Hometown Roots — Restaurant in Henderson

Having dined at Hometown Roots in Henderson, KY, countless times, I’m excited to refresh my review of this Southern comfort staple. The staff is the heartbeat of this place—warm, attentive, and genuinely passionate about the food and community. They make every visit feel personal, whether they’re suggesting a bourbon to pair with dinner or sharing details about the fresh ingredients on the plate. Their energy keeps me coming back. The egg white whiskey sour is a consistent favorite. It’s expertly mixed, with a velvety foam from fresh, local eggs and a smooth, bold kick from Kentucky bourbon. The use of locally sourced citrus adds a bright, crisp note that makes this cocktail stand out as a must-order. The Kentucky Hot Brown remains a classic I can’t resist. The creamy Mornay sauce, Clifty Farms country ham, and roasted turkey over toasted bread are elevated by farm-fresh tomatoes and cheese from nearby Kentucky farms like Seymour Farms. It’s a dish that feels like home, with the quality of local ingredients shining through in every bite. What keeps Hometown Roots exciting is their once-a-month special menu, a full lineup of exclusive dishes that showcase the best of seasonal, local ingredients. Last month’s special menu was a standout, featuring creations like a bourbon-glazed pork chop with sweet potato mash, paired with vibrant greens from Greenman Gardens, and a grilled peach salad with hydroponically grown Bibb lettuce from their in-house grow wall. Each dish highlighted partnerships with local farms, like Seymour Farms for leafy greens and Creation Gardens for Kentucky Proud meats. The menu changes monthly, often incorporating fresh produce from Henderson’s farmers market or unique proteins, making it a reason to visit regularly. It’s a brilliant way to keep the farm-to-table ethos front and center while surprising loyal customers like me with new flavors. Hometown Roots’ commitment to fresh, locally sourced ingredients—from the eggs in my whiskey sour to the vegetables in the monthly special menu—sets it apart. The staff’s hospitality, paired with dishes like the Hot Brown and these creative seasonal menus, makes every trip a celebration of Kentucky’s culinary roots. This Henderson gem is as reliable as it is innovative, and I’ll keep...

We’ve been wanting to try Hometown Roots in Henderson for a while, and tonight we finally did. We got there before the dinner rush and had no wait, but it did get pretty busy while we were there. We had a really hard time deciding what to order - there were so many great looking dishes on the menu. We finally settled on fried chicken with sides of hoppin john (their side of the month) and Brussels sprouts and Smoked Meatloaf with hoppin john and low country greens. While we waited for our entrees we polished off an entire pan of the complimentary jalapeño cornbread. It was honestly some of the best cornbread I’ve ever had. Our food came out fairly quickly. Both entrees were also very good (and huge portions!). The chicken was fried to a perfect golden brown and had the perfect ratio of breading to chicken. The breading was well seasoned and nicely crispy. I didn’t think I’d like the chili honey served with it, but it was actually a nice complement to the savory chicken. The meatloaf very a flavorful smoky pork and beef mix. It was served with a bit too much sauce, but the sauce was very good. The sides were ok, but definitely the weakest part of the meal. Hoppin john is supposed to be rice and black-eyed peas, but theirs was only black-eyed peas. But they were at least seasoned and cooked well. The brussels were roasted and nicely crispy, but had no discernible seasoning. The greens were nicely seasoned and cooked well, but we were surprised they didn’t have any pepper vinegar available - we’ve always known that to be a standard accompaniment to greens. Overall the food was very good, the service was friendly and just the right amount of attentiveness. We look forward to going back and trying more menu items. This review was made in connection with a...

Where to even begin. Five out of five stars isn’t even enough to cover it. I have lived in the area for about two years now, and to say that there is nothing like hometown roots is an understatement. Simply incredible doesn’t begin to describe how I feel about this establishment. I read the reviews before coming here, and the complaints that I read were from people that don’t deserve to enjoy what this restaurant has to offer, because they don’t know how to appreciate greatness. My boyfriend and I went to check it out last weekend for the first time. We had a small wait, and the couple that came in after us decided to leave in a huff because they didn’t want to wait longer than 15 minutes for a table on a busy Saturday night. Their mistake. They truly missed out. I am a foodie for sure, and had yet to find a restaurant that you can feel the love in the food the way you feel it at hometown roots. My goodness it is refreshing! We had the nachos, and they were incredible! I ordered the buffalo Mac and cheese and my boyfriend had the bourbon salmon. He said that it was the best salmon he has ever had, which I found mildly offensive, seeing as my salmon recipe use to hold that title ;) . The buffalo Mac was to die for! Although I did have to ask for more buffalo sauce, but that’s just for my personal taste. The pricing is extremely reasonable for the quality of food that you receive. This area has no idea how lucky they are to have been blessed with a restaurant like hometown roots. Keep up the incredible work! You will be seeing more of us for sure! Thank you for being awesome! I just wish you guys had a Sunday brunch... but that is just me being greedy...