Why the Fat Lamb is still a must-dine after almost 10 years in Louisville

Accolades and acclaim surround The Fat Lamb
Lamb still leads the menu at The Fat Lamb
What the chef recommends at The Fat Lamb
Vegetarian dishes to try at The Fat Lamb
What's next for chef McGarity, including a new restaurant
The Fat Lamb

Accolades and acclaim surround The Fat Lamb , Lamb still leads the menu at The Fat Lamb, What the chef recommends at The Fat Lamb, Vegetarian dishes to try at The Fat Lamb, What's next for chef McGarity, including a new restaurant, The Fat Lamb

As 2026 begins and I approach my 10th anniversary of living in Louisville, I'm taking a look back at how the city’s dining scene has changed over the last decade. So many memorable spots have closed, new favorites have opened, and others are approaching a notable benchmark.

Chef Dallas McGarity opened The Fat Lamb at 2011 Grinstead Drive in October 2016, about six months after I made the move to Derby City. With both mine and the restaurant’s anniversary on the horizon, I thought it fitting to start the year with an update on The Fat Lamb and McGarity’s new project. Here’s the latest.

Accolades and acclaim surround The Fat Lamb

Since making his way to Louisville from South Carolina, McGarity has racked up quite a few accolades. In 2019, he won Food Network’s “Chopped,” and in 2024, he was a James Beard Award Semifinalist for “Best Chef: Southeast.” He has also been a Louisville Business First “40 Under 40” honoree and is a two-time Louisville ACF Chef of the Year.

And, of course, he’s run a successful restaurant for nearly a decade.

“I remember my kids being tiny (when we opened),” he said. “And now they’re giants. Time flew by.”

Through the years, McGarity and his team have made countless menu changes. But the core idea behind the dinner destination remains the same.

“We’re a cozy, modern American, upscale, date-night spot,” McGarity said. He adds that it’s difficult to define The Fat Lamb’s cuisine, with dishes including everything from Moroccan Spiced Halibut and Za’tar Spiced Flat Iron Steak to Bucatini Alla Vodka and a Smashed Double Cheeseburger. “We just cook food we like to eat.”

“Lamb is always the most popular thing we have, because we’re The Fat Lamb,” McGarity said.

Lamb Tartare with lemon labna, roasted red pepper harissa, and sesame at The Fat Lamb restaurant in Louisville, Ky.

Lamb is available as a lamb kofta starter or as a lamb chop or lamb merguez entree. But lamb enthusiasts aren’t the restaurant’s only regular guests. As McGarity explained, the second and third-most-popular picks are lamb-free.

“We do a braised short rib dish that is just insane and sells like crazy. And we also have … a cioppino on the menu. People buy that so much, I get tired of looking at that stuff,” he added with a laugh.

The Braised Beef Short Rib, served with beans, greens, and a Frondosa Farms mushroom demiglace, is my go-to, but I’ll make a note to try the Cioppino, or “Fishermen’s Stew,” during my next visit. Made with crab, shrimp, mussels, and fish in a tomato-and-white-wine broth, it sounds like the perfect dinner for a cold winter night.

What the chef recommends at The Fat Lamb

The cioppino is McGarity’s personal favorite as well as his entree recommendation for The Fat Lamb first-timers. For starters, however, he suggests the lamb kofta, a meatball full of Middle Eastern spices.

Cocktails served at The Fat Lamb restaurant in Louisville, Ky.

“I tell people, if they’re afraid of lamb, this is the first thing they should try, because it’s like the gateway,” he said.

For the last course, McGarity says guests can’t go wrong with the restaurant’s staple dessert, Nutella mousse. Gluten-free and vegetarian, the sweet treat boasts whipped cream, Italian cherries, and chocolate shavings.

“It was actually inspired by a ‘Chopped’ episode I did,” he added. “It helped me win ‘Chopped.’”

McGarity explains that these three dishes — lamb kofta, cioppino, and Nutella mousse — are a solid introduction to The Fat Lamb’s flavor offerings.

Vegetarian dishes to try at The Fat Lamb

Though lamb leads the way and many of the offerings include meat, the menu is clearly marked with vegetarian and gluten-free options. And McGarity is happy to offer a vegan tasting menu with advance notice.

Balsamic, Honey and Garlic Roasted Beets with Feta at The Fat Lamb restaurant in Louisville, Ky.

“It’s really fun for me to put together a five- or seven-course vegan dinner,” he exclaimed, adding that these meals aren’t just a variety of salads. He understands the limitations vegans face when dining out, and he aims to provide the same upscale experience that all his guests receive. “It’s all thoughtfully put together.”

Guests who want a vegan option can email [email protected] to submit a request. McGarity and his team need a few days to prepare, but they are happy to accommodate.

What's next for chef McGarity, including a new restaurant

Up next for McGarity is a live taping of “Secrets of Bluegrass Chefs” at the Louisville Home & Garden Show on Jan. 10 at the Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane. He’ll share tips for elevating everyday meals and creative ways to use seasonal ingredients, and explain how home cooks can bring restaurant-quality flavors to their own kitchens.

His demos — which include tastings and recipes — will feature brûléed gorgonzola crostini and a jumbo lump crab and jalapeño risotto.

McGarity is also hosting an event, dubbed “Eat Well, Love Life Dinner Honoring Chef Anoosh,” at The Fat Lamb on Jan. 25. The wine dinner will honor the late Chef Anoosh Shariat with dishes by Chopped Champion Chef Eric Spigner. Prepaid reservations are $200 per person and available on OpenTable. Proceeds will benefit the Colon Cancer Prevention Project and Gilda’s Club.

McGarity’s most significant new venture is set to debut just a week or so after that.

“I’m opening up Cipollini,” he exclaimed, adding that the new restaurant will be located in the former LouVino spot on Bardstown Road.

He and his partner Tarek Hamada, formerly the general manager of Grassa Gramma, expect to open the restaurant in early February.

“It’s going to be a modern Italian space that’s dark and moody,” he said. “Tarek … is going to be my front-of-house eyes, and I’m going to be in the back cooking. It’s going to be a blast.”

Know a restaurant that would make a great feature? Email writer Lennie Omalza at [email protected] or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at [email protected].