Who doesn't love breakfast? Here are 5 things to know, and what to order, at Biscuit Belly
Growing up in Hawaii, I associated biscuits with Kentucky Fried Chicken because I only ever saw them when my parents picked up a KFC family pack for dinner. After all, most meals in the Aloha State are served with rice. But since moving to Colonel Sanders' home turf, I’ve had lots of biscuits. One of my first was at Biscuit Belly in NuLu.
Lauren Coulter — whose official title is integrator and chief biscuit eater — got me up to speed on everything that’s been going on in the Biscuit Belly world. Here are five things to know.
All the biscuits at Biscuit Belly are made in-house
“A lot of the places that we know and love (serve biscuits that) all come in a bag,” Coulter told The Courier Journal. “(At Biscuit Belly), there is a person back there cutting every single biscuit that people order, and I think that’s really special.”
She added that with the store open seven days a week, biscuit-making is a continuous labor of love. Batches are typically set up overnight and made first thing in the morning, or made from scratch and served the same day.
If there are any leftovers, the team uses them for menu items that call for day-old biscuits, like The Frenchie, which is biscuit-style French toast served with berry jam, whipped cream, berries, and maple syrup.
“French toast is known for using slightly stale bread,” Coulter said, “and … we (also) put them in our new catering bakes, (layered) with some gravies. It’s really moist … a perfect combination. Other than that, if (the biscuits) are cooked today, we serve them today. (It’s) a constant making of biscuits that has to happen.”
Biscuit Belly has three Louisville-area locations and is expanding
Biscuit Belly business boomed quickly. After its NuLu opening in May 2019, the brand expanded to open another location just seven months later.
“Our first location did really well,” Coulter said, “(and) we quickly found another site in St. Matthews, (which) previously was a Zoe’s Kitchen. We were able to slap some paint on there (and) make it more of our vibe, but it was kind of ready to roll.”
That location started welcoming customers in December 2019, just before the challenges of 2020. Expansion in the area stalled for a bit, but there is now also a store in Middletown, on Shelbyville Road.
“It’s only been open about a year,” Coulter said, “but I’m shocked at how many people still don’t know that we’re out there, in Middletown Commons.”
The restaurant has also franchised, expanding its reach to Indiana, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, and soon, the Carolinas.
Biscuit Belly offers breakfast, lunch catering
Biscuit Belly’s catering program recently underwent a makeover. The menu now boasts sandwiches, breakfast bars, and brunch bundles, plus a veggie frittata as well as French toast, sausage, and mushroom bakes.
“I think that (it) sets us apart from other breakfast concepts,” Coulter said, adding that the frittatas are gluten-free and both the catering and regular menus feature a variety of vegetarian options.
“We usually get shoutouts from vegetarians (about our) veggie options. Even though we do a lot with fried chicken, there are also some really great things that balance it, from a veggie perspective.”
Why you should try the Rockwell Supreme at Biscuit Belly
Coulter’s personal favorite is the Brekkie Bowl, which is one of several new menu items that debuted this summer. Made with either home fries or cheesy grits, the bowl is topped with sauteed spinach and mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, and poblano-tomato sauce. Guests also have the option of adding an egg or avocado.
“I’m from Georgia originally, so grits are like my love language,” she said with a laugh. “So I (order) it with a grit base … and then I (add) an over-easy egg and avocado. It is so, so, good.”
Though the bowl is Coulter’s current go-to, she said first-time diners tend to gravitate toward The Rockwell Supreme. An upgraded version of The Rockwell — a biscuit sandwich that features a buttermilk fried chicken breast, cheddar, goetta, and sausage gravy — the Supreme also includes an over-easy egg and bacon.
“That is, hands-down, the most-ordered item,” Coulter said.
Don't skip The G.O.A.T. or Fire In Your Belly at Biscuit Belly
“People either love or hate goat cheese — there’s no in-between,” Coulter said.
For those who fall into the former category, she highly recommends a biscuit sandwich dubbed The G.O.A.T.
“It has our house-made pepper jelly on it, and a piece of fried chicken, and then goat cheese on top,” she explained. “I don’t know what it is, (but) it’s just the perfect balance of those flavors. It’s so good.”
If goat cheese isn’t your forte — but you like a little spice — Coulter suggests the Fire In Your Belly, which is my personal favorite. Like most of the other biscuit sandwiches, it’s made with a buttermilk fried chicken breast. But this spicy option includes Nashville hot mayo, spicy pickles, and cheddar cheese.
Know a restaurant that would make a great feature? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.
Biscuit Belly
WHAT: This is a breakfast and lunch restaurant that offers scratch-made biscuits served in a variety of ways.
WHERE: 900 E. Main St. #101
SERVICES: Dine-in, carryout, catering, and delivery via DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub; 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday
CONTACT: biscuitbelly.com, 502-460-8020
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Here's what to know, what to order, at Biscuit Belly in Louisville
