Whether you’re looking for a first-date spot, Valentine’s Day destination, or a special place to celebrate a milestone anniversary, Louisville has lots of fabulous (and romantic!) dining to choose from. Here are some of our favorite date-night restaurants to help you get those lovin’ vibes flowing.
610 Magnolia
610 W. Magnolia Ave., Louisville, KY 40208 • (502) 636-0783
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 5:30 to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday through Tuesday
The offerings at 610 Magnolia are ever-changing, with each dish focused on locally sourced produce. Celebrity chef Edward Lee’s modern menu boasts unique creations with Southern flair, including chanterelle hummus with trout roe, rose veal tartare, seared scallops with braised radish, and ribeye with roasted cauliflower, sweet potato, and oyster mushrooms. Reservations are required to experience the tasting menu, and a wine pairing option is available.
One of many unique creations at celebrity chef Edward Lee’s restaurant, 610 Magnolia: carrot almond panna cotta with snap peas, pickled carrot, spiced Marcona almonds, ginger, and pea tendrils. Image: Facebook
Barn8
10500 W Hwy 42, Goshen, KY 40026 • (502) 398-9289
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday
Barn8 is technically outside Louisville proper, but it’s worth the 30-minute drive. As the on-site eatery for Hermitage Farm, the restaurant is set inside a gorgeous restored barn and boasts a menu full of fresh, farm-to-table Kentucky cuisine. Seasonal offerings include dishes crafted from produce grown right on the farm and sourced from friends nearby. And with private seating areas in stable barn stalls, Barn8 provides the perfect ambiance to enjoy a Southern-themed cocktail — like the vodka-based Bless Your Heart — with your other half.
Set on a 683-acre property, Barn8 provides a peaceful ambiance for a night out in the country. Image: Facebook
bar Vetti
727 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 883-3331
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The pizzas and pasta dishes at bar Vetti are always popular, but this Italian eatery is also a great place to stop for a couple of late-night bites and drinks. As one of few places in NuLu that’s open late, the restaurant is the ideal place to end a Friday or Saturday night out — plan to grab a cocktail, espresso, or sweet treat with a recommended amaro pairing. You should also leave room for the chocolate budino, made with orange caramel, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, pecans, and whipped cream.
Bar Vetti’s 3D Valley Farm Pork Chop: a tea-bourbon brined pork chop, succotash, and country ham butter. Image: Facebook
Bourbons Bistro
2255 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY 40206 • (502) 894-8838
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 to 11 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday
Exposed brick walls, a dimly lit dining room, and a wood-burning fireplace on a covered patio make for the perfect romantic ambiance at Bourbons Bistro. (And in the winter, the restaurant’s covered patio is enclosed and heated!) Couples often share the Bourbons Chop, a Frenched, bone-in pork chop wrapped in prosciutto and topped with Asadero cheese and a bourbon-veal demi-glace. Finish the night with one of three sharable desserts: decadent mud pie, dulce de leche, or bourbon bread pudding with caramel sauce.
Seating near the wood-burning fireplace on the covered patio at Bourbons Bistro is especially popular. Image: Facebook
Buck’s Restaurant & Bar
425 W. Ormsby Ave., Louisville, KY 40203 • (502) 637-5284
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Sunday
The bar at this 30-year-old restaurant is always decked out with fresh white flowers, and a nightly performer’s velvety voice typically accompanies melodic piano tunes. The atmosphere at Buck’s Restaurant & Bar is iconic — and its menu is, too. Couples have been known to share the master steak (a New York strip served with crab legs and shrimp) while sipping on specialty cocktails like A Kiss of Kentucky. Don’t sleep on the Mocha Dacquoise, the restaurant’s signature dessert made with three layers of toasted almond meringue, mocha buttercream, and rum Chantilly, then topped with powdered sugar and chocolate drizzle.
The Mocha Dacquoise is a signature dessert at Buck’s Restaurant & Bar. Image: Facebook
DiFabio’s Casapela
2311 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY 40206 • (502) 891-0411
Hours: Thursday and Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Monday through Wednesday
Candlelit tables and string lights add quaint romance to DiFabio Casapela’s cozy vibes. Standard sharable options for couples include lasagna or one of three filets. Try the Fabio Filet, made with the restaurant’s red wine demi-glaze sauce, shallots, and mushrooms, then topped with ravioli. Pair it with the DiFabio’s Lemon Drop, crafted with house-made limoncello, pink lemonade vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup, or an Aperol Old Fashioned, made with Aperol, Maker’s Mark bourbon, and soda water.
Tortellini with pesto and shrimp is one of more than 40 offerings on the DiFabio Casapela menu. Image: Facebook
Le Moo
2300 Lexington Rd., Louisville, KY 40206 • (502) 458-8888
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Le Moo offers an intimate, moody vibe with low lighting, exposed brick walls, and private dining areas separated by floor-to-ceiling curtains. The restaurant is known for its eclectic steak menu, featuring prime ribeye, filets, and 10-ounce grade A5 wagyu from Miyazaki, Japan. Signature cocktails, beer, and an extensive wine list ensure you’ll have plenty of pairing options to complement anything on the menu, which also boasts a variety of fish, poultry, pork, and vegan entrées.
Le Moo’s seating options include tucked-away tables and private dining areas separated by floor-to-ceiling curtains. Image: Facebook
Mayan Café
813 E Market St., Louisville, KY 40206 • (502) 566-0651
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday
For a one-of-kind romantic dinner, look to Mayan Café, where every dish is rooted in traditional Mayan cuisine and made with local ingredients. Covered, heated patios provide optional outdoor seating regardless of the weather, and candlelit tables are always available inside. Entrées include everything from roasted pork and chihuahua cheese enchiladas to pan-seared mahi mahi with achiote sauce and black rice. And no meal at Mayan Café would be complete without the restaurant’s famous tok-sel lima beans, which are topped with a blend of roasted, ground pumpkin seeds, lime, salt, and sesame oil.
Mayan Café’s pollo pibil over fried plantains with epazote rice pairs well with the Harvest Cider. Image: Facebook
Proof on Main
702 W. Main St., Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 217-6360
Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Proof on Main offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner — with lots to look at and talk about. Inside downtown Louisville’s 21c Museum hotel, the restaurant showcases unique sculptures, paintings, and elegant wallpaper at every turn. And for dinner, the menu boasts a section dedicated to sharable items ideal for a date night. Order the charred octopus made with bagna cauda, lime, and toast, and the ‘No Spectators’ cocktail, crafted with Old Forester 86 bourbon, sfumato amaro, grapefruit rosemary cordial, lemon juice, and a spritz of peaty scotch.
The dinner menu at Proof on Main features a section dedicated to shareable items that are perfect for your date night. Image: Facebook
Wiltshire on Market
636 E. Market St., Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 589-5224
Hours: Thursday and Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Monday through Wednesday
Wiltshire restaurants have been around for more than 30 years, and each location features an independent chef who creates their own menu. Wiltshire On Market — the most upscale and romantic of the Wiltshire eateries — offers a new series of dishes every other week. Its modern take on farm-to-table food might include crispy Persian rice with farmer’s pick veggies, saffron toum, and almonds, or a half-brick chicken with fries, jalapeño Schug, herb tehina, caraway apple salat, and pita bread.
The Dobos Torte at Wiltshire On Market is made with Chambord macerated sponge cake, raspberry jam, mocha buttercream, and cake brittle. Image: Facebook
Soak up that love, Louisville!
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