Log Still Distillery to open luxury restaurant in downtown Louisville. What to expect

Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read

Whiskey Row will soon welcome a new neighbor.

Log Still Distillery, the bourbon maker with a 350-acre campus in Gethsemane in rural Nelson County, is gearing up for a taste of downtown Louisville.

Monk’s Road Fifth District Series Cold Spring Distillery Bourbon is $79.99. Monk’s Road Dry Gin is $27.99 and Monk’s Road Barrel Finished Gin is $32.99. All three products can be found at liquor stores throughout Kentucky.
Monk’s Road Fifth District Series Cold Spring Distillery Bourbon is $79.99. Monk’s Road Dry Gin is $27.99 and Monk’s Road Barrel Finished Gin is $32.99. All three products can be found at liquor stores throughout Kentucky.

Log Still will soon open a high-end restaurant and tasting room, called Monk’s Road Boiler House, at 131 W. Main St., previously the site of a longtime Bearno’s Pizza location.

Monk’s Road Boiler House, named with Log Still’s line of spirits in mind, is expected to open in early May, according to Log Still president and distiller Wally Dant.

The restaurant will build on Log Still’s recently-opened “bourbon resort,” as Dant calls it, which includes an outdoor amphitheater, wedding and event venue, bed-and-breakfast options, and a farm-to-table eatery.

Log Still Distillery is located near New Haven Kentucky. It anchors an impressive entertainment and outdoor complex.
Log Still Distillery is located near New Haven Kentucky. It anchors an impressive entertainment and outdoor complex.

Monk’s Road Boiler House’s “luxury chophouse-style” menu will be led by chef David Danielson, formerly of Churchill Downs, who spearheaded the food and drink program in Gethsemane.

“It allows us to extend our brand to another part of the state,” Dant told the Courier Journal.

The plan to extend its brand came after the 2022 passage of House Bill 500, which allows Kentucky distilleries to open satellite tasting rooms. It follows the openings of satellite locations downtown of other brands including Bardstown Bourbon Company.

The two-level restaurant will include private dining areas, tasting rooms, and space for 180 patrons. The upper level will offer fine dining experiences and the lower level will serve as a more casual and speakeasy-esque bar for tastings and curated bourbon experiences.

David Danielson is the executive chef at Dant Crossing. He was previously the chef at Churchill Downs for 11 years.
David Danielson is the executive chef at Dant Crossing. He was previously the chef at Churchill Downs for 11 years.

“Monk’s Road Boiler House brings a new dining experience to Whiskey Row,” Danielson, the restaurant’s chief of hospitality and executive chef, said in a news release. “The restaurant takes inspiration from the famed chophouses and supper clubs of a bye-gone era with a menu featuring hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, pastas and crafted classic cocktails served in an elegant setting.”

When the location on Main Street became available, Dant said it seemed like a “no brainer” to make the move.

“In my mind, there’s no finer spot on Whiskey Row,” Dant said. “It’s such a vibrant area. When you walk outside the YUM! Center, that’s the first place you see.”

Monk’s Road Fifth District Series Cold Spring Distillery Bourbon is $79.99. This is a first-release 6-year-old single barrel bourbon that balances warm oak tannins and bold spice with coconut and hints of apple, vanilla and caramel.
Monk’s Road Fifth District Series Cold Spring Distillery Bourbon is $79.99. This is a first-release 6-year-old single barrel bourbon that balances warm oak tannins and bold spice with coconut and hints of apple, vanilla and caramel.

Spinning off of Log Still’s property in Nelson County which hosts major concerts, Monk’s Road Boiler House will have an area for live music and other events. Dant hopes the downtown Louisville presence will increase brand recognition for the craft distiller.

“We want to be part of the renaissance of Louisville,” he said. “We want to help Louisville get back its mojo and be part of what we think is the revitalization of downtown Louisville.”

Reach food reporter Amanda Hancock at ahancock@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Log Still Distillery to open Monk’s Road Boiler House in Louisville