The newly opened University of Louisville Outpatient Center and doctors’ office building will be getting some sidewalk retail after all. The Calistoga Bakery Cafe is currently in the midst of renovating the first floor space fronting Chestnut Street to house one of its first two Louisville locations (the other will open in the Dupont Circle area).
The restaurant is the brainchild of Papa John’s Pizza founder John Schnatter and is named after a town near the Napa region of northern California. Calistoga will increase the meager dining options of the Medical Center dramatically; current selections include a City Cafe and the always healthy McDonald’s (located in the children’s hospital of all places).
Here’s some info about the restaurant from the company’s web site:
At Calistoga Bakery Cafe we’re committed to serving great tasting foods that are consistent with today’s healthier lifestyle. You’ll never see a fryer, and our menu includes lots of fresh vegetables, nuts and grains as well as poultry, seafood and lean meats. Besides our signature made-to-order salads, we feature delicious gourmet sandwiches made with our fresh baked breads, and hearty soups made the way they should be: with real stocks, fresh vegetables, and traditional herbs and spices.
The new location will offer indoor seating in the building’s lobby and inside the restaurant and outdoor seating on the sidewalk. The retail outlet wasn’t designed into the building from the outset. Medical buildings are seldom mixed-use, a trend that leads to urban “dead zones” where the city suddenly becomes less vibrant. It is a welcome sign that the new Calistoga Bakery Cafe will have its own sidewalk entrance (the original Calistoga Espresso Bar was only inside the lobby), and hopefully we will see more real urban uses join the ever-growing hospital district. The restaurant is expected to open soon (earlier press releases said this fall) and anticipated hours are from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday and 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
- Calistoga Bakery Cafe (Official Site)
- Doctors’ Office Building Finished (Broken Sidewalk)
