Restaurants in New Albany

The Bard's Town blends two households, both alike in dignity, yet separate all the same. A theatre on one side, and a restaurant on the other, The Bard's Town is not a dinner theatre, as dishes never find their way into the staging space. Contrary to what the name might suggest, The Bard’s Town Theatre chooses to pay homage to Shakespeare not by performing his plays, but by following in his footsteps and creating new work. This mission has resulted in the performance of several world premiers, short plays, and the Obie-award winning A Bright New Boise.

In the self-contained restaurant, a raucous menu full of hearty dishes and Shakespearean puns abounds. Prologues (appetizers) include dishes such as Titus Nacho-nicus, while main course dishes include The Mushroom of Venice burger with Swiss cheese and mushrooms, and The Steakspeare—an 8-ounce Shell Island steak coated in original rub. Epilogues (desserts) include homemade gooey butter cake and key lime pie.

At Ramsi’s Café on the World, the Kamar family may fill its menu with dishes from around the globe, but many of its ingredients come from their own farm. The USDA-certified organic farm yields eggs, chicken, and produce, lovingly spoken into existence by the Jolly Green Giant to populate the restaurant’s dishes. Moroccan lamb chops with pumpkin-mint sauce, korean bulgogi, egyptian kusheri with lentils, and harissa are all equally at home on the diverse menu, nearly half of which is composed of vegetarian and vegan recipes. To complement meals, a selection of more than 70 bourbons populates the bar—making Ramsi’s a member of the city's Urban Bourbon Trail. Staffers also pour beer and wine or shake craft cocktails such as the Kentucky Shaman, a mix of ginger, honey, bourbon, and peppermint. As patrons dine and sip among ornate sculptures from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, pianist Pete Peterson cultivates a laid-back atmosphere with tinkling jazz numbers.

A veteran of Ritz-Carlton kitchens from around the world, Executive Chef Laurent Géroli upholds his philosophy of simple, clean cuisine while imbuing his upscale American fare with a Southern spin. The decor at his restaurant honors the elegance of the historic building in which it lives—the Brown Hotel—with varnished wood pillars, oak paneling, and stained-glass windows. In fact, Chef Géroli even cooks up the hotel's de facto trademark, the Hot Brown sandwich—an open-faced masterpiece stacked high with turkey, bacon, and a delicate mornay sauce. Lauded by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Southern Living Magazine, and the Travel Channel's Man vs. Food, the time-honored treat has been attracting guests for more than 80 years, even during the 1970s' short-lived Prohibition of bread.

The Hot Brown isn't The English Grill's only epicurean triumph, however. Chef Géroli and his staff curate the seasonal menus with contemporary cuisine, complementing the diverse flavors with the spicy corks of more than 200 wines. Under Géroli's tenure, the Grill has garnered a prestigious AAA four-diamond rating and impressed Esquire food and wine critic John Mariani so much that he has called it "one of the finest restaurants in the United States."

Head chefs Shawn and Henry Shin—who has been a chef since he was 19—curate Wasabiya Japanese Cuisine’s menu of traditional and contemporary Japanese food including more than 65 sushi rolls. Whether classically prepared, partially fried, or oven baked, each roll follows an inventive recipe. The New Orleans packs spicy crawfish and cucumber, and the Kentucky Derby unites spicy crab, shrimp, scallop, and cream sauce while 165,000 people watch you eat it. Wasabiya’s staff rounds out the menu with cooked entrees such steak sukiyaki and shrimp and vegetables battered in a light layer of tempura crunch.

Chefs in tall blue toques command Mikato Steak and Sushi's ten tabletop grills, where they combine culinary derring-do with entertaining showmanship while frying rice with steak, seafood, and vegetables. The main kitchen bustles with activity, as well; chicken katsu joins other Japanese cuisine such as broiled eel and shrimp teriyaki, and sushi chefs slice sashimi and coil specialty rolls. In addition to sating hunger of all stripes, Mikato Steak and Sushi welcomes families with a children's menu and kids' birthday special, which includes ice cream, a Japanese rendition of happy birthday, and a senryu about the transitory nature of life.

Skilled sushi chefs handcraft blossoms of pickled ginger and sashimi to pair with dollops of wasabi and delicate butterfly garnishes. Behind the glass cases at the sushi bar, they forge signature rolls such as the chef's favorite Lobster Paradise roll with mango, kiwi, and tempura lobster tail. Along with sushi, the chefs prepare pho, Vietnamese noodle dishes, and teriyaki chicken. For offsite dining, the restaurant offers carry-out, delivery, and catering services for business meetings, parties, and lunchtime stakeouts.