The Louisville feast begins long before the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby lasts all two minutes, but in Louisville it starts with a series of parties that last all day and half night. Of course, the city always has a lively nightlife with bars and restaurants around the town. And once you get a hotel room, participating in the festival is just a matter of appearances.

Louisville is for whisky lovers

The week before Louisville, where he is promoted as Bourbon City, Horde of people will join the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail begins at the welcome center within the Frezier Museum and takes out a bus to visit distilleries such as Angel's En Wonder, Mishter, Evan Williams and Old Forostar. restaurant.

It's easy to eat your favorite Kentucky foods anytime, but you'll need them during Derby Week. At least pimento cheese, country ham and biscuits can be found at any party.

This will allow you to drink mint jelep, a cocktail made from bourbon, sugar and mint that are traditionally served during the Derby run. The cocktails date back to before 1800. Historian Francis Parkinson Keys said, “The final instructions that a Virginian gentleman tweets on his deathbed are: “Never humiliate a decent woman, never take a horse to the house, never crush the mint of julep!”

Other famous local cocktails are old-fashioned cocktails made with whiskey (bourbon or rye), sugar and bitter, served with an old-fashioned glass of squats. It was created around 1881, probably at the Pendenis Club, which opened that year.

ForbesNavigate Louisville's Kentucky Derby season as a non-whisky fanby Jared Lanahan

Must-see Derby dishes

Another signature Louisville dish is a hot brown sandwich.

Created in the 1920s when one night guests at the Brown Hotel went to a restaurant and met a slow bite, chef Fred Schmidt came up with an open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and delicate morna sauce. This dish was still featured at the hotel, but it is not easily found outside.

But for its extremely rich and rich chocolate chip pecan pie, there is no dish that is more distinctive to race day than Derby Pie, the trademark name of the town's Kerns Bakery.

You can find such dishes at nine food and drink venues in Churchill Downs, including the Starting Gate Pavilion Balcony, Sky Terrace, Billionaire Lines and Stakes Dining Room.

One of my favourite places in town dating back to 1958 is Pat's Steakhouse, located on the second floor of the 150-year-old coach house decorated with dark woods, braschandelia, waterford crystals, hundreds of old photographs, and white tablecloth decorations, with a 60-bourbon wall. Start with a large platter of oysters, a frog's legs with garlic butter feet, and a 16-ounce strip steak or pat fried chicken.

The day before Jack Frye putts by a quarter century of business and decorated with decades of sports and gambling memorabilia. It's where you can get the grits with shrimp and grits with Redeye gravy or smoked bacon and roasted potatoes and Angels food cake.

Kentucky has a stringed barbecue culture, and one of the best things I've found in Louisville is owned by Chan Nelson, who claims that he won't let the sauce own succulent ribs. The best bargain at Backdeck is a 3-meat platter with beans, smoked mac, cheese and yum.

Red Hog is a butcher who cleanses amazing sandwiches, soups and Charcuterie. Fat Tony Sandwich ($16) with Mortadella, Salami Cotto, City Ham, Provolone, Mayo, Hot Pepper Tapenade, Lettuce and Onion is fantastic.

For its luxurious pasta, ROC, owned by chef Rocco Cadrini, offers top-notch Italian cuisine. Try out the outdoor patio table.

Make a reservation in advance at Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, as it's big and packed for a blash splurge and every night. This includes the giant pork porterhouse with 14 cuts of steak, sushi, wagyu meatballs and polenta cake, and the well of fore cream care care for for for for wagyu meathouse, the warm pepper magician of warm pepper juices. The restaurant's wine list deserves many awards due to its extremely wide and depth.