Mon to Fri 16:00 to 02:00, Sat Sun 12:00 to 02:00
Garage Bar on East Market in Louisville pulls thin-crust wood-fired pizzas off a brick oven inside a NuLu former auto-service shop, a counter-and-courtyard takeover.
Try: Wood-fired pizza
Tip: Order at the bar. The kitchen serves the full menu until late on weekends.
Daily 11:00 to 22:00
Joella's Hot Chicken on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville fries Nashville-style hot chicken across six heat levels with hormone-free birds, a family-friendly Crescent Hill counter.
Try: Hot chicken tenders, six heat levels
Tip: Counter-service. Tenders or sandwich come with two sides; pimento mac is the move.
Tue to Sat 16:30 to 22:00, closed Sun and Mon
Hammerheads in Louisville smokes lamb ribs and BBQ sliders from a forty-seat Germantown basement on Swan Street, a counter-style open-kitchen room.
Try: Smoked lamb ribs, BBQ sliders
Tip: No reservations. Order at the bar; get in before 18:00 or expect a wait.
Daily 11:00 to 21:00
Mark's Feed Store on Shelbyville Road in Louisville hickory-smokes pork, brisket, ribs and chicken from a Saint Matthews counter since 1988, the family-style BBQ serving locals call old reliable.
Try: Hickory-smoked pork, ribs
Tip: Order at the counter. Pulled pork, brisket and ribs are the three plates to pick from.
Tue to Sat 07:00 to 14:30, Sun 08:00 to 14:30, closed Mon
Wagner's Pharmacy on South 4th in Louisville has cooked diner breakfast and Hot Brown plates since 1922, the Derby-week racetrack canteen across from Churchill Downs.
Try: Country ham breakfast, Hot Brown
Tip: Walk-in counter. Breakfast until 10:30 weekdays, all day Sunday.
Daily 11:00 to 22:00
Royals Hot Chicken on East Market in Louisville fries Nashville-style hot chicken from a counter-service NuLu shop, the city's spice-level grading system from Southern to plain-clucking.
Try: Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich
Tip: Order at the counter. Medium is the sweet spot for most first-timers.