Welcome to the newest list of the latest and greatest in Louisville dining! From swanky hotel hotspots to star chefs and James Beard Award nominees, i’s a good time to be a local.
Take a look at this list of Louisville hottest new restaurants and let us know what you’d add to the line-up.
MeeshMeesh636 E. Market St.MeeshMeesh is Noam Bilitzer’s popular Levant-focused Mediterranean restaurant in Nulu. All main dishes come with salatim, which is Hebrew for “salads” but much more interesting. Small dishes of varied condiments circle around two thick, tender fresh pitas imported from Brooklyn’s famous Greens Bakery. Salatim dishes include smooth, creamy hummus, caraway-scented crisp apple and cabbage slaw, spicy olives and pickle, and so much more.Nami Modern Korean Steakhouse
835 E Main St Ste. 106The brainchild of Chef Edward Lee, Nami is his first venture back into his heritage cuisine since his days in New York City. Nami dining is a different type of Korean dining. Think of it as an elevated Korean steakhouse. Having topped the list of USAToday’s Best Restaurants of 2024, this is a must-visit Korean restaurant in Louisville.Paseo900 Baxter Ave.Paseo, the restaurant at the new Myriad Hotel on Baxter Ave., describes itself as a “metropolitan-style restaurant bursting with Mediterranean spice and scenery.” Famous for their seafood paella and poolside views, this spot is perfect for all occasions: brunch, lunch, dinner and everything in between! Grab a pool pass in the summer and sip on cocktails and snack on appetizers in this hidden Highlands oasis. Weyland VenturesRosette’s
730 E Market St.Rosette’s, the Parisian-inspired restaurant inside Nulu’s Hotel Genevieve is offering a delicious Easter brunch that’s extremely on theme! Try out the Easter Egg Mille Feuille: A light, layered pastry filled with berries and cream, and topped with a chocolate egg. You can also choose between Crab Cakes, the Egg Salad Croissant, or the BLT Montecristo, a French Toast Sandwich with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and maple-dijon dressing. Sip on the Peach Bellini or Limoncello Spritz complete with edible flower, and don’t forget to stop by Mini-Marche to try the Peep Latte!CM Chicken2221 Frankfort Ave.Choong Man (CM)’s Louisville location opened in March ’24. This chain has about 50 stores around the U.S. after making their national debut in 2017. The store is known for its Korean-style fried chicken and special sauces. The menu includes several other items including some seafood and shellfish offerings.Cured Restaurant & Salumeria119 S 7th StCured Restaurant & Salumeria is a new restaurant and European-style meat shop in Nulu. Opened by Cuban natives, it’s located on the ground floor of the Main & Clay building, in the space formerly known as International Tap House.HopAtomica1318 McHenry St.New micro-brewery, distillery and wood-fired eatery HopAtomica is now open with a selection of appetizers, pizza, sandwiches, salads and desserts. Everything at this new spot will be made in-house, including beer and spirits. Craft cocktails will be a big part of their offerings. Sydney CatinnaDecade 11076 E Washington St.Decade is home to a whole lot of Louisville history. Opened by the previous owners of Decca, this neighborhood eatery with fresh food and craft cocktails is located in the space that once housed Butchertown Grocery.Jin Doshirak
211 S. 5th St.Jin Doshirak is a new Korean/Japanese concept by former Osaka Chef Song Kim. Doshirak (도시락) means lunchbox. The restaurant is opening in the former All Thai’d Up space and will be open from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Saturday. The restaurant plans to serve Korean fare in bento-style boxes (ahem, 도시락) and sushi.Top 1 Korean BBQ & Hotpot
1803 Bardstown Rd.
Recently opened, this spot is filled with hot grills and boiling soup pots for a dining experience much like those in Insadong and Iksedong in Seoul.House of Marigold10310 Shelbyville RdAdrienne Cole and partner Chef Kristopher Cole opened House of Marigold in 2023. It quickly became one of the most Instagrammable spots in Louisville and for good reason. With interior stylings by Maddox & Rose, their menu has just as much to rave about. Featuring a rotating selection of seasonal farm-to-table classics, this is pretty much one of the best brunch spots in the city. House of MarigoldCanary Club1247 S Shelby St.We’re thrilled that Louisville’s first and only natural wine bar (and Leo Reader’s Choice Award winner!) Canary Club, is a 100% woman-owned business. Located in the heart of Shelby Park, right next to another woman-owned bar, stop by for wine, cocktails and snacks before picking up a bottle from the adjoining Breeze Wine Shop. Be on the lookout for jazz nights and pop-up kitchens, which are sure to sell out fast!North of Bourbon935 Goss AveEver wanted to try an elevated mix of New Orleans, Louisville and Kentucky bourbon in a warm and friendly atmosphere? That’s what North of Bourbon has to offer.
In addition to their 300+ option bourbon selection, they offer an inspired lunch and dinner menu based on your favorite New Orleans flavors, created by their James Beard Award Nominee chef, Chef Lawrence Weeks North of BourbonThe Misfit119 S 7th StA husband-and-wife duo with 10+ years of service industry experience are behind this new sandwich and sausage parlor concept, occupying the former Against the Grain Sandwich Shop space downtown. In the same building, below The Misfit, the couple have also opened a 19th-century-inspired cocktail bar called the Hereafter featuring live music, craft cocktails and bespoke decor collected from estate sales across the South.Perso741 E. Oak St.,This former upscale pizza concept has been retooled into a fine dining Italian spot and it’s…chef’s kiss.Photo via PersoOsteria Italian Seafood 1211 Herr LaneNapa River Grill enjoyed a very good run before it renovated and rebranded as Osteria Italian Seafood in late 2023. Even its familiar vineyard-shaded patio survived the move, and it remains in the new incarnation. Several of Napa’s most familiar menu items remain, and Napa’s Chef Seth Butkus is still at the helm in the kitchen. For all the emphasis on seafood and fish, there’s still an ample selection of chicken, pork, beef, and cheese dishes to offer variety.Señora Arepa938 Baxter Ave and 117 St Matthews Ave.If you’ve never tried an arepa, you’re in for a treat. This Venezuelan arepita features vegetariano and vegano options, and many of its other varieties of arepa are vegetarian anyway. Señora ArepaCosmic Bird
619 Baxter Ave.
A trained chef with 20 years of experience, James Morier opened Cosmic Bird with high hopes that his plant-based chk’n sandwiches and upcoming vegan sushi Sundays will be a game changer for the Louisville food scene. Come summer, Morier and his dedicated General Manager Sabrina Felts plan to have the back patio open for business and filled with live music and a space for growing mushrooms. Cosmic Bird via InstagramEnso1756 Frankfort Ave.Enso is a new concept from the James Beard nominated chef behind North of Bourbon. The menu interlinks Japanese and Southern culture to create thoughtful and authentic dishes that are a unique addition to the Louisville food scene. Your meal will begin with a hot hand towel and cleansing cup of chicken broth before you order any of your shareable plates from the raw bar or unique ramens with housemade Udon noodles.Steak & Bourbon Downtown
115 S 4th St.This premier local steakhouse and bourbon bar offers hand-cut steaks, seafood, an extensive bourbon list. With the original in Westport Village, they recently opened a second location across from Derby City Gaming Downtown.
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Sydney is a native Louisvillian who spent her twenties in Los Angeles working in Hollywood. When off duty, she blogs about her adventures at Sydney to Anywhere. An avid explorer, the only thing she loves...
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