You can't come to Louisville for the big race and not eat a hot, cheesy slice from Derby City Pizza Co. This locally owned joint offers the usual combinations along with a handful of specialty pizzas, including The Champ, which is loaded with meats and veggies, and the Runner-Up featuring six different meats and a mountain of mozzarella. There's even a delicious, five-topping low-carb crustless pizza. Derby City Pizza Co. also serves subs, pasta, wings, and salads.

If you're hungry enough to eat a horse, please don't. Order up a ginormous burger from Freakin' Unbelievable Burgers instead. This franchise serves up a dozen gourmet specialty burgers like the Bleu Cheese Burger, the Drunken Mushroom, and the spicy Fire Burger. You can also build your own creation. Patty choices include beef, chicken, salmon, and portobello, and there are 14 sauces to choose from. Pick your cheese, and pile on the toppings, which include bacon, a fried egg, chili, and fried onion straws.

There's nothing to satisfy a big appetite like a big old pile of Southern fried chicken. The Eagle Food & Beer Hall's fried chicken is the real deal and starts with a cage-free, all-natural bird that's brined in a secret recipe, dredged, fried, and served with house-made hot honey. The home-made sides are comfort food through and through and include succotash, mac 'n' cheese, white cheddar grits, and fresh-baked biscuits served with blackberry jam and honey butter. The menu also includes a variety of sandwiches like the Fried Chicken with spicy mayo, the Grilled Cheese with apricot preserves and granny smith apples, and the Blackened Shrimp Po Boy with charred avocado relish and smoked onion remoulade.

Asian Pot is a Louisville mainstay, serving a huge variety of Chinese and Japanese dishes. The extensive menu includes hibachi grill selections and classic Chinese food entrees, including Sweet & Sour Chicken, Moo Goo Gai Pan, and Mongolian Beef. Noodle offerings include a wide variety of Lo Mein and Mei Fun dishes, and you can choose from six fried rice variations. Appetizers include favorites like egg and spring rolls, crab rangoon, gyoza, and dumplings. Soups are sold by the pint and by the quart.

Griff's is the brainchild of none other than Dr. Dunkenstein himself, Mr. Darrell Griffith, who played for the Louisville Cardinals before being selected to play for the Jazz. The menu features Griff's favorites from his years of traveling with the NBA, and everything on the menu is made fresh daily with quality ingredients. Happily, Griff seems to have a versatile, adventurous palate, so the menu features a unique collection of entrees, including a variety of burgers and salads as well as entrees like Griff's Smoked Ribs, Catfish Fingers, and Smokin' Cajun Pasta. Hand-helds include sandwiches, wraps, and Griff's famous Catfish Tacos with Zucchini Apple Slaw and Sriracha Mayo.

Bandido Taqueria Mexicana specializes in tacos but serves up a variety of south-of-the-border favorites. Choose from soft shell or hard shell tacos, or try the super rolled tacos or the Tijuana-Style Street Tacos. The menu also features a variety of specialty burritos, including the Surf and Turf Burrito, filled with grilled steak, shrimp, and veggies and topped with chipotle cream sauce. Quesadillas, nachos, burrito bowls, and smothered French fries round out the offerings.

Forget the frozen waffles and cold cereal down in the hotel lobby. Start your Louisville day right with a pile of house-made donuts and a hot cup of fresh coffee. North Lime Coffee & Donuts uses simple, high-quality ingredients in their donuts, which are mixed, cut, fried, and iced by hand every day. The coffee is locally roasted, and expert baristas concoct delicious specialty drinks, including the Dolce Veloce, featuring two shots of espresso, half and half, and just the right amount of flavored syrup. North Lime Coffee & Donuts closes at 5pm, so order early.

Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The Seafood Lady serves seafood meals with a Southern twist. Case in point is The Hulk, featuring a house-made waffle with fried lobster and shrimp and drizzled with Sriracha mayo sauce. The Crab Boss Meal is for gigantic appetites--or sharing with a crowd--and comes with a Cajun crab, fried crab, a fried lobster, 24 jumbo shrimp, a mess of potatoes, corn, and sausage, and three Cajun eggs. Other selections include crab cakes, snow crab, crawfish, and white fish, along with chicken for any non fish-eaters in the group. Sides include fries, hush puppies, coleslaw, and seafood mac 'n' cheese.

Craving a fresh gyro? Or maybe you’d rather munch on crispy fried pita chips with homemade hummus? If you’re geeking for Greek food, then this is your place. The menu has a variety of wraps and pitas for less than $10, in addition to souvlaki and skewer dishes for a heartier meal. Other tasty Greek bites include homemade soup, veggie bowls, gyro platters, and more.