Designed to evoke a dinner party atmosphere with European flair, Mileta — a new upscale restaurant offering housemade pastas, shareables, and more — has opened at Fayette Mall.
The vision for Mileta comes from Lexington native and managing partner Dallas Rose, executive chef Alex Green, and director of operations and partner Aaron Wood.
The restaurant’s name also holds a trifecta of meanings. Mileta means “gracious” in Serbian, and it honors both Rose’s grandfather, Mile, and his daughter, Mila.
Rose’s entrepreneurial journey began during his college years when he launched Bunk’s Burger inside Two Keys Tavern. After a stint with Goldman Sachs in Texas, he returned to Lexington, where he spent the past six years developing an idea for his own restaurant concept. Rose and Green first met about 18 months ago, and together they finalized details for a winning concept in Mileta, which opened in early November.
Green, a Mayfield, Kentucky, native and Culinary Institute of America graduate, brings his diverse culinary experience to the table. Having worked in upscale Italian restaurants in New Orleans, Green also incorporates global influences into his cuisine. During the pandemic, he returned to Kentucky and shifted to corporate dining, where a mutual chef friend introduced him to Rose.
Together, Rose and Green aim to deliver a unique dining experience in Lexington, with robust cocktail and wine programs and a focus on handmade pastas, all served in an elegant space. Guests can watch chefs at work in a dedicated pasta-making room at the front of the restaurant, which also serves as a private dining room accommodating up to 10 guests.
The main dining area and bar accommodate about 120 patrons, with seating for 16 in the cocktail lounge and an additional 40 in the Rose Room — a cocktail bar and private dining space. When the patio opens during warmer months, Mileta can serve up to 200 guests. Reservations are recommended.
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The Rose Room at Mileta will soon open as a cocktail lounge and private event space, offering special libations and dining menus.
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The interiors feature a blend of mid-century modern and bohemian elements, accented with wood and brass.
Rose anticipates the menu, which emphasizes locally sourced ingredients and in-house preparation, will change frequently and with the seasons.
“Every single thing from what you see to taste to feel is intentional,” chef Green said.
For example, Mileta’s beef tartare dish, most often served in a French fashion, has a tasty twist.
“One of my favorite flavor profiles is beef and celery together, so we’re trying to integrate that throughout the whole dish,” Green said. The dish uses local beef from Marksbury Farms seasoned with celery vinegar, adding a smoked oyster aioli that mimics the smoky flavor of cooked beef, accompanied by potato chips fried in beef tallow.
Menu standouts are numerous, but the crispy potato bites — served with cultured cream, hackleback sturgeon caviar, and soft herbs — stood out as a favorite during a recent visit.
Other menu highlights include a fall squash medley served with sourdough croutons, toasted hazelnuts, and stracciatella (a stringy Italian cheese); a pork chop with heirloom borlotti beans, carrot-fennel salad, and grilled lemon; and half a dozen creative, handmade pasta dishes, ranging from radiatori with mushroom and red wine ragù and black truffle pâté to lumache pasta with Jake’s sausage ragù and Calabrian chile.
Jessica Ebelhar
The halibut entrée is served with wilted leeks and spinach over parsnip purée and a pistachio beurre blanc.
An upbeat soundtrack of hip-hop and R&B adds to the ambiance, which blends bohemian and mid-century elements — think rattan, natural stone, and brass accents with plush leather and velvet seating. Low lighting creates a warm and cozy ambiance, and artwork by local artists Spencer Reinhard and Patrick Smith is on display, adding to the intimacy of the setting.
Rose is confident that Mileta’s attention to detail, thoughtful preparation, and welcoming atmosphere will resonate with diners.
“We’re thinking about it like throwing a dinner party at our home every night,” he said.