The Red River Gorge might offer some of the best outdoor opportunities, but there’s also something for your belly
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gorge: fish tacos
A quick jaunt to the Red River Gorge area, only about an hour away, for a day trip or a weekend camping getaway is a popular recreational pursuit for people in Lexington. The vast canyon system, with its sandstone cliffs and ridges, makes the area inside the Daniel Boone National Forest a renowned destination for rock climbers, and for those taken with thrill seeking, there’s over 600 miles of hiking trails of varying difficulty – just about all of them offer some sort of striking vista along the way. (And even still, if hiking is too much, there’s always the Sky Lift at the Natural Bridge State Park which can cart you to your airy destination.)
And there’s also the food.
Along the side roads off of the Mountain Parkway, a number of restaurants and diners, from greasy spoons to eclectic organic cafes, have become almost as popular of destinations as their surrounding outdoor environs. Notoriously managed and staffed by laid-back climbers trying to make a buck in between their time on the face of a cliff, these “off the side of the road” establishments are personable, and satiating, pit stops after a day’s hike.
The fall, when the cooler weather starts to paint the gorge in vibrant hues of red and orange, is one of the busiest times for the area. If you find yourself in the Red River Gorge, be sure to stop by one of these spots for a bite to eat, it’s almost certain that your server or cook can give you and your company some insider tips on the best places to take in the changing leaf colors.
Red River Rockhouse
4000 Rt. 11
Campton, Ky.
3 - 9 p.m. Mon., Thurs. - Fri.
8:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sat.
8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sun.
Closed Tues. – Wed.
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gorge - red river rockhouse
The Rockhouse is one of the newest additions to the assortment of restaurants along Route 11; it celebrated its two-year anniversary in September.
The clean, uncluttered, almost modern, aesthetic inside differentiates this restaurant from other eateries in the area, and so does the food.
With an emphasis on organic and healthy meats and produce, chef and co-owner (and avid climber) Aaron Brouwer puts a gourmet spin on hamburgers, burritos and “porktato pancakes” (look up the description on their online menu).
“We responsibly source and locally source as many meats and cheeses and eggs as we can,” Brouwer said. “Nothing has antibiotics, hormones, steroids. We use organics as much as we can. One of my biggest goals working in a restaurant - restaurants are uber-wasteful. They’re not Wal-Mart, but they throw out so much stuff. We don’t. We buy every week for the week, that’s it. We buy based on the weather and we throw out so little.”
Miguel’s Pizza & Climb Shop
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1890 Natural Bridge Rd.
Slade, Ky.
7 a.m. - 9:45 p.m. Daily (Mar. 1 - Dec. 1)
For many visitors to the Red River Gorge, not stopping at venerable Miguel’s Pizza and Climb Shop would be heresy. The owners, Miguel and Susan Ventura, have been serving up pie to hungry climbers since 1984 when they opened their business, now with its easily identifiable yellow exterior paint.
Outside, the picnic tables are usually populated with outdoor enthusiasts either gearing up for the day or stepping into something more comfortable after an afternoon of activity in between bites. Inside, retail climbing gear — ropes, latches, harnesses, shoes, gloves — is strewn about everywhere except on top of the few tables.
In keeping with the informal feel of the pizzeria, the menu isn’t only one page, its about the size of an index card, with the list of available pizza toppings taking up the majority of the space.
Other Options
Sky Bridge Station
8 Ky. 715
Pine Ridge, Ky.
(606) 668-9927
Sky Bridge Station opened in July of this summer and specializes in gourmet hotdogs and a rotating selection of draft beer. The restaurant is also the headquarters for a climbing tourism business, which offers lodging and guided rock tours.
Froggy Bottom Diner
1341 Natural Bridge Rd.
Slade, Ky.
(606) 663-3710
The Froggy Bottom is a quaint hole-in-the-wall diner offering all sorts of food items, though their smoked ribs and pulled pork sandwiches are fan favorites.