#8: The hag goes to Louisville 🥃
Lots of bourbon, mind blowing tuna tartare, dinner inside a barrel!
Louisville is an underrated city. Whenever I tell people I’m going to Louisville, the response is always, “For what?” The assumption is that I certainly could not be vacationing there. I must be helping a friend move some furniture or possibly attending a funeral. Why else would I willingly go to some random city in Kentucky?
Good food and bourbon distilleries are at the top of my list, which Louisville has tons of. It’s a city with interesting history, dope old buildings and one of the coolest cemeteries ever where Colonel Sanders (of the KFC fortune) happens to be buried.
If that doesn’t sell you on Louisville, I don’t know what will.
Here’s a list of some of my favorites (both new and old) around the city.
Best eats
Meesh Meesh
Neighborhood: NuLu
What to order: Yellowfin Tuna Tartare ($19), Fischer Farms Steak ($48)
My take: I snagged a reservation here after I saw the chef was recently named a James Beard semifinalist and it didn’t disappoint. We ordered a slew of dishes to try. The standout by far was the tuna tartare, which came with instructions to mix the tuna in with the spicy broth and spoon it into the crispy pani puris. The result was a magical explosion of flavor that had me grabbing my water and then going back in for more.
Gralehaus
Neighborhood: Highlands
What to order: The Shroom n’ Grits ($15) or Ugly Frittata ($16)
My take: Gralehaus is in a old Victorian home built in the early 1900’s so the vibes are exactly what I want: cozy and slightly haunted. Every dish tastes like it was made in a medieval tavern but in the best way possible. Think hearty but elevated. Doing mushrooms with grits instead of the traditional shrimp is a power move. It changed the whole game for me. The seed crispies and scallions gave it some added texture and the savory broth was like a hug on top of a hug.
North of Bourbon
Neighborhood: Germantown
What to order: What’s Poppin’ ($14), Baked oysters ($4/each), Shrimp Yakamein ($36)
My take: This place was a barrel of surprises. First, you sit inside a barrel, which normally might feel dumb and gimmicky but in Louisville it felt right. I had the old fashioned of my life in that barrel, featuring popcorn butter washed bourbon. It gave off a hint of caramel popcorn without being disgusting. Other surprises included she crab baked oysters (holy shit) and a kind of asian/New Orleans fusion noodle dish with shrimp SAUSAGE. Why aren’t we doing more shrimp sausage stuff? I loved this place.
Decade
Neighborhood: Butchertown
What to order: Space & Time cocktail ($18), Carrots and whipped feta ($16)
My take: I cannot overstate how much craft and care went into everything we drank and ate at this restaurant. I think vegetables are too often an afterthought but not here. The carrots and whipped feta were the simplest dish we had and I audibly moaned (embarrassing) when I took the first bite. It’s more than just being a good food combination. They were seasoned and cooked to absolute perfection and I will be thinking about them for a long time.
Best bourbon stops
Rabbit Hole Distillery
Location: NuLu
Best for: A DIY rooftop tasting
My take: Rabbit Hole is a relatively newer bourbon distillery and I don’t think it gets the respect it deserves. They are making some of the best bourbon out there. My favorites are “Cavehill” and “Dareringer”, which is double-barreled and finished in sherry casks. The distillery is right in the city and the rooftop bar has a dope view of NuLu. Order a flight and do your own tasting.
Stitzel-Weller Distillery
Location: Shively, KY
Best for: A gritty bourbon tour with surprising history
My take: Stitzel-Weller is not a flashy distillery but that’s part of the appeal for me. SW is for the real ones. It was started back in 1935 by Pappy Van Winkle, basically the Taylor Swift of bourbon. You won’t find Pappy’s bourbon here anymore but SW is where the magic of Old Rip Van Winkle started. You can feel it in the air.
Woodford Reserve Distillery
Location: Versailles, KY
Best for: Getting the quintessential Kentucky bourbon experience
My take: I’ll be honest, Woodford is not my favorite bourbon (a bit too gentle for me) but I think they have one of the most beautiful distilleries in Kentucky. It’s located in Versailles (about an hour from Louisville), which is home to acres and acres of rolling horse pastures. It’s worth it to do a full tour instead of just the tasting.
Michter’s Distillery
Location: Downtown Louisville
Best for: Popping in for a tasting flight (or cocktail)
My take: This was my first time at Michter’s and we just stopped by for a drink. Their bar screams quiet luxury and the cocktail I ordered was…stunning? Plus, there were free snacks.
5 more things I consumed last week in Louisville
A brisket sandwich ($17.99) & bourbon slushie ($12) from Feast BBQ. This BBQ joint always delivers when we’re in town. More places should serve bourbon slushies IMO.
The “Paloma” ($13) from Pretty Decent. Imagine if Grow had a cocktail bar in it and that’s Pretty Decent. The bar specializes in agave spirits, which was a nice break from bourbon. One of the best palomas I’ve had despite being the most colorless.
Honey bourbon caramel latte ($5) from Quills Coffee. Basically the Not Just Coffee of Louisville. I love this latte so much I ordered it multiple times while we were there.
Bolognese ($26) from Holy Grale. A sister to Gralehaus, Holy Grale serves lots of beer in an old unitarian chapel house. I discovered they also serve a mean bolognese.
Two jumbo tenders and broccoli salad ($12) from Royal’s Hot Chicken. Anytime I’m in Louisville this is one of my first lunch stops. The tenders are served on top of a piece of white bread. Seems weird but it works incredibly well.
Not pictured were our stops at Skyline Chili (hell yeah) and Buc-ees (dystopian hellscape). I know Cincinnati chili isn’t for everyone but I love it. I’m sad we don’t have a Skyline but I’m happy to report that Lupie’s Cafe offers Cincinnati chili in Charlotte. Last time I ordered it, the server at Lupie’s asked, “Are you sure? Have you had it before?” like I had asked for chili with Peeps in it. It’s actually good, ok?
I’ll be back to talking Charlotte food and drinkies next week.
c u next tuesday,
the hag herself
All of the food and drinks reviewed in QCH are paid for by the author. This newsletter does not feature any ads or sponsored content.
Here for hag travel content 👏 Louisville looks sick!