Feast BBQ, founded in New Albany, expands into Louisville’s NuLu with a second restaurant location
A Southern Indiana barbecue brand adds a Louisville outpost
A New Albany-founded restaurant known for smoked meats and house-made sides expanded across the river into Louisville’s NuLu district with a second location at 909 E. Market St. The Louisville opening marked a significant step for a business that began operations in downtown New Albany on July 4, 2012, then pursued growth in a neighborhood that has become one of the city’s most prominent dining and retail corridors.
The NuLu site opened to the public on Dec. 18, 2014, following a renovation of a building originally constructed in the 1920s. The space had previously housed the Hausman Motor Company and, later, a bakery. The Louisville restaurant was designed to include a long Art Deco-style bar, reflecting the redevelopment approach common along East Market Street, where older structures are frequently repurposed for modern hospitality uses.
What the NuLu restaurant adds to the local dining mix
The Louisville menu was built around traditional barbecue staples—pulled pork, ribs, brisket and chicken—along with options such as smoked tofu, plus scratch-made sides, appetizers and desserts. The location also launched with a sizable draft beer lineup and a broader packaged beer selection, positioning the restaurant for both food service and late-day traffic in a neighborhood known for evening activity.
Location: 909 E. Market St., Suite 100, Louisville
Neighborhood: NuLu (East Market Street corridor, just east of downtown)
Second-location opening date: Dec. 18, 2014
Why NuLu has become a frequent target for expansion
NuLu’s identity as a walkable district with an unusually dense mix of restaurants, bars, galleries and specialty retail has made it a common landing spot for established operators seeking additional locations. The neighborhood’s growth has been reinforced by recurring public events and ongoing commercial turnover—both new openings and closures—creating a competitive environment where restaurant concepts are expected to differentiate quickly.
In that context, a second location from a New Albany operator represented more than a routine expansion. It tested whether a brand built in Southern Indiana could translate its customer base and operations to Louisville’s higher-traffic, higher-visibility dining strip, while maintaining product consistency and managing the additional costs associated with an urban hospitality footprint.
NuLu’s restaurant scene continues to evolve as established operators expand and new concepts move into renovated, high-profile spaces along East Market Street.
Where the brand stands today
The NuLu restaurant remains in operation and continues to list seven-day service. Over time, the broader business footprint has shifted: a later Louisville-area location outside NuLu closed after several years, consolidating local service back into the East Market Street restaurant. The NuLu site is now the primary Louisville location associated with the brand.
For diners, the second location’s opening—and its staying power—illustrates how cross-river restaurant brands have used NuLu as an entry point into Louisville, while highlighting the operational demands of sustaining a full-service concept in one of the region’s most competitive hospitality districts.