Old Louisville
Restaurants and Taverns
Dining:
(Old Louisville is
enjoying a renaissance in new venues for upscale and fine dining.
Because of the popularity of many of these restaurants, you may want to
call ahead for reservations.)
|
3rd
Avenue Café |
Café style restaurant |
|
Serving luncheon salads and gourmet
sandwiches, and a wonderful dinner menu that also includes many vegan and
vegetarian dishes, which can be followed by Chef Carla Gresham's home-made
desserts. Enjoy al fresco dining in
season. Third Avenue Café won the Leo award in 2002 for the best
new restaurant and is up for best restaurant for 2003. The
restaurant also has a bar and frequent live entertainment. The
schedule can be found on its web
site. Robin Garr's Review |
|
|
610
Magnolia |
Fine
Dining |
| This
is one of the bes restaurants in the United States. Walled garden.
Extensive reserve wine selection. You should make
reservations. Your table, when booked, is yours for the entire evening.
You are promised a fine
dining experience rarely exceeded anywhere. Prix-fixe
five-course dinners starting at $65. Menus change frequently based on
the the freshest ingredients available. (New owner in Fall 2003 is Edward
Lee who trained with 610 founding chef Ed Garber.) Robin Garr's Review |
|
|
Amici |
Italian |
| Amici means friends in Italian. This casually elegant restaurant seats 80 indoors and 50 more in the courtyard and on the sidewalk. Standard & upscale Italian family recipes with a Tuscan flair, including pizzas and many vegetarian dishes. | |
|
The
Bristol/Lucketts |
Open
during Museum hours in the J.B. Speed Art Museum, also catering |
|
There's
no way to beat the setting! Louisville Scene Review |
|
|
Buck's |
New
Wave Cuisine |
| Trendy-chic,
cigar and martini room. By far, the most elegant restaurant
in "Old Louisville" and one of best restaurants in the city,
mixing old world and contemporary ambience. Many of the evening dishes
are served at lunch at very reasonable prices. Robin Garr's Review Louisville Scene Review Insiders Guide Review |
|
|
China
Inn |
Oriental,
including some Thai dishes, eat in or carry-out |
| web
site: http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/chinainn/ web site includes a menu |
|
|
Mastersons |
Lunch
buffet |
|
Follow
the link above for Masterson's own web page:
Masterson'
Web Site Insiders Guide Review |
|
|
Taste of China |
Specializing in Canton, Hunan, Szechuan |
| Small corner restaurant in the former Old Walnut Chili Parlor. Large variety of dishes. Lunch Specials 11-3 daily (portions are huge). The food is tasty, cooked hot and fresh before your eyes. Best Chinese carry-out in Old Louisville. And home delivery is fast: usually under 10-15 minutes. | |
|
The
Rudyard Kipling |
Kentucky
and exotic cuisine |
|
Web
site: therudyardkipling.com
(includes restaurant and catering menus, play schedule and music
schedule) Frequent late night entertainment often of the eclectic or intellectual variety. See also the notes below under Bars and grills. The Rudyard Kipling also offers catered lunches delivered to Old Louisville or downtown, as well as weddings and receptions of the alternative lifestyle or economically challenged variety. There is a garden for weddings or hootenannies, and the menu includes crepes, fresh salmon, steaks, buffets, vegan dishes Robin Garr's Review Louisville Scene Review Insiders Guide Review |
|
For a comprehensive listing of Louisville restaurants with ratings and unbiased reviews, go to Louisville HotBytes, where you'll find information on the city's full dining scene by former Old Louisvillian and beloved CJ&T food and wine critic, Robin Garr
LouisvilleDiner.com
Your Resource for Restaurant Menus, Louisville's best restaurants
Fast
Food, Sandwiches, Burgers, Lunch, Diners, etc.
in Old Louisville
|
Dizzy
Whizz |
50's
style Drive In |
| A
vintage 1950's drive-in with curb service, though you can also eat
inside. Frequent specials. Home of the Whizzburger. This is
one of the area's oldest continuously operating restaurants. Robin Garr's Review Insiders Guide Review |
|
|
Ermin's
French Bakery and Cafe |
Deli
and European style bread |
| Ermin, a master baker from Sarajevo, came to Louisville to escape the Bosnian War in the 1990s and opened the finest bakery in the city at 1st and Oak. The bakery featured authentic French breads, croissants and pastries. He was soon overwhelmed with success and expanded to locations all over the city. At the height of success, he sold the business and went West to do it all again. Alas, the bakery is now a pale comparison of its former days. While the breads are still pretty good, the delightful croissants and flaky strudels have given way to the heavy American imitations. Deli and Restaurant selections are also available. | |
|
Garden
Room Café |
Sandwiches,
salads, light lunch, |
| This restaurant by Gumby, one of Old Louisville's best known caterers. You will enjoy Chef Francie's great homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, and of course, luscious desserts! Stop by and try the daily specials. Eat in the relaxing Garden Room, or sit outside when the weather is good. | |
|
The
Hill Street Fish
Fry |
Very
Small, mainly carry-out |
| Fish sandwiches and dinners: whitefish, salmon, rolled and pan-fried oysters, shrimp, clam chowder, mini crab cakes, chicken tenders, barbecue and sides. Daily specials. | |
|
Jamaame Restaurant |
Very
small and simple 11:00am-7:00pm |
|
Juanita's
Burger Boy |
Diner-style
home cooking (for the..... adventurous) |
| Open 24 hours at the corner of Brook and Burnett. Burgers and breakfasts and simple plate meals. Frozen in time decades past with a decaying orange diner decor, and a clientele mainly ranging from workmen to winos, with a late after-hours crowd. Actually looks more frightening than it is. Food's not bad, it's cheap, and at 4:30AM after the bars close...well.... | |
|
D
Nalley's |
Diner-style
home cooking |
| This long-time Old Louisville favorite serves great breakfasts with home made biscuits, plate lunches and dinners and burgers and fries in a deco-diner atmosphere. It is inexpensive, clean and bright, and seats about forty people. Call ahead for carryout. menu | |
|
Moby
Dick Seafood |
Fish
Sandwiches & Platters, Seafood, Chicken |
| Popular fast-food fish places just outside of Old Louisville but with 2 locations convenient to all areas of the neighborhood. | |
|
Ollie's
Trolley |
Carry-out
Burgers and Hot Dogs |
| Home of the famous Ollieburger. At one time these small burger stands, shaped like trolleys, were all over Louisville. As far as we know, this may be the last one left. We're glad it's in Old Louisville. Features uniquely flavorful burgers and spicy Ollie Fries. We only wonder why Ollie's closes just before supper time. more | |
|
Mr.
Z's Kitchen |
Varied Breakfast
and Lunch items |
|
Schelers
Deli |
Breakfast,
sandwich lunches |
| Scheler's really isn't a restaurant, but a convenience grocery and deli especially popular for lunch time carry-outs. | |
Etc.
|
Old
Louisville Coffeehouse |
Coffee,
tea, sandwiches, |
| Comfy cozy coffee house with tables, easy chairs and sofas located in a vintage Victorian corner shop. Serving Louisville's Sugernow coffee. | |
PIZZA
(for
delivery)
Domino's, Papa John's, Pizza
Hut, Pizza Mia, Queenie's
Most
of these are not in Old Louisville,
but all will deliver.
For Old Louisville pizza carry-outs or eat-ins
see also Dan's, Granville Inn
and
Restaurants Bars
|
Bearno's
Little Sicily |
Award
Winning Pizza, Pasta, Sandwiches, Wings, Lunch Buffet Monday-Thursday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM |
|
Domino's
Pizza
Hut |
Snappy Tomato Pizza
Papa
John's |
|
Windy City
Pizzeria |
Restaurant |
|
This pizza place deserves special mention as Louisville's only Chicago-Style Stuffed Crust Pizza. Ingredients and a tasty sauce are nestled between two layers of fresh dough and baked on a stone hearth. A small easily serves 2-3, and a medium serves 3-4. Even if you're really hungry, don't order the large unless there are several people or you want breakfast for days. A variant comes with Alfredo sauce topping. Traditional thin crust also available. Also Pasta, Hoagies, Appetizers, sides, salads and desserts. Dine-in, carryout or delivery to Old Louisville and the Churchill Downs area. |
|
|
|
Philly Style Pizza |
| This Pizzeria delivers to Old Louisville, but there may be a longer wait because of the distance. | |
Catering
|
Gumby's
Goodies |
Varied menu |
|
"Gumby's Specialty Catering" is a full-service caterer.
Located in a lovely Victorian home front in Old Louisville, Gumby's
caters to businesses, corporate accounts, and personal clients for
weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, etc. Catering will include
anything from box lunches to breakfasts, buffets, sit-down dinners,
special events, etc. Gumby's can provide all amenities, including
full event planning, transportation (limos, horse & carriage rides,
etc.), florists, music, photographers, rental venues, and everything
else needed to make an event special! |
|
|
(see listing above) |
|
|
|
|
BARS and GRILLS
(Some also serve food)
Dan's Bar & Grill, Granville Inn, Mag Bar,
The Rudyard Kipling, The Tavern,
Gay: Teddy Bear's
|
The
Granville Inn |
Open
until 2:00AM week nights, 4:00AM weekends, about midnight Sunday |
|
Established
in 1939, The Granville is one of Old Louisville's main college pubs, frequented
by students from the University of Louisville (in season), and often an
international set at that. It is located at 3rd and Gaulbert,
offers a wide selection of domestic and imported beers, nine on tap, as
well as a decent bar menu of starters, burgers, sandwiches and pizza
until midnight or 1:00 AM. Louisville Scene declared the
Granville's' burgers "terrific."
(and they are)! Friendly
staff and lively clientele. Occasional band (Wednesdays) or special event. |
|
|
The
Magnolia Bar & Grill |
Open
5:00PM until 4:00AM daily |
|
At night, you will recognize this bar located at 2nd and Magnolia by its gay colors and festive lighting. You'll know you're in Old Louisville's home to the alternative set when you see the portrait of J. Edgar Hoover over the bar showing those sexy legs in 3D. It's probably the only night spot in Old Louisville practically guaranteed to be busy 7 nights a week, and since Spark's closed downtown, it's gotten even livelier. The juke box is one of the most eclectic in the city. As for the "grill" part, forget it. You won't get much by way of food here. But you can enjoy the the trendy tattoos, and the Amsterdam style hairdos, with a fun-loving, well mannered younger crowd. Arguably one of the most popular bars in the city of Louisville. |
|
|
The
Tavern |
Open
until 4:00 AM Nightly |
| Late night food since about 1936. The place has never recaptured the popularity it enjoyed when "Knocker" owned it, so it may be a bit lonely some nights. But you'll never find the doors locked early, either. Try the Knockerburger (up until about 3:00 AM) for that "I don't care about fat and cholesterol" splurge of calories and good flavor. Very popular for lunch. Canaryoke ...oops...Karaoke weekends until late in the morning. | |
|
The
Rudyard Kipling |
Open
11:30 - 1:30 M-F only, |
|
From
the Rudyard: "Our mission is to provide unique and delicious food
and drink in a gracious environment so that our guests will be refreshed
in body and spirit. We want to be the English Pub, the French
Cafe, the corner drugstore of your youth that author Ray Oldenburg calls
The Great Good Place where 'decency and good cheer prevail
between groups very different from each other.' So come see superb
theater; impress guests from New York and Dallas; hear or play original
music; shoot darts; meet other wits and intellectuals." |
|
|
Teddy
Bear's |
(Gay
bar) |
| A bar generally for the older gay crowd. Friendly staff. Can be mixed (ages and orientations), a sign of Old Louisville's diversity. Food limited to a few light snacks from the machine. Beer Bust Sunday & Tuesday nights. Happy Hour all night Wednesday. Karaoke until 3am Thursday. Rare special events. | |
|
Woody's Bar |
(Gay
bar) |
| Garden patio, , large pool room, daily drink specials including $1 domestic longnecks after midnight, plenty of parking. Karaoke Wednesday nights. Usually packed on weekends and sometimes during the week. | |
|
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