Restaurants in Fern Creek

Pregame with spinach artichoke dip (4.99) or a hearty helping of fried pickle chips, hand-breaded dills fried to a crisp and served with peppercorn ranch dressing or a Cajun horseradish dip ($3.99). Most of the thin-crust pizzas, salads, chicken, steaks, pastas, burgers, and sandwiches on Aspen's menu cost less than $10. Flavorful meaty dishes include a chili-rubbed pork tenderloin trio (three pork medallions wrapped in bacon and grilled and bathed in honey lime dressing, $9.99) and Hawaiian-style grilled chicken topped with a fresh grilled pineapple ($7.99). Aspen Creek's pan-seared salmon ($10.99) is hand cut, superbly seasoned, honey-glazed, and totally unable to travel upstream in search of superior gold prospecting.

The tasty array of casual Italian tastes at Bearno's will warm bellies while the friendly neighborhood service warms tomato-shaped hearts. Appetizers such as spicy boneless chicken wings ($7.49 for a large) and garlic cheese stix ($7.49) lay the foundation for a robustly-flavored repast, while fresh salads ($3.99–$10.99) cleanse the palate in preparation for savory sandwiches ($7.39–$8.99), build-your-own or pre-conceived specialty pizzas ($8.99–$37.99), and classic pasta dishes. Wrap paws around a slice of Mama Bearno's pizza, loaded with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, olives, and mozzarella ($17.99 for a medium), or mumble a mouthful of chicken parmesan with a side of mostaccioli ($7.99). If you are having trouble deciding between menu categories, opt for a hybrid open-faced pizza hoagie ($7.39), or blindfold your index finger and point.

Joe’s OK Bayou claims to be “da best Cajun,” but there’s also a humility to the enterprise—starting with the playful name and extending to decor that alludes to a low-country shack with a sheet-metal awning and rough wooden walls. Home-style cooking comes naturally to owner Joe Wheatley, whose father farmed grain and raised hogs before opening similarly rustic restaurant The Feed Mill with other members of the family in a former feed-storage building.

Since 1995, Joe and his team have striven to introduce Louisiana flavors to a northern audience, seasoning crawfish étouffée and chicken-and-sausage gumbo with spices that are bold but not painfully hot. Visiting in 2008, the Courier-Journal’s Marty Rosen found that this mission succeeded, with “bold, accessible flavors, friendly, quick service and extremely affordable prices.” He also found oysters “big and glossy with fine, firm textures—as fresh-tasting as any I've eaten along the Louisiana or Alabama coasts” on the menu’s wide selection of simply prepared coastal creatures—fried gator tails, catfish filets, and frog legs among them. Abita beers, the star of the drinks menu, hail appropriately from Louisiana, and join wines and other domestic and imported brews at the full bar.

Every night at 12:30 a.m., when antelopes are sleeping, the baking team at Great Harvest is milling wheat to a floury finish to craft the gourmet bread and baked goods on its menu. Take home a loaf of honey whole wheat ($5.00) or nine grain ($5.95), and cut fresh slices that hold together sandwich innards more tastily than a pair of thesauruses. Or choose a ready-made hand-held lunch from Great Harvest’s sandwich selections. Choose a type of bread, and then load it with premium meat slicelings and veggies ($4.95 for a half sandwich, $6.95 for whole). Pair it with an herbivorous tossing of salad greens ($3.55) or a protein-rich meat salad of chicken, tuna, or turkey ($5.95).

Connected by an asphalt web of highways, state roads, and thoroughfares, blocky yellow signs gleam nonstop, casting a dandelion glow from the words “Waffle House.” The booths at the eateries fill 24 hours each day with the aromas of sizzling pork chops, Jimmy Dean sausage, and endless mugs of coffee. Line cooks brown shredded potatoes on a grill as waiters shout back in a language all their own for hash browns “smothered,” “covered,” or “topped”—served with onions, cheese, or chili, respectively. Angus burgers and steak melts share space on the rippling-hot surface at all times of day, allowing tired drivers to stop for food when they are on a long journey or just listening to an 11-hour drum solo on the radio. The first Waffle House switched on its lights in 1955, and some menu items still bear the names of Waffle House staff of the past, including Bert's chili from Dallas and Alice's iced tea.

Lenny's is a known in lands near and imaginary for premium deli meats that are sliced to order, chicken and tuna salad made from scratch, signature hot pepper relish, and hearty portions. A regular-sized Lenny's club, which costs about $6 (prices vary by location), is 7.5 inches long and has about half a pound of meat and cheese. The large, $10 versions are 15 inches long and pack about a pound of protein and veggie vitamins. Lenny's service is always fast and friendly. Check out the menu for a full list of options including the famed Italian sub with provolone, ham, prosciutto, capicola, and genoa salami.