Any Louisville native knows that for the city’s best bread, one should march straight to Blue Dog Bakery and safely pick any of the day’s selection. Tucked away on charming tree lined section of Frankfort Avenue, Blue Dog is also a popular lunch destination; but better yet it’s also a brunch destination.
Perhaps it’s because I’m not a native, but for a while this small detail escaped me. Every so often I’d fall short when wondering where to partake in a quiet European style brunch in a sun drenched room with a good cup of coffee. Luckily I have friends with similar appetites and was kindly reminded of the existence of Blue Dog Bakery and Café.
If you’ve never brunched there, I highly recommend it. Their menu hosts unique egg ensembles paired with their incredible crusty bread and delicate cured meat. (Yes! They do that too!) If you have an ongoing love affair with the poached egg as I do, the options will fill you with glee. In addition, they have a selection of salads, sandwiches, tartines, and bocadillos. Blue Dog used to have an evening venture called Red Hog Tapas, which is very sadly no longer around. Luckily, a few menu items like the rich but tangy Sardine Tartine have been rescued and moved to the café menu.
Menu items range from nine to twelve dollars and portions are what I refer to as appropriate. If you have a big appetite, you might be a little disappointed but for the average eater, they should be quite satiating. The bargain at Blue Dog is definitely the pizzas, which are twelve dollars and easily feed two. For brunch, try the poached egg, bacon, and arugula pizza. It’s has three perfectly oozy poached eggs, salty bacon, piles of fresh, peppery arugula, and finished with a sprinkling of nutty cheese. If you split it with a friend, it’s six dollars for a few slices of heaven.
