Shelby Park & Smoketown

A culturally rich and vibrant art-filled community.

A historically Black neighborhood since the Civil War, named for the numerous smoke-producing kilns that once fired bricks in Smoketown and for the centerpiece 16-acre Shelby Park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the Smoketown and Shelby Park neighborhoods, located southeast of downtown, are diverse and vibrant art-filled communities.

Shelby Park & Smoketown Restaurants

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Eat & Drink

The walk-up window at La Pana Bakery & Cafe, featuring Oaxacan-inspired pastries, is perfect for grabbing a quick coffee, breakfast, or snack. Just around the corner, their sister
restaurant FOKO serves fresh Mexican and American-Southern fusion for breakfast and lunch with cafecitos, fresh juices, and matcha teas. Cuban café and cocktail bar Sweet Colada is one of the latest contributions Louisville’s thriving Cuban community has made to the dining and cultural scene. Also new to the neighborhood is La Guanaquita, the second location of a popular local Salvadoran and Honduran restaurant. For a double cheeseburger and fries so good it has a cultlike following, head over to Toasty’s Tavern, where they also make a mean Bánh mì dog and offer vegan options. For a fully vegan menu, try Shahar, which also has a coffee and cocktail bar. For farm-to-table woodfired pizzas, there’s Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub, which uses locally sourced ingredients, house-made sauces, Kentucky cheeses, and farm-raised meats.

A classic Smoketown restaurant, Shirley Mae’s Cafe is cash-only and is open Thursday through Sunday, but well worth planning a lunch or dinner for soul food classics like chicken-fried pork chops, smoked pork ribs, cornbread dressing, turnip greens, and an array of irresistible desserts. Perso serves fresh Italian dishes as beautifully presented as they are carefully prepared, and the chef’s table, a three-course family-style meal, is always a delightful culinary adventure. Located out back, you’ll find Segreto, a secret garden bar.

Check out Atrium Brewing for craft beer on tap, and don’t miss out on the Crave Wave food truck on site. The newly established Trellis Brewing built its taproom and brewery amid the towering brick ruins of the neighborhood’s former factories, creating a most dramatic and unique venue. The late-night Canary Club bills itself as “Louisville’s natty wine bar,” the “natty” referencing “natural wines,” which you can enjoy with delightful, yet unexpected, bar bite combos like caviar and potato chips. Next door is The Breeze, a coffee shop and retail space filled with wine, gourmet food, and unique gifts. Nook & Nowhere is a new coffeehouse, bar, and bookstore with plenty of cozy spots for reading, including a patio just behind the neighborhood’s famous “Whiskey Got Me into Trouble” mural.

Logan Street Market is home to 25+ independently owned businesses, where you can sample a world of flavors, including sweet and savory fillings at La Maison aux Crêpes; Jewish comfort food at Cold Smoke Bagels; Venezuelan at Full Arepa KY; Palestinian cuisine at Jerusalem Kitchen; Korean favorites at K-Bop; and West African fused with French, Italian, and American cuisine at Ziba’s Bistro. For coffee, head to Safai, and there’s also Pizza Bomb and Soda Bomb.

Discover

Art, artists, and artisans abound in these neighborhoods with public murals setting a colorful background for the community’s galleries and artist studios. Galerie Hertz Art Gallery has been representing and showcasing regional, national, and international artists for 28 years. The Idlewild Butterfly Farm puts nature’s art on exhibit with a collection of butterflies and exotic insects.

Shop

Visit the internationally renowned Anchal Project for one-of-a-kind textiles. For new and vintage clothing, jewelry, and gifts, visit Lady Luck Boutique. For vintage streetwear and an extensive sneaker inventory, from beaters to cherries, visit The Capsule. For well-crafted essentials, visit Misc. Goods Co., where you’ll find everything from leather goods to toiletries. Logan Street Market also offers unique shopping: Bluepop Art, CeyoLanka Family, Flourish CBD, Harper’s Emporium, and The Kinder Artist.

Paristown

Adjacent to Smoketown, start your day in nearby Paristown with breakfast at The Café, where comforting Southern-accented options will fill you up as you dine under a mix of antique chandeliers and sip coffee in artful mugs from neighboring Stoneware & Co. A short walk on Swan Street will take you to Fleur de Flea Vintage Urban Market, a 35,000 sq. ft. warehouse with 150+ vendors. Paristown is also home to The Village Market, Louisville’s first collective food hall, where you’ll find Banditz Pizza, Bunz Burgerz, and Jeff’s Donuts.

A growing art and entertainment district, Paristown is home to Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, a live performance venue booking national and regional acts. Next door is Christy’s Garden, an urban garden that hosts community events and is one of Paristown’s many nontraditional, outdoor performance spaces.

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