Must-see restaurants in Kentucky

  • Carson's Food & Drink

    Lexington

    Prohibition-era cocktails ($8 to $10) and bloody Marys (garnished with bacon, shrimp, celery, olives, pepper jack cheese and pepperoncini) make for great…

  • Proof on Main

    Louisville

    Arguably Louisville's best restaurant. The cocktails are incredible, the wine and bourbon 'library' (they're known to pour from exclusive and rare barrels…

  • Smokey Pig Bar-B-Q

    Kentucky

    Smokey Pig specializes in Monroe County barbecue, a south-central Kentucky style known for its hickory smoked, thinly sliced pork shoulder dipped in a…

  • Rick's White Light Diner

    Bluegrass Country

    At this kind of place American eating is all about, local character Rick Paul whips up excellent (mostly Cajun) greasy spoon dishes at this tiny diner…

  • Blue Door Smokehouse

    Lexington

    Follow your nose to this small smokehouse marked by a bright blue door where the buttery-tender brisket is the meat to beat. Arrive early to get a juicy…

  • Freight House

    Kentucky

    Chef Sara Bradley has converted an old railroad depot into a rustic venue for her modern Southern farm-to-table dishes. The menu changes with the season,…

  • Boujie Biscuit

    Louisville

    Each dish has the chef’s signature biscuit as its base – a big, square, butter-brushed beauty – that’s then loaded with something comforting and delicious…

  • Holly Hill Inn

    Bluegrass Country

    This winsome 1845 Greek Revival estate, nestled beneath the oaks, houses one of the best restaurants in Kentucky. The married chef-owners serve a simple…

  • Mami Monchita’s

    Bluegrass Country

    Real-deal Honduran dishes emerge from the kitchen at this amiable little spot. Try the baleadas (folded tortillas stuffed with refried beans and cheese)…

  • Gralehaus

    Louisville

    There's breakfast all day at this snug eatery housed in a historic early-20th-century home, and you should indeed indulge in its chef-centric takes on…

  • Middle Fork

    Lexington

    From worshipped food truck to the culinary anchor of the hot Distillery District, Chef Mark Jensen calls on a custom-built Argentinean-styled wood-fire…

  • Butchertown Grocery

    Louisville

    This hot spot rides a delicate line between raw and refined, dishing out European-inspired, American-anchored comfort cuisine in an unassuming 19th…

  • Bottle & Bond

    Kentucky

    There’s lots to love about this slick, modern-industrial restaurant inside Bardstown Bourbon Company: the fried chicken double-dipped in buttermilk, the…

  • Decca

    Louisville

    A beautiful space with a cork-and-wood floor, fountain-strewn patio and gorgeous Laguiole cutlery opened by a chef from San Francisco (albeit a Southerner…

  • Silver Dollar

    Louisville

    Gastronomically noncommittal – we'll call the cuisine California-inspired New Southern – but unrepentantly bourbon obsessed, the Silver Dollar will dazzle…

  • Otto's

    Northern Kentucky

    The chef describes his menu as Kentucky cuisine with French flair. Fat, meaty sandwiches like the local hot brown (turkey, bacon and Mornay sauce) are…

  • Stella's Kentucky Deli

    Lexington

    This don't-miss deli has more than 30 years under its apron, but the latest owners have upped the cool quotient and concentrated on delicious provisions…

  • Crank & Boom Ice Cream Lounge

    Lexington

    Blueberry lime cheesecake, blackberry and buttermilk, bourbon and honey – Crank & Boom invents flavors you didn’t even know you craved. Flights are…

  • Zim's Cafe

    Lexington

    Down-home dishes made with Kentucky ingredients is Zim’s way. Locals fill the sunny, folk art-adorned room, forking into gingerbread pancakes and biscuits…

  • Midway Bakery & Cafe

    Bluegrass Country

    The chef who owns the upscale Holly Hill Inn a mile up the road continues her locally sourced ways at this bakery, which occupies the renovated cafeteria…

  • Noodle Nirvana

    Kentucky

    This pocket-sized, fast-casual eatery has a great beatnik vibe. Pick your noodle (ramen, rice, glass), then your sauce (coconut curry, peanut, spicy lime)…

  • Chaney’s Dairy Barn

    Kentucky

    Wave to the cows who provide the milk for your ice cream at this working farm. Top licks among the 32 flavors made onsite include bourbon crunch (mixed…

  • Smithtown Seafood

    Lexington

    Order your cornmeal-crusted catfish, shrimp and grits or fish tacos with chili-lime-yogurt sauce at Smithtown’s counter, then head to a table in adjoining…

  • Miguel's Pizza

    Red River Gorge

    This sunny yellow building is the climbing community's hub. Nosh on sweet potato pancakes and other hearty dishes for breakfast, or terrific pizzas …

  • Martine’s Pastries

    Lexington

    Martine hails from France, and she doesn't mess around when it comes to her perfectly flaky croissants. Locals also pile in for her buttermilk chive…

  • Red River Rockhouse

    Red River Gorge

    While the ambience is casual, the reclaimed barn-wood decor and fresh art on the walls make the Rockhouse feel like a classy step up from other…

  • Garage Bar

    Louisville

    The best thing to do on a warm afternoon in Louisville is to make your way to this uber-hip converted NuLu service station (accented by two kissing…

  • County Club

    Lexington

    This smoked-meat sanctuary occupies the former storage garage of a Sunbeam bread factory. Though the service is best described as aloof, the dishes –…

  • Bouquet Restaurant

    Northern Kentucky

    Bouquet spreads its tables throughout sunny rooms in a vintage row house. The menu changes based on what’s available from local farmers, so you might see…

  • Mellow Mushroom

    Kentucky

    Mellow Mushroom is a regional chain known for its thick-crust pizzas, calzones and craft beers. This branch, in the revamped Coca-Cola factory in Midtown,…

  • El Mazatlan

    Mammoth Cave National Park

    It fits the Tex-Mex restaurant stereotype with its bright-hued paintings and lengthy menu of burritos, enchiladas and margaritas, but El Mazatlan does it…

  • MilkWood

    Louisville

    Local celeb chef Edward Lee melds Southern and Asian-style cuisines at MilkWood. Fork into pork shoulder atop coconut rice, burnt miso brussels sprouts…

  • Corto y Lima

    Lexington

    With its hip young staff, bright tile bar and slew of creative small plates, Corto y Lima draws date-night couples and groups of stylish friends. They…

  • Feast BBQ

    Louisville

    The fried pickles, tater tots and mac-and-cheese balls may clog the arteries, but it’s so worth it. Order at the counter – brisket, pulled pork, chopped…

  • Oscar Diggs

    Lexington

    The giant burgers and thick, crispy French fries are mainstays, while the rest of the menu changes based on what’s available from local farmers. Expect…

  • Mayan Cafe

    Louisville

    Check your visions of piñatas and mariachis at the door – Chef Bruce Ucán's subtle farm-to-table Mexican mainstay is all about the (sustainably sourced)…

  • Red River Smokehouse

    Red River Gorge

    The Smokehouse fires up tender beef brisket, pulled pork and baby-back ribs, but the side dishes – including jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins and…

  • Herb & Thelma's Tavern

    Northern Kentucky

    Set inside a red-brick, Civil War-era building, Herb & Thelma’s is everything an old-school tavern should be. The wood floors creak, the barkeeps chat…

  • Mammy’s Kitchen

    Kentucky

    Mammy’s dishes up omelets, biscuits and country ham for breakfast, and burgers, pork chops and chicken and waffles for dinner. The kitschy interior is…