2023 top restaurants: A look back at 12 new spots that opened this year in Louisville
At times over the last year, it may have felt like a new restaurant opened every few days in the Louisville area.
That sentiment isn't far off, as more than 130 restaurants have opened so far in 2023.
Along with locations of chains such as Jack in the Box, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Dirty Dough Cookies and Marco's Pizza, the growing food scene welcomed additional locations of popular spots such as The Eagle, Jeff's Donuts, Drake's, First Watch, Jaggers, El Nopal and Quills Coffee.
For a glimpse into the range of new food options here, we looked back at 12 of the biggest restaurant openings of 2023. Read on for details:
The Bakery at Sullivan University
3100 Bardstown Road; thebakeryatsullivan.com; Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
After more than three years, The Bakery at Sullivan University reopened in September.
“The Bakery has been a staple in the neighborhood for many, many years,” Emily Kunkel, marketing manager for Sullivan University, told the Courier Journal. “... We’ve transitioned away from your traditional bakery and more toward old European style with artisan breads, light sandwiches and things to ensure we’re showcasing our craft in the best way possible.”
The new menu includes house-made pastries, breads and sandwiches, as well as hot and iced coffees. Sullivan University graduates Ann Currie and Teeylah Webster will operate the bakery, which offers internship opportunities for Sullivan students.
The restaurant previously focused on grab-and-go dining. It now features indoor and outdoor seating for more of an "experience," Kunkel previously said.
Big Nita's Cheesecakes
1011 E. Main St., bignitascheesecakeslou.com, Hours: Friday, 1-9 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Big Nita's Cheesecakes moved to its first brick-and-mortar location at 1011 E. Main St. in Butchertown in mid-January in the space that previously held Hi-Five Doughnuts.
"We haven't been able to keep up with the demand with just our food truck," owner Nicole Clark previously told the Courier Journal. "It's hard to grow when you don't have the space to grow your business. Now that we have a storefront coming, we can get caught up to where our business needs to be."
The company serves slices of flavored cheesecakes, jumbo cheesecake-filled cookies, and cheesecake-filled cupcakes. Flavors vary from week to week but include caramel apple, Bailey's Irish Cream brownie, orange dream, Biscoff butter cookie, and of course, banana cream, the Courier Journal previously reported.
Clark previously said the banana cream cheesecake remains the most popular slice. If you only try one, she said, try that one.
"People say it reminds them of their Memaw's old-school banana pudding," she said. "Everyone likes banana pudding so when they say it reminds them of someone special to them, I think that's the biggest compliment."
The Capital Grille
7600 Shelbyville Road, thecapitalgrille.com, Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, 4-10 p.m., Sunday, 4-9 p.m.
The Capital Grille steakhouse opened at 7600 Shelbyville Road in the Oxmoor Shopping Center, in early February. The restaurant spans nearly 10,000 square feet including a lounge as well as private and semi-private space for events.
The Capital Grille is best known for its dry-aged in-house steaks, fresh seafood, and world-class wine list. Steaks are hand-carved daily by the restaurant’s butcher, with selections including bone-in dry-aged New York strip steak and sliced filet mignon with cipollini onions, wild mushrooms and fig essence, and more, the Courier Journal previously reported.
The menu also includes dishes such as lobster and crab cakes, tuna tartare, and chef's suggestion steak plates along with shareable sides. It also boasts more than 350 wine selections, a wine cellar with more than 3,000 bottles, and private wine lockers available for annual lease. Guests may also choose from 30 wines "rarely" offered by the glass, according to a press release, including library vintages and highly sought-after limited bottlings.
Connors Steak & Seafood
615 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy, connorsrestaurant.com, Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Connors Steak & Seafood, a popular chain restaurant, opened in Louisville in April. It's the first Louisville location for this brand, which serves steaks, fresh seafood and salads. It's owned by the Knoxville, Tennessee-based Connor Concepts LLC, which also runs The Chop House.
Connors Concepts President and CEO J. Michael Connor previously said in a news release his company had been looking for a spot in the Louisville area for a long time.
"These restaurants are typically polished casual dining," Connor said. "We are very proud of the fact we have a good value on our menu. We position ourselves somewhere between the fine dining steakhouses like Ruth's Chris and the casual ones, like Texas Roadhouse."
Connors, with its Louisville location coming in at just under 8,000 square feet, serves lunch and dinner, with a menu of appetizers and small plates like voodoo shrimp, calamari and lobster dip, soups and salads, signature cuts of steak, seafood specialties, chicken entrees, and sandwiches and burgers, the Courier Journal previously reported.
Decade
1076 E. Washington St., decaderestaurant.com, Hours: Monday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m.
Decade, which took over the former Butchertown Grocery space, opened in early June.
Decade is led by partners Chad Sheffield, one of Decca's owners for the last 12 years; Chef Matt Johnson, who served as chef de cuisine at bar Vetti, and Decca and sous chef at Proof on Main, and Chef Andy Meyers, who was the executive chef at Decca after founding chef Annie Pettry left. Before that, he was the opening chef for Gralehaus and The Holy Grale, the Courier Journal previously reported.
B-Sides, a bar and music venue, also opened in the upstairs space at Decade.
Menu highlights include a starter dish of local mushrooms from Frondosa Farms, seared in a black garlic sauce and topped with crushed walnuts and pea tendrils; a loaded double cheeseburger and fries; mackerel with citrus vinaigrette, and a 16-ounce USDA Prime Ribeye steak. The restaurant also has a daily selection of ice cream, butterscotch pudding and a gluten-free play on strawberry shortcake made with an olive oil almond cake, roasted strawberries and poached rhubarb syrup, the Courier Journal previously reported.
Enso
1756 Frankfort Ave., ensolouisville.com, Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 4 p.m. to midnight, Sunday, 4-9 p.m.
Ensō, a nontraditional Japanese restaurant with Southern flavors, opened this fall in Clifton at 1756 Frankfort Ave., across from The Silver Dollar.
Chef Lawrence Weeks, who also works with North of Bourbon, previously told the Courier Journal Ensō was going to be "a breath of fresh air" with an open, bright space complemented by greenery, accents, and Japanese-style decor compared to the "sexy" vibe of North of Bourbon.
Customers can find dishes like oysters, meat skewers grilled over Japanese charcoal, and noodle bowls that aren't primarily focused on ramen, which Weeks said is a dish other people in Louisvillealready do well.
"We don't want to compete with anybody," he previously said. "We want to do things that aren't done around here so that there is space for everybody else to shine."
Gordon Ramsay Steak
11999 Casino Center Dr., Elizabeth, Indiana, gordonramsayrestaurants.com/en/us/gordon-ramsay-steak, Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 4:30-10:30 p.m., Sunday, 5-10 p.m.
Gordon Ramsay Steak was the first big restaurant opening of the year when it opened in early January at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino, 11999 Casino Center Drive, Elizabeth, Indiana.
The 6,051-square-foot restaurant has 170s seats and décor inspired by Michelin-starred chef and TV personality chef Gordon Ramsay's U.K. roots. A curated bourbon bar menu brings a "hometown touch" to the restaurant. Private dining rooms are also available to seat parties of eight to 30 guests, the Courier Journal previously reported.
Ramsay's menu includes signature items such as beef wellington and sticky toffee pudding alongside an award-winning wine list, hand-crafted cocktails, and local bourbons.
"The Southern Indiana-Louisville area is an amazing location, with access to a sophisticated agriculture system," Ramsay previously said in a release. "In my travels through the Midwest, I’ve seen how incredible the quality of the ingredients are. I’m really excited to take the amazing culinary bounties of the region and showcase all the area has to offer."
MeeshMeesh Mediterranean
636 E. Market St., meeshmeesh.com, Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 5-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m,. Sunday, 5-9 p.m.
MeeshMeesh Mediterranean opened in August at 636 E. Market St. in Nulu, in the former Wiltshire on Market space, which closed earlier this year after 14 years in business.
Owned and operated by chef Noam Bilitzer, a native of Israel who's previously worked at Red Hog and Proof on Main, the restaurant serves shareable dishes with flavors from Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and other countries, according to a news release. The menu features vegetarian, vegan and meat options made with locally sourced ingredients, as well as cocktails and wine, the Courier Journal previously reported.
"We want guests to come, relax and enjoy the menu together building memories to last a lifetime," Bilitzer previously said in the release. "We’re highlighting the unique flavors and influences I grew up with, and we can’t wait to share them with everyone."
Nami
835 E. Main St., nami-restaurant.com, Hours: 4:30-10 p.m. daily and bar open late Fridays and Saturdays
It didn't take long for Nami to rise on the radar, when it comes to Louisville restaurants. After opening in May, the modern Korean steakhouse from celebrity chef Edward Lee was recently tapped as one of the country's best new restaurants by Esquire.
"It is an honor to be recognized with some of the best restaurants in America today," Lee told the Courier Journal. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication that the Nami team puts in every single day. I could not be prouder."
The menu features upscale takes on Korean barbecue entrees, bibimbap rice bowls, kimbap hand rolls and starters such as steamed shrimp mandu, mushroom pumpkin dumplings and spicy tuna tartare.
Nostalgic
1300 Bardstown Road, eatnostalgic.com, Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4 p.m. to midnight, Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4-10 p.m.
Nostalgic, an eclectic chophouse, opened in the Highlands in mid-February. Owner Catherine MacDowall, who also owns Naive at 1001 E. Washington St., said it had been in the works for two years.
"Our idea is to serve the high and low, without any pretension," she previously said. "I have found that in times of stress or celebration, people want to tap into their fondest memories, which are usually childhood memories. And no other restaurant here is focusing on this sort of twist."
Menu items mimic popular dishes but with an upscale, farm-to-table flavor profile. Think potato skins, topped with caviar, tuna and crackers, made with fancy, fresh tuna, and a hot pocket, made with locally sourced meats and cheeses, the Courier Journal previously reported.
The more playful dishes are balanced out by standard chophouse entrees like confit duck, steak, oysters, seafood and burgers.
Osteria Italian Seafood
1211 Herr Lane, osterialouisville.com, Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-9 p.m.
Jared Matthews, the restaurateur behind Lou Lou On Market, Lou Lou Food + Drink, The Fox Den, and Black Rabbit, took over Napa with the goal of bringing some "passion" back to the well-known eatery that first opened in 1999. After a remodel and menu update, the restaurant reopened on Sept. 26 with a new name, Osteria Italian Seafood.
The decor offers a bright look, including shimmering light fixtures, blue velvet chairs, and several pieces of aquatic-themed artwork. The patio got a few upgrades, such as an outdoor neon sign reading, "This wine is making me awesome."
Osteria's menu features house-made pasta dishes like lasagna rotolo, mushroom alfredo rigatoni, and cioppino fettuccine. Other entrees include seared scallops, filet mignon, and short rib stracotto. Those who frequented Napa will recognize a few familiar favorites still available, such as lobster sliders and ahi tuna wontons.
“The goal was to bring a fresh seafood restaurant to Louisville,” Matthews previously told the Courier Journal. “I love the location and the patio. We just wanted to give it a little love.”
Pig Beach BBQ
1201 River Road, pigbeachnyc.com/location/louisville, Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Pig Beach BBQ's premiere to the public on Aug. 31 was notable, among other reasons, because of its location. The anticipated barbecue joint brought business to the well-known Waterfront Park building for the first time since 2016. The two-story structure overlooking the Ohio River had been vacant since then when Doc Cantina's closed.
“The interest has been crazy,” Shane McBride, Pig Beach BBQ partner and director of operations, previously told the Courier Journal. “It feels like we’re reuniting Louisville with an old girlfriend.”
Since its arrival, Pig Beach has positioned itself as a go-to for game-day watch parties.
Along with serving "chef-driven barbecue," the 14,000-square-foot restaurant and bar has lots of TVs, picnic tables, upscale sports bar decor and outdoor games.
Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at ahancock@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville restaurants: Top 12 restaurants that opened in 2023
