19 editor picks in Lexington.
19 cafe places in Lexington we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Lexington | Cafe across every city.
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.
OrderWood-fired pizza, Fluffy pancakes
TipJapanese-style fluffy pancakes anchor the morning menu; dinner picks up again at 17:00 after a short break.
Kenwick Table runs on a salvaged-rafter community table on Owsley Avenue, Rett McGoodwin's Lexington neighbourhood cafe that turns wine bar after dark.
TipCoffee from 07:00, then wine, bourbon and beer into the evening; Friday and Saturday run to 22:00.
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.
TipOpen from 06:00 on weekdays and until 21:00 from Wednesday; buy a chalkboard coffee forward for the next person.
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.
TipClosed Mondays. Coffee flows from 07:00 and the bar side starts at noon, so late afternoons run both ways.
Coffee Times Coffee House fronts the Lexington Coffee & Tea roasting plant on Regency Road, serving Lexington house-roasted cups and bagged beans since 1981.
TipThe shelves double as the roastery's retail outlet; Sunday hours are short, 11:00-17:00.
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.
TipEverything closes at 13:00 and the weirder donut specials go first; the Clays Mill shop opens at 06:00 on weekdays.
McLeod's Coffee House staffs its Southland Drive counter with adults with special needs, a nonprofit Lexington cafe built around an integrated workspace.
TipClosed Sundays. Go for the morning rush; the crew's welcome is the whole point of the visit.
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.
TipThe rick-house room is the atmospheric one; the East High Street shop is quicker for a weekday takeaway.
Kenwick Table runs on a salvaged-rafter community table on Owsley Avenue, Rett McGoodwin's Lexington neighbourhood cafe that turns wine bar after dark.
TipCoffee from 07:00, then wine, bourbon and beer into the evening; Friday and Saturday run to 22:00.
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.
TipClosed Sundays. Nearly everything on the walls and shelves is Kentucky-made, so browse while the espresso pulls.
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.
TipAll shops run 07:00-17:00 daily; the Dudley Square original shares a courtyard with Millstone next door.
Floating Lotus Kitchen packs South Elkhorn Village lunches with French-Thai comfort food, the family-run Lexington cafe behind the turkey gouda jamwich.
TipLunch hours only and closed Mondays; Saturday opens early at 09:00 for the weekend soup pots.
Sorella Gelateria churns small-batch gelato and sorbetto on West Short Street, the sister-owned scoop shop downtown Lexington queues at after dinner.
TipClosed Monday and Tuesday; flavours rotate constantly, so ask what was churned that morning.
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.
OrderWood-fired pizza, Fluffy pancakes
TipJapanese-style fluffy pancakes anchor the morning menu; dinner picks up again at 17:00 after a short break.
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.
TipEverything closes at 13:00 and the weirder donut specials go first; the Clays Mill shop opens at 06:00 on weekdays.
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.
TipThe rick-house room is the atmospheric one; the East High Street shop is quicker for a weekday takeaway.
McLeod's Coffee House staffs its Southland Drive counter with adults with special needs, a nonprofit Lexington cafe built around an integrated workspace.
TipClosed Sundays. Go for the morning rush; the crew's welcome is the whole point of the visit.
Sorella Gelateria churns small-batch gelato and sorbetto on West Short Street, the sister-owned scoop shop downtown Lexington queues at after dinner.
TipClosed Monday and Tuesday; flavours rotate constantly, so ask what was churned that morning.
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.
OrderWood-fired pizza, Fluffy pancakes
TipJapanese-style fluffy pancakes anchor the morning menu; dinner picks up again at 17:00 after a short break.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Embark on a journey through the heart of Downtown Lexington, where history and farm-to-table flavors intertwine for an afternoon of fun exploration.
Guided tour · 4 hours
Join us in the Distillery District for Kentucky farm-to-table cuisine, limestone-filtered bourbons, and an exploration into the history behind this revitalized piece o...
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Sink into your seat and sip unique craft cocktails and locally prepared plates while listening to captivating tales from Lexington's East End.
