“We take the same approach to food as we do to the art on our walls, with brushstrokes of contemporary flair against a backdrop of southern cuisine. 21c owners Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson have their own 1,000-acre farm east of downtown, and they collaborate with Chef Mike Wajda. Preserving the farmland of Kentucky and bringing heritage foods back to the table are among our greatest passions.”

Spring onion soup with ramps and Calabrian chili; roasted beets, with labneh, sorghum vinaigrette, juniper za’atar spice; whole roasted duck, with Barr Farms carrot, Louismill grains, and Urfa spice.

Proof on Main is engaged in numerous programs helping to change the food industry and promote sustainability. They recently joined the #stopsucking movement to eliminate plastic straws and help clean up the oceans. Their menus change often with farmers and foragers of the Ohio River valley delivering produce to ensure they get the freshest possible ingredients year-round. Veering from their farmto- table peers, they serve a mix of ingredients; a fusion of sorts. This artistry is an adornment to serious southern cuisine that celebrates locally grown and milled grits, southern sorghum, and cast-iron cornbread.

“Dining at Proof on Main can feel like an out-of-body experience. Situated on Museum Row inside the boutique 21c Museum Hotel, the restaurant’s art-dappled space is as exciting and fresh as the creative Southern food being served.” –Lauren Matison, Travel + Leisure