10 Places Where Locals Love to Eat in Louisville

Butchertown Grocery is named for the Butchertown neighbourhood in which it resides, as well as the 1800s building’s past as a grocery store. The restaurant has received high acclaim as one of the best in not only Louisville, but also Kentucky and the USA. The menu features a refined array of salads, pasta and entrees, with only a hint of Southern flair. Think bourbon barrel-smoked pork belly and a Southern-style greens and grapes salad.

The drink menu is bourbon-centric – if you’re feeling lavish, you can order a pricey bourbon tasting menu. The restaurant also has an adjacent bakery and upstairs bar.

Harvest Louisville sits in Kentucky’s NuLu neighbourhood, but it represents farms and producers from a 100-mile radius around the city. The restaurant prides itself on sourcing 80% of its ingredients from this area, as well as curing, smoking and preserving many of its ingredients in-house.

The atmosphere is relatively laidback during the day but becomes a bit fancier in the evening hours. The seasonal menu is always changing, but expect a small selection of farm-centric eats and a few healthful choices. Don’t miss the Kentucky classic, burgoo – a type of stew that changes from kitchen to kitchen and is served with cornbread croutons.

Jack Fry’s offers a little bit of it all, with a menu that mixes down-home Southern flavours with more high-end techniques. Its unassuming exterior masks the more upscale experience found within. The setting takes inspiration from the 1933 structure, old-world style and the South.

One of Jack Fry’s s most famous selections is the shrimp and grits, featuring sautéed shrimp in red eye gravy, with country ham, cremini mushrooms, tomatoes, grits and parmesan cheese. Don’t care for Southern cuisine? You’ll find some French-inspired selections on the menu as well.

Rye is a hip, trendy spot with an airy, natural-light-filled setting and picturesque menu items that look good on Instagram. The small menu features mid-range prices when it comes to food, but the cocktails are a bit on the pricier side. If you’re looking to save your cash, the bar menu does have a unique offering – a 6-pack of local beer at an affordable price.

If you plan to see some of Louisville’s green spaces while you’re in the area, you can order a Rye picnic basket for 2 to 4 people, which includes a nice selection of charcuterie and a chilled bottle of wine.

610 Magnolia is located in Old Louisville, where the restaurant’s small space and limited hours lends it a certain air of exclusivity. Reservations are always required and the menu changes every single night, but diners rave about the complex, modern-meets-Southern fare.

Ingredients are locally sourced or grown in the restaurant’s greenhouse, and the brand commits to responsibly farmed animal products. The bar menu changes just as often as the dinner menu, but you can count on finding just about any Kentucky bourbon on the extensive spirit list.

A lively, homey breakfast and brunch spot, Toast on Market serves up Southern and American breakfast classics for an affordable price. Omelettes, pancakes and scrambles abound, but you can also find strictly Southern staples, such as shrimp and grits, and chicken and biscuits.

A limited breakfast bar menu includes several varieties of Bloody Marys and mimosas. A separate children’s menu ensures even the smallest travellers in your crew are satisfied, with picky eater favourites like chocolate chip pancakes and a grilled cheese sandwich.

Set within the beautiful historic Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville, the English Grill is notable as one of the city’s most elegant restaurants. Think classy and high-end dining, with dark oak panelled walls and white tablecloths included.

For all of its clout, however, the restaurant is known for creating a Kentucky dish that’s not quite so elegant – the Hot Brown sandwich. It has roasted turkey breast, toast points, a sauce and cheese, all baked until toasty and then topped with bacon and tomatoes. It’s a comfort food classic you won’t want to miss in Louisville.