Eiderdown: European-Inspired Southern Cuisine

Eiderdown's chefs draw inspiration from German fare, along with traditional French cooking methods to create one of Louisville's most unique dining destinations.

The seasonal menu features more than 20 draft beers that pair well with such European-inspired Southern food as duck confit with spaghetti squash salad or roasted chicken with collard greens and sausage. And while international places inspire the cuisine, the restaurant uses ingredients from local artisans. Many of Eiderdown’s meats and cheeses come from local farms in Kentucky and Indiana.

Eiderdown makes sure to celebrate its food and drink with events that include multiple course dinners with drinks paired by the chef. Past events include a four-course, five beer dinner, a sampling of old world wines, and a gastro pub dinner.

Eiderdown
983 Goss Avenue
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 290-2390
www.eiderdown-gtown.com
www.yelp.com/biz/eiderdown-louisville

Burgers Go Beyond the Ordinary at Louisville’s Bluegrass Burgers

Bluegrass Burgers offers quick and casual dining in Louisville, but the burgers are anything but what you’d expect from a restaurant you stop in on the fly. The burgers here are grilled to-order, and you can customize your sandwich at the free toppings bar, which features local produce and a variety of sauces.

While there are grass-fed, 100% Kentucky bison and beef burgers, there are also gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian options, like the garden burger or house-made black bean burger. You can turn any burger into a cheeseburger by selecting from the restaurant’s house cheeses or local artisan cheeses, which are non-pasteurized and free of synthetic hormones. Each order comes with hand-cut fries, coleslaw, baked beans, or soup.

Owned and operated by four gals, Bluegrass Burgers offers indoor and outdoor seating. Inside, you can scoot up to a counter that runs along a wall of windows. If al fresco is more your style, head out to the outdoor wooden patio lined with flower boxes.

Bluegrass Burgers
3334 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 614-6567
www.bluegrass-burgers.com
www.yelp.com/biz/bluegrass-burgers-louisville

Sophisticated Dining in Louisville at Seviche

Chef Anthony Lamas brings authentic culinary traditions to Louisville with the seasonal menu at Seviche. Using fresh produce from local artisans, Chef Lamas crafts such entrees as mahi mahi tacos with cumin lime aioli and Pacific swordfish with lobster truffle butter. His ceviche options include jumbo lump crab, wild caught shrimp, and oyster “bloody Mary” shooters. Along with a unique food menu, the restaurant features more than 75 red, white, and sparkling wines that pair well with the fresh fish, skirt steak, and all natural chicken Seviche serves.

Sophistication spills from every corner of Seviche, with burnt orange walls, dark wood accents, and glass octopi hanging from the ceiling. In the dining area, cherry wood chairs tuck beneath white linen table cloths. A second room features brown leather couches and an accent wall made with tan fabric squares. Make sure to wear dressy attire to complement the elegant atmosphere.

Seviche
1538 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
(502) 473-8560
www.sevicherestaurant.com
www.yelp.com/biz/seviche-louisville-2

The Silver Dollar: A Whiskey Bar With National Acclaim

In the May 2013 issue of GQ, Wichita’s own The Silver Dollar was listed in the magazine’s Top 10 Whiskey Bars. It isn’t just GQ that’s taken notice. The Boston Globe, New York Times, and Food & Dining have all featured the bar in their publications, and it’s no surprise. The bar houses more than 100 bottles of bourbon from more than 10 Kentucky distilleries. Visitors can enjoy their whiskey by the glass or have the bartenders craft such cocktails as the Rebel Rouser, a mixture of Pure Kentucky 107, vanilla bean syrup, Angostura bitters, and cherry bark tincture.

Designed with a 1950s California honky tonk vibe, The Silver Dollar holds true to its Southern roots with a menu that features chicken and waffles, fried catfish, and a selection of sides that includes collard greens and fried okra. The brunch menu brings a little West Coast flair with huevos rancheros and chilaquiles verdes.

The Silver Dollar
1761 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY
(502) 259-9540
www.whiskeybythedrink.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/the-silver-dollar-louisville

Rye: Unique Plates from Local Ingredients

The employees at Rye know that local ingredients tastes better. This Louisville restaurant takes advantage of regional goods and ingredients from local farms to build a unique menu that includes squid ink fettuccine and Berkshire braised pork. Order small plates to share amongst the group or choose from six different kinds of raw oysters. Pair your meal with a cocktail made with syrups made in-house and juices the restaurant staff squeezes daily. The unique flavors don’t end before the meal! An assortment of desserts includes avocado mousse with coconut sponge cake and a key lime curd with toasted meringue.

You’ll be able to find Rye by the big whiskey bottle and rye logo painted on the building. Inside, the restaurant bustles with bartenders serving drinks at the elegant wooden bar with simple stools. In another room, waiters serve entrees beneath a black ceiling set aglow by white light globes.

Rye
900 E. Market Street
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 749-6200
www.ryeonmarket.com
www.yelp.com/biz/rye-louisville

Doc Crow’s: Southern Cuisine With a Shot of Bourbon

Staying true to its location along downtown Louisville’s Whiskey Row, Doc Crow’s serves 160 whiskeys and more than 100 bourbons. However, the bourbon isn’t the only American flair on the menu. The restaurant focuses on American Southern cuisine with such dishes as seafood gumbo, fried green tomatoes, and catfish po-boys on Louisiana French bread. There’s also a daily selection of oysters, which Doc Crow’s serves with bourbon mignonette and a house-made cocktail sauce.

The interior is decorated in rustic sophistication with dark and light woods, fireplaces, and a ceramic white deer over the mantel. An industrial ceiling hangs over thick wooden benches and a brick wall painted “Bonnie Bros. Distillers.” The real charm is in the little things: Green olives, lemons, and other drink garnishes are stored in glass cotton ball containers, and cocktails may be served inside glass beakers.

Doc Crow’s
127 W. Main Street
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 587-1626
www.doccrows.com
www.yelp.com/biz/doc-crows-louisville

Saffron’s Persian Restaurant: A Journey Of Spice

Saffron's Persian Restaurant is a popular Middle Eastern restaurant that has been brining quality Persian and Iranian food to downtown Louisville diners for over a decade. Saffron's high level of quality and service has remained consistent over those ten years. Owner Majid Ghavami greets patrons at the door with a warm smile and a firm handshake, guiding patrons to their tables and making them feel completely at home. He’ll often even sit down at a table to carry on a conversation with a regular! Once you have a chance to open the menu, you’ll find an assortment of delights on offer. The menu is kept purposefully small, but everything is good. Open up with Saffron's traditional sabzie plate: minced herbs and feta cheese, served with warm pita bread fresh from the oven. It’ll prepare your palate for the wonders to come. Regulars recommend Saffron's tender, perfectly spiced braised lamb, as well as its Mike’s Special plate.

Saffron’s Persian Restaurant
131 West Market Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 584-7800
www.saffronsrestaurant.com

Proof on Main: Proof Positive

You know you’re doing something right when Esquire honors you as one of the country’s best new restaurants your opening year, and Louisville’s Proof on Main proves that maxim true. Located in the swanky 21c Museum Hotel, Proof on Main is a New American eatery that has tantalized taste buds with great food in a classy, modern dining room. Regulars can’t stop talking about the great, diverse food on the menu – the chickpea and country ham fritters blend disparate flavors to create a truly unique appetizer. The bacon wrapped pork chop is a paean to the delicious potential of the pig and Proof’s burgers – especially the spectacular bison – are among the best in town. Easily big enough to split between two plates, their burgers take the classic American fast food sandwich to new and terrific places. The bar serves up unique and innovative cocktails as well, so don’t leave without trying one. During a lull, take a second to admire the rotating art exhibits that line Proof on Main's walls.

Proof on Main
702 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 217-6360
www.proofonmain.com/proof/default.aspx

Oishii Sushi: Wish For Fish

If you’ve got a hankering for some Japanese cuisine in Louisville, Oishii Sushi serves up some of the best in town. Step into Oishii and you’ll be immediately charmed by its modern décor, which is incredibly welcoming. Oishii's dining room isn’t big, but the staff keeps tables moving quickly, so you won’t have to wait long. The menu boasts standard appetizers and entrees, with locals raving about the agedashi tofu, the vegetable tempura and the succulent gyoza. The real draw at Oishii Sushi is (of course!) the fish, which is presented in generous, fresh portions. Many of the special rolls incorporate either mayonnaise or cream cheese, but there are plenty of other choices on the menu to enjoy. Sashimi is an exceptionally good value here, with a sizable plate providing plenty of fish for two.

Oishii Sushi
2245 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
(502) 618-2829
www.oishiisushiky.com/default.html

Rivue: Take A Spin

Many restaurants feel like they need to have a gimmick in order to stand out. Louisville’s Rivue has a pretty unique one! Rivue features two rotating dining rooms, 25 floors above the streets of the city. The panoramic views of Louisville and the waterfront can’t be beat, but don’t think Rivue is just a one-trick pony. Once the food hits your table, you might not look at the view again until you swallow the last bite. Chef Tim Baker took over the kitchen in 2004 and since then he's shaped Rivue into one of Louisville’s most popular restaurants. Dishes like a delectable jumbo scallops appetizer served with a trio of sauces, a baccala chicken rolled in ham and served over lush cheese grits, and a great butterflied game hen all receive raves. After dessert, Rivue's complimentary candy cart stops by to add a sweet treat to the end of your meal.

Rivue
140 North 4th Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 568-4239
www.rivue.com

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