Is This KY Restaurant the Birthplace of the Cheeseburger?

There's nothing better than a good ole cheeseburger! Except for maybe fried chicken...or bourbon...or a Hot Brown...or any other culinary masterpiece invented and perfected in Kentucky. You may be thinking, wait a minute. The cheeseburger?

Kentucky, the Birthplace of the Cheeseburger

While the exact origin is disputed amongst historians, many believe that a restaurant in Kentucky is the birthplace of the cheeseburger. If you ask a Louisvillian, it is an absolute fact that the now-named 80/20 at Kaelin's, is where the glorious creation took place.

Kaelin's Restaurant in Louisville, KY

Mr. Carl Kaelin and his wife Margaret, opened their beloved family restaurant in 1934 in the heart of the Highlands neighborhood. The hamburger existed before then, but one of the two in that dynamic duo thought to put a piece of cheese on it. According to Only in Your State, the original cheeseburger had "Dusseldorf mustard, American cheese, onions, pickles, and a four-ounce patty on a potato bun."

80/20 at Kaelin's Facebook

Wait, The Colonel Cooked at Kaelin's?

Kaelin's also has an interesting connection to another iconic Kentucky restaurant. The one and only Harland Sanders first used his secret herbs and spices in the kitchen at Kaelin's, serving up the crispy goodness we now call Kentucky Fried Chicken. How awesome is that? That is a lot of major food history in one place.

CANVA

Where to Eat in Louisville, KY

So, the next time you're in The Ville and need a cool spot to grab lunch, 80/20 Kaelin's is the place to go. You can get the OG cheeseburger or one of the other delicious staples on the menu. Every order comes with a free history lesson!

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Have you ever been before? What do you think? Is the cheeseburger a Kentucky original? It does sound like something we would do! Where is the best cheeseburger you've ever eaten? Let us know in the Facebook convo or through App Chat.