Kentucky Hot Brown
Photo: IluvatarEru · CC BY-SA 4.0

An open-faced turkey sandwich buried in Mornay sauce, broiled until bubbling and crossed with bacon and tomato. Born at Louisville's Brown Hotel, it became lunch-counter canon across Kentucky, Lexington included.

Chef Fred K. Schmidt built the first Hot Brown at Louisville's Brown Hotel in 1926 to feed late-night dancers, and the broiled turkey-and-Mornay construction spread across the Commonwealth within a generation. In Lexington it settled into the diner repertoire: Ramsey's serves a benchmark version over toast with cream gravy and bacon, and Columbia Steak House keeps one on its 1948-vintage menu.

2 editor picks for Kentucky Hot Brown in Lexington, ranked by editorial score. All Lexington signature dishes · Kentucky Hot Brown across every city.

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.

OrderKentucky Hot Brown, Meat and three

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

DirectionsView

Columbia Steak House ★ 4.2

$$Steakhouse

Columbia Steak House has fed Lexington since 1948, still broiling the garlic-butter Nighthawk Special with a Diego salad and frying its famous lamb fries.

OrderNighthawk Special, Lamb fries, Diego salad

TipOrder the Nighthawk Special with fried banana peppers; the Richmond Road room keeps the old-school feel.

DirectionsView

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