Louisville's timeless classics: What are they?

Okay, Food Dad - Time to chime in! It sounded like you were looking for specifics:

a modest place with an undeniable regional specialty

- So I'mma do my best.

BBC - spinach veggie burger, handmade using Pat's sister Diane's recipe from ages ago.

Fixed it for you!

Twig and Leaf .... But they do have FREE WiFi now...20th century

Barbara Lee's...

Turners - are they still open?

Arni's PIZZA
State Street
NA, IN
1st Pizza Suzi & I had when we moved down here 32 years ago. First time I had ground pepperoni on a pizza. And, it was party cut.

Okay, Food Dad - Time to chime in! It sounded like you were looking for specifics:

a modest place with an undeniable regional specialty

- So I'mma do my best.

BBC - spinach veggie burger, handmade using Pat's sister Diane's recipe from ages ago.

Fixed it for you!

Doh! I wonder how many people I've told that lie to over the years .

No one has mentioned Ollie's Trolly...

I would throw in:

Clifton's Pizza
Come Back Inn
Lynn's Paradise Cafe

At one point a few years ago, my first answers would have immediatley been Mazzonis and Flabbys

No one has mentioned Ollie's Trolly...

Or Dizzy Whizz

Del Friscos

I think Comeback Inn meets all of those requirements pretty well. Always have such a good laid back experience there. The food is always GREAT and in no way pretentious and the service is real friendly not fake friendly.

[Robin Garr]

Del Friscos

Or maybe Pat's, which is quintessential urban Louisville and goes back even farther than Del Frisco's? (I have to admit, though, that after a down spell, Del Frisco's is rocking it lately.)

[Robin Garr]

I think Comeback Inn meets all of those requirements pretty well. Always have such a good laid back experience there. The food is always GREAT and in no way pretentious and the service is real friendly not fake friendly.

I like Come Back Inn for a lot of reasons, but I wonder whether its Chicago-style Italian-American really represents Louisville heritage.

BBC - spinach veggie burger, handmade using Pat's sister Diane's recipe from ages ago.

Fixed it for you!

Doh! I wonder how many people I've told that lie to over the years .

Same family, no lies involved

Freddie's on Broadway
The Tavern on 4th St

I know they are bars but when many think of Louisville, they think of BOOZE.

I think of locations. Sunday drives out of the city. Menu has changed but Captain's Quarters has been around awhile. Kingfish, Mike Linnings, Tumbleweed - not so much regional foods but Louisville landmarks. Locations, the restaurant has changed but Le Relais is there now. I think there has been a restaurant in that building for a long time.
Is the current Hickory House the same people that had the one on Taylorsville Road and later Holiday Manor?
The bakeries are another set of classics. Pheln's is the closest to my old neighborhood that is still in operation.
Then the bars. Grew up near the Air Devil's Inn, Bambi's, and Golden Nugget. My father met his bookie at one of them. Never been in any of them. Need to do that one time before I die.
Went to Cottage Cafe in the 50s, power went out. Keep intending to return - now it's closing. Too many options:-)

If Ehrmann's were still around, they would get my vote. So quintessentially Louisville. German, for one thing. Clouds of cigarette smoke at all times. Please don't ash into my dozen cruellers - thanks. Beautiful old mirrored piece behind the soda fountain. And of course, wedged right into funky old Mid City Mall. I guess Plehn's is the next in line. Old German bakery - butterkuchen, yum. Throw Nord's into that mix, too. Cheap and cheerful, nothing fancy, delicious stuff. Quintessentially traditional Louisville food is terrible for you.

Could it really be the fried cod sandwich? And it has to be rye bread doesn't it?

That could be the real Louisville Classic. We even have a local fast food chain to serve 'em up when we need them quick.

So who's the most iconic purveyor? Linnigs? CQ? Too bad the King Fish "river boat" isn't downtown any more.