Suburban Social Club’s fish fry on Saturdays is a must-try in Louisville
The Suburban Social Club fish fry, held on Saturdays, has been a Louisville tradition since 1919.
An Italian-Cuban restaurant named Prado 264 is opening in the former Mark’s Feed Store location in the Highlands.The new restaurant aims to combine Latin fusion food with a fine dining atmosphere.The first floor is expected to open in late April or early May, with the second floor opening in the summer.Prado 264 is named after a restaurant in Havana, Cuba, known for mixing Italian techniques with Cuban cuisine.
A vacant restaurant storefront in the Highlands is about to see new life.
Prado 264, an Italian-Cuban restaurant, is readying to open in late April or early May at 1514 Bardstown Road inside the former Mark’s Feed Store location, which closed in August 2025 after 30 years.
The new restaurant, from Luis Gonzalez and his wife Lisanne Garcia, aims to combine Latin fusion food with a fine dining atmosphere.
“We want to be something that really resonates to the local community,” Gonzalez said. “People want to try a different experience, so I think Prado 264 is going to be very interesting for them.”
The owners picked the prominent building location after they fell in love with the city of Louisville and the Highlands neighborhood while visiting friends at Sweet Havana, a Cuban bakery and cafe at 5510 Fern Valley Road.
“There are so many opportunities here regarding the food industry,” Gonzalez said. “The Cuban population is also growing here really fast, and the locals are getting to know and love a little more of the Cuban food.”
Prado 264 is named after the original Prado 264, also known as Parado Restaurante 264, which is located on Paseo del Prado Avenue in Havana, Cuba. The once popular Italian and Cuban fusion restaurant was a staple of Gonzalez’s childhood, where his family often shared meals.
“One of the things that made it so famous is that they started to mix Italian techniques with Cuban cuisine and spices,” Gonzalez said.
According to Gonzalez, Cuba didn’t have as many Italian immigrants as countries like Uruguay and Argentina in the beginning of the 20th century. When the Italians began living around Paseo del Prado in the late 1940s, Italian restaurants began to pop up, creating a big impact on the food culture of Havana.
It is this food culture Gonzalez and Garcia hope to bring to Louisville through what they call “upscale experiential dining,” which they say means having an engaging dining experience in a classier setting.
Prado 264’s motto of “Italian roots, Cuban fire” is portrayed through some of its anticipated menu items, including arroz con pollo, Cuban pizzas, plantains, mojitos and more.
The two-floor restaurant is roughly 3,500 square feet. Its first floor will be named Paseo del Prado and will be decorated with Havana-inspired accents, including lemon trees. The upper floor, expected to open in the summer, will be called the Aria, meaning “air” or “vibe” in Italian. There will also be a terrace called the Cielo Aperto, meaning “open sky” and Garden di Lisa, a botanical garden meant to honor Garcia’s love for tending the garden.
Having different seating areas will allow customers to choose their own dinner ambiance, Gonzalez said. If they want lively music, dancers and interactive dining, the first floor will be a good fit. If they want more of a “speakeasy” vibe, the second floor will be calmer with occasional piano playing. Searching for outdoor seating? With warmer months coming, Prado 264 will have plenty of outdoor seating in its garden and terrace.
And despite Mark’s Feed Store citing “decreasing traffic in the area,” as a reason for its closure, Gonzalez doesn’t believe Prado 264 will suffer the same fate.
“This area was hit hard by the pandemic,” Gonzalez said. “The Highlands is going to come back again because there are still many locals living around. They want to see the Highlands as it was, previous to the pandemic.”
While Prado 264 hasn’t set official hours yet, it anticipates being open Monday through Thursday from 4:30-9 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Reach reporter Bailey Reed at bereed@usatodayco.com.
Dining and Cooking