Lexington
Lexington is a beautiful old city in the heart of Bluegrass country. Visit for horse racing in the spring and fall, and don't miss plenty of great food, bourbon, beer, and coffee.
Food
Doodles: creative spot in the North Limestone (aka NoLi) district, built in an old gas station
DV8 Kitchen: excellent brunch spot with two locations. DV8 focuses on employment for people rebuilding their lives while in addiction recovery
Bourbon n Toulouse: an absolute must-visit for wonderfully seasoned Cajun and Creole dishes. Hit up their original location in Chevy Chase or their newer spot on the east side.
Hall's on the River: beloved old restaurant serving Southern fare in Winchester.
Holly Hill Inn: the flagship restaurant for beloved Lexington chef and restaurateur Ouita Michel. Hit the link to learn more about her eateries across the region, from Holly Hill to Wallace Station, Midway Bakery to Honeywood.
Keeneland Track Kitchen: rustic cafeteria-style breakfast spot open to the public on the grounds of Keeneland race course
Lockbox: creative upscale spot in the 21c Museum downtown
North Lime Donuts: superb local donut shop with two locations in Lexington (and one in Louisville)
Ramsey's Diner: local diner chain with four locations
Spalding's Bakery: nearly 100-year-old spot cranking out old school donuts
Tack House Pub: formerly the Coffee Pub, a cozy spot serving breakfast and lunch
Wallace Station: another flagship Ouita Michel spot, focused on sandwiches and burgers in Versailles
Winchell's Restaurant: sports bar serving hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare
Coffee & Beer
The Beer Trappe: cool beer bar with an international selection of bottles and drafts in Chevy Chase (next door to Bourbon n Toulouse!)
Brevede Coffee Co.: coffee shop and bakery in spacious industrial digs part of the Distillery District, which includes a cider house, restaurants, ice cream shop, and modern distilleries.
Ethereal Brewing: brewery in the Distillery District with a diverse roster of beers. They have a companion public house downtown.
Manchester Coffee Co.: coffee shop with two locations in the city
Old School Coffee: charming coffee shop downtown in a beautifully restored historic school building
West Sixth Brewing: ever-growing brewery on West Sixth Street. Their building includes their taproom, Ouita Michel's Smithtown Seafood, the hydroponic farm and fishery Food Chain, and The Broke Spoke community bike shop.
Parks & Attractions
The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky: lush 100-acre arboretum operated by the University of Kentucky
Keeneland: internationally renowned thoroughbred racecourse open year-round for tours and visitation. Races are held in April and October.
Kentucky Bourbon Trail: the expansive trail includes one distillery in Lexington (Town Branch) and a few just to the west of it
Mary Todd Lincoln House: historical home and museum dedicated to one of the country's most fascinating First Ladies
Shaker Village: historic site in Pleasant Hill that was home to the third largest Shaker community in the country, with homes and buildings, tours, restaurants over 3000 acres.
