April 14, 2021

AAPI-Owned Restaurants and Markets in Louisville

Anti-Asian hate is on the rise. As you no doubt have heard in the news, national incidences of hate against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community have risen 145% in the wake of COVID-19, despite overall hate crimes decreasing. Many of these attacks have been against elders and women – people who are seen as weak and submissive. In response to the most violent and sensationalistic anti-Asian attack – a shooting rampage at Asian-owned massage parlors in Atlanta that left 8 dead – the nation has rallied around the cry to #StopAsianHate.

But what does that look like? It takes a variety of forms. I am always trying to learn more about racism and sociology, so I don’t have all the answers. But one thing I try to do is to look for the food angle. How can we view this problem through the lens of food? For better or for worse, we live in a capitalist society. There are a lot of thoughts and arguments about whether capitalism is the cause or solution of all of our problems, but take the philosophy out of it and here’s the facts: many members of the AAPI community own restaurants as their livelihood. Many members of the community rely on markets and groceries to supply cultural staple foods that remind them of homelands far away. Many people use these spaces to gather as a community. And these places can use support.

I figure I can use my platform to create a food-centric resource that aims to help the AAPI community in Louisville continue to thrive. My intent is to create a living, breathing document that showcases AAPI-owned restaurants and markets that you can patronize. If I have left some out, please message me on Instagram or Twitter to let me know! I tried to link to the business’ own website when possible, then a Yelp page if a website was unavailable, and finally a Facebook page if all else failed. When ordering takeout from any local restaurant, please try to order directly from their website when possible rather than using third-party services that can drain already tight funds.

Without any further ado, let’s discover your new favorite restaurant.

AAPI-Owned Restaurants