Clifton & Crescent Hill

Take a stroll along Frankfort Avenue, the main thoroughfare through the leafy and charming Crescent Hill and Clifton neighborhoods. You’ll find historic homes and buildings, treelined streets, alfresco dining and locally-owned shops peppering this railroad-lined avenue and one of the city’s noted “Restaurant Rows.”

EAT & DRINK

Start your day at any one of the many outstanding breakfast and brunch locations on Frankfort Avenue. Grab a croissant at Blue Dog Bakery, known for their authentic artisan breads (Levain!). Or, try the Huevos Rancheros at James Beard-nominated Con Huevos, the biscuits and gravy at Eggs Over Frankfort or a complete, leisurely brunch at Morning Fork.

The Manhattan Project is a great place to catch the big game on TV and grab some elevated pub food and craft cocktails. El Mundo serves Mexican food made with local ingredients and is known for its fresh-juiced margaritas and festive patio. For pizza, Parlour has live music and outdoor seating areas. For sushi, there’s cozy Osaka. For Vietnamese favorites like pho and banh mi, there’s Eatz Vietnamese Restaurant. Miki’s Karaoke Bar & Korean Restaurant serves up casual Korean food and fun for all ages. Blending Japanese and Southern food cultures, Enso excels in yoshoku cuisine.

Among other local favorites are Crave Cafe (soup, salad, sandwiches), Porcini (fi ne Northern Italian cuisine), Irish Rover (authentic Irish pub grub), Bourbons Bistro (a founding member of Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail® known for its Bourbon-inspired dishes), Volare (authentic Italian), Varanese (Mediterranean and American), DiFabio’s
Casapela (Italian) and farm-to-table, Fork & Barrel.

Need a sugar fix? Head to Bae’s Baekery for stuffed, gourmet and thick cookies, brown butter brownies, cream puffs and cakes. Gelato Gilberto specializes in artisan ice cream with an Italian flair. Please & Thank You bakes what’s touted as the country’s best chocolate chip cookie and is among the neighborhood’s many unique coffee shops.

Other java joints include Abol Cafe, an Ethiopian coffee shop, Quills Coffee, a light-filled community gathering spot, Heine Brothers’ Coffee, with a heated and covered large outdoor patio, and Crescent Hill Coffee next to Carmichael’s books, where you can read a spell while the trains roll along the Avenue.

To start the evening or top off the night, the options are vast, from the elegant Champagnery, the casual Gallant Fox Brewing Company, the small-batch craft brewery Apocalypse Brew Works, the Bourbon-centric Silver Dollar, which is housed in a restored 1890s firehouse, Pretty Decent, a botany shop and a botanically-inspired cocktail bar, to late-night spots like The Hub and Hilltop Tavern — both offer delicious comfort food and bar bites. Frankfort Avenue Liquors & Wine has over 600 whiskeys by the bottle and serves cocktails at their bar, including frozen Old Fashioneds.

DISCOVER

The Crescent Hill Reservoir and Gatehouse became an instant tourist attraction when it first opened in 1879 and is the perfect place for a leisurely stroll.

The American Printing House for the Blind is the official supplier of educational materials for visually impaired students in the country. Pursuit Spirits, a new distillery on Mellwood Ave., offers a deep dive into the art of blending and “The Whole Shebang,” a tasting, barrel pick and fill-your-own-bottle experience.

SHOP

A variety of consignment shops line Frankfort Avenue, including Margaret’s Fine Consignments, Urban Kitty and men’s resaler Evolve. Magnolia & Fig is a women’s clothing store known for its charm and inclusive sizing.

Looking for something a little unusual? Just Creations is a fair trade marketplace with handcrafted goods from artisans in more than 45 countries.

Vinyl lovers will want to peruse Guestroom Records, and book lovers will feel right at home at Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville’s oldest independent bookstore. If you’re on the hunt for designer fashions, you can find them at Peacock Boutique, for women and for children, next door is the whimsical clothing store Kiddo. Designer options for your home abound at Posh Home and Summer Eliason Designs. For specialty Bourbon-enhanced culinary delights, visit Bourbon Barrel Foods. Ask about the free soy sauce tasting experience. The Wine Rack is a friendly neighborhood wine, beer and spirits store, offering wine tastings every Thursday and Friday.

Vintage, antique and resale seekers will enjoy browsing 2023 Antiques, Nussbaum Antiques & Fine Art, Redefine Design on the Avenue and the expansive Mellwood Antiques in a former meat-packing plant off Mellwood Avenue in Clifton.

Featured Attractions & Things to Do