To both me and my Mom’s surprise, Louisville, Kentucky is a HUGE foodie city! Pretty much every place we ate (our favorites I am sharing in this blog post) was really incredible. The people of Louisville are SO beyond friendly and the food there is incredible – a melting pot of cuisines, too. On my Instagram about a month ago (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I shared on my stories about ALL of the places that my Mom and I dined at while in Louisville, Kentucky (read my experience at Churchill Downs here!) dining out AND today I am talking about our favorite spots!
I am a BIG fan of getting reservations at restaurants as I am a HUGE planner. When in Louisville, Kentucky dining especially on the weekends, the locals and visitors alike love to dine at many of these spots listed as they are popular. Mom and I made reservations at each of these spots with the exception of the bourbon-heavy places aka The Old Seelbach Bar and Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co which were both easy walk-in’s. Luckily, many of the restaurants mentioned do take reservations and offer some pretty great Kentucky charm while you dine there, too!
For more United States travel inspiration, check out my Exploring 50 States expedition page.
Where We Ate:
The Old Seelbach Bar (500 South 4th Street)
The Old Seelbach Bar is located in the iconic Old Seelbach Hilton Hotel AND was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s favorite bar when he was in Louisville! The Old Seelbach Bar is an early 1900’s bar which features an expansive bourbon collection and bar snacks. People from all across the world flock to this bar when they come to Louisville. Mom and I enjoyed bourbon cocktails with a window-side table to admire downtown Louisville. At the same time, we checked out the Old Seelbach Hilton Hotel, which attracted some of the most well-known gangsters including Al Capone who came to parttake in poker games. The Old Seelbach Hilton Hotel is STUNNING and offers so much 1900’s charm.
Bar Vetti (727 East Market Street)
Mom and I met up with some of her friends here before they headed back to the Washington, DC area for brunch. Bar Vetti’s brunch was AMAZING! We enjoyed unlimited coffee and to die for food – I got a sandwich with prosciutto and arugula and home fries on the side. The staff was super friendly and the atmosphere was GREAT and gorgeous, too. In addition to brunch, Bar Vetti has a delicious Italian dinner menu AND is located on East Market Street right by some incredible small Kentucky-owned businesses.
Holy Grale (1034 Bardstown Road)
Holy Grale was Mom’s and I’s FAVORITE place that we dined while in Louisville!!! Holy Grale is located in an old church-turned restaurant. Inside the restaurant, you can see A TON of the unique touches and charm of the building’s history as a church. While the building was restored into what it is now aka Holy Grale, you can still see so much of what it was back in the day. Mom and I split cauliflower gnocchi and a kale salad and each got the house beer. The staff are super friendly and told us A TON about Louisville and the history of Holy Grale! I have always wanted to dine in an old church building so getting to dine at Holy Grale was a dream come true.
Agave & Rye (426 Baxter Ave)
Agave & Rye offers traditional Mexican street favorites along with some pretty unique tacos (such as lobster tacos!!). While a chain with locations across Kentucky and Ohio, I felt as if Agave & Rye were just a one-location place. I got a mac & cheese taco while Mom got the lobster taco. Each taco is filled to the rim and super filling on its own. At the same time, I CANNOT forget to mention how gorgeous the bar at Agave & Rye was and the murals on ALL the walls of the restaurant. Our waiter was super friendly, too!
Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. (120 North 10th Street)
Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. is a family generations-owned distillery in Louisville. The staff were super friendly and they have two rescue cats who live there and are spoiled full-time! Their bourbon is authentically made in-house in much smaller batches than some of the other nearby Kentucky bourbon distilleries. However, their quality is bourbon is hard to beat. Mom and I did a guided tasting where we each got to try a flight of different bourbons of our choosing AND learn how bourbon is made and came to be along with the history of the family that still owns Kentucky Peerless Distillery!
Jack Fry’s (1007 Bardstown Road)
Jack Fry’s is one of the most well-known restaurants for fine dining in Louisville! Opened in 1933 by Jack and Flossie Fry, the restaurant has become a Louisville icon offering a high-end historic feel with Southern fare and cocktails. You truly feel as if you went back in time! I got a Mint Julep and their burger and Mom and I split the shrimp and grits which were some of the best that I’ve had! The bar, atmosphere, staff, and all around vibes were amazing!!! The best part?! Mom and I met the sweetest couple who had been married for 60+ years who spoke so highly of Jack Fry’s and are a true testament to true love as we were leaving – so beautiful!!
Wrap-Up:
I LOVE Louisville is an understatement! The people there were so friendly and their food was seriously so incredible. If I ever go back, I would literally just go to eat and chat with the locals while doing so as Louisville, Kentucky dining is wonderful!
XOXO – Katie <3
