By Roxy Osborne

Frankfort Avenue has always been home to some of the best of Louisville’s culture. Caffe Classico, a mainstay celebrating its 22nd anniversary this month, continues to earn its spot as one of the most well-rounded restaurants in the Clifton area.

Located on 2144 Frankfort Avenue, the restaurant was opened by owner Tommy Mudd in 2003. Classico specializes in European dishes as well as coffee. This dual emphasis makes it a great spot for a casual coffee run or for a sit-down meal with friends.

Relax in the European ambiance

As soon as I walked in, I was immediately charmed by the decorations. The main dining area is on the smaller side, but the thoughtfulness of the decor keeps your eyes busy as you wait for your food.

A red Vespa sits in the corner of the restaurant, Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Roxy Osborne / The Louisville Cardinal)

In addition to the iconic red Vespa, there are interesting photographs hung up all over the walls. One of the more notable hung up decorations is a signed Mario Cipollini jersey, a cyclist who has won 12 stages of Tour de France in his career.

All of these interesting sights are coupled with large windows perfect for watching the busy street. Classical music fills the room to fully invest yourself in the dining experience.

Cipollini’s signed jersey is framed by the entrance, Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Roxy Osborne / The Louisville Cardinal)

Fries with a twist steal the show

My table ordered a round of Belgian pomme frittes (pronounced free-ts), as the appetizer. Ketchup, ranch and aioli all come included with the dish.

I would like to formally put the frittes in the running for best in the city. It’s a high honor, but these fries are next level. Each fluffy, salty bite perfectly melts in your mouth. The ranch and especially the aioli perfectly complimented the dish.

The fries are served in a cup with ranch, aioli, and ketchup, Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Roxy Osborne / The Louisville Cardinal)

Sameer Rhodes, a server who has been working at the restaurant for four years, revealed the secret that makes them so good.

“The fries and especially the grease are kept very fresh,” Rhodes said. “They’re seasoned to absolute perfection for every serving.”

For my entrée, I ordered the steak frittes. This dish comes with an 8 oz. sirloin steak with the same frittes from the appetizer.

The steak, much like the rest of my experience here, was excellent. The char marks on the meat provided the perfect amount of crunch while still being easy to chew. I ordered and was delightfully served a medium steak.

The steak frittes entrée comes with ketchup, Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Roxy Osborne / The Louisville Cardinal)

Although the size of the restaurant itself wasn’t an issue, the size of the plates absolutely are. I embarrassingly had frittes sliding off my plate while trying to cut my steak. The obvious solution here is to get bigger plates for meals like these, or put the frittes in a cup again like they are in the appetizer.

Classic coffee ends the meal

After the entrée, I ordered a cup of coffee to go to get a bit of the casual coffee shop experience during my trip. The iced cafe mocha was elevated by the use of Julius Meinl products, a high quality coffee brand. Their branding can be found all over the restaurant.

Caffe Classico is a must see for everyone visiting the area. It must be stated, however, that this is more of a luxury, once-a-month visit rather than one to add to your weekly rotation. With the appetizer, coffee and entrée, my check was almost $40. For a lot of college students, this is a bit pricey for a night out.

The eatery is a 20 minute drive time from campus, so it is a bit further away. If you have the time and resources, a visit to Caffe Classico will prove why it’s been able to stay in the ever changing food business.

Photo by Roxy Osborne / The Louisville Cardinal