Decade Restaurant opens its doors to the public in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville, KY. Led by veterans of the beloved restaurant Decca (which closed in 2022), the team is reincarnating the spirit and hospitality of Decca with a new concept in a new location – a historic 1870s building with a bi-level space. The menu centers around New American cuisine with Italian and French influences – focusing heavily on seasonality – alongside a thoughtful bar program of craft cocktails (including a robust selection of N/A cocktails), wine and beer. In addition to food & beverage, the owners envision Decade to be a hub for music, art, community outreach, and culture. While the restaurant operates on the first floor, the second floor is a private event space called B-Side, offering a flexible venue for wedding receptions, music, film, and more.
The name “Decade” was inspired by the owners’ obsession with the importance of time (especially in light of the pandemic), and they wanted a restaurant where guests would be able to seize the moment, be present, and enjoy time with the people they love.
The partners of Decade are Chad Sheffield (who was one of Decca’s owners for the last 12 years), Matt Johnson (who previously served as chef de cuisine at bar Vetti, sous chef at Proof on Main, and chef de cuisine at Decca), and Andy Myers (who was the chef for Gralehaus and The Holy Grale, and then the executive chef at Decca from 2021-2022). Sheffield, Johnson, and Myers take the reins as co-owners of Decade, with Johnson and Myers also leading the kitchen as co-executive chefs.
“Decca was about a feeling – we had the right elements in the place and the right people involved, and that is something we are carrying over with Decade with the quality, hospitality, culture, and environment we’re creating,” says Chad Sheffield. “Meeting Matt and Andy inspired me to want to reincarnate Decca with this new project. The respect and admiration I have for this group is as strong as it’s ever been since being in this business.”
Food & Drink
Decade centers around New American cuisine with Italian and French influences (although other cuisines are incorporated as well). To guide the menu, co-executive chefs Andy Myers and Matt Johnson focus heavily on seasonality and what’s available locally, utilizing surrounding farms and producers as much as possible. In addition to mains of meats and fish, the menu offers plenty of vegetable-forward dishes and mid-course pastas. The opening menu can be found here.
Chefs Myers and Johnson worked together at Decca, with Myers as the executive chef and Johnson as the chef de cuisine.
“After working in the kitchen at Decca, I’m thrilled to be able to continue alongside some of my favorite people in the world,” said Andy Myers. “Finding a partner in Matt has been such a gift; our styles compliment one another, and we look at food in a similar way – by letting high-quality ingredients shine, through good execution and simplicity on the plate.”
“I’m so excited for another chance to grow a new team of chefs at Decade,” said Matt Johnson. “One of my favorite things to do is teach young talent how to operate inside a kitchen, work together as a team, and learn to cook. And to be able to do that with Andy – one of my best friends – is icing on the cake. I feel like I have a family here.”
The beverage program centers around spins on classic cocktails, a curated list of wine and craft beers, and a thoughtful and extensive N/A program. The cocktail program is led by beverage director Kelsee Bryant, formerly of Proof on Main.
Space
Situated in the quiet Butchertown neighborhood of downtown Louisville, Decade encompasses a historic, industrial building that was built in the 1870s (which formerly housed Butchertown Grocery, a popular restaurant that closed in 2021). The restaurant operates on the first floor, with a private events space – called B-Side – on the second floor.
The theme of time is felt throughout the restaurant, from a vintage clock in the shape of a “D” that the owners found in the basement (which inspired the branding) to rotating art shows on the walls curated by local art curator and consultant, Amy King. Decade’s owners oversaw the design of the space themselves, allowing the industrial roots of the original building to shine – including the original brick and tile floors. Other design elements include tones of light blues and charcoal grays, industrial lighting, and a large mural on the back wall by local artist Catherine Irwin that displays the theme of time.
B-Side
Wanting Decade to be a hub for music, art, community outreach, and culture, B-Side offers a flexible venue for private dinners and parties, wedding receptions, live music, art shows, film, business meetings, and more. The space is divided into a private dining room as well as a large bar space with a stage for music.
