The Merrick Inn is a southern fine-dining restaurant in Lansdowne, Lexington.
Editorially verified August 18, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Tip: Brunch runs Friday to Sunday 10:00-15:00; the walled patio is the seat to request from May to September.
Address: 1074 Merrick Dr, Lexington, KY 40502
Granddam is the dining hall of Lexington's Manchester Hotel, where Top Chef alum Paula Endara cooks Ecuadorian-inflected American food from breakfast to late.
Tip: Free parking sits directly across Manchester Street until 18:00; brunch runs Friday to Sunday 09:00-14:00.
The V at The Vine serves seafood-led fine dining from the 9th floor at 106 West Vine, a 2025 arrival with some of the best evening views in Lexington.
Tip: Book ahead for a window table at sunset; the coastal menu and wine pairings suit a slow two-hour dinner.
Distilled on Jefferson pairs farm-to-table Southern cooking with a deep bourbon bar on Lexington's Jefferson Street restaurant row, in business since 2014.
Tip: Dinner only. The bourbon list rewards asking the bar for a Kentucky-only pour before you order food.
Azur Restaurant & Patio reworks American classics near Keeneland in Beaumont, a Lexington fixture since 2005 known for Tim Perkins' bourbon fried chicken.
Signature: Bourbon fried chicken, Woven shrimp
Tip: Sunday brunch runs 10:30-14:00. Ask for the patio in racing season; it books out on Keeneland weekends.
Millstone cooks contemporary American food with Kentucky leanings in an 1880s Dudley Square schoolhouse, one of Lexington's most-watched newer dining rooms.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Chicken and gnocchi
Tip: Lunch runs Wednesday to Friday only. The shrimp and grits use Weisenberger white cheddar grits from Midway.
Dudley's on Short cooks seasonal contemporary American food on West Short Street, the downtown room Lexington books for anniversaries and Keeneland nights.
Tip: Reserve by phone for parties over six; OpenTable covers smaller tables. The bar seats walk-ins.
