Though I love trying new restaurants and culinary offerings, I’d never been on an actual food tour before, so I was happy to experience a new walking food tour in downtown Lexington with Bites of the Bluegrass.
Erin Goins started Bites of the Bluegrass in Lexington after enjoying culinary walking tours in other cities.
Erin Goins, the organizer and owner of the tour, has an outgoing, effervescent personality. She said she’s always loved entertaining and planning excursions for family and friends. She and her husband, Greg, also enjoy going on food-themed tours during their travels, including in Nashville, San Diego, and Montreal.
Looking for a new career move, she launched her own tour in Lexington. She began researching local history and eating at downtown restaurants, mulling the best way to create a cohesive experience that told a great story — and showcased some fantastic food.
“Right away, I knew that Ouita Michel was very important to our food scene,” Goins said. Zim’s Café, part of the Ouita Michel Family of Restaurants, was the first to sign on for the tour. The café is also in the same building as the Lexington Visitors Center, the tour’s starting point. Goins said VisitLEX was very supportive in helping her launch the tour.
She soon signed up other locations within walking distance that represent Lexington’s diverse culinary scene, including Agave & Rye, The Southern Deli & Tavern, Salt & Vinegar in Ethereal Brewing Public House, and The Grove. She’s also talking with other restaurants and says the tour is already growing faster than she imagined.
Groups of 10 to 12 people embark on the three-hour tour every Friday afternoon, enjoying food at five stops, and on Saturdays, when four plates and three beverage pairings are offered.
A beverage-themed tour is also in the planning phase, Goins said, and she has plenty more ideas on tap, including singles-only tours, a progressive dinner and a holiday-themed outing.
“It’s really fun to think of these new ways to combine things that we celebrate with the love of our city and its food scene,” she said.
Participants spend 20 to 30 minutes at each location, with Goins providing details on the restaurants and interesting historical tidbits that convey Lexington’s local flavor. Goins can also recommend places to see and things to do while people are in town. On the tour I attended, some of our dining companions were from France, and she said others have attended from California and other states, along with numerous locals.
And, of course, there’s the food. At Zim’s Café, we had a small plate of barbecue on a hoecake with a side of slaw. The Southern Deli & Tavern served up locally sourced cheeseburger sliders with beer cheese and a fried onion petal with a side of zesty fried pickles and dipping sauce.
Agave & Rye’s macaroni and cheese beignet, served alongside a mini cup of syrup for dipping, was a hit with our group. A virgin margarita shot featured a tropical, edible “buzz button” flower garnish. When nibbled, it gives the tongue an astringent, almost electric feel and temporarily alters taste sensations. That was quite the experience, and our table was “abuzz” with reactions to the flower’s unusual effects.
Bites of the Bluegrass culinary walking tour features small plates at several downtown restaurants, including Salt & Vinegar in Ethereal Brewing Public House.
At Salt & Vinegar, we had a thinly sliced piece of hanger steak atop mashed potatoes with a side of spaetzle primavera, and a soft pretzel bite with cheese dip.
Chef/owner Greg Spaulding said his menu changes seasonally, as will the dishes served for tour participants. He chooses what to serve based on what’s proven popular with diners and anticipates the tour will encourage people to return.
“Getting people to walk through the front door is the hardest and most expensive part of operating a restaurant,” Spaulding said. “We are so confident in our food that we feel, once we get them in the door, our food will speak for itself, and our chances of getting them to be a return customer are pretty good.”
Tours are held rain or shine, and Goins expects to o er them year-round. She also plans to hire a few guides but for now is leading the tours herself to forge relationships and grow the business organically.
Our tour ended at The Grove, where we had fresh mixed berries and cream, and a skewered dried apricot stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with honey and candied pecans. Ice water was served at our stops, and other beverages could be purchased if desired.
Goins said the tour is her way of being a Lexington ambassador for visitors; and for locals, it’s a way to have a mini vacation in your own town.
“Seeing [Lexington] through a local’s lens makes it a lot different,” she said. “And it’s a double-win when you get to stop by restaurants and have small plates of food that are carefully curated.”
For more information, visit bitesofthebluegrass.com.