Cafe Metro Closing

CJ link on Cafe Metro Closing

[Robin Garr]

I can confirm that, sadly. I'd been sitting on an unconfirmed rumor for a few days and got it confirmed last night. Sorry I was too busy to get on here and post it today.

It's sad to see another of the icons of Louisville's upscale-dining history disappear.

The interesting fact is it doesn't appear to be solely a result of the recent economic times. It is stated in the article that their business has been declining for the past five years. Maybe they just didn't change with the times or maybe Louisville has reached a saturation point in restaurants of that caliber?

What a shock! Cafe Metro was the "happening place" when I lived in the Highlands in the 80's. It will be a sentimental, sad day for Ms. Shepherd.

I feel like a vulture circling by asking this question, but.... Does anyone know who owns the building? Will it be for sale or lease?

Kathy Scannell
Home Run Burgers

My last experience there (within the last 18 months) was ok at best. Sad but not at all surprising. It's a place that holds a lot of old memories but had been sliding for quite a while.

[Robin Garr]

My last experience there (within the last 18 months) was ok at best. Sad but not at all surprising. It's a place that holds a lot of old memories but had been sliding for quite a while.

Agreed in full. It was one of the pioneers of the city's restaurant growth in the '70s and '80s, but I think it's been pretty much stuck on its old tune and primarily supported by a shrinking core group in recent years. It fell out of my list of highly recommended upscale places a long time ago. It's sad, but frankly not too surprising, and I don't think the economy bears the blame.

I feel like a vulture circling by asking this question, but.... Does anyone know who owns the building? Will it be for sale or lease?

Kathy Scannell
Home Run Burgers

Owner is listed as "metro alliance,inc" which sounds like Ms Shepherd is probably involved in the ownership.

So sad to hear about Cafe Metro. Nancy has done an incredible job over the years with both of her restaurants, and I am proud to call her a friend. Thank heavens Uptown Cafe isn't going anywhere!!

Metro was the first white tablecloth restaurant I visited when I first moved to Louisville in the late 80s. I'll always have fond memories of Cafe Metro.

I was sorry to see them closing today on short notice. I had heard they were closing, but I thought it was the end of the month and had called but they really wouldn't confirm it. I was hoping to go one more time, but can't make it tonight.

I have been a customer every few months since the day they opened.

On a related note I was working (sharpening knives)at Casa Grisanti the Friday evening before they closed. It was the busiest they had been in a few years and guys kept bringing their stuff out to be sharpened. The bill was 3-4 times normal. I was a little worried about the bill but to Casas' credit, they paid in normal time.
A little more notice would have allowed Cafe Metro a chance to pick up some last time customers.

What a shock! Cafe Metro was the "happening place" when I lived in the Highlands in the 80's. It will be a sentimental, sad day for Ms. Shepherd.

I feel like a vulture circling by asking this question, but.... Does anyone know who owns the building? Will it be for sale or lease?

Kathy Scannell
Home Run Burgers

Nancy owns the Cafe Metro building and leases the Uptown Cafe building.

Damn.

I've never eaten at metro or uptown, but I have walked by thousands of times (literally). My memories of metro will be half of the "storefront" being a kitchen with sink and boxes piled up with a partially blackened window. Outside,typically one to three kitchen workers standing around smoking cigs, looking surly. This is literally fifteen feet from the front door entrance and all right on Bardstown Rd for all to see. Unsavory would be the word I'd best describe it as. For a dive (like 360), I can understand it, but not for anything upscale in the least. How could the owner not have noticed?

Don't know if that made a difference, but it couldn't have helped.

Just my observations....

My boyfriend used to work for Uptown and it's still my favorite casual dining spot in the area. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out. Cafe Metro was our first fancy dinner together. I'm sad to see it go, but I'd be devestated if Uptown ever closed its doors.

I've never eaten at metro or uptown, but I have walked by thousands of times (literally). My memories of metro will be half of the "storefront" being a kitchen with sink and boxes piled up with a partially blackened window. Outside,typically one to three kitchen workers standing around smoking cigs, looking surly. This is literally fifteen feet from the front door entrance and all right on Bardstown Rd for all to see. Unsavory would be the word I'd best describe it as. For a dive (like 360), I can understand it, but not for anything upscale in the least. How could the owner not have noticed?

Don't know if that made a difference, but it couldn't have helped.

Just my observations....

I could go so many places with this. However, I will just say, I think that was really unnecessary. First and foremost, the place has been a Louisville institution for longer than some people on this board have been alive. Describing it as unsavory simply because there are kitchen employees smoking outside the kitchen door is very harsh, in my opinion. I think Nancy and the Cafe Metro staff deserve more respect than that.

Louisville is losing a much loved institution. There is no need for speculation on the part of someone who has never even dined there. I could go on a whole lot more, but I will leave it at that.