Varanese

Name: Varanese
Address: 2106 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY, United States, 40206
Telephone: (502) 899-9904
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.7

4.7

4616 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Varanese

4.7

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Frankfort Ave - Crescent Hill

Make a booking

2 people

11 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 29 times today

Good for special occasions
Neighbourhood gem
Great for live music

Varanese settled in Louisville because of its successful independent dining scene, and he believes that the people of Louisville will appreciate fresh ingredients, prepared with a creative flair and a culturally diverse menu. Varanese’s eclectic menu boasts an array of options from stuffed grape leaves, and fried green tomato salad, to new signature entrées: the seared boneless pork chop, and caramelized orange salmon. Finish with a fried banana accompanied by a house-made oatmeal cookie dough ice cream dessert. This New American style restaurant will comfortably seat 150 guests between its bar, dining room and four seasons patio. The four seasons patio of Varanese is an addition to the building, which has a dramatic 20-foot slate water wall. The space is enclosed by a serpentine of glass doors, which retract to offer an outdoor dining experience. Varanese is located at 2106 Frankfort Ave. in the Historic Clifton neighborhood

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Seafood, Steak
Hours of Operation
Christmas Eve Mon 11:00–22:00 New Year's Eve Mon 16:00–00:00 Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 17:00–23:00 Fri, Sat 17:00–00:00
Phone number
(502) 899-9904
Website
http://www.varanese.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
John Varanese
Catering
Catering is offered depending on Chef Varanese's availability. Call to inquire.
Private party facilities
With the addition of two new private dining room spaces, Varanese can accommodate groups of up to 80 people. Minimum sales requirement for each room applies. Call 502-899-9904 or email letsdine@varanese.com to inquire.

Location
2106 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY 40206
Area
Frankfort Ave - Crescent Hill
Cross Street
Vernon
Parking details
Varanese provides on-premise parking along with additional parking across the street at Nancy's Bagel Grounds along with street parking.
Public transit
Varanese has a TARC stop in front along with a Frankfort Ave. Trolly Hop Stop.
Entertainment
Live jazz seven nights from the Jeff Sherman band 6-10pm.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Baked BrieUS$13.00
Baked brie wrapped in puff pastry served with bourbon caramel, toasted pecans and sliced apples
Sesame Glazed ChickenUS$12.00
Crispy sesame glazed chicken with spicy slaw, Kewpie mayonnaise and green onions
Stuffed Crab AvocadoUS$14.00
Lump crab stuffed fried avocado with pico de gallo and a roasted jalapeño créme fraiche
BBQ Duck Confit EggrollsUS$14.00
Crispy fried duck confit and cabbage eggroll with BBQ aioli
Lobster Mac N' CheeseUS$18.00
Cavatappi Pasta tossed with Lobster in a Creamy Cheese Sauce Served with Old Bay Seasoned Pork Rinds
Cheese and Hummus PlateUS$15.00
Warm pimento cheese, smoked gouda, pickled okra, pearl onion jam, white bean hummus and fried green tomatoes, served with grilled baguettes
Fried CalamariUS$16.00
Crispy fried calamari tossed with assorted peppers accompanied with sweet chili sauce and cilantro pesto
Cheese SpheresUS$13.00
Mozzarella, spinach and artichoke cheese spheres lightly fried, served with a tomato-herb dipping sauce
Pork & Sweet Potato BiscuitUS$9.00
Slow roasted pulled pork served on sweet potato biscuits finished with apple butter
Appetizer PlatterUS$34.00
Appetizer platter of lump crab stuffed fried avocado, pork biscuits, BBQ duck confit eggrolls, and Cheese Spheres

Soups & Salads

Add to any salad: grilled chicken $7, grilled flat iron steak $12, grilled shrimp $8

Lamb & Lentil Soup
Lamb and lentil soup
- CupUS$6.00
- BowlUS$9.00
Pistachio Encrusted Goat CheeseUS$13.00
Warm pistachio encrusted goat cheese served over baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, cucumber and red onion with a tomato-balsamic vinaigrette
Fried Green Tomato SaladUS$12.00
Fried green tomato and bibb salad drizzled with buttermilk dressing, crumbled goat cheese and crispy prosciutto
Crispy Romaine SaladUS$10.00
Crispy romaine lettuce tossed with creamy roasted garlic and parmesan dressing topped with shaved parmesan and herb croutons
Candied Pecan & Apple SaladUS$10.00
Candied pecan, granny smith apple and sun-dried cranberries tossed with mixed baby lettuce and caramelized onion vinaigrette

Entrees

Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pork Chop*US$28.00
Spice rubbed bourbon barrel smoked boneless pork chop topped with an apple bacon chutney served with gratin potato
Beef Tips & TortelliniUS$26.00
Sauteed beef tips and tortellini tossed in a rich gorgonzola cream sauce, baby spinach, grape tomatoes and toasted pine nuts topped with crispy prosciutto
"V" Burger*US$17.00
Char grilled grass fed beef topped with sharp cheddar, crispy onion straws and Chef John's V-12 sauce. Served with house-cut fries
Angel Hair PastaUS$24.00
Angel hair pasta tossed with baby bellas, tomatoes, olives and Chef John's special blend of herbs and spices. Chicken
- ShrimpUS$21.00
- VegetableUS$16.00
Slow Braised Lamb ShankUS$35.00
Slow braised lamb shank with roasted garlic whipped potatoes and grilled asparagus finished with a natural pan sauce
Cornmeal Crusted Alaskan RockfishUS$28.00
Fried Alaskan Rockfish with horseradish and black pepper red skin potatoes with lemon caper aioli, red onion marmalade and grilled asparagus.
Caramelized Orange Bourbon Salmon*US$28.00
Grilled salmon topped with a caramelized mandarin orange bourbon sauce served over cream cheese grits
Certified Angus Strip Steak*US$39.00
Grilled strip steak served with roasted garlic whipped potatoes, zesty brussels sprouts and natural reduction
Roasted ChickenUS$26.00
Roasted chicken served with Cavatappi mac n' cheese, cabbage slaw. Topped with salsa verde and Alabama white sauce
Crab Cake SandwichUS$18.00
Seared lump crab cake topped with a spicy slaw and horseradish spread on a toasted brioche bun. Served with house-cut fries
Chef John's Personalized Vegetarian DishUS$24.00
Created with seasonal and local ingredients
Flat Iron Steak*US$35.00
Char grilled flat iron steak served with a mushroom and parmesan risotto finished with Chef John's V-12 sauce
Gulf Shrimp and GritsUS$26.00
Sautéed gulf shrimp with cream cheese grits. Topped with peach and sweet tea Kentucky chow-chow finished with a Cajun butter sauce

Sides

Cream Cheese Grits
Potato Gratin
Roasted Redskin Potatoes
Vegetable of the Day
Mushroom Parmesan Risotto
Garlic Whipped Potatoes
Cavatappi Mac N' Cheese
House-Cut Fries
Zesty Fried Brussel Sprouts

What 4,616 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Central Kentucky
Hot spot
Central Kentucky
Contemporary American
Louisville
Hot spot

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Varanese offers an exceptional dining experience with "outstanding service" and "delicious food." Guests rave about the "romantic atmosphere" and live jazz music, making it perfect for special occasions. The diverse menu features standout dishes like the bourbon pork chop and shrimp and grits. A must-visit in Louisville!

4,616 Reviews

D
Denise
Louisville
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful experience! Food and drinks were delicious, server was excellent and the music was a wonderful surprise. Highly recommend!!
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C
Chuck
Louisville
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food is excellent. Service is perfect. We love this place!!!!
Is this helpful?
C
Charles
Louisville
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Varanese is our absolute favorite place to have dinner. The manager, I'm pretty sure his name is David. Just an awesome human as well as manager. He always takes time out to speak to us. We have even requested him to come to our table to talk about menu options. He spoke with us and didn't act rushed. That means alot to us. We both had the turduckin. We come every year this time of year for it. Always amazing. Everything down to the squash hash. The server did a great job keeping our drinks fresh. She was very pleasant. Great place to have a great dinner that is well priced in comparison to other high end restaurants such as Jeff rubys or Ruth Chris
Is this helpful?
S
SierraSierra
Louisville
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Great service. Food was delicious. Hubby loved the lamb. Live music.
Is this helpful?
M
Matt
Louisville
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
It was ok. Food was good and service was fine. The space is a little cramped for me. It was nice to try it but I don’t think will do it again
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m
margaret
Louisville
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely fabulous experience tonight for our group of 5. Loved everything. We had two entrees from the specials menu and two entrees and three appetizers from the regular menu. Everyone was happy with their choices. Ambience was great, we were easily able to have conversation. Service was timely, efficient and friendly. Definitely recommend!!
Is this helpful?
K
Kerri
Louisville
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was delicious and our server was very attentive! We had the calamari, pecan/apple salad, fried green tomatoes salad, salmon, lamb shank and beef tip tortellini. Each dish was flavorful and did not disappoint!
Is this helpful?
K
Kimberly
Louisville
29 reviews
vip
5.0
29 reviews
Dined on 1 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I recently ate dinner here with my daughter and some friends for a girls night out after wedding dress shopping. I had always wanted to dine there and was very impressed. I loved the ambience. There was live music. The crab-stuffed avocado appetizer was very good. We had several salads. I especially liked the fried green tomato salad. We ordered a variety of entrees which were all enjoyed. To top it off, I had the delicious bread pudding. Our server was excellent. She went above and beyond. I will definitely dine here again.
Is this helpful?
B
Bob
Louisville
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on 27 November 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Table was not ready on arrival so had to wait a few minutes. Then on being escorted to table and seated the escort had forgot the menus so went back to fetch those which took a bit. Table was crowded by musicians cases and equipment which is ok because a member of the party was part of the groups playing but it would be ever so helpful if an area was available for those items out of the way of diners. And although understandably there were large parties of customers seated at various tables and it was a bit busy, we waited for a long while before my husband had return to the hostess to ask for waitress. We had water poured as soon as we took out seats. It was still a few minutes before a waitress made her way and took our drink order and we went ahead and ordered since one of us was playing in a group and wasn't sure that we had too much time to waste. Then another waitress came over and said she was now going to be taking care of us since she had been rushed off her feet prior. Although no problem, it is not what we expect from our years of experience at Varanese. Music labs are wonderful as always and we enjoy that every time.
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S
Sue
Louisville
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on 25 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Varanese never disappoints. One of my favs!!! The music is just an added bonus
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FAQs

Varanese offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (502) 899-9904.

Varanese is rated 4.7 stars by 4616 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Varanese

4.7

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Frankfort Ave - Crescent Hill

Make a booking

2 people

11 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 29 times today

Order delivery or takeout

2106 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY 40206

Additional information

Cross Street
Vernon
Area
Frankfort Ave - Crescent Hill
Hours of Operation
Christmas Eve Mon 11:00–22:00 New Year's Eve Mon 16:00–00:00 Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 17:00–23:00 Fri, Sat 17:00–00:00
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Seafood, Steak
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Varanese provides on-premise parking along with additional parking across the street at Nancy's Bagel Grounds along with street parking.
Public transit
Varanese has a TARC stop in front along with a Frankfort Ave. Trolly Hop Stop.
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
John Varanese
Entertainment
Live jazz seven nights from the Jeff Sherman band 6-10pm.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.varanese.com/
Phone number
(502) 899-9904
Catering
Catering is offered depending on Chef Varanese's availability. Call to inquire.
Private party facilities
With the addition of two new private dining room spaces, Varanese can accommodate groups of up to 80 people. Minimum sales requirement for each room applies. Call 502-899-9904 or email letsdine@varanese.com to inquire.

Varanese

Varanese

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Bread Pudding

Beef Tips & Tortellini

Flat Iron Steak

Appetizers

Baked BrieUS$13.00

Sesame Glazed ChickenUS$12.00

Stuffed Crab AvocadoUS$14.00

BBQ Duck Confit EggrollsUS$14.00

Lobster Mac N' CheeseUS$18.00

Cheese and Hummus PlateUS$15.00

Fried CalamariUS$16.00

Cheese SpheresUS$13.00

Pork & Sweet Potato BiscuitUS$9.00

Appetizer PlatterUS$34.00

Soups & Salads

Lamb & Lentil Soup

Pistachio Encrusted Goat CheeseUS$13.00

Fried Green Tomato SaladUS$12.00

Crispy Romaine SaladUS$10.00

Candied Pecan & Apple SaladUS$10.00

Entrees

Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pork Chop*US$28.00

Beef Tips & TortelliniUS$26.00

"V" Burger*US$17.00

Angel Hair PastaUS$24.00

Slow Braised Lamb ShankUS$35.00

Cornmeal Crusted Alaskan RockfishUS$28.00

Caramelized Orange Bourbon Salmon*US$28.00

Certified Angus Strip Steak*US$39.00

Roasted ChickenUS$26.00

Crab Cake SandwichUS$18.00

Chef John's Personalized Vegetarian DishUS$24.00

Flat Iron Steak*US$35.00

Gulf Shrimp and GritsUS$26.00

Sides

Cream Cheese Grits

Potato Gratin

Roasted Redskin Potatoes

Vegetable of the Day

Mushroom Parmesan Risotto

Garlic Whipped Potatoes

Cavatappi Mac N' Cheese

House-Cut Fries

Zesty Fried Brussel Sprouts

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Varanese offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Varanese restaurant rated?

Is Varanese currently accepting bookings?

Varanese

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information