In March 2023, the House of Marigold brought something cheery and new to the Louisville, Kentucky restaurant scene. Rather than offering a traditional vibe with dark hardwood furniture, Adrienne and Kris Cole wanted to represent another side of Kentucky, one that celebrated the light, season and comfort you’d find at the Golden Girls’ kitchen table — with Rose constantly updating her classics and Blanche mixing the Prosecco cocktails.
The Coles originally opened their cafe and catering company in 2019, but when the pandemic forced them to close, they pivoted full-time to the Marigold Catering Company. The name was inspired by Adrienne’s mother, who believed that fresh flowers brought luck. Since the marigold particularly emphasizes good fortune, that flower became their theme.
As the pandemic continued to constrain connection, the duo came up with a new way to serve their customers: the Marigold Mobile Bar. This collection started with a remodeled 1967 Airstream trailer and expanded to include a customized Vespa, ice cream bike, and a Tiny Taps trailer, all named after the Golden Girls. The small fleet elevated the bar experience and activated fun in the Louisville community.
At the end of 2022, the lease at the original cafe spot ended and the Coles knew they wanted something new. Thus the House of Marigold was born. This cozy brunch spot gives customers an elevated taste of home. Kris serves as executive chef, creating a menu that includes classics such as build-your-own deviled eggs, and biscuits so fluffy and big they need their own section.
More trendy offerings include avocado toast and roasted cauliflower hummus. “We wanted to tap into what we know people like, very much comfort stuff that’s recognizable, what makes them feel good,” said Adrienne. “But at the end of the day, we wanted to do something that felt good to us. We wanted to bring that to the community.”
Adrienne’s favorite combination is the avocado toast and a Bad and Boujee Cocktail. This signature drink combines vodka, rose wine, grapefruit juice and rosemary. Other cocktails include the inescapable bourbon, but the focus lies more with Prosecco for this crowd.
While one of the drinks is actually named the “Devereaux” (a slushy combination of cafe au lait, beignet dust and a shot of bourbon), neither Adrienne or Kris identify with any particular Golden Girl. “I probably am a mix of all of them,” said Adrienne. “And I don’t think Kris is like any of them. He’s a very chill chef and you know all those women were pretty sassy stuff.”
AUTHOR
LA Bourgeois is a writer and creativity coach based in the eclectic food enclave of Ithaca, New York. Her enthusiastic embrace of food and business led her to run a cafe/bar and wine shop in Colorado for a little over a decade. Now, she uses her words to delight her readers and share her adventures at Housewyfe.com.
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