Louisville restaurant you've never heard of wins national recognition

Kirby Adams | Courier Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Preview Louisville's hot restaurants for 2018 Courier Journal food reporter Bailey Loosemore and restaurant critic Lindsey McClave chat about the exciting Louisville food scene.

A Louisville restaurant you may have never heard of that's in a location you might not ever guess has been named one of the best restaurants in the country.

The upscale eatery boasts more than 85 world-class bourbons — including several rare labels — and popular southern menu items like its Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich or the Buttermilk Milk Fried Chicken & Waffles, made with a fresh Belgium waffle and served with house-made maple bourbon butter, and Derby Chips, which are similar to nachos on kettle chips with a southern twist.

Enough already. What's the name and where is this restaurant, you ask?

It's called Book and Bourbon Southern Kitchen and it's located — wait for it — in the pre-security area of the Main Terminal at Louisville International Airport.

Yup.

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The Louisville restaurant was recently awarded first place for the Best New Food and Beverage Concept in North America at the 2018 Business of Airports Conference in Portland, Oregon.

Book and Bourbon, which is owned and operated by HMS Host, part of the world’s largest provider of food and beverage services for travelers, was awarded top prize because of its blending of fine dining and sense of place.

"Book and Bourbon is part of a larger trend to bring higher-end food and an elevated dining experience into airports," said Sean Matthews, senior communications manager for HMS Host. "The goal in Louisville is to bring together upscale comfort dishes based on regional influences and an extensive bourbon list so that travelers are treated to a true taste of Kentucky even if they are just passing through on their way to another destination."

While Book and Bourbon Southern Kitchen is open to anyone visiting the airport, you'll need a boarding pass to enjoy the food at two other restaurants listed on the HMS Host website. Located inside the TSA screening checkpoint, Coals Artisan Pizza in Concourse B and The Local Rustic Market in Concourse A give travelers an added taste of the Bluegrass.

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Global restaurateur HMSHost operates in more than 120 airports around the globe and at more than 100 travel plazas in North America.

Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com Twitter @kirbylouisville. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/kirbya.