Thursday, July 6, 2023

 

Welcome to my adopted city! This post is inspired by a reader – Hi Becky! She is coming to visit this summer and asked for my favorite places.

A little history…I was born in Evansville, Indiana but moved to Madison, Indiana when I was five years old. Louisville was always our closest big city, so I came here often. We came for the zoo, The Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant, the Fashion Shop (anyone remember this?), the mall, and other things. I always felt that it was familiar. After college, I stayed in the city closest to my college (Lexington, Kentucky) for four years before deciding to move to Louisville.

I love living on the river – or any body of water!

If you are flying here, I think you will need a rental car if you plan to go to more than just the downtown area.

If you are a bourbon person, you will need a car to go to Bardstown, Kentucky, where many of the distilleries are located. It is about an hour drive.

If you are a horse person, you will need a car to go to Keeneland which is about an hour away, also. Keeneland and the surrounding area are beautiful and quintessential Kentucky. You do have Churchill Downs, here, but it has a much different feel. Both are very cool, though. You can only see live horse racing in Louisville in May, June, and November. You can only see live horse racing at Keeneland in April and October. Check their websites, but I think that is still correct.

I live in what is known as the “East End”. I love my area and it has quite the small-town feel. I cannot leave my house without seeing someone I know. Seriously. It’s kind of a joke among my kids and friends. I have lots of old trees and green spaces, but I can walk to many different restaurants, and I have a wonderful market in walking distance for fruits, vegetables, gourmet food items, and more. I have a Kroger within walking distance, too. I have an upscale shopping center nearby and much more.

Paul’s Fruit Market has several locations and would be a great place to get some snacks while you are here. They also make really nice sandwiches made to order. We also have a very popular Trader Joe’s if you don’t have one at home.

The major touristy things to do would be:

The Louisville Slugger Museum and Bat Factory

Belle of Louisville Ride

Churchill Downs Museum and Racetrack

Frazier History Museum

Louisville Science Center

Waterfront Park

The Urban Bourbon Trail

Walking bridge to Indiana

Bats baseball game

LouCity soccer game

Cherokee Park (designed by the same person who designed Central Park in NY)

My favorite areas of Louisville for eating and shopping are:

Frankfort Avenue:

I love this street so much. Some of my favorite restaurants are on this street. I love Parlour, Red Hog, Cafe Classico, Irish Rover, and more. There is also a shop called Bourbon Barrel Foods where we have gotten lots of fun gifts. I love The Champagnery for drinks with girls.

There is a bar/liquor store called Frankfort Avenue Liquors. My favorite upscale restaurant is Varanese and many people love Volare. I have not been yet, but a lot of people rave.

Do not visit chain restaurants in my city because we have a huge food scene here. We also have some amazing taco places – Taco City, Taco Luchador, and Agave and Rye. Agave and Rye is a small chain, so I will allow it.

I also love NULU so much. This is the Market Street district on the outskirts of downtown. It stands for “New Louisville”. There’s almost too much to name. La Bodeguita de Mima is the yellow house that serves Cuban food and immediately behind it is a fast casual Venezuelan food place called Señora Arepa. There is an Emme Squared Pizza (a chain, but I will allow it), Royals Hot Chicken (Nashville style), Grind (hamburgers), Feast (bbq), Bar Vetti, and the new Hotel Genevieve is fabulous!

I didn’t eat in the restaurant called Rosettes, but I went to the rooftop bar recently and it was gorgeous:

The store called Red Tree has a very photographed alley:

I have taken a few photos there myself, and I love that I went there in the snow with my friend Victoria for their holiday open house this year or last?

For the best rootop bars/views of the city:

Copper and Kings

Gravely Brewing

Upland Brewing across the river in Indiana has the best view of the city

Walking at Waterfront Park:

The horses:

Another area is the Bardstown Road area. I have two friends who live off of this busy and bustling street and this is the area where my kids frequent most often. There are lots of restaurants and shops, but not that many that appeal to me anymore, to be honest. Still there are lots of amazing places here that I love: Noche, Seviche, and Gralehaus are my favorites.

Here is us doing Bardstown Road Aglow this year:

Bardstown Road is very close to the beautiful Cherokee Park and this area is also called “The Highlands”. Highlands people usually can’t imagine living anywhere else in town, in my opinion. They are very loyal. Once a Highlands person, always a Highlands person.

Another place not to far from NULU is Butchertown Market. It is a great place to shop for gifts and they have $1 mimosas on Saturdays.

Captain’s Quarters is not a place you go for the food, but the food has definitely improved. You go for the views and it’s a hopping place, so be aware that there might be a wait. I try to go at off times or if you roll up in a boat, there is no wait and you eat on your boat! If you go, order the fish and chips, the spinach salad (add salmon), the pork nachos, or the fish tacos. Those are the best things on the menu. Also, the spinach and queso dip is great! Now, that I say this, there are lots of good things they make!

Some other great restaurants are: The Pine Room, Mesh, Havana Rumba, Mojito in Havana, Mojito Tapas, and Shiraz.

We have quite a few Cuban restaurants here. Bodeguita de Mima is the hardest to get into – you need a reservation – and it has an amazing atmosphere. Havana Rumba and Mojito en Havana are better food in my opinion. Mojito Tapas is excellent and has a Cuban/Spanish menu.

I love to shop at The Paddock Shops (an outdoor mall) and if I do go to a mall, it’s Oxmoor Mall. I also love Norton Commons. I would recommend hitting up the window of Commonwealth Tap or Seven Spirits for an alcoholic slushy while you walk around. This is a planned community (same person that designed Seaside, Florida) with lots of restaurants and shops.

We also have amazing breakfast places. Wild Eggs is a local chain and my favorite. Con Huevos is a Cuban/Mexican breakfast place and quite unique – tres leches pancakes! Morning Fork, Gralehaus, and First Watch (a chain) are also local popular spots.

I could probably go on and on. Can you tell I love my adopted city?

People will talk to you wherever you go. Be prepared for this. We make eye contact and small talk here.

Amy

P.S. – Let me know if you have any questions or if I forgot any of your favorites!