Louisville Bars and Restaurants

01/08/2026

Opening late January.

Soon, very soon

01/08/2026

With heavy hearts, we share that 8th Street Pizza has reached its final chapter at the legendary Donum Dei Brewery in New Albany. This past Saturday was our last call.

We are deeply grateful for the years of support that made us a beloved part of this community!

Life has changed—grand-kids have come along, costs have soared, and we simply can’t fathom charging some ridiculous price for a pizza just to keep the lights on.

While everyone feels the pinch, small businesses and restaurants feel it even more. In the past year alone, nearly 40 local restaurants have closed in our area—and we were among them 15 months ago.

Finally New Albany, you’ll always be in our hearts. Please stay tuned for future updates!

A Quick Side Note: Big changes are coming to Donum Dei Brewery! They’re transforming into the ultimate destination for families, sports fans, and euchre enthusiasts. Follow their social channels to stay in the loop and join the fun!

In the meantime, remember: isn’t just a hashtag—it’s your superpower to keep neighborhood favorites alive.

01/06/2026

Exciting news! We're gearing up to reopen soon and are on the lookout for talented individuals to join our team. We're seeking skilled bartenders and cooks who are eager to showcase their talents. If you’re interested in being part of our vibrant team, we’d love to meet you! Please join us for open interviews on Thursday, January 8th, 2026, from 12 PM to 2 PM. We're thrilled to be reopening with a brand-new menu and can't wait to welcome you to our team. See you there!

01/06/2026

The building at 3922 Shelbyville Road in St. Matthews, longtime home of Dutch's Tavern (and later Mellow Mushroom), has been purchased and later this year will become a Pier 17 Cajun Seafood Restaurant & Bar.

The story is here: https://foodanddine.com/from-dutchs-tavern-to-mellow-mushroom-with-pier-17-cajun-seafood-coming-soon-to-st-matthews/

01/05/2026

There is no sugarcoating it— Leaven Bakery & Bistro will be closing our doors this spring.

Our lease is up, and honestly, the timing lined up in a way we couldn’t ignore.
We’ve been searching for a bigger space since November 2024. Are there places available in the area? Yes.
Does it make financial sense right now? Absolutely not.

We already know what some of you are thinking: “But you were always busy!” And yes — we were. And we are endlessly grateful for that. Thank you for welcoming two California kids into Southern Indiana and letting us serve you with our whole hearts.

But the truth is, being busy doesn’t always mean staying afloat. The cost of everything has gone up — ingredients, utilities, labor, insurance — all of it. We don’t feel right having to charge $20 for a breakfast sandwich just to keep the doors open. We know wallets are tightening everywhere, and while everyone is feeling it, small businesses and restaurants are feeling it on a much bigger scale.

In the past year alone, 35 restaurants have closed, many of them so suddenly that their patrons barely had time to come out and support before the doors shut. It may feel silly to announce this so far in advance — but here we are. We wanted to give everyone plenty of notice and time to come in, support, and share these last months with us.

Here’s something many of you don’t know: Zach and I started this crazy journey with $200 to our name on opening day. Stupid? Maybe. But we did it — and we count the past five years as a win. With our growing family, we simply can’t run Leaven by ourselves anymore, and it’s time to take a step back and reset.

The space will soon be available for lease, and our equipment will be for sale as a complete package for the next tenant. It could be a true turn-key operation — not the Leaven Bakery name, but solid bones for someone else’s dream.
For more information on the equipment, please reach out to [email protected]. We’re happy to privately share our landlords’ information rather than blasting contact details publicly.
This isn’t goodbye forever.
We’ll continue to do pop-ups around the city.
We’ll share more details soon.

And one day, who knows — you may see us again.
For now, we’re choosing to take a breath, reset, and focus on our son.

Thank you for every visit, every kind word, every empty plate, every smile.
You made this place what it was.

12/31/2025

12/30/2025

The initial call was for a trash fire, but when firefighters arrived it was upgraded to a structure fire.

12/30/2025

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY! 🚨

Our St. Matthews location on Lexington Road will close following business on December 31st. This closure is temporary as we prepare to reopen in a new home on St. Matthews Ave, in the former location of Lonnie’s.

We’re excited about what’s ahead and can’t wait to welcome you into our new space once it’s complete. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this transition may cause and greatly appreciate your patience and continued support.

In the meantime, we’d love to see you at any of our other Pie Kitchen locations, and don’t forget that delivery options are still available so you can enjoy your favorite pies, pastries, and treats! Please watch our social media for more updates. We can’t wait for you to see our new location very soon.

- With gratitude, the Pie Kitchen team