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Spring brings new vibes and new restaurants to Louisville’s growing scene. 

We’ve compiled a list of the places opening this coming season, starting in March, that we’re most hyped about.

There’s a food truck, completely new concepts, additional locations of local favorites and new-to-market chains. Bone apple tea. – Danielle Grady

Common Haus Hall Opening in March 134 Spring St., Jeffersonville, Indiana This bar in Jeffersonville, created by the owners of the nearby Pints & Union, is gonna be all Germany, all the time. Southern Indiana will soon be able to say wilkommen to German food, German decor, and, of course, German beer. Photo via Common Haus
VinBun Vietnamese Bistro Opened March 4 12422 Shelbyville Road We’ll always welcome a new Vietnamese restaurant in Louisville: VinBun is a colorful bistro in Middletown serving pho, banh mi and rice plates. You can also sip on VinBun’s homemade fruit drinks, including its organic avocado smoothie and its tart Apricot Ade. Photo via facebook.com/VinBun-Vietnamese-Bistro
North Lime Coffee & Donuts Westport Village Opening this spring 1301 Herr Lane The Lexington-based North Lime Coffee & Donuts will soon be selling their made-from-scratch donuts in Westport Village, across the city from their Old Louisville location. Photo via facebook.com/northlimeoldlou
Al Hamra Halal Mediterranean Buffet Opened March 6 1250 Bardstown Road Al Hamra Halal Mediterranean Buffet is reopening after an almost two-year pandemic closure. We’ve missed the all-day Mediterranean buffet — the only one like it in Louisville — and its wide variety of Middle Eastern dishes, including specialties form the owners’ native country, Jordan. Photo by Robin Garr
Holy Grale Reopening by the end of March 1034 Bardstown Road One of Louisville’s most popular beer bars is finally reopening. We’ll let them tell you what it’s going to look like: “In Spring 2022, Holy Grale will resurrect in its newly renovated Original Highlands chapel house, celebrating its tenth year in operation. Twenty three brand new draft beer lines will showcase some of the world’s best ales and lagers alongside a new seasonally driven menu by The Grales executive chef, Jonathan Searle. In addition to Grale’s celebrated beer program, natural wines and a limited cocktail menu will be offered.” Sounds good, huh? Holy Grale will join the growing Grales campus, which includes the gralehouse cafe and the new Grale Goods shop and natural wine bar. Photo courtesy of Holy Grale
Quills Coffee Norton Commons Opening this spring 6324 River Beauty Loop Louisvile-based Quills Coffee is opening its largest location yet, this one in Norton Commons. The coffee shop will be part of the Lyric Commons multi-use development. Photo via facebook.com/QuillsCoffee
Southern Restaurant & Lounge Opened March 4 301 W. Market St. Opening right across from the Kentucky International Convention Center is an exclusive Southern dining experience. Patrons will be able to make reservations on Saturdays for a four-course meal that comes with a Southern signature cocktail and live entertainment. There’s also an evening lounge menu on Fridays and Saturdays, with a burger, cajun chicken pasta, deep fried cauliflower bites and more. In April, the restaurant plans to open for lunch and earlier lounge hours. Photo via facebook.com/SouthernRestaurantAndLounge
Green District Salads Jeffersonville Opening this spring Veterans Parkway Green District Salads is on an opening binge and they’re finally coming to Jeffersonville as part of the Jeffersonville Town Center development. This Louisville-based salad chain serves seven types of “legendary” salads, as well as wraps and grain bowls. The restaurant is also working on opening a location at Von Allmen Court, also scheduled to break out this spring. Photo via facebook.com/GDSalads
Carali’s Rotisserie Chicken Clarksville Opening early 2022 703 E. Lewis and Clark Parkway Carali’s is opening its first Indiana location. This Peruvian chicken restaurant has six locations around Louisville. In addition to bone-in rotisserie chicken, you can also get yuca bites, empanadas, wraps and soups and salads. Photo via Carali’s Chicken
West Sixth Cantina Opening in spring West Sixth Brewing is starting a new venture: A food truck, serving classic Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites. The Cantina will make weekly appearances in Louisville at West Sixth NuLu. The brewery also plans to bring the truck to major festivals and events in the city like Kentuckiana Pride and NuLu Fest. Photo via LEO archives
The Fox Den Opening April 22 3814 Frankfort Ave. Rising Louisville restaurateur Jared Fox Matthews is taking over Diamond Pub and Billiards St. Matthews and turning it into the Fox Den. It will still have billiards, pinball and live music seven days a week, but Matthews is giving the building a facelift. There’s no set menu yet, but the plan is for “chef-driven pub fare, brews and craft cocktails.” Jared Fox Matthews is the owner of Equus & Jack’s Bourbon Restaurant/Lounge, Black Rabbit and Lou Lou Food & Drink. Photo via Google Street View Photo via Google Streetview
Gustavo’s Mexican Grill Hurtsbourne Opened March 9 401 S. Hurstbourne Parkway For its fifth location, the locally-owned Gustavo’s Mexican Grill has special plans, which include a private tequila room where guests can sample unusual and rare spirits. This location, which is located in a former Romano’s Macaroni Grill, also features a large patio that can seat 80 people. The food will be the Mexican favorites available at every Gustavo’s location, although owner Gustavo Reyes has ordered a new grill oven, which he will soon be able to use to charbroil food inside. Photo via facebook.com/GustavosMexicanGrillNortonCommons
Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen Gardiner Lane and Summit Plaza Opening in spring 3012 Bardstown Road, 4055 Summit Plaza Drive Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen will be serving its health-conscious salads, soups, bowls and homemade lemonades at two new locations in Louisville this spring. This regional chain first opened in Louisville on Hurstbourne Parkway. Photo via facebook.com/vsklou
Wild Eggs New Albany Opening in the first half of 2022 223 W. Fifth St. The breakfast-food chain isn’t new to the Louisville area, but this will be its first location in New Albany. Expect pancakes, oatmeal, and, of course, plenty of eggs. Photo via facebook.com/WildEggsRestaurants
Pig Beach BBQ Opening in April 1201 River Road All the way from New York City, ironically, is this barbeque restaurant, which will serve Southern favorites inside the waterfront location that was once Doc’s Cantina. Photo via facebook.com/PigBeachNYC
Bandido Taqueria Mexicana Goose Creek Opening in April 2901 Goose Creek Road Bandido is opening a third Louisville location off of Westport Road. This Louisville favorite serves San Diego-style Mexican food. We recommend their California burrito, which comes stuffed with French fries. Photo via facebook.com/BandidoTaqueriaMexicana
Taco City Louisville, Breckenridge Lane Opening mid-March 3085 Breckenridge Lane Owner Oscar Estrada told LEO in November that the impetus for opening a new restaurant was the success of the first two Taco City locations: during the start of the pandemic, carry-out orders took off and became a lifeline for the business. His goal is to open five total Taco City locations in Louisville. Although the Taco City Louisville restaurants all serve Mexican classics like burritos, quesadillas, tortas, and, of course, tacos, the new location will add another veggie taco, a brisket taco, more salad options, and a larger drink menu. Photo via facebook.com/TacoCityLouisville
Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe Jeffersonville Opening in spring 1580 Veterans Parkway Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe is planning its Southern Indiana debut with this location at Jeffersonville Town Center. The restaurant serves health-focused Mediterranean food, including gyros and grilled meat feasts served with greek salad and your choice of roasted new potatoes or basmati rice. Photo via Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Opening late spring or summer 13100 Shelbyville Road Tropical Smoothie Cafe is opening its first Louisville location, according to the Courier Journal, where it will be serving up its signature smoothies and other healthy eats, including flatbreads, wraps, sandwiches, quesadillas and salads. Photo via facebook.com/tropicalsmoothiecafe
Waldo’s Chicken and Beer Opening in spring 10700 Meeting St. Chicken is king at this restaurant, which comes to its first Louisville location by way of a former Papa John’s CEO. Look forward to chicken sandwiches, chicken salads, and more chicken dishes — plus, of course, beer. Photo via facebook.com/WaldosChicken

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