Nearly a year ago, the National Restaurant Association issued some dire statistics, saying nearly one in six restaurants nationwide, or about 100,000, had closed either permanently or long-term due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 3 million restaurant employees were out of work as the industry was on the brink of losing $240 billion in sales by year’s end.
Though that figure was confirmed by the association in January, the local and national restaurant industry landscape has gradually improved its outlook in the first half of 2021.
A handful of Lexington restaurants closed temporarily or permanently over the past year — including Nick Ryan’s, Locals’, Portofino and Parlay Social — yet others held on and a surprising number of new ones opened.
Salt & Vinegar, located inside Blue Stallion Brewing Co., is among the Lexington restaurant concepts that opened in the past year.
After working in some of Lexington’s well-known local kitchens for two decades, Greg Spaulding found himself unemployed during the pandemic. He says having his own restaurant was always a goal, but circumstances prompted him to take the leap in 2020.
“I figured now is the time,” he said.
Locating inside Blue Stallion has been a symbiotic relationship that’s helped the business gain traction.
“It’s a great partnership because right out of the gate I have customers from people coming into Blue Stallion, and now after several months I’m finally to the point where I can reciprocate that and people are coming in to buy food and have some beer,” Spaulding said.
Alison Davis had been working as an economics professor and executive director of the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky at the University of Kentucky.
As the pandemic surged, she spoke in her CEDIK role to entrepreneurs about looking for new business opportunities where they live based on need. As an example, she’d tell them that Nicholasville, where she lives, could easily support a wine and coffee bar.
Over time and the more she said it, the more she thought maybe she should be the one to do it. She and her husband, Web Barney, an entomologist, opened Luna’s Coffee, Wine and Butterfly Cafe this spring.
“We were not thinking about this before COVID at all,” Davis said. “We thought people were going to be really eager to get back to a new normal.”
She said the cafe is bustling, as its opening coincided with pandemic-related restrictions lifting.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better opening, to be honest,” she said.
Here’s a look at other new and buzzworthy restaurants that have opened locally or pivoted their business model over the past year.
Bella’s Cafe & Grille
890 E. High St., bellacafeandgrille.com
Bella’s Cafe & Grille is a new restaurant from Kuni Toyoda, developer of Bella Notte, Smashing Tomato, Crust aka Bella Forno and Fazoli’s restaurant concepts.
Located in the Chevy Chase area in the former location of LeMatin Bakery, the menu includes a selection of salads, appetizers, sides and sandwiches, as well as entrees such as JJ’s Smoked Chicken, filet mignon, Bolognese pasta and buttermilk chicken.
The Belt Line
808 N. Limestone, beltlinelex.square.site
The former J Gumbo’s has rebranded as The Belt Line Southern Grill + Gumbo, with a renovated dining room, patio and kitchen area, as well as a new menu and concept.
Cajun and Creole food will remain a core menu theme, said chef/owner Robbie Morgan, and she’ll honor Kentucky’s food culture with seasonal Southern fare, including trout over creamed peas, potatoes and bacon; fried chicken and colcannon and a “Goodness Gracious Bowl” with grains and seasonal vegetables.
Big Kahuna Hawaiian BBQ
904 Liberty Road, bigkahunalex.com
At recently opened Big Kahuna Hawaiian BBQ, waves of diners have been arriving to try the tropics’ best comfort food.
Lunch plates include Loco Moco, two brown gravy-topped beef patties over sticky rice topped with sunny side up eggs; and Kalua Pork, first marinated, then smoked. The BBQ chicken in a sweet teriyaki sauce, coconut shrimp, katsu (panko breaded/fried) pork or chicken, and grilled tofu complete the lunch menu o erings, served with traditional sides of macaroni salad and sticky rice, or subbed with fries or slaw.
A variety of upscale hot dogs, sausages, sandwiches and sides are on the menu at Boonedogs Bar & Restaurant.
Boonedogs Bar & Restaurant
5902 Old Richmond Road, boonedogslex.com
Located in a renovated former gas station with a large outdoor seating area, the restaurant is a partnership between two couples — Tim and Jessica Jones and Hil and Charlotte Boone.
The menu centers on upscale hot dogs. Purists can order all-beef traditional hot dogs, chili dogs and corn dogs, while those looking for a new flavor to savor can order dogs topped with ranch slaw, chow chow, bacon jam, ham, tomatoes and more. A variety of sausages, cheeseburgers, sandwiches, salads and sides round out the menu, along with drink selections that include cocktails and a wide variety of bourbons.
Bourbon Library at Blue Grass Airport provides a convenient spot for travelers to sample Kentucky’s signature spirit, along with southern-inspired cuisine.
Bourbon Library at Blue Grass Airport
4000 Terminal Dr., Concourse B, bluegrassairport.com
Bourbon Library at Blue Grass Airport, a new full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, has opened in Concourse B.
Operated by Delaware North, the airport’s food and beverage partner, the menu includes comfort foods like fried green tomatoes, BBQ bourbon burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and salads, along with, of course, bourbon.
Cattywampus Station
161 Lexington Green Circle cattywampusstation.com
Cattywampus Station, which opened this spring, is a frosty, fun-filled offshoot of Georgetown’s Sweet Matriarch bakery, which began serving its over-the-top Cattywampus Shakes to a level of demand that warranted its own location.
The Cuban Corner
1496 Leestown Road, Ste. 125
The Cuban Corner is a convenience store, bakery, coffee shop and restaurant rolled into one. Opened in early 2021, the shop offers Cuban entrees and sides, Cuban sandwiches, tamales, pastries, cakes and Cuban coffees. There are also pantry and frozen staple ingredients, snacks, drinks and more.
Goodwood Brewing Lexington Brewpub
200 Lexington Green Circle, goodwood.beer
Opened in late 2020 in the former Mellow Mushroom location in Lexington Green, Goodwood Brewing’s 5,300-square-foot Lexington brewpub includes a bar with 40 tap handles, an in-house brewery and overflow/ private event dining.
Its menu consists of elevated pub fare with starters like fried green tomatoes and brisket totchos, a variety of salads and bourbon barrel stout chili; mains like shrimp and grits, and a bourbon brined pork chop; and handhelds including burgers and wraps; as well as lunch specials.
The Goose
170 Jefferson St.
The former Grey Goose restaurant is now The Goose Lexington, according to co-owner Kristen Richardson. The restaurant is owned and sta ed with several of those displaced by the closing of Portofino in 2020.
The Goose Lexington opened in early May with indoor dining and a covered patio. Its menu includes a variety of burger options, entrees like bourbon pork and apples, and veal meatloaf marsala, pizzas, salads, soups, sides and sandwiches.
Horse and Jockey Pub and Kitchen opened in January, in the downtown location formerly occupied by Cheapside Bar and Grille.
Horse and Jockey Pub and Kitchen
131 Cheapside, horseandjockeypub.com
Touting itself as “an Irish gastropub in the heart of downtown Lexington,” Horse and Jockey’s drink menu is massive, with an extensive list of beer, wines, cocktails, Irish and Scotch whiskey, bourbon, after-dinner drinks, cocktails and frozen drinks.
In addition to its dinner menu, brunch is served Sat.-Sun. Go authentic for brunch with a full Irish breakfast, complete with Irish sausage, bacon, black and white pudding, grilled tomato, baked beans, two eggs and homemade Irish bread.
Hot Head Burritos
1445 Newtown Center Way, hotheadburritos.com
Dayton-based Hot Head Burritos opened a new Lexington location in early May, o ering a variety of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, bowls and nachos that can be ordered off the “mild” or “wild” menus or customized to diners’ tastes. Inside you’ll also find Hot Head Burritos Cantina, a place to cool off this summer with beers, margaritas and more.
ItalX
160 W. Main St., italx.com
Chef Jonathan Lundy and Certified Sommelier T.J. Cox bring a taste of Italy to Lexington’s City Center with an open-air Mediterranean bistro backdrop at ItalX, which opened fall 2020.
From the focaccia and farinata bread, antipasti and salads to a host of Italian entrees and pasta dishes, everything is house made. The wine list spans two pages.
Reservations are offered up to 30 days in advance, and parties of more than six are asked to call for reservations, with a maximum party size of 12.
Luna’s Coffee, Wine & Butterfly Cafe
109 Springdale Drive, Ste. 4, Nicholasville, lunascoffeewine.com
Married duo Alison Davis and Web Barney recently opened this eclectic cafe, combining a love of great food, beverages and butterflies. Along with co ee, tea, wine and a full bar, patrons can enjoy salads like prosciutto and goat cheese kale salad, sandwiches including artisan grilled cheese and chicken salad croissant, and charcuterie and dessert boards.
Where do butterflies come in? They’re fluttering about in butterfly houses and drinks are also named in their honor.
Old Vine Bistro
400 Old Vine St., Ste. 108, ovbistro.com
Located in a former 1930s-era tire garage, OV Bistro offers diners a “renovated, modern atmosphere embodied with hints of tradition and Kentucky culture and classical American cuisine,” according to its menu description.
Owner Larry Dean says the bistro will be closed for renovations the week of July 5, but foodies can look for it to reopen with a new menu shortly thereafter.
Papi’s at Palomar
3901 Harrodsburg Road, papislex.com
The newest location in the Papi’s restaurant family is Papi’s at Palomar, opened in April in the Fountains at Palomar development at Harrodsburg Road and Man O’ War Boulevard. An affordable lunch menu includes quesadillas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas and fajitas, as well as dishes like Pescado Veracruzano, white fish with tomatoes, onions, herbs, olive oil and peppers in a white wine sauce. The location also features a spacious patio.
El Patio
2628 Richmond Road
Opened in fall 2020, El Patio offers a build-your-own nachos appetizer, combination platters, house specialties, seafood, fajitas, a kids’ menu and desserts, with drink options including beer, margaritas and daiquiris.
A lunch menu is available Monday-Friday, featuring tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, chimichanga, quesadilla, taco salad and more. As its name suggests, patio seating is available.
Pearl’s Pizza added Pearl’s Bagels to its morning hours four days a week.
Pearl’s Bagels
133 N. Limestone, pearlspizzapie.com
Part of the Pearl’s Pizza family is Pearl’s Bagels, available four days a week during prime brunching, bagel-munching hours. Woodfired bagels come in salted, poppy, sesame and everything varieties that can be topped with spreads that include scallion, cinnamon, local honey and vegan.
A wide assortment of bagel sandwiches are also on the menu: egg and selected cheese with garlic mayo; smoked whitefish salad, smoked brisket, steak, salmon, veggies, fruit and more.
Postmaster’s Pub
307 W. Short St., postmasterspub.com
Originally a circa 1825 post office, Postmaster’s Pub is now delivering to hungry diners.
The dinner menu has shareables, sandwiches, salads and entrees like sirloin steak and grilled salmon. Desserts include bourbon bread pudding and beignets. Lunch options include salads, sandwiches, sides and desserts, and brunch-goers can nosh on Nashville Hot Chicken & Waffle Sliders and other entrees.
Rosticeria Dona Coco
1804 Alexandria Drive, Ste. 103
A new Lexington restaurant is making rotisserie chicken the star of its menu.
Rosticeria Dona Coco opened this spring on Alexandria Drive, and its abbreviated menu, which is carryout only, offers a chicken combo for $14.99 or a half chicken for $9.99, both with two sides plus tortillas and salsa. Side items include rice, beans, mashed potatoes, macaroni, corn and green beans.
Roulay’s rooftop dining area is a popular spot during summer evenings. The restaurant recently reopened with an Asian-fusion inspired, small-plate menu.
Roulay Restaurant & Bar
107 W. Short St.
Roulay closed for a time to regroup during the pandemic but reopened with cocktails and tapas with an Asian fusion approach, from fresh and charbroiled oysters and fried pickles to Korean- and Japanese-style chicken dishes and Thai-style grilled steak. Its bar boasts more than 125 bourbons, with happy hour specials and rooftop seating.
Salt & Vinegar
610 W. Third St.
Greg Spaulding opened Salt & Vinegar in Blue Stallion Brewing Co. during the pandemic, with German influenced dishes and those from the southern U.S. dominating the menu. He sources local ingredients whenever possible and changes the menu seasonally to reflect what produce is in peak season.
Tudor’s Biscuit World
757 E. New Circle Road, tudorsbiscuitworld.com
West Virginia-based Tudor’s Biscuit World migrated its family of restaurants westward into Lexington with a new location that opened in late September, with its signature biscuits the star of its menu.