Louie’s Wine Dive Chevy Chase Kitchen

With locations in several mid-sized cities in the Midwest, the extended franchise Louie's Wine Dive opened in Lexington in November 2016. Owned by Kansas City native Whitney VinZant (who is married to former Miss Kentucky Emily Cox), the restaurant places emphasis on making wine fun and approachable. Any bottle on the extensive wine list can be opened for a glass pour (with a two-glass minimum), and the remaining wine is sold at auction on a revolving chalkboard. Popular menu items include BLT deviled eggs, an apple harvest salad, “four pork gnocchi,” tacos and beignets. The space that formerly housed Buddy’s and Roy’s East High Diner (and most recently, Macho Nacho) has been given a complete renovation, accentuated by modern wallpaper, bourbon barrel accents, glowing wine bottle chandeliers, aged barn wood and marble; it includes seating for 158, as well as two private dining rooms that are available for private parties.