John Hale and Vicki Hale opened Lotsa Pasta on March 4, 1982 in a tiny storefront on Bardstown Road. Their original intent was to provide fresh homemade pasta to a city that had none. The crew of two started building a loyal following from the first day they opened the door, with many of those customers still coming in today.

Within a decade, success made it necessary to move into a larger, more comfortable space, making the St. Matthews location our new home. Lotsa Pasta’s mission became broader in scope to satisfy the growing food sophistication of its patrons.

While the original Italian and Mexican delicacies and products are still the centerpiece; the scope of countries represented has grown considerably. The sociable Saturday morning line of locals talking UofL or UK basketball was joined by the accents of their Spanish, Asian, and European customers early on. The world was coming to Louisville and naturally finding its way to Lotsa Pasta.

A bakery was added, and we started producing the classic Italian breads, giving us both bread to sell as well as a great base for our unbeatable sandwiches. As with everything we do, we pride ourselves on baking the very best bread and over time have developed quite the variety.

As always, we hold true to our mission of bringing you, our loyal customers, the finest foods the world has to offer. And it remains that if you can’t find something, just let us know, and we will do our absolute best to get it for you. Countless items in our shop have been requested by our customers over the years.

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The majority of our staff has been with us for years. Many have been with us for an average of 8-10 years, some reaching 25+ years of dedication, accounting for the success of the business. We have watched your kids grow up; know your neighbors, relatives, and most of your food preferences. All of us are foodies and  love to discuss the newest trends and help with ingredients and recipes. We are also happy to give you a sample of new items when possible. Ask at the deli counter or cheese case if there is anything you would like to taste before buying.

Even though we have expanded our horizons to meet your culinary needs, we still remain the proud Mom and Pop shop where the owners are accessible. Two of our three kids, Carly & Quentin work here full time, and along with the rest of the LP Family keep their “childhood second home" going. And now, even the 3rd generation comes in & runs through the shop like their moms did when they were growing up.

So, for those of you who are not yet familiar with our shop, please enjoy using our website to learn more about Lotsa Pasta. For those of you who have been with us for years, we offer our continued appreciation and we wish all of you “Buon Appetito!"

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- John & Vicki