The food scene in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky is constantly changing and evolving. I try to keep up, but there are just so many incredible places to eat in Louisville.
Since I moved away from my old Kentucky home 10 years ago, many classic Louisville restaurants remain, but many more Louisville restaurants have opened as well and quickly become foodie favorites.
We spent a few weeks exploring Louisville like tourists and discovering everything from the best brunch in Louisville to the best Louisville restaurants for lunch or dinner, where to get dessert in Louisville, and even the best coffee in Louisville.
Yep, that’s right: we have you covered on all 5 major meals: brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, and coffee.
“But what about drinks?” you ask. Surely we didn’t skip out on booze in a city known for a spirit (I’m talking about bourbon, btw). Don’t worry, we didn’t. In fact, we have an entire post dedicated to bourbon, bars & breweries in Louisville!
By the end of this post, we guarantee that you’ll be drooling and booking a trip because Louisville is an incredible destination for foodies!
Here’s what you’ll find in this local’s foodie guide to Louisville, Kentucky.
Psst: Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for a FREE downloadable Google Map of the best places to eat in Louisville!
By the way, did you know that we have a BUNCH of posts about Louisville? It is my hometown, after all! Take a look below at a few of our other Louisville travel guides or browse them all here.
- 50+ Awesome Things to Do in Louisville, KY
- The 27 Best Breweries, Distilleries, & Bars in Louisville, KY
- 15 Perfect Things to Do on a Romantic Getaway to Louisville, KY
You can also check out our website Let’s Go Louisville – dedicated to anything and everything having to do with Louisville! In particular, check out these food and drink guides:
- The 15 Best Coffee Shops in Louisville
- The 19 Best Restaurants for Brunch in Louisville
- The Best Louisville Vegan Restaurants (& What to Order!)
- The Best Burgers in Louisville
- The 11 Best Places to Get Pizza in Louisville
- 9 Places to Get the Best Donuts in Louisville
We also created Louisville Food Tours, where we tell the story of Louisville through food and lead walking tours through Louisville’s most beautiful neighborhoods. Come take a tour with us!
We also have a Podcast episode all about Louisville! Horse races, bourbon, baseball bats, and a…death tunnel? Today we tell the story of Lia’s hometown: Louisville, KY! We trace the history of the city from its frontier origins to the modern-day. Louisville’s history runs deep, and it’s not always pretty. So pour yourself a bourbon and tune in. Unless you’re driving – that’s not cool.
Listen above or just click here to launch your Podcast app! Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.
We’ve also compiled all of our suggestions for where to go, what to do, where to visit, what & where to eat, and what & where to drink (and taste bourbon) into one downloadable PDF Local’s Guide to Louisville. Subscribe below to get the download and save it to your smartphone or tablet to take with you on your trip to Louisville! We’ll also send you our favorite insider tips for visiting.
Louisville Locals: Looking for a day trip or weekend getaway near Louisville?
- Indiana: Indianapolis Weekend Itinerary and The Best Weekend Getaways in Indiana
- Ohio: Self-Guided Tour of Cleveland Breweries
- Tennessee: Nashville Weekend Itinerary and Memphis Weekend Itinerary
Where to Eat in Louisville
Now that you know what to look for on menus in all the best restaurants in Louisville, here’s where to go for the best food in my hometown!
Where to get the Best Brunch in Louisville
Louisville is the best place to get bourbon & brunch. Did y’all get my reference just there? Let me explain it.
So brunch in Louisville always involves bourbon, and there’s an amazing themed speakeasy in my other home, San Francisco, called Bourbon & Branch. I thought it was clever.
Anyway, on to the best brunch in Louisville. There are plenty of places to get brunch in Louisville – as long as it’s the weekend. Go early, because these spots do fill up!
GraleHaus
Part bar, part cafe, part restaurant, part Bed & Breakfast (Really? Oh yes!), GraleHaus really does it all – and does it well.
Brunch highlights include the oyster mushroom crepe, duck hash, and ground lamb with grits.
In addition to delicious brunch food, they serve just about every type of beverage you could want. Kombucha, cold brew, beer, mimosas, etc. are all able to order. They even have unique coffee drinks like Sorghum Cortado or a Lucky Charms Latte!
- GraleHaus: Address: 1001 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, KY (The Highlands)
Con Huevos
You’ll find the best Mexican brunch in Louisville at Con Huevos on Frankfort Avenue. My California husband was skeptical, but Con Huevos nails it.
Their Mexican brunch selection is unique in Louisville. At Con Huevos you’ll find delicious Mexican breakfast staples ranging from chilaquiles to huevos rancheros. My personal favorite is the chipotle poached huevos with homemade buttermilk biscuits, 2 poached eggs, chorizo, chipotle gravy, avocado, and side of fresh fruit. It’s truly some kind of heaven!
But be sure to arrive early – though this place has recently expanded it still fills up quickly!
- Con Huevos | Address: 2339 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY (Clifton)
The Silver Dollar
The Silver Dollar is described as “a re-imaging of a 1950s Bakersfield, California honky tonk,” which is right up our alley since my husband was born in Bakersfield and totally gets the whole Bakersfield-is-the-South-of-California thing. Fun related fact: my darling, SoCal, surfer husband had a curly blonde mullet as a child!
Anyway, now you can visit Southern/Central California right here in Southern/Midwestern Louisville! So grab a copy of the Grapes of Wrath – for historical context – and head to the Silver Dollar for weekend brunch including Biscuits and Gravy, cornmeal pancakes, and chilaquiles. Or go for dinner and try a fried catfish sandwich or cornmeal breaded chicken livers.
True to their Kentucky ties, you’ll also find a huge selection of bourbon and whiskey at Silver Dollar, and they make an excellent Mint Julep – served in a real Mint Julep cup. We ordered one at brunch, of course.
- The Silver Dollar | Address: 1761 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY (Clifton)
Biscuit Belly
Is there anything that says Southern Brunch like a delicious, fluffy buttermilk biscuit?! No. There is not.
At Biscuit Belly in NuLu, you’ll stand in line and order at a quick-service counter – which is helpful because their dining room is PACKED on weekends. Don’t let that throw you like it threw us on our first visit!
Biscuit Belly has 3 different delicious gravies – order a “Gravy Train” to try them all and appreciate the excellent pun – and. awhole bunch of really, ridiculously good biscuit sandwiches. We have yet to dislike a single thing we’ve tried, but our favorite pairs buttermilk chicken with roasted jalapenos, pimento cheese, crunchy pickes, and a fried green tomato.
In addition to incredible biscuit sandwiches, we also recommend Bonuts: biscuit donut holes served with bourbon cream cheese frosting or chocolate gravy.
- Biscuit Belly | Address: 900 E Main St, Louisville, KY (NuLu) (There’s also two other locations)
The Morning Fork
You’ll find another incredible brunch in Louisville at The Morning Fork. Their slogan is “The Ultimate Louisville Brunch Experience” and I mean, they’re not wrong.
The Morning Fork serves up decadent brunch favorites and one-of-a-kind creations. Try the Short Rib Benedict, which has melt-in-your-mouth braised short rib, hash browns, poached medium eggs, béarnaise, and bordelaise. And their French Toast is no regular french toast, no no no. It is made with brioche, and topped with lemon ricotta, Strawberries & Blueberries, because you fancy.
If you really need to fuel try the MF’n Breakfast Sandwich, a sweet and savory treat with over hard fried eggs, crispy candied bacon, avocado, blackberry jam, white cheddar cheese, toasted Hawaiian bread, and fresh fruit.
- The Morning Fork | Address: 1722 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY (Clifton)
- Local Travel Tip: The best way to taste the best food in Louisville is on a food and history walking tour with Louisville Food Tours! Explore the story of Louisville and Kentucky while tasting culinary classics like bourbon balls, biscuits, fried chicken, and - of course - bourbon! Use the code PW10 for 10% off your booking on the website.
Where to Get the Best Lunch in Louisville
There are a ton of delicious lunch spots in Louisville. These are our absolute favorite lunch places to eat in Louisville!
Royal’s Hot Chicken
Feeling some Fried Chicken for lunch? Louisville’s fried chicken scene (and no, I’m not talking about KFC) is front and center at Royal’s Hot Chicken in the heart of NuLu.
Along with the standard chicken tenders and sandwich options – plus a selection of desired spice levels for your fried chicken, and several interesting sauces to pair with your choice – there’s funkier fare: the rotating monthly sandwich during our visit was a play on a Louisville classic, the Hot Brown.
For those looking to drink (duh) there are bourbon milkshakes, a pink lemonade slushie you can add bourbon to and other slushie beverages you won’t find elsewhere in Louisville! Pair your spicy fried chicken with a selection of in-house made sauces and sides.
- Royal’s Hot Chicken | Address: 736 E. Market St. Louisville, KY (NuLu) (Plus two other locations)
Feast BBQ
Listen: Louisville may not be a BBQ capital of the country, but that doesn’t mean we don’t do it well. Hello, we invented pulled pork. Some credit, please?!
The menu at Feast BBQ includes all your favorite cuts of barbeque in different forms (by the pound, on a plate, or on a sandwich), and it’s up to you to decide the sauce and the side that you want. Both the beef brisket and the pulled pork are heavenly.
But what really caught our eye was one of the starters: a pork cake!
Similar to a crab cake, but made from pork, these delicious pork cakes are served with a mouth-watering sorghum syrup and crunchy coleslaw. Pretty sure I licked the plate, honestly. These were the star of the NuLu Food & History tour by Louisville Food Tours!
Feast BBQ is a must-visit lunch spot for anyone searching for the best BBQ in Louisville!
- Feast BBQ | Address: 909 E. Market St. Louisville, KY (NuLu) (Also a location in J-Town)
Corner
Situated in the heart of downtown on Whiskey Row, Corner offers great food and a great patio to eat it on – which a recipe for a fantastic spot for lunch in Louisville in our eyes.
While you’re there, you have to try the Whiskey Row Burger: a multiple napkin type burger complete with maple whiskey glaze, apple bacon jam, and smoked gouda.
- Corner | Address: 102 West Main Street, Louisville, KY(Downtown)
If you’re looking for more burger locations, check out this post on the best burgers in Louisville!
The Fat Lamb
The Fat Lamb touts itself as “creative, upscale comfort food,” and that about hits the nail on the head. While you could get something like a smashed double cheeseburger or a crispy fried chicken sandwich, The Fat Lamb definitely has dishes with a more creative twist.
This is really no surprise as their chef, Dallas McGarity, won an episode of Chopped, where contestants have to turn mystery items into a three-course meal. If he can do that on the spot, just imagine what his dishes are like here!
Try the chili & turmeric roasted cauliflower as an appetizer, which has a savory and smoky flavor from the paprika and pockets of gooey feta. The ricotta gnocchi & lamb ragu is absolutely toothsome with its housemade ricotta dumplings and slow-cooked lamb. For a veggie option, try the cumin black bean falafel with truffle fries for a slight twist on a classic middle eastern dish.
If you’re a bourbon snob, they also have Pappy Van Winkle on the menu, which would make for one hell of a good lunch!
- The Fat Lamb | Address: 2011 Grinstead Dr Louisville, KY (The Highlands)
The Best Louisville Restaurants for Dinner
Looking for a nice place to eat in Louisville with a date (or yourself, because treat yo’self)? Look no further!
These are the best restaurants in Louisville for dinner. Psst: check out this post for our favorite romantic restaurants in Louisville and the best Louisville vegan restaurants.
Jack Fry’s
In 1933, a man by the name of Jack Fry opened this establishment with his wife and named it – you guessed it – Jack Fry’s. Jack Fry was a gambler who loved boxing and horses.
As a result, Jack Fry’s was decked out in sports pictures of the time that still hang there today – alongside pictures of famous visitors to Louisville who stopped to eat in this classic Louisville restaurant.
After closing for some time, and passing ownership, Jack Fry’s moved into high end fare. Today, Chef McClain Brown serves up classic dishes with modern twists, including Lamb Chops, Beef Filet, and the best Shrimp and Grits we’ve ever had (and trust us, we’ve had many). Fun fact: seafood in Louisville is some of the freshest anywhere in the country, thanks to being the national hub of Fed-Ex and UPS. Seafood is shipped to Louisville before anywhere else in the country. So dig in – it’s fresh!
- Jack Fry’s | Address: 1007 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY (The Highlands)
Proof on Main
Proof on Main, the unique restaurant in Louisville’s famous 21C Museum Hotel, is every bit as quirky as its hotel home.
Redecorated regularly with its own series of installations, the restaurant is a museum in its own right. Oh, and the food is magnificent.
Proof is an excellent place for brunch, lunch, and dinner in Louisville.
Dinner options at Proof include the chicken liver mousse, cast iron skilled corn bread, and roasted duck breast. And what is the restaurant decorated like now? I guess you’ll have to visit Proof on Main and find out…
- Proof on Main | Address: 702 W. Main St, Louisville, KY (Downtown)
610 Magnolia
Louisville has a handful of Chefs who are taking the culinary world by storm, and at the forefront is Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia. We about jumped out of our skin with excitement when he appeared on a season of Masterchef (if that tells you anything about us).
At 610 Magnolia in beautiful, historic Old Louisville, you’ll find perfectly plated gastronomic perfection. But the food isn’t your typical fare. Chef Lee aims to put ALL of Louisville – historic and progressive, diverse and complex -on a plate.
His food is an unexpected combination of flavors, culture, and ingredients. During your 4 or 6-course set meal, you might get tempura fried okra or Chawanmuski with fried oysters.
While many of the best restaurants in Louisville feature more typical Southern flavor and flair, 610 Magnolia stands out as a truly diverse option! Just be sure to reserve, like, way in advance.
- 610 Magnolia | Address: 610 Magnolia Ave, Louisville, KY (Old Louisville)
Fork & Barrel
With a name like Fork & Barrel you know it doesn’t get anymore Louisville than this. Fancy food? Check. Bourbon? Check. Seriously, what else could you need in a dinner?!
Fork & Barrel actually now shares the same space as The Morning Fork, so in theory you could have brunch and dinner all in the same place!
Start out with a where the buffalo roam cocktail, with you guessed it, Buffalo Trace bourbon paired with Aperol, honey, and other citrus flavors in this delightfully sweet treat.
For your appetizer, you must try the pimento cheese board with house-made sharp pimento cheese, local country ham, pickled onions and bread. The savory combination of the cheese and the salty ham is seriously droolworthy. Also check out the fried brussel sprout salad with a mustard-sherry-bacon vinaigrette, goat cheese, strawberries, almonds, and a fried egg, which took my obsession with brussel sprouts to a whole new level.
For your entree, you would be remiss to not try the vegetarian ravioli with its house-made caramelized leek & ricotta ravioli, roasted spaghetti squash, brown butter, and romanesco sauce. Even if you’re not a vegetarian, this dish is a savory star worth trying!
- Fork & Barrel | Address: 1722 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY (Clifton)
Where to Get Dessert in Louisville
Let’s be honest: dessert is its own meal. It’s like 11sies, or 4th meal. Yes, we’re aware this is the reason we didn’t lose any weight on our year-long backpacking trip.
Anyway, sometimes when the dessert mood strikes, you have specific cravings: cake, donuts, ice cream, that kind of thing. As sugar-addicted dessert connoisseurs ourselves, we’ve found the best of the best for each of your sugary cravings.
Here’s where to get dessert in Louisville, Kentucky! And um, we’re aware that this is the longest section. We spent most of our time hitting up dessert places to eat in Louisville.
- Psst: Looking for more suggestions? Head over to our Louisville travel blog to read our full guide to the best desserts in Louisville and the best Louisville ice cream shops!
The Best Louisville Ice Cream
The Comfy Cow
Louisville is home to some amazing local ice cream. But my heart belongs to The Comfy Cow , primarily because Comfy Cow has mastered my new favorite flavor: Bourbon Ball! Y’all, it’s just as good as it sounds: it tastes like chocolate and bourbon and bourbon ball cream filling and heaven.
At one of the many Comfy Cow locations in Louisville (including in the airport, for a send-off treat) you’ll find several delectable bourbon and Kentucky themed flavors, which are frequently replaced with new limited-edition flavors.
For example: an Old Fashioned ice cream with bourbon and Angostura bitters; spiced carrot cake with a cream cheese swirl; white chocolate ice cream with a blueberry cobbler swirl; chocolate ice cream with swirls of Bourbon ganache.
Can’t pick? Just get a flight. Yup, they have ice cream flights.
If you really, really love someone, you can ship them a selection of Comfy Cow ice cream, nestled in dry ice, which we happen to know about first-hand because it was one of the best Christmas gifts we’d ever received (major props to my dad for that one).
- The Comfy Cow | Address: There are several locations in Louisville. Find one near you!
Louisville Cream
Roasted peaches. Bourbon smoked pecans. Mascarpone swirled with homemade strawberry jam.
Louisville Cream makes ice cream that sounds like desserts I flip over at a high-end restaurant, topped with baked goods and mix-ins that elevate their cones from “amazing” to “am I dreaming??”
In addition to ridiculous ice cream cones, they also have delicious ice cream floats, made with craft soda like Kentucky’s own Ale8 and Sioux City Cream Soda.
Grab something cold and sweet on a hot day and stroll around NuLu. for the perfect Louisville afternoon pick-me-up.
- Louisville Cream | Address: 632 E Market St #101, Louisville, KY
The Best Pie in Louisville
A Louisville institution, you’ll find Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen sprinkled throughout the city. They’re all serving up exactly what they claim: delicious homemade ice cream… and fantastic pie!
If you’re here at the right time of year, you’ll find Chocolate Pecan Horse Racing Themed Pie (or whatever they’re calling it that definitely isn’t Derby Pie, wink wink). You absolutely must try this classic Louisville dessert.
Other faves? Chocolate cherry pie, Italian Cream Cake, and Chocolate Chess Pie. Yum.
- Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen | Address: There are many Louisville locations! Find one near you.
The Best Cake in Louisville
Sweet Surrender
I’m not exaggerating when I say that Sweet Surrender serves the best cake I’ve ever had. It serves the best cake that most people have ever had.
And there isn’t even a specific kind that I could tell you is my favorite: the selection changes every day, so that the Mocha Concord cake with crunchy chocolate meringue, chocolate ganache, and buttery Mocha French buttercream that you fell in love with one week is replaced with a heavenly Caramel Pound Cake or delicious Raspberry Champagne the next, and perhaps on holidays you’ll find one-day-only special cakes, like Guinness and Bailey’s Chocolate Cake on St. Patrick’s Day.
There isn’t even a printed menu here – the friendly employees simply memorize the cake selection each day and walk you through the options as they become available (or run out). But rest assured: everything at Sweet Surrender is absolute perfection.
Once slice is definitely big enough for two people – although we never seem to follow our own advice – so prepare to share.
- Sweet Surrender | Address: 1804 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY (Clifton)
The Best Cookies in Louisville
Please & Thank You
Please & Thank You claims to serve the best chocolate chip cookie in Louisville. But we think they make the best chocolate chip cookie IN LITERALLY THE WORLD, and I’m not even exaggerating.
Gooey and chocolatey with a warm, molten core, it’s like the pleasure of eating warm cookie dough combined with the satisfying crunch around the outside of a well-baked cookie. There’s also a hint of salt which totally takes it to the next level.
Look, just go there and get a cookie. Or three. We won’t judge. Either way you won’t regret it.
Don’t skip the coffee, either: Please & Thank You makes a damn fine cup of coffee, crafted with beans from local roastery Good Folks.
- Please & Thank You | Address: There are several Louisville locations. Find one near you!
Kizito Cookie Factory
For every other kind of cookie, head to the Kizito Cookie Factory (or stop by any local Walgreens or Qdoba – they’re for sale all over the place). Elizabeth Kizito started making cookies when she moved here from Uganda in 1975, and locals all recognize her at events walking around with a huge basket of cookies on her head!
The Kizito Cookie Factory also sells folk art from Uganda that her family ships to her. She says that her secret ingredient is “my family’s love and perseverance; the beauty and magic of Africa; the American Dream; are all mixed in next to the chocolate chips and butter and nuts.” She is a true Louisville original!
My favorite flavors are Gettin’ Lucky in Kentucky, Snickerdoodle, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip.
- Kizito Cookie Factory | Address: 1398 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY (The Highlands)
The Best Louisville Chocolate (& Bourbon Truffles!)
Art Eatables creates small-batch artisanal chocolates for you to enjoy.
They’re best known for their Bourbon Truffles filled with bourbony chocolate ganache. They partner with distilleries, so if you have a favorite brand, you’ll probably find a bourbon truffle made from it. Isn’t Louisville great??
- Art Eatables | Address: 631 S 4th St, Louisville, KY (Downtown)
The Best Donuts in Louisville
There is not a shortage of delicious donuts in Louisville! If you’re in a Homer Simpson kinda mood, the best spots for donuts in Louisville are Hi-Five Donuts or Nord’s Bakery.
Nord’s tends to have more classic donut flavors, with the exception of their famous Maple Bacon Bar.
Hi-Five is for the more adventurous, offering such flavors as Bourbon Ball (*record scratch* Um what?), The Old Fashioned – with a Cherry Brandy Compote glaze, topped with a brandy-soaked cherry and candied orange peel – and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (Be still my heart). They even have a build your own option, if you’re feeling extra creative! Psst, by the way, their Instagram is everything!
- Hi-Five Donuts | Address: 1011 East Main Street, Louisville, KY(Butchertown)
- Nord’s Bakery | Address: 2118 S Preston St Louisville, KY (Germantown)
Psst: Looking for more suggestions? Head over to our Louisville travel blog to read our full guide to the best desserts in Louisville!
The Best Coffee in Louisville
What goes with dessert? Coffee, obviously! Here’s where to get the best coffee in Louisville, from local coffee shops to specialty coffee.
Quills Coffee
With several locations throughout Louisville, Quills Coffee is our favorite third wave/specialty coffee shop in Louisville. They’re up to our snobby coffee standards, so you know they’re the real deal!
This is where we head for pour-overs and single-origin beans (although Please & Thank You still wins us over for drip coffee.)
Feel free to strike up a chat with your barista about the notes in your single-origin pour-over or espresso: they’re passionate and knowledgeable about coffee, and it shows!
- Quills Coffee | Address: There are several locations in Louisville. Find one near you!
Sunergos Coffee
Sunergos Coffee is a third wave coffee shop that roasts their own beans and makes a damn fine espresso. You’ll find sustainably sourced single origin beans alongside seasonal blends, all with delicious tasting notes – coffee snob approved.
- Sunergos | Address: There are several locations in Louisville. Find one near you!
Heine Bros Coffee
Heine Bros Coffee is the self-proclaimed “original Louisville coffee house,” and they’re about as Louisville as you can get.
Their coffee is all organic and fair trade, but this is a 2nd wave coffee shop, which means it’s a great place to get a delicious, well-made, fancy, sweet coffee drink, and then spend a few hours relaxing, reading LEO and saying hello to everyone you went to high school with.
Look, I’m not gonna lie to you: I hate Starbucks, but I love Heine Bros Coffee.
Try a Vint Julep, made with whiskey-infused sugar and fresh mint, or one of their delicious, creamy blended Icebergs, which are so much better than Frappuccinos.
If you’re looking for something with whipped cream and syrup and blended to perfection, you need to go to Heine Bros Coffee. Oh, and their chai is amazing, too!
- Heine Bros Coffee | Address: There are several Louisville locations. Find one near you!
Please & Thank You
While not technically a coffee house, we were blown away by the quality of the coffee at Please & Thank You. And y’all know, we’re snobby AF about our coffee.
Sure, you think you’re coming for the chocolate chip cookies (and the Derby Bar) but you’ll come back every day for the locally roasted coffee!
The drip coffee here is the best in Louisville, and their specialty drinks – like a Butterscotch Latte with espresso, milk, sea salt, and butterscotch sauce, or a Ganache Latte with espresso, dark chocolate, milk, and marshmallows – are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. With a cookie. Of course.
- Please & Thank You | Address: There are several Louisville locations. Find one near you!
More Amazing Restaurants in Louisville
When we first published this blog post, we focused on specific parts of Louisville that are easy to access without using a car. Essentially, we wrote the post for visitors to Louisville.
But since then, we’ve had many comments, requests, and suggestions from locals using our article to find new restaurants in Louisville. So we’ve decided to expand our recommendations a bit to include some Louisville restaurants that are a bit of a drive from the city center – and mostly located in unappealing strip malls – but well worth it for truly excellent food.
- Shalimar Indian Restaurant: Located in an unassuming strip mall on Hurstbourne near Jeffersontown off I-64, Shalimar remains to this day the best Indian food I have ever had in my entire life. And I’ve tried Indian food all over the world! Their weekend buffet is what dreams are made of.
- Vietnam Kitchen: Located in Iroquois Manor in Louisville’s South End, Vietnam Kitchen serves up truly delicious Vietnamese Food. Everything on the menu here is good. You’ll probably meet the owner too, who walks around and talks to his guests! A staple here is the Hủ tiếu Saté (or what most people call it – the K8) – a spicy soup dish with rice noodles, lemon grass, bean sprouts, broccoli, and your choice of meat. There might be a wait on weekend evenings – this place is popular.
- Havana Rumba: Craving Cuban food? Havana Rumba is phenomenal. Our favorite dishes are Masas de Puerco and the classic Ropa Viejo, as well as their yuca fries – and Mojitos served with a stick of fresh sugarcane. They’ve expanded to a few locations in Louisville – our favorite is in Middletown, with a nice patio, a sizeable dining room, and live music.
- Mojito’s Tapas Restaurant: Owned by the same restauranteur as Havana Rumba, Mojito’s shares some of the same menu items as its sister restaurant (pro tip: Masas de Puerco isn’t on the menu, but you can still order it!) plus delicious plates of shareable tapas. And this may seem weird, but trust me: their house salad is like, really good.
Famous Louisville (& Kentucky) Foods
Before we move on to the best places to eat in Louisville, there are a few foods that Louisville is known for.
Here are a few Louisville (& Kentucky) originals that you should definitely make it a point to sample while you’re visiting Louisville!
Hot Brown
In 1926, the chef at the famous and historical Brown Hotel (yes, the hotel with the wedding in Elizabethtown) invented a dish that is famous to this day: The Hot Brown.
It’s a baked open face sandwich with turkey, tomato, bacon, and Moray sauce.
It’s a must-try while in Louisville and the real deal can be found at The Brown Hotel. But be mindful: there is a dress code, so don’t dress like a schlub.
- The Brown Hotel | Address: 335 W Broadway, Louisville, KY (Downtown)
Benedictine Spread
This delicious mix of cucumber and cream cheese is a staple with High Tea, and its roots are right in Louisville.
The trouble is it’s hard to find anywhere else! The Cafe in Paristown is the perfect place to enjoy it, with their chic decor and expansive menu. They serve their homemade benedictine on their Queen Anne sandwich, which is served on artisan walnut wheat bread and garnished with sliced cucumbers, bacon and lettuce. It’s like a fancy, Kentucky BLT (minus the T).
- The Cafe | Address: 711 Brent Street, Louisville, KY (Paristown)
Pulled Pork
Yeah, we invented it. You’re welcome, Earth!
Pulled pork is ubiquitous in America, but our favorite place to find it in Louisville is at Feast BBQ!
- Feast BBQ | Address: 909 E. Market Street, Louisville, KY (NuLu)
Burgoo
Burgoo is a Southern stew that for some reason is more popular in Kentucky than anywhere else. A few places in Kentucky claim to be the Burgoo capital of the world, and as far as we know, no one is disputing that claim.
Burgoo’s got a weird name to match its historically weird ingredients: it’s supposed to be made with pretty much whatever meat you’ve got lying around. My mom, who also grew up in Louisville, says it used to be made with squirrel. Wikipedia verifies this. Gross.
But don’t worry: the Burgoo that you’ll find on Louisville menus has received a foodie makeover, while still hearkening back to its (supposed) Kentucky heritage. You can find a fancy, foodie twist on Burgoo at Against the Grain Brewery and Smokehouse.
- Against the Grain | Address: 401 E Main Street, Louisville, KY (Downtown)
Sweet Sorghum
Sweet sorghum syrup is a dark amber, thick, fragrant syrup that is very similar in appearance and taste to Molasses.
Unlike the Molasses you’re probably used to, it’s not made from sugar cane, but rather from Sorghum cane – the majority of which is grown in Kentucky (and Tennessee).
I grew up associating sorghum with the Kentucky State Fair, where a farm booth handed out free samples of Sorghum syrup on fluffy buttermilk biscuits. You can find jars of Sorghum syrup in most stores in Kentucky, and keep an eye out for it on menus in Louisville.
To experience sorghum in many forms, order the Pork Cakes at Feast BBQ in NuLu, sample straight Sorghum syrup or a bite-sized Sorghum Cookie at Bourbon Barrel Foods, or try the unique Sorghum Cortado at GraleHaus.
- Feast BBQ | Address: 909 E. Market Street, Louisville, KY (NuLu)
- Bourbon Barrel Foods | Address: 2710 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY (Clifton)
- GraleHaus | Address: 1001 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, KY (The Highlands)
Beer Cheese
What sounds like a drunken late night invention is one of Kentucky’s most delicious dipping sauces.
The name isn’t misleading either. It’s mostly beer and cheese. This is Kentucky, were you expecting something complicated?
Get yourself a pretzel and beer cheese at Four Pegs Beer Lounge in Germant
- Four Pegs Smokehouse & Bar | Address: 1053 Goss Ave, Louisville, KY (Germantown)
Weisenberger Grits
These grits get their name because they are made at Weisenberger Mill in Midway, KY and they’re the best grits you’ll find in Louisville.
The quality is so good that many restaurants exclusively serve Weisenberger Grits, and make sure to call it out on the menu, too. Try the Shrimp and Grits from Jack Fry’s.
- Jack Fry’s | Address: 1007 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY (The Highlands)
Derby Pie™
Derby Pie™ is a very specific kind of pie: it’s a pecan pie with a layer of chocolate, for delicious melty chocolate/pecan perfection.
As you can see, Derby Pie™ is trademarked: its original inventors are notoriously obsessed with guarding their original creation, and seem to spend as much time selling tasty pie as they do suing the pants off anyone who dares write “Derby Pie” on their menu or online recipe.
That said: the original Derby Pie™ is both delicious and easy to find: you’ll see it frozen in most local grocery store aisles.
But if you know what to ask for, you can find freshly baked knockoff Derby Pie™ all over Louisville during Derby season. Just ask for something like “Chocolate Pecan Pie” and wink a lot.
You might get a few suspicious looks and some loud disclaimers like “we don’t serve Derby Pie™ here but we do serve Chocolate Pecan Horse Racing Pie, which is completely unrelated.”
It’s a funny Louisville quirk: a famous Louisville food that can’t legally be called by its name. But it’s absolutely heavenly and you MUST try it!
You can find an excellent Pecan Pie with Chocolate at Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen.
- Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen | Address: There are many Louisville locations! Find one near you.
Bourbon Balls
Bourbon Balls are the meeting of bourbon and chocolate in candy perfection. They’re heavenly. There are technically 2 correct versions of bourbon balls.
One of them can only be mastered by professional chefs or home chefs with Martha Stewart tendencies, and that’s the kind you’ll find at local candy makers or paired with your bourbon tasting at Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, etc.
The other kind is so easy to make, it’s practically fail-proof, and that’s the one I’ve been making at home myself every year for Christmas since I was little (yes, that’s right. I’ve been eating chocolate & bourbon since I was a baby. Explains a lot, right?)
You won’t find these no-bake bourbon balls at any reputable restaurants, but if you’re addicted to the chocolate bourbon flavor by the time you leave Louisville (as you should be) you can make your own version by following this recipe.
You can taste the classic version at Muth’s Candy in NuLu. Or try the Bourbon Truffles at Art Eatables, which is a nut-free twist on the classic chocolate and bourbon flavor combination.
- Art Eatables | Address: 631 S 4th St, Louisville, KY (Downtown)
- Muth’s Candy | Address: 630 E Market St, Louisville, KY (NuLu)
For more bucket-list Kentucky foods, head over to our Louisville travel blog to read our guide to 13 famous Louisville & Kentucky foods that you have to try!
Map of the Best Places to Eat in Louisville
Use our handy map to locate the best places to eat in Louisville on the go! Travel Tip: Download this map to your smartphone for offline browsing (click here for instructions).
- Local Travel Tip: The best way to taste the best food in Louisville is on a food and history walking tour with Louisville Food Tours! Explore the story of Louisville and Kentucky while tasting culinary classics like bourbon balls, biscuits, fried chicken, and – of course – bourbon! You can book a weekend tour on FareHarbor or Viator.
Is your mouth watering?? Not gonna lie, writing this post made us want to return to every single one of these amazing places to eat in Louisville! (Luckily, we visit all the time. Thank goodness.)
By the way, did you know that we have a BUNCH of posts about Louisville? It is my hometown, after all! Take a look below at some of our other Louisville travel guides, or browse them all here:
- The 27 Best Breweries, Distilleries, & Bars in Louisville, KY
- The Best 13 Hikes in Louisville, Kentucky (A Local’s Guide)
- 15 Adorable Things to Do on a Romantic Getaway to Louisville, Kentucky
Did you know we also have a Louisville blog full of Louisville travel guides? Start with our guide to the 60+ best things to do in Louisville!
We’ve also compiled all of our suggestions for where to go, what to do, where to visit, what & where to eat, and what & where to drink (and taste bourbon) into one downloadable PDF Local’s Guide to Louisville. Subscribe below to get the download and save it to your smartphone or tablet to take with you on your trip to Louisville!
Louisville Locals: Looking for a day trip or weekend getaway near Louisville?
- Indiana: Indianapolis Weekend Itinerary and The Best Weekend Getaways in Indiana
- Ohio: Self-Guided Tour of Cleveland Breweries
- Tennessee: Nashville Weekend Itinerary and Memphis Weekend Itinerary
What are you DYING to eat in Louisville? Leave us a comment below!
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Disclaimer: This post was originally created in partnership with Go To Louisville, and has since been updated. All opinions, recommendations, wink-wink-nudge-nudge references to Chocolate Horse Racing Season Pecan Pie, and PG13 jokes about bourbon balls (wait, we didn’t make any?! Seriously?? Wow, I feel like that was low hanging fruit…) are entirely our own and totally not their fault.
Our Top Travel Tips & Resources
- Booking Flights: To score flight deals, search on Google Flights or Kayak. Money-saving tips: fly mid-week or on the weekend; fly carry-on only on a budget airline; and take red-eyes or early morning flights.
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- Travel Insurance: We always, always, ALWAYS buy travel insurance for international trips, and we STRONGLY suggest it - visit our Travel Insurance Guide to find out why. We recommend either World Nomads or SafetyWing for international travel insurance. SafetyWing is one of the few policies that covers Covid-19, and they have excellent monthly policies that are perfect for Digital Nomads and long term travelers!
- Travel Credit Card: We book all of our trips on our favorite travel credit card. Not only do we earn cash back that we can spend on more travel, but the card offers fantastic travel perks like travel insurance, trip delay and cancellation coverage, lost baggage reimbursement, and rental car coverage, which helps protect us on our travels. Learn more here.
- Vaccines & Meds: We use the travel guides on the CDC website to research recommended medications and vaccines for international trips. We always recommend getting every vaccine recommended by the CDC! You can get them at your primary care doctor's office or a walk-in pharmacy.
- Tours: We love booking guided tours, especially food tours and walking tours, to get a local's perspective and a history lesson while sight-seeing! We book our tours using Viator and GetYourGuide.
- Transportation: We use Rome2Rio to figure out how to get from place to place, and book local transportation online using Bookaway wherever we can. When we book a rental car, we use Kayak to compare rental companies and find the best deal.
- Luggage Storage: Whenever we're checking out early or taking advantage of a long layover, we use LuggageHero to safely store our luggage while we're running around. Use the code PRACTICALW for 2 hours of free luggage storage on us.
- VPN Service: A VPN keeps your digital information (like website login details, bank info, etc) safe, even when you're connected to an unsecured network while traveling. Plus, it lets you use Netflix & other streaming sites abroad! We use NordVPN. Use the code WANDERLUSTPROMO when you sign up!
- What to Pack: Here are the travel essentials that we bring on every trip. We also have packing lists for hot weather, cold weather, and many more. Take a look at all of our packing guides!
Denis miller says
Can’t wait to get to Louisville
Richie Goff says
We can’t wait to have you! :)!
DsK says
I land on your website by chance and I found out it interesting. You earned a Reader!
Maria says
Lia, how has this list changed with COVID and restaurant closures? It seems when I go to several of their websites, many say they have temporarily or permanently closed. Thank you for the info
Lia Garcia says
Hey Maria, we’ve been keeping this list updated all year to remove permanent closures and add brand new restaurants. Our most recent update was just this week, so everything should be up to date as of now!
Johnny Wirth says
Where is Mike Linnig’s on this list? Iconic family restaurant on the Ohio river where the locals go to relax and have a great meal.
Lia Garcia says
That’s a great suggestion! It’s definitely an iconic spot. We didn’t include it just b/c it was outside of our geographic range. But we’ll add it in somewhere!
Clara Putnam says
Just happened upon your article, and I definitely think you’ve missed the best brunch spot in Louisville – Blue Dog Bakery. (Their breakfast pizza is my favorite!) And I agree with the writer above that Highland morning is also excellent Their pecan waffles are amazing!
Lia Garcia says
We’ll have to check it out on our next trip! Thanks for the suggestion!
Jerry Hodges says
If you look at the map you will find that a major portion of metro Louisville lies South of I-264 and West of I-65, and there are many wonderful places to dine beyond those boundaries. Try the “poor side of town” sometime, you just might like it!
Lia Garcia says
Hey Jerry, you’re absolutely right! We intended this post to be for first-time visitors to Louisville, and in our opinion it’s easiest to get around and there is the highest concentration of things to see and do for tourists in the relatively small area of downtown Louisville, Old Louisville, Bardstown Road, and Clifton on bike, foot, LYFT or by TARC which is why we concentrated our recommendations in that area. I’d love to do a post one day about all the incredible food options available in the East, West, and South ends of town!
Al Humphries says
It’s also a shame that you did not mention the cinnamon roll of all time at Scarlet’s Bakery, you’ll have to try
Lia Garcia says
We haven’t tried it!! Sounds amazing. We’ll definitely check it out on our next trip, thanks for the tip!
Carole Christian says
I love this article! I live in Louisville and some of these are among my favorites, while others I have been meaning to try. Funny that you don’t even live here any more and you have been around town more than me. Love your blog and look forward to keeping up with your travels when I get done reading all your posts about Louisville.
Lia Garcia says
Thanks for the kind words, Carole!
Jeremy says
Updates from a local: For coffee you should try Safai in the highlands. For brunch Wild Eggs is a great choice but Highland morning does it just as well and is lighter if you don’t want to be weighed down. For a burger try Grind Burger Kitchen or Mussel and Burger Bar or if you’re looking for a hole-in-the-wall place try Bunz burgers, it’s much cheaper. The best pizza in my opinion can be found at Za’s pizza pub on bardstown road or if you’re feeling very ritzy try Coal’s. For donuts Nord’s get’s really crowded especially on weekends or during the summer, try Sugar and Spice instead. For icecream go to Steel City Pops, they’re lighter than full scoops from other places and with more variety. A lot of the best restraunts will be in the Highlands or Middletown so just walk around for a bit and you’re bound to stumble on something great!
Lia Garcia says
Fantastic tips, thanks Jeremy!
Catherine says
Shocked you didn’t mention Hammerhead’s, it is THE recommended place to eat in Lousiville!
Lia Garcia says
Is it really? I’ve never been! I’ll put it on my list for our next trip 🙂
FredJ says
Great article.. Wow – blogging must pay a lot more than I thought. These are all probably great places to eat if you’re a MILLIONAIRE and don’t care how much stuff costs. Most of these places are ridiculously expensive and so pretentious. Guess that says a lot about you and how we should approach any of your other recommendation articles.
Lia Garcia says
Hey Fred! This definitely isn’t a budget-friendly list, you’re right. But we’re big ol’ foodies and we love ourselves a good, pretentious meal – so long as it’s delicious, of course. Plus, coming from the Bay Area where we live, most of the spots on this list actually ARE a deal in comparison to what we usually pay. That’s a big part of why we don’t really eat out much at home and go freakin’ crazy on vacation instead. Sorry our taste isn’t your style!
Cindy deRosier says
Thank you!! Our family of foodies is headed to Kentucky for our first-ever visit next month and this is exactly what I needed to maximize our eating opportunities.
Lia Garcia says
Ooooh how exciting! Enjoy your trip!!
Allen says
There’s a terrific restaurant on Shelbyville Road in Louisville called Inwave Restaurant & Juice Bar. It’s the city’s (region’s) only entirely plant-based menu – and they go to great lengths to make everything really tasty. It’s a great place for people who are skeptical about having a vegan / vegetarian meal. Website is inwave.org.
Lia Garcia says
Thanks for the tip, Allen! We’ll be sure to check it out when we’re back in Louisville this summer – sounds yummy!
Anita Hendrieka says
Wow! I didn’t realize kentucky had so much to offer. All of this food looks simply delicious!
Luxe Adventure Trvlr (@jdomb) says
That chocolate bourbon donut looks amazing! And I would definitely be all about finding the best spots for some yummy pulled pork. Louisville looks like quite the foodie city!
Carmen Edelson says
Pulled pork…pie…brunch… this is almost too much to handle! I absolutely love the food in the south. I have yet to visit Kentucky but I’ll definitely bookmark this. Great suggestions! Happy travels 🙂
Shelley Volpert says
Its a shame you didn’t even mention Highland Coffee because they are hands down the best in local coffee that Louisville has to offer.
Lia says
I debated adding it! I used to spend most of my days hanging out there after school. It’s such a local fave, maybe I wanted to keep a few undiscovered gems just for the locals 🙂
Stefanie says
Woow, this looks really amazing,
This is really on my have to do list before i get into my 40’s
Keep posting,
Kind regards
Stefanie
Guru says
What a great list of places. I think now I have to visit Louisville to eat all these items.
Drew says
Wow, that is quite the list! I’m sure that was some hard research, with all of the beer cheese, hot browns, and barbecue. That Royal’s hot chicken looked especially good, as did the doughnut, and the milkshake. Well, frankly, it all looked good. Looks like the food scene in Louisville is hopping!
Lia says
It is, Drew! We did lots of very serious ~research~ as you can imagine.
Claire says
Wow, I had never heard of most of the speciality dishes from Louisville, they all sound delicious though! Bring on the beer cheese!
Carol says
Beer cheese and Derby pie? You’ve covered all the bases. I’m keeping this for when I visit Louisville.
Kristin @ Camels & Chocolate says
I am SUCH a Louisville fan, having grown up just three hours south from there in Tennessee, but I haven’t tried out half these places! So many new things have opened since my last visit there two years ago. Only solution? Plan a return trip! Bookmarking this so I can eat each and every thing you did 😉
Sara Broers says
From the looks of this, there is no way anyone could leave Louisville hungry. From ice cream, pie to chocolate and pulled pork, you found it all. A nice round up of places to eat while in Louisville!
SherianneKay says
I do not think I have ever seen a more comprehensive list! Thank you for all the time it took to compile this. I really NEED some beer cheese and pretzel right now. and a few bourbon balls to go with my coffee…
Anna says
You guys invented pulled pork? Seriously… that’s grounds to retire and sit back and watch the dollars roll on in. YARM! I speak on behalf of all Australians… thank you!
Cynthia says
OOOH – so many amazing treats here! I’m going to Louisville for a family trip later this summer and I’ll definitely add some of these to our plans!
Lia says
Awesome!! Check back next week too because I have yet another post about Louisville, this one about the best breweries, distilleries, and bars!
Jas says
Not a good idea to read this on an empty stomach… Wow! All of these look and sound to die for. Pecan pies are my absolute fave, would love to try Derby Pie some day!
Lia says
If you like Pecan Pie, you will LOVE Derby Pie!
karen says
My biggest issue with this is that Vietnam Kitchen is not on here. This is a fantastic guide though and I want to eat all of these things right now! 🙂
Lia says
Omg just for you I will write a post specifically about all of the delicious food in the rest of Louisville that I did not include in this post. Trust me, it pained me to leave Vietnam Kitchen, Shalimar, and Havana Rumba off this list – 3 of my fave restaurants in Louisville but all a little too far without a car!
fittwotravel says
So many delicious foods! Fried chicken, grits and Brioche French Toast sounds amazing! I need to get Kentucky just for the food! Great reference guide!
Erika says
I had no idea Louisville was such a culinary delight! I’ve only passed through. It’s time to change that! This will definitely be my go to reference guide.
Emily Hines says
I freakin’ love Proof on Main! And I can’t believe pulled pork was invented in Louisville. I’m so ready for another trip down here.
altyfc says
What a comprehensive guide you’ve put together! Love the look of the octopus but… is that grapefruit they’ve served it with?! Would be curious to hear whether that worked as a combination.
Lia says
Yes! Weird, right? But it totally worked. Citrus and fish is a match made in heaven!
Kelly says
Thank God I ate before I read this. Otherwise I would have had to go and raid the kitchen. All this food looks so amazing!! Will keep this for when I am in the area.
C-Ludik says
Wow… The Chocolate Bourbon Donut looks so good ! With a coffee, it’s perfect 🙂
Jamie says
Since I moved to Italy this is the EXACT kind of food I’ve been craving, it’s such comfort food for me… Pulled pork all day everyday! YUM!! SO want to make a trip here now!!!
Amy says
OMG. Beer cheese. Donuts. Grits. Say no more. If I lived in Louisville, I would be quite plump!!
Leigh Wilson says
Nothing like skipping lunch and stumbling on this food bomb! I have heard awesome things about Louisville, I would love a weekend trip there (although 29 food spots…that’s like 2 weeks worth!)
Lia says
We spent almost exactly 2 weeks there sooooo yes, in theory … but in actuality we didn’t write about all of the places we ate 😛 we’re nothing if not thorough. That’s a good way to put it, right?
jenruizwriter says
This is so thorough, definitely saving for next time I’m in the area! Pulled pork is my favorite 🙂
Paroma says
I am one of those few ones who has never ever eaten at KFC even after having lived in USA for 15 years, hahaha! I am drooling over the seafood pics though! You have done a great job in showcasing your home town’s gastronomic delights!
Lia says
I’m gonna be straight with you. You’re not really missing much 😛 KFC is … not my favorite. And it’s not something I talk about when I’m excitedly recommending all of the best thing to do in Louisville or Kentucky, either. Plus, you can find KFC anywhere in the world if that’s something you’re into (which is how we wound up in a KFC in Chile, true story).