Many of us vow to eat healthier at the beginning of each new year, but those well-intentioned promises can be tricky to keep while dining out. Not to worry — you can have your (gluten-free) cake and eat it, too! We’ve compiled a list of go-to Louisville restaurants with healthy and delicious options to choose from. We’ve even included a few dish recommendations so you’re ready to order!
Best Healthy Restaurants in Louisville
Anoosh Bistro
4864 Brownsboro Road, Louisville, KY 40207 • (502) 690-6585
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 4:30 to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday
Chef Anoosh Shariat has been a vegetarian for more than 25 years, and his daily motto is “eat well; love life.” At Anoosh Bistro, he offers a variety of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu items. The menu changes seasonally and might include everything from grilled artichoke and beet salad to coconut curry tofu and mushroom pasta. Chef Anoosh is always willing to modify dishes to fit diners’ dietary needs. And never fear — this highly acclaimed chef knows how to deliver all the flavor, regardless of dietary restrictions.
This shrimp appetizer from Anoosh Bistro is almost too pretty to eat. Almost! Image: Anoosh Bistro
Heart and Soy + Roots Restaurants
1216 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40204 • Heart & Soy: (502) 452-6678 • Roots: (502) 452-6688
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Sunday
You won’t find any meaty dishes in this slim building off Bardstown Road. But fast-casual Asian street food eatery Heart and Soy, and its adjoining upscale vegetarian restaurant, Roots, offer guilt-free, tasty options that won’t give you that heavy feeling post-meal. Founded with the phrase “You are what you eat” in mind, this vegetarian-only restaurant serves up sizeable portions of pho and pad Thai, as well as a myriad of rolls, wraps, soups, and other Asian classics.
Heart and Soy, which houses Kentucky’s only tofu manufacturing machine, is more of a fast-casual, carry-out and catering establishment, while Roots is owner Huong “CoCo” Tran’s answer to the lack of fine vegetarian dining in Louisville. Both restaurants were founded on a philosophy of remaining mindful of food’s impact on the environment, the community, and its patrons’ health.
The roasted vegetable panini includes eggplant, zucchini, onion, red bell pepper, and portobello mushrooms on an olive oil and basil ciabatta roll. Image: Heart and Soy / Roots
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
Mayan Café is an indigenous-inspired, farm-to-table restaurant that boasts bold flavors and pairings in each dish. Chef Bruce Ucan and business partner Anne Shadle opened the NuLu restaurant in 2007 and have made sustainability their mission. Their menu items are made fresh, with ingredients grown on Kentucky farms; offerings change monthly and center around specific ingredients. The menu specifies gluten-free choices and includes lots of light, vegetarian options. Don’t miss the Tok-sel lima beans, a Mayan Café fan favorite available year-round.
Tok-sel lima beans at Mayan Café | Image: Mayan Café
Naïve Kitchen + Bar
1001 E. Washington St., Louisville, KY 40206 • (502) 749-7856
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Monday
Catherine MacDowell’s modern NuLu eatery features unique, veggie-centric offerings made from fresh ingredients. Naïve Kitchen + Bar’s menu is based on the premise that healthy eating is more than just a diet — it’s a lifestyle. So, the Naïve crew strives to keep everything local and organic. Though every dish is focused on a vegetarian lifestyle, there are options to accommodate vegans, carnivores, and everyone in between. Try the Garden Burger, made with brioche, a house-made patty, kewpie mayo, pickles, onions, and cabbage slaw, or General Tso’s Cauliflower served with green beans, lime, kale, sesame, and togarashi. Don’t forget to grab a CBD brownie for dessert.
Buffalo and General Tso cauliflower bites at Naïve Kitchen + Bar | Image: Facebook
Queen of Sheba
2804 Taylorsville Rd, Louisville, KY 40205 • (502) 459-6301
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Wednesday
Take a trip to Ethiopia when you walk through the doors of this restaurant, which boasts nutrient-dense, low-fat dishes. Known for their health benefits, most Ethiopian dishes are served as slow-cooked stews seasoned with exotic spices or freshly cooked sautéed dishes with flavorful meat and vegetables. Queen of Sheba’s wraps are made with injera — a thin, gluten-free spongy sourdough bread — wrapped around various sautéed vegetables and meats. The stews, made with chicken and sometimes hot spices, will provide extra warmth as you get through the winter months. And don’t forget the “Queen’s Specialties,” including Shifta tips (beef, chicken, or lamp tips, seared on a high flame with onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and seasoning) or the spicy Gored-Gored (fresh, tender beef cubes sautéed in a paste of Ethiopian spices and berbere) all served with injera or rice, side salad, and gomen, which are Ethiopian collard greens.
Ramsi’s Cafe on the World
1293 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40204 • (502) 451-0700
Hours: Daily, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
If you don’t know what you’re in the mood for but want to try something new, Ramsi’s is ALWAYS a good choice. Owners Rhona and Ramsi Kamar have packed the menu with healthy plates full of global flavors, and the food is always fresh. Divided into dietary specialties, the menu includes categories such as pescatarian, gluten-free, and the Hope Farm Wellness Menu, which features everything from east India paella to tuna tartare. The restaurant’s menu was inspired by the owners’ farm in eastern Jefferson County, which is USDA organic-certified and provides the restaurant with most of its produce and eggs throughout the year. No matter what you order, you know you are getting wholesome, organic goodness.
Roasted Brussels sprout petals from Ramsi’s Cafe are served with pan-seared lima beans and goat cheese crumbles atop a fig-and-almond cake, drizzled in balsamic glaze and crispy shallots. Image: Ramsi’s Cafe on the World
Safier Mediterranean Deli
641 S 4th St #2403, Louisville, KY 40202 • (502) 585-1125
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest to follow, and Safier, which means “ambassador” in Arabic, brings Louisvillians all the goodness and health benefits of Persian and Lebanese cuisine. Safier Mediterranean Deli’s Owner and Head Chef, Youness El Mesyah, welcomes guests seven days a week, making everything fresh and from scratch. For starters, you can’t go wrong with stuffed grape leaves, lentil soup, or hummus, a customer favorite. If you’re on the go, the chicken shawarma and kafta kabob serve as quick, healthy lunches. For a more significant yet equally satisfying meal, the shish kabob, shish tawook, and Mediterranean platter won’t disappoint.
Safier Mediterranean Deli’s hummus, served with pickled veggies, is a customer favorite. Image: Safier Mediterranean Deli
The Silly Axe Café
1001 Logan St., Louisville, KY 40204 • (502) 290-7197
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Monday
The Silly Axe Café, Louisville’s gluten- and wheat-free haven, was founded by chef Angela Pike in 2019 after she was diagnosed with celiac. The restaurant has since relocated from its original spot on Dundee Road to a space in Logan Street Market, but its dishes are still gluten- and peanut-free. The menu changes daily, but guests can expect to discover items like The Smart Axe, a sandwich made with house hummus, vegan or dairy cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, grilled veggies, and Italian dressing, or the blueberry chicken tacos, which are filled with chicken and topped with house blueberry chipotle slaw, apple slaw, and green chili sour cream.
Tacos from The Silly Axe Café | Image: The Silly Axe Café
Simply Thai
323 Wallace Ave, Louisville, KY 40207 • (502) 899-9670
12003 Shelbyville Road, Middletown, KY 40243 • (502) 690-8344
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (closed from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.); Saturday, noon to 10:30 p.m. (closed 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.); closed Sunday
Since 2006, Simply Thai has been serving up tasty Thai cuisine to Louisville residents. Choose your spice level (one through five!) from an extensive menu of dishes packed with protein and veggies. If you have specific dietary restrictions or preferences, most of Simply Thai’s dishes can be customized to be gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan. Try one of their noodle dishes with chicken and extra veggies for a kick of nutrition, or opt for one of their five popular curry varieties.
Pad Kee Mao with chicken at Simply Thai | Image: Simply Thai
V-Grits
1025 Barret Ave., Louisville, KY 40204 • (502) 742-1714
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Monday
Vegetarian beer lovers rejoice! Vegetarian restaurant V-Grits shares a space with Chimera Brewing, which serves up vegan brews. Owner Kristina Addington caters to vegetarians, but carnivores will also love the flavorful dishes served sans meat, dairy, and animal byproducts. Try the Crunchwrap, made with vegan taco beef, melted cheddar, lettuce, tomato, chili lime crema, and a tostada shell in a grilled flour tortilla, or the Pumpkin Curry (pumpkin yellow curry broth, fried tofu, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and red bell peppers) with jasmine rice. For dessert, nosh on vegan treats from Half Peach Bakery.
Vietnam Kitchen
5339 Mitscher Ave., Louisville, KY 40214 • (502) 363-7535
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Wednesday and Sunday
Set in Iroquois Manor Shopping Center, Vietnam Kitchen is a Derby City staple. After giving Louisvillians a scare with closure rumors, owner Alex Lam transferred ownership to his son Phillip in 2022, ensuring guests can continue to enjoy spiced-to-order dishes, a wide variety of curries, vermicelli soups, and more. If you’re looking for a dish that’ll last for lunch and dinner, try the generously portioned chicken or seafood and rice combos. Just remember to order by number! For healthy options, we recommend the A.12 and A.25 for appetizers, the B.5 and C.3 for soups, and the J.4, K.11, E.3, F.4, H7, and VN.8.
The yellow curry from Vietnam Kitchen is a healthy option that packs a bit of spice.
Now, when you find yourself out on the town and craving a bite, you can head to one of these eateries and dine guilt-free!
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