Many locally-owned restaurants have faced adversity due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as their indoor customer capacity has been cut in half. For Bellarmine students looking to support these local businesses, here are several restaurants that deliver directly to the residence halls.
80/20 @ Kaelin’s Restaurant
Kaelin’s is an old-school burger joint and ice cream parlor, located less than a mile from Bellarmine University on Newburg Road. They offer delivery via DoorDash and GrubHub, and these online delivery services have been essential for keeping their doors open. The general manager, Daniel Elliot, explained, “With COVID, it has been trying, considering the current state of affairs that we are in, but one of the really good things we are seeing is the community’s support of us through delivery service.”
Lucky Burrito/ La Suerte
These two locally-owned Mexican restaurants are located side-by-side on Bardstown Road less than a mile from Bellarmine’s campus, and each caters to completely different experiences. The Lucky Burrito is more cost effective with quick food service, while La Suerte is slightly more upscale with a full bar. “COVID combined with the cold weather slowed business,” stated Lucky Burrito co-owner, Christopher Suckle. During warm months they were able to keep business with outdoor seating, but with colder weather, people did not come as often.
Yummy Pollo
Yummy Pollo is located just off Newburg Road near I-264. Serving Peruvian-style charcoal chicken, they deliver using DoorDash, GrubHub, and UberEats. “COVID has cut our business in half because we have a lot of offices around here that used to come in regularly for lunch,” stated owner Faisal Noor. Because office employees are now working from home, the business is relying on online orders more than they previously did.
Eat-A-Pita
This restaurant, located less than a mile from campus, also on Bardstown Road, offers a vegan-friendly Mediterranean menu and is owned by a local veteran of color. Owner Moe Watts stated, “Before COVID we were already doing GrubHub and everything like it. Fortunately, we have not suffered as much as other businesses.” The support that Eat-A-Pita has received via online deliveries is one example of how placing online orders during the COVID-19 pandemic can save a local business.
One thing all the local restaurants agreed on is that they would not have been able to sustain business without the help of delivery services, as none of these local restaurants employ their own delivery drivers. Bellarmine support assists in keeping these restaurants in business through tough times. If you need to cater an on-campus event, consider using a local restaurant like one of the aforementioned ones. Our community support matters!