Your guide to 20 new (or coming soon!) local eateries
NOW OPEN
Agave and Rye, a taco and tequila hall specializing in “epic tacos,” has opened a second Lexington location at the corner of Broadway and Short Street, in the building that formerly housed Saul Good. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Agave & Rye
123 N. Broadway • www.agaveandrye.com
(859) 523-1170 • Open for lunch and dinner Mon.-Sun.
The taco and tequila hall Agave & Rye has opened a second Lexington location, in the downtown venue that most recently housed Saul Good. The concept started in Covington, Ky., in Feb. 2018, and opened a second location within two years, at Lexington’s Fayette Mall. It has since expanded its footprint to 10 locations in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Alabama.
With a fun, colorful interior design influenced by street art and “maximalism,” the restaurant is known for its “epic tacos,” a reference to both the size and atypical fillings of the double-shelled tacos, which have a crunchy corn shell inside of a flour tortilla. Customers can choose from around 20 tacos on the menu, featuring fillings that range from butter-and-garlic lobster and beer-battered mahi-mahi to bourbon shrimp, barbacoa pork and peppercorn kangaroo (yes, actual kangaroo). A variety of chips and dips, “not a taco” items and creative margaritas and craft cocktails also grace the menu. The restaurant/bar is open until midnight Mon.-Wed. and 1 a.m. Thurs.-Sat.
Athens Lunchroom
6270 Athens Walnut Hill Road
athens-lunchroom.square.site • (859) 263-8533
Open for lunch Mon.-Fri. and brunch on the second Sat. and Sun. of the month
Longtime restaurateur and Lexington native Frank Bickel has opened a fast-casual restaurant in the circa-1927 former schoolhouse that also hosts the monthly Athens Schoolhouse Antiques Show. Specializing in weekday lunches – and occasional brunches coinciding with the antiques show –, the menu includes fresh sandwiches as well as salads, vegan options, desserts and baked goods. Hot items are prepared by the “Lunch Lady Squad,” led by head chef Jesus Gonzales, who adds a Cuban touch to the menu with specialties that include a signature Cuban sandwich, a Cuban Sloppy Joe, black beans and rice and Ropa Vieja, a traditional Cuban dish featuring shredded beef in a tomato sauce. The destination eatery also offers grab-and-go items, wine, signature cocktails and beer. A regular breakfast menu and other expanded services are in the works.
The Creole Café is a carryout eatery on Georgetown Street that offers a variety of Creole seafood dishes, including crab legs, Creole Cajon boil, real lump crab cakes and more. Photo furnished
The Creole Café (carryout only)
833 Georgetown St., Ste 110
https://www.facebook.com/CreoleCafe859 • (859) 554 5148
Hours subject to change – check Facebook page for updated info
Specializing in carryout meals (with limited outdoor seating during warm-weather months), new Georgetown Street eatery The Creole Café features a variety of Creole seafood-oriented dishes, including alfredo pasta, po’ boys, lobster rolls, lobster melts, Creole Cajun boil varieties, real lump crab cakes and more.
Creole lobster mac-and-cheese and king crab legs with a side of creole butter were featured on a recent social media post, and the menu also features fried oysters, deep fried whiting, cod, catfish and shrimp, as well as combos featuring king crab, snow crab and crawfish. Sides include Creole red potatoes, corn and cornbread fritter. Online ordering is available for pickup and delivery within specified hours.
Condado Tacos
114 Summit At Fritz Farm, #110 • www.condadotacos.com
(859) 368-7711 • Open for lunch and dinner Mon.-Sun.
The build-your-own taco franchise Condado Tacos opened its first Kentucky location in September at The Summit at Fritz Farm, with specialty tacos featuring soft, hard or seasoned shells filled with chicken, beef, pork and vegetarian/vegan fillings, sauces and toppings.
The brightly colored restaurant also features an impressive selection of chip-and-dip options, with queso options that include blanco, elote, chorizo, smoked cheddar and “dirty” (chicken, black beans, onions and “dirty” sauce) and guacamole styles that include traditional, pineapple and pico, as well as four kinds of salsas. Margaritas, draft beer, sangria, wine and a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, including horchata and agua fresca, are also available.
The casual breakfast and lunch cafe DV8 Kitchen has opened a second location in The Met, a new mixed-use facility on the corner of Third Street and Midland Avenue. Photo furnished
DV8 Kitchen - East End
594 E. Third St. Ste. 100 • www.dv8kitchen.com
(859) 832-0388 • Open for breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sun.
In August, the Lexington-based restaurant DV8 Kitchen opened a second location, in The Met, a new mixed-use venue on the corner of Third Street and Midland Avenue. The restaurant operates on a mission to employ those in recovery from substance use disorder, and focuses on a high-quality lunch and breakfast menu with an in-house bakery that produces a variety of in-house baked goods made from scratch, including croissant-style cinnamon rolls, 12-grain and Sourdough bread, brioche buns, croissants, homemade cookies and southern biscuits. The restaurant offers all-day breakfast sandwiches, other traditional breakfast items as well as salads, burgers, tacos and sandwiches in a bright, casual atmosphere. Outdoor seating is available during warm-weather months.
The shrimp and grits at Fiddletree Kitchen & Bar. The restaurant is located inside the new Elwood Hotel & Suites, off of South Broadway near Waller Avenue. Photo furnished
Fiddletree Kitchen & Bar (inside Elwood Hotel & Suites)
444 Parkway Dr. • www.theelwoodhotel.com
(859) 544-1001 • Open for breakfast Tues.-Fri., brunch Sat. and Sun. and dinner Tues.-Sun.; closed Mondays
Located off South Broadway in the lobby of Elwood Hotel & Suites, a new boutique hotel that opened in September, Fiddletree Kitchen & Bar is a sophisticated and stylish bar and restaurant that’s just as welcoming to Lexington residents as it is to hotel guests.
With a bright and sleek interior and fresh, creative menu, the business is currently open for breakfast and dinner most days. According to its website, Fiddletree offers “the artisan carefree feel of an all-day café, reflecting a comfortable and creative place where people gather to meet, eat, talk and relax.”
The menu is designed to change seasonally; recent offerings included a cheese plate, and country ham biscuit on the appetizer menu, a variety of salads, dinner entrees that included salmon with creme fraiche and pearled barley, a garden gnocchi, steak skillet and more, and desserts that include a churro bowl, strawberry shortcake and salted peanut butter tarts. The menu also features craft cocktails, wine and beer and daily breakfast and weekend brunch menus.
The new Locust Hill restaurant Hola Havana features a variety of Cuban dishes, including empanadas, pictured here. Photo furnished
Hola Havana
115 N. Locust Hill • www.hola-havana.com
(859) 523-6276 • Open for dinner Mon.-Sat., and lunch and dinner Sun.
The authentic Cuban eatery Hola Havana opened in late November, with a variety of pork, chicken, beef and vegetarian menu options. Diners can kick off their meals with appetizers that include fried yucca bites and meat, chicken or vegetable empanadas. The menu also features several fresh salad options, including a tropical salad with avocado, mango and orange vinaigrette, and a “Madre Tierra” (Mother Earth) salad with mixed greens, almonds and feta cheese.
Of course the menu offers a traditional Cuban sandwich; other sandwich options include a Cuban Philly sandwich or a torta. Several varieties of tacos and camarones (shrimp) are also available, as well as tostones (smashed and fried green plantains). For dessert there are churros filled with Bavarian cream, sweet plantains and custard.
On the drink menu, you’ll find a variety of beer and wines, sangria, cocktails and margaritas, mojitos and daiquiris, along with sodas, coffee and tropical shakes.
Kenwick Table is a popular new coffee shop/wine bar in the Kenwick neighborhood offering hot drinks, locally made pastries and baked goods. On certain evening and weekend hours, the cafè also offers wine, craft beer and bourbon cocktails. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Kenwick Table
201 Owsley Ave. • www.kenwicktable.com
(859) 407-1585 • Hours: 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fri.; 8 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sat.; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.
Kenwick Table is a coffee shop and wine bar that opened this fall in the Kenwick neighborhood.
General manager Savannah Cox described how the initial inspiration for the concept struck, when Kenwick resident and owner Rett McGoodwin was skiing in Breckenridge, Colo., several years ago.
“[He] visited a breakfast joint that had several people lined up to sit at a community table,” she said. “Intrigued, he learned the restaurant incentivized its patrons to sit at this table, allowing for a myriad of people to meet and socialize from all over the world.”
During renovations, McGoodwin, a longtime Kenwick resident with a background in landscape design, used the building’s original wood rafters to create a similar community table, where people can gather to enjoy a variety of coffee drinks, pastries and baked goods from Epping’s on Eastside and Martine’s, and savory offerings that include casseroles and soups from Selma’s Kitchen. At 5 p.m. during the week, bourbon, wine and craft beer become available on the menu. The menu includes beverages named after streets in the neighborhood, including the Lincoln Lavender Latte, the Cramer Campfire and the Monroe mimosa (also dubbed the Monrosa).
Live music on the weekends and other occasional community events help add to the atmosphere of this new neighborhood gathering place.
Maty’s Authentic Peruvian Cuisine
4371 Old Harrodsburg Road, Ste. 160 • www.matysapc.com
(859) 303-8004 • Open for lunch and dinner Tues.-Sat. and 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Sun.; closed Mondays
The flavors of Peru greet diners at Maty’s Authentic Peruvian Cuisine, which opened in late November 2021.
Chef/owner Maria Rivera, who is originally from Lima, Peru, but has lived in Lexington since 2003, said she has been cooking since she was 11 years old. She was taught by her father, who underscored the importance of using only the freshest ingredients. At her casual Peruvian eatery, diners can dive into Papa a la Hauncaina (“Huancayo style” potatoes), which are boiled yellow potatoes covered in a spicy and creamy yellow cheese sauce topped with hard-boiled eggs and black olives, as well as a variety of soups and meat-and-rice based main dishes.
“The star dishes I think will be the variety of ceviches and the Lomo Saltado – beef with sauteed onions, tomatoes and Peruvian peppers,” Rivera said, adding that the saltado also comes in chicken and mushroom varieties.
Located on South Limestone near the University of Kentucky campus, Pita PIt specializes in customizable pita sandwiches, bowls and salads. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Pita Pit
543 S. Limestone • www.pitapitusa.com
(859) 327-3599 • Hours: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. • Mon.-Sat.; closed Sundays
After a long hiatus from Lexington, the Pita Pit franchise is back in town with a new campus-area location. The fast-casual eatery specializes in customizable pita sandwiches, bowls and salads with more than 20 pita fillings and 40 toppings. Diners can build their meal by customizing the proteins, veggies and other toppings.
In addition to its lunch and dinner options, Pita Pit offers all-day breakfast pitas with choice of bacon, ham and steak with egg. A variety of specialty pitas and salads are listed on the menu, including Baja chicken, super Greek with “schug” sauce, brown rice and quinoa bowls including bruschetta and Hula Teriyaki varieties, and sides like “quesapitas,” chips and cookies.
With entrances facing Loudon Avenue, Porterhouse BBQ and Rise Up! Pizza are two of the newest eateries to join Greyline Station. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Porterhouse BBQ (inside Greyline Station)
101 W. Loudon Ave. Ste. 110 • www.facebook.com/theporterhousebbq
(859) 806-0952 • Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Wed.-Thurs.; 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri.-Sun; closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Porterhouse BBQ proprietor Tadd Porter began smoking food for friends and family, more than 20 years ago, eventually graduating to a smoker trailer and food truck.
Recently, his longtime dream of operating a traditional restaurant came true, when he opened the doors to a brick-and-mortar location inside Greyline Station.
“Diners can expect real wood fired BBQ, Porter said. “No shortcuts here.” His smoker – which sits just outside the restaurant for everyone to see and smell – stays lit from Tuesday through Sunday every week.
“We constantly feed it and watch it the old school way, with whole logs of hickory and oak,” he added. “It’s hard work and time-consuming, but I think people notice it in our food.”
The daily menu features at least five different meats, such as ribs and brisket, as well as four to five sides, all made fresh daily, with weekly specials ranging from smoked bologna to smoked salmon.
Rise Up Pizza (inside Greyline Station)
101 W. Loudon Ste. 112 • www.riseuppizza.com
(859) 407-2697 • Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
With quirky social media posts and equally unconventional pizza varieties, Rise Up Pizza chef/owner Matty Evans infuses personality in everything he does.
When it comes to making pizza, Evans is very particular – and patient – about his methods and ingredients.
“We make our dough in house,” Evans said. “It’s an 18-hour process and then it gets a three-day cold rise. I use a blend of bread flour, whole wheat and rye.”
His sourdough starter, named Audrey II (a “Little Shop of Horrors” reference), was born on Derby Day in 2013, and is equally finicky.
“She only accepts Kentucky all-purpose flour from Weisenberger Mills,” Evans said.
Evans designed his rocket stove designed pizza oven himself, reaching a toasty 700 degrees Fahrenheit to cook pizzas quickly.
His signature pizza is the Roberta Beesting – a pepperoni pizza with fresh mozzarella finished with a honey habanero reduction. The menu also features margherita/basil, mozzarella/olive oil signature pizzas and two weekly specials.
“If you’re not adventurous, try one of the classics,” Evans said. “If you trust your chef, try one of the specials.”
The Salad Bar (inside Greyline Station / Julietta Market)
101 W. Loudon Ste. 112 • the-salad-bar-llc.business.site
(859) 474-0446 • Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-7 p.m. Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.; closed Mondays
Partners Maya McCutchens and Taji Wadkins opened The Salad Bar, a fast-casual “to-go” concept that offers fresh and creative salads, soups, sandwiches, charcuterie boards and other healthy meals inside Greyline Station’s Julietta Market earlier this year. Signature salads include Apple Chicken Walnut with Teriyaki dressing; a carrot salad with spinach, shredded carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and a carrot ranch dressing; a vegan salad with shiitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, green peppers, tofu, raisins and other toppings on a lettuce and micro-green mixture with a sweet balsamic vinaigrette; and several others. Patrons also have the option of building their own salad or sandwich from a variety of fresh ingredients offered. Seating is available inside the common areas of Greyline Station.
Zuckerman’s Delicatessen (inside Lynagh’s)
384 Woodland Ave. • www.zuckermansdeli.com
(859) 255-1292 • Hours: 3-7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.
Zuckerman’s Delicatessen, a new Jewish delicatessen, has opened within the longstanding campus-area Irish pub Lynagh’s.
Though Lynagh’s Pub has been in its current location since 1984, Amy Messer has been its owner since 2017, and began operating the deli from the pub in fall 2021 to provide the community with the Jewish comfort food she associates with positive, warm memories on special celebration days.
Those dishes include deep fried potato latkes and spicy black pepper-rubbed pastrami, both of which Messer said took lots of testing and tasting to perfect.
“Most people have the latke with sour cream, but I always encourage people to try them with applesauce – a perfect combination,” she said.
She said future menu items include knishes, borscht, kreplach, chopped liver and smoked fish salad. Holiday menus may also be created for people to finish and serve at home.
Advance orders are encouraged and can be placed online.