October restaurant news: High Horse moves, Cafe 360 closes, dirty soda

The arrival of (somewhat) cooler temperatures in Louisville also saw lots of ups and downs for the local food and bar scene.

The Courier Journal reported earlier this month the openings of another 7Brew location, KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, Locals Food Hub and Pizza Pub, Lou Lou in Middletown, and the reopening of The Salad Chic.

In the weeks following, numerous other changes occurred on the Louisville food scene, including bars moving locations, a fire temporarily closing a popular restaurant, and the sale of a popular Champagne bar.

Read on for a recap of what happened during October on the Louisville dining scene.

Pints & Union, which opened in New Albany, Indiana, in Aug. 2018, is making a move across the Ohio River.

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Owner Joe Phillips plans to open Pints & Union Highlands in the former site of Against the Grain Public House, which closed in August at 1576 Bardstown Road.

The “progressively Old World” pub, as Pints & Union is billed, brought “new energy” to downtown New Albany, Philips told the Courier Journal, when it opened several years ago. Now, he’s ready to do the same for the beloved building in the heart of the Highlands.

The new concept is expected to open by Thanksgiving Day, which falls on Nov. 28. Plans for the original Pints & Union location, 114 E Market St., New Albany, are to be determined.

More:This longtime pub is moving to a new location in Louisville. Here's where to find it

Renovations are underway for the Bardstown Road spot with a capacity of 88 people. Phillips said the first-floor area will have the feel of a traditional pub, with dim lighting, a curated beer list, cocktails, wine, non-alcoholic options, and a menu reminiscent of what Pints & Union is known for, including items such as fish and chips and smashburgers, as well as vegan and vegetarian dishes.

“It’s not going to be a brewery,” he said. “It’s going to be a neighborhood pub.”

After five years in the Butchertown neighborhood, High Horse Bar is moving to a new home.

The bar at 1032 Story Ave., known for an iconic sign promoting the place is "air conditioned," announced the move to NuLu via social media.

High Horse is expected to vacate its Story Avenue spot by the end of 2024, "not because we want to and not necessarily because we have to," read the Facebook post.

"Recently we found ourselves in a dispute with the landlord," continued the post. "The differences have become irreconcilable, so we are moving on. We have always strived to work with people we love, respect, and trust which led us to our decision."

The bar's new digs will be at 810 E Market St., which appears to be the former studio for Graymarket Design and is located behind Lou Lou on Market and Lueberry.

More:Popular Butchertown bar to move to new location in Louisville by end of 2024: What to know

A bar and restaurant along Bardstown Road that had been open for years but drew controversy after a shooting earlier this year has closed.

Café 360, 1582 Bardstown Road, surrendered its liquor license on Sept. 26, according to Louisville Metro's Alcoholic Beverage Control department.

The business could remain open without selling alcohol, ABC spokesperson Brandon Bowden said, but a sign on its door said the building is available for sale or lease.

Café 360 at one time stayed open 24 hours a day and is a well-known gathering place on a bustling Highlands-area corner. But it had drawn heat from neighbors and city officials in recent years amid other activity on the block.

Café 360's closure comes about three months after its next-door neighbor, Afrokanza Lounge, announced it would shut down effective immediately. That bar and nightclub, which frequently drew large crowds and was the site of a shooting that killed one person and injured two others last July, cited issues with neighbors in its decision, though Louisville officials had also worked to revoke its liquor license in June.

More:Louisville bar Café 360, Bardstown Road staple that drew recent controversy, has closed

Just as Ensō approached its first anniversary, the popular restaurant in the Clifton neighborhood has temporarily closed following a fire on Friday, Oct. 18.

Days after the fire, the restaurant, 1758 Frankfort Ave., announced an "extended closure" via its social media platforms.

Ensō is run by chef Lawrence Weeks, a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist, whose menu combines his Creole-Cajun heritage, knowledge of Southern cooking, and love of Japanese cuisine.

In July, the spot landed on Yelp's 25 "Best New Restaurants in the South" list, the Courier Journal previously reported.

More:Popular Louisville restaurant on Frankfort Avenue faces 'extended' closure following fire

A beloved neighborhood bar that's been around for more than six decades is set to close at the end of the month, the Courier Journal previously reported.

The Meyer family, which has owned Hikes Point Bar & Lounge, 3937 Taylorsville Road, since 1960, plans to sell the bar, which comes with 17 leather booths, a long wooden bar lined with stools, and an iconic "ladies invited" sign.

The bar is set to soon change hands and transform into a spot called The Dubliner.

More:Opinion | Gerth: Era ends as Louisville bar where 'Ladies Invited' prepares to close

Mitchell's Fish Market, which has been around for more than 20 years, closed in late October.

Google shows the location, 4031 Summit Plaza Drive, is "permanently closed" and the location is no longer listed on Mitchell Fish Market's website or the site for the Paddock Shops. The chain serving upscale seafood has six other locations, including two in Wisconsin, and others in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Following the success of the Back End BBQ restaurant in Louisville's South End, Chan Nelson plans to open Back Deck Bar and Lounge no later than the first week of November at 1601 Story Ave.

The new location will lean into a "classy and casual" vibe for its bar and lounge concept, he told the Courier Journal.

The bar and lounge venue will lean more heavily into a culinary and cocktail experience, featuring handheld bites such as a Texas Twinkie — a jalapeno stuffed with sour cream and brisket, then wrapped in bacon, seasoned, and smoked.

Nelson said popular side items from his original restaurant such as the smoked mac and cheese, yams, and greens will be brought over to the Butchertown location, but he looks forward to being able to "do a little more."

More:Back Deck BBQ opens second location at new spot in Butchertown. Here's what's on the menu

Dirty soda is a trend bubbling across the country. And the item's biggest purveyor, a franchise called Swig, will soon land in Kentucky. The Utah-based Swig started in 2010, offering customizable versions of carbonated creativity. Think Diet Coke with pops of coconut and a lime, a Dr. Pepper with chunks of mango, or a Pepsi with flavored boba pearls.

Swig’s first Kentucky store is expected to start serving dirty sodas (and more) at 3009 Poplar Level Road near Norton Audubon Hospital in Louisville by December.

Tyler Blair, an operator of the shop, said he hopes Swig will become “part of people’s daily routine.”

A growing brunch chain with Kentucky roots has acquired a St. Louis-based restaurant brand focused on healthy, fresh food options.

The Louisville-born Wild Eggs, which was purchased by a private equity firm in 2023, bought Crazy Bowls & Wraps, or CBW, in March, according to a news release.

The deal includes 16 stores in the St. Louis area and a new location in Louisville, with more on the way.

To start, the Wild Eggs spot in Jeffersontown, which opened in 202 at 9010 Taylorsville Road, will also operate as a Crazy Bowls & Wraps virtual kitchen, open only for online orders for pick-up or delivery.

For that location, it will operate as Wild Eggs until 3 p.m. daily and then switch gears to Crazy Bowls & Wraps from 4-10 p.m. daily.

Orders can be made online at crazybowlsandwraps.com or via delivery apps, such as DoorDash or Uber Eats.

The Champagnery, 1764 Frankfort Ave., is now owned by Isaac Fox, who most recently served as general manager and also owns La Chasse restaurant on Bardstown Road.

Charlotte and Brad Stengel, the longtime owners of The Champagnery business and the historic Victorian-era building that houses the champagne bar, posted on Instagram they are excited to shift ownership to Fox.

"We are grateful to have such a talented restaurateur carrying The Champagnery forward," the post stated. "He brings an immense wine and spirit expertise along with incredible artisan culinary experience... Isaac brings his amazing talents to The Champagnery as it continues to add light and joy to Louisville."

The Champagnery, a nationally recognized champagne bar, originally opened in 2018.

Reporters Lucas Aulbach and Olivia Evans contributed to this report. Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].