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Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Originally Posted by LuckBeChitown
Hello I will soon move to Louisville Kentucky in February to start a new job at the end of February which is located in downtown Louisville. I'm in my late 30s and currently live in Merrionette Park, Illinois. I have found a realtor in Louisville and have been interested in the Old Louisville area as a place to live as it seems ideal for someone like me who would want to walk to work if it is possible. We have a 9 year old so I'm also looking for a good school area as well. Our Realtor has discouraged us from Old Louisville and would like to show us some places in our price range in the eastern part of Louisville. What are your thoughts on Old Louisville? From what we have seen, parts seem sketchy and other parts seem charming however the charming parts seem well out of our price range. Is the area safe? How long would a walk take to and from downtown Louisville? Any other recommendations? We are also considering the Indiana side but I really want to be able to walk downtown as we only have one car.
I lived in Louisville from 2010-2012. I researched Old Louisville and felt comfortable moving there, despite the crime issues, but (with regrets) opted to move to St. Matthews. Now I was a college student from the DC suburbs and not with a family to think about. Honestly there is not a neighborhood I'd recommend for a family that is within walking distance downtown.
Honestly, I'd recommend a location like St. Matthews close to Rt. 60 (Shelbyville Rd/Frankfort Ave) that is close to the 31 Tarc Bus so while not walking distance you have a somewhat walkable location with access to downtown via bus.
TY for everyone's advise and help. We are renting a home in Crescent Hill for now as there is a chance my husband may get transferred to the Washington, DC/Baltimore area next year. We moved about two weeks ago. So far not a bad area and not to far from downtown though I have given in to the idea of driving daily or taking the bus on Frankfort Ave. Getting use to the slower pace of things here compared to Illinois but enjoying getting out to different areas. Had one issue at the gas station on First Street at West Broadway on our second night in Louisville with a small gang of youths but a nice dinner at the Marketplace Restaurant made up for it. I start my new job in one week and looking forward to getting to know Louisville. TY to everyone for your advice and help.
TY for everyone's advise and help. We are renting a home in Crescent Hill for now as there is a chance my husband may get transferred to the Washington, DC/Baltimore area next year. We moved about two weeks ago. So far not a bad area and not to far from downtown though I have given in to the idea of driving daily or taking the bus on Frankfort Ave. Getting use to the slower pace of things here compared to Illinois but enjoying getting out to different areas. Had one issue at the gas station on First Street at West Broadway on our second night in Louisville with a small gang of youths but a nice dinner at the Marketplace Restaurant made up for it. I start my new job in one week and looking forward to getting to know Louisville. TY to everyone for your advice and help.
Welcome. Keep in mind the area is MUCH more vibrant, walkable, and active, once the weather warms. Literally no one comes out in this weather.
Your incident at that gas station is an isolated event...Louisville is a very safe city unless you are a prostitute or drug dealer. Probably just some bored youths walking by you. In general, west of 9th st is no good, but even there a few areas are not so bad
Louisville is a city of festivals. Wait for the spring, walk the urban streets, and I PROMISE you will see a vibrant urban city. Not chicago, true, but you can find a small piece of it here. And the restaurants are unreal. Marketplace isn't even in the top echelon but its awesome.
So far we have had the pleasure of eating at Marketplace, Toast, Bucks (when we were looking for a place in Old Louisville), and Volare. Our goal is to try at least one new restaurant every two weeks or so depending on childcare or if a restaurant is suitable for a family. Any suggestions on other restaurants? I can't wait for the festivals and looking forward to Kentucky Derby time though it doesn't look like we will be able to drop so much on some tickets. Is there any way to get some affordable tickets to the Kentucky Derby? How is parking and traffic around town during festivals such as the Derby?
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
11,974 posts, read 25,473,841 times
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New Albany has several very good restaurants, Habana Blue, Dragon King's Daughter, Aladdin's Mediterranean (best Turkish coffee ever), among many others. I like the fact that street parking in downtown New Albany is always free.
So far we have had the pleasure of eating at Marketplace, Toast, Bucks (when we were looking for a place in Old Louisville), and Volare. Our goal is to try at least one new restaurant every two weeks or so depending on childcare or if a restaurant is suitable for a family. Any suggestions on other restaurants? I can't wait for the festivals and looking forward to Kentucky Derby time though it doesn't look like we will be able to drop so much on some tickets. Is there any way to get some affordable tickets to the Kentucky Derby? How is parking and traffic around town during festivals such as the Derby?
Louisville is easily a top 20 restaurant city, and probably top 10. It will take you years to explore it all. What is your favorite genre?
I would try:
Jack Frys
Seviche
Lillys
Proof
Jeff Rubys
Harvest
Ghyslain
Brendan's Catch 23
Oakroom
English Grill
Corbett's
Equus
Mayan Cafe
Jack's
310 at Clover Lane
Wiltshire on Market
610 Magnolia
Bistro 1860
Milkwood
Le Relais
Mercato Italiano
Volare
Basa
Varanese
At the Italian Table
Guacamole
For more everyday places I do not know even where to begin. Here is a sampling:
downtown: Mussel and Burger Bar, Doc Crow's
new albany: River City winery, New Albany Exchange
butchertown: Butchertown Grocery, Gary's on Spring
Nulu: Feast Barbecue, Royal's Hot Chicken
Old Louisville: Amici Italian, Pizza Donisi
St Matthews: Havana Rumba, Mojito Tapas
Jeffersonville: Big Four Burgers, Olive Leaf Bistro
Highlands: Sapporo, Fontleroys
Beechmont: Vietnam Kitchen, Annie Cafe
Clifton: Silver Dollar, Cafe Classico
Crescent Hill: Porcini, Crescent Hill Crafthouse
Portland (gentrifying area): Over the Nine, The Table
Germantown: Eiderdown, Monnick
(and these are just located in what I consider to be the more hip and walkable areas. each of these areas have dozens more restaurants to try, and then there is the whole other round of the suburbs, which now have great eats too).
Literally there are hundreds more that would be top notch in any city. From korean at Charims, to African at Baraka, to peruvian chicken at Yummy Pollo, to middle eastern at Al Watan, to Mexican at El Molcaljete, to Lebanese at Safier's to barbecue at Smoketown barbecue, to street tacos at Taco Luchador.
Congratulations on your move to a great city! Let me know if you need help exploring. It is not a flashy city, but a growing city of "nooks and crannies" that grows on you by the week until you fall in love
Lots of other good blogs and websites on the city. This one is very well done and updated almost daily. I like that she takes pictures of dishes. You could "follow" her around and eat very very well.
So far we have had the pleasure of eating at Marketplace, Toast, Bucks (when we were looking for a place in Old Louisville), and Volare. Our goal is to try at least one new restaurant every two weeks or so depending on childcare or if a restaurant is suitable for a family. Any suggestions on other restaurants? I can't wait for the festivals and looking forward to Kentucky Derby time though it doesn't look like we will be able to drop so much on some tickets. Is there any way to get some affordable tickets to the Kentucky Derby? How is parking and traffic around town during festivals such as the Derby?
Tons of great restaurant choices in Louisville as Peter mentioned. The only thing we don't have that I wish we did was good Ethiopian/Eritrean food. There is a place off Taylorsville Road near Bowman Field, but it was awful. 2nd worst I've ever had, next to a place in Denver that gave me food poisoning.
My wife and I just moved here from San Francisco - and while I grew up here (moved away for college in the late 90's) I'm just now getting back, and the city has improved quite a bit food-wise in that time. SF has a lot of hyped places, but unless you're going to Michelin starred restaurants, I'd say the food here is at the very worst on par with a major foodie city like SF without all the pretentiousness.
As for the Derby? There are affordable tickets, but you'll only be watching the races on the jumbotron. The only affordable tickets are in the infield, and run about $40. It's a giant booze fest, and not the grand pomp and circumstance that one typically associates with the event. Mostly college kids and other partiers looking for some fun. Getting grandstand tickets is a crap-shoot, and the year I went, the cheapest we got tickets for was around $300.
The day before the derby is the Kentucky Oaks, and that's actually the day when most of the locals go to the track and it's generally more affordable.
Traffic is fine unless you're going somewhere within earshot of the track about 30 minutes right after the Derby race ends. People arrive at the track all hours of the day for the Derby, but mostly all leave right after the Derby race ends, even though there's another race or two afterward.
Probably the biggest caution I'd offer is with driving around at night after the Derby - Lots of people overindulge and drive when they shouldn't - tons of people around the city host Derby parties in their homes (chances are if your husband works in the city, you'll get an invite to one eventually). Same advice for New Years Eve. Louisville's auto insurance rates are high for a reason. Our rate is nearly $300/6 mo higher than they were in SF!
We also have one car - but we both work from home, so it doesn't cause us too many headaches.
Tons of great restaurant choices in Louisville as Peter mentioned. The only thing we don't have that I wish we did was good Ethiopian/Eritrean food. There is a place off Taylorsville Road near Bowman Field, but it was awful. 2nd worst I've ever had, next to a place in Denver that gave me food poisoning.
Interesting I've always wanted to go and never been but I've only ever heard good things, maybe they had an off night or it just doesn't really compare to other places in other cities. There are actually two Ethiopian restaurants downtown. There is Addis Grill on 4th, which has an Ethiopian and Mediterranean menu, and there is Abyssinia on 5th. I liked Addis, but I've never been to Abyssinia but again I've only ever heard good things. I don't really know much about either cuisine, but there is also a kind of unknown compared to the other places Somalian restaurant on 8th that seems to cater mostly to Somalian people at the "International Mall" (I believe it's just Somalian) that also has a grocery and shop. Somalia is close to both countries so perhaps it's worth a look. In Old Louisville there is Baraka, which is Somali and Indian as well. Chez Seneba is Senegalese so the other coast, but quite good. And there is another African grocery (I don't know what regions it represents) in Beuchel. I think the only Nigerian place closed, but for a city it's size I think Louisville has a fair amount of African food.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Arab food has increased a lot the last decade with all the refugees getting placed here from Iraq and Syria. The gritty area between U of L and Churchill Downs alone 4th St is where many are getting placed as the city wants to improve the area but understands gentrification won't happen for a long time. There's now a couple halal restaurants and a "bazaar" at 4th and Central. We're getting a lot of refugees from Bhutan as well, maybe we'll get some good Himalayan restaurants.
Tons of great restaurant choices in Louisville as Peter mentioned. The only thing we don't have that I wish we did was good Ethiopian/Eritrean food. There is a place off Taylorsville Road near Bowman Field, but it was awful. 2nd worst I've ever had, next to a place in Denver that gave me food poisoning.
My wife and I just moved here from San Francisco - and while I grew up here (moved away for college in the late 90's) I'm just now getting back, and the city has improved quite a bit food-wise in that time. SF has a lot of hyped places, but unless you're going to Michelin starred restaurants, I'd say the food here is at the very worst on par with a major foodie city like SF without all the pretentiousness.
As for the Derby? There are affordable tickets, but you'll only be watching the races on the jumbotron. The only affordable tickets are in the infield, and run about $40. It's a giant booze fest, and not the grand pomp and circumstance that one typically associates with the event. Mostly college kids and other partiers looking for some fun. Getting grandstand tickets is a crap-shoot, and the year I went, the cheapest we got tickets for was around $300.
The day before the derby is the Kentucky Oaks, and that's actually the day when most of the locals go to the track and it's generally more affordable.
Traffic is fine unless you're going somewhere within earshot of the track about 30 minutes right after the Derby race ends. People arrive at the track all hours of the day for the Derby, but mostly all leave right after the Derby race ends, even though there's another race or two afterward.
Probably the biggest caution I'd offer is with driving around at night after the Derby - Lots of people overindulge and drive when they shouldn't - tons of people around the city host Derby parties in their homes (chances are if your husband works in the city, you'll get an invite to one eventually). Same advice for New Years Eve. Louisville's auto insurance rates are high for a reason. Our rate is nearly $300/6 mo higher than they were in SF!
We also have one car - but we both work from home, so it doesn't cause us too many headaches.
Servo...I would recommend driving around and exploring because Louisville has done a 180 since you moved and left.
As others mentions, there is not only a few African restaurants, but at least a dozen.
My favorite Ethiopian is Baraka in Old Louisville. The chicken Suuqay is the bomb.
The international mall on south 8th is the REAL DEAL. Feels like NYC or Chicago, no exaggeration. Its good seeing Louisville getting stuff like this. Literally every woman is in hijab, and it is a very convoluted place, full of mini rooms. I found at least two restaurants in there, one is called I think Jupa, and the other is is some sort of bakery, cafe. You literally feel like you are transported to Africa in there.
The two downtown Ethiopian spots are both good, Addis and the one on fifth Street, Abyssinia.
Aspire is Ethiopian fused with soul food and is in the west end.
Queen of Sheeba is the only Ethiopian in the "east end" but honestly I have not been in Buechel or Jtown lately. That area along with Hikes point has a TON of immigrants.
I plan to get back out to Taylor Boulevard, but I have noticed some immigrant looking places over there.
I would contact this lady as I am sure she can guide you to more places.
Louisville has Somali places, Funmi's Nigerian, a Senegalese restaurant. Just so many countries represented here and that is a massive change from 10 years ago.
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