Lots of highly anticipated new restaurants and bars have opened in recent months, so we thought it would be a good time to highlight and share the stories behind some of our new favorite local eatin’ & drinkin’ spots.
If you’ve got the scoop on a new (or coming soon) culinary endeavor we might have missed, email Chevy Chaser Magazine editor Saraya Brewer at saraya@smileypete.com for consideration in a future issue.
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Beach House Caribbean Coffee & Tapas
Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
It might be the dead of winter, but a new local Caribbean-themed restaurant and coffee house is working hard to summon all things warm. Beach House Caribbean Coffee & Tapas, a Caribbean eatery conceptualized by the owners of Fida’s Caribbean Cafè, opened in the North Lime neighborhood in January, with menu highlights that include Haitian coffee and twists on Caribbean-fused delicacies, such as oxtail, curried goat, conch ceviche and more.
David Laurenvil, who co-owns the restaurant with his mother, Fida Noel, says the restaurant concept is a nod to images from his childhood and teenage years growing up in Miami. Laurenvil is a first-generation Haitian whose family fled to the United States in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
“Small, street-fare style portions – or tapas – were served out of quaint homes and eateries, plentiful throughout different neighborhoods and from all cultures of cuisine,” he said, reminiscing on his childhood in Miami. “These places served as second homes, almost, the apex of socialization and convenience, where true community bloomed.”
Located in a bright yellow, shotgun-style house directly behind Al’s Bar – the bar, restaurant and music venue where he has been operating Fida’s Cafè since 2017 – Beach House features an atmosphere Laurenvil describes as “a homey, coffee-shop feel in a casual dining environment.” With rustic wood accents, custom-made bourbon barrel table tops and beach-themed artwork created by local artist Agustin Zarate, the restaurant is designed with small group dining in mind – a place where couples, families or friends can enjoy a family-style meal in a casual “but more exotic” atmosphere than Fida’s at Al’s Bar (which is still open for evening hours).
Currently open for breakfast and lunch five days a week, the restaurant is available for private events in the evenings and plans to host special dining events with guest chefs in the future.
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Epping’s on Eastside / Poppy & Olive
Lunch: Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Dinner: Mon.-Thurs., 5-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun., 5-11 p.m.; bar will open at 4 p.m. daily, and the bakery will be open 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily.
The sprawling historic establishment that most recently housed National Provisions will is now home to a new multi-concept culinary endeavor – one where owners hope patrons will feel as comfortable bringing their kids for a casual family meal as they would bringing a date there for a special night out.
Co-owner Cole Arimes (owner and chef of Coles 735 Main) is partnering with his uncle, Richard Turnbull, on the business, which features two distinct concepts. Poppy & Olive – named after nicknames Arimes and his wife gave their two children based on their size when the couple found out they were expecting – is a “parent-friendly” concept, designed to make family dining easier and a better quality experience for all ages. A bakery counter at the main entrance offers Nate’s Coffee and a selection of gourmet, housemade pastries with a handful of smaller, cafe-style tables, while an adjacent dining space features a “non-breakable, no judgment” zone, where kids can try healthy and appealing meals, servers are prepared to operate on a kid-friendly service timeline, and parents can relax and order a cocktail and gourmet meal.
Behind the bakery, Epping’s on Eastside offers a more upscale bar and dining area while still retaining a “neighborhood” feel. Epping’s features a diverse menu of salads, sandwiches, appetizers and entrees, with house-cured meats and an array of internationally inspired dishes (curry, confit, fish and chips, bahn mi). Entree price points largely fall in the $12-$25 range.
The restaurants also feature several unique dining and gathering spaces that will eventually be available to rent for private functions.
The historic building - originally home to John G. Epping’s bottling facility in the 1940s — has been fully reimagined by a local design team from Haven Home & Garden. Simple yet sophisticated, the design was largely inspired by organic, natural materials, with a mix of new antique and accents.
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Tiffany Combs
Mirror Twin / Rolling Oven
723 National Ave, Lexington, Kentucky 40502Hours: Tues.-Sun.,4-midnight (the space plans to open one hour before tip-offon days of UK Men’s Basketball games)
In January, the Warehouse Block brewery Mirror Twin Brewing took its namesake concept to an entirely new level when it opened a sister location in a nearly identical building just across the parking lot.
Expanding into the former location of music club Cosmic Charlie’s, which moved out of the neighborhood last summer following a series of noise complaints, was a natural next step for the brewpub and it’s culinary partner, Rolling Oven Pizza, according to Mirror Twin co-owner and head brewer Derek DeFranco.“We absolutely loved having Cosmic here, but we also realized we needed some more space,” Defranco said. “When this building became available, it was kind of a no-brainer for us to acquire it.”
The new space features 16 beer taps, plenty of seating, a full wine and cocktail menu and two new ovens for Rolling Oven. While it has a slightly more upscale feel than the original location, the owners are clear that it’s still a casual, “come as you are” environment.
“Don’t feel like you can’t wear sweatpants just because we have subway tile on the walls and nice picnic benches,” said co-owner Mike Sobolak with a laugh.
In conjunction with the taproom/front-of-house expansion, Mirror Twin recently upgraded the capacity of their brewing equipment as well, from a three-barrel system to a 15-barrel system. The new equipment will significantly increase the production volume – while they were previously capable of producing 30 barrels of beer at any given time, the new system enables them to produce 160 barrels.
The move also opens up new culinary capabilities for the partnering businesses as well. Having three ovens will allow the Rolling Oven team to operate certain ovens at lower temperatures (pizza ovens are kept at 800 degrees), which will make room for a more diversified menu. Rolling Oven owner Nick Ring is experimenting with different specials and items like steak and pork ribs.
“I’m into the creative side, building out the menu,” said Rolling Oven owner Nick Ring, who grew up making pizza with his mom. “That’s what I’m having fun with right now.
”On busy nights before the expansion, DeFranco says he would sometimes see people walk into Mirror Twin, see that there weren’t any seats and walk out.
Now, when people go to leave, DeFranco takes pleasure in telling them about the new space.
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Pearl’s
133 N. Limestone St., Lexington, KentuckyHours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
The downtown location that most recently housed Limestone Blue is now home to Lexington’s sexiest pizza parlor: Pearl’s. Backed by an all-star team of partners that includes members behind County Club and Bar Ona, Pearl’s specializes in wood-fired pizzas, salads and shellfish, in an atmosphere owners say is inspired by “a blend of the classic clam shack and California modernism.” Designed by the same team responsible for the ambiance of County Club and Ona, the space manages to feel modern and sleek while warm and inviting at the same time — a neon “Pearl’s” sign on the large exterior windows, simple yet striking, adds a glowing layer of warmth to the low interior lighting, cast by a line of oversized globe pendants.
“We wanted to create a space with lighting that could easily transition from an airy and bright lunch service to a neon-soaked dinner hour,” co-owner Coleman Guyon explained.
Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Pearl’s offers a rotating selection of specials and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays in addition to its regular menu, which is heavy on items that are easily shareable. The menu features eight unique pizzas, including the early fan favorite “Hellbabe” — topped with tomato sauce, Mozzarella, salame piccante, red onion, pepperoncini, parmesan and a drizzle of hot honey.
Other highlights include a charred broccoli salad, wood-fired oysters and tinned sardines, and the bar offerings are kept fresh with rotating craft beers, an intriguing wine list and creative cocktails like the “Vespa,” Pearl’s’ take on the vesper martini, with olive oil-washed gin and vodka and Lillet Blanc.
The restaurant seats a cozy 42 along hickory table tops that can easily be arranged to accommodate small or large groups, along with a handful of booths and bar seats.
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Ranada’s Bistro + Bar
Hours: Tues.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.,11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. (brunch 10 a.m.-3 p.m.); Sun., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (brunch)
Ranada’s Bistro & Bar, an eclectic and cozy eatery, opened in January in the Old Vine Street location that formerly housed Wines on Vine, and more recently, Walker’s, which closed in mid-November. With chef and owner Ranada Riley (an original owner and executive chef at Lexington Diner) at the helm, along with co-owner Larry Dean, the restaurant features a diverse menu with “something for everyone.” Flatbreads, soups and salads are at home alongside upscale dinner entrees that include “Bulleit-proof” fried chicken (served with a spicy bourbon mustard and smashed roasted garlic red potatoes), and Caribbean black grouper, served with basmati rice and caramelized pineapple-and-mango salsa. Other highlights include a charcuterie board, a blackened wedge salad and a bourbon beef Bahn Mi sandwich. The full bar features craft cocktails, wine and beer.
The spacious restaurant, which seats 105 people inside and 30 on the patio during warmer months, features regular live music, special events and a special weekend brunch menu with items like a Kentucky Hot Brown Omelet and a Bourbon Bacon Jam Burger.
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