch spot. And its artisanal bakery continues to produce hearty Europeanstyle breads that have set a gold standard on restaurant tables and in better grocery stores around town. $$ B L D hf BLUE HORSE CAFÉ 830 Phillips Ln. (Crown Plaza Hotel), 367-2251. $$$ L D hp

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., 8075325. 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

hf

CAFÉ 157 157 E. Main St., (502) 548-9114. This little café downtown serves breakfast and lunch daily except Wednesdays, dinner on Thursday through Saturday, and Sunday brunch. The menu skews to Southern comfort foods, all fresh and scratch-made, including corned beef cured in-house. The owner ran Old Bridge Inn B&B, for many years. $$ B Br L D p CAFÉ 223 223 Pearl St., Jeffersonville IN, 285-1877. Carol and Steve Stembro, owners of Jeffersonville's Market Street Inn, have renovated a house near the Big Four Bridge, to provide sustenance for cross-river walkers and J’ville regulars, who will find baked goods and breakfast items in the morning, and paninis, salads, soups and hot and cold beverages for lunch. $ B L f CAFÉ 360 1582 Bardstown Rd., 473-8694. Highlands diners enjoy an eclectic and international menu at the 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 hpf CAFÉ ON MEIGS 425 Meigs Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 2888515. The menu at this downtown J’ville lunch spot emphasizes fresh local ingredients and the avoidance of preservatives and processed ingredients. Although the usual suspects are there — chicken salad, roast beef sandwiches with Swiss cheese and red onion,

THE EAGLE 1314 Bardstown Rd., 498-8420. This small Cincinnati-based chain serving fried chicken, five-cheese macaroni, house-made 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 hpf W.W. COUSINS RESTAURANT 900 Dupont Rd., 8979684. This locally owned and operated build-your-own burger joint has packed in fans at its location near Dupont Circle for over 30 years, serving substantial burgers on magisterial home-baked buns and offering more than 40 toppings on the lengthy condiments bar. $ L D h WHISKEY DRY 412 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live!)

749-7933. Ed Lee expands his local empire to Fourth Street Live! with this casual burger and whiskey bar. The menu features a suggested whiskey pairing for each burger from among the 200 whiskeys from America, Ireland, Japan and elsewhere. $$ L D hpf THE WING ZONE 905 Hess Ln., 636-2445, 3038 Hunsinger Ln., 618-0106. 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 hf 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 hp ZAXBY’S (9 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 fingerz - that sort of thing. $ L D h

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 57

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 58

Benedictine, grilled cheese, Cobb salad — all are done with integrity. $ L 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 fe 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 potato-chip-crusted whitefish, specialty pizzas, and lemon-tarragon chicken with orzo. Pick up some frozen appetizers for your next cocktail party. $ L D f CHRISTI'S CAFÉ 12810 Dixie Hwy., 937-3110. This family-operated 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 CITY CAFÉ 505 W. Broadway, 589-1797, 222 Eastern Pkwy., 852-5739. Chef Jim Henry, a long-time star in the city’s culinary firmament, brings his cooking skills and insistence on fresh, quality ingredients to these simple, but excellent, spots for lunch. $ L CORNER CAFÉ 9307 New Lagrange Rd., 426-8119. This family-owned and operated, classier-than-the-averagestrip 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. $$$ L D hp CRAVE CAFÉ & CATERING 2250 Frankfort Ave., 8961488. Experienced caterers and chefs offer casual but quality café fare in this comfortable old frame house in Clifton. $$ L D CREEKSIDE OUTPOST & CAFÉ 614 Hausfeldt Ln., New Albany IN, 948-9118. The Creekside Outpost warps customers back into the days of general stores and maintains every bit of old-fashioned charm. Serving up buffalo, elk and surprisingly good burgers. Exotic foods including Shinnecock ice fish, black bear, ostrich and kangaroo (when available) round out an excellent, traveled menu. $$ B L f CRICKET’S CAFÉ 7613 Old Hwy. 60, Sellersburg IN, 246-9339. Offering breakfasts and lunch to local Hoosiers and travelers who take exit 7 off I-65. Full breakfasts, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches. A full range of standard lunch sandwiches, with Reubens, Philly steak and cheese, and daily specials. Homemade soups and salads, too. $ B Br L f 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, downhome 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-andgo 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 delistyle sandwiches, paninis, soups, salads, Derby Pie (of course) and Benedictine. There is also a full bar. $ B L

pf

FARM TO FORK CAFÉ 2425 Portland Ave., 365-3276.

Farm to Fork, for many years a premier catering 58 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

company known for its Southern favorites made from scratch from regionally sourced ingredients, has moved its operations to a former Portland firehouse and has opened a café serving breakfast and lunch. The seasonal menu includes grits, biscuits, soup, salads and sandwiches. $ B L p FULL STOP FILLING STATION 1132 E. St. Catherine St., 260-8046. This former car repair shop is now a grab and go coffee shop and deli, offering locally-sourced food, coffee and a few grocery items, a limited to-go beer section and some beers on tap. Café open until 5; kitchen closes at 2 p.m. $ B L p GRACIOUS PLENTY 9207 US Hwy 42, 618-4755, 2900 Brownsboro Rd., 618-4755. Eat in or carry away fresh sandwiches, salads and soups, cookies and brownies at this Brownsboro Rd. deli and bakery, which also serves alcohol. Take away meals to heat up at home for dinner, too. The Prospect location is catering and carry-out only. $LDp HAYMARKET BISTRO 300 E. Market St., 779-6825. Atria Senior Living has moved its employee café to the first floor and opened it to the public, serving lunch to downtown workers. Haymarket Bistro's menu includes sandwiches, pizza, salads and soups, including unusual offerings such as a ramp pesto, duck and potato pizza, and a grilled portobello wrap. $$ L HIGHLAND MORNING 1416 Bardstown Rd., 365-3900, 111 St. Matthews Ave., 883-0203. You can order breakfast anytime at both locations, with an eclectic menu that also encompasses brunch, burgers, soul food, Southern dishes and vegetarian fare as well. $ B L D h HOT BOX EATERY 438 W. Market St., 822-3995. Try their fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and daily specials. Menu choices include a Brie and salami wrap, Indonesian chicken peanut satay, pork schnitzel, a turkey club wrap and a gyro — in other words, an appealingly diverse selection. $ L J. GRAHAM’S CAFÉ & BAR 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. The home of the legendary “Hot Brown” sandwich, J. Graham’s offers a more casual bistro-style alternative to the upscale English Grill, with choice of menu service or buffet dining. $$ B L pf JW CAFÉ & BAKERY 2301 Terra Crossing Blvd., 9075248. 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 KEVIN'S PICNIC 11505 Park Rd., 690-3310. PICNIC opened as a café, but owner Kevin Grangier has rethought his concept. This Anchorage property is now a bakery and catering business only. No more salads and sandwiches, but there are plenty of pastries, cakes, pies and other baked goods. $ B Br L pf LA PECHE GOURMET TO GO AND CAFÉ 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. Kathy Cary’s return to her roots with this popular gourmet take-out counter, in the corner of her restaurant, Lilly’s. Featuring “tried and true” dishes like grilled chicken pasta, burgers, vegetarian sandwiches, chicken salad, and a dessert case that always includes strawberry pie. $$ B L D LE PETIT CAFÉ 1325 Bardstown Rd., 749-0883. The space that was Roux now houses this tiny crèperie and sandwich spot serving breakfast and lunch. There are savory and sweet crepes, as well as smoothies and French toast. $$ B L D h

MELROSE CAFÉ 13206 Hwy. 42, 409-6784. Kristin Fults’s breakfast and lunch spot sits just on the Louisville side of the Jefferson-Oldham County line.

Fults named her suburban cafe is homage to the late, lamented Melrose Inn, which was located nearby. Fans find much satisfaction with cooked-to-order breakfasts, hearty sandwiches and a c onvivial atmosphere. $$ B L D MORELS CAFÉ 619 Baxter Ave., 409-5916. Vegans who want “indulgent” vegan dishes like “cheese steak” and “chicken salad” can find equivalents of such crafted from soy and tempeh at this deli run by the creator of vegan jerky. $$ L D f NORTH END CAFÉ 1722 Frankfort Ave., 896-8770. This long-time favorite offers hearty and unusual breakfasts, satisfying lunches and dinners. With an eclectic menu of diverse tapas and interesting entrées, it’s an appealing, affordable place to dine. $$ B Br L D hpfe 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 won’t result in many repeats. $ B L PROSPECT CAFÉ 9550 US Hwy. 42, 708-2151. Conveniently located at the intersection of River Rd. and Hwy. 42, stop in for hot sandwiches (Cuban, Reuben, grilled Italian, Bourbon BBQ) or cold deli stuff — club sandwich, egg, tuna or chicken salad, or soups like chicken and dumplings. Chess bars and banana pudding too. $ L PURRFECT DAY CAT CAFÉ 1741 Bardstown Rd., 9165051. 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 hp QUEUE CAFÉ 220 W. Main St. (LG&E Building), 5830273. $ B L f RAMSI’S CAFÉ ON THE WORLD 1293 Bardstown Rd., 451-0700. The beating bohemian heart of the Highlands.

Ramsi Kamar brings a wonderfully eclectic spirit to the environment and to his menu, with Cuban, Jamaican, Greek and Middle Eastern dishes. Moderate prices, a weekend brunch and late night hours add to the draw. $$ L D hpf RED HOG 2622 Frankfort Ave., 384-0795. Kit Garrett and Bob Hancock, owners of Blue Dog Bakery, now also have this butcher shop and café offering artisan cured meats in Crescent Hill. Pasture-raised pork, beef, bison, lamb and poultry are available. The café serves small plates and pizzas fired from their wood-burning oven. The bar offers craft cocktails and 12 beer taps. $$ L D pf RIVERSIDE CAFÉ 700 W. Riverside Dr. (Sheraton Hotel), Jeffersonville IN, 284-6711. The breakfast room and bar of the Sheraton Riverside. Breakfast served until 10:30 a.m. Unwind at the bar at night. $$ B pf SHADY LANE CAFÉ 4806 Brownsboro Center, 893-5118.

This perennially popular little East End eatery, long a goto choice for breakfast and lunch, now provides dinner on Friday nights too. $ Br L D f THE SILLY AXE CAFÉ 2216 Dundee Rd., 290-7197. A completely gluten-free restaurant. Most recently home to Diorio’s Pizza, Silly Axe (a play on celiac disease) has a deli counter and a selection of pre-made items for takeaway. The menu offers meat, vegan and vegetarian choices, daily quesadillas and five house sandwiches. $$ L D pf

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 59

STARLIGHT CAFÉ 19816 Huber Road, Starlight IN, 9239813. 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

ZEGGZ AMAZING EGGS 11615 Shelbyville Rd., 8821650. 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

THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI 8034 New Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $ L STRICKER’S CAFÉ 2781 Jefferson Centre Way, Jeffersonville IN, 218-9882. Family style restaurant serving hearty soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, melts and breakfast too, in suburban Jeffersonville. $ B L THE CAFÉ 712 Brent St., 637-6869. Long-time local restaurateurs Sal and Cindy Rubino have sold their Paristown building and business, which eventually will be relocated nearby. The new owners, Paristown Food and Beverage Group, (operators of Buckhead Mountain Grill) pledge to keep the menu and the ambiance that the Rubino’s have developed; the Rubino’s will continue to run the busy breakfast and lunch spot as it currently is until the Paristown entertainment development is completed. . $ B Br L f 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., 8961133. 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 TABLE 1800 Portland Ave., 708-2505. This West End non-profit, 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 VERBENA CAFÉ 10639 Meeting St., 425-0020. This Norton Commons eatery is open early for breakfast and serves hearty lunches till midafternoon, but you can order breakfast or lunch at any of those hours. $$ B L f VIC’S CAFÉ 1839 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 9444338. $ L D WAYCOOL CAFÉ 120 W. Broadway, 582-2241. Wayside Christian Mission trains people here in its community reentry 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 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 913-4735. 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 now be found at this growing mini-chain’s fifth outlet. $ B Br L p WILTSHIRE PANTRY BAKERY AND CAFÉ 901 Barret Ave., 581-8561 Caterer/restaurateur Susan Hershberg’s popular bakery and café operation, a welcome stop for those wanting artisanal breads, scones and croissants, now serves full breakfasts (Tuscan egg sandwich, breakfast grain bowl, frittata, smoked salmon plate) as well as sandwiches and paninis, side salads and more from the cafe. $ B L

A NICE RESTAURANT 3129 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 2784 Meijer Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 280-9160, 404 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs IN, 9237770. A Nice Restaurant, billed as “New Albany’s Finer Diner,” is, well, nice enough to have branched out to four locations. All specialize in simple, down-home breakfast and lunch at affordable prices. $ B L APPLEBEE’S (5 locations) 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. $$ L D hp ASPEN CREEK RESTAURANT 8000 Bardstown Rd., 239-2200, 302 Bullitt Ln., 425-0077. A lodge-style restaurant that invokes the rustic feel of the Rockies, and offers a menu of pastas, burgers, and poultry at prices that aren’t mountain high. $$ L D hp BISCUIT BELLY 900 E. Main St., 409-5729. Chad and Lauren Coulter, of Louvino fame, now have this breakfast and lunch spot downtown. There they provide over-sized biscuit sandwiches filled with chicken, country ham or brisket; oatmeal, hash and Nutella toast; and coffee cocktails such as a pecan nut brown Old fashioned, or beers, such as coffee porter. Regular coffee, too, and eggs your way. $$ B Br L pf 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 Jason Pierce serves up his take on American family standards: burgers, sandwiches, pizza and so on. $$ L D hpfe BOUJIE BISCUIT 1813 Frankfort Ave., 269-8426. This tiny Clifton space advertises, “Scratch-made comfort food on a handcrafted buttermilk biscuit.” The menu is mostly sandwiches, served on oversized biscuits—ham and three-cheese biscuit, chicken pot pie biscuit and three different burger biscuits. Every sandwich is served in a cardboard to-go box, which most diners find they need. $$ B L f BRICK HOUSE TAVERN + TAP 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 326-3182. Brickhouse, 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. $$ L D hpf BROOKE & BILLY’S BITES, BOURBONS & BREWS 751 Vine St., 583-9165. The restored 135+ year-old building has a secluded patio and revamped dining room in a cool, out-of-the-way neighborhood—and, it now has a new identity. The menu refocuses on house specials like fried chicken, a breakfast Hot Brown, and an extensive selection of sandwiches and small bites. $$$ L D pf BUCKHEAD MOUNTAIN GRILL 3020 Bardstown Rd., 456-6680, 707 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN 2842919. The deck of the riverfront location in Jeffersonville, with its view across the river, is a great place for a lazy summer meal, when the familiarity of allAmerican fare like meat loaf, pot pies, steak or ribs and a couple of cold ones is all you want. Both locations house

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

big square bars with a multitude of TV screens for excellent sports viewing. $$ L D hpf CAFÉ MAGNOLIA 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House), 5895200. The Galt House’s quick and casual second-floor dining alternative, this spacious venue offers a range of fare for guests on the go, from bacon and eggs to a latenight burger and fries. $$$ L D hp CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS RIVERSIDE GRILL 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. $$ Br L D pfe CARDINAL HALL OF FAME CAFÉ 2745 Crittenden Dr., 635-8686. This oversize eatery at Gate 4 of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center celebrates U of L sports with a “walk of fame” loaded with awards, photos, game balls and lots more Cardinal memorabilia. What? You want food too? Sure! Casual American dining features everything from a “Cardinal Burger” to steaks and prime rib. $ L D hp CHAMPIONS GRILLE 505 Marriott Dr. (Radisson Hotel), Clarksville IN, 283-4411. Known by locals for its Saturday night buffet of New York strip, ribeye and prime rib. Salads, sandwiches, soups and a kid-friendly menu round out the selection. $$ B Br L D p CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN 10403 Westport Rd., 339-5400, 3521 Outer Loop, 966-3345, 1385 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 280-9660. This popular Dallasbased chain draws big, hungry crowds with its large bar and familiar “casual to upscale American” fare. $ L D

hpf

CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-6800, 3623 Bardstown Rd., 301-8888, 11600 Antonia Way, 3018181, 9720 Von Allmen Ct., 301-8880, 6641 Dixie Hwy., 694-9445, 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. $$ L D h COMMON TABLE 2234 W Market St., 873-2566. A dash of social justice adds savor to the food at this restaurant run as a culinary arts training program by Catholic Charities. The kitchen only serves lunch Tuesdays and Thursdays and uses fresh produce grown by refugees in a sister program's incubator farm. Offerings include boxed lunches and a seasonal menu with a “worldly” mix of dishes including Thai, Cuban, Pakistani and Bosnian. $L CORELIFE EATERY 1225 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 670-5680. This Syracuse-based franchise offers vegetable and grains bowls, bone and vegetable broth, and grassfed steak, chicken and tofu power plates. $$ 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 hpf FIRST WATCH 201 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-6075, 960 Breckenridge Ln., 618-1955, 1205 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN., 575-3447, 2225 Taylorsville Rd., 4447744. 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. Soups, salads and a big choice of sandwiches for lunch. $ B L FREDRICK’S 1508 W. Kentucky St. (St. Stephen Family Life Center), 653-9333. Comfort food with a little www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 59

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 60

take on classic American steak, sandwiches and seafood. $$ L D p

culinary love worked into it is served up here by Chef Jerriel Bell. The menu encompasses the soul food spectrum but includes upscale dishes as well. The menu changes often, offering everything from seafood gumbo and chicken Alfredo to pork chops and chicken and waffles. $ L D

MIMI’S CAFÉ 615 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-6588. This California chain, a subsidiary of Bob Evans, goes urban and upscale where Farmer Bob is folksy and country.

This East End outlet has developed a following beyond those familiar with it from other locations. $$ B Br L D

GAME 2295 Lexington Rd., 618-1772. The specialties here are sliders, meatballs and burgers made from ground exotic meats. Start with bone marrow or fried frog legs, try some wild boar chorizo or bison tongue sliders, or build your own burger from kangaroo, venison, alpaca or prime Angus beef, with bun choices ranging from brioche to pretzel to Kaiser roll. $$ D f

MIRIN 2011 Frankfort Ave., 742-8911, 145 E. Main St. New Albany IN, 725-7585. Chef Griffin Paulin brings his love for Asian street foods to New Albany as well as his original Clifton store. Mirin’s menu features ramen noodle dishes, Vietnamese-style banh mi sandwiches, Chinese-style steamed bao buns and Banh Khoai Mon, Vietnamese rice balls. $$ D

SKYLINE CHILI 1266 Bardstown Rd., 473-1234, 340 Whittington Pkwy., 429-5773, 4024 Dutchmans Ln., 721-0093. 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 h

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 hpf

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

SUPERCHEFS 1702 Bardstown Rd., 409-8103. The funky comic book-themed decor in Darnell Ferguson’s Highlands celebrates super heroes during breakfast and lunch, and super villains at dinner. His menu reflecst his super-sized sensibilities: the SuperChefs Omelet, the Pancake Platter, and a seafood pizza with a petite lobster tail on top. $$ B 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. Dinner and lunch menus offer soups, salads, sandwiches and a few entrées, such as sautéed trout with pickled fennel, pesto-crusted chicken, and skirt steak with celery root puree. $$ B L D hp

NEW ALBANY ROADHOUSE 1702 Graybrook Rd., New Albany IN, 981-7777. $$ L D hp

GREEN DISTRICT SALADS 126 Breckenridge Ln., 4095293, 225 S. Fifth St., 409-5293. This quick-service restaurant focusing on build-your-own chopped salads (or select from a menu). Lunch diners can opt for housemade soups and wraps, too. The former AP Grocery & Deli, across from Metro Hall, now is the area’s second location. $$ L D GREEN LEAF NATURAL VEGETARIAN BISTRO 309 W. Cardinal Blvd., 637-5887. Green Leaf serves up vegetarian fare in the new town center of University of Louisville. The menu has a pan-Asian focus, with noodles and fried rice and stir fries, as well as smoothies and bubble tea. $ 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 hpfe 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 h INWAVE RESTAURANT & JUICE BAR 10310 Shelbyville Rd., 916-2177. Owner Dr. Kamlesh Dave, a proponent of plant-based diets, positions his vegetarian restaurant as a choice for those wanting to eat more healthfully. The menu includes power bowls (grains, rice, beans, vegetables and a sauce), salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads or pizza with gluten-free crusts. $$ L D JOE'S OLDER THAN DIRT 8131 New Lagrange Rd., 4347470. 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 hpf 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 h

60 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

hpf

NOODLES & COMPANY 1225 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 632-0102, 4300 Summit Plaza Dr., 804-4724, 319 Cardinal Blvd., 632-2846. This Colorado-based fastcasual 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 (6 locations) O’Charley’s, Inc. could serve well as the picture in the dictionary next to “American casual dining.” The Nashville-based chain operates 206 properties in 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest, serving a straightforward steak-andseafood menu with the motto “Mainstream with an attitude.” $$ Br L D hp OLD LOUISVILLE CHILI BOWL 501 W. Oak St., 3840745. A chili parlor returns to Old Louisville in the former Coco's Cakes space. Chili: regular, vegetarian, hot or white; burgers (including a Jersey burger); hot dogs, salads and sides — all at bargain prices. $ L D PORTAGE HOUSE 117 E. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 725-0435. Portage House, in a historic home along the river, is the second restaurant of Dallas McGarity, ownerchef of The Fat Lamb in the Highlands. Here on the sunny-side of the river his eclectic but thoughtful menu offers kim chee risotto fritters, grilled meatloaf, Cajunspiced scallops and Nutella mascarpone mousse. $$$ L D pf 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 creative salad combinations in town. $$ L D hpf RUBY TUESDAY 11701 Bluegrass Pkwy., 267-7100. If success demonstrates quality, then Ruby Tuesday’s 600 international properties and 30,000 employees can stand up with pride. They’ve been upholding the slogan “Awesome Food. Serious Salad Bar” in Louisville for a generation. $$ L D hp S BAR 1442 Dixie Hwy., 439-6574. You can get superfood smoothies and shakes at this South End spot, but the unique draw is the selection of “spuds” — loaded baked potatoes topped with things like chicken and broccoli Alfredo, Philly cheese steak, pulled pork and Buffalo chicken. $ L D 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

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. $ B 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 hpf THE SPOT 9700 Bluegrass Pkwy., 690-3011. The restaurant connected with the Ramada Plaza hotel, The Spot serves breakfast through dinner: eggs and pancakes, mozzarella sticks and fried calamari, pastas, grilled chicken and seafood. $ B L D p h TOAST ON MARKET 620 E. Market St., 569-4099, 141 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 941-8582. On both sides of the river this breakfast and lunch favorite has gained a loyal following and tremendous word-of-mouth. Be prepared to wait for tables for weekend brunches. $ B Br L pf TUCKER’S 2441 State St., New Albany IN, 944-9999.

Tucker’s gives you a little bit of everything with a downto-earth flair, offering burgers, ribs, steaks, a variety of appetizers and pastas. $ L D hp 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 h

8TH STREET PIZZA 800 E. Eighth St., New Albany IN, 645-6974. 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 ANGILO’S PIZZA 1725 Berry Blvd., 367-0580. The local favorite is the steak hoagie, dripping with pizza sauce, pickles and onions. Angilo’s also offers a wide selection of hot pizza pies and cold beer. $$ L D ANNIE’S PIZZA 2520 Portland Ave., 776-6400, 4771 Cane Run Rd., 449-4444. Annie’s has made-to-order pizza and a variety of stacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Strom with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $$ L D h 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 h

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 61

ARNO’S PIZZA 3912 Bardstown Rd., 384-8131.$$ L D BEARNO’S PIZZA (13 locations) What began as a simple, family-run pizzeria near Bowman Field has morphed into a local chain with, at last count, 13 locations. $$ L Dh BLAZE FAST-FIRE’D PIZZA 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 8957800, 13317 Shelbyville Rd., 822-3677, 4055 Summit Plaza Dr., 915-8731, 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 hf 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. $$ L D h BOOMBOZZ PIZZA & TAP HOUSE 1448 Bardstown Rd., 458-8889, 1315 Herr Ln., 394-0000, 1450 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 913-4171, 1890 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-4111. The Boombozz Pizza empire has expanded in concept and in locations, from Southern Indiana out to the edge of Middletown. The menu now extends into appetizers, sandwiches and pasta, and 21 craft beers on tap.$$ L D hpf BORROMEO’S PIZZA & ITALIAN 9417 Smyrna Pkwy., 968-7743. Serving up old-school thin-crust pizzas to chowhounds south of the Gene Snyder. $$ L D hpf BUTCHERTOWN PIZZA HALL 1301 Story Ave., 3848528. Restaurateur Allan Rosenberg has renovated the building that for over 60 years housed Hall’s Cafeteria into a pizza restaurant and gaming arcade. Rosenberg returns to the robust New York-style pizza that he perfected at Papalino’s, sold as whole pies or by the slice.

His menu also includes hot and cold sub sandwiches, chicken wings and salads. An accomplished chef in other styles as well, he cures his own meats on-site. $$ L D hp

DANNY MAC’S PASTA & PIZZA 1836 Mellwood Ave., 890-6331. $$ L D h

IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ LDh

DERBY CITY PIZZA 5603 Greenwood Rd., 933-7373, 2500 Crittenden Dr., 384-4777, 10619 Manslick Rd., 742-3940. It is always nice when a business’s name is self-explanatory. But the menu offers burgers and wings, too, along with toasted subs and pasta dishes. An ample supply of TVs make them a good spot for watching games. $$ L D hpf

JET’S PIZZA 101 S. Hubbards Ln., 895-4655, 3624 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1700, 235 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 244-4440, 6523 Bardstown Rd., 239-0000, 2500 Bardstown Rd., 458-5387, 10494 Westport Rd., 4261181. Now with a fourth Louisville outlet, this Detroitbased 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 Df

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, and queso sticks, and a good selection of domestic and import beers. $$ L D hpf FAT JIMMY’S 2712 Frankfort Ave., 891-4555, 12216 Shelbyville Rd., 244-2500. This friendly neighborhood nook offers a cold mug of beer and a hot slice of pizza, along with sub sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads. The Lyndon spot lures a friendly biker crowd. $$ L D h FIRENZA PIZZA 12406 Lagrange Rd., 999-2099. This Virginia-based chain touts pizza dough made in-house daily, and a total of 40 combinations of toppings chosen along with six sauces, seven cheeses, nine meats and 17 vegetables. Pies are made-to-order and baked in stonehearth ovens. $$ L D pf THE GRAIN HAUS 41 W. First St., New Albany IN, (470) 588-2337. Part of Floyd County Brewing, the separate building across the court yard boasts a wood-fired pizza oven and a rotating list of guest beers alongside beers and ales from Floyd County Brewing. $$ D hpfe HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 245-4555.

Pasta dishes, hoagies, stromboli and cold beer are available, and so is the one-of-a-kind Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. $$ L D h

JOHNNY BRUSCO’S PIZZA 10600 Meeting St., 7498400. This chain out of Atlanta, GA with its roots starting in Manlius, NY has settled in the neighborhood of Norton Commons. They offer an array of New York style pies, subs, calzones, pasta and salads. $$ L D LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA (13 Locations) This pizzeria chain lost market share in the ’90s, but business analysts say the company known for its two-for-one “pizza pizza” deal has turned things around with a renewed commitment to quality and service. $$ L D h LUIGI’S 712 W. Main St., 589-0005. New York City-style 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. $$ L LUPO 1540 Frankfort Ave., 409-8440. Max Balliet, the owner of Holy Molé taco truck, now also has Lupo, a casual Italian restaurant, where he bakes up pizzas on a fire-engine-red wood-fired oven. Along with pizza, Lupo offers a variety of handmade pastas in a restored 19th century Butchertown building. $$ D h pf MA ZERELLAS 949 S. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 2469517. A pleasant family-run-for-family-fun establishment. Pizza, pasta, salads and subs served for lunch and dinner seven days a week. $$ L D h

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 CHUBBY RAY’S 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 267-1188. This family restaurant has grown from a small mostly carryout spot to a large (400 seat) Jeffersontown institution.

The menu offerings have expanded as well. In addition to signature pizzas, you can find quesadillas and rooster wings, burgers and subs, calzones, pasta and salads. $$ L D hpf COALS ARTISAN PIZZA 3730 Frankfort Ave., 742-8200, 11615 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0106, 600 Terminal Dr. (Louisville Airport). Middletown and airport travelers now partake in what St. Matthews diners have enjoyed for a few years–excellent pizzas made in coal-fired ovens burning at 800 degrees F, crisping the crust in 4 minutes and “leoparding” it with black spots. Toppings are fresh and regionally sourced. $$ L D hpf

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019

61

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 62

MAC'S DOUGH HOUSE 10509 Watterson Trl., 6942322. This J’town spot focuses on two comfort foods: pizza and macaroni and cheese. Choose from a dozen pies with clever names, or mac 'n' cheese variations like buffalo chicken, lobster and crab and a spicy version made with Sriracha and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Sandwiches, salads and wings, too. A second loaction will be opening inside Mile Wide Beer Co. on Barret Avenue this summer. $$ L D hp MARCO’S PIZZA 2011 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 941-1144. A rapidly growing (300+) pizza chain from Toledo, Ohio, adds to the choices of takeout pies in New Albany. Ironically, its CEO lives in Louisville and commutes to Toledo. $$ L D h 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

draw but there is also a full menu of Italian-inspired meals including hoagie sandwiches and pasta dishes at all four locations. $$$$ L D hpf PAPA MURPHY’S PIZZA (10 Locations) $$ L D

TONY IMPELLIZZERI’S 5170 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 949-3000. The long-time Louisville pizzamaker moves across the river to fill the cravings of Hoosiers. $$$ D

PARLOUR 131 W. Chestnut St., Jeffersonville IN, 9147400. Parlour, another Big Four Bridge-inspired eatery, offers 40+ beers on tap, a covered outdoor bar with a fire pit, an upstairs bar in the renovated 1870s-era house and green space for games like cornhole, horseshoes and bocce. $$ L D hpf

TOONERVILLE TAVERN 1201 S. First St., 635-6960.

The building sits on the corner of Oak and First, but the clever signs direct you down Oak st. to the new entrance.

Toonerville Deli has been renamed, and the food focus of the Tavern is pizza, with many of the deli sandwiches also available. $$ L D hp

PERFETTO PIZZA 9910 Linn Station Rd., 426-4644.

Located in the old Slice of NY space off S. Hurstbourne Parkway, Perfetto carries on the New York style tradition: pies by the slice, just like on Flatbush Ave. Hand-tossed crust, all kinds of toppings, plus Italian sausage and meatball sandwiches. $$ L D

TOPP'T HANDCRAFTED PIZZA 373 Professional Court, New Albany IN, 725-8891, 323 W. Cardinal Blvd., 2901379. This Elizabethtown-based fast-casual pizza and salad concept serves fast-fired (in an 800-degree oven), handcrafted pizzas and made-to-order chopped salads.

The thin crust dough is made onsite daily in original, wheat and gluten-free versions. One price regardless of the number of toppings. $$ L D f

PIEOLOGY 2043 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 749-7072.

Another pizza chain breaks into what appears to be pretty saturated market and offers “hand-crafted, stone oven-fired” pies. All are one size (11-1/2 inches) and one price ($7.95) — unless you just want red sauce and mozzarella for a buck less. $ L D

MOD PIZZA 3085 Breckenridge Ln., 915-7810. The first Louisville location of this Seattle chain makes artisanstyle pizza and salads tossed to order. Its niche is individual pizzas served quickly and with a choice of over 30 toppings, all for one price. Choices are named in typical West Coast fashion: Calexico, Caspian, Lucy Sunshine, and so forth. $ L D pf

PIZZA BAR 445 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live!), 9158113. You will find New York-style pizzas by the slice or the whole pie, appetizers, salads and grinder sandwiches at this replacement for Birracibo. $$ L D hpf

MOMMA’S PIZZA 1611 Charlestown-New Albany Pike, Jeffersonville IN, 697-3224. Create your own pizza style here or choose one of the specialty pies, such as the Jesse James, with jalapeños, spicy sausage and pepperoni and marinara fire sauce, the ranch chicken or Momma’s vegetable pizza. $$ D

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 h f

MOZZA PI 12102 Lagrange Rd., 890-4832. 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. $$$ L D pf

PIZZA KING 3825 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 9454405, 1701 E. 10th St., Jeffersonville IN, 282-8286. The pizza is baked in a sturdy, clay stone oven and handtossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. We heartily recommend the barbecue pizza. $$ L D

MR. GATTI’S 703 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-5005, 10035 Dixie Hwy., 632-2504, 4200 Outer Loop, 964-0920. 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

PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $$ L D

NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 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. Publican Roger Baylor’s remarkable beer list, with more than 100 selections from around the world — plus locally brewed craft beers — has won international awards. $$ L D h OLD CHICAGO PASTA & PIZZA 9010 Taylorsville Rd., 301-7700, 10601 Fischer Park Dr., 657-5700.

This growing chain specializes in both thick Chicagostyle and thin traditional pizza, along with amusing appetizers (jalapeño cheese pretzels, Italian nachos), filling salads, sandwiches and burgers. Check out the imposing list of 110 beers from around the world. $$ L D hp OLD SCHOOL NY PIZZA 12907 Factory Ln., 882-1776.

You want Sicilian-style pizza, just like they make in Brooklyn? You can get it in the Eastern suburbs near I265. Top it with vegetables supplied by local farmers, or tie into a calzone and finish with gelato. $$ L D ORIGINAL IMPELLIZZERI’S 1381 Bardstown Rd., 4542711, 4933 Brownsboro Rd., 425-9080, 110 W. Main St., 589-4900, 805 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 653-7243.

Impellizzeri’s massive pies, loved for a generation, are the

62 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

hpf

SAL’S PIZZA & WINGS 812 Lyndon Ln., 365-4700.

Pizza, calzones, chicken and salads join the food choices in the Lyndon strip mall that also houses other ethnic restaurants. $$ L D hpf SICILIAN PIZZA & PASTA 629 S. Fourth St., 589-8686, 8133 Bardstown Rd., 491-3663. Ready for takeout or eat-in, both the downtown storefront and its suburban sister site offer good, standard pizza and other familiar Italian-American dishes. $$ L D hpf SIR DANO’S PIZZA PARLOR 496 N. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-3346. $$ L D h f SNAPPY TOMATO 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 412-6205. $$ L D SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter Ave., 568-5665, 4001 Shelbyville Rd., 895-0755, 239 S. Fifth St., 749-0919.

This locally-owned pizzeria, widely known for their massive pizza by the slice, has contracted to three locations. All are open until 5 a.m. nightly Wednesday through Saturday, offering Philly-style pizza and real Philly cheese steaks. $ L D h THE CORNER 4111 Murphy Ln., 426-8340. $$ L D he THE POST 1045 Goss Ave., 635-2020. Germantown has long needed a classic New York-style pizza joint, and this spot, in a former VFW post, has provided it. Pizza is available by slice or whole pie, mostly classic tomato sauced varieties, but a few oddities, like the chicken dinner pizza with Buffalo-based sauce, chicken, cheddar, onion and ranch drizzle. Calzones, subs and salads, too.$$ D h p

WEST POINT PIZZA 407 South St., West Point KY, 2639371 If you find yourself on the downriver side of town, across the Salt River, and hungry, but you don’t know for what, stop in here. In addition to pizzas made with fresh dough every day, you will find tacos and burgers as well. $$ D f WICK’S PIZZA PARLOR 975 Baxter Ave., 458-1828, 12717 Shelbyville Rd., 213-9425, 225 State St., New Albany IN, 945-9425, 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 all four of its eateries. The pies are straightforward, made with ample toppings. “The Big Wick” is a favorite. $$ L D hpfe ZA’S PIZZA 1573 Bardstown Rd., 454-4544. $$ 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 hp B3Q BBQ 1044 Copperfield Drive, Georgetown IN, 9513900. Ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket, served up as sandwiches, wraps or platters. Also, smoked baloney and chicken, smoked turkey and sirloin tips, and plenty of side choices. Dine-in, carry-out and catering available. $ LDf BABIE BAC'Z GOOD GRILL 8533 Terry Rd., 619-1873.

This far South End family owned barbecue restaurant smokes up baby back ribs and rib tips, half chickens and wings and several sandwiches, including the Bacz Attack, which combines ham, bacon and pork. $$ L D BABY MAE'S 1817 Graybrook Ln., New Albany IN, 9147040. Barbecue and soul food in the old Mom & Pop’s Cone Corner building. Baby Mae’s reasonably priced menu includes everyone’s comfort foods: ribs, pulled pork, smoked turkey, mac and cheese, home fries and the “grandaddy of chili dogs.” $ L D BIG BEN’S BBQ 600 Quartermaster Center, Jeffersonville IN, 284-4453. This family run BBQ joint is now at the Quartermaster Center, smoking up a storm and impressing locals who recommend Johnnie’s Smokin Ribs, Joecille’s Backbone (brisket tips), Big Ben’s shredded pork sandwich and Alvin’s Wild-Side shredded chicken sandwich. $$ L D f BOOTLEG BARBECUE COMPANY 9704 Bardstown Rd., 239-2722. 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

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 63

CHECK'S BBQ & BLUES 14049 Shelbyville Rd., 2446868. The owners of Germantown’s Checks Café have opened this BBQ joint in Middletown, featuring live blues bands on weekends. Some Check’s Café standards (chicken livers, fried pork chops), along with ribs, pulled pork and brisket, as sandwiches and full dinners comprise the menu. $ L D hpe CITY BARBEQUE 329 Whittington Pkwy., 996-8003.

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. $$ L Dpfe FAMOUS DAVE’S BAR-B-QUE 8605 Citadel Way, 4932812. This franchise chain operation may be based in the twin cities, but it looks like a Georgia gas station with its exuberant, if tongue-in-cheek faux country decor. The important thing, though, is the food, and Dave’s excels with genuine, hickory-smoked barbecue. $$ L D hpf 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

hpf

FRANKFORT AVENUE BEER DEPOT 3204 Frankfort Ave., 895-3223. A neighborhood bar that welcomes all

comers with some of the most notable ’cue in town. The burgoo and the baked beans rank as some of the best in the city and the pulled pork by the pound is value worth taking home. And where else can you play miniature golf while waiting for the smoker to finish? $ L D hpf 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. $$ L D hpf HARLEY’S HARDWOODZ BAR-B-Q 1703 CharlestownNew Albany Pk., Jeffersonville IN, 284-4490. Owner Frank Harley said “I found my calling, which is barbecue.” He smokes up barbecue pork, chicken and brisket, marinated in Harley’s own barbecue sauce. A menu specialty: smoked chicken white chili. $ L D HOLY SMOKES BAR-B-QUE 7508 Preston Hwy., 9685657. The former Bootleg Bar-B-Q franchise on Preston Hwy. has become Holy Smokes Bar-B-Que. Owner Mark Weatherholt smokes his wings for three hours, his ribs and chicken for five, and his pork lingers overnight. He does brown sugar wings, too. $ L D JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BAR-B-QUE 7626 New Lagrange Rd., 241-5829. Jucy’s offers exceptionally good Texasstyle barbecue from a little wooden shack that looks just like a country BBQ joint should. Highly recommended. $$ 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. Outside, there are picnic tables,

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

inside, a custom bar with Bourbon barrel lid stools. $ LDf 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. $$ L D MARK’S FEED STORE 11422 Shelbyville Rd., 244-0140, 1514 Bardstown Rd., 458-1570, 10316 Dixie Hwy., 933-7707, 3827 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 2851998, 6501 Bardstown Rd., 442-0808. Mark’s routinely takes local honors for its sauces, sandwiches and its meaty baby-back ribs. And don’t miss the smoked takehome turkeys at Thanksgiving. $$ L D hpf MARK T'S SLAB HOUSE 4912 Preston Hwy., 962-1069.

That would be slabs of ribs, of course, a wonderfully direct name for a barbecue restaurant. Several drum-style smokers out front exude a savory cloud, attesting MARTIN'S BAR-B-QUE JOINT 3408 Indian Lake Dr., 242-4666, 984 Barret Ave., 242-0020. Pretty famous in Tennessee, Martin’s has 2 locations where Louisvillians can now savor the meats smoked in the open pit (the whole hogs take 24 hours). All dishes, meats and 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 Baltimorebased 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 scratch-made sides. $$ L D pf

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 63

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 64

MOMMA’S MUSTARD PICKLES & BBQ 102 Bauer Ave., 938-6262, 119 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 290-7998.

The St. Matthews 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 OLE HICKORY PIT BAR-B-QUE 6106 Shepherdsville Rd., 968-0585. Located in an attractive house not far from General Electric’s Appliance Park, this Louisville relative of a famous Western Kentucky barbecue pit is well worth the trip. $ L D f PORKLAND BBQ 2519 St. Cecilia St., 890-5988. Created by the non-profit group, Love City, Porkland BBQ’s proceeds benefit community programs for youth and aspiring entrepreneurs. Look for pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches, fried fish, rib tips, side items and desserts. A Portland specialty, smoked bologna sandwiches, too. $ L D

ANOTHER PLACE SANDWICH SHOP 119 S. Seventh St., 589-4115. This venerable lunch spot has been recharging the energies of downtown workers for over four decades. Brian Goodwin, son of the late founder and owner, has brightened and modernized the space, and overhauled the menu, looking forward to decades more of lunchtime service. $ L BARRY’S CHEESESTEAKS & MORE 7502 Preston Hwy., 883-2874, 1161 S. Second St., 618-2288. Barry’s version of the classic Philly street food has been getting raves from self-anointed cheesesteak mavens, who approve of his meat, bread and the cheese sauce choices. He now has a second, larger space in Old Louisville. $ 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 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

RIVER ROAD BBQ 3017 River Rd., 592-7065. Right next to the Water Tower, this little take-out only place smokes brisket and pork: 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

BUTCHER’S BEST 9521 US Hwy. 42., 365-4650. This fully staffed meat store in Prospect offers custom-cut beef, lamb, pork, bison, chicken and veal, plus a wellstocked deli and specialty foods, with skilled butcher Jimmy Mike at the helm. $ L D f

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

CAT BOX DELI 500 W. Jefferson St., 561-6259. The name of this cozy downtown deli in the PNC Bank building might warrant a double-take, but its feline theme and kitty cartoons earn a smile. Open for breakfast and lunch, it offers a good selection of sandwiches, panini and wraps at budget prices. $ L

hpfe

RUBBIN’ BUTTS BBQ 8007 Highway 311, Sellersburg IN, 748-7266. 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 hog-a-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 406 Mt. Holly Rd., 3633227. This Fairdale institution since 2004 smokes and serves slow-smoked pulled pork, brisket, ribs and a dozen sides (including Nanny’s potato salad) from an 1896 log house. Specialty is hickory-grilled steaks on Friday and Saturday nights. $ L D fe SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 4917570. A property of Orlando’s Darden fast-food chain, which also runs Olive Garden and Red Lobster, this noisy Stony Brook-area eatery conveys more of a sportsbar than barbecue concept, but the ribs are fine. $$ L D

hp

THE WRIGHT HOUSE BBQ + EATERY 638 Providence Way, Clarsville IN, 656-0941. Dalephonia and LaFond Wright have taken over the space that had been Shawn's BBQ. Dale makes the sides while LaFond prepares the baked chicken, pulled pork and chicken, burgers, smoked sausage, pork chops and meatloaf, carrying on the cooking lessons learned from their grandmothers. $ LD

321 DELI 321 W. Main St., 566-3258. The dining and drinks complex on the corner of Third and Main offers something for everyone. This is the deli component (the others are an ice cream shop and a Bourbon bar), which strives to blend the look and feel of a New York deli with the charm of the South. Lunch on nicely done sandwiches constructed from meats roasted in house, gourmet salads and sides to go. $ L D f

64 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

CHICAGO STEAK & LEMONADE 4501 Cane Run Rd., 384-4291, 2124 W. Broadway, 450-5300, 5049 Poplar Level Rd., 966-6940. This local mini-chain 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 h DANISH EXPRESS PASTRIES 102-1/2 Cannons Ln., 895-2863. Just a few tables turn this takeout nook into a sit-in breakfast and lunch spot for a handful of diners at a time. Full breakfasts and light lunches are available, but as the name implies, Danish pastries are the specialty, and they’re fine. $ B L DOWNTOWNER DELI 428 W. Market St., 822-3572.

This popular nosh spot adds another choice for the working lunch crowd. The soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps have quickly made fans here as well as in its original Madison, IN. location by offering both savory tastes and worth-it portions. $ L f FIREHOUSE SUBS 215 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 365-3473, 4905 Outer Loop, 749-4257, 13301 Shelbyville Rd., 883-4168. 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

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, 1975 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-4130. 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 AND SALADS 10266 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1991, 10519 Fischer Park Dr., 425-1025. East Coast-style sub shop with local faves that include cheese, ham, prosciuttini, capicola, salami, pepperoni and fixings. $ L D JIMMY JOHN’S SUB SHOP (11 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 7259510. You won’t recognize the former Little Chef building, which is where new 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 fare price. $ L D f LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. This family-owned 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., 589-2700. 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., 5610024. $ B L MCALISTER’S DELI (10 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

FRANK'S MEAT & PRODUCE 3342 Preston Hwy., 3633989. 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

MORRIS DELI & CATERING 2228 Taylorsville Rd., 4581668, 110 W. Chewtnut St. (U fo L Med Center) 2132409. 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, handmade deli fare at both the Highlands and downtown locations. $ L

GALAN'S MEAT MARKET & DELI 2801 W. Market St., 614-8514. This old-school butcher shop also offers piledhigh 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

NANCY’S BAGEL BOX 651 S. Fourth St., 589-4004. An outpost of Nancy’s Bagel Grounds in Clifton, this little outlet, inside Theater Square Marketplace, offers a similar mix of light fare and Nancy’s unique take on the bagel. $ B L

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 65

PANERA BREAD CO. (11 Locations) Warm breads finishbaked 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. $BLDf PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3922 Chenoweth Sq., 8968918, 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., 8958323. 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. Lunch, too. $ L D 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., 5401100, 4023 Summit Plaza Dr., 420-9616, 9018 Taylorsville Rd., 290-4820. 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 PRIMO’S DELICATESSEN 153 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 913-0491. It’s just what New Albany needed, a little New York style to give East Coast pizzazz to the downtown dining choices. Serving breakfast and lunch, so look for bagels and a schmear, and meaty sandwiches piled high. $ Br L QUIZNO’S SUBS 223 S. Fifth St., 589-5520, 11803 Shelbyville Rd., 253-5833, 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 981-7849, 220 S. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-1419. 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

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

upscale salad restaurant offers locally sourced soups and salads and fresh lemonade. The menu includes the Bluegrass Blackberry salad; shrimp, 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

SWEET PEACHES 1800 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 3560232. Breakfast, sandwiches and soups are what you will find at this West End spot. And don’t overlook fresh baked goodies like brownies and cookies or the chance to wash them down with peach-flavored sweet tea. This also is the location of the monthly Sweet Peaches Poetry Slam. $ B L D

WHICH WICH? 9850 Von Allmen Ct., 290-3721, 221 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 708-2535, 13124 W. Hwy 42, 2280621. The concept here is “create your own sandwich” and draws on 50 toppings choices including sauerkraut, roasted red peppers, crispy onion strings, and hummus.

The subs are the draw, but they also have wraps, gyros and now a variety of shakes. $$ B L D

SWEET PEACHES 2 ROLL 2900 W. Broadway (Nia Center). Pam Haines, owner of the popular West Louisville restaurant Sweet Peaches, has opened a quickservice version inside the Nia Center — a meeting place for the neighborhood and a city-organized workforce development center. Patrons and neighbors can meet in the lobby and enjoy coffee, sandwiches, salads and fresh pastries. $ B L

ZOUP! 318 S. Fourth St., 963-0777. Another chain outlet downtown gives all the lawyers and government workers another choice for soups, sandwiches and salads, plenty of low-fat, dairy-free and vegetarian choices that will rotate daily. $ L D

THE BLOCK GOURMET DELI 14041 Shelbyville Rd., 785-4689. 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. $$ L D THELMA’S DELI 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House), 5895200. Located in the glassed-in walkway (conservatory) between the two hotel towers, Thelma’s provides breakfast items, coffee, sandwiches and snacks 24/7 for Galt House guests and anyone else who needs, say, a pizza at 3 a.m. $$ B L D h VINAIGRETTE SALAD KITCHEN 203 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 205-9933. This Lexington-based modestly

ANGIE'S HOME COOKING FAMILY RESTAURANT 2622 W. Broadway, 450-6200. Chef/owner Angie Bishop cooks the kind of familiar family meals that haunt your childhood — things like smothered pork chops, candied yams and corn pudding. Daily specials offer a choice of meat and two sides for under $10. Banana pudding is always a dessert choice. $ B L D BELLA’S DINER 4106 Taylor Blvd., 749-1771. $ 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

ROADRUNNER KITCHEN 37 Bank St. New Albany IN, 924-7024. Stacie Bale, who operated Earth Friends Café, has opened this healthful, grab-and-go lunch spot that offers garden and spinach salads, wraps, falafel, power smoothies, espressos and fresh juices. $ L 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 & STEVENS 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

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 65

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 66

Bukowski, there’s a good chance he’s sitting at their counter right now, recovering from last night’s excesses. $BLDh BURGER GIRL 3334 Frankfort Ave., 709-5454. Dan Borsch, who owns the Old Louisville Tavern, Toonerville Tavern, Old Louisville Pizza Company and Burger Boy Diner, is expanding into Crescent Hill. Burger Girl, in the former Bluegrass Burgers space, is a 24-hour burger grill, the sister to long-time somnambulists’ favorite Burger Boy. $$ B L D hf 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

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

good for his community, offering food rewards to kids with good report cards. Choices include burgers, chili dogs, Philly cheese steaks, whiting and catfish sandwiches, nachos and ice cream confections. $$ Br 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 hp

FORTY ACRES AND A MULE RESTAURANT 1800 Dixie Hwy., 776-5600. $ L D

SANDI'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 THE COZY KITCHEN 1554 Bardstown Rd., 451-0024.

This little take-out spot in the Highlands offers familiar, home-cooked style meals with a rotating menu. Among the choices, depending on the day, are chicken and dumplings, red chili, mac and cheese, pot roast, butternut squash soup. Dinners come with 2 sides. $ L D

COTTAGE INN 570 Eastern Pkwy., 637-4325. Longtime neighborhood fixture Cottage Inn has a bright new look, and continues happily doling out the kind of excellent down-home food it has served since 1929. $ L D

WAGNER’S PHARMACY 3113 S. Fourth St., 375-3800. A track-side institution 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

D. NALLEY’S 970 S. Third St., 588-2003. 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

WEBB’S MARKET 944 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 5830318. An old-line neighborhood corner grocery store houses a delicious secret: At the back you’ll find a steam table loaded with exceptional comfort food. Fried chicken is excellent, and don’t miss the chili. $ B L

DAVE & PEG’S COPPER KETTLE 276 Main Cross St., Charlestown IN, 256-4257. $ B L D EXECUTIVE BISTRO 1930 Bishop Ln. (Watterson Towers) 365-2848. This bright little spot provides grilled sandwiches, soups, salads and snacks to office workers in Watterson Towers. $ B L 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. $ LDp FRONTIER DINER 7299 Dixie Hwy., 883-1462. 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 GERALDINE’S KITCHEN 402 Wall St., Jeffersonville IN, 924-7707. 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 GOOSE CREEK DINER 2923 Goose Creek Rd., 3398070. Goose Creek Diner offers old-fashioned comfort food, as the name “diner” suggests, but transcendently adds a gourmet taste to the down-home eats. $ B Br L D HOSANNA'S KITCHEN 139 S. 44th St., 778-0085. This far West End soul food place has emblematic southern comfort food: fried or baked chicken, fried fish, salmon croquettes, pork chops in gravy, long-cooked green beans, pinto beans, cabbage and baked apples. $ L D 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. $ LDh METRO DINER 4901 Outer Loop, 357-0767. The first local outlet of this Florida-based chain features "classic 66 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

hpf

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 family-friendly prices. Look for smothered pork chops, collard greens, fried chicken, fried catfish and fruit cobbler. $ L D 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 MAMA’S KITCHEN CARRYOUT 603 N. 26th St., 5655760. This little West End order-at-the-window place serves up sandwiches, snacks (with 1 side), dinners (with 2) – things like hot dogs, pulled pork and chicken, meatloaf, smothered pork chops and fried chicken and fish on Fridays. $ 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 afterchurch 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 MISS ADA’S 510 E. Chestnut St., 561-3762. $ L

BIG MOMMA’S SOUL KITCHEN 4532 W. Broadway, 772-9580. Big Momma’s may be the most hospitable place in the West End to get genuine soul food. A different main course is featured daily, all home-cooked food, including such goodies as baked chicken, smothered pork chops, meat loaf, catfish … and fried chicken every day. $ L D 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 short rib hush puppies. $$ B L D hp CRYSTAL'S SOUTHERN FOOD & SPIRITS 9909 Taylorsville Rd., 618-4200. This Jeffersontown family spot serves breakfast (omelets, biscuits and gravy, chicken and grits), lunch (catfish sandwich, burgers and tacos) and dinner (short ribs, chicken, steak, pork chops and seafood). $$ B L D p DAISY MAE’S 223 W. Fifth St., New Albany IN, 944-8101.

Daisy Mae’s offers southern food and hospitality. The menu includes fried chicken and cod, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, collards and pinto bean soup every day. Look for daily specials that include a regularly rotating fruit cobbler and red velvet cake. $ L D f DASHA BARBOUR’S SOUTHERN BISTRO 2217 Steier Ln., 882-2081. This Buechel place certainly gives the “bistro” concept a down-home Southern twist. Fried chicken and fish, a vegetable plate with three sides choices, burgers, pork chop sandwich, and chicken wings. Sides include sweet potato casserole studded with pecans, fried corn on the cob and collard greens. $$ L D FLO'S HOUSE OF SOUL 3400 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 966-2213. 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

SCENE 501 W. Main St. 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 hp SHINE'S DINER 3400 W. Market St., 510-9310. This West End restaurant, sells soul food, seafood, burgers and wings and Philly cheesesteak fries (topped with steak, green onions, green peppers, mozzarella and cheddar cheese). Owner Mary Jenefor occasionally gives free meals to those in need in the community. $ L D 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 SOUTHERN EXPRESS 418 W. Oak St., 963-1719. This well-known 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, 8221474. 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 hp

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 67

SUE'S TOUCH OF COUNTRY 2605 Rockford Ln., 4505059. 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 V-GRITS 1025 Barret Ave., 742-1714. Vegan food truck VGrits has settled down in the former Monkey Wrench corner and is cooperating there with False Idol Brewers.

V-Grits co-owner Kristina Addington defines her menu as “southern comfort food, stick to your ribs, healthy junk food.” $$ L D hpf WAYLON'S FEED AND FIREWATER 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 873-5580. Tony Palombino has converted his St. Matthews BoomBozz pizzeria into a honky-tonk that features live music at least three times per week, Southern food and a full bar with lots of Bourbon choices. The menu borrows from Palombino’s downtown honky-tonk, Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen, including its tacos. The bar carries over 100 Bourbons and local craft beers. $$ Br L Dhpfe

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 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 485-0004, 8013 Preston Hwy., 966-4970, 5362 Dixie Hwy., 4476660, 1402 Cedar St., Clarksville IN. 258-2540. Buffet style family dining — one price, all you can eat. Steaks are served beginning at 4 p.m. $ B L D

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 hp

BUBBA'S 33 4631 Medical Plaza Way, Clarksville IN, 2845933. 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. $$ D p

grows again with a cosmopolitan street food and craft beer restaurant that replaces the recently shuttered Mellow Mushroom pizzeria. Expect to find every streetstyle food one can think of: classic street tacos, Thai wings, elotes, Philly cheesesteaks, a Chicago-style hot dog called The Wrigley and Bangkok meatballs among other items familiar and exotic. $$ L D hpfe

BUD’S TAVERN GOOD FOOD & BARBECUE 4014 Dixie Hwy., 384-9131. This spiffed up Shively outpost offers honest bar food that’s receiving high praise. Check out the “gently fried” grouper, burgers (including a Reuben burger), burritos and barbecue. $ L D hpfe

DRAKE’S 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 614-7327, 3921 Summit Plaza Dr., 384-3921. Lexington-based Bluegrass Hospitality Group has two local outlets that offer twenty-four craft beers on tap to wash down the traditional pub grub of tacos, ribs and — these days — sushi. Family-friendly by day and a hoppin’ spot at night, with music videos and a DJ. $$ L D hpf

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 hpfe THE BUTCHERTOWN SOCIAL 1601 Story Ave., 8903892. Entrepreneur Isaiah Hoagland, who now owns the site that used to be Louis’s The Ton, has renovated it minimally, added a small kitchen, and now serves tacos, sandwiches and a few sides. These additions make the neighborhood bar ambiance even more appealing. $ D

hpf

DIAMOND PUB & BILLIARDS 3814 Frankfort Ave., 895-7513, 630 Barret Ave., 690-7040. St. Matthews’ newest restaurateur star, Jared Matthews, began his career here, revitalizing this neighborhood institution for a new generation. Both locations (the second at the old silos on the edge of downtown) are major music venues.

The food is just what happy concert-goers look for: pizza, burgers, wings, beer cheese, sandwiches and wraps.$ L D hpfe DIAMOND STREET GRUB & HOPS 3920 Shelbyville Rd. Jared Matthews’ St. Matthews restaurant empire

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 hp 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. Food is also offered tableside from Bandido Taqueria Mexicana, which will soon open in the adjacent space. $$ L D

hpf

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 hpf

BARRELHOUSE ON MARKET 1005 W. Market St., Jeffersonville IN, 590-6373. Andrew and Michelle Collins renovated down-to-the-heels dive bar into a spiffy lively drinking establishment and music venue with a small, tasty menu: a slider assortment, buffalo and BBQ wings, pretzels and queso. $$ D hpfe BAXTER’S 942 BAR & GRILL 942 Baxter Ave., 4099422. 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. $ L D hpfe 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 h f BIG AL’S BEERITAVILLE 1715 Mellwood Ave., 8934487. 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

hpf

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 hpfe

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 67

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 68

FORT KNOCKERS MESS HALL 5501 Valley Station Rd., 890-3585. This bar and grill in the far Southwest corner of the city has a rousing military theme, including murals of local veterans donated by community members. Basic bar food, but done with care. Beer specials during football games and a patio with cornhole and other bar games. $$ L D hpf 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 hpfe GRANVILLE INN 1601 S. Third St., 637-9128. 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 hp 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 GRIFF’S 133 W. Liberty St., 939-3535. Griff, of course, is U of L b-ball great Darrell Griffith (Dr. Dunkenstein), who has transformed the former Hurricane O’Malley’s location into an upscale sports bar and late-night party place. The menu offers Southern food and burgers, including the “Fast Break” burger served between homemade sweet potato waffles. $$ L D hpf GROWLER USA 3010 Gottbrath Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 748-2622. This expanding franchise operation offers local and regional craft beers, draught wines (served out of the barrel), hard ciders and kombucha. Let their cicerone lead you to beverage pairings with their familiar, hearty pub menu – lots of burgers, beer cheese soup, salads and sandwiches, and a limited entree selection. $$$ L D hpf GYPSY’S SPORTS GRILLE 7207 Fegenbush Ln., 9090922. “Gypsy” is the name of the owner’s rescued Boston terrier. The husband-wife team who own 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. $$ L D hpfe HELL OR HIGH WATER 112 W. Washington St., 5873057. The entrance is through Hello Curio, an ostensible arts and crafts gallery. Downstairs is the main bar in a two-story library with a mezzanine floor, looking out onto a small live entertainment area. Craft cocktails are bourbon-focused but not exclusively. There is a small bites menu, but drinks are the center of the “speakeasy” experience. $$ D hpe HIGHLANDS TAPROOM GRILL 1058 Bardstown Rd., 584-5222. 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 burgers. Look for the crabby patty or the French toast sausage. The pulled pork spring rolls are on their way to becoming legendary. $$ L D hpfe HILLCREST TAVERN 3212 Frankfort Ave. Dan Borsch, who runs several Old Louisville spots like Burger Boy Diner and Old Louisville Tavern, has expanded into Clifton with this renovation of a long-time neighborhood watering hole. The menu will mirror that of Old Louisville Tavern, with burgers, sandwiches, appetizers and a few entrée items. A vintage 100-year old bar will anchor the nostalgic ambiance. $$ L D hpe 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

68 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

chicken specialties, along with hefty sandwiches (their meatloaf is a standout). $ D hp

eclectic menu: bang bang cauliflower, bougie fries, dog bone wings and the McNasty sandwich. $$ L D hpe

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 hpf

OLD HICKORY INN 1038 Lydia St., 634-3011. The Schnitzelburg building has been around forever, has suffered indignities, like a fire that gutted it, but has always bounced back. Now it has expanded its presence with a new kitchen, outdoor deck and a food menu aimed to be competitive with other Germantown hangouts. $ L D hp

HOOPS GRILL AND SPORTS BAR 6733 Strawberry Ln., 375-4667. 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 hpf HOPCAT 1064 Bardstown Rd., 890-8676. This Highlands attraction seats up to 300 in the dining room, three private party rooms and a covered second floor patio.

HopCat touts its 132 craft beers on tap, at least 30 of which are locally made, as the largest selection in Kentucky. Lunch and dinner offers homemade pub grub: burgers, mac & cheese, Detroit-style square pizza with cheesy crust, and signature “crack fries.” Saturday and Sunday brunch as well. $$ Br L D hpf J-TOWN BEACH 10315 Watterson Trl., 558-0881. This family fun sports complex offers sand volleyball leagues and also offers Quills coffee and Comfy Cow ice cream. $ L D hpfe JB’S PUB 307 Central Ave., 618-1843. Two veterans of the Troll Pub Under the Bridge, Ben Barker and Johnny Morgan, have renovated a space near Churchill Downs.

Their menu offers “pub fare with flair.” Look for several artisan burgers, 30 beers on tap and many styles of pizza — Sicilian, Chicago-style, New York and Detroitstyle, and even their own Louisville-style pie. $$ L D

hpf

JERSEY’S CAFÉ 1515 Lynch Ln., Clarksville IN, 2882100. Quality, affordable fare that goes well beyond pub grub to include an awesome smokehouse burger and barbecued ribs so tender, they say, that you can just tap the end of the bone on your plate, and the meat falls off. $ L D hpf

OLD LOUISVILLE TAVERN 1532 S. Fourth St., 6374200. 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. $$ L D hpf O-LINE SPORTS GRILL 2813 N Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-6171. You can watch every game, every sport all year long, they claim. While you do, you can chow down a variety of bar food, such as the juicy Lucy cheese burger or nacho burger. The kids might like the minifootballs, franks encased in pastry dough, fried and served with dipping sauces. $ L D hp PEARL STREET TAPHOUSE 407 Pearl Street, Jeffersonville IN, 285-0890. Located in an historic home that was saved through a preservation grant, this pub has 24 taps with a heavy focus on local breweries, with regional and national choices as well. Food choices range from pizzas to bacon-wrapped dates to corned beef grilled cheese sandwiches. Everything is fresh and nothing is deep-fried. $ L D p f PEPPERS BAR & GRILL 320 W. Jefferson St. (Hyatt Regency), 587-3434. This casual-dining facility in the Hyatt Regency offers a full dinner menu for hotel guests and outside visitors as well. $$ D h p

JOHN O’BRYAN’S TAVERN 4123 Flintlock Dr., 4494940. $ B L D

PINTS&UNION 114 E. Market St., New Albany IN., 9134647. 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 hp

KERN’S KORNER 2600 Bardstown Rd., 456-9726. This family-owned 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. $ L D pf

PORCH KITCHEN & BAR 280 W. Jefferson St. (Marriott), 671-4246. As part of the recent renovation of the Marriott, this all-day 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 hpfe

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 hp

RECBAR 10301 Taylorsville Rd., 509-3033. 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 hp

MIKE’S TAVERN 3521 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 9458915. A friendly tavern up in the Knobs above New Albany. $ L D p

RIVER CITY DRAFTHOUSE 1574-1/2 Bardstown Rd., 690-5111. 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 hf

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., 243-8429. $ L D hpfe NIRVANA 1047 Bardstown Rd., 712-0813. Nirvana has become a Highlands entertainment destination with live shows most nights. Darnell Ferguson, of Super Chefs, has taken over the kitchen, so look for his takes on the

ROOTIE’S SPORTS BAR & GRILLE 12205 Westport Rd., 365-4681. 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

hpf

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

hpfe

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 69

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. $$ D h THE SPORTING NEWS GRILL 6551 Paramount Park Dr. (Holiday Inn), 966-0000. Just what you want in a sports bar: seven 52-inch screens, subscriptions to all the pro and college sports networks, and hearty appetizers, Angus burgers, steaks, shrimp and salmon. $$$ L D

hpf

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. $$ L D hpf SPRING STREET BAR & GRILL 300 S. Spring St., 5846630. A classic American bar and grill, open late on weekends, dispensing cold beer, burgers, sandwiches and good cheer in a friendly atmosphere. The decor includes a collection of old bicycles hanging from the ceiling, and amenities include several video games and pool tables. $$ L D hp SULLIVAN’S TAP HOUSE 3929 Shelbyville Rd., 2102388. John Sullivan, Matt Taylor and Breno Giacomino, previously involved in the now-closed Sully's Saloon at 4th Street Live, have taken over the former Bluegrass Brewing Co. space in St. Matthews. Sullivan's offers a gastropub-style menu created by Chef Steven Dunn.

You’ll find reasonably priced cheeseburgers, hot brown sliders and fried catfish served alongside 20-plus craft beers and signature cocktails within sight of lots of TVs. $$ L D hpfe TAVERN ON FOURTH 427 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 588-8888. This spacious sports bar adds to the festivities at Fourth Street Live. You will find plenty of games, filling upscale bar food and lots of drink choices at the bar. $$ D hpfe THE BACK DOOR 1250 Bardstown Rd. (Mid City Mall), 451-0659. 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, with a reputation for the best pour of drinks around. Limited bar fare, but don’t miss the chicken wings. $ D hpf 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. $$ D hp THE GOAT 700 Landis Ridge Dr., 437-3000. Ohio-based LC Lifestyle Communities operates this small chain of unusually named upscale-casual restaurants. Enjoy Italian pizza rolls, stuffed potatoes, salads, “doublegrind” burgers, wings, pizza, wraps and craft beer on the expansive deck or around the community pool, or join one of the competitive leagues in euchre, corn hole or volleyball. $$ L D hpfe THE LIBRARY 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 3136664. 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 hp 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

hpf

THE PLANET BAR 2232 Bardstown Rd.,888-7464. This sassy and stylish bar has moved down B’town Rd. a bit from its original location, continuing its reputation for friendly bartenders, good live music and stellar karaoke. $$ D hp fe THE WATER COMPANY 400 S. Second St., (Omni Hotel), 313-6664. There is a 3rd-floor rooftop pool at the new Omni Hotel, and this is the bar that goes with it, also offering seasonally-inspired light bites. $$ L D p f 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 fe TIN ROOF 3921 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1940. 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 hpfe 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 hpf VIS A VIS BAR & GRILL 1164 S. Third St., 654-7057.

Replacing Barasti Bat & Grill, Vis a Vis, offers a Mediterranean and American menu. New owner Mike Al Muhtaseb and his wife Dima Radwan, who is the chef, serve up hummus, falafel, fried halloumi cheese, burgers, shawarma, kebabs and salads. $$ L D pfe 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 pinball and electronic games, and the Beer Can Collection is as long as your arm. The chow is high-quality bar grub — things like wings, fried egg rolls, pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and the Death Star cookie, baked in a skillet and topped with ice cream. And top-flight live music late into the night. $ L D hpfe

AGAINST THE GRAIN BREWERY 401 E. Main St., 5150174. 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 APOCALYPSE BREW WORKS 1612 Mellwood Ave., 589-4843. 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. $ h BLUEGRASS BREWING COMPANY 300 W. Main St., 562-0007, 660 S. Fourth St., 899-7070. BBC has reopened its Theater Square outlet, right in front of the Kindred expansion, which displaced the former restaurant/beer pub. The Main St. location does the brewing, and upstairs boasts a Bourbon lounge. At both locations, the food is as good as the beer, and that says a lot. $$ L D hpfe CUMBERLAND BREWS 1576 Bardstown Rd., 458-8727.

Giving new meaning to the term “microbrewery,”

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 69

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 70

Cumberland Brews may be one of the smallest eateries in town. It’s usually packed, earning its crowds the oldfashioned way by providing very good food, friendly service, and high-quality hand-crafted artisan beers. $ L D hf DONUM DEI BREWERY 3211 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 541-2950. Owner Rick Otey maintains that beer is a gift from god, hence the name of his craft brewery. The interior is starkly Scandinavian modern.

The limited menu offers hummus and a cheese plate, soup and several paninis. $ L D h FLAT 12 BIERWERKS 130 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 590-3219. Flat 12 has the fermenters, barrels and other technical accouterments right out front, producing five house beers, four seasonal brews and some select beers for special events. You can see it all getting kegged or bottled, too, as you sample. An outlet of Urban Bread Co. operates the kitchen and supplies the food. $ Br L D fe 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 h 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 bottom-fermented 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 hpf GRAVELY BREWING CO. 514 Baxter Ave., 822-3202.

Gravely offers 14 draft choices, all brewed and served on site. The brewery partners with Mayan Street Food, run

by The Mayan Café. Walk up to the truck and order snacks like guacamole fried plantains, Mexican corn, salbutes or tacos. Brunch on Sunday is provided by Commonwealth Cure with items like pork hash, Scotch eggs, or pork sliders. Plus, a full brunch drink selection. $ Br L D hpfe MONNIK BEER CO. 1036 E. Burnett Ave., 742-6564. The gastropub style menu includes a range of Euro-inspired pub food like three kinds of double-fried fries, fried smelts, a ploughman’s plate, pork and black currant pie, sauerbraten, and burgers. The beer menu adds changing guest brews to the house menu of Mild George and King George (British style brown ales), His Dark materials (a stout) and Hauck’s American pilsner. $$ L D hpfe RED YETI BREWING CO. 256 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN. 288-5788. This craft brewery has an ambitious kitchen touting food so fresh in concept, they have no freezer. The brisket sandwich comes with house-made chips, the pork ribs are braised in wheat ale, and desserts include funnel cake with chocolate dipping fondue and a beer float:-vanilla ice cream in your choice of porter or stout. $$ L D hp

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 hp 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 70 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

dinner-theater sweepstakes. The expansive seasonal buffet offerings have fans returning show after show. $$$ L D p e HOWL AT THE MOON 434 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 562-9400. What’ll they think of next? How about a nightclub featuring a “dueling” piano bar with two pianos and a sing-along concept? You’ll find this 4,000square-foot club at Fourth Street Live on the ground level. $ D hpfe JOE HUBER FAMILY FARM & RESTAURANT 2421 Scottsville Rd., Starlight IN, 923-5255. A pleasant 20minute drive from downtown Louisville, Huber’s has built a solid reputation for simple farm fare that’s wellmade, fresh and good. Some of the produce is grown on the premises in season. $$$ L D pf MAIN EVENT BAR & GRILL 12500 Sycamore Station Pl., 240-5555. 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. $$ L D hp MESA 216 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 725-7691. Mesa calls itself a “collaborative kitchen-classroom,” in which local established and aspiring chefs offer cooking demonstrations and food prep advice for a small audience, who will then eat what the chefs prepare before them. There is also a boutique selling high-end cookware and food products. $$ D p 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 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 hp

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 MAA SHA ALLAH 4113 Bardstown Rd., 491-3152. The name is an Arabic blessing or expression of joy, meaning “Whatever Allah wants to give.” This little Buechel storefront is another example of the entrepreneurial spirit of recent immigrants, in this case from Senegal and Sierra Leone. The menu is African, the ambiance modest, the food spicy and tasty. $$ 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

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, 945-1888. Competent cookery and careful management that ensures buffet offerings stay fresh and hot makes this buffet a good choice among the many of all-you-can-eat Asian spots. $ L D

THE BARD’S TOWN 1801 Bardstown Rd., 749-5275. The second floor theater continues to be a top local venue for all sorts of theater, improv and silly/hilarious roasts of toys (Barbie), computer game characters (Mario) and years (2017). Downstairs, the menu offers Shakespearethemed items such as Iambic Pork-tameter, Sir Francis BBQ Bacon Burger and The Steakspeare. $$ D hpfe

ASIAN WOK 2235 Frankfort Ave., 822-3285. This panAsian 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

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

AUGUST MOON 2269 Lexington Rd., 456-6569. August Moon’s secret ingredient is the culinary oversight of Chef Peng Looi, long known for his passion for fusing Asian culinary traditions. Housed in a soaring, open space with a Zen master’s style. Consistent commitment in the kitchen and from the staff makes it a top spot for Asian fare. A lovely patio at the rear affords a pleasant alfresco dining experience. $$$ L D hpf

ADDIS GRILL 109 S. Fourth St., 581-1011. The signage of this downtown ethnic eatery promises “Mediterranean & Ethiopian Cuisine,” but the menu offers mostly Mediterranean standbys — kabobs, hummus, baba ghannouj, dolmades, tabbouleh. $ L D h

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

AFRICA HOUSE LOUNGE & CAFÉ 2816 Crums Ln., 384-7240. West African and Jamaican cuisine, a full service bar and Reggae and Afrobeats on the sound track.

The unique taste here is the Ghanaian shito sauce, a complex hot and tangy condiment. $ L D h

CHINA 1 123 Breckinridge Ln., 897-6511. $ L D

BARAKA RESTAURANT 519 W. Oak St., 822-3046. This all-halal restaurant serves African, Asian and Indian dishes. At the counter you pick a meat and choose an accompaniment of rice, bread or noodles. The fish curry with chapati and chicken saqaar with rice are good examples. Goat is often available for those who want to try something different. $ L D FUNMI’S AFRICAN RESTAURANT 3028 Bardstown Rd., 454-5009. Funmi’s offers a range of dishes from North

CHINA 1 8105 Lagrange Rd., 327-6863. $ L D CHINA BISTRO 234 W. Broadway, 583-8988. $ L D h 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

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 71

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 h CHINA GARDEN 7309 Preston Hwy., 968-4672. A busy restaurant with the double pleasure of Chinese and American menu items. $ L D CHINA INN 1925 S. Fourth St., 636-2020. It’s not the posh, private Faculty Club, but this little Asian spot may be one of the most popular eateries around the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus. $ L D CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 240-0500, 3000 Hikes Ln., 452-2646. $ L D CHINA STAR 291 N. Hubbards Ln., 896-1818. $ L D CHINA TASTE 135 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville IN, 284-5580. $ L D CHINESE EXPRESS 3228 Crums Ln., 448-1360. $ L D CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628. $ L D h CHOPSTICKS 416 E. Broadway, 589-9145. $ 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., 2675353.$LD 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 above-average tasty. $ L D EAST STAR BUFFET 161 Outer Loop, 368-2868. $$ L D EGGROLL MACHINE 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259.

The Chinese side of the menu at Café Mimosa is presented as The Egg Roll Machine, as opposed to the Vietnamese dishes on the fine dining Mimosa menu. All the expected Chinese favorites are here, including combination platters. $ L D hp FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh Street Rd., 448-0588, 6413 Greenwood Rd., 935-6611. $ L D h GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $LD h GOLDEN STAR CHINESE RESTAURANT 3458 Taylor Blvd., 368-1833. $ L D h THE GOLDEN WALL 3201 Fern Valley Rd., 968-9717. $ LD 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 h GREAT WOK 2502 Preston Hwy., 634-1918. Just about every shopping center in town has a fast-food Chinese spot, but this one stands out, generating a buzz of wordof-mouth publicity about its well-crafted Chinese dishes at a bargain-basement price. $ 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 5316 Bardstown Rd., 4918228, 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 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 h 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. $$ Br L D hp JASMINE 13823 English Villa Dr., 244-8896. Like many Chinese restaurants, Jasmine is in a strip mall, but this is not just another hot table stir fry joint. There is an American menu, but those in the know will ask for the 14-page Szechuan menu, featuring such interesting things as pig ear in sesame oil, hot and spicy intestines, spicy diced rabbit foot, frog legs, beef maw and tendon Szechuan style — one of the most popular choices, the manager said. $ L D p THE JOY LUCK 1285 Bardstown Rd., 238-3070, 9850 Von Allmen Ct., 618-1601. This fine Asian restaurant across from Mid-City Mall has opened a suburhan site too. Both serve familiar Chinese dishes very well done, as well as authentic Taiwanese offerings. Duck dishes are cooked in three different styles — Cantonese, Taiwanese and Beijing. $$ L D hpf JUMBO BUFFET 2731 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 495-0028.

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 largerthan-average selection of American dishes for those who want something less exotic. $$ L D h L & J ASIAN CUISINE 6017 Timber Ridge Dr., 2288399. This Pan-Asian spot in the Kroger-anchored strip center at Hwy. 42 near River Rd. offers a large familiar Chinese selection that also includes Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese dishes, and a good vegetarian selection. $$ LDf 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

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 ChineseAmerican and now, authentic Cantonese, menus. $ L D

p

ORIENTAL STAR 4212 Bishop Ln., 452-9898. A longtime 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 CHINA 9543 U.S. 42., 228-6400. $ 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 PEKING CITY EXPRESS 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 8910388. A lot of familiar items on the menu here, but those in the know ask for a Chinese menu, and order the dumplings or the xiao long bao (steam bun with meat filling). Dishes are handsomely presented, and servings are large. $$ L D QUICK WOK 801 W. Broadway, 584-6519. $ 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. $LD 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 hp WEI WEI CHINESE EXPRESS 526 S. Fifth St., 889-0827. $LD YANG KEE NOODLE 13301 Shelbyville Rd., 245-9264.

This locally owned and operated colorful and stylish fastcasual restaurant offers an intriguing array of appealing noodle and rice dishes from all over Asia with fast-food efficiency and prices happily matched by sit-down restaurant quality and style. $ L D f YEN CHING 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ L D YOKI BUFFET 1700 Alliant Ave., 267-2277. A Chinese food-oriented buffet, with sushi as well, offers more options near the Jeffersontown Industrial Park along the Blankenbaker Rd. corridor. $$ L D YOU-A CARRY OUT-A 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 282-8881, 621 S. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 2461788. $ L D YUMMY CHINA 6445 Bardstown Rd., 231-0393. $ L D h

NEW CHINA 231 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-9299. $ 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

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

AJI SUSHI AND ASIAN CUISINE 5610 Outer Loop, 205-2477. 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 www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019

71

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 72

tempura, as well as a large variety of raw and cooked sushi preparations. $ L D p

chefs who can be relied on to fashion fresh and tasty bites that are just about certain to please. $$$ L D p

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 hp

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 Dh

ASAHI JAPANESE 3701 Lexington Rd., 895-1130. This small room in St. Matthews houses this neighborhood sushi spot where award-winning Chef Yong Bong Tak, formerly of Osaka, works his magic at the sushi bar. $ L D CHOI’S ASIAN FOOD MARKET 607 Lyndon Ln., 4264441. This suburban Asian grocery now serves hot table fare to enjoy while shopping. $ L D DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER 1126 Bardstown Rd., 632-2444, 129 W. Market St., New Albany IN, 7258600. Owner Toki Masubuchi’s eclectic and somewhat funky menu builds on traditional Japanese ingredients with unexpected twists: pizza topped with sashimi, and tacos filled with avocado tempura. $ L D hpf FUJI ASIAN BISTRO 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-0488. $$LD p FUJI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 3576 Springhurst Blvd., 339-1978. Part of the fun of sitting at the sushi bar is that you get to watch the chef at work. Put in your order, then sit back and sip your tea while the artist creates edible delights. This suburban sushi bar does the job well. $$ L D hp GINZA ASIAN BISTRO 9420 Shelbyville Rd., 749-8878.

A one-stop 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. $$ L D hp HEART & SOY 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6678. To the left is Roots, a sit-down restaurant. To the right is Heart & Soy, serving vegetarian “street food,” and entertaining passers-by with a glass-walled tofu-making room. Stateof-the-art equipment from Taiwan transforms organic soy beans from Ohio into soy milk and then coagulates and presses it into tofu as you watch. $ L D HIKO A MON SUSHI BAR 1115 Herr Ln., 365-1651, 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 625-3090. Japanese-trained chef Norihiko Nakanashi brings his skills to this sushi bar and Japanese grill in Westport Village. In addition to fine dining at the bar or in traditional Japanese dining rooms, Hiko A Mon offers sushi-grade fish from a small fish market. A second location takes over the downtown space from the former Caviar. $$$ L D hp IKEBANA 2901 Brownsboro Rd., 384-7284. This Crescent Hill space, site of the original Shariat’s and later Red Pepper Chinese, has been vacant for a while, but is now serving a range of Japanese fare, from hibachi grilled items to yakitori to a wide range of sushi rolls, including vegetarian options and sweet dessert rolls. $$ L D p KAI LANA SUSHI 6435 Bardstown Rd., 614-7244. Fern Creek gets its own sushi bar, with generous rolls priced competitively — nothing over $12. Four levels of 13piece, mix and match lunch specials, as well as rice, noodles and salads. $$ L D h KANSAI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 218-9538, 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 618-1870. 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 hp KOBE JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 301 S. Indiana Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 280-8500. Southern Indiana’s first serious Japanese restaurant has been drawing crowds with its exceptional sushi bar, with skilled and friendly

72 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

MISAWA HIBACHI & SUSHI BAR 7931 Bardstown Rd., 290-1780 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. $$ LDp MT. FUJI 309 Cardinal Blvd., 637-5887. The quick-eating strip on the north side of U of L’s campus needed a Japanese place to satisfy students’ sushi cravings. The menu also has tempura and Japanese noodles. $ L D p OISHII SUSHI 2810 Taylorsville Rd., 365-3474. This small, attractive and popular sushi spot serves all the popular maki and nigri near Bowman Field. $$ L D h 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 INOCHI 2009 Highland Ave., 785-4199. Coowners Jonathan Chiu and Jonathan Ham have extensive restaurant backgrounds — Chui’s parents own the historic Oriental House — and the confidence to make a go of a location that has seen lots of turnover. The short menu offers ramen bowls and appetizers such as gyoza, edamame and pork belly buns. $$ D hpf ROOTS 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6688. Veteran restaurateur Coco Tran looks to seduce the vegan/ vegetarian world of the Highlands with this crisp, elegant room. Eat at tables in the front, enjoy smoothies and tea at the bar, or snuggle down in a Japanese pit table in the back. Choose from an international selection of small plates. $ L D SAKE BLUE JAPANESE BISTRO 9326 Cedar Center Way, 708-1500. This Fern Creek restaurant brings the “full-service” Japanese restaurant experience to the southeast part of Louisville Metro. Look for hibachi grill tables and a sushi bar, along with a traditional dining room and cocktail bar. $$ L D hp 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

hp

SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 9026 Taylorsville Rd., 499-5700, 4110 Hampton Lake Way, 394-0123.

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. $$$ L D hp STAR SUSHI 2781 Jefferson Centre Way, Jeffersonville IN, 725-8444. Jeffersonville joins the sushi craze with its own source of yellowtail rolls, sashimi and nigiri, which is drawing fans for the freshness and flavor of its offerings, and its very fair price point. $$ 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 fiveseat 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. $$ L D TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-7171. It’s appealing, pleasant in atmosphere and friendly in service, and most important, this East End sushi bar serves excellent Japanese treats, prepared with care and flair from high-quality, impeccably fresh ingredients. $$ 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. $$ L D p TSUBAKI SUSHI & BAR 13823 English Villa Dr., 2448896. A new addition to Jasmine, many people’s favorite Chinese restaurant in town. Look for both raw and cooked two-piece nigiri and three-piece Sashimi, a variety of vegetable rolls and deep fried rolls, and special rolls almost beyond counting. $$ L D p WILD GINGER SUSHI & FUSION 1700 Bardstown Rd., 384-9252. 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 hp

CHARIM KOREAN RESTAURANT 4123 Oechsli Ave., 290-8900. “Charim” can be rendered as “the table is set.”

In this case with home-style Korean food, including nokdu jeon, a pancake with mung beans and kim chee — house-made kim chee at that. This modest St. Matthews place quickly became a hit, especially for the banchan, the assortment of sides that come with each entrée. $ L D 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

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:18 AM Page 73

Phos, of course, and Bahn mis, and rich Vietnamese coffee. $$ L D

LEE’S KOREAN RESTAURANT 1941 Bishop Ln., 4569714. 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 h

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

RICE BOWL 3114 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 5906786. 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

CAFÉ MIMOSA 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259. Owner Phat Le, serving his Vietnamese, Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to happy regulars, might finally wean Louisvillians from referring to his building as the former Lentini’s. $ L D hp

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 dakkangjung. Bubble tea is back, too. $ 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

BOUDREAUX’S CAJUN COOKING 1816 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

CHIK'N & MI 2319 Brownsboro Rd., 890-5731. Fried chicken meets Asian noodles in the lower Brownsboro space that has seen lots of other ethnic choices. The menu starts with fried chicken tossed in sauces such as sweet soy, hot, extra hot, and peppercorn ranch. Starters include assorted pickles, salads, fried calamari, and pork belly steam buns. Also pho and ramen dishes and shareable sides: fries, bok choy and kimchi mac and cheese. $$ Br D p

COUVILLION 1318 McHenry St., 365-1813. The name of Chef Paul Skulas’s Germantown restaurant, refers to the rich Cajun-style tomato-based roux broth that is the basis of his signature catfish dish. The menu features traditional Southern flavors and cooking styles of Mississippi and Louisiana. $$$ L D pf

MAI’S THAI RESTAURANT 1411 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville 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 SALA THAI 8125 Bardstown Rd., 231-1992, 10403 Glenmary Farm Dr., 493-3944. This entry on the growing list of Thai restaurants is gaining fans, partly because it is vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. $$ L D SIMPLY THAI 323 Wallace Ave., 899-9670, 12003 Shelbyville Rd, 690-8344. Owner Mahn Saing and his wife, a classically trained Thai chef, are pleasing diners in St. Matthews and Middletown. Their menu of traditional Thai dishes, well-made sushi and a few upscale Thaistyle “fusion” dinner items use many ingredients from their small home garden. $$ L D f TANTHAI RESTAURANT 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 948-2012. It’s in a strip mall, but the folks who run Tan Thai 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 CAFÉ 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 425-4815. You’ll find this small café tucked into a corner of the “Holiday Manor Walk.” Owner Chavantee Snow and her family offer a small but well-prepared selection of authentic Thai dishes at very reasonable prices. $ L D f 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

Á-CHÂU RESTAURANT 5103 S. Third St., 364-4262.

This Beechmont arrival (pronounced “Ah Chow”), proclaims “Vietnamese Street Food” in a banner over the front door of what long was Thornberry’s Deli. The menu includes noodles and soups, Vietnamese egg rolls, bánh mi, curry dishes, fresh coconut or sugar cane juice, sweet Thai iced tea and hot or cold Vietnamese coffee. $$ LD

EATZ VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT 974 Barret Ave., 785-4550. Another newcomer to the string of shotgun houses along Barret that provide a lead-in to the Paris Pointe development. Pho and Bahn mi sandwiches, of course, but also other noodle dishes, a bento box and crispy tofu in chili sauce. $$ L D pf LA QUE 1019 Bardstown Rd., 238-3981. La Que provides the lower Highlands with a dependable, economical Vietnamese menu that includes some dishes from other Asian cuisines. $$ L D hf LEMONGRASS RESTAURANT 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 244-7110, 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 h 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 NGON APPÉTIT 1991 Brownsboro Rd., 822-3377.

"Ngon" means delicious in Vietnamese, and the name reflects the French-Vietnamese culinary scope of this new enterprise from the owners of the now-defunct Four Sisters restaurant. Look for authentic Pho Bac (Northern style Vietnamese pho), crepes and bánh mi sandwiches. $LD 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 h 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.

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

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 h

FLAVOUR 1767 Bardstown Rd., 409-6968. This Highlands space that was Asiatique has been quickly appropriated for Flavour, which features Caribbean, Creole and Southern cuisine. The menu ranges from conch fritters and Caribbean-spiced chicken pattie to fried catfish and ribs to crawfish etouffée, jerk chicken and Trinidadian oxtail stew.

J. GUMBO’S 8603 Citadel Way, 493-4720, 103 Quartermaster Crt., Jeffersonville IN, 282-7823, 1616 Grinstead Dr., 873-5006, 2109 Frankfort Ave., 8964046. 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 SEAFOOD LADY 105 W. Oak St., 210-9381, 3207 Fern Valley Rd., 907-5251. It began as a food truck, but owner Nichelle Thurston has expanded into two stores.

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 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. $$ Br L D hpf STORMING CRAB 1360 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 590-3773. Seafood boil combos are the draw here, served at market price and by the pound. Several flavors (crab house Cajun, garlic butter or plain) and spice levels to take home or dump on the paper-covered tables to eat as it should be eaten. Other seafood dishes available plus Cajun items, like gumbo and crawfish etoufée. $$$ L D

hp

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 h EL SABOR DE CUBA 7200 Preston Hwy., 618-2181. The flavors of Cuba can be found here on an ambitious menu of appetizers (tamales, croquetas and tostones), pizzas (including those topped with tuna or shrimp), Cubano (and other) sandwiches, and chicken, beef,

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 73

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 74

GALAN’S MEAT MARKET & GRILLE 2300 W. Market St., 614-8514. Carlos Galan, who has made a mark with his butcher shop in Portland, has opened another enterprise, in a former bank. His family-oriented restaurant, which has a Cuban/Puerto Rican/Caribbean menu focus, also has a meat market on site. Order breakfast, lunch or dinner inside, or from the drivethrough. $ B L D f HABANA BLUES TAPAS RESTAURANT 320 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 944-9760. Owner Leo Lopez has rebooted his restaurant concept in a former bank (the safe is still there, behind the bar) and installed in the front of the restaurant is a recreation of the raft he built to emigrate from Castro’s Cuba when he was 18. Cubanstyle tapas on the menu, also a half-dozen bocaditos (sandwiches) and a few dinner dishes such as paella Valenciana and arroz con pollo. Live music most nights — tango, flamenco and salsa. $$ L D pfe HAVANA BAKERY CAFÉ 5510 Fern Valley Rd., 5093410. This Cuban spot offers sweets and savories: tres leches cake, coquitos (coconut-caramel rolls) and flan; sandwiches or meat and fish combos (ropa vieja, albondigas, pechuga de pollo). $$ L D HAVANA RUMBA 4115 Oechsli Ave., 897-1959, 12003 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5375. A true taste of Old Havana can be found at both locations of 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. $$ L D p f HAVANA RUMBA & TAPAS BAR 2210 Bardstown Rd., 749-4600. The Havana Rumba family brings Cuban food to the Douglass Loop, and adds a large selection of Spanish tapas as well. Fans have also spoken reverently of the mojitos and other cocktails in the stylish bar. $ L D hpfe MI SUEÑO 3425 Bardstown Rd., 709-4526, 4214 Bishop Ln., 458-1050. This honest little bodega and hot table restaurant serving Latin groceries and a variety of Cubancentric Latin dishes was, as the name translates, the owner’s dream. It was a successful dream, in that there are now two locations, both offering solid ethnic fare at affordable big-city ethnic eatery prices. $ B L D NAILA’S CARIBBEAN 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville, IN 725-0399. This little place, tucked behind Storming Crab, serves island fare like jerk wings with plantain chips, as well as Indian-inspired items like curries, and when available Trini fried whole fish. $$ L D ROOF TOP GRILL 708 Louis Coleman Jr. Dr., 785-4069, 414 W. Oak St., 618-2287. This West End 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), 451-9020. 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. $$$$ D pfe BRASSERIE PROVENCE 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 883-3153. This Provençal-style brasserie serves classical and Southern French specialties, the comfort food enjoyed by owner Guy Genoud in his childhood home of Cannes, France. Dine like the French do on fish and seafood, a variety of meat and fowl, a daily "plat du jour", French cheese and charcuterie, specialty cocktails, draft beer and a large selection of French wine. $$$ L D pf

74 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

EIDERDOWN 983 Goss Ave., 290-2390. The popular Germantown restaurant has re-defined itself as a neighborhood meeting place with an imaginative menu of freshly-made German and American dishes. The menu includes a variety of house-made sausages, schnitzel, rouladen, spätzle and the most extensive German beer selection in town. $$ L D h GASTHAUS 4812 Brownsboro Center, 899-7177. Michael and Annemarie Greipel came here with their five kids in 1993, straight from North Rhine-Westphalia to St. Matthews. Tiny lights twinkle from strands of fake red geraniums. But the hearty German fare — schnitzels, sauerbraten and rouladen with red cabbage and dumplings — is the real thing. $$$ D

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, 3900 Shelbyville Rd., 882-2222. A carefully constructed replica of a modern urban Irish pub, Molly Malone’s, a worthy addition to the city’s eating and drinking scene, has added a second, suburban location. Both are as authentically Irish as the Wearin’ o’ the Green. $$ L D

hpfe

MORE SHENANIGAN’S 4521 Bardstown Rd., 493-3585. $ L D hpfe O'CONNELL'S IRISH PUB 5520 Fern Valley Rd., 9640040. If you are in the mood for an Irish Car Bomb, this is the place. Guinness, too, karaoke nights and a satisfying selection of bar food. $ L D hpe O’SHEA’S TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB 956 Baxter Ave., 589-7373. 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

hpfe

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 Irish-inflected bar food and plenty of sports talk. $$ L D hpfe SHENANIGAN’S IRISH GRILL 1611 Norris Pl., 4543919. Not just a neighborhood tavern (although it’s a fine neighborhood tavern), Irish-accented Shenanigan’s goes an extra step with an estimable selection of memorable burgers. $ L D hpfe THE CELTIC PIG 217 E. Main St., 290-4846. Another food truck has found a home, this one in the Ice House downtown. Owners Sam Bracken and Melissa Ingram offer Celtic favorites with a barbecue and Southern comfort twist. Look for shepherd’s pie and fish and chips, two styles of haggis (traditional and hillbilly), as well as pulled pork and brisket and grilled cheese. $$ L D hp

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

AMICI´ 316 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-3167. Satisfying traditional Tuscan dishes are served in this interesting — and supposedly haunted — Old Louisville building.

Dine inside or on the romantic (and pet-friendly) patio on a lovely summer evening. There’s no extra charge if the ghosts want to share your penne alla Lorenzo or Valpolicella. Later in the spring, a coffee shop is to be added. $$ L D pf ANGIO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 3731 Old Bardstown Rd., 451-5454. This small Buechel eatery attracts a friendly neighborhood crowd with hefty subs and quality pizzas, along with cold beer. $$ L D p AT THE ITALIAN TABLE 2359 Frankfort Ave., 8830211. Chef Gina Stipo has a real osteria in her Crescent Hill house, serving dinners Wednesday through Saturday at two communal dining tables, imported from her former digs in Italy. Book now for later in the spring – both her dinners and Tuesday night hands-on cooking classes fill up fast. $$$ D BAR VETTI 800 S. Fourth St., 883-3331. Ryan Rogers (Feast BBQ, Royals Hot Chicken) and Executive Chef Andrew McCabe have made bar Vetti, in the renovated 800 Building (now 800 City Club Apartments), a musttry spot for their classic Italian cooking using local seasonally available produce and simple preparations. $$ B L D hpf 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. $$$ L D f BISTRO 42 6021 Timber Ridge Dr., 632-2552. Another entry in the dining choices at Prospect Village shopping center. This little family-run place, serving pasta, sandwiches and Italian and American dishes is proud of its 5-cheese 3-meat Bistro lasagna and their 3-hour honey-baked ham, offered at an attractive price. $$ L D

hpfe

BUCA DI BEPPO 2051 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 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 Italian-American restaurants of the 1950s. $$ L D hp CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-2218. Not your ordinary suburban shopping-center franchise eatery. This place dramatically exceeds expectations. From warmed bread dishes with quality olive oil to first-rate Italian-American fare at reasonable prices. $$$ L D hpf CIAO 1201 Payne St., 690-3532. A crisp modern dining space with a menu that is a blend of familiar ItalianAmerican family cuisine and Northern Italian dishes.

Creative takes on Italian regional cuisine include salmon saltimbocca, roast chicken with lemon risotto and eggplant rollini. Unusual pizzas are topped with mushroom and truffle, shrimp scampi and butternut squash. Flavors of monkey bread, a popular appetizer, vary daily. $$ L D hpf COME BACK INN 909 Swan St., 627-1777. Come Back Inn looks pretty much like any other neighborhood saloon. But unlike other neighborhood saloons, this houses a family Italian spot that wouldn’t be out of place in Chicago or Brooklyn. $$ 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

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 75

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. $$$$ Br L D p MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr. 3949797. Now locally owned, Martini’s continues to serve hearty, well-fashioned Italian entrées, pastas and pizzas, a comfortable approximation of a Tuscan trattoria. An open kitchen with wood-fired oven gives a peek at the culinary goings-on. $$$ Br L D hpf MERCATO ITALIANO 10640 Meeting St., 690-3200.

This Italian market and upscale casual restaurant in Norton Commons is under new ownership. Chef/owner Peter Pagano prepares lunch, brunch and dinner.

Customers can buy cheeses, bread, charcuterie, sauces, packaged pastas and prepared meals for take-out in the market section. $$ Br L D p MILANTONI ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1600 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 742-8210. This East End restaurant serves up all you would want in a casual Italian eatery: mozzarella sticks and calamari; subs and Philly cheesesteaks; pizzas and calzones; and a dozen or so different pastas. $$ L D p OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 235 W. Market St., 5811070. 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 hp THE OLIVE GARDEN 1320 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3397190, 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. $$ L D hp PALATUCCI'S ITALIAN AMERICAN RISTORANTE 204 S. Spring St., 618-1049. This upscale Italian restaurant replaces Gary’s on Spring. The name honors Executive Chef Richard Britney’s distant cousin, Giovanni Palatucci, an Italian police officer who was a WWII hero. The classical Italian menu features housemade pastas, and the ambiance encourages a sense of togetherness and belonging, according to Britney. $$$ L D pfe PESTO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 566 S. Fifth St., 5840567. Offices for blocks around empty into this busting Italian eatery for weekday lunches featuring hearty platters of lasagna, zesty salads, red wine and iced tea.

On Saturdays, the kitchen switches over to a special Persian menu. $$ 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 hpfe 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

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

authentic Italian food, served with flair. Now open for lunch and the “disco brunches” are becoming legendary. $$$ Br L D hpf ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL 401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-9220. The Italian-style menu at this casual, Dallas-based family chain includes appetizers, salads, pastas, veal and desserts. Chefs entertain while creating wood-fired pizzas. $$ L D hp 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. $$ D hp SILVIO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 104 Fairfax Ave., 883-6369. Owned by one of the Melillo family, fondly remembered for their NuLu retaurant before NuLu became popular, this St. Matthews spot evokes the classic New Jersey style Italian restaurants of the “Big Night” era: baked pasta dishes, cheese-stuffed rice balls, pasta fagiole, and eggplant Parmesan. $$ L D hp SPAGHETTI SHOP 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 944-5400. Baked pasta dishes, subs, salads and appetizers are prepared while you wait. $ L D STEVE O'S ITALIAN KITCHEN 2230 Frankfort Ave., 822-3370. This family-oriented pizza pub and restaurant has been serving traditional Italian dishes like pizza, lasagna and chicken parmesan, subs and wings for a dozen years or so in La Grange and has now taken over the former Clifton Pizza Co. site for its second location. $$ L D pe

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 75

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 76

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. $$ L D p TUSCANY ITALIAN RESTAURANT 165 Outer Loop, 363-0308. Adding an appetizing option to a stretch of the South End that hasn’t been over-served by restaurants, this good-sized storefront near New Cut Road boasts a Mexican chef who demonstrates an expert’s hand with hearty, red-sauced Italian-American fare at a price that’s right. $$ L D p VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. Chef and coowner 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. $$ B Br L D hpf

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

hpf

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 CHAMLING KITCHEN & BAR 2249 Hikes Ln., 4512100. 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

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. $$ L D hp LOUISVILLE CAFÉ INDIA 12412 Shelbyville Rd., 2536777. Meat dishes are an afterthought at this mostly vegetarian restaurant serving dishes from both North and South India, which also has a substantial selection of vegan dishes. $ L D SHALIMAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-8899. Modern and sleek in appearance, modest in price, this restaurant has become the patriarch of local Indian restaurants. With a substantial lunch buffet and a full range of dinner items, it has built a loyal clientele. $$ 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 h 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.

The former Zeggz's location has been quickly taken over by entrepreneur Purna Veer, who uses Indian vegetables grown on his Oldham County farm. Veer promises that his dishes will not be “watered down,” so be ready for uncommon spice levels. $$ B L D pf TIKKA HOUSE 3930 Chenoweth Sq., 749-4535. Tikka House has garnered positive notice for both its lunch buffet and a la carte dinner service. Diners have praised dishes such as lamb masala with roasted coconut, Tandoori wings, fish pakora, paneer chili, several daal preparations and saag paneer. $$ L D pf

hummus in their sleek new environs. Finish your meal with thick Turkish coffee. $ L D h CASPIAN GRILL PERSIAN BISTRO 2716 Frankfort Ave., 290-6050. Middle Eastern food of an aboveaverage 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 EAT A PITA 2286 Bardstown Rd., 473-7482. Enjoy Mediterranean-Middle Eastern favorites, as well as the addition of a few “American” sandwiches — on fresh pita, of course. $ L D THE FALAFEL HOUSE 1001 Bardstown Rd., 454-4407.

This small Highlands spot is strategically situated to offer quick and affordable sustenance along the BardstownBaxter entertainment strip. Look for the usual Middle Eastern fare in a casual, quick-service setting. $$ L D

hf

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 Df 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, schwarma and fattoush, gyros and hummus and so on. $ L D 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. $$ L D p MAIRA MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 1907 S. Fourth St., 963-5999. Owners of the popular Safier restaurant in Theater Square have opened this U of L location, serving Middle Eastern food such as shawarma, kebab, falafel, hummus, lentil soup and baklava. $ L D f MASALA GRILL 528 S. Fifth St., 562-0202. $ L MIRAGE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 4100 Preston Hwy., 363-7788. Preston Highway’s international restaurant row is enriched by this Middle Eastern eatery, run by the owners of the now-defunct Little Jerusalem. Gyros, hummus, falafel — what one would expect, but done with attention to details and a flair for flavor. $$ L D f

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. $$ LD

4 SEASONS RESTAURANT 8402 Hudson Ln., 749-9969.

Fern Creek boasts the first Bulgarian restaurant in town.

The “Mediterranean” cuisine here ranges from the familiar (gyros and kebabs) to Bulgarian specialties kebapche (grilled meat), banitsa (stuffed bread) and shopska salad with tomatoes, cukes and salty cheese. $$ L D pf

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

AL HAMRA HALAL BUFFET 1250 Bardstown Rd., 3844801. The first (that we know of) halal buffet restaurant has taken over the Asian Buffet at Mid City Mall. Over 50 choices will be on the buffet line, half cold (salads and other mezze) and half hot items. Familiar Near-Eastern foods such as kebabs, kofta and gyros will be available, but also dishes from other Muslim lands: samosas, masalas and lamb shank stew. $$ L D

PITA PIT 434 W. Jefferson St., 450-6077. Pita Pit, an international sandwich chain, offers the expected falafel and gyros, but customers can also choose club sandwiches, chicken Caesars and Philly cheesesteak pitas, salads and breakfast pitas. It’s located in the longempty former J. Gumbo’s spot, at the corner of S. Fifth and Jefferson Streets. $ L D

ALWATAN RESTAURANT 3713 Klondike Ln., 4544406. Classic Arabic dishes home-cooked by friendly people in a cozy environment. That’s the recipe that makes Al Watan a destination for lovers of fine Middle Eastern fare. $ L D

SAFFRON’S 131 W. Market St., 584-7800. An unassuming location downtown, but a most pleasant space inside, with food and service that continues to please regulars and delight visitors. The popular menu items continue to be rack of lamb, roasted duck fesenjoon, salmon and kebabs. $$$ L D pf

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 wellcrafted gyros, chicken shawarma, tabbouleh and

SAFIER MEDITERRANEAN DELI 641 S. Fourth St., 585-1125. You can get standard American fare at this downtown quick-eats 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

HIMALAYAN RESTAURANT 1578 Bardstown Rd., 7081477. Owner Teknath Niraula is Nepalese, but the menu is largely focused on northern Indian cuisine. There are samosas and pakoras, but also momo dumplings, various tandooris, saag, vindaloos and curries, and many wellspiced vegetarian dishes. $$ L D phf KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1277 Bardstown Rd., 473-8765. One of the city’s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh nor expensive, and it produces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ L D hf KATHMANDU KITCHEN AND BAR 3825 Bardstown Rd., 276-1527. Named for the capital city of Nepal,

76 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

PASHA'S MEDITERRANEAN 3904 Bardstown Rd., 4094532. 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 hfe

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 77

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 h SHIRAZ MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 426-9954, 201 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4263440, 3521 Poplar Level Rd., 632-2232, 4614 Chamberlain Ln., 919-9014, 1565 Bardstown Rd., 7490385. 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 TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ 13317 Shelbyville Rd., 244-6222, 106 Fairfax Ave., 212-5373. 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. $$ L D pf YAFA CAFÉ 612 S. Fifth St., 561-0222. This well-respected Middle Eastern lunch spot had gained a fanbase for its hummus, among other dishes, before it succumbed to the expansion of the Kindred development. Now it has re-opened in a prime downtown restaurant lunch space that has seen a number of prior occupants. $$ L D hf ZOE’S KITCHEN 4126 Summit Plaza Dr., 329-8963, 3723 Lexington Rd., 409-8963. 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., 618-0699, 211 S. Fifth St., 654-7131. You will find Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken here and other South American dishes: 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 EL RINCONCITO 4806 Bardstown Rd., 742-9537. This Peruvian restaurant adds to the ethnic choices in Buechel. The happy chicken logo touts the charcoalgrilled chicken, but the menu includes salchipapa (sausage and potatoes), lomo saltado (a beef stew), plantains and Peruvian green rice. $ L D 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. $$ L D h SABOR LATINO 1273 S. Brook St., 276-4954. A welcome addition to Old Louisville is this tiny restaurant serving a “Latin Culinary Mix,” as a sign advertises. The menu offers Cuban sandwiches, patatas bravas, burritos, quesadillas, carne asada, ropa vieja and pollo de vacaciones – a chicken stew. $$ L D f 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

BANDIDO TAQUERIA MEXICANA 423 University Blvd., 996-7788, 901 E. Liberty St. These Mexican places, the

first in a strip mall near U of L, the second next to Falls City Brewing in NuLu, serve California-style tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos and burrito bowls, with a choice of four salsas at the condiment bar. $$ L D CAFÉ AROMA 2020 Brownsboro Rd., 618-3434. This little shop along the lower Brownsboro food corridor touts “a world of flavor with a Mexican flair.” It’s mostly Mexican and really mostly good, according to our friends in the neighborhood. Affordable, casual and filling. $ L D CANCÚN 808 Lyndon Ln., 885-2318. Another Mexican restaurant has taken over the Lyndon-area space that recently was Hay Chi Wa Waa. The extensive menu offers familiar dishes, combination platers, and steak and seafood specialties like carne bandito and tostados de ceviche. $$ L D pf CASA FIESTA 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 423-4604. This Mexican restaurant in the Summit area has impressed diners with its clean, modern ambience and its generous portions for reasonable prices. $ L D pf

tongue (lengua), intestine (tripas) or brain (sesos). $$ L D hp EL MUNDO 2345 Frankfort Ave., 899-9930. This crowded, noisy little Crescent Hill storefront offers creative renditions of Mexican regional specialties that make most diners want to yell “Olé!” The setting may lack the trendy flair of Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago, but the fare mines a similar vein and does so nearly as well. $ L D pf EL NOPAL (22 Locations) These locally owned restaurants have become a growing mini-chain that now numbers twenty, winning popularity on the basis of delicious and inexpensive Mexican fare in comfortable surroundings. $ L D pf EL RIO GRANDE 10001 Forest Green Blvd., 632-2403. A Mexican restaurant has taken over the expansive space that once was Limestone. Patrons report good experiences, with both the food and the service. $$ L D

hp

CHILAKILES OAXACAN BREAKFAST 5600 National Tpk., 632-2000. This family-run spot serves a variety of Mexican dishes from breakfast and brunch through dinner. Some of the Oaxacan specialities are not commonly seen locally, such as tortilla entomotadas, egg and black-bean enfrijoladas or pollo rostizado with a spicy guajillo pepper sauce. $$ B Br L D pf

EL SINALOA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 111 W. Market St., New Albany IN, 590-6489. A small but sincere Mexican restaurant in downtown New Albany. Some usual dishes on the menu – burritos, quesadillas, tacos and tortas – but also things like mulitas (think quesadillas crossed with tostadas) and unusual taco fillings like the Mar y Tierra with shrimp and grilled steak. $ L D

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL 315 S. Fourth St., 5848606, 10333 Westport Rd., 526-5170, 1075 Bardstown Rd., 452-8990, 13303 Shelbyville Rd., 244-7173, 420 S. Hurstbourne Ln., 425-3017. Now with five Louisville 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 Df

EL SOMBRERO 2784 Meijer Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 2850109. 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 p

CITIZEN 7 10715 Meeting St., 690-6390. South American street food joins the dining choices at Norton Commons with this Latin-themed place with a margarita menu at the bar. The dining menu offers small plates such as short rib empanada, mojo pork belly and salads, with entrees such as churrasco and Peruvian-style roast chicken. $$ L D pfe COCONUT BEACH TACOS & CERVEZA 2787 S. Floyd St., 634-2843. The menu here is anchored by bargainpriced tacos created to lure in U of L students from nearby (the place is across from Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium), as well as burritos, empanadas and tortas.

Come the weekend, the huge space is converted into a bar and dance club. $ L D hpf CON HUEVOS 2339 Frankfort Ave., 384-3027, 4938 US42, 384-3744. This popular Mexican breakfast and lunch spot now has a suburban location, too. Expect huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, breakfast-style enchiladas (with eggs, of course), frijoladas, churros, and molletes. Tortas and tacos at lunch as well. $ B Br L 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 MARIACHI 9901 La Grange Rd., 413-5770. Fans of this Mexican restaurant, situated between a bakery and an ethnic grocery, find much to rave about: tacos and burritos made with the bakery’s fresh tortillas, funky authentic fillings, and quick, friendly service. $ 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

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

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 h EL TACO LUCHADOR 938 Baxter Ave., 583-0440, 112 Meridian Ave., 709-5154, 500 W. Jefferson St., 4099254, 5205 New Cut Rd., (Colonial Gardens). With the opening of the Colonial Gardens site and the swift transformation of the downtown Zoe’s, Olé Restaurant Group now has four taquerias that all have diners lined up out the door. Familiar taco names — carnitas, carne asada — get clever riffs in the kitchen. Call it elevated Mexican street food. And do try the fantastic tortas. $ L Dhf EL TARASCO 5425 New Cut Rd., 368-5628, 110 Fairfax Ave., 895-8010, 9901 LaGrange Rd., 326-9373. 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 family-oriented 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. Tex-Mex dishes are fine, but save room for the authentic Mexican seafood specialties. $ L D pf EL VAQUERO 5414 Bardstown Rd., 409-7819. This Ohiobased chain offers a wide range of familiar Mexican dishes for lunch and dinner with a few specialties like Molcajete Ranchero (grilled shrimp, sirloin steak, chicken and Mexican sausage) and Cochinita Pibil (marinated baked pork Yucatan style). $ L D p FIESTA MEXICANA 4507 Bardstown Rd., 491-2922 $ L D

hp

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 77

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 78

FIESTA TIME AMIGOS 8133 Bardstown Rd., 231-2444, 135 S. English Station Rd., 254-7755. These traditional Mexican 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., 425-9144. $ L D p GUACA MOLE 9921 Ormsby Station Rd., 365-4823.

When Fernando Martinez returned to Louisville, he started his remarkable new restaurant blitz with this East End “creative Mexican” restaurant. As the name emphasizes, the menu explores different moles, and the creativity comes with modern twists on classic Mexican dishes. Fans quickly warmed to the food and the up-tothe-minute cocktail program designed by Martinez’s wife Christina. $$ Br L D pe GUSTAVO’S 6051 Timber Ridge Dr., 434-7266. This spot offers “bold Mexican flavors.” Everything you would expect — fajitas, burritos, tacos — but also vegetarian options, house specialties like enchiladas verdes, chimichangas, shrimp tacos and pollo feliz (grilled chicken with chorizo and pineapple). $$ L D pf ISRAEL’S DELICIAS DE MEXICO GOURMET 1515 E. Market 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 back at his original location serving street tacos and Mayan quesadillas. Weekly specials highlight cuisine from various regions of Mexico, including seafood dishes and new desserts. $ L D f

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. $ LDp 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 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 lamb chop barbacoa (a house specialty), 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 hpf 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

KENTUCKY TACO COMPANY 502 Warnock St., 3653349. Once just a food truck, KTC now has a stable base — just a takeout window but with plenty of fans of their Kentucky style tacos: tortillas topped with fried chicken and beer cheese, sloppy joe, braised pork and a vegan style using cauliflower in BBQ sauce. Chimichangas and empanadas, too. $$ L D hf

LAS AMERICAS MEXICAN RESTAURANT 3719 Klondike Ln., 365-2710. This Klondike-area ethnic place is a small Mexican market as well as a restaurant. You will find familiar items like flautas and burritos but also a few specials like mojarra frita (a whole fried fish). $$ L D hp

LA BAMBA 1237 Bardstown Rd., 451-1418. La Bamba boasts of its “burritos as big as your head.” It may be Louisville’s most startling case of an eatery that is more than it appears to be, and that goes for both quality and quantity. Franchised and fast-foodish, it pleasantly surprises with genuine Mexican fare and Latino flair. $ L Dh

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

LA BONITA TIENDA MEXICANA 1999 Brownsboro Rd., 618-0207. This Clifton spot is both a tienda (a sort of Mexican deli) and taqueria, with a small, bright dining space with tables and counter seating looking out onto Brownsboro Road. There you can get tacos, gorditas, sopes, nachos, enchiladas and chilaquiles. $$ L D LA CATRINA MEXICAN KITCHEN 202 E. Elm St., New Albany IN, 725-8264. The owners of Señor Iguanas restaurants have opened this Mexican party food and street food restaurant in the building that Dragon King’s Daughter moved out of. Look for naked and dressed tacos, soups, salads and shareable dishes and seasonal menu updates. $$ L D hpf 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 HACIENDA GUADALAJARA 4132 Outer Loop, 3846427. $$ B L D LA LUPITA 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 285-0083.

Tucked away on the back side of a strip mall, this is a new spot for authentic Mexican food. The usual stuff but also panbazos, tlcoyos, tlayudas and aguachile, all explained and illustrated on the menu. $$ L D hpf LA POPULAR 2521 Seventh St Rd., 636-3688.$LD p

78 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

hf

LONGBOARD'S TACO & TIKI 302 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 924-7510. Ian Hall’s newest restaurant joins his Exchange Pub + Kitchen and Brooklyn and the Butcher in the continuing restaurant efflorescence across the river. A fast-casual concept, Longboard’s serves “chef-inspired” tacos and “tiki-influenced” cocktails in as cool a California beach vibe as can be conjured up in New Albany. Choose from 10 styles of tacos, poke bowls with rice, seafood ceviches, salads, salsas and guacamoles. $$ L D h pf LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 426-3994, 9207 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-2450. Genuine Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a growing immigrant community. With fresh bar and blender offerings, creative appetizers and comfortable seating, Los Aztecas is one of the best, with tasty Mexican dishes good enough to lure us back again and again. $ L D pf 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, quesadillas and menudo. On

Saturdays & Sundays, pozole and cabo de camaron are added. $$ L D h MANGO’S BAR & GRILL 4632 Hendrik Dr., 671-5291, 6201 Dutchmans Ln., 749-6651. The 3 local outlets of this chain of Mexican-American restaurants serve a Latin lunch buffet seven days a week as well as a full dinner menu. You will find burritos, tacos and tamales, but also several steak dishes and Mexican-style desserts. $$ L D 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. $$ L D MEXA TACOS 3701 Lexington Rd., 290-1334, 305 W. Market St. This fast-casual restaurant, now with a second location downtown, features a list of signature steak tacos customizable with house-made salsas, guacamole, peppers and other toppings, such as the special house queso made with poblano peppers. Owner Lorena CasasOstos is a steak taco purist, but she offers fish, shrimp and pork pastor too. $$ 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 h MI CASITA PARRILLA MEXICANA 520 S. Fourth St., 315-0666, 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 890-3315.

Enthusiastic fans of the restaurant formerly known as Mi Cocina will find the same quick and efficient lunch service and dishes executed with skill at both locations, under the new name change. The margaritas at Happy Hour are notable, and the East End location has added Sunday hours. $$ L D hpf MI TIERRA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 742-9142, 2610 Chamberlain Ln., 384-3101. These two clean, well-lighted places in the East End serve up familiar Mexican food – fajitas, tacos, carne asada – in a friendly, efficient atmosphere that is drawing raves from its local fans. $ L D hpf MIGO 2222 Dundee Rd., 882-3279. Tacos, imaginatively conceived by Adam Burress and Chase Mucerino are the focus of this popular Highlands restaurant. The ambiance is laid-back casual, and the flavor influences come from Brazil, Argentina and even Korea. Co-owner and bar manager Gerald Dickerson has worked up a notable bar and cocktail program as well. $$ D hpfe 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. $$ D h OLE FRIJOLE 5612 Bardstown Rd., 822-3388. After a bit of a hike out Bardstown Rd., you will find oversized margaritas, well-priced, nicely made familiar Mexican food, and a welcoming atmosphere. The customize-yourguacamole bar is a popular feature. $$ L D p PIÑA FIESTA REAL MEXICAN GRILL 7895 Dixie Hwy., 995-6775. 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 (17 locations). This chain operation extends from Louisville to Frankfort and Lexington. Fast-foodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors on variety and interesting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can afford. $ L D f

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 79

RAMIRO’S CANTINA 2350 Frankfort Ave., 895-3333.

Ramiro Gandara’s Mexican restaurant in the heart of Crescent Hill’s restaurant row has his mom, Tina Ruton Escajeda, in control in the kitchen. Together they deliver some unique menu items, such as enchiladas verdes, lobster quesadilla, guacamole burger, and shrimp fajitas. And don’t forget Tina’s specialty: scratch-made tamales. Vegetarian choices too, and a full bar. $ L D hpf RAMIRO’S CANTINA EXPRESS 253 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 924-7770. Long-time restaurateur Ramiro Gandara’s second restaurant, a quick-casual version of his Frankfort Ave. spot, is now serving in Jeffersonville. Order at the counter, grab and go, or sit down and enjoy. Ramiro features his favorites: burritos, chicken bowls, nachos, tortas and tacos. A full bar, too. $ 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. $LD SEÑOR IGUANA’S (5 locations) This expanding local chain is going upscale, with re-designed crisp modern decor, well-prepared Mexican food, and plenty of it, in a casual, comfortable modern atmosphere. $ L D hpfe 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 hpf

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 hpf TACO CITY LOUISVILLE 1283 Bardstown Rd., 4099454. Tucked in between the Time & Space bar and the Joy Luck restaurant, this new Mexican place — run by three Mexico natives — serves 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 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 LA MEXICANA 6201 Preston Hwy., 9694449. 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 VICTORIA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2918 Hikes Ln., 709-5178. $ L D YELLOW CACTUS 3620 Paoli Pk., Floyds Knobs IN, 9030313. A yellow neon cactus draws diners to this Indiana restaurant that offers standard Mexican cantina fare, as well as steak and chicken in both American and Mexican styles, and a few seafood dishes. $ L D hp

CHUY’S 104 Oxmoor Ct., 327-3033, 1440 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-2489. The Austin, Texas “unchain,”

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

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 hpf MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 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. $ LD SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 285 N. Hubbards Ln., 897-5323, 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 (14 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 hp

410 BAKERY 140 E. Main St., New Albany, IN 946-9410.

Owner and baker Emily Butts attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and at her artisan bakery in downtown New Albany, she creates breads (with special items on Saturdays), high-end

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 79

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 80

pastries (which change daily), coffee and espresso drinks, sandwiches for lunch and macarons. $ B L ADRIENNE & CO. BAKERY CAFÉ 129 W. Court Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 282-2665, 133 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 949-2334. 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 one of these cozy Southern Indiana spots, 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. $ THE ARCTIC SCOOP 841 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4096602. Flash-freezing by liquid nitrogen produces super smooth and creamy ice cream, the owners of this family run shop assert. Choose your flavor combinations, and watch it all come together in front of your eyes. $ h ART EATABLES 631 S. Fourth St., 589-0210, 819 W. Main St. This chocolatier focuses on bourbon-infused and bourbon-themed candies and chocolate sold by the order or in shops featuring other bourbon-centric gifts.

The small-batch bourbon truffle takes the bourbon ball to a new level. $ 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 BREADWORKS 3628 Brownsboro Rd., 893-3200, 2204 Dundee Rd., 452-1510, 11800 Shelbyville Rd., 2542885. $ B CELLAR DOOR CHOCOLATES 1201 Story Ave., 5612940, 601 S. Fourth St., 294-3496. Erika ChavezGraziano still makes her chocolate confections at her artsy shop in the Butchertown Market building on Story Ave., but now has a large, elegant downtown space in the Hilton Garden Inn building. $ 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 THE COMFY COW 1301 Herr Ln., 425-4979, 2223 Frankfort Ave., 409-4616, 339 W. Cardinal Blvd., 4095090, 1449 Bardstown Rd., 365-2853, 1450 Veteran’s Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 725-7358, 13301 Shelbyville Rd., 883-4131, 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

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 DIVINE TREATS 1404 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN. 5901470. This Southern Indiana bakery and café provides cakes cookies and other treats. $ B L EHRLER'S ICE CREAM 201 E. Main St., 749-2236.

Louisville’s iconic ice cream shop returns after a long hiatus. Good locally made ice cream and nostalgia for the ice cream treats of childhood will be the main draws. $

f FLORA KITCHENETTE 1004 Barret Ave., 742-3843. This Germantown bakery offers vegan and non-allergenic pastries and baked goods. Selections include cake donuts, toaster tarts, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, granola and macarons. $ B Br L f GELATO GILBERTO 9434 Norton Commons Blvd., 4237751. 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 store draws fans out to Norton Commons, though owners can often be found scooping cones and cups at special events. Their store menu includes pies and crepes as well. $ h GIGI’S CUPCAKES 1977 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4994998, 10538 Fischer Park Dr., 426-2113. This Tennessee-based chain now has two shops in Louisville, offering a changing selection of high-end cupcakes in designer flavors — Bailey’s Irish cream, apple spice, coconut snowball, and so on. $ HALF PEACH CAFÉ 4121 Oechsli Ave., 742-7839. This vegan café joins the dining options behind the old Sears building in St. Matthews. Menu choices include mushroom drumsticks, pan-fried dumplings, veggie burgers, wraps and falafel, salads and soups, gluten-free baked goods and smoothies. $$ 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. $ HI-FIVE DOUGHNUTS 1011 E. Main St., 409-5584.

Owners Annie Harlow and Leslie Wilson started with a food truck, and now are among the pioneer businesses in the Butcher Block on E. Main St. Customers can create their own with a choice of glazes and toppings or choose house favorites like Kentucky Fried Buttermilk Chicken Doughnut, Bourbon Caramel with Bacon, or Sugah Doughnut. $ B L HOMEMADE ICE CREAM & PIE KITCHEN 2525 Bardstown Rd., 459-8184, 3737 Lexington Rd., 8933303, 3521 Springhurst Commons Dr., 326-8990, 12531 Shelbyville Rd., 245-7031, 5606 Bardstown Rd., 239-3880, 3113 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 590-3580, 9561 Hwy. 42, 614-8202, 4810 Dixie Hwy., 409-6100. $ L D hf

DALAT’S GATEAUX & BAKERY 6915 Southside Dr., 368-9280. It’s a French bakery, run by a Vietnamese family, which makes perfect sense. Order French pastry, cakes and cookies as well as Vietnamese specialties.

Savory choices, such as pork pate wrapped in choux pastry are also available. $

HONEY CREME DONUT SHOP 514 Vincennes St., New Albany IN, 945-2150. Off the beaten track, this downhomey 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

DESSERTS BY HELEN 3500 Frankfort Ave., 451-7151.

Helen Friedman has earned a loyal clientele since the 1970s with her elegant cakes, tempting pies and tortes and designer cookies. $$

JASMIN BAKERY 2201 Steier Ln., 458-0013. This “European-style” bakery offers an eclectic menu of Eastern Mediterranean fare, such as gyros and baklava, as well as breads. $ B L D f

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,

JEFF'S BAKERY 5420 IN-62, Jeffersonville IN, 283-3636, 4430 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN. Donuts are the draw here at these two Southern Indiana bakeries. Jeff concocts 40 variations, some large enough to be shared

80 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

with the whole office. The Jeffersonville location is open 24 hrs. $ B L D h 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 L'BADS ICE CREAM PARLOR 2606 W. Market St., 8027519. In addition to ice cream treats, this West End business serves breakfast items like fried egg and cheese sandwiches, French toast and waffles, and sandwiches and pizza for lunch. $ B L D h f LIÈGE & DAIRY ICE CREAM + WAFFLES 2212 Holiday Manor Ctr., 791-7991, 12003 Shelbyville Rd. The East End and Middletown enjoy this shop’s locally roasted coffee and in-house crafted ice cream. Made with local honey, sorghum molasses, fruits, and non-GMO cream, Liège uses a process that creates a denser ice cream. $ L D h LOUISVILLE CREAM 632 E. Market St., 882-1516. After three years as an off-the-radar caterer and pop-up seller of premium ice creams, Louisville Cream has settled down in NuLu. Co-founder Darryl Goodner offers eight standard flavors (including Camp Marshmallow, Brown Sugar Brie and Hot Fuzz, roasted peaches with charred jalapenos) and four flavors in rotation, as well as apple pies, bourbon chocolate pies and a third ever-changing pie. $ L D LUEBERRY ACAI & SUPERFOODS 808 E. Market St., 742-0640. This café serves açai bowls topped with things like goji berries, banana, chia, strawberries and coconut.

Smoothies and other healthful options also available. $$ BLD 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 NO BAKED COOKIE DOUGH 805 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 708-2656. The eggless cookie dough is scooped into cones or cups, and toppings can be added. Like an ice cream shop — only….with cookie dough. $ L D h 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 NORTH LIME DONUTS 1228 S. Seventh St., 398-5739.

This Lexington-based bakery has renovated a 19thcentury factory building into a warm and inviting space to eat their made-on-premises donuts on the western edge of Old Louisville. Some of their unusual flavors: blueberry cheesecake, French toast and pumpkin cream cheese. $ B Lf PANCHITOS ICE CREAM 8112 Preston Hwy, 890-3935, 2245 Bardstown Rd., 749-2375. 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 PEARL STREET TREATS 301 Pearl St., Jeffersonville IN. 288-8850. 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. $LD 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

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

Guide_Summer19_Ed-final.qxp_Guide_MASTER_FirstEdit_Summer08_Robin02.qxd 5/30/19 7:19 AM Page 81

cream while you wait for your hand-decorated birthday cake, breakfast rolls or colorful cookies to be boxed. $ B

THE FUDGERY 416 S Fourth St.(Fourth Street Live), 4097484.$

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

WILLIAM’S BAKERY 1051 N. Clark Blvd., Clarksville IN, 284-2867. $ B

MCQUIXOTE BOOKS & COFFEE 1512 Portland Ave., 530-9658. Located in the sprawling Tim Faulkner Gallery, itself a hipster arts hub, this bookstore also has a coffee shop-café that serves higher-end coffee and teas, a selection of sandwiches, pastries and house-made vegan ice cream. $ B L D

BEAN 1138 Goss Ave., 785-4079. $ B L

RAWNAISSANCE DESSERTS 1759 Bardstown Rd., 4243638. 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. $ LD

BEAN STREET CAFÉ 101 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-1404. Bean Street introduced the Sunny Side to the joys of serious espresso. Like all good coffee shops, they’re not just an eatery, but a cultural hangout. $

NTABA COFFEE HAUS 2407 Brownsboro Rd., 871-5082.

It is always fun to see former chain restaurant buildings repurposed. The one-time Pizza Hut in Clifton is now a purveyor of African-sourced coffees and teas. $ B L

SCARLET'S BAKERY 741 E. Oak St., 290-7112, 200 S. Fifth St., (First Trust Center) 290-7112, 106 Fairfax Ave., 290-7112. This nonprofit employs exploited and trafficked women, giving them new skills and confidence in the future. Owner Rachelle Starr works with graduates of Sullivan U.’s pastry program to teach the skills to make macarons, cookies, cinnamon rolls and muffins, and to interact positively with the public. The menu also includes lunch items: Greek salad, soup of the day, grilled cheese, BLT and grilled chicken pesto sandwich. $BL 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 STATE DONUTS 12907 Factory Ln., 409-8825. $ STEEL CITY POPS 1021 Bardstown Rd., 324-1008, 117 St. Matthews Ave., 473-5350. This Alabama-based chain bills itself as a “gourmet healthy popsicle business,” with its cooling treats made from certified organic ingredients with no artificial flavors or colors. $ L D h SUGAR AND SPICE DONUT SHOP 5613 Bardstown Rd., 231-1411. This Fern Creek bakery has loads of loyal fans, who often buy out their favorite donut by midmorning. Coffee to go too, of course, and even little halfpints of chocolate milk. $ B SWEET FROG 1401 Veterans Parkway Ct., Clarksville IN, 725-7765. The hook here is a wall of live-culture selfserve yogurt dispensers. A toppings bar includes sprinkles, chocolate and butterscotch sauces, graham crackers — and on and on. $ B SWEET STUFF BAKERY 323 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 948-2507. This long-time southern Indiana homestyle 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 SWEET SURRENDER 1804 Frankfort Ave., 899-2008.

Sweet Surrender, with Jessica Haskell at the helm, has returned to its original Clifton neighborhood to provide elegant desserts. $$ h f SWEETS BY MORGAN 533 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN. 644-4276. 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 BAKERY 3100 Bardstown Rd., 452-1210. Not just a fine bakery but a place where bakers learn their business, this excellent establishment is part of the culinary program at Sullivan University. It’s hard to beat the quality breads and pastries offered here to eat in or carry out. $

BLACKBEARD ESPRESSO 718 W. Main St., 618-0004.

Former food truck Blackbeard Espresso now has a Main St. storefront, taking over from 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 COFFEE CROSSING 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 981-2633. $ f THE COFFEE ZONE 1301 Herr Ln. (Westport Village), 785-4676. North Carolinian transplant Craig Bishop has established a beachhead in Louisville. In his Westport Village store he features bakery items, such as pastries, and assorted sandwiches along with good java. $ 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. $ h f

PLEASE & THANK YOU 800 E. Market St., 553-0113, 2341 Frankfort Ave., 432-8614, 252 E. Market St., 9386423. The quick success of their NuLu coffee house that serves breakfast, lunch, and an eclectic selection of vinyl records, led to expansion into Crescent Hill and most recently another store on Market Street closer to downtown. $ B L f QUILL’S COFFEE SHOP 930 Baxter Ave., 742-6129, 327 W. Cardinal Blvd., 690-5553, 137 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 590-3426, 802 E. Main St., 473-5379, 117 St. Matthews Ave., 242-8608. Fans of this local purveyor of excellent coffee and provider of amenable working spaces can find their caffeine fix and wi-fi hotspot at any of the four locations. $ pf RED HOT ROASTERS 1399 Lexington Rd., 569-0000, 1007 E. Main St. The original drive-through joint moved across Lexington Rd. to larger quarters, and now an actual sit-and-sip coffeehouse has opened in the Butcher Block development on Main St. Owner Sondra Powell houses the business’s roasting operations there and has expanded food offerings along with indoor and outdoor café seating. $

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

SAFAI COFFEE 1707 Bardstown Rd., 384-3555. This casual spot boasts the ambience of a friendly oldfashioned book shop, with comfortable seating, housemade crepes, and roasted-on-site coffee. $ B L f

HEINE BROTHERS’ COFFEE (16 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. $ h fe

STARLIGHT COFFEE CO. 3131 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 542-1522. This sister outlet to Bean Street Coffee also produces high quality joe to those on the upper fringes of New Albany. In both you can find all the popular varieties of coffee and chai, as well as baked goods from Adrienne’s in Jeffersonville. $ f

HIGHLAND COFFEE CO. 1140 Bardstown Rd., 4514545. Offering two ways to get wired, this cozy neighborhood coffee 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 HIGHVIEW ICE CREAM & COFFEE 7525 Outer Loop, 618-3809. This suburban oasis offers coffee and specialty coffee drinks made from Sunergos beans and serves locally-made Bernoulli Small Batch Ice Cream. $ B LDh KOLKIN COFFEE 2736 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 920-0593. 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., 365-2516. Teas of all sorts, pastries and cookies make for a perfect morning snack the English call “elevenses.” $ B L M+A+F GALLERY & CAFÉ 976 Barret Ave., 558-3031.

Both an art gallery and coffee house, M+A+F has positioned itself as a quiet and esthetically pleasing spot for a vegetarian & vegan friendly lunch or a quick coffee and cinnamon roll, all made in-house. $

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

SISTER BEAN’S 5225 New Cut Rd., 364-0082. $ f STARBUCKS COFFEE (40+ locations) $ f

SUNERGOS COFFEE 2122 S. Preston St., 634-1243, 306 W. Woodlawn Ave., 368-2820, 231 S. Fifth St., 5893222. 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 SWORD & THE SCONE TEA PARLOR & BOUTIQUE 1915 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 907-0018. This tea room in J’town serves a wide variety of teas, tisanes and blooming teas, pastries, sandwiches and salads. Stop by for an afternoon tea, or go all the way with a high tea, just like the Dowager Lady Violet. Available for parties and showers too. $ L D VINT COFFEE 2309 Frankfort Ave., 894-8060, Owned by Heine Bros. this Crescent Hill location is the only one that keeps the name that reflects the concept that all their beverages — coffee, tea, ale and wine — will “have a vintage, an annual release cycle.” $ f WILD DOG ROSE TEA BOUTIQUE 1570 Bardstown Rd., 996-7440. You can find all things New Age at this tea and book shop. In addition to dozens of teas, Wild Dog Rose stocks crystals, essential oils, books and baked goods such as scones, tea-infused truffles and muffins.

Tea sold by the cup, or in bulk, and can be customblended to suit a customer’s preferences. $ B

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019

81

MAP INDEX

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:11 AM Page 82

MAP # DIRECTION DOWNTOWN 1 downtown louisville NEAR EAST 2 highlands – crescent hill NEAR EAST 3 st. matthews SOUTH EAST 4 hikes point – buechel

82 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

PAGE #

84 85 86 87

MAP # DIRECTION EAST 5 hurstbourne – anchorage EAST 6 hurstbourne s. – jeffersontown NORTH EAST 7 indian hills – westport FAR NORTH EAST 8 westport rd. – gene snyder

PAGE #

88 89 90 90

MAP # DIRECTION WEST 9 west louisville NORTH EAST 10 prospect SOUTH EAST 11 fern creek SOUTH WEST 12 shively – pleasure ridge

PAGE #

91

91 91 92

MAP # DIRECTION SOUTH 13 old louisville – airport INDIANA 14 new albany – floyds knobs INDIANA 15 clarksville INDIANA 16 jeffersonville

MAP INDEX

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 83

PAGE #

93 94 95 95

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 83

DOWNTOWN

MAP • 1

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 84

84 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

(NEAR EAST) HIGHLANDS – CRESCENT HILL – CLIFTON

MAP • 2

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 85

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 85

(NEAR EAST) ST. MATTHEWS

MAP • 3

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 86

86 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

(SOUTH EAST) HIKES POINT – BUECHEL

MAP • 4

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 87

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 87

(EAST) LYNDON – HURSTBOURNE – ANCHORAGE – MIDDLETOWN

MAP • 5

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 88

88 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

(EAST) HURSTBOURNE SOUTH – FOREST HILLS – JEFFERSONTOWN

MAP • 6

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 89

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 89

MAP • 8

(FAR NORTH EAST) WESTPORT RD – GENE SNYDER

(NORTH EAST) INDIAN HILLS – WESTPORT

MAP • 7

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 90

90 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

MAP • 11

(SOUTH EAST) FERN CREEK

(NORTH EAST) PROSPECT

MAP • 10

(WEST) WEST LOUISVILLE

MAP • 9

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 91

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 91

(SOUTH WEST) SHIVELY – PLEASURE RIDGE

MAP • 12

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 92

92 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

(SOUTH) OLD LOUISVILLE – AIRPORT

MAP • 13

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 93

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 93

(INDIANA) NEW ALBANY – FLOYDS KNOBS

MAP • 14

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 94

94 Summer 2019 www.foodanddine.com

MAP • 16

(INDIANA) JEFFERSONVILLE

(INDIANA) CLARKSVILLE

MAP • 15

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 95

www.foodanddine.com Summer 2019 95

Maps_Spring19_Ed-final.qxp_p90-104_Maps_sp05.qxd 5/30/19 8:12 AM Page 96

Cover Pages_Summer19_Ed.qxp_Cover_JW03_Spring11 5/29/19 10:55 PM Page 3

Cover Pages_Summer19_Ed.qxp_Cover_JW03_Spring11 5/29/19 10:55 PM Page 4