What exactly is a hot brown and who makes the best one in Louisville? Brown Hotel or Scienced Hill? I am planning/organizing our trip to Louisville/Lexington and keep coming across this called hot brown. Any suggestions on places to eat in Lexington?

A hot brown is a baked dish -- toast and turkey covered in a rich cheese sauce and topped with bacon & tomato.

Science Hill in Shelbyville makes the best "authentic" hot brown. The Brown Hotel's is a close 2nd.

Austin's, on US 42 in eastern Louisville, makes its hot brown with a croissant. Bristol Bar & Grill also does a good job of it.

Science Hill is about 40 minutes away in Shelbyville. It would be en route to Lexington, just off I 64. Very good food, quaint place, you would enjoy that a lot more than the smoky Bristol.In Lexington, my favorite restaurant is Jonathan's at the Gratz Park Inn. Very good food, atmosphere and an innovative chef:
http://www.gratzparkinn.com/

The Brown Hotel is where the Hot Brown originated.

Indeed, that's true. But, alas, that creative chef (Fred Schmidt) who invented the hot brown in 1923 is no longer with the Brown Hotel.

Science Hill's Chef Donna Gill now makes the better brown.

I've had them both places and Science Hill is the best. Absolutely yummy. And the place is beautiful.

Went last year for the Bluegrass Stakes and had terrific meals at A La Lucie on Limestone and Jonathan's at Gratz Park.

I love hot browns and make an awesome one if I do say so myself! I like to use a mornay sauce instead of the often found bechamel and it gives it a little more kick. Had my first hot brown the weekend dh & I were engaged ten years ago at Jenny Wiley State Park in Kentucky.