Start with an unflinching devotion to bourbon (many restaurants offer 50 to 75 varieties) and artisan ham. Add to that buzzy ’hoods such as NuLu, Frankfort Avenue, and Bardstown Road. Throw in such spots as Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar on Whiskey Row, one of the first restaurants to return to this historic area, and chefs devoted to preserving the region's iconic flavors while subtly redefining Southern cuisine, and it's no wonder Louisville is one compelling cocktail.

“It’s not just the chefs. The public is really behind the movement to eat locally,” says Michael Paley, chef at Proof on Main in the 21c Museum Hotel and at Garage Bar. Edward Lee, chef at 610 Magnolia (and former Top Chef: Texas contender) agrees, “You can feel the fervent passion to support locally owned farms and purveyors. Add to that a rich history of indigenous foods such as country ham, sorghum, and, of course, bourbon and you have a perfect formula for a culinary renaissance.”