The fast casual FDKY BBQ restaurant in Jeffersontown (9606 Taylorsville Rd.) will close permanently after the business day on Friday, April 26. Here’s the text: This is the last week we will be open for business! We will plan on Friday, April 26th as our last day. We will be running out of items permanently later in the week (Thurs/Fri). We will do a “Yard Sale” Monday, April 29th from 11am – 3pm. Items for sale will be mostly tables & decor. Most of the equipment has been bought, but there will be some items. Thank you all again for a wonderful 10 years!!! Writing at Louisville Business ..read more

A pedestrian on 57th Street sees a musician getting out of a cab and asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Without pause, the artist replies wearily, “Practice.” In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell advances this famous Carnegie Hall preparatory notion to a whole other level: the “10,000 hour rule,” stipulating that it takes 10,000 hours of determined practice to master complex tasks like playing an instrument, performing surgery or drinking beer. (The columnist smirks, pausing to await a purely inevitable reply.) “But Roger, drinking beer isn’t a complex task at all. It’s easy. You pop ..read more

The Fresco Tea Bar location at 1370 Veterans Pkwy #100 in Clarksville closed on April 19. The text: Well Fresco Family… we have some news. As many of you know, today will be our last day at the Clarksville location on Veteran’s Pkwy. Our temporary lease has been taken over by a permanent tenant starting in May. The location will now host an authentic Mexican Restaurant from Louisville who will be expanding to the Indiana side. Thank you for making us part of the community there, and we will continue to serve you from our other 2 locations in New Albany & Jeffersonville, not to mention ou ..read more

Sellersburg is temporarily down one Mexican restaurant, but a succession plan will be implemented by VIVA Hospitality Group, which is converting one of its concepts (the departing El Catrin) into another (the arriving Señor Iguanas). The address is 7773 County Road 311, Sellersburg. Earlier this month the El Catrin page at Facebook posted an explanation.  The text: To Our Valued Guests, It is with a mix of emotions that we announce the permanent closure of El Catrin Mexican Kitchen. Our final day of service will be Sunday April 21st. We are forever grateful to all of our loyal customers, nei ..read more

Karen and Jon Riddle, who got their start with the fast casual Chicken Salad Chick franchise four years ago in Jeffersonville, will open another CSC location at Oxmoor Center (7900 Shelbyville Road in St. Matthews) on Wednesday, April 24. Chicken Salad Chick fast-casual restaurant coming to Jeffersonville Town Center If I’m reading the information release correctly, the new Oxmoor Center restaurant will be the fourth CSC in the Louisville metropolitan area, two of which are owned by the Riddles. (The Riddles also are very close to bringing the first Dog Haus Biergarten location to Louisvill ..read more

“Edibles & Potables” is our Sunday morning slot for stories that range beyond our metropolitan Louisville coverage area. Dad’s Coffee, located at 2204 Dundee Road in the Highlands, will close on April 27. While the loss of an independently-owned coffee shop is regrettable — trust me, I know what it’s like to suffer while shuttering a dream — it’s not exactly an unprecedented occurrence. In this instance I was struck by a comment from Dad’s co-owner Matt Grammer, which strikes me as a jumping off point for further examination. First, the nuts and bolts, and then those dreaded teaching momen ..read more

Yes, we know: EVERYONE within a hundred-mile radius of Louisville is familiar with the Kentucky Oaks, but just in case outsiders are tuning in, here’s a pertinent refresher encouraging them to join in the fun. The Kentucky Oaks race is hosted annually in Louisville, Kentucky at Churchill Downs. The race dates back to 1875 when it was founded by Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., who also founded the Kentucky Derby, the Clark Handicap and the Falls City Handicap. Both the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby have been held at Churchill Downs since they were established and remain the oldest continuo ..read more

Our editor-in-chief and columnist Marty Rosen surveys The Cottage Inn (570 Eastern Parkway) for the current print edition of F&D (Spring 2024). The venerable Highlands eatery closed briefly in 2021 owing to pandemic disruptions, but new owners Kevin and Daniela Trice not only have reopened, but revived the old-school operation. Read Marty’s essay, then peruse the remainder of the magazine at issuu. THE LOCAL – The Cottage Inn: One of the city’s longest-running, old-school restaurants moves forward and holds on to the past. Subscribe to our award-winning print publication and have it ..read more

(This week’s “Hip Hops” will appear on Thursday 18 April) Today restaurateur Jared Matthews revealed that The Black Rabbit (122 Sears Ave. in St. Matthews) has been sold. The new owners are Sherman Lewis, Herman Lewis and Keith Kelley. Matthews offered his thoughts. “I couldn’t be happier than to pass down the Black Rabbit to my long-time GM, Sherman Lewis. Sherman really helped give the Rabbit a facelift while I was opening two other restaurants (Lou Lou on Market and Osteria Italian Seafood). He has always expressed his love and desire to one day be more than just a GM there. “That buil ..read more

In 2024 Apron Inc. is staging happy hour “friend-raisers” at different locations on the last Wednesday of each month. The next event takes place on Wednesday, April 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Monnik Beer Co. (1036 E. Burnett Ave.) The prospectus: Complimentary Green River Distilling sampling experience Spin the wheel for special swag and gift cards Complimentary bar bites and drink specials Complimentary Monnik Milk Stout Donuts (North Lime Coffee & Donuts) Meet and greet APRON Inc. board members Learn all about APRON Inc.’s mission — and more No cover – a portion of the day ..read more