Celebrated Lexington restaurateur, Chef Cole Arimes, is excited to bring a fresh twist to the Lexington restaurant scene with an elevated and finely-crafted dining experience at The Vine. Photo furnished
With Cole Arimes, the chef/owner behind Epping’s and Cole’s 735 Main, at the helm, The V, a new seafood-driven fine dining restaurant, has opened downtown in The Vine Lexington, a commercial building recently converted to include residential space, short-term rentals, a private club and more. While some elements of The Vine will only be open to members and residents, the restaurant, which celebrated its grand opening in September, is open to the public and now accepting reservations.
• By combining far less celebrated soap suds with the more fun, drinkable kind, The Laundry Room on Regency Point Path is now serving libations, spinning together a mundane chore with adult beverages for some good, clean fun.
• After some delays, the Haitian family restaurant Le Gourmet opened mid-September at 1080 S. Broadway.
• Specializing in gourmet grilled cheeses and other sandwiches, the Berea-based Bert’s Speakcheezy has opened a Lexington location at 2985 Liberty Rd.
• Mama Linda’s Chicken opened at 580 Eureka Springs, serving chicken, ribeye, burgers, fish, salads, desserts and sides.
• Southern Cookhouse & Bar has opened at 844 Hays Blvd., serving starters that include beer cheese with pretzels and deviled eggs, aka “church eggs.” Creative salads are also available, along with various burgers, pizza and entrees like bourbon-glazed filet and Orleans pasta.
• Kung Fu Noodle has opened at 535 S. Upper St. in the University of Kentucky campus, with hand-pulled noodles, Chinese burgers and skewers.
• Ford’s Garage has opened near Fayette Mall with a Ford automobile-themed aesthetic in which burgers, sides, salads, soups and more are served, including a “Giant Funnel Tower of Piston Onion Rings.”
• Fond farewells are in order for: The Wok, which closed on Waller Avenue and is set to become China Hut. Maple Street Biscuits on Nicholasville Road and the Lucille Drive Biscuit Belly both closed recently, as did Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen on Broadway at The Square. A bevy of local pizza places recently served their last slice, including West Coast Pizza on Nicholasville Road, Giovanni’s Pizza on East New Circle Road, Mod Pizza’s Tates Creek location, and Puccini’s Boston Road location. And lastly, Tuk Tuk Snack Shop will close as of mid-November.
• Meanwhile, Marco’s Pizza has opened at 2051 Richmond Rd. Suite 120, with pizzas being but one category in its extensive Italian menu.
• A third location of the popular “elevated everyday dining” eatery Bella Cafe & Grille was set to open in mid-November in Hamburg Pavilion, 2200 War Admiral Way.
• Papi’s Citation, the fourth location in the Lexington-based family of fast-casual Mexican restaurants, opened in November 1988 Stockton Way, near the Citation Publix.