After living in Louisville for six years and writing about countless restaurants around town, it’s rare for someone to mention an established Derby City eatery that I haven’t at least heard about. That’s why I was surprised to learn of Crave Café & Catering, which has been in business in Clifton — one of my favorite areas! — long before I even entertained the idea of living in Kentucky.

"We’ve been here going on 16 years," owner Shannon Foster told The Courier Journal. "It’s the best-kept secret on Frankfort Avenue. There (are) some people that (have) lived in this neighborhood for years and years (and) just found out (we’re) here."

Foster tells me that she was a hairdresser back in the 80s, but after getting married and giving birth to her first son, her career took an unexpected turn.

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"I got a little side job waiting tables and ended up just loving it," she recalled. "I said, 'Screw hair.'"

She held positions at different restaurants and was part of the crew that opened the first Outback Steakhouse in Louisville. After spending seven years there, she left the company and started catering out of her mom's kitchen. Once that venture took off, Foster expanded and began operating out of a kitchen in downtown Louisville.

"(It) was very successful until 9/11 hit," she said. "(But) in 2006, I kind of got the itch again and opened this place (in 2007)."

As its name would suggest, Crave Café & Catering thrives off its catering business. Foster and her team provide provisions for corporate and/or private parties almost daily, using two food trucks — which occasionally make appearances at public events around town — to transport the dishes.

But the brick-and-mortar location is bustling throughout the day, too. Nestled between a car dealership and a home remodeling business on Frankfort Avenue, the 900-square-foot space can seat roughly 25 people. The café’s offerings include more than three dozen salads, sandwiches, and wraps — as well as a rotating menu of nearly 50 soups.

"We (serve) three homemade soups every day that just fly out the door," Foster said. She adds that the most popular picks are spicy cheeseburger, tomato gouda, chicken tortellini, and cheesy cauliflower, to name a few. "Any kind of soup you can think of, we (make)."

Aside from the soups, she says her regulars really enjoy the three chicken salads. There's the Cashew Chicken Salad; the Sweetie Pie Chicken Salad, which comes with red grapes, candied pecans, and celery; and Granny Ruth's Chicken Salad, which is made with green olives, pecans, chopped eggs, and celery, and is Foster's grandmother’s recipe.

Some items on the menu offer fun odes to the area — like the Lexington, Stockyard, and Zorn sandwiches — or other people, like Joe's Special. The hot sandwich, made with grilled chicken, baby Swiss, and applewood bacon on ciabatta, is served with honey mustard for dipping.

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"We created that for one of our really good customers in the beginning," Foster explained. He'd asked them for a sandwich with those particular items — and when he and his friends kept coming back with the same order, she decided to add it to the menu.

In addition to Crave’s extensive homemade menu, Foster has a few other locally made items available for purchase, including Mr. C's Cheesecakes, which are served in little plastic tubs.

"He’s a local guy (and) actually works at Norton's," she said. "He started this … side hustle (and has) a little food truck trailer as well."

Mr. C’s flavors include everything from Oreo and red velvet to orange dreamsicle.

"Sweet 502 does all of my bars and cupcakes and things like that," Foster added.

Though she and her team have been busy recently, she says that it was rough right when the pandemic hit in March 2020.

"I’d had a kidney removed (that) February," she recalled. "Once (everything started), we didn’t know what was going on, (and) I was very high-risk at that point."

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Foster decided to completely shut down for six weeks. They slowly got things going again, initially offering takeout only. The restaurant didn't fully reopen until July 2021. Fortunately, most of her team stuck around — and Crave seems to be running like a well-oiled machine.

"I couldn’t ask for a better crew," Foster said. "The five (employees) that I have here right now have all been here for six (or more years, and) right when we reopened, everyone was kind of gung-ho. They were ready to come back and get at it."

Foster adds that she helped all her workers file for unemployment during their temporary closure; and once they were able to return, she offered a little extra with each paycheck.

"(During) the first month or so, I gave a little bonus — like hazard pay," she said. "I take care of my people, and they know that. I would never let anybody go hungry … or anything like that."

She adds that her crew is solid, but it would be helpful to add another member to the team. They're currently operating under summer hours — which means Crave is only open on weekdays — but Foster plans to open on Saturdays as well in a few weeks.

"Just come see us," she said. "It’s worth the drive from Middletown or St. Matthews or wherever. You’ll be back — I guarantee it."

Given the evolving nature of the coronavirus pandemic, our weekly restaurant review column's focus will shift for the foreseeable future. Each week, Lennie Omalza will interview restaurants that are fighting to adapt and survive while serving our community. Please send coverage suggestions to Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@courier-journal.com. 

WHAT: This is a locally owned café and catering business that serves more than three dozen salads, sandwiches, and wraps — as well as a rotating menu of nearly 50 soups.

SERVICES: Indoor dining, outside seating, carryout, and catering; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; closed Saturday and Sunday

CONTACT: 502-896-1488, craveonlinelouisville.com