Louisville Food: Two Pizzas and a Fish

It's been a hot minute since I've posted! The last two weeks of May were filled with work stuff and preparation for our trip to Louisville, so we didn't try any new pizza joints. Then we were in Louisville from June 3 to June 17, so I thought I'd write about my pizza (and fish) dining experiences there. 

Louisville consistently ranks among the top 10 foodie cities on several food-oriented lists. There are a high number of restaurants per capita (I can't find a definitive number, but I did see a recent list that said Louisville had more than 2,500). But when I head back home for a visit, I'm looking for local comfort food.

NOTE - We also ate at the following restaurants that I won't be reviewing: Check's Cafe, Gustavo's, 21st in Germantown, Mussel and Burger Bar, City BBQ.

June 3: Derby City Pizza Company

On our first night in town we ordered takeout from Derby City Pizza. I discovered DCP during my month-long stay in 2022. They offer typical "Louisville-style" pizza with a thin but sturdy crust and cheese added last so that it gets brown and bubbly. We ordered a large sausage and mushroom, and a small pineapple pizza for my stepmom. When we went to pick up the pizzas the place was BOOMING. Once we got the pizzas back to the Airbnb and opened the boxes, I was pleased with what I saw.

The toppings were plentiful, 'specially the cheese! (And you know that I'm all about the cheese.) Seriously - can you imagine what extra cheese would look like on these pies?

The sausage was tasty but not spicy, as expected with Louisville pizza. The mushrooms weren't fresh but they were hot and inoffensive alongside the sausage and cheese. I didn't try the pineapple pizza {shudder}, but my dad and stepmom declared it pretty tasty.

But what really makes this pizza is the crust. It's thin but not foldable, and has an interesting flavor that I can't really pinpoint. It might be malt, as I've read that some pizza makers use malt in their dough. Another interesting thing is that we tasted fennel, either in the sauce or the sausage. Overall, this pizza is high on my list of ANY pizzas, Louisville or Pittsburgh.

June 9: Mike Linnig's

Mike Linnig's is, according to Google Maps, a "time-tested riverside seafood joint" (we got a good giggle over that one). That's a pretty accurate description. Founded in 1925 - and still in its original location along the Ohio River - Linnig's is typically open from February through October. The atmosphere is wonderful. Chip loves it, and claims that it's unlike any other restaurant he's been to. In fact, we held our 10th anniversary party there.

Most of the seating is outdoors, although there are a few tables in its original building and within the last five years they built a pavilion for bad weather or simply for those who prefer not to sit in the sun. I'm definitely someone who prefers the outdoor seating. 

They serve a few things that are hard to find elsewhere in Louisville: frog legs, turtle soup, and rolled oysters. But they're really known for their fried fish, their pan-fried oysters, and their onion rings. All of which we ordered, along with some hush puppies.

The fish was very good. They serve breaded whitefish and the breading is always perfect - crispy and not greasy. Admittedly, we realized that the breading is a little bland. It's the same breading on the onion rings, so while the onions themselves were super sweet and tender, the breading could have used a little oomph. 

The hush puppies were disappointing. They were ever so slightly overcooked, and I was surprised to find no onions in them. I wish we'd had a chance to indulge in some King Fish pups while in town. They use white cornmeal and add just the right amount of onion. Mmm.

The oysters were the stars of the show as far as I was concerned. These were the biggest I'd ever seen, including the fresh fried oysters we had along the coast of South Carolina a few years ago. They were incredibly flavorful, but perhaps just a bit chewy due to their size. I'd still rate them highly. 

We met my friend Kristi and her fiancé for dinner, so the company made this a special night. We will definitely try to go back the next time we're in town.

June 16: Bearno's Pizza

We grew up calling this BEER-nose, and in fact the dude who answered the phone to take our order did, too. But I learned somewhat recently that the owner states it should be BARE-nose. As hard as I try, BEER-nose still comes out of my mouth. Oh, well. 

Until this trip, I would have categorically stated that Bearno's was my favorite Louisville pizza. In fact, we had a Bearno's/Impellizzeri's taste test in June 2021 with some friends while we were in town, and Bearno's won 4 to 3. However, I was a little disappointed in the pizzas we picked up on our last night in town.

We ordered one large with pepperoni and mushroom on one half and sausage and mushroom on the other half. We also got a small Mama Bearno's, which is essentially a supreme pizza. Here are my thoughts on the large (I didn't try the supreme as it had green peppers, which I can't eat):

• Pepperoni was flavorless
• Not as much cheese as Derby City
• More sauce than normal
• Sausage was good and there were loads of it

The crust is quite similar to Derby City crust - thin and sturdy without being too crispy. It was a winner as it usually is. But the pizza simply didn't have the flavor I was expecting. 

Don't get me wrong; the pizza was good. But I'd been looking forward to Bearno's for our entire visit and it just didn't live up to my high expectations. Maybe it was an off night? I sure hope so. 

That's it, friends, for the Louisville food tour. I hope to be back on the Western PA pizza trail next week. Happy summer, all!