It's Hot Brown Week! Here are 9 of our favorite places to get a Hot Brown in Louisville

Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read

We all know Kentucky is known for bourbon, but Louisville might best be known for the Hot Brown. The decadent sandwich, invented at The Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville in the 1920s, is a hot, open-faced sandwich made with Texas toast, thick-sliced turkey, cheesy Mornay sauce, crispy bacon and tomatoes, all baked until bubbling hot.

Restaurants around town all have their own take on the iconic sandwich, which hungry diners have been eating for a century. Here are nine of our favorite places to get a Hot Brown.

Big Bad Breakfast

984 Barret Ave.; 5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd. Hours: Daily 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. bigbadbreakfast.com

The Big Bad Hot Brown will be on special for $12 at Big Bad Breakfast's two locations during Louisville Hot Brown Week.
The Big Bad Hot Brown will be on special for $12 at Big Bad Breakfast's two locations during Louisville Hot Brown Week.

This restaurant is newish to the Louisville dining scene, but its take on the Hot Brown is not to be missed. The Big Bad Breakfast version of the Kentucky classic is crumbled buttermilk biscuit, roasted turkey breast, Chef John’s signature roasted tomatoes, cheesy Dijon mornay and parmesan, baked to a bubbly golden brown, finished with a fried egg and Tabasco cured bacon.

Biscuit Belly

900 E. Main St.; 3723 Lexington Road and 13301 Shelbyville Road. Hours: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 to 2 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. biscuitbelly.com.

Biscuit Belly's take on the Hot Brown starts with an open-faced scratch-made biscuit, covered in a smoked gouda mornay gravy, and topped with shredded turkey, bacon, and roasted tomatoes, giving you the ultimate Kentucky brunch experience.
Biscuit Belly's take on the Hot Brown starts with an open-faced scratch-made biscuit, covered in a smoked gouda mornay gravy, and topped with shredded turkey, bacon, and roasted tomatoes, giving you the ultimate Kentucky brunch experience.

Biscuit Belly's take on the Hot Brown starts with an open-faced scratch-made biscuit, covered in a smoked gouda mornay gravy, and topped with shredded turkey, bacon, and roasted tomatoes, giving you the ultimate Kentucky brunch experience.

The Brown Hotel

335 W Broadway. Available in its restaurants, bar, and in-room dining. Hours vary by location. brownhotel.com.

When you talk about Louisville, someone will bring up the iconic Hot Brown, a Louisville tradition with worldwide appeal. Created at the Brown Hotel by Fred K. Schmidt in the 1920s, the original version of this open-face sandwich is made with turkey breast, Texas toast, bacon, tomatoes, and cheese.

The Café

731 Brent St. Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Breakfast/lunch: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; dinner, 5-9 p.m. thecafetogo.com.

The Hot Brown at The Cafe in Louisville comes with roasted turkey breast smothered in a velvety mornay sauce and topped with fresh sliced tomato, crisp bacon, and garnished with toast points.
The Hot Brown at The Cafe in Louisville comes with roasted turkey breast smothered in a velvety mornay sauce and topped with fresh sliced tomato, crisp bacon, and garnished with toast points.

The Café is located in the revitalized Louisville arts and entertainment district of Paristown. The Louisville staple at this location comes with roasted turkey breast smothered in a velvety mornay sauce and topped with fresh sliced tomato, crisp bacon, and garnished with toast points.

The Cottage Inn

570 Eastern Parkway. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. thecottageinnrestaurant.com.

The Cottage Inn, 570 Eastern Parkway, first opened in 1929 and ran for decades until it closed in 2021. New owners tell The Courier Journal they plan to reopen the restaurant with the same menu.
The Cottage Inn, 570 Eastern Parkway, first opened in 1929 and ran for decades until it closed in 2021. New owners tell The Courier Journal they plan to reopen the restaurant with the same menu.

The Cottage Inn first opened its doors in 1929 and serves Southern comfort food. New owners bought the Cottage Inn, 570 Eastern Parkway, in late 2022 and reopened in January 2023 with the same menu and even the same cook. Its take on the Kentucky Hot Brown is an oven-roasted turkey on a bed of white toast topped with melted cheese, bacon, and tomatoes.

Gander, An American Grill

111 S. English Station Road. Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., ganderanamericangrill.com

Gander, An American Grill, serves a classic take on the Hot Brown. This sandwich comes with mornay sauce, roasted turkey, smoked bacon, and tomato. For brunch, you can get the Breakfast Brown, made with smoked ham instead of traditional turkey, served over Texas Toast, smothered in house-made mornay sauce, and topped with bacon, tomatoes, and a fried egg.

The Goose Eatery & Hangout

The Hot Brown at Goose Creek Diner in Louisville.
The Hot Brown at Goose Creek Diner in Louisville.

812 Lyndon Lane, Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., facebook.com/goosecreekdiner

The lunch Hot Brown at The Goose Eatery & Hangout is made with smoked turkey on Texas toast, covered in mornay sauce, bacon, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. For dinner, they have four takes on the classic sandwich: a traditional Hot Brown served with turkey, a Seafood Hot Brown served with blackened salmon, a Prime Hot Brown, served with shaved prime rib and a Veggie Brown, served with a fried portabella mushroom.

Parlour

Various locations. eatparlourpizza.com

Parlour serves artisanal pizzas, craft beer selection, hand-crafted cocktails and more. It offers a hot brown pizza that starts with its signature crust, generously topped with alfredo sauce, roasted turkey breast, sliced provolone, shredded mozzarella, bacon, and sliced roma tomatoes.
Parlour serves artisanal pizzas, craft beer selection, hand-crafted cocktails and more. It offers a hot brown pizza that starts with its signature crust, generously topped with alfredo sauce, roasted turkey breast, sliced provolone, shredded mozzarella, bacon, and sliced roma tomatoes.

Parlour serves artisanal pizzas, craft beer selection, hand-crafted cocktails and more. It offers a Hot Brown Pizza that starts with its signature crust, generously topped with alfredo sauce, roasted turkey breast, sliced provolone, shredded mozzarella, bacon, and sliced roma tomatoes.

Wagner's Pharmacy

3113 S. 4th St. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 502-375-3800; wagnerspharmacy.com.

Wagner's Pharmacy. Photo by Bill Kight. 4-22-85.Exterior of Wagner's at 4th and Central. At Wagner's near Churchill Downs, the food comes with tips.
Wagner's Pharmacy. Photo by Bill Kight. 4-22-85.Exterior of Wagner's at 4th and Central. At Wagner's near Churchill Downs, the food comes with tips.

This iconic spot across from Churchill Down has served hearty American breakfasts and lunch since 1922. Its Kentucky Hot Brown comes with turkey topped with mornay sauce, bacon, sliced tomatoes and toast points.

Reach features news clerk Gege Reed at greed@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Best places to get a Hot Brown in Louisville