33 editor picks in Lexington.
33 upscale places in Lexington, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Lexington: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Lexington food.
Dudley's on Short cooks seasonal contemporary American food on West Short Street, the downtown room Lexington books for anniversaries and Keeneland nights.
TipReserve by phone for parties over six; OpenTable covers smaller tables. The bar seats walk-ins.
Dudley's on Short cooks seasonal contemporary American food on West Short Street, the downtown room Lexington books for anniversaries and Keeneland nights.
TipReserve by phone for parties over six; OpenTable covers smaller tables. The bar seats walk-ins.
Coles 735 Main serves Cole Arimes' locally sourced New American cooking in a circa-1938 room on East Main, with meats cured in-house for Lexington regulars.
TipClosed Sundays. The bar and gazebo open at 16:00, an hour before the dining room seats.
Coles 735 Main serves Cole Arimes' locally sourced New American cooking in a circa-1938 room on East Main, with meats cured in-house for Lexington regulars.
TipClosed Sundays. The bar and gazebo open at 16:00, an hour before the dining room seats.
Epping's on Eastside fills the old Epping Bottling Works in Lexington's Warehouse Block with house-cured meats, crab cakes and Cole Arimes' seasonal cooking.
OrderJumbo lump crab cake, Pork belly
TipWeekend brunch runs 10:00-14:00, and the kid-friendly Poppy & Olive room takes the pressure off family tables.
ItalX rolls scratch-made pastas in Lexington's City Center, chef Jonathan Lundy's Italian room with reimagined small plates and a sommelier-built wine list.
TipLunch runs Wednesday to Sunday, a rarity downtown; dinner from 16:00 suits pre-show Rupp Arena tables.
Malone's cuts USDA Prime steaks at its original Lansdowne room, the Lexington-born steakhouse that grew into the Bluegrass Hospitality Group's flagship.
TipLexington Legend cut portions run big; the Hamburg and Palomar rooms take pressure off weekend waits.
ItalX rolls scratch-made pastas in Lexington's City Center, chef Jonathan Lundy's Italian room with reimagined small plates and a sommelier-built wine list.
TipLunch runs Wednesday to Sunday, a rarity downtown; dinner from 16:00 suits pre-show Rupp Arena tables.
Malone's cuts USDA Prime steaks at its original Lansdowne room, the Lexington-born steakhouse that grew into the Bluegrass Hospitality Group's flagship.
TipLexington Legend cut portions run big; the Hamburg and Palomar rooms take pressure off weekend waits.
Epping's on Eastside fills the old Epping Bottling Works in Lexington's Warehouse Block with house-cured meats, crab cakes and Cole Arimes' seasonal cooking.
OrderJumbo lump crab cake, Pork belly
TipWeekend brunch runs 10:00-14:00, and the kid-friendly Poppy & Olive room takes the pressure off family tables.
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.
TipDinner only. The bourbon list rewards asking the bar for a Kentucky-only pour before you order food.
OBC Kitchen stocks over 150 bourbons and whiskeys behind a Lansdowne storefront, the Lexington bar-restaurant where bacon arrives in a glass with the drinks.
OrderBacon in a glass
TipIt sits in the Lansdowne Shoppes beside sister steakhouse Malone's; weekend service opens at 10:00 with brunch dishes.
The Merrick Inn serves Southern dinners and weekend brunch from a former horse-farm manor off Tates Creek Road, a Lexington occasion room of long standing.
TipBrunch runs Friday to Sunday 10:00-15:00; the walled patio is the seat to request from May to September.
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.
TipFree parking sits directly across Manchester Street until 18:00; brunch runs Friday to Sunday 09:00-14:00.
The Merrick Inn serves Southern dinners and weekend brunch from a former horse-farm manor off Tates Creek Road, a Lexington occasion room of long standing.
TipBrunch runs Friday to Sunday 10:00-15:00; the walled patio is the seat to request from May to September.
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.
TipFree parking sits directly across Manchester Street until 18:00; brunch runs Friday to Sunday 09:00-14:00.
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.
TipDinner only. The bourbon list rewards asking the bar for a Kentucky-only pour before you order food.
Dark Arts Whiskey House finishes barrels in Lexington's Distillery District and pours cask tastings on Manchester Street, a Kentucky Bourbon Trail stop.
TipBook the barrel tasting; pulling your pour straight from an ageing cask beats the standard flight.
OBC Kitchen stocks over 150 bourbons and whiskeys behind a Lansdowne storefront, the Lexington bar-restaurant where bacon arrives in a glass with the drinks.
OrderBacon in a glass
TipIt sits in the Lansdowne Shoppes beside sister steakhouse Malone's; weekend service opens at 10:00 with brunch dishes.
The Merrick Inn serves Southern dinners and weekend brunch from a former horse-farm manor off Tates Creek Road, a Lexington occasion room of long standing.
TipBrunch runs Friday to Sunday 10:00-15:00; the walled patio is the seat to request from May to September.
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.
TipFree parking sits directly across Manchester Street until 18:00; brunch runs Friday to Sunday 09:00-14:00.
Carson's Food & Drink runs steaks, seafood and cocktails on East Main Street in Lexington, an old Kentucky supper-club room that stays loud into the evening.
OrderSeared ahi tuna salad, Banana bread pudding
TipBrunch runs Friday to Sunday 10:00-14:00; the banana bread pudding closes most tables here.
Azur Restaurant & Patio reworks American classics near Keeneland in Beaumont, a Lexington fixture since 2005 known for Tim Perkins' bourbon fried chicken.
OrderBourbon fried chicken, Woven shrimp
TipSunday 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.
OrderShrimp and grits, Chicken and gnocchi
TipLunch runs Wednesday to Friday only. The shrimp and grits use Weisenberger white cheddar grits from Midway.
Tachibana has served Lexington sushi, yakitori and teppanyaki since 1987 on Newtown Court, the city's longest-running Japanese dining room by some distance.
TipLunch is weekdays only, 11:30-13:30; book a tatami room for groups and order from the sushi bar.
Carson's Food & Drink runs steaks, seafood and cocktails on East Main Street in Lexington, an old Kentucky supper-club room that stays loud into the evening.
OrderSeared ahi tuna salad, Banana bread pudding
TipBrunch runs Friday to Sunday 10:00-14:00; the banana bread pudding closes most tables here.
Azur Restaurant & Patio reworks American classics near Keeneland in Beaumont, a Lexington fixture since 2005 known for Tim Perkins' bourbon fried chicken.
OrderBourbon fried chicken, Woven shrimp
TipSunday brunch runs 10:30-14:00. Ask for the patio in racing season; it books out on Keeneland weekends.
Azur Restaurant & Patio reworks American classics near Keeneland in Beaumont, a Lexington fixture since 2005 known for Tim Perkins' bourbon fried chicken.
OrderBourbon fried chicken, Woven shrimp
TipSunday 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.
OrderShrimp and grits, Chicken and gnocchi
TipLunch runs Wednesday to Friday only. The shrimp and grits use Weisenberger white cheddar grits from Midway.
Lockbox occupies the vault floor of the 21c Museum Hotel's 1914 bank building in Lexington, with Stephen Holden cooking a contemporary Southern-leaning menu.
TipRenovation-mode service: in-room breakfast for hotel guests Wed-Sun and evening drinks in the lobby lounge. Call before a special trip.
The Blue Heron Steakhouse grills premium beef, oysters and fried chicken on Jefferson Street, Keith Clark's clubby corner of Lexington's restaurant row.
TipDinner only, from 17:00. Jefferson Street parking tightens after 19:00 on weekends, so arrive early.
Frank & Dino's plays supper-club Italian on West Short Street, feeding downtown Lexington veal, red-sauce classics and martinis seven days a week.
TipLunch and dinner run daily with a mid-afternoon break; the bar pours a proper Rat Pack-era martini.
The Mad Horseman pours top-tier wines and local beer inside the historic Sire Hotel on West Second, an upscale Lexington lounge with tapas until late.
TipNightly from 16:00; the hotel-lobby setting makes it the reliable smart-casual option for a nightcap downtown.
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.