Located on the 9th floor of the new development The Vine, The V is one of several fine dining restaurants in the area to have opened in recent months. Photo by Jason Elsea
From casual to white tablecloth, we’ve rounded up more than 20 new local eateries to have on your radar in 2026.
Amsden Station Restaurant & Bar
108 Court St., Versailles, Ky. • amsdenstation.com
In mid-September, a new restaurant focusing on modern American cuisine opened in the 1890s building in downtown Versailles that most recently housed Vallozzi’s, under the same local leadership.
Featuring several elevated yet comfortable dining areas, including a private event space and a mezzanine-based bar and wine cellar, the restaurant complements the adjacent Amsden Bar, a watering hole known for its extensive bourbon library that opened in 2017. Among the menu highlights at Amsden Station, are crab beignets, warm spinach dip and customizable pizzas, with entrees that include pan-seared scallops and hangar steak.
Amsden Station Restaurant & Bar. Photo furnished
Bert’s SpeakCheezy
2985 Liberty Road • bertsspeakcheezy.com
With a sister location in downtown Berea and a mobile food truck to its name, the burgeoning gourmet grilled cheese empire Bert’s SpeakCheezy has expanded to include a new brick-and-mortar restaurant in Lexington, which opened in September 2025.
The business originally launched as a food truck, with its gloriously gooey sandwiches quickly amassing a fanbase. Menu highlights include The Hotsy Totsy (cheesy buffalo chicken dip on Texas toast), The Dizzy Dame, which features basil, tomato and mozzarella on artisan bread, and The Blind Pig, a smoky pulled pork BBQ grilled cheese.
Owner Logan Bertrand says that every item served was developed in his mother’s kitchen before hitting the menu. “We spent months experimenting, testing, tweaking, and even scrapping sandwiches that didn’t live up to our standards,” he said. “What made the cut is what we’re proud to serve today.”
With an intimate vintage-inspired interior, the restaurant is also committed to serving its gluten-free community, offering gluten-free substitutes and desserts throughout the week, and exclusively preparing gluten-free items on Sundays and Mondays to avoid cross-contamination.
Black Squirrel (COMING SOON)
175 N. Main St., Versailles • blacksquirrelky.com
Lexington chef and restaurateur Cole Arimes is partnering with Richard Turnbull to expand their restaurant family outside of Lexington with the opening of their newest restaurant, located in the historic brick corner building most recently home to Spark Community Café.
The restaurant will serve Kentucky-inspired breakfast and lunch favorites inspired by the Kentucky heritage of Arimes and chef de cuisine Olivia Jackson, a Versailles native who recently worked as sous chef in Lexington’s Manchester Hotel. Breakfast menu highlights will include eggs benedict, smoked salmon avocado toast and a build-your-own omelet option. The lunch menu will feature a wide array of sandwiches and salads, including Gerber Farms fried chicken, Philly cheesesteak and a chopped Asian salad. At the time of publication, the restaurant was slated to open at the end of December.
Bread & Roses Bakery
446 E. High St. • michlers.com/pages/bread-and-roses-bakery
With chocolate croissants, danishes and cinnamon rolls, as well as a daily-rotating selection of internationally-inspired bread styles such as focaccia, baguettes and schwartzbrot, Bread & Roses Bakery adds the sweet smell of freshly baked breads and pastries to its floral family, the adjacent Michler’s Florist, Greenhouses & Gardens and Kentucky Native Cafè. The bakery is located in a former office building on High Street next to the florist and cafè.
Rather than focusing on early hours/breakfast items, the bakery is geared toward more of an afternoon/evening crowd, according to owner Robin Michler, though he said it hopes to extend hours soon. Bread pre-orders are available.
Cafè Patachou
4040 Finn Way, Ste. #110 • cafepatachou.com
Lexington’s Summit at Fritz Farm is now home to the first location outside Indiana of the Indianapolis-based “all-day cafe” Cafè Patachou, which offers an elevated take on breakfast and lunch. Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch. The menu offers approachable yet creative breakfast offerings, from French omelettes and chilaquiles to croissant French toast, cinnamon toast, and lunch dishes like a cilantro-lime quinoa bowl, green goddess salad, tomato artichoke soup and more.
Beverage options are anchored by a serve-yourself coffee bar, with seasonal lattes and brunch cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic options also available. The cafè is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch seven days a week.
Cafè Patachou. Photo furnished
CHAR
316 S. Ashland Ave. • char-on-ashland.com
In July, a new concept opened in the heart of the Chevy Chase business district — one that owner Rollie Mills says combines “a love of craft coffee, quality-driven food, and elevated but approachable cocktails into one cohesive neighborhood space.”
With an elevated and welcoming open-concept interior dining area and a charming Mediterranean-inspired patio that’s tented and heated during cold-weather months, Mills describes the ambience as welcoming and elevated, much like a European cafè. The menu spotlights fresh, in-season produce, locally sourced meats and artisan ingredients, with every dish made fresh from scratch. The culinary team is led by chef Thomas Ontko, whose philosophy centers around honest cooking: simple, exceptional ingredients treated with respect, Mills continued.
Menu highlights include wood-fired pizzas, fresh pasta, cocktails, pastries and other desserts, with specialty coffee from the Funky Rooster Coffee Bar and brunch favorites that include Nutella-stuffed French toast and Japanese-style fluffy pancakes.
CHAR. Photo by Dennis B. Luchtefeld
Floating Lotus Kitchen
4371 Old Harrodsburg Road, Ste. #105 • floatinglotuskitchen.com
With comforting sandwiches, bowls and soups, and locally-sourced bread and coffee, Floating Lotus Kitchen opened in August 2025 to bring a harmony of flavors to diners’ palates in South Elkhorn Village.
The restaurant was created by the trio of French-Thai chef Melissa Chulavalli, who has more than three decades’ experience working in San Francisco restaurants, and her sons, Julian and Eric.
With warm wood, natural light, a spacious community table and an open-concept kitchen, the quaint 800-square-foot café is designed to feel inviting, comfortable and productive, Eric said.
According to Chulavalli, the restaurant emphasizes nourishment without rigid rules — real ingredients, balanced flavors, and food that leaves guests feeling energized rather than weighed down.
Among the concept’s tasty and nourishing items are a turkey gouda “jamwich,” a sandwich layered with raspberry jam, smoked gouda and the café’s house-made chipotle chili-crisp mayo; a grilled eggplant sandwich with house made hummus and olive tapenade with romesco sauce; and lunch combos with duos like a coconut carrot soup and chicken satay wrap. The Black Sesame Cream Matcha Latte is among the fan favorites on the beverage menu.
Floating Lotus Kitchen. Photo furnished
Ford’s Garage
140 Rojay Dr. • fordsgarageusa.com/locations/lexington
In November, Ford’s Garage, opened near Fayette Mall, specializing in craft beer and burgers amidst a backdrop of vintage auto Americana, with decor hinging on vintage vehicles and Ford memorabilia.
“From the décor to the food, every element is designed to celebrate American innovation, hospitality, and immersing our guests in a timeless story of the historic Ford brand,” stated a press release issued by the restaurant’s owning franchise group, Tin Lizzie Restaurants.
The “Burgers of Fame” menu includes varieties of black Angus burgers topped with house made sauces on artisan buns; non-burger options include meatloaf, pulled pork mac-and-cheese, fish and chips and pork ribs.
J.B. Steele’s
4750 Hartland Pkwy., Ste. #128 • jbsteeles.com
JB Steele’s, a locally owned and family-friendly bar and grill, opened in late August at Hartland Shopping Center. Open for daily lunch and dinner service, with Saturday and Sunday brunch, the casual neighborhood restaurant’s offerings include chicken finger salads, wraps, burgers, comfort foods, steak, pastas, chicken and more.
Daily specials range from fried chicken and meatloaf to pot roast and Italian fare. Dining room and bar area televisions make it a great place to watch sports.
Le Gourmet
1080 S. Broadway, Ste. #107 • @Le Gourmet Bakery on Facebook
A longtime veteran of the food industry, chef/owner Patricia Gedeon infuses her Haitian dishes with comfort and skill in her new restaurant, Le Gourmet, which opened in mid-September.
After working in her family-run restaurant in Haiti and moving to America, Gedeon fulfilled her dream of owning her own restaurant and sharing with the community her beloved meals which she describes as being spicy and flavorful “food for the soul.”
Menu items include beef bourguignon, poulet pane (breaded fried chicken), grilled fish, soup and much more.
Millstone
380 S. Mill St. • millstonelex.com
Millstone, a new casual-upscale American restaurant rooted in Kentucky hospitality and regional influence, opened its doors in November in the iconic Dudley Square space that formerly housed the Dudley’s and Sabio restaurants.
With chef/owner Tyler Murray at the helm, the restaurant offers dinner service seven days a week, with plans to expand into lunch service in the near future. Blending thoughtful technique with approachable favorites, the restaurant’s menu offerings focus on familiar and approachable yet elevated regionally influenced dishes, such as a take on chicken and dumplings that pairs seared, roasted chicken thighs with pillowy Parmesan-ricotta gnocchi and wild mushrooms.
The space has been refreshed to include four distinct dining areas: an existing dining room for larger groups, a bar that seats 20, a newly added dining room built on the former patio footprint, and above that addition, a spacious seasonal deck shaded by trees.
Murray said the restaurant aims to be a place that feels worthy of a nice date night, yet comfortable, casual and affordable enough for a weekday dinner when cooking isn’t in the cards.
Millstone. Photo furnished
Nothing But Noodles (COMING SOON)
4257 Harrodsburg Road • www.nothingbutnoodles.com
The franchise Nothing But Noodles is set to bring its slurpy, soupy and saucy goodness to the Palomar area in early 2026.
The fast-casual restaurant’s menu includes traditional noodle dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, macaroni-and-cheese and fettuccine Alfredo, with specialties that inlcude Cajun noodles, mushroom ravioli, shrimp scampi, stuffed shells and more. Customization is easy, with options to add meatballs, chicken, shrimp, beef, veggies or tofu to any noodle bowl or salad for a small upcharge, Non-noodle dishes include Thai lettuce wraps, salads and soups.
Silk’s Steakhouse
101 N. Main St., Versailles, Ky. • silkssteakhouse.com
Silk’s Steakhouse recently opened within downtown Versailles’ new luxury boutique hotel The Aldenburg, located in an 1850s-era former bank building. The white tablecloth restaurant features prime dry-aged beef, an elevated wine and spirits program and working on-site craft distillery, with plans to open a new rooftop bar with small plates and cocktails this spring.
The hotel and restaurant are both designed by lifestyle blogger Emily Riddle, of Gathered living The menu includes seafood, salads, desserts and house specialties like shrimp gnocchi with tomato, grana padano and herbs; ruby red trout amandine with celery root, haricot vert and almonds in browned butter; lamb chops; and with a variety of beef cuts.
Silk’s Steakhouse. Photo furnished
Southern Cookhouse & Bar
844 Hays Blvd. • southerncookhousebar.com
With large televisions to watch sports events, a fireplace and a large, covered patio adding to the atmosphere, the neighborhood tavern Southern Cookhouse & Bar, opened in mid-September in the Andover/Chilesburg neighborhood location most recently occupied by The BLVD Grill.
Co-owner Bryan Henderson said the familiar burgers, entrees, sandwiches, pizzas and salads have been enhanced with flavorful Southern flair in an elevated but casual atmosphere. The location boasts a full-service bar with in-house specialty cocktails, too.
Among the “shining stars” on the menu are The Carlisle, filet tips smothered in a house-made bourbon glaze with cheesy grits and green beans; the Baton Rouge, a grilled redfish topped with homemade gumbo and cheddar grits; and a Southern burger, topped with bacon, pimento cheese, BBQ sauce, cole slaw and more.
Umami Ramen & Grill
836 Euclid Ave., Ste. #105 • www.umamilex.com
Don’t be fooled by its name. There’s much more to the Japanese comfort food restaurant that opened this summer in the former location of McAlister’s Deli than grilled items and ramen. The menu also includes fried rice and noodle bowls, as well as appetizers like edamame, spicy pickles and crab rangoon.
Ramen is indeed central to the menu, however, with ingredients that include fried chicken, spicy beef, black garlic, bok choy, a marinated egg and much more.
Among the items on the “grill” menu are teriyaki chicken, katsu curry don and salmon misoyaki.
“Our menu highlights rich, slow-cooked broths and freshly prepared grill items that balance authentic Japanese flavors,” owner Wenxuan He said.
Rounding out the restaurant’s offerings are Boba teas, fruit teas, beer, wine, sake, tempura deserts.
Umami Ramen & Grill. Photo furnished
The V (AT THE VINE)
106 W. Vine St., 9th Floor • thevinelex.com/restaurant
This new upscale downtown restaurant opened in September, with Lexington chef and restaurateur Cole Arimes overseeing the menu.
The restaurant is part of The Vine development, a hotel-condos complex with a private social club. Club members are given first priority for reservations at The V, though the public can also partake of the restaurant’s fresh seafood, premium steaks, house specialties, and curated wine pairings. VIP culinary experiences and private dining options are also available.
Recent menu items included Hakkaido scallops with braised red cabbage and country ham; a lamb rack with pea and mint vegetable pakora; and, for dessert, pistachio-crusted chocolate mousse.
The V. Photo by Jason Elsea