The cocktail bar inside the Old Forester Distilling Co. on Whiskey Row, pouring Old Forester bourbons and classic cocktails.

A lower-level cocktail lounge beneath the Pursuit Spirits tasting room on Whiskey Row, with seasonal pop-up themes.

The downtown location of Bearno's, a Louisville-born pizza chain dating to the early 1980s.

A takeout counter specializing in baked and fried empanadas, a quick lunch near the downtown medical campus.

A small-batch bakery near the Medical Center turning out cakes, cookies and other sweets.

A neighborhood bistro on East Market Street at the edge of downtown, serving casual lunch and dinner plates.

A family-owned taqueria that opened in October 2026, serving traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes with most items around $12 or less.

A new cocktail bar from veteran Louisville bartender Em Sego, opened in October 2026 in the former Meta space on Chestnut Street.

A hidden cocktail lounge on Museum Row with a moody, intimate feel and a creative drinks list.

A Whiskey Row restaurant and bar celebrating Kentucky flavors and bourbon at the corner of First and Main.

A no-frills downtown blues club with live bands on stage most nights.

A scoop shop from Louisville's longtime Ehrler's ice cream family, handy for a treat near the waterfront.

A downtown bistro serving straightforward Southern comfort food near Slugger Field.

A Museum Row pizzeria serving New York-style pies and pasta, an easy pick for families touring Main Street.

The downtown cafe of Sunergos, a Louisville coffee roaster, pouring espresso and single-origin drip near the courthouse.

A Museum Row espresso bar for a morning coffee before visiting the Slugger Museum or Science Center.

A Main Street bakery-cafe from Louisville's Wiltshire Pantry with pastries, coffee and lunch near Museum Row.

A casual Museum Row cafe serving breakfast and lunch sandwiches to downtown workers and museum-goers.

A fresh, seasonal lunch counter on Main Street near Actors Theatre with salads, bowls and sandwiches.

A downtown lunch favorite on Fourth Street mixing Mediterranean and East African dishes.

A downtown Ethiopian restaurant serving stews and vegetable dishes with injera made for sharing.

A family-run Mexican restaurant on South Fourth Street serving familiar favorites and margaritas.

The South Fourth Street outpost of a Louisville-founded pizzeria known for huge slices and late hours.

A downtown pizza-and-pasta shop near the Palace known for creative pies, including a Kentucky Hot Brown pizza.

A South Fourth Street restaurant and bar putting a modern spin on traditional Mexican dishes.

A popular counter-service deli on South Fourth Street serving gyros, falafel and other Mediterranean plates.

The ornate lobby bar of the Brown Hotel, where the Hot Brown sandwich was created in 1926 and is still served alongside bourbon cocktails.

The casual cafe inside the historic Brown Hotel, a reliable stop for breakfast, lunch and a classic Kentucky Hot Brown.

The restaurant inside Louisville-born 21c Museum Hotel, putting creative twists on Southern cooking amid rotating contemporary art.

A long-running downtown fine-dining room serving classic, old-school Italian dishes with formal tableside service.

An upscale South Fourth Street steak and seafood house with a polished dining room and a long bourbon selection.

A downtown steakhouse focused on hand-cut steaks and an extensive bourbon list, steps from the Kentucky International Convention Center.

A Whiskey Row chophouse from Kentucky's Log Still Distillery with steaks, a tasting room and a speakeasy-style bar.

A laid-back Whiskey Row burger bar with hearty sandwiches, craft beer and bourbon a block from the riverfront.

A pub built into the stone underbelly of a historic downtown building near the river, serving pub grub and drinks in a cave-like setting.

A multi-level Irish pub on Whiskey Row with pub fare, plenty of TVs for game day and room for big groups.

A hidden speakeasy-style cocktail bar tucked behind Whiskey Row, known for a moody, vintage-filled interior and serious bourbon cocktails.

A Whiskey Row honky-tonk with Southern comfort food, whiskey and regular live music in a historic Main Street storefront.

A cozy bourbon lounge next door to Doc Crow's on Whiskey Row, built for slow sipping from a long whiskey list.

A Whiskey Row smokehouse and raw bar pairing slow-smoked barbecue and Southern plates with oysters and a deep bourbon list, set inside a historic Main Street building.

Cozy, modern cafe serving creative farm-to-table Mexican & Pan-Latin eats, fresh juices & cocktails.