Weekend Trip & Foodie Guide
to Lexington, Kentucky
When it comes to Kentucky’s second biggest city, it’s safe to say we’ve GOT YOU. We’ve lived in the Lexington area since moving here for college in 2008 (save for one year in Atlanta, but that’s another story!).
One of our favorite things about Lexington is that it is a very laidback city. Everything’s spread out, there’s plenty of parking (rest assured, friends with parking anxiety), and it’s surrounded by gorgeous blue-green Kentucky bluegrass.
Plus, we have a few hidden gems and they aren’t ALL equestrian-themed, though you’ll certainly be able to spot a horse or two (hundred) while you’re in town!
We work hard to compile the information that we have found to be helpful when traveling AND to keep this information free! If you find this information helpful & would like to support us, you can do so by buying us a coffee!
First things first…COFFEE
Lexington’s coffee shops give me unrealistic expectations for other cities in the U.S., but I’m not too salty about having excellent coffee shops close to home!
Leestown Coffee House - LCH is my tried & true coffee shop in Lexington and the best place to get an iced drink (you can quote me on that). The vibes are laidback, the drink menu is a mile long, and they have plenty of unique seasonal drinks that feature housemade syrups. Plus, they have a drive-thru. National coffee shop chains who?? What to Order: Baklava Latte; it’s my classic. I ALWAYS try their seasonal drinks, but the baklava latte is my ultimate favorite.
Manchester Coffee Co. - Minimalist design, lots of windows, plenty of plants, & delicious coffee. What’s not to love? What to Order: Cappuccino - the latte art game is bar none.
Lussi Brown - This shop is small, quirky, and extra hospitable. Lussi Brown sources some of the best coffee beans in the U.S. and has a partnership with one of our favorite Cincinnati coffee shops, Deeper Roots. Plus, they make all of their own syrups in house (& sell the bottles for you to up your home coffee game!). What to Order: Stupid Cupid - made with espresso over ice and strawberry milk.
Cup of Commonwealth - When Cup opened in 2013, they elevated the Lexington coffee game by driving the pay-it-forward movement & supporting fellow local business owners. It’s undeniable that Cup has influenced the Lexington community in an incredibly positive way. Their motto is Embrace Community. Serve Others. Create Culture. It turns out, they create a delicious cup of coffee, too. What to Order: Brewshine - Cold Brew steeped with charred bourbon barrel.
BREAKFAST
La Petite Delicat - Lexington is incredibly fortunate to have such a high-quality French patisserie in town! Between incredible breakfast pastries and a glass-case filled NOT with emotion, but a rainbow of beautiful macarons, there’s something for everyone at this bakery! What to Order: You cannot go wrong with an almond croissant or a bacon swiss quiche. And then, you can’t go wrong with a bourbon-pecan or pistachio macaron for dessert.
Martine’s - In case you didn’t get your fill of delicious French pastries, Lexington’s other darling patisserie is just down the road. With a more robust breakfast & lunch menu, Martine’s knocks it out of the park! What to Order: The waffle special on Saturdays & Sundays; the Croque Monsieur during the week.
Futile Bakery - OKAY, I have to mention one more bakery because it has my favorite scone in Lexington. It’s on the other end of downtown & has an array of cinnamon & pecan rolls in addition to their incredible pimento cheese scone. What to Order: Pimento Cheese scone: it’s creamy and a bit spicy. Delicious.
LUNCH
Dad’s Favorites - This deli hidden in an unassuming strip mall is one of Lexington’s favorite hidden gems. There’s usually a small line because it is that good. It is carry-out only, but there are picnic tables outside, along with a few diner tables in the shopping center for anyone who wants to hang out for a bit. What to Eat: The Farmhouse special on Mondays is a local favorite, combining chicken salad with Dad’s pimento cheese. Otherwise, they’re known for their cheese spreads which are all amazing (though the Asiago Sun-Dried Tomato spread is our fav!).
Bourbon n’ Toulouse - At this point, I’m just letting you know what all of us locals eat. This Cajun restaurant is Lexington’s sweetheart. Nearly everyone loves BnT and everyone else is just wrong. This Cajun restaurant is known for serving heaping helpings of delicious etoufee and gumbo and for giving back to the local community any chance they get. What to Order: I order a 1/2 & 1/2 of Chicken Etoufee & Chicken Creole. Phil likes a 1/2 & 1/2 of Gumbo and Tami’s Thai Peanut.
East End Tap & Table - This gem on the corner of Main Street has no business being as good as it is. With an Asian-inspired fusion menu, you really can’t go wrong at East End. What to Order: Banh Mi with sweet potato fries OR the Asian Bowl. The sauces are housemade and they are delicious.
Windy Corner Market - While in Lexington, you can’t go wrong with a meal from one of the restaurants opened by locally-renowned chef Ouita Michel. All of her restaurants are great (Smithtown Seafood, nestled next to West Sixth Brewing is a personal favorite!), but we love Windy Corner Market for the beautiful Lexington scenery it provides. Located on the outskirts of town, in the heart of central Kentucky’s rolling horse farms, this cafe & market is the perfect slow, Lexington getaway. What to Order: We love to order a Kentucky Boy sandwich, loaded with local pulled pork, bourbon barrel beer cheese, fried pickles, & remolaude.
ACTIVITIES
Kentucky Horse Park - Okay fine. It’s a rite of passage to do SOMETHING equestrian while in Lex. The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm with multiple museums, a kid’s barn, & a visitor’s center. Plus, during the holidays, it is home to the Southern Lights, where you can drive through the holiday light display then end your tour with hot cocoa at the Visitor Center.
During more temperate seasons (& if you’re feeling particularly energetic!), the adjacent Legacy Trail is a 12-mile walking & biking path that connects Downtown Lexington to the Horse Park!
McConnell Springs Park - This local park with 26-acres of undeterred woodlands makes you feel like you’ve driven far outside the city, when you’re only 1 mile from downtown! Spot the turtles at the lake, traipse down to the Blue Hole (a natural spring featuring a prism of blue hues!), and work your way around to the towering 250-year-old Bur Oak tree at the end of the trail.
The Distillery District - This entertainment district offers a host of options for a night on the town. Grab a slice at Goodfella’s, then catch a pop-up cantina band and a margarita at Desperado’s. Wash it all down with a hand-crafted ice cream from Crank & Boom (their fall/winter seasonal Spiced Cookie Crumble is EVERYTHING) and head over to District 7 for duck-pin bowling. End your night across Manchester St. at The Burl, where you can grab a drink, play classic arcade games, and catch a show at the music hall.
The Kentucky Castle - If you’re flying into Lex, don’t miss our crown jewel of unique attractions: the Kentucky Castle. Despite its weird & convoluted history (construction began in 1969 before the couple divorced and it sat unfinished & unused for decades, before being sold in 2003 and promptly catching fire in 2004), the property has grown into a beautiful castle that hosts a variety of events and a restaurant/hotel on property. It’s technically in Versailles (pronounced Ver-sails because we are, in fact, in Kentucky and not France), but it’s only a few minutes down the road from Lexington’s Bluegrass Airport.
DINNER
County Club - It may not be an exaggeration when I say I would probably eat County Club every day of the week. This restaurant features a warm, cozy atmosphere indoors, as well as a robust outdoor seating area for 3 seasons of the year. But the food…where to even begin? They change their small menu out on the 1st of the month where they play around with new flavors on their classic menu staples: smoked wings (to die for), smashburger, pulled pork sandwich or pita, grain bowl, & salad. They throw in a few new specials and keep a few untouched classics (like a delicious poutine for instance), top the menu off with a monthly dessert, & THEY EVEN HAVE A DIP SPECIAL. Okay, I will stop raving. For now. What to Order: Everything is amazing, but Phil is probably going to order the wing special (& the lemon tahini garlic wings if they have it) & Dev is probably going to order the sandwich special…or the smashburger special…or the grain bowl special. Then, we’re going to split the fries & make them Oaxacan. Top it off with a bundt cake dessert if they have one on the menu.
Corto Lima - The atmosphere at Corto Lima is nearly just as good as their margaritas…and that is saying a lot. This is the perfect casual, yet swanky place to go for a night on the town with your friends. The food is delicious, the margaritas are the best in town, and the restaurant is fun. For a different experience with the same high standard, check out their weekend brunch! What to Order: We love to split several tapas: tamales, blue corn empanadas, guacamole, and papas en la latte. Prickly pear margarita for Dev; Pisco sour for Phil.
Epping’s - I pretty much rotate my birthday celebrations between Epping’s and the two restaurants listed above because they’re my favorite dinner restaurants in town. Epping’s is the fanciest of the three, but it also has an amazing rotating menu of tapas-style dishes while drawing influences from cuisines across the world. Everything at Epping’s is delicious. If you’re celebrating something big, this is your place. What to Order: We always change up our order, but the crispy brussels sprouts ALWAYS make their way onto our plates.
Pearl’s - Lexington’s local wood-fired pizza restaurant is some of the best we have had. Their menu & space are small (so make sure you get there early!), but the food is worth it. In the mornings, the storefront is converted into a bagel shop with delicious bagel options loaded with local ingredients and smoked meats! What to Order: Farm Greens salad (delicious & elevated) and a Hellbabe pizza if you’re feeling a little spice.
Bella Notte - After all these years, Bella Notte is still my favorite Italian option in town. Classic dishes with house-made pasta and a rotating seasonal menu. It’s toward the busy end of town (cue Nicholasville Rd. mall traffic), but the food is delicious. This is also another spot that has a greak weekend brunch! What to Order: Penne Gorgonzola. It’s delicious. But you also can’t go wrong with anything off the pasta or seasonal menus.
DRINKS
West Sixth Brewing - Located in a century-old bread factory building, West Sixth paved the way in Lexington’s craft brewery scene. In fact, it’s hard to visit any restaurant in the central Kentucky region and not encounter a wide variety of West Sixth options! The beer is delicious, the brewery has plenty of mixed-use seating, and you can order food at Smithtown Seafood next door. What to Order: Phil likes the Amber Ale; I like the Sun Shade Wheat or whatever seasonal gose is on tap! For IPA lovers, the Pennyrile Ale is a great option.
Ona - This cozy, dark, plant-filled bar is my favorite Lexington hideaway. Great seasonal bar menu; great lounge-style atmosphere. We often round out birthday celebrations with a trip to Ona! What to Order: Their menu changes with the season, but if there’s ever a yogurt-based chai drink on it: RUN TO GET IT.
Lost Palm - LP’s rooftop bar may be the swankiest locale in all of Lexington! With panoramic downtown views and gorgeous interior decor, this is the perfect spot for a night on the town. Plus, their mocktails (yes, you read that correctly!) are also divine. What to Order: I love the Baby Bird mocktail: Pineapple, lime, coconut - what’s not to love?
The Burl Arcade - I mentioned it earlier, but it needs a permanent spot on the Lexington guide. Grab a drink at the bar & a roll of quarters (or cash them in on site) to play arcade games you haven’t seen since childhood! Plus, you may even get lucky enough to catch a concert afterward. What to Order: It’s a standard bar. The drinks are decent, but the atmosphere is why we love this place.
Kentucky Native Cafe - Lexington’s gorgeous beer garden nestled right in the heart of a downtown neighborhood makes Kentucky Native Cafe the perfect spot for an afternoon sip. Surrounded by a gorgeous curation of local plants (hence the name), this hideaway patio provides ample seating behind the popular Michler’s greenhouse. While summer is its most popular season, Kentucky Native also hosts Oktoberfest and Christkindlmarkt events that make it a popular spot in both the fall and winter, as well. What to Order: Order the burrata plate and the Bellini special to be transported directly into Italy in the midst of your trip to Lexington.
Had your fill of Lexington? Head up I-75 to our other hometown city of Cincinnati, Ohio or explore other things to see in the state of Kentucky!
