This story originally appeared in the Sept. 8 edition of the Weekly LINK Reader. To see these stories first, subscribe here.
Sometimes a street has so many options, it must be visited twice, or in this case three times. For this Streetscapes, we revisit the long stretch of U.S. 42 for some sweet treats and street tacos. Join us in Florence for food and fun.
Memorie Makers Café and Cupcakery
Most cafés and bakeries operate out of small spaces with small quantities of product. Although technically a small business, Memorie Makers is anything but small physically. Its ample footprint often serves as an event space. Adorned in pink and black décor, this space is as cute as the cupcakes.
Memorie Makers hosts a variety of events, from cookie decorating to canvas creating, and tickets can be purchased online. The space also can be rented for private parties.
For those who aren’t looking for a special event but just want a special little pick-me-up, the business also operates a café serving coffee, bubble tea and loose-leaf tea alongside its delectable desserts. Cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, mini pies, cookies and scones can all be ordered as grab-and-go or in bulk. Memorie Makers also makes custom cakes and special occasion cakes to help properly celebrate any event. It also sells a variety of café essentials, coffee makers, honey and tea to create the perfect at-home café.
Memorie Makers also has an impressive menu of vegan, gluten-free and keto treats. Because regardless of dietary restrictions, everyone deserves a little treat.
Litas Tacos
Litas is the David against the Goliath of taco chains and restaurants in Florence. If you aren’t familiar with the story of David and Goliath, spoiler alert: Small David conquers the giant Goliath. Litas’ location is small, and its menu is fairly small, but when everything you serve is close to perfection, there’s no need to be any bigger.
Litas started out with a very small menu and has since grown to include more options, still sticking to the basics of tacos, nachos and quesadillas, and it now also serves bowls.
The family-owned business serves authentic Mexican tacos – smaller tacos served on flour tortillas. These bite-size tacos are easy to inhale; guests normally order three for a full meal, but tacos can be ordered in any amount to best cure guests’ hunger.
Litas is most famous for its mouthwatering cowboy tacos – chicken or steak tacos with pico de gallo, cotija cheese (a Mexican crumbled white cheese) and jalapeno cream sauce. Its cowboy flavors are a fan favorite and can be ordered as tacos or a bowl.
Barleycorn’s
Barleycorn’s has been a cornerstone of the NKY area since its foundation in Lakeside Park and has since grown to five locations across three counties. Guests know that they’re getting a fun bar environment with quality food and service at every location.
Florence’s location boasts an ample patio that’s best enjoyed on warm summer nights with a beer bucket and good company. The atmosphere is always lively while still being family-friendly.
Barleycorn’s is best known for its wings – traditional jumbo wings or “doc”-style. The doc style wings are deep-fried, tossed in hot sauce, then deep-fried again, creating a perfect crunch with an explosion of flavor. Barleycorn’s knows that nothing pairs better with wings than a cold beer, and it has over 30 options on draft that rotate seasonally, as well as cans and bottles.
The burgers and sandwiches are also fan favorites, with the black-and-bleu burger being its fan favorite. The burger is tossed in Cajun spice and topped with house-made bleu cheese dressing, bacon, lettuce and pickles. Guests can get anything from a basic burger to some very unique creations. Either way, guests always leave full.
Have a street, city or business you want to see covered next? Email Maria Hehman at [email protected] and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK Streetscapes.