CuisineItalian
Price$$$
NeighborhoodDowntown
HoursMon-Sun 11:00-15:00, 16:00-22:00
Last verified

Tip: Lunch and dinner run daily with a mid-afternoon break; the bar pours a proper Rat Pack-era martini.

Food experiences in Downtown

See all 11 bookable experiences in Lexington

Location

Address: 271 W Short St, Lexington, KY 40507

Also in downtown

Joe Bologna's ★ 4.3

$$ ItalianDowntown

Joe Bologna's has baked pizza and garlic-butter breadsticks inside a stained-glass former synagogue since 1973, a Lexington institution near the UK campus.

SignatureGarlic breadsticks, Pan pizza

TipThe garlic breadsticks are non-negotiable; go before 18:00 on UK game days or expect a long wait.

Full downtown food guide →

More casual dining in Lexington

Big Kahuna ★ 4.0

$ Hawaiian

Big Kahuna grills Hawaiian barbecue plates and stacked burgers on Liberty Road, the Lexington original that later added a second Clays Mill Road shop.

TipClosed Mondays at both shops; the Liberty Road original keeps the shorter queue at weekday lunch.

Ramsey's Diner ★ 4.4

$$ Southern

Ramsey's Diner has plated Lexington's meat-and-three since 1989, with an excellent Kentucky Hot Brown and pies from its Missy's Pies sister bakery.

SignatureKentucky Hot Brown, Meat and three

TipThe Zandale Drive room is the classic location. Save room for a slice of Missy's chess pie.

Winchell's ★ 4.1

$$ AmericanSouthland Drive

Winchell's covers Southland Drive breakfasts, beer cheese and UK game days in one room, the Lexington neighbourhood standby that opens at 08:00 every day.

SignatureBeer cheese, Country breakfast

TipBreakfast runs until 11:00 weekdays and past noon on weekends; expect a wait after Saturday UK kickoffs.

Bourbon n' Toulouse ★ 4.3

$ CajunChevy Chase

Bourbon n' Toulouse ladles etouffee, jambalaya and gumbo over rice on Euclid Avenue, Lexington's counter-service Cajun habit and a family business since 2004.

SignatureCrawfish etouffee, Gumbo

TipOrder at the counter and grab a porch table; vegan and gluten-free pots are always on the board.

Blue Door Smokehouse ★ 4.5

$$ BarbecueWarehouse Block

Blue Door Smokehouse slices Texas-style brisket to order in Lexington's Warehouse Block, selling until the day's smoked meat runs out by mid-afternoon.

SignatureBrisket, Pulled pork

TipGo before 13:00; when the brisket sells out they close, whatever the posted hours say.

Joe Bologna's ★ 4.3

$$ ItalianDowntown

Joe Bologna's has baked pizza and garlic-butter breadsticks inside a stained-glass former synagogue since 1973, a Lexington institution near the UK campus.

SignatureGarlic breadsticks, Pan pizza

TipThe garlic breadsticks are non-negotiable; go before 18:00 on UK game days or expect a long wait.

See every casual dining pick in Lexington →

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