From sleek rooftop hotel restaurants to biscuit-heavy breakfast spots, we’ve rounded up a list of buzzworthy local dining and drinking venues that have opened in the last eight months or so.
El Asadero Mexican Grill
144 Rojay Dr. • Serving lunch and dinner, 7 days a week • www.elasaderolexington.com
In December, a boisterous new Mexican restaurant opened on the corner of Rojay Drive and Mall Road. With flaming fajitas, tequila flights decked out with sparklers and giant cocktails with over-the-top garnishes, El Asadero offers no shortage of thrills and frills. Part of a Cincinnati-based chain, the restaurant is specifically designed to provide a fun and memorable experience for its diners.
The extremely extensive menu includes lots of Mexican restaurant staples – quesadillas, fajitas, burritos, Birria and a variety of nacho options – as well as some fun, less common items, like Pineapple Habanero Dip, Taco Shooters and Hot Cheeto Tacos. A wide selection of vegetarian options, including some with Impossible meat, is available as well.
El Asadero Mexican Grill follows a “go big or go home” ethos, with over-the-top cocktails, meals and atmosphere. Photo furnished
Darling Wine Bar
101 W. Loudon Ave. (inside Greyline Station) • Open Tues.-Thurs., 4-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 12-11 p.m.; Sun., 12-9 p.m. • www.instagram.com/darlingwinebar
Following the recent closing of the Louisville-owned Breeze Wine Bar in Greyline Station, a new wine bar specializing in natural and traditional wines is set to open in its place in July. With a warm and inviting atmosphere, the cozy bar will offer intimate indoor tables and bar seating, as well as a handful of outdoor bistro tables during warmer weather. With Clayton Brost and Alex Johns at the helm – they both were friends with The Breeze owners for years and have no shortage of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industries – the bar will offer a curated selection of wines by the glass and by the bottle, with bottled wines available to drink on-site or take home. A handful of craft cocktails and a limited selection of specialty liquors and liqueurs for purchase will be available as well.
District 7 Social Hall
1170 Manchester St., Ste. 160 • Open for dinner Mon.-Thurs. lunch and dinner Fri.-Sun. • www.district7social.com
More than a restaurant, District 7 Social Hall in the Distillery District is a great place to go for food combined with a fun activity. With a golf simulator, duckpin bowling and a Ping-Pong lounge, all ages are welcome to enjoy their favorite game until 9 p.m., at which time guests must be 21 and over.
German-isch, the business’s restaurant aspect, serves a fusion of German and American pub fare. With favorites like pretzels and pierogies to start, sausages, burgers, schnitzel and fish and chips are just a few of the entrees on the German-themed menu. Visitors can also pour their own pint from the self-serve District 7 Beer Wall.
With indoor and covered patio seating, District 7 Social Hall can be a fun and relaxing place to spend a summer evening.
With German- and American-inspired pub fare, a full bar and self-serve draught beer station, and all manner of games and activities, District 7 Social Hall provides a lively venue for a fun night out. Photo furnished
Georgie’s Social House
161 N. Limestone • Open Wed.-Fri., 4 p.m.-late; Sat.-Sun, 12 p.m.-late • www.georgieslexington.com
The North Limestone space that was occupied for 35 years by the laid-back deli and market George’s Deli, which closed in 2020, is now home to a sophisticated cocktail bar. Georgie’s Social House aims to offer what owners Aimee and Javier Lanza describe as “refined adulting” in a welcoming atmosphere.
The couple, who also co-own the Lexington bars Centro and the Service Station (formerly called The Garage), described Georgie’s as having an exciting vibe, with a gorgeous and inviting interior space designed by Christopher Michael Designs.
“From the moment you lay eyes on our space, you know attention to detail is our thing,” said Aimee Lanza.
The bar offers an extensive Champagne and wine list, bourbon, craft cocktails and zero-proof cocktails, as well as charcuterie boards with house-marinated olives, Marcona almonds and more. The attention to detail extends to naming cocktails after famous “Georges,” such as “The Force,” named after Star Wars creator George Lucas and infused with cold brew coffee from neighboring Lussi Brown Coffee Bar.
Aimee Lanza aimed to pay homage to the space’s former incarnation while providing the same sense of hospitality and comfort in a new, modern setting.
“The top priority here at Georgie’s is to provide our patrons with a distinct, one-of-a-kind space to gather, converse and enjoy an unparalleled experience,” she said. “As soon as you step foot into our establishment, you’ll be greeted with fresh energy and immediate comfort.”
A new cocktail bar called Georgie’s Social House has opened in the North Limestone storefront that formerly housed George’s Market & Deli. Photo furnished
KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
2860 Richmond Road • Serving lunch and dinner 7 days a week • www.thekpot.com/location/lexington-richmond/
With a hands-on, all-you-can eat format, diners at this New York-based chain can experience a wide variety of Korean food, presented in two distinct formats: Korean BBQ and Hot Pot. For the Korean BBQ option, diners can grill their own meat of choice (typically beef, pork or chicken, but the available offerings are vast) and vegetables at a tableside grill to eat with rice or lettuce. With the Hot Pot method, ingredients, from thinly sliced meats and vegetables to dumplings and wontons, are cooked at the table in a simmering soup stock, similar to fondue preparation.
At dinner, diners can choose either option for $29.95 per adult / $11.99-$15.99 for kids, with the option of having both options for an extra $5 per guest. Lunch options cost a bit less. The restaurant offers an extensive beverage menu as well, including Soju, Sake and a variety of cocktails.
Maple Street Biscuit Company
2270 Nicholasville Rd., Ste. 120 • Open for breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sun. • www.maplestreetbiscuits.com
It’s not breakfast in the South without biscuits, and Maple Street Biscuit Company has got you covered. The chain, which is now owned by Cracker Barrel and has dozens of locations nationwide, serves up comfort food with a modern twist, with an emphasis on made-from-scratch biscuits.
Diners will find many of their favorite breakfast staples, including breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy and waffles; the menu also features chicken strips for lunch. Unique ingredients such as shiitake gravy, goat cheese medallions and sauteed spinach have helped earn the chain a mention on the Food Network show “Guilty Pleasures.” Located in the Zandale Shopping Center, Maple Street Biscuit Company serves breakfast, brunch and lunch daily.
Open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week, Maple Street Biscuit Company is Lexington’s newest biscuit purveyor. Photo furnished
Night Kitty Karaoke Bar
545 S. Broadway • Open Wed.-Sun., 5:45 p.m.-2:30 a.m. • www.nightkittykaraoke.com
A new karaoke bar with varied options for folks who have a song in their heart opened near the University of Kentucky campus in April. Modeled after traditional karaoke establishments in Asia, the bar offers brave singers the opportunity to belt out their favorite go-to karaoke tunes on a main stage or opt for a more intimate performance among friends in one of seven private karaoke rooms, each uniquely decorated.
“We grew up going to private room karaoke with family and friends in Asia,” said owner Cai Dong. “When we got a chance, we knew we wanted to bring this to Lexington.”
“Anyone who loves singing will love our concert-level setup,” he said of the stage.
Night Kitty features themed genres of music on different days, he said, as well as bar snacks and a full bar featuring specialty cocktails made with local and international ingredients. The bar is an all-ages venue before 10 p.m., when it transitions into a 21+ venue.
Mexico Mi Amor
780 N. Limestone • Open for lunch and dinner Mon.-Sun. • www.facebook.com/MexicoMiAmorRest
The newest addition to Lexington’s NoLi neighborhood is Mexico Mi Amor, a traditional Mexican restaurant with authentic, homestyle dishes. Located on the corner of Loudon Avenue and North Limestone in the space formerly occupied by Lucie Meyers’ restaurant Red Light, the restaurant features bright colors and a bar area with large bay doors that, when open, provide a pleasant open-air dining experience with a view of Greyline Station.
The menu includes traditional Mexican favorites such as tacos, quesadillas and burritos, as well as dishes commonly prepared and shared at home, such as birria and Mexican pork ribs. With a variety of Mexican beers, margaritas and mojitos, there’s a perfect beverage to accompany your lunch or dinner.
Mexico Mi Amor has opened in the North Limestone storefront that most recently housed the late Lucie Slone Meyers’ restaurant Red Light. Photo furnished
Old North Kitchen
101 W. Loudon Ave. Ste. 116 (inside Greyline Station) • Open for dinner Mon.-Wed.; lunch and dinner Thurs.-Sun. • www.facebook.com/oldnorthbar
Old North Bar, an original anchor business of the multi-business community Greyline Station, expanded both its space and its offerings in June, with the opening of Old North Kitchen. The business has expanded into the space formerly occupied by Laura Lou Patisserie and Wilson’s, both of which closed in recent months. By adding a swath of new seating (cozy tables and cafè-style nooks) and building a new counter to house a food ordering / pick-up station, the popular bar has become a full-service pub.
With a menu of scratch-made pub fare – burgers and other sandwiches, small plates and snacks – the newly-renovated space offers guests casual sophistication in a family-friendly environment. Cocktails, wine and a wide variety of beer are available at the bar, which continues to feature live music, trivia, karaoke and more throughout the week and weekend. To keep up with events and entertainment, follow Old North Bar on Instagram and Facebook.
The Manchester Hotel: Lost Palm and Granddam
941 Manchester St. • See website for hours www.themanchesterky.com
On the ground level of the new Distillery District hotel The Manchester, a sleek bar and lounge serves wines, beers, spirits and classic and modern cocktails, as well as a collection of fancy house craft cocktails featuring extensive ingredients and descriptions. The Neck Shot, for example, features Alvear Oloroso, Rockwell Native Amber and the bar’s Bluegrass Distillers bourbon barrel pick, “bringing to mind hazelnut and dusty dried sage that will transport you to a Barcelona cafe,” while the MQ Julep, a riff on the infamous Derby Day drink, features Green River Wheated Bourbon, Genepy and acidified rose and thyme simple, “topped with a fresh herb bouquet.”
That bar features its own seating areas (think sexy velvet couches and small marble tables), and also services The Granddam, the hotel’s 140-seat fine dining restaurant modeled after an “Appalachian dining hall.” The husband-and-wife chef team Karl and Paula Lowe bring their collective backgrounds to the menu, which is divided into sections titled “From the Bluegrass,” “From the Appalachians” and “From the Low Country.” Highlights include crab bone marrow with shrimp mousse and collard green kimchi; hand-foraged mushrooms with roasted garlic goat cheese spread; and confit rabbit ravioli.
On the top floor of the seven-story hotel, the bar and restaurant Lost Palm pays homage to 1960s South Florida, with a modern art deco-meets-Tiki lounge vibe: tropical cocktails, a rooftop patio with cabana seating and occasional live music and DJs, and a Caribbean-inspired menu of shareable small plates help set the tone.
Located on the rooftop of the new Distillery hotel The Manchester, Lost Palm pays homage to mid-century Miami Beach design. Photo furnished
Trifecta Glass Art Lounge
243 Walton Ave. • Open Wed.-Sat., 6 p.m.-close • www.trifectadesignstudio.com
Inspired by Prohibition-era speakeasy bars, this cocktail bar located behind a secret, swiveling wall inside an industrial glassblowing studio and gallery offers one of the most unique local drinking venues.
With deep green walls, a bold black marble bar top, moody lighting and cocktails that are as sexy as the space, the lounge offers a quiet and intimate spot to relax and enjoy a drink, while observing the glassblowing studio through discreet walls. Patrons can also step outside the bar and have a seat at a handful of barstools directly overlooking the glassblowing furnaces, from a safe distance, of course. The cocktail menu, which changes quarterly and proclaims, “We like our cocktails, and we like them weird,” recently featured one cocktail with Rye whiskey, Ale-8 soda and a kick of serrano pepper; another blended wine, whiskey and warming spices.
Rotating gallery exhibits featuring impressive work from glass artists from around the world and regularly scheduled glassblowing courses and workshops for all levels add to the offerings at the multi-concept business.
Walton Avenue’s Trifecta Design Studio features an immersive glassblowing studio and gallery with a speakeasy-style bar and lounge. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Ume Craft Ramen
867 S. Broadway, Ste. 130 • Open for lunch and dinner Mon.-Sun. • www.lexingtonramen.com
Ume Craft Ramen opened last fall, bringing authentic Japanese ramen to Lexington at their location on South Broadway near the University of Kentucky campus. With noodles cut fresh each morning, the restaurant serves tonkotsu, shoyu, miso and vegan ramen, as well as donburi, a traditional meal with fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients, simmered together and served over rice. The menu also includes familiar appetizers, including edamame, gyoza, pork buns and seaweed salad.
Boba lovers can also satisfy their cravings here. With a variety of flavors and toppings, bubble tea fans will find something to tempt their taste buds. And with smoothies and jasmine tea punch, there’s a fruity or sweet drink for everyone to enjoy.
Ume Craft Ramen offers a variety of traditional and authentic Japanese ramen options, with noodles cut fresh every morning. Photo furnished