Savoring Bourbon: The Best Pairings and Local Culinary Delights
Foodies and bourbon enthusiasts seeking elevated dining experiences find their bourbon-infused bliss in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown. Many restaurants and bars in these bourbon-centric cities showcase unique takes on pairing bourbon with meals, specialize in bourbon-infused menus, and feature dishes that amplify bourbon flavors. Additionally, these three cities offer bourbon experiences that bourbon lovers aren’t likely to find anywhere else.
SIGNATURE SPINS
In Newport, the team at Purple Poulet Southern Bourbon Bistro, led by Chef Rick Zumwalde, loves a good splash or three of bourbon in dishes like fried chicken and waffles with maple bourbon syrup, “Swanky” Shrimp-n-Grits with bourbon-cream pan gravy, hickory-smoked beef brisket with bourbon-peach jus, a Casino-style market catch with bourbon-bacon-maple broth, and bourbon mashed sweet potatoes.
Likewise, the team at Beehive Augusta Tavern shows its unbridled enthusiasm for Kentucky bourbon by incorporating it into multiple dishes: bourbon-braised short ribs, bourbon carbonara, bourbon-glazed bone-in pork chops, bourbon-glazed salmon, a bourbon bordelaise burger, and honey bourbon fried chicken. Even sides like the honey bourbon bacon brussels get a dousing.
At the Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBCo.), Kentucky’s first distillery-based restaurant, Chef Stu Plush likes to bring out bourbon tasting notes through various dishes. For instance, the menu suggests BBCo. Origin Series Bottled-in-Bond or Prohibited Paradise for country ham carbonara and BBCo. Origin Series Rye Whiskey or Feel the Heat for its Southern fried chicken.
At HOC (House of Commons): A Bourbon Library in Frankfort, Founder and Proprietor Dave Sandlin brings encyclopedic knowledge to the bourbons he stocks. Additionally, this bourbon barkeep knows how to spin a good yarn.
“Everyone has a story to tell, and every bourbon has a story to tell,” said Sandlin. “Our storytelling is the framework around the more than 315 Kentucky whiskeys we have on the shelf, why we have them, why each is special, rare, or different.”
Visitors to HOC won’t find food and bourbon pairings (although Sanders is happy to share restaurant recommendations); this bourbon bar is about pairing bourbon to people’s palettes.
“People come in and tell us what they like, and we formulate a taste profile for them,” said Sanders.
STARRING: BOURBON
Gourmands needn’t look too far in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown for restaurants specializing in bourbon-infused menus and/or plating dishes that amplify bourbon flavors.
Several restaurants on The B-Line®, Northern Kentucky’s self-guided bourbon adventure, plate a variety of signature bourbon dishes. Sitting on a dollop of sweet potato puree, the pecan-crusted chicken at Fort Mitchell’s Greyhound Tavern is drizzled with a bourbon caramel sauce made with Maker’s Mark bourbon. Bourbon apple chutney with chipotle creme sauce embellishes the pork tenderloin. Smoke Justis in Covington satisfies the sweet tooth with its signature, house-made bourbon chocolate chip blondie with pecans and topped with whipped cream.
Several bakeries in Bardstown concoct decadent bourbon-laced taste sensations, like maple bourbon pecan cupcakes, bourbon balls, and Turtle Sundaes featuring layers of chocolate, pecans, and bourbon caramel cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a bourbon caramel sauce at Just Baked. Or try the chocolate cake layered with bourbon and pecan buttercream at Flour & Oak Bakery, whose slogan is “where bourbon meets batter.”
In Frankfort, Bourbon on Main offers another sweet temptation with a chocolate chip bread pudding with bourbon caramel sauce. And Limewater offers a fan-fave munchable: a burger dressed with aged cheddar, bourbon caramelized onions, black pepper au jus, and—you guessed it—bourbon.
EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES
Bardstown has a premier experience with a stay in a bourbon-themed guest suite at the sumptuous, award-winning Bourbon Manor, the world’s first bourbon-themed B&B: a lavish full country crystal and China breakfast, including bourbon-infused desserts like cinnamon buns, apple fritters, pecan sticky buns, and French Toast.
Frankfort has several signature bourbon experiences, including the “nation’s only boat-based bourbon tour.” Board Kentucky River Tours’ Bourbon Belle for one of its many themed voyages on the Kentucky River: river history and its ties to bourbon; the Old Taylor Tour with a visit to Buffalo Trace Distillery; a river tour and taste with a bourbon historian; a sunset cruise savored with a favorite cocktail, and others.
Book a seat on the Bourbon Blazer for a two-hour, pedal-powered trolley ride to handpicked local pubs for a deep dive into downtown Frankfort’s rich bourbon culture, treating yourself to specially crafted signature drinks along the way.
Take the factory tour at Rebecca Ruth’s Chocolates for a taste of how Ruth Hanly Booe’s 1938 invention of the bourbon ball turned bourbon into a delicious dessert. “The combo of bourbon and chocolate is a natural match, with the bold notes of bourbon perfectly balancing the earthy sweetness of the chocolate,” said Operations Manager Sarah Booe and Ruth Booe’s great-granddaughter. “These bite-sized treats are a must-try, representing Kentucky’s culture and offering a playful way to savor its finest spirit.”
Experience Kentucky’s bourbon culture to the fullest with inventive custom cocktails, delicious meals, and distinctive experiences. Start planning your bourbon adventure today!
