On March 25, husband-wife duo Adrienne and Kris Cole opened the doors to their vibrant new restaurant, The House of Marigold. A breath of fresh air in Middletown, the space is decked out in Instagram-worthy scenes of pastel pink and green, offering an inviting space to enjoy elevated breakfast and lunch favorites — plus a creative cocktail menu to match. We caught up with Adrienne Cole to get a peek inside the space and hear more about the restaurant’s inspiration, her favorite menu items, and her adorable fleet of mobile bars!
Meet Adrienne Cole, one-half of the husband-wife duo behind Middletown’s newest restaurant, The House of Marigold. Image: Josh Meredith
Describe The House of Marigold in three words.
Fresh, fun, and feminine.
The cheerful interior, laced with florals and pastels, perfectly aligns with the restaurant’s name. Where did that inspiration come from?
My mom and grandmother both always said flowers brought good luck, so they always kept fresh flowers in their home. We decided to play on that — and marigolds specifically mean good luck and prosperity.
Signage on the wall declares that “it’s always golden hour” at The House of Marigold. Image: Andrew Kung Group
Bathed in natural light, the whimsical decor is a perfect backdrop for brunching (and posing!) with friends. Image: Andrew Kung Group
Tell us about the road to opening The House of Marigold.
My husband Kris and I started entrepreneurship in October 2018, when we had the opportunity to open a small corporate café inside of the Waystar building in downtown Louisville, essentially catering to the 400+ employees of the building. We had a great year, and when 2019 came around, we started Marigold Catering Company and did some phenomenal sales. We were on a really exciting path, on a trajectory to do some really fun stuff … and then COVID came.
Sadly, we had to lay off all of our employees and figure out how we were going to pivot and continue to stay afloat as a company. Kris was doing a lot of private dinners, and he was doing a really amazing job of elevating the dining side of at-home pandemic-style dining while I was trying to figure out how to elevate the bar side. So, we started the mobile bar sector of our company, Marigold Mobile Bar, and purchased a few luxury mobile vehicles, including a 1967 Airstream Overlander.
Meet Rose, one of four mobile bars in the Marigold fleet! Rose is outfitted with four taps to serve up beer or pre-mixed cocktails. Image: The House of Marigold
In 2022, we were coming to the end of our time at the Waystar building, and we needed to figure out where our company was going. When we saw a restaurant near our home had closed, I reached out to see if there was an opportunity for us to take over that space … and here we are, five months later, with a brick-and-mortar restaurant!
From cocktails to dessert — what’s your ultimate order at The House of Marigold?
For me, I am going to start with a Marigold signature cocktail, which features Maker’s Mark bourbon. Then, I am going to order myself a flight of our build-your-own deviled eggs and an order of the smoked salmon dip, and then I’m going to enjoy a fabulous piece of French toast with a side of bacon and a glass of our on-tap Prosecco.
Finish it off with a fabulous slice of cake from The Pocket Bakery, a local baker who provides us with seasonal selections of desserts!
One of Adrienne’s favorites is the brioche French toast topped with bourbon maple syrup, lemon powdered sugar, and fresh berries. Image: Andrew Kung Group
Other can’t-miss menu items are the ‘build-your-own’ deviled eggs, smoked salmon dip, and the ‘Royale with Cheese’ burger, made with locally sourced Berry beef. Image: Andrew Kung Group
You opened with a bang, starting with a full roster of Derby and Mother’s Day weekend events. What other kinds of events can guests expect in the coming weeks?
Through the summer months, we are going to be hosting pop-up dinners, which we’re super excited about. We want people to be able to see the restaurant in a different light. We’re also going to be doing some partner dinners with bourbon distilleries and wineries.
The House of Marigold’s sister company, Marigold Catering Co., is also accepting bookings. What sets your catering options apart?
Marigold Catering Company is a luxury niche caterer specializing in experience-based events. We really want to elevate the expected by providing very approachable food for all palates but in a fun, beautiful, experience-driven way.
What’s it like working alongside your husband?
Kris is truly my best friend and one of the most talented people I know. We really do enjoy working with each other. Absolutely, there are times that are super tough — we’re also raising three teenagers! But we stick together and work towards our shared goal of successfully providing a beautiful product and an overall great experience for our guests.
Adrienne is pictured here with her husband, Chef Kris Cole, and another member of their mobile bar fleet! This baby blue Vespa is known as Sofia — she features a custom sidecar with two taps and a table for snacks or garnishes. Image: The House of Marigold
What’s the best piece of business advice you have ever received?
The best piece of business advice that I’ve ever received is if you can’t do the job yourself, get the right people in place and delegate those people to operate your business effectively.
We love to ask — What are your favorite places to eat, drink, and shop in Louisville?
Our family loves Lee’s Korean Restaurant — we do that for all of the special holidays in our family. We are also big fans of Highland Morning, Harry’s American Bar & Grill, and Brix Wine Bar & Bistro. We also love to go to El Mariachi and get good drinks.
We live and work primarily in Louisville’s eastern side, and it’s great having a mix of shops, including more and more local boutiques alongside the bigger names.
Congrats on the opening, Adrienne! We can’t wait to see what’s next for The House of Marigold.
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