One of the best restaurants in U.S. is Barn8

Hermitage Farm is one of Oldham County’s oldest farms. It has a rich heritage that can be learned through tours and by a visit to Barn8 Restuarant, which serves farm-to-table meals and bourbons found on the Bourbon Trail-its the perfectly elegant dine-in destination.

Louisville Courier Journal
Amanda Hancock
February 15, 2024

Barn8 Restaurant has made national news: Along with 46 other restaurants, Barn8 was included in the 2024 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list. 

The farm-to-table restaurant is one of two Kentucky restaurants on the inaugural list from USA.

What makes Barn8 stand out 

The farm-to-table label has become trendy in recent years, but it would be tough to find a better example of the category in action than Barn8.

The upscale restaurant opened in March 2020 on a historic horse farm in quiet Oldham County.

Located about 30 minutes from downtown Louisville, arriving on the narrow road that soon leads to the sight of an illuminated barn feels like you’re in for a true escape. The scene is immediately set: This isn’t your average dinner out. Inside, tables are available inside horse stalls and surrounded by stacks of bourbon barrels. While the 19th-century structure maintains the frame of a barn stuck in time, the space is modernized with decor, artwork, leather chairs, and other upscale details.

To the side of the main dining area, a dimly lit bar and lounge area offer additional seating. Even a trip to the restroom is a delight, as the sound of chickens clucking in the coop above the bathrooms welcomes you in the door.

What to order at Barn8

Deciding what to try at Barn8 depends on the time of year. The menu, led by executive chef Seth Kinder, changes at least seasonally and features fresh ingredients from the next-door climate-controlled greenhouse, which is available for viewing, on-site gardens and other Kentucky farms.

Cornbread. Highlights include the cast iron cornbread, which requires a 15-minute wait to be made from scratch and “Barn8 cones,” which appear as tiny ice cream cones, but actually contain bison tartare.

Housemade pasta. Even simple dishes such as house-made bread, spaghetti and burrata shine.

Dessert. Options also change frequently but don’t miss the banana date cake during the winter.

Bourbon-themed cocktail. For a restaurant with a bourbon room, you can expect excellent takes on classic cocktails. The drink menu is several pages long, including a long list of available bourbon and whiskey options.

Did You Know?

If you want to stretch out the Barn8 experience, Hermitage Farm has plenty of options for tours, tastings and events.

The restaurant is just one part of the 683 acres making up Hermitage Farm, which owners Steve Wilson and Laura Lee, who also founded 21c Museum Hotels, purchased to keep as farmland.

After the sun sets, the area around Barn8 transforms into an immersive art installation. The “Art Walk” invites guests to cover about 1,500 feet of boardwalk alongside a creek as “intricate projections illuminate the surrounding landscape,” according to the site.

Hermitage Farm also offers horse tours, a Barn8 picnic lunch, and a build-your-own Old Fashioned class.

The farm features two options for overnight stays, including the five-bedroom Main House, accommodating up to 14 guests. For smaller groups, The Smokehouse sleeps up to four guests.

Both places are available to reserve year-round.

Details: 10500 W. Highway 42, Goshen, Kentucky; 502-398-9289, hermitagefarm.com.