Best Cafés in Lexington

A Cup of Common Wealth

• ★ 4.5
• $
• East End

Order Pour-over of locally roasted beans

A Cup of Common Wealth pours espresso and pour-overs on Eastern Avenue, the Lexington cafe that runs a pay-it-forward board for strangers' coffees.

Lussi Brown Coffee Bar

• ★ 4.3
• $
• Downtown

Order Espresso by day, coffee cocktails from noon

Lussi Brown Coffee Bar mixes espresso with a noon-onwards cocktail list on Church Street, downtown Lexington's queer-owned coffee bar since June 2017.

Coffee Times Coffee House

• ★ 4.1
• $
• Southland Drive

Order House-roasted drip from the roastery next door

Coffee Times Coffee House fronts the Lexington Coffee & Tea roasting plant on Regency Road, serving Lexington house-roasted cups and bagged beans since 1981.

North Lime Coffee & Donuts

• ★ 4.4
• $
• North Limestone

Order Espresso with a scratch-made donut

North Lime Coffee & Donuts fries small-batch donuts to pair with espresso at Greyline Station, the Lexington morning ritual that sells out by early afternoon.

McLeod's Coffee House

• ★ 4.4
• $
• Southland Drive

Order Drip coffee poured by an inclusive crew

McLeod's Coffee House staffs its Southland Drive counter with adults with special needs, a nonprofit Lexington cafe built around an integrated workspace.

Brevede Coffee Co.

• ★ 4.2
• $
• Distillery District

Order Espresso with an in-house bake

Brevede Coffee Co. brews inside an original James E. Pepper rick house in the Distillery District, with an in-house bakery and a second shop on High Street.

Kenwick Table

• ★ 4.3
• $
• East End

Order Espresso by day, bourbon and wine by night

Kenwick Table runs on a salvaged-rafter community table on Owsley Avenue, Rett McGoodwin's Lexington neighbourhood cafe that turns wine bar after dark.

High on Art & Coffee

• ★ 4.0
• $
• East End

Order Coffee alongside Kentucky-made art

High on Art & Coffee hangs Kentucky-made art for sale over its East High Street coffee bar, a Lexington gallery-cafe hybrid with sandwiches and bakes.

Old School Coffee

• ★ 4.0
• $
• Downtown

Order Air-roasted drip from a Sivetz fluid bed roast

Old School Coffee brews Sivetz fluid-bed roasts in Dudley Square, the Lexington mini-chain that grew from South Mill Street to Hamburg and Lansdowne.

Floating Lotus Kitchen

• ★ 3.9
• $
• Beaumont

Order Coconut carrot soup and a house sandwich

Floating Lotus Kitchen packs South Elkhorn Village lunches with French-Thai comfort food, the family-run Lexington cafe behind the turkey gouda jamwich.

Sorella Gelateria

• ★ 4.2
• $
• Downtown

Order Small-batch gelato and affogato

Sorella Gelateria churns small-batch gelato and sorbetto on West Short Street, the sister-owned scoop shop downtown Lexington queues at after dinner.

Char on Ashland

• ★ 4.0
• Cafe
• $$
• Chevy Chase

Char on Ashland runs from 06:00 coffee to wood-fired pizza dinners in Chevy Chase, the all-day 2025 arrival Lexington uses for pancakes and pasta alike.

Cafe Patachou

• ★ 4.1
• Brunch
• $$
• The Summit at Fritz Farm

Cafe Patachou brought its Indianapolis all-day-cafe formula to The Summit at Fritz Farm, serving Lexington French omelettes and chilaquiles until 15:00 daily.