LOUISVILLE, Ky. - On the outside, Silly Axe Cafe in the Highlands of Louisville looks like other restaurants. When you say "Silly Axe" out loud, you may hear what makes it stand out from the rest.

"Obviously, it's a play on Celiac Disease," owner Angela Pike said.

As the first gluten-free restaurant in Louisville, the inspiration came from personal experience. Pike was a personal chef for nine years. She was diagnosed with Celiac Disease about a year ago. After that diagnosis, she had trouble cooking for others because of cross contamination.

"Basically what happened is that my job was making me sick and I couldn't really get better," Pike said.

What she learned through her own experience is that there was a need in the community, and she wanted to be the one to fill it.

"When I went out to eat, even thought most restaurants would put their best effort into it and try really hard, I would still get sick from the cross contamination in restaurants," Pike said.

She opened Silly Axe Cafe in April. It is 100 percent gluten-free, nut free and lactose free. She also serves up plenty of options without soy. Frequent customer Ellen Oost is gluten, dairy and soy free, so Silly Axe quickly became one of her favorites.

"Usually when I go out to eat, there is one or two things on the menu I can eat. I have to ask a bunch of questions. I like to comer over here because it's easy. They have a wide variety of things," Oost said.

To those unfamiliar, it may just be a restaurant. To those who frequently dine there, it's a community of people with a common bond.

"Never in my wildest imagination did I think the restaurant was going to take off and explode the way that it has," Pike said.

Silly Axe Cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. It is located at 2216 Dundee Rd. just off Bardstown Road in the Highlands.