New to area and looking for suggestions

Thank you all for the welcome and the many suggestions! Glad to hear there is a Fresh Market here! They were all bought out up in MI, so when I stumbled on an empty building while exploring, I figured they had met the same fate here. Looks like I have a few grocery stores to hit this weekend and since you shouldn't grocery shop when you're hungry, I'll have to check out something for brunch or lunch!

We are off Bardstown near I-265, think it's the Highview area, so not too far from most of the places mentioned. I will be checking out the farmers markets, we went to one in Norton Commons and found some great honey and eggs. I hear the one on Bardstown is huge!

To echo Marsha, hit Kingley's for meat, and definitely check out the Bardstown Road Farmer's Market.

I think most of the upscale favorites have been suggested. I won't double up there. A few less expensive options with great food would be Baxter Station Bar & Grill and Zaytun Mediterranean. If you're downtown, I'd highly suggest Proof at 21C and Z's Fusion (definitely ask if Stephen D is working the bar, and just let him make you whatever he wants) - these are upscale options.

Asiatique is a great option for the Highlands, which is just an easy shot down Bardstown Road from where you live, and if you want to keep it more casual, sit at the bar or Lounge A downstairs and order off the lounge menu. If Anderson is working, I'd let him suggest your drink options.

[Robin Garr]

definitely check out the Bardstown Road Farmer's Market.

Although a bit farther for her, the St. Matthews farmers market at Beargrass Christian Church in St. Matthews, Shelbyville Road at Browns Lane, has surpassed Bardstown Road, in my opinion, for size and variety and ease of parking access. Not picking on Bardstown here ... it's wonderful to have both, and living about halfway between, we may turn either right or left and head for either one on any given Saturday morning.

I love seeing post topics like this because I know the forumite is in for a wealth of information.

I have not seen The Spice Merchant listed yet, they are in St. Matthews: http://www.thespicemerchant.net/

I always love to invite newcomers to my neighborhood. Schnitzelburg has some great local neighborhood restaurants. Louisville Magazine recently had a good story: http://loumag.epubxpress.com/link/lou/2009/aug/116?s=0

Here's Robin's take on Flabby's from a few years back: http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/flabbys.shtml

You can see there are many, many options and us folk are proud to share our favorite culinary haunts. One thing I will suggest is that if you are in town this Labor Day weekend, go to the Belvedere (Main St) and attend the Worldfest. It has grown impressively over the past years and offers a good insight into Louisville's international community--food stands are bountiful!

We are off Bardstown near I-265, think it's the Highview area, so not too far from most of the places mentioned.

I grew up not far from that area (265 and Smyrna off Vaughn Mill). You are probably closer to Fern Creek, although I'd love to hear that you live in Highview (the forgotten middle between the Okolona - Fern Creek sandwich). My point, here -- and I have one -- is that while some people will say you are "so far out," that's not really the case at all. All you need are 4 easy options into the city - 265 to 65, Bardstown all the way up, Breckenridge (to the near east end), Hurstbourne (to the true east end). 15 minutes, 20 minutes tops. 25 with bad traffic. Maybe 265 east/north if you are going well into the east end. Nothing in Louisville is "that far," although some of us (myself included these days) don't make it outside the Watterson (I-264) often.

As for my offerings, Zaytun (already mentioned), Mayan Cafe (my favorite "nice" dinner spot), DakShin (not far from you), Ole Hickory Pit BBQ (not far from you either), and Sharom's (fried fish in your neighborhood).

definitely check out the Bardstown Road Farmer's Market.

Although a bit farther for her, the St. Matthews farmers market at Beargrass Christian Church in St. Matthews, Shelbyville Road at Browns Lane, has surpassed Bardstown Road, in my opinion, for size and variety and ease of parking access. Not picking on Bardstown here ... it's wonderful to have both, and living about halfway between, we may turn either right or left and head for either one on any given Saturday morning.

They are both wonderful. Bardstown Road is a market, St. Matthews seems more and more a bazaar of some sort. Not a bad thing, but different (at least for me) from a simple farmer's market.

Michelle,
Out here in Fern Creek, there's a burgeoning set of ethnic eateries and groceries in the general area. If you go North on Bardstown Road a bit, you will run into the Eastland Shopping Center. In there you can find Subzi Mandi, a small international grocery with a definite nod toward Indian food. It's run by the same people who own Dakshin two doors down, an extremely good Indian food place.

In the same shopping center, La Preferida is a small Mexican grocery with a butcher shop in the rear. On the weekends, just outside is a Mexican food trailer named Las Gorditas which has been mentioned several times on this board. You can't go wrong there.

If you go further North, into the Hikes Point area, avoid the bypass just North of Sam Swope Suzuki and take Old Bardstown Road (which veers off to the right as you approach Sam Swope). Down that road is at least one Asian grocery, as well as the Jasmine Bakery, a Eastern European bakery, which has a small eatery attached (the name escapes me). If you go all the way down to Hikes Lane and turn right, Al Watan will be down a block or so on your right. Awesome Middle Eastern food, with a bakery (balaclava and pita!) and a small, but packed grocery as well.

And since you're not far, heading West from I-265 and Bardstown will take you to Preston Hwy. Head north on Preston to find a great wealth of Mexican groceries, bakeries, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are, on the whole, pretty good.

Good luck and welcome to the area!

For Asian MArkets, my favorite in Choi's on Lyndon Lane. Lots of hidden gems there. A couple of weeks ago I even found a carton of very nice black raspberries for only $0.99. They also have what they call a snack bar, which offers several Korean dishes very inexpensively.

I saw someone mentioned Creation Gardens as well. It is a wonderful place, but it should be noted that they only take cash or check.

Most of my favorites have already been mentioned. But if you like dessert, please come give Sweet Surrender a try.

My husband and I recently moved to Louisville and are really liking the area for the most part. We are originally from the south, but had been living in the Detroit area for awhile and had become very accustomed to the variety of gourmet and ethnic foods available at the grocery store. The local restaurants in Detroit were nothing to write home about, so I'm hoping the ones here will be much better.

So where do the foodies shop around here? I have been to LotsaPasta...but I'm really hoping there is more than one gourmet store here! I'd even settle for a standard grocery store that has variety...I knew I was in the wrong store last night when they only had 3 flavors of yogurt.

What are the local favorites? Not necessarily a special event, $100 for two place... but somewhere you go all the time or take your friends when they come in town? We like most everything...well I do, my hubby is a tad picky...but he's a Mexican/burger/hotdog fanatic.

Any good breakfast spots? We had a horrible experience at the Mimi's Cafe here...twice Did find Phlen's Bakery while trying to find LotsaPasta and it's outstanding!!!

We are really looking forward to checking out some of the local flavors and events! What is this Derby Pie that I see everywhere? Any other local specialties?

http://www.derbypie.com/

http://www.brownhotel.com/dining/hot-brown.html

Your grocery question seems to be covered. I would just like to mention Sake Blue that is at Bardstown/265 and Liqourbarn. The Liquorbarn is not quite a grocery store, but it is worth checking out.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7106&p=70517#p70517

Welcome to the city and the forum.
You have a lot of good recommendations here so I won't repeat but add one more.
If you are looking for German or Polish sausages, smoked fish, caviar etc I suggest The International Market on Taylorsville Rd.
Good eating!

As well as the Jasmine Bakery, a Eastern European bakery, which has a small eatery attached (the name escapes me).

That would be the Bosna Mak,grocery and eatery.
http://bosnamak.com/

I have found the Spice Merchant and the few samplings I snagged have been quite good. Will have to get hubby to the International Market, he'll be really excited about the variety of sausages...hear the Irish Rover does really good ones as well.

I'm not concerned at all about distance or travel time, so I'm not opposed to checking something out that's not right around here. Coming from the 24/7 traffic jam of Detroit, it's really easy to get around here!

So many places I'll have to check out, I can't wait til Saturday...going to WorldFest (weather permitting) and checking out a few places mentioned!