Louisville, Kentucky Restaurants: Kaelin's Cheeseburgers and the Hot Brown from Browning's

Louisville, Kentucky restaurants were the birthplaces of cheeseburgers and the Hot Brown! This means that the restaurants of Louisville, Kentucky have influenced our food appetites via cheeseburgers and the Hot Brown! I just had to sink my teeth into one of Kaelin's cheeseburgers and Browning's Hot Brown while in those Louisville, Kentucky restaurants:

Kaelin's: Birthplace of the Cheeseburger

Kaelin's in Louisville, Kentucky is touted as the "Birthplace of the Original Cheeseburger". Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kaelin opened their restaurant in 1934. The hamburger had already been around for some time. Still, Carl was always trying to make his burgers better. One day, he thought a slice of melted American cheese on top of the burger would enhance the flavor, so he tried it...and the rest is history! Of course, I had to try one of Kaelin's Original Cheeseburgers. And I must say that they have a very tasty char-broiled flavor. So eating a cheeseburger here in this Kentucky city means I dined on a slice of food history. I enjoyed it in a low key family atmosphere that played pre-rock 'n' roll era tunes in the midst of a pictorial motif that honors Kentucky icons like Colonel Sanders and Churchill Downs. For those who really love meatier burgers in restaurants, this dining establishment serves up several of these as well as sandwich entrees, including a triple burger with lots of bacon and cheese (called the Spath Cardiac Burger) and a fried bologna club sandwich. Sandwiches and burgers range in price from $5.95-$9.95, and come with some addictive homemade potato chips on request.

Of course, this historic eatery in Louisville offers even more quality food for those who aren't necessarily hungry for a cheeseburger, served quickly by a polite staff. Appetizers and Salads/Soups do though include Kaelin's Mini Cheeseburgers and Fried Pickles which range in price from $2.95-$8.95. Their other entrees range in price from $7.95-$15.95, and feature seafood, pasta, and meat-filled selections like the Southern Fried Half Chicken and a Frog Leg Dinner.

A Kaelin's cheeseburger.

Credit: Roy A. Barnes

Copyright: Roy A. Barnes