Downtown
| African | Asian | Barbecue | Breakfast | Caribbean | Chains | Chinese | Classic | Contemporary | European | Fast Food | Gastropubs |
| Indian | Italian | Japanese | Lunch | Mexican | Middle Eastern | Pizza | Seafood | Special Occasion | Steak |
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Downtown |
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| BlueFire | Carson's | Columbia's | Dudley's | Great Room | Hellenic Kitchen | Jeff Ruby's | LeDeauville |
| Nick & Norman's | Sam's | Sawyer's | SkyBar | TasteOfThai | Tony's | Triangle | WagonBones |
| At a time when many cities have struggling downtowns, Lexington is fortunate to have one that is thriving. In addition to beautiful small parks, such as Triangle Park shown above, modern hotels as shown at right, Rupp Arena hosting basketball, rodeos, concerts and circuses, and The Opera House with its professional theatre, the downtown also holds 19 restaurants, some of which are among the finest in Kentucky. There's a good mix. You can find French, Contemporary, Steak, Thai, Italian, Classic, Pizza, Southern, etc. In addition to the downtown core, Jefferson Street, two blocks west of the Hyatt, has shown an exciting 21st Century revival with a dozen restaurants, bars and coffee houses. |  |
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Hyatt Regency's Blue Fire Grill is inside the atrium of the hotel adjacent to Rupp Arena. The ambience and menu are cutting edge. Among the appetizers, we like the Butter Bean Hummus, Bourbon Barrel Ale Onion Rings, and Catfish Fingers, but the Crab Cake (blue lump crab, avocado, charred corn salsa) is the star of the show. It, a soup and salad are all you need. They offer a Soup of the Day, but the White Bean & Tomato (toasted fennel, fresh basil) is available daily and is hard to beat. The Heirloom Tomato Salad (goat cheese, bibb, white balsamic) is the best of their five salads. Sides are pretty creative : Wild Rice, Bacon White Cheddar Grits, Sweet Potato Fries. If you're from out of state, you MUST try Burgoo, Bison, Catfish and Hot Brown while you're here, and the Blue Fire offers fine interpretations of those old Kentucky classics. Their Maple Bourbon Salmon (local maple syrup and Woodford Reserve) and Filo Pouch (green chili creme fraiche) are also very good. You may not have room for dessert, but if you do, there's a Mint Julep Creme Brulee, Blueberry French Vanilla Cobbler or Whiskey Vanilla Sauce Bread Pudding waiting. |
| Carson's is an upscale restaurant on Main Street near the former Herald Leader Building. It has a rustic inside but the menu is cutting edge. Of the Appetizers try the Sausage Trio, Truffle Fries or Salmon Bruschetta. The Soup du Jour is always good and there are five excellent Salads. Carson's offers a creative Sandwich menu, including a Soft Shell Crab BLT, Pork Belly Beer Cheese Burger and Hickory Smoked Pulled Ham and nine others. They take great pride in rheir Steaks although they're pricey. The $45 Cowboy Ribeye is their signature item. Entrees include Scallops, Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese, Creole Shrimp & Grits and Sweet and Spicy Ribs. There are Vegan and Gluten Free entrees. Sides with any of these entrees include Jalapeno Cole Slaw, Weisenberg Cheese Grits, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and a smaller portion of the Smoked Gouda Mac & Chese. For Dessert you can order an Ice Cream Martini, Derby Pie, Bsnana Bourbon Bread Pudding and a Cheesecake of the Season. There are six Bloody Marys, a creative list of Cocktails and a very good Wine list. Carson's offers Flights of Bourbon, sets of three for $14. But they also offer an outstanding collection of the finest Bourbons, Scotches and Cognacs. Wines are domestic, mostly Californias. |  |
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Columbia's has been a Lexington landmark for 67 years. They, too, have opened additional outlets, but the North Limestone location is still their headquarters. Sports figures, presidents, governors, senators, executives, artists, writers and Old Money denizens have been visiting the Limestone Columbia's since 1948. The classic is the Nighthawk Special. For $15 you get a beef tenderloin broiled in garlic butter, served with baked potato and Diego salad. The special is named for The Nighthawk, Tom Kindall, a midnight to dawn disc jockey on WVLK, voice of rock and roll in Kentucky for 40 years. Kindall is long retired, but the special named for him is in its 50th year. However, the Nighthawk isn't the only thing special on this menu. There are five other steak entrees plus steak fries. Columbia's offers the best Australian wine list in town and the soup of the day is always good. Appetizers and salads are just average, but save room for a piece of the Kentucky Silk Pie, a lingering taste of the Old South. 201 North Limestone. From downtown, follow Main or Vine to Limestone, turn North, and drive two or three blocks. Look for Sayre School on your right. Columbia's is just across the street. |
| Dudley's has been a downtown tradition since 1984, when it opened as the original tenant in Dudley Square. In 2009 owner Debbie Long and four partners bought the 1889 Northern Bank Building on Short Street and restored it. Dudley's became the primary tenant, occupying two floors. They serve Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Dinner, specializing in Contemporary Cuisine. Dudley's retains the classy air the building once had, and is a good place to take a business client to close a deal. They don't advertise themselves as a seafood restaurant, but with eight entrees seafood is the largest single category on the one page menu, and each one is prepared very well. The Beer Battered Grouper is probably their best, but the Grilled Sea Scallops, Lump Crabmeat and Seared Tasmanian Salmon are close seconds. They also offer Oysters and Seared Tuna, plus Steamed Mussels and a large Shrimp Cocktail. If you're not in the mood for seafood, there's also Beef, Duck, Chicken and Lamb. They also have five "short plates," which include Pork Belly Tacos, Crab Wraps, a Vegetarian Array (avocado, tomatoes and zucchini). Dudley's offers several interesting Salads. There's a Kale Salad (with parmesan, cherries, pine nuts and lemon slices in olive oil), Beet Arugula Salad (with goat cheese, pistachios, fennel and a vinaigrette) and Brussell Sprouts Salad (with cheese, pine nuts, and balsamic vinegar dressing). For more traditional tastes, they offer the standard Bibb, Caesar, and Tomato/Mozzarella. From 11 am to 2:30 pm, you can order a Quiche of the Day or what Dudley's calls a Debbie Brown, an open faced ham, turkey, cheese, and tomato sandwich. Of their eight Desserts, we think the Black Tie Sundae (vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, brownie, chocolate truffle and whipped cream) is the most decadent, but there's also Sherbert, Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie, Lemon Icebox Pie and Blackberry Crumble. |  |
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Great Room is the first floor restaurant in the Marriott Hotel. In this photo, diners in the Great Room look out those ground floor windows. Currently, with COVID restrictions, it's Breakfast Only, but hotel officials promise they'll add lunch and dinner back as restrictions are lifted. It's a great menu. Offerings for Breakfast include a Broken Yolk Sandwich, Cajun Egg Burrito, Egg White & Roast Red Pepper Sandwich, two Skillets (Spinach & Feta Egg, and Crawfish & Andouille Hash), Steel Cut Oatmeal, Bagels, Muffins, Yogurt, Oatmeal, Fruit, and French Market Dark Roast Coffee. The rest of the day is just as interesting. The Salads include quinoa, applewood bacon and torn sourdough pieces. The Soup slot is filled with Gumbo. There are Bowls and Pizzas and Sandwiches. They serve what Marriott calls the "perfect sandwich." It includes chisesi ham, prosciutto, salami, provolone, jardineire spread, and wild flour bakery olive bread. |
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Hellenic Kitchen is a cafeteria style Greek restaurant modeled on owner Ilias Pappas' Athenian Grille. It will feature Greek and Mediterranean bowls and sandwiches. If you just want lunch or a quick bite, there are Lamb, Chicken, Sausage, Souvlaki (shishkebab) and Veggie Gyros ("Heroes"), a famous Greek sandwich. For Appetizers, you can pick from Avgolemono (chicken, rice, egg, lemon) Soup, Greek Salad and Horiatki (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, feta cheese, olives and classic Greek dressing). But the heart of the menu is the Dinner Entree list : Mousaka (eggplant, spiced meat and bechamel sauce), Pastitsio (ground beef, pasta and bechamel sauce), Spanakopita (spinach pie with eggs and other vegetables), Greek Beef Stew and Cypriot Meatballs. Sides include Lemon Potatoes, Basmati (long grain) Rice and Roasted Vegetables. Hellenic Kitchen is back of Phoenix Park on North Limestone between Vine and Main Streets. |
| The day Jeff Ruby's opened at the corner of Vine and Limestone, it became the special occasion restaurant in downtown Lexington. It's too pricey for a regular date, business meeting or a stop before or after a UK game. But if you really want to impress someone, this is the place to bring them. You could just order Appetizers, Salad and Soup here and leave with a very good meal. Appetizers include a Crab Cake, Scallops and Meatballs. The Soup is Lobster Bisque. If you're a Sushi fan you can order eight different kinds. Five large iced Salads are all delicious. Jeff Ruby's is, of course, a specialist in steaks. You can pick from seven, which are variations on Center Cut or Ribeye. Ruby's buys steak from cattle who grazed on natural grass, then were finished off with corn in a feedlot the last six weeks. They claim this adds a marbling to the steak which customers prefer. However, the consensus of critics, ranchers and steak conneisseurs believe grass fed steak has a noticeably better taste and texture to it, that finishing herds off with corn erodes that taste. Food is not the only reason you come to Ruby's. The Lexington site has a definite Great Gatsby/Big Blue ambience. |  |
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Le Deauville is patterned after a French bistro, including a slow kitchen and some of the highest prices in town. But don't let this deter you, for the food is worth waiting for and worth the price. Their Onion Soup Gratinee is the best in town, mainly due to the great beef broth, fresh onions, and crusty cheese. The preliminary menu is spectacular. It offers Oysters, Clams, Shrimp, Lobster Tails, Caviar, Escargot, Sardines, and Mussels fixed four different ways. There are five salads. This is the only place in town offering Chicory Salad, and it's great. But the Beet, Endive and Nicoise Salads are also delicious. These greens are local, fresh and lovingly prepared (although we don't see any olives at all and the tomatoes have that picked in Mexico, gassed and shipped in taste). Among entrees, we highly recommend the fish. There's Tuna (sauteed in hoisin cream, wasabi oil and ginger rice), Monkfish (herb crusted, sauteed in mussel sauce), Salmon (sauteed in tarragon cream, tomatoes and tarte), Scallops (pan seared in citrus brown butter and risotto), and Bouillaibaisse (shrimp, mussels, clams and scallops in saffron, fennel and a tomato broth with roulle). They're all good but we love their Scallops. If fish is not your thing, try the Roast Duck (with peach compote and vegetable risotto), Pork Chop, Rack of Lamb or one of three steaks. 199 North Limestone. From the Hyatt, go east on Main and north on Limestone for three blocks. On Restaurant Row across from Sayre. |
| Nick & Norman's is at 135 West Main in the heart of downtown. The interior is sleek modern and service is crisp and professional. The menu is cutting edge. Of the Appetizers the Brisket & Nachos and Ribs are their best, but the six Salads are all good and you should order their Soup of the Day whatever it is, especially if it's the Roast Red Pepper Soup. If you're into fish sandwiches the Grilled Haddock Sandwich here is excellent. Of their page of Burgers the Lamb Burger, Turkey Avocado Burger, or one of the four Bison Burgers are the best. The Entree Page is filled with great options : their Beef Tender Medallions, Smokehouse Mac n Cheese, Chicken Pot Pie, Meat Loaf, Whiskey Citrus Salmon, Crab Cakes and Shrimp & Grits are all outstanding. And you really should try their Key Lime Pie. Drinks are good overall and their Old Fashioned, made with Makers Mark, is very good. Several of their items get overlooked but are really outstanding, such as the Chicken Pesto Flatbread. The Nick and Norman are from The Grateful Dead. Yes, they own it. And Grateful Dead photos are all over the walls. |  |
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Sawyer's is on the corner of Broadway and West Main Street, but you enter it from inside the closed mall and the windows look out on Triangle Park. This is basically an upscale burger joint, and many of its loyal followers think it has the best burgers in town, large and juicy. You get your burger and then take it to the toppings bar (cheeses, veggies, sauces, bacon, dressings, garlic, mushrooms, etc.) and fix it however you want. The friendly and energetic owner, Jim, is right there behind the counter and knows regular customers by name. Lunchtime lines on weekdays can extend out the door but they move fast. The chili is a Lexington favorite and customers debate whether it may not be better than the burgers. There's a Chili Pie, probably the only one served in Kentucky (or the nation). They have five good beers on tap. There's a Daily Soup n Burger Special. The home made Kettle Chips rank right up there with the homemade rye chips at La Favorite as the best chips in town. In addition to its devoted crowd of secretaries and downtown executives during lunch hours, Sawyer's has a loyal throng dropping by before and after home UK basketball games, since it's right across the sky walk from Rupp Arena. Drive around the back and park, then have Jim validate your ticket. |
Growing up in Huntington, W.Va., Frank Lucente loved the Chili Dogs at the local hot dog stand. When the owner retired, Frank obtained the sauce recipe from the elderly woman in town who actually made it for the owner. Frank recruited local chef Rocco Muriale to perfect the recipe and make it in large quantities and together in 1983 they opened Sam's Hotdog Stand in Huntingdon, offering dogs plain, with the special chili sauce, or with cole slaw. Sam's became a sensation so they opened a second one in Marmet, W.Va. Now they're spreading to other locations, including 105 North Limestone, and at 4200 Winchester Road. But Sam's has gone upscale and now offers six choices (All Beef Chili Dog, Turkey Dog, Veggie Dog, Polish Sausage Dog, BBQ Pulled Pork, and Chicken Salad Sandwich). Toppings include ketchup, mustard, onion, relish, sauer kraut, slaw, cheese or beer cheese. On the side you can order Potato Salad or Cheese Nachos. Beverages include soft drinks and bottled water. West Virginians claim these are the world's best hot dogs. That's probably a matter of individual taste, but everyone we've talked to agrees they're the best they've ever had, and they're the best we've ever had. |
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SkyBar might be our new favorite Lexington restaurant. It is a sleek 21st Century rooftop eatery with spectacular views of the city. It sits atop the Marriott Hotel. The mixed drinks here are the best in town. But they offer some great food. For starters, at Lunch, they offer the city's finest Grilled Cheese Sandwich (sourdough, sun dried tomato basil, cheddar, beemster, munster). But they also serve a great BLT, plus a Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Fried Chicken Club, Avocado Toast, Oven Roasted Salmon, one of the city's best versions of Fried Green Tomatoes, and a fine Soup of the Day. On different days, we've ordered three different Soups of the Day and all have been excellent. Proving their Cool, they stock Ale 8 and Jarritos. At dinner SkyBar really blossoms. Appetizers include Grilled Octopus, a fine Beer Cheese Platter, Fried Chicken Lollipops, those same Fried Green Tomatoes, and a creative mix of Sweet Corn, Bay Scallops, Queso Fresco and Chorizo. The Soup du Jour and Salads are excellent. The Signature Dish at Dinner is their Chicken & Grits (boneless chicken breast with drumette still attached, rondale zucchini and grits in a creamy mushroom sauce with house made chili oil). But there's also Salmon, Pasta Primavera, Steak Frites (Steak & Fries), and a Bluegrass Burger. Dessert options are a Honey Bourbon Cake, Creme Brulee, Root Beer Float Supreme (they add black pepper molasses gelato), Gelato, Tarts, and Sorbet. The bar here is a major attraction. They offer Craft Beers, a solid Wine List, and a tremendous Bourbon and Whiskey collection. The Cocktails are original, creative and memorable. |
| Taste of Thai is downtown's Asian outlet, and it's a good one. The Hot and Sour Soup with its bamboo shoots, mushrooms, egg and special gravy is a must. Among the appetizers, we recommend the Chicken Satay, skewered chicken marinated and fried and served with a cucumber salad and peanut sauce; or the Golden Squid, battered and fried. There are six salads, all a foundation of onions, cilantro, chili, lime juice tossed with either chicken, beef, shrimp, squid or mixed seafood. Main course soups include coconut, lemon grass and mushrooms with your choice of chicken or shrimp, Lemon Grass Spicy and Sour base with either chicken or shrimp, or a medley of shrimp, mussels, squid and scallops. TT offers ten Stir Fry entrees and six Curried meats. Of these, we like the Sweet and Sour Chicken and Pad Prew Wan (chicken, pork or beef with garlic, onions, chili, cucumber, tomato, pineapple, and sweet and sour sauce), and others in our group like the Pad Woon Sen (your choice of meat with vermicelli noodles). The fish entrees include Catfish fileted, deep fried and then stir fried; or a whole Tilapia deep fried in chili sauce. Beverages include authentic Thai coffee or tea, both cold (it's too hot and steamy there for hot drinks). 100 West Main Street. From Hyatt, walk east four blocks and look for Taste of Thai on the corner of Limestone directly across from the Courthouse Complex. |  |
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Tony Ricci has invested heavily in his attempt to make Tony's the premier restaurant in Lexington. He has a good start with its location across from Rupp Arena. It's the only downtown restaurant offering valet parking. The decor is classy, and the menu touches all the bases. The Raw Bar serves Oysters and Alaskan King Crab. Appetizers include Crab Cakes, Calamari, Steak Tartare, Mussels and Seared Tuna. There are six Salads and six Pastas, of which our favorites are the Pappardelle Fra Diavolo (heavily peppered shrimp, tomatoes, black olives, roast peppers and spinach), Pasta Pescatore (shrimp, mussels, scallops, clams, linguine, cherry tomatoes in a lobster saffron sauce) and Pistachio Pesto Orechiette (grilled chicken, parmesan, asiago and romano). Seafood includes Scottish Salmon, Chilean Sea Bass, Blackened Yellow Fin Tuna, Shrimp & Grits ande Lobster. Other Entrees are Lamb, Ribs, Pork Chops and Chicken. The Sides refuse to be upstaged by all this. The Five Cheese Mac & Cheese is very good, Creamed Spinach better, and Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes With Homemade Cinnamon Maple Marshmallow memorable. Which, finally, brings us to the Steaks, Ricci's main focus. These are good steaks, well prepared (although the kitchen has a habit of fumbling the order, as in well done instead of medium rare, then tries to redo the same steak to fit the other preference, an unforgivable offense at a premium restaurant). There's Filet Mignon, New York Strip, Porterhouse and Ribeye, with or without Bone In. The problem is price. These Steaks range from $40 to $65, and even the other Entrees range in the $30s. In a predominantly Middle Class city, this makes Tony's a Special Occasion restaurant for most people, an expense account stop for business executives, and a one time experience for visiting sports fans. Lexington has a lot of restaurant options. Maintaining a large enough customer base with these prices will be a challenge. |
| The Triangle is in the Radisson Hotel, with big picture windows looking out on Triangle Park's fountains and trees. There's also a three season patio. This could be the most underrated restaurant in Lexington. It's suitable for a business lunch or a romantic dinner. Chef Josh Winslow is talented, buys from local farmers and serves Kentucky heirloom dishes such as Fried Green Tomatoes. He layers them with Country Ham, Red Pepper and Cream Cheese for possibly the best interpretation of this classic in the state. There's also Flatbread, Quesadillas and Mussels. Sous Chef Jessica VanHouten offers two spectacular Soups: Country Ham, Bean & Collard; and Tomato Avocado Blue Crab Gazpacho. Of six Salads, the Field Greens stand out. VanHouten lays a foundation of Arugula, Mesculum, etc., then adds Walnuts, Blue Cheese, Green Apple Slices, Strawberries and a Cider Balsamic Vinaigrette. By the time you enjoy the Fried Green Tomatoes, either Soup and this Salad, you'll have already had one of the best meals in town. But Entrees include Black Cod, Kentucky Lamb, King Salmon, Kentucky Short Ribs, Shellfish & Grits (shrimp, mussels, clams, sausage, white wine, garlic, lemon) and Yellowfin Tuna (in cilantro lime). You choose your two sides from Roast Asparagus, White Cheddar Grits, Garlic Yukon Mashed Potatoes, and six others. They're also open for breakfast and lunch. |  |
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