Food & Drink · Shelby County, KY
Where to eat and drink.
Kentucky classics in 1791 stagecoach stops. Hot brown lunch in an 1825 girls' school. Tacos that pull from three Mexican kitchens on Main. Coffee that's been the same recipe for 25 years.
Editor's picks
- [Long farm table set for family-style dinner]Dining
Claudia Sanders Dinner House
Family-style Kentucky dinner in the Colonel's own dining room.
- [Science Hill Inn dining room with original 1825 windows]Dining
Science Hill Inn
Hot brown and bourbon-bread pudding inside an 1825 girls' school.
- [Old Stone Inn patio at dusk with bistro lights]Dining
Old Stone Inn
A 1791 stagecoach stop, now wood-fired and chef-driven.
- [Talon Winery porch overlooking vineyard]Dining
Talon Winery & Vineyards
Tastings on a vineyard porch with a Friday-night soundtrack.
Local favorites
Kentucky classics — hot browns, country ham, fried chicken, bourbon-bread pudding, towering soft serve. Family-style and Main Street icons.
The Barrel Room
622 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 437-0420
First expansion of the Old Louisville Brewery. Beer, bourbon, wine, cocktails, live events — frequent live music.
B & N Food Market
5945 Elmburg Road, Bagdad(502) 747-8860
Iconic country dining in the heart of Bagdad — comfort food, homemade desserts, and the best ice cream around.
Bell House Restaurant
721 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 437-5678
Classic American with authentic Southern hospitality. Menu favorites include Kentucky's best Hot Brown, Henry Bain Pork, and Bob's Burger. Pastry Chef Ashton makes every dessert in-house.
bellhouserestaurant.comCarriss's Grocery
7 Southville Pike, Shelbyville(502) 738-5163
Homemade country-style cooking in a relaxed atmosphere.
Cattleman's Roadhouse
221 Breighton Circle, Shelbyville, KY 40065(502) 647-5959
Locally owned, Kentucky Proud restaurant. Great steaks, expansive salad bar, welcoming atmosphere.
Channel Cat Fish House
11990 Boat Dock Road, Shelbyville(502) 321-5331
Waterfront restaurant at the picturesque Guist Creek Marina & Campground. Laid-back menu of fish house classics across from Bulleit Distilling Co.
Claudia Sanders Dinner House
3202 Shelbyville Road, Shelbyville(502) 633-5600
Founded by Colonel Sanders and his wife Claudia as a true example of country cooking at its best — family-style service in the heart of Shelbyville.
claudiasanders.comConvenient Food Mart
38 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 633-5477
Laid-back local favorite with gas, snacks, drinks, and homemade hot meals on historic Main Street. Daily specials: fresh-grilled hamburgers, meatloaf, fried chicken. Daily-rotating soft serve.
The Creed Café at Jeptha Creed Distillery
500 Gordon Lane, Shelbyville(502) 487-5007
Lunch, snacks, small bites, and cocktails after your tasting.
The Farm Kitchen
6562 Frankfort Road, Shelbyville
Family-style breakfast and lunch with a relaxed country feel. Daily specials and decadent desserts — arrive early before the banana pudding sells out.
The Friendly Farmer's Fridge
5715 Zaring Mill Road, Shelbyville(502) 931-6441
Homestyle breakfast and lunch plus local food grocery — fresh produce, dairy, meat, eggs, honey, and baked goods.
Gallrein Farms
1029 Vigo Road, Shelbyville(502) 633-4849
Farm-fresh dining and the best of life on the farm — fresh produce, petting zoo, nine spring greenhouses full of flowers. Seasonal hours.
gallreinfarms.comHometown Pizza
1635 Mt. Eden Road, Shelbyville(502) 633-7900
Exceptional homemade pizza for more than 30 years.
hometownpizza.comJT's Pizza & Subs
129 Buck Creek Road, Simpsonville(502) 722-9030
Homemade pizza and the best subs in town.
Ken Tex BBQ
1163 Mt. Eden Drive, Shelbyville(502) 633-2463
Authentic Texas-style barbecue. Long-smoked meats since 1984.
La Cocina De Mama
535 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 633-1114
Family-style restaurant with amazing recipes passed down through generations. Indoor and outdoor seating.
lacocinademamaky.com/menuLittle Mount Lavender Co.
6905 Shelbyville Road, Simpsonville(502) 437-2141
Bakery for lavender-baked goods, coffee, teas, and more. Full bar with refreshing lavender cocktails. Boutique features local artisan gifts.
Max's Sugar Shack
18 Main Street, Shelbyville
Popular seasonal shaved-ice stand, open spring and summer.
McKinley's Café
615 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 647-1665
A quarter-century of fresh bread, chef-crafted sandwiches, salads, and sweet confections.
Weathered Oak Farm Café
6950 Shelbyville Road, Simpsonville(502) 257-1092
Breakfast, lunch, coffee and specialty drinks. Famous cinnamon rolls and homemade breads.
Bourbon bars & lounges
Where to drink the local pour. Single-barrel programs, walls of bottles, and a lit cigar on a covered patio.
The Barrel Room
622 Main Street, Shelbyville
Old Louisville Brewery's first expansion. Bourbon, beer, cocktails, frequent live music.
Executive Cigar Lounge & Bourbon Bar
799 Aristocrat Court, Simpsonville
Full-service cigar store with a bar specializing in Kentucky bourbon.
executivecigarllc.com627 Main Street, Shelbyville
Downtown speakeasy tasting room — single-barrel program lets you pick your own.
International
Mexican, Italian, Peruvian, Chinese — the corridor and Main Street both surprise.
China 1
215 Boone Station Road, Shelbyville(502) 633-3030
El Molcajete
811 Washington Street, Shelbyville(502) 437-0759
El Nopal (Shelbyville)
480 Taylorsville Road, Shelbyville(502) 437-2131
elnopalmex.comEl Nopal (Simpsonville)
1187 Buck Creek Road, Simpsonville(502) 405-1130
elnopalmex.comFiesta Mexicana
1815 Midland Trail, Shelbyville(502) 437-2140
Giovanni's Pizza
2001 Midland Trail, Shelbyville(502) 520-2100
giovannispizza.comJade Garden
1155 Buck Creek Road, Simpsonville(502) 262-8772
La Fogata
51 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 513-5093
La Poblanita Taqueria
1534 Midland Trail, Shelbyville(502) 437-0513
Little Italy
1155 Buck Creek Road, Simpsonville(502) 722-8307
Marimba Mexican Restaurant
2059 Midland Trail, Shelbyville(502) 647-1990
Mi Casita
182 Midland Blvd., Shelbyville(502) 437-2113
micasitashelbyville.comMilano Italian Restaurant
1745 Midland Trail, Shelbyville(502) 437-0459
milano-ky.comPisco Sour
2093 Midland Trail, Shelbyville(502) 437-5172
Tienda Genesis
6902 Shelbyville Road, Simpsonville(502) 722-8854
Tienda La Comiteca
178 Midland Blvd., Shelbyville(502) 513-5234
Coffee & desserts
Local roasts, century-old bakeries, lavender-cake afternoon visits.
Brick + Mortar Boutique and Coffeehouse
6999 Shelbyville Road, Simpsonville(502) 405-3126
The Paddock Coffee, Eats & Gatherings
700 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 321-1778
Serendipity Kandy Kitchen
519 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 310-9532
Sixth and Main Coffeehouse
547 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 647-7751
Spotz Gelato
545 Main Street, Shelbyville(502) 682-3750
Weathered Oak Farms
6950 Shelbyville Road, Simpsonville(502) 257-1092
Wine & spirits
Two distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (one downtown, one on a hilltop farm), one vineyard winery with a Friday-night porch.
500 Gordon Lane, Shelbyville
Family-run, grain-to-glass — they grow their own Bloody Butcher corn. Part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour.
jepthacreed.comBulleit Distilling Co.
3464 Benson Pike, Shelbyville
Frontier-spirit high-rye bourbon with a multi-sensory tour and Kentucky Bourbon Trail stop.
bulleit.com627 Main Street, Shelbyville
Downtown distillery with a pick-your-barrel program.
7086 Tatum Ridge Road, Shelbyville
Tastings on a porch overlooking the vineyard. Friday-night live music in season.
Farmers' markets
Saturday-morning produce, breads, flowers, baked goods, honey. Bring a tote.
Red Orchard Park, 501 Red Orchard Road, Shelbyville
Saturdays, May–October. Jazz band on the gazebo.
Simpsonville Farmer's Market
Fred Wiche Park, 7012 US-60, Simpsonville
Open-air, in-season Saturdays. Local farmers and artisans.
simpsonvillefarmersmarket.comBagdad Farmer's Market
5965 Elmburg Road, Bagdad
Indoor, air-conditioned. Local beef and pork, eggs, produce, honey, maple syrup, baked goods, crafts.