Louisville is an iconic city, so it is no surprise that it has some pretty iconic food too. From our famous fried chicken to the oft-mispronounced burgoo, Louisville is home to tons of great dishes that keep visitors (and locals, and TV crews…) coming back for more. If you’ve ever wondered “What food is Louisville known for?” — read on! Here are 10 of the most iconic foods in Louisville, and why we love them.

1. Hot Brown
Gavin St. Ours/Flickr
No list of famous Louisville food would be complete without a mention of the Hot Brown. Invented at the Brown Hotel for guests coming from an all-night dance party, this open-faced turkey sandwich has been made world-famous by dozens of appearances on Food Network and Travel Channel food shows.
2. Fried Chicken
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Louisville was the home of Colonel Sanders, the king of fried chicken. Whether you get it from KFC, Indi’s, or your mama’s kitchen stove, Louisville fried chicken is the best fried chicken.
3. Burgoo
teanitiki/Flickr
Burgoo is a stew that can be made with nearly any kind of meat and vegetables you have on hand. What makes this stew unique is that it is very community-oriented; often, schools or local residents will hold events in which all of the visitors bring something to add to the stew and have a friendly get-together while it cooks.
4. Derby Pie
Markmark28/Wikimedia
You can’t talk about Derby City food without mentioning Derby Pie. This insanely delicious dish is basically a pecan pie on steroids. Made with pecans or walnuts and melted chocolate on a crispy crust, this pie is worth waiting all year for!
5. Louisville-Style Pizza
Hungrydudes/Wikimedia
Louisville-style pizza was reportedly invented at Impellizzeri’s Pizza Parlor in the late 1970s. It includes two layers of toppings and two layers of cheese. Yum!

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6. Henry Bain Sauce
Southern Foodways Alliance/Flickr
This savory sauce invented at the classy Pendennis Club in Downtown Louisville is a great accompaniment to steaks and other meats.
7. Modjeska Candy
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It's hard to pronounce, but even harder to put down! This handmade candy is created by wrapping caramel around marshmallows. It was invented by a star-struck candy maker in 1883, who named the candy after seeing a visiting Polish actress named Helen Modjeska star in a play.
8. Beer Cheese
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Cheeses made with various locally brewed beers are quite famous in Louisville. Eiderdown restaurant in Butchertown is especially famous for this dairy delight.
9. Ice Cream
Marit and Toomas Hinnosaar/Flickr
Louisville LOVES ice cream. There are ice cream shops spread all across the city, with one of the most iconic being the Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen. Most of these shops hand-churn their goodies, which makes it all the more delicious.
10. Bacon on a Stick
Dominic Bung/Flickr
Not everything has to be fancy! Against the Grain restaurant in Downtown Louisville is world-famous for this treat that is just as fun to hold as it is to eat.

Have you eaten any of these iconic dishes? Is there anything missing from the list? Share your suggestions in the comments below!

Are you still wondering about what food Louisville is known for? Did you know that there is a restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, that’s said to be home to the original cheeseburger?

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What Food Is Louisville Known For

Sarah M. | September 22, 2022

What is a food that Louisville is known for that's not included in the list above?

We alluded to this, but did you know that a restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, is credited with inventing *the* original cheeseburger? Kaelin’s Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, is home to the original cheeseburger and a little diner in Kentucky is the only place to go when a burger craving strikes. This is 80/20 at Kaelin's, a little diner in Louisville, Kentucky, that's home to the original cheeseburger. In 1934, the restaurant became known as the “birthplace of the cheeseburger” when owner Carl Kaelin put together this cheese-topped creation. Some say bacon makes everything better, but we say that everything's better with cheddar. 

What's the most iconic restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky?

In terms of culinary icons, there is no restaurant in Kentucky that is more legendary than the Brown Hotel. The Hot Brown was invented in the 1920s at the famous Brown Hotel in Louisville. As the story goes, after the hotel’s guests had been dancing all night, the hotel’s chef, Fred Schmidt, thought they could use something a bit heartier than just eggs and bacon for breakfast. So, he created the Hot Brown – an open-faced turkey sandwich smothered in a light cheese, or mornay, sauce. A century later, the hot brown has become one of the most iconic dishes in the Bluegrass State … and every Kentuckian’s surefire cure for a hangover! While this dish can be found all throughout the state, The Brown Hotel is where it all began, and, to this day, it remains a Louisville, Kentucky icon.

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