Michigan native food truck owner Ryan Cohee will continue operating his food truck Red Top Gourmet Hot Dogs, but he plans to open a restaurant by the same name by Derby time in the historic former Keswek Democratic Club at 1127 S. Logan St in Shelby Park.
Cohee said he Started with a hot dog cart out of his garage before building himself a trailer he said probably should not have even been on the road. His next step up was to a step van, and when his growth continued, he moved into Chef Space to work for a year. Now, he’s been working out of Sanctuary Church and is looking forward to this next step in his journey.
“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s going to be another step, moving up. It’s a good time, found a good location, and I think the city of Louisville is ready for a hot dog restaurant. Everywhere else you go, other big cities, they have hot dog restaurants. Indianapolis has 12. I think that’s one thing we’re missing.”
Cohee is taking out the drop ceilings and plaster walls of the historical building to expose wood ceilings and exposed brick on the walls to nicely accent the barnwood bar. He said that he wants to reclaim as much as possible, but he definitely will not have any disposable plastic whatsoever. “If there is anything disposable, it will be paper or wood.”
The restaurant will serve a grass-fed beef hot dog, Wagyu (high end beef) hot dog, wild game (bison and wild board) sausages, fried balls of sauerkraut, truffle parm fries, beer cheese, a hot dog wrapped in waffles, other gourmet hot dogs, Brussels sprouts sides, and other small items he is still working out.
ck Red Top Gourmet Hot Dogs, but he plans to open a restaurant by the same name by Derby time in the historic former Keswek Democratic Club at 1127 S. Logan St in Shelby Park.
Cohee said he started with a hot dog cart out of his garage before building himself a trailer he said probably should not have even been on the road. His next step up was to a step van, and when his growth continued, he moved into Chef Space to work for a year. Now, he’s been working out of Sanctuary Church and is looking forward to this next step in his journey.
“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s going to be another step, moving up. It’s a good time, found a good location, and I think the city of Louisville is ready for a hot dog restaurant. Everywhere else you go, other big cities, they have hot dog restaurants. Indianapolis has 12. I think that’s one thing we’re missing.”
Cohee is taking out the drop ceilings and plaster walls of the historical building to expose wood ceilings and exposed brick on the walls to nicely accent the barnwood bar. He said that he wants to reclaim as much as possible, but he definitely will not have any disposable plastic whatsoever. “If there is anything disposable, it will be paper or wood.”
The restaurant will serve a grass-fed beef hot dog, Wagyu (high end beef) hot dog, wild game (bison and wild board) sausages, fried balls of sauerkraut, truffle parm fries, beer cheese, a hot dog wrapped in waffles, other gourmet hot dogs, Brussels sprouts sides, and other small items he is still working out.
