The places in Lexington the guidebooks miss.
The places in Lexington the guidebooks miss. locals-only counters, after-hours rooms and the spots tourists walk past.
Wheeler Pharmacy keeps a 1958-style lunch counter inside its Romany Road drugstore, flipping Buddy Burgers and malts for Lexington's Chevy Chase regulars.
OrderBuddy Burger with a malted milkshake
Why locals goA working pharmacy on Romany Road still runs a griddle lunch counter, and only Chevy Chase regulars think to eat at it.
TipSit at the counter, order the double-stacked Buddy Burger and a malted milkshake, and let the grill cook set the pace.
Smithtown Seafood fries fish sandwiches and bowls inside the Bread Box building on West Sixth, sharing a wall with West Sixth Brewing's Lexington taproom.
OrderFried fish sandwich with a West Sixth IPA
Why locals goA fish-sandwich counter tucked inside the West Sixth brewery building, easy to miss behind the taproom crowds.
TipOrder at the counter and carry the fish sandwich into the taproom; a West Sixth IPA is the house pairing.
Tortilleria y Taqueria Ramirez presses corn tortillas behind a grocery counter on Alexandria Drive, and Lexington queues across town for the burritos.
TryBurritos on fresh-pressed corn tortillas
Why locals goIt looks like a west-side grocery from the car park; the tortilla press and taqueria counter inside draw the longest food queue in Lexington.
TipBuy a warm stack of tortillas to take home; the counter moves fast even when the queue reaches the aisles.
Le Gourmet cooks Haitian family recipes on South Broadway, bringing poulet pane, grilled fish and slow beef stews to Lexington seven days a week until late.
SignaturePoulet pane, Grilled fish
Why locals goHaitian home cooking runs out of an unassuming South Broadway strip suite, and most of the city is late to the discovery.
TipOpen until 23:00 nightly, Sunday from 14:00; portions are generous, so order the soup only if sharing.
DV8 Kitchen bakes brioche, sourdough and cinnamon rolls on South Broadway while staffing every Lexington shift as second-chance employment in recovery.
Worth the queueCroissant-style cinnamon rolls
Why locals goA breakfast bakery on a commuter stretch of South Broadway, where every shift is a second-chance job in recovery.
TipBreakfast and lunch only; the cinnamon rolls sell out first and every purchase funds the second-chance mission.
McLeod's Coffee House staffs its Southland Drive counter with adults with special needs, a nonprofit Lexington cafe built around an integrated workspace.
DrinkDrip coffee poured by an inclusive crew
Why locals goFrom the street it is another Southland Drive storefront; inside, a nonprofit crew with special needs runs the whole coffeehouse.
TipClosed Sundays. Go for the morning rush; the crew's welcome is the whole point of the visit.
Chevy Chase Inn has poured since 1933, Lexington's oldest bar, a cash-friendly Euclid Avenue dive that opens at 14:00 and never pretends to be more.
DrinkA cold bottle in Lexington's oldest bar
Why locals goNo sign of gentrification since 1933: a shotgun-narrow dive hiding in plain sight on Euclid Avenue's retail strip.
TipAfternoon drinking is the move; it opens at 14:00 daily and the jukebox and regulars do the entertaining.
Crank & Boom scoops Toa Green's small-batch ice cream in the Distillery District, the dessert window Lexington hits between Manchester Street bars.
TryKentucky-made small-batch ice cream
Why locals goIt hides between Distillery District warehouses off Manchester Street; follow the painted ice cream cones down the alley.
TipThe bourbon and honey flavour is the local order; the Clays Mill shop covers the south side when queues run long.
Sorella Gelateria churns small-batch gelato and sorbetto on West Short Street, the sister-owned scoop shop downtown Lexington queues at after dinner.
DrinkSmall-batch gelato and affogato
Why locals goA two-sister gelato lab on the quiet end of West Short Street that churns in tiny batches and closes when the case runs out.
TipClosed Monday and Tuesday; flavours rotate constantly, so ask what was churned that morning.
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.