By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
Every now and then I’ll see an email or social-media ad that inspires immediate action. The new iPhone is available! Two-for-one sale on Häagen-Dazs! And, just the other day, “Tomato season has returned, and so has the beloved Haymarket BLT!”
I had been meaning to get to Haymarket for a while. This fancy new farm-to-table market and eatery, open since June 2023, is by Ashbourne Farms of Oldham County, a multigenerational operation founded by bourbon industry patriarch W.L. Lyons Brown Sr. and his wife Sally in the 1930s.
Haymarket stems from Ashbourne’s vision to open a small farm store in La Grange, which turned into a larger plan to make their farm and its ethos of connection to what we eat to the greater Louisville community.
“We are beyond proud to bring farm-fresh foods, convenience, and warm hospitality together under one roof,” the operators said in a June 14, 2023 Facebook post announcing Haymarket’s opening.
Haymarket is named after the old Louisville Haymarket, an open-air marketplace in the downtown block surrounded by Jefferson, Liberty, Brook and Floyd streets where regional farmers brought fresh produce for sale in a very early version of the farmers’ market. The old Haymarket opened in the 1880s and ran until urban renewal displaced it in the 1960s.
Like the old Haymarket but with more intentionality, Ashbourne’s Haymarket, according to its social media, reflects the seasons and the bounty from its local farming partners: “Our culinary program is defined by embracing the finest ingredients nature has to offer, creating an experience that celebrates the richness and vibrancy of each season.”
Located at the corner of River Road and Mockingbird Valley Road, Haymarket’s large building incorporates a farm-to-table grocery and specialty store and high-tech casual eatery that reminds me of the offspring of a union between an upscale Paul’s Fruit Market on steroids and a polished Logan Street Market.
The large, open, high-ceilinged building contains several stations including all manner or packaged and prepared food, many of them behind glass doors in lighted refrigerated shelves; a bakery section offering breads in bins and tempting pastries and cookies; stands filled with ceramics for sale.
Outside, along with rows of tables under shady umbrellas lined up on well manicured lawns, you’ll find plants for sale and shelves of flower pots and other garden accessories, all surrounded by native and prairie plants.
Before you dive into the food side, it might be a good idea to take a breath, look around, and maybe prep with a visit to Haymarket’s website before you go. There are several ways to get fed: You can place your order in advance or walk up, motor through a drive-through window; go inside and select your pick of ready-to-eat items and drinks; or, as we did, go inside and enjoy a high-tech ordering experience by checking the menu on a large screen, then turning to a terminal to select your order by clicking the dishes you prefer and flashing your card or device … no cash, please!
Of course we got the BLT ($15, pictured at the too of this page), and it was very much as advertised, served wrapped in deli paper with a couple of chef-style touches that departed from tradition but added a flavor boost. It was built on slices of tangy house-made sourdough bread, grilled to a light crunch and generously filled with a half-dozen large slices of locally raised bacon just cooked through; thin-sliced, bright red and juicy tomato slices; fresh leaf lettuce, and the surprise ingredient, what appeared to be a thin spread of basil pesto.
Tomato made another appearance in tomato bisque ($8), an elegant dark-red puree, warm, thick and rich with a hint of cream. It was lightly sprinkled with chopped parsley or basil and bore just a hint of piquant spice.
Polenta fritters ($14) made a hearty plant-based entree. Several large, thin rounds of polenta fried crunchy dark brown formed the base for a bowl full of tender steamed seasonal veggies cut in large dice, drizzled with bright tomato sauce and decorated with edible flowers.
A side order or sesame tofu ($5) was simple and tasty: A chunk of soft baked tofu had been dusted with black and white sesame seeds and cut into think slices to make a fascinating combination of subtle flavors and textures.
We waited to be called and picked up our lunch, neatly packed in biodegradable paper bags and cardboard bowls and tubs. Knives, forks and spoons and drinking cups, though, available on request, appeared to be non-recyclable plastic.)
Haymarket’s coffee shop looked tempting, but we were lured by the pricey appeal of bottled house-made cold-pressed turmeric ginger lemonade ($8) and a bright orange can of De La Calle Tepache mango chili picante ($4).
An abundant weekend midday meal came to $44.52 and the two fancy non-alcoholic drinks, purchased at a separate station, totaled $12.72. The digital ordering and point-of-sale system didn’t seem to be set up for tipping.
Haymarket by Ashbourne Farms
3020 River Road
576-5760
haymkt.com
facebook.com/haymarketlou
instagram.com/haymarket_lou
Noise Level: Although the place was crowded for lunch on a Saturday, the large space seems to seek up noise. Decibel levels hovered in the relatively quiet 60dB range, and conversation was not a problem.
Accessibility: The entire facility appears to be fully accessible to wheelchair users.
