Louisville, Kentucky: a city known for its horse racing, bourbon, and restaurants?

Recently, this up and coming town has received notoriety for its vast selection of tasty local restaurants. The Derby city dining scene is cooking up some delicious dishes, and we can’t wait to give them a taste.

While it seems like new restaurants are emerging around every corner, it’s hard to decipher which ones to add to your summer bucket list. With restaurants satisfying all types of cravings, palettes, and wallets — I’ve compiled a list of the top new trendy eateries in Louisville:

1. Pho Ba Luu

1019 E Main St. Louisville, KY 40206

Looking for some affordable Asian cuisine? This is the place for you. Pho Ba Luu brings you delicious authentic Vietnamese food with a trendy flair, located in Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood. This spot is known for its classic pho — a noodle dish served in a savory broth, Bahn mi sandwiches, and noodle bowls.

2. ROC Restaurant

1327 Bardstown Rd. Louisville, KY 40204

With rave reviews surrounding specialty dishes such as grilled octopus, handmade pasta, and the classic Caprese salad — ROC Restaurant has emerged as one of the top Italian restaurants in the area. Italian-born chef Rocco Cadolini moved to Louisville from New York City, where he led a successful career as a chef and restaurant owner.

While this spot emphasizes their seafood selections, they also have a variety of entree selections such as steak, veal, chicken, and pork. Ten outta ten recommend!

3. Butchertown Grocery

1076 East Washington St. Louisville, KY 40206

Another restaurant located in the Butchertown neighborhood, Butchertown Grocery is a stylish eatery serving “New American” fare with signature handcrafted cocktails. While this restaurant opened in 2015, it was voted the second-best new restaurant in the nation by USA Today readers.

While they have an array of delicious and unique dinner options, I highly recommend this spot for brunch — which is served 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

4. bar Vetti

800 S. 4th St. Louisville, KY 40203

Located in the heart of downtown on Fourth Street, bar Vetti has emerged as a go-to spot for pasta, pizza, and shared dishes — offering classic Italian cuisine with a modern twist.

From the same group who brought you Feast BBQ and Royals Hot Chicken, this new spot offers creative plates such as “cast iron fonduta,” “salt-cured sea trout,” and “black hawk beef tartare.”

5. Red Herring Cocktail Lounge and Kitchen

1757 Frankfort Ave. Louisville KY, 40206

With the most highlighted dishes on this list may come in the form of alcoholic beverages, Red Herring Cocktail Lounge and Kitchen serves as a new hotspot for artisanal cocktails and gourmet “bar bites.”

This menu contains 100 of the most influential classic cocktail while offering brunch, lunch, dinner, and late night food. This restaurant has proved that bar food really can be delicious and there’s a cocktail for every occasion.

6. Porch Kitchen & Bar

280 W Jefferson St. Louisville, KY

Another downtown restaurant, the concept behind this restaurant is pretty self-explanatory — create a dining experience resembling that of a neighborhood porch. But this neighborhood’s porch just got an upgrade, with a variety of menu items such as “lump crab hush puppies,” “spicy tuna poke salad,” “beer-battered fish and chips.” In fact, this menu includes over 500 different ingredients.

7. Lueberry Acai & Superfoods

808 E Market St. Louisville, KY 40206

The “acai bowl” trend is in full swing and it’s taken over Louisville. However, this superfood cafe has much more to offer than just a tasty smoothie bowl — with the “‘So What, I’m Basic’ Avo Toast” and the “House Toast,” your not-so-basic peanut butter toast topped with bananas, blueberries, chia seeds, and granola — count me in.

8. Neighborhood Services

400 S 2nd St. Louisville, KY 40202

A Dallas-based restaurant, this hot new spot lies within the new Omni Hotel located in downtown Louisville. While the menu varies geographically, the Louisville menu contains modern American fare with a Southern spin — including items such as “hot brown tots,” “Kentucky Fried Wings,” and “pimento cheese patty melt.” If those items don’t get your mouth watering I don’t know what will.

9. Red Hog

2622 Frankfort Ave. Louisville, KY 40206

Red Hog is Louisville’s first whole animal butcher shop, operating as both a retail space and casual restaurant with an ever-evolving menu. From the owners who brought you Blue Dog Bakery & Cafe — my ALL time fave — this spot’s rotating menu includes charcuterie, cheese, sausages, pizzas, sandwiches, barbeque, grilled meats and vegetables, and much more.

10. NoBaked Cookie Dough Louisville

805 Blankenbaker Pkwy, Middletown, KY 40243

How could I forget the best part of any meal?! Taking dessert time to a whole new level, NoBaked Cookie Dough Louisville is serving up scoops of delicious edible cookie dough. From snickerdoodle to M&M swirl, these delicious raw treats are sweeping us off our feet. Your childhood fantasy is now a reality.

Who's hungry?