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Start Off The Year Of The Horse With Louisville Vietnamese Cuisine

by Steve Hacker
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by Steve Hacker

The Vietnamese Lunar New Year, Tet begins this Friday January 31. One of Vietnam's biggest holidays, Tet brings special foods, greetings and gifts. 2014 is the Year of the Horse, which means folks in the Derby City should be especially ready to celebrate. See where someone might welcome in another new year with Vietnamese food:


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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Vietnam Kitchen

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5339 Mitscher Ave
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 363-7535
(502) 363-7535
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Known locally as "K8 with pork," Hủ tiếu Saté, is possibly the most popular Vietnamese dish in Louisville, served up daily in this venerable spot on the backside of the Iroquois Manor shopping center.

2. Annie Café

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308 W Woodlawn Ave
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 363-4847
(502) 363-4847
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Chef/owner Annie Tran presents Vietnamese, vegetarian and even a few Chinese dishes in a humble but pleasant restaurant where people can enjoy both pho and Vietnamese pop music.

3. DaLat's Gateaux and Cafe

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6915 Southside Dr
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 368-9280
(502) 368-9280
France's colonial influence over Vietnam's history is on display as meringues and mochas commingle with boba tea and banh mi.

4. Pho Binh Minh

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6709 Strawberry Lane
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 375-9249
(502) 375-9249
A tiny restaurant that’s been described as “Vietnamese for Vietnamese,” serving banh mi, pho, noodle and rice dishes and more “authentic Vietnamese dishes.” [Image: Yelp]

5. Cafe Thuy Van

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5600 National Tpke, #3
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 366-6959
(502) 366-6959
Noodle bowls, banh mi, bean puddings and other Vietnamese fare can be found on the small menu of this South End cafe. [Image: Yelp]

6. La Que

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1019 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 238-3981
(502) 238-3981
One Urbanspooner sums it up by saying "as a Vietnamese, I have had better authentic Vietnamese food. However, the price is cheap and the service is great."

7. Cafe Mimosa

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1543 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40205
(502) 458-2233
(502) 458-2233
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Cafe Mimosa combines Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese cuisines inside what was once Louisville's premier Italian-American restaurant. (There's a fresco of Tuscany buried underneath one wall.)

8. Four Sisters

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2246 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 384-4262
(502) 384-4262
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The Nguyen sisters run this "nest of goodness" that mostly focuses on sweet and savory crepes, though several banh mi are always on offer.

9. Basa

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2244 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 896-1016
(502) 896-1016
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It's everything buzzy about the Louisville restaurant scene: local ingredients, modern cooking techniques, a "food-driven wine list" and interesting cocktails. Plus clay pot catfish.

10. Banh Mi Hero

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2245 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
(502) 456-2022
(502) 456-2022
Visit Website
Lee Tran, son of Annie (of Annie Cafe), serves big banh mis ("both traditional and innovative") and small soups in this tiny shop on Bardstown Road.

11. namnam cafe

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318 Wallace Ave
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 891-8859
(502) 891-8859
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Tacked on to the end of a St. Matthews convenience store, Nam Nam manages to consistently find good, fresh ingredients and turn them into Vietnamese food that, as the owner says, is "not messed with too much.”

12. Lemongrass

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11606 Shelbyville Rd
Louisville, KY 40243
(502) 244-7110
(502) 244-7110
Visit Website
Vietnamese dumplings, rolls, hot pots and more can be found along with Chinese and Thai dishes and "an extensive variety of drinks with equally fair prices." As their website says, "Come visit Lemongrass for a delicious and fun time!"
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1. Vietnam Kitchen

5339 Mitscher Ave, Louisville, KY 40214
Known locally as "K8 with pork," Hủ tiếu Saté, is possibly the most popular Vietnamese dish in Louisville, served up daily in this venerable spot on the backside of the Iroquois Manor shopping center.
5339 Mitscher Ave
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 363-7535
Visit Website

2. Annie Café

308 W Woodlawn Ave, Louisville, KY 40214
Chef/owner Annie Tran presents Vietnamese, vegetarian and even a few Chinese dishes in a humble but pleasant restaurant where people can enjoy both pho and Vietnamese pop music.
308 W Woodlawn Ave
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 363-4847
Visit Website

3. DaLat's Gateaux and Cafe

6915 Southside Dr, Louisville, KY 40214
France's colonial influence over Vietnam's history is on display as meringues and mochas commingle with boba tea and banh mi.
6915 Southside Dr
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 368-9280

4. Pho Binh Minh

6709 Strawberry Lane, Louisville, KY 40214
A tiny restaurant that’s been described as “Vietnamese for Vietnamese,” serving banh mi, pho, noodle and rice dishes and more “authentic Vietnamese dishes.” [Image: Yelp]
6709 Strawberry Lane
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 375-9249

5. Cafe Thuy Van

5600 National Tpke, #3, Louisville, KY 40214
Noodle bowls, banh mi, bean puddings and other Vietnamese fare can be found on the small menu of this South End cafe. [Image: Yelp]
5600 National Tpke, #3
Louisville, KY 40214
(502) 366-6959

6. La Que

1019 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40204
One Urbanspooner sums it up by saying "as a Vietnamese, I have had better authentic Vietnamese food. However, the price is cheap and the service is great."
1019 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 238-3981

7. Cafe Mimosa

1543 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40205
Cafe Mimosa combines Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese cuisines inside what was once Louisville's premier Italian-American restaurant. (There's a fresco of Tuscany buried underneath one wall.)
1543 Bardstown Rd
Louisville, KY 40205
(502) 458-2233
Visit Website

8. Four Sisters

2246 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206
The Nguyen sisters run this "nest of goodness" that mostly focuses on sweet and savory crepes, though several banh mi are always on offer.
2246 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 384-4262
Visit Website

9. Basa

2244 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206
It's everything buzzy about the Louisville restaurant scene: local ingredients, modern cooking techniques, a "food-driven wine list" and interesting cocktails. Plus clay pot catfish.
2244 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 896-1016
Visit Website

10. Banh Mi Hero

2245 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40205
Lee Tran, son of Annie (of Annie Cafe), serves big banh mis ("both traditional and innovative") and small soups in this tiny shop on Bardstown Road.
2245 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
(502) 456-2022
Visit Website

11. namnam cafe

318 Wallace Ave, Louisville, KY 40207
Tacked on to the end of a St. Matthews convenience store, Nam Nam manages to consistently find good, fresh ingredients and turn them into Vietnamese food that, as the owner says, is "not messed with too much.”
318 Wallace Ave
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 891-8859
Visit Website

12. Lemongrass

11606 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville, KY 40243
Vietnamese dumplings, rolls, hot pots and more can be found along with Chinese and Thai dishes and "an extensive variety of drinks with equally fair prices." As their website says, "Come visit Lemongrass for a delicious and fun time!"
11606 Shelbyville Rd
Louisville, KY 40243
(502) 244-7110
Visit Website