Sure, Louisville, Kentucky may be best-known for their thoroughbreds and the Kentucky Derby, or maybe even their homemade Louisville Slugger baseball bats. But the up-and-coming bar and restaurant scene in the bustling city proves Louisville has become a go-to spot for foodies across the country.
Breakfast Bites
Beginning with breakfast, there’s no shortage of big plates and hearty dishes. Even “Southern Living” agrees, Wild Eggs is a must! If you’re all about traditional breakfast food, you can enjoy eggs made to order with giant, fluffy pancakes and mimosas by the pitcher. If you’d rather indulge a little, why not dig your fork into a giant cinnamon roll baked right inside a cast-iron skillet? Wild Eggs provides a fun and tasty twist on breakfast, brunch, and lunch. If you sleep in too long, however, you’ll miss it. This hot spot is only open until 2:30 PM Monday through Friday and until 3:00 PM Saturday and Sunday.
If you’re more of the grab-and-go type in the morning, Nords Bakery may be just the spot for you. The Kentucky family-owned bakery company and a favorite for locals and visitors alike. In the early hours of the day, there’s only one reason to come to Nord’s and it’s the same reason hundreds of people continue to come back: donuts. Their Maple Bacon donut was so good, even the Food Network took notice! As the owner stated, it’s like breakfast and dessert all rolled into one. If that sweet treat doesn’t seem to fire up your taste buds, don’t worry. They have a large variety of donuts, pastries, and more! If you’re lucky, you’ll get the opportunity to dig into their delectable apple fritter! Oh and did I mention they have cookies? We’re talking about breakfast, but hey, there are no rules here!
Lovely Lunches
Can you really mention lunch in Louisville without giving a nod to Royals Hot Chicken? Located in “NuLu” (short for New Louisville), this hot-spot serves up Nashville-style hot chicken to hundreds of customers a day. You can choose from five different sauces, depending on how spicy you like your chicken, and a handful of scratch-made sides. Their potato wedges made in house and crispy fried chicken are so delicious, you won’t be able to help telling everyone you know about Royals. If you’re looking to indulge even more, go for the Pimento Cheese Grits and thank us later. There’s really no way to go wrong when placing your order at Royals.
Can you really visit Louisville without digging into a Hot Brown? If there’s one dish the city is known for the Hot Brown is it, and J. Graham’s Cafe is arguably the place who’s making them best. If you’ve never had one, a Hot Brown is toast, turkey, bacon, and cheese sauce all cooked together. It sounds simple, but yet it’s so important to craft it correctly to transform it into the dish locals and tourists know and love. The Hot Brown is such a staple, just be sure you document your visit to prove you dug into the real thing! You can visit the Cafe inside The Brown Hotel on W. Broadway and nod in agreement, knowing your taste buds will never be the same.
Dinner Delights
With so many incredible restaurants in Louisville, Kentucky, it can be hard to pick a favorite, especially when it comes to places serving up delicious dinners. But on just about every list, you’ll find Proof on Main. This swanky restaurant is located inside the 21c Museum Hotel and the restaurant itself is almost worth a visit as much as the food. For a juicy and flavorful bite, order the Bison Burger. Go ahead and order a cocktail or three while you’re there as well. You can even finish your meal with Unicorn Cotton Candy! Take in the unique artwork while you sip and savor, because there’s no other place like Proof on Main.
Speaking of unique eateries, Hammerheads can easily be considered a hidden gem in this culinary city. Located in Germantown, the “hole-in-the-wall” restaurant, bar and pub fills quickly, often with visitors waiting outside for their chance to dig into the unique dishes. From the Roasted Duck and Soft Shell Crab to the Housemade Chorizo Burger, there’s nothing on the menu you won’t want to devour. Even sides like Truffle Fries and Pork Belly Baked Beans will have your mouth watering before you can even take a bite. Just don’t leave without ordering dessert, because their Bacon Brownie may become your new favorite way to self-induce a food coma.
Sinful Sweets
You can’t eat your way through a city without digging into dessert, right? With several locations across the city, The Comfy Cow is the perfect way to cap off a day of tasty treats. The local ice creamery has 20-30 flavors to choose from, which means it’s practically impossible to not find something you’ll enjoy. At The Comfy Cow, they use fresh ingredients as well as local ingredients whenever they can. Perhaps the best feature at Comfy Cow is the “build-your-own” option. Select your favorite ice cream and add-ins to make your own, unique sandwich or sundae. If ice cream isn’t exactly your thing, you can also try a frozen, chocolate-dipped banana or bon-bons. Does it really get any better than that? Oh wait, it does. They also have Old Forester bourbon ice cream. Yes, alcohol you can eat.
If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit Louisville, Kentucky, you now have seven unique and worthy reasons to make the trip. With such great options for every meal of the day, you can easily eat your way through Louisville, but fair-warning, it may not be best to do it all in one day. We’re not responsible for any food comas that may result from one of the most delicious food trips in the country.
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