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Best Hotel Restaurant2025 Winner

Proof on Main

The Basics

Opened: 2006
Neighborhood: Downtown (21c Museum Hotel)
Self-description: “Farm-to-table freshness, robust collection of Kentucky’s best bourbons. Mirroring the vibrant and eclectic interior, the menus showcase Southern- and Appalachian-inspired cuisine.”
Website: proofonmain.com

Best of Louisville Stats

Total nominations: 25
Total wins: 9
First win: 2006, Best Restaurant Decor
Also won: 2008, 2012, Best Swanky Bar

The Voting Academy Says

Crazy to think that Proof has almost been around for 20 years. Still as good as when it opened.

We asked Proof to share something that says something essential about them…

“At 21c and Proof on Main, Fallen Fruit’s custom wallpaper patterns represent the spectrum of historical, environmental and cultural characteristics of Louisville. Fallen Fruit’s immersion into the people and places that shape community reveals a universal, defining aspect of the human condition: hunger — to be fed, to be seen, to belong, to be loved. 

“The wallpaper in the lounge features the pear tree blossoms that line downtown and are also common in many other parts of the city. In the main dining room, the red dogwood blooms reference a Cherokee creationist myth. And the west dining room (aka Goat Room) honors Kentucky’s agrarian roots, with images of fruits and vegetables grown at Woodland Farm in Goshen — some of which are served in the restaurant.”