Southern Living names top local treasure by state. Kentucky’s is iconically delicious

A Louisville restaurant located inside an iconic hotel was recently ranked in Southern Living’s “The 23 Best Local Treasures In Every Southern State” for its original Bluegrass dish.

J. Graham’s Cafe at The Brown Hotel was recognized in the ranking. The restaurant is known for being the home of the first “hot brown,” an open-faced turkey sandwich with signature toppings.

“As the Hot Brown approaches its centennial, its enduring popularity can be chalked up to its time-tested recipe and the staff’s refusal to go on autopilot, even when creating hundreds of the sandwiches daily,” the Southern Living article reads.

The hot brown was invented at The Brown Hotel in 1926, according to the hotel’s website. The dish was created to provide dinner dance attendees with a late-night snack and later became a fixture on the menu, as well as a historic Kentucky item. It features bacon, tomatoes, cheese and more.

More on J. Graham’s Cafe

The cafe serves an a la carte menu weekdays, as well as weekend brunch buffet, and you can order a hot brown any time the restaurant is open. If you’re looking for a smaller meal, the cafe also offers a petite hot brown.

The breakfast menu at J. Graham’s Cafe includes classics such as a breakfast sandwich, oatmeal and avocado toast, as well as spinach and berry salad, Belgian waffles and eggs benedict. Drink options include coffee, tea, juice and specialty cocktails. The “Kentucky Derby” features bourbon, sorghum syrup and pink grapefruit juice.

If you’re not in the mood for a hot brown, the restaurant’s lunch menu has a wide variety of other options, such as a Mediterranean Greek salad, smoked bourbon hummus, Bluegrass BLT and romesco salmon.

Cafe patrons receive two hours of free valet parking, or you can pay to self-park at the attached city garage. You can make reservations online to dine at J. Graham’s Cafe.

J. Graham’s Cafe at The Brown Hotel

Location: 335 West Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202

Hours: Breakfast and lunch are served from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and brunch is available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

For those in Fayette County who would rather find the sandwich close to home, many Lexington restaurants offer their own take on the iconic Kentucky dish.

J. Graham’s Cafe is only the latest Kentucky place to receive praise from Southern Living. The popular magazine recently released its 2024 South’s Best awards, including three cities in the commonwealth among its top places ranking and an award for the state’s best barbecue.

Best Local Treasures in Every Southern State

Here’s how Southern Living’s “The 23 Best Local Treasures In Every Southern State” ranking rounded out:

• Alabama’s Best Banana Pudding at Dreamland Bar-B-Que, which has multiple locations

• Alabama’s Best Dive Bar, The Flora-Bama in Orange Beach, Fla.

• Arkansas’ Best Scenic Trail, Buffalo River Trail in Ponca, Ark.

• Florida’s Best Cuban Sandwich at The Columbia in Tampa, Fla.

• Florida’s Best Snorkeling Spot at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, Fla.

• Georgia’s Best Live Music Venue at Fox Theatre in Atlanta

• Kentucky’s Best Hot Brown at J. Graham’s Cafe at The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky.

• Louisiana’s Best Gumbo at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans

• Louisiana’s Best Jazz Club at Preservation Hall in New Orleans

• Maryland’s Best Public Garden at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md.

• Maryland’s Best Crab Cakes at The Crab Claw in St. Micheals, Md.

• Mississippi’s Best Blues Venue at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Miss.

• North Carolina’s Best Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, N.C.

• North Carolina’s Best Diner at Poole’s Diner in Raleigh, N.C.

• Oklahoma’s Best Chicken Fried Steak at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse in Oklahoma City, Okla.

• South Carolina’s Best Shrimp and Grits at Soby’s in Greenville, S.C.

• South Carolina’s Best Island at Hilton Head Island

• Tennessee’s Best Attraction at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

• Tennessee’s Best Music Venue at Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn.

• Texas’ Best Margarita at Joe T. Garcia’s in Fort Worth, Texas

• Virginia’s Best Historical Site at Colonial Williamsburg

• West Virginia’s Best Park at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve

• West Virginia’s Best Food Festival at West Virginia Strawberry Festival in Buckhannon

The ranking was based on an online survey that had more than 20,000 participants, according to Southern Living.

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