After just 24 hours in Lexington, I was worried our road trip budget would be blown out of the water this month by food and drink costs.
That’s because we had a great dinner the evening we arrived and then a great breakfast the following morning. Thankfully we managed to rein in our spending, although it did mean we didn’t get to eat and drink at as many places as we might’ve liked.
Having said that, here are 5 places that we enjoyed eating and drinking at during our two weeks in Lexington.
1) Saul Good
We arrived in Lexington the day after attending the 2019 Kentucky Derby, with Shae’s mom and stepdad staying with us for the first night.
The four of us went to dinner that night at a nearby restaurant called Saul Good and had a great experience. Our server Cody was excellent, as was the beer flight I ordered.
Our meals were just as good. Shae and I both got flatbreads, but with different toppings. I ordered the Thai flatbread that came topped with peanut sauce, chicken, bean sprouts, carrots, cilantro, sweet chili garlic sauce, peanuts and lime.
I enjoyed it a lot, although I think the Thai Cobb pizza I got at Mitten Brewing Co in Grand Rapids, Michigan is still my favorite Thai-style pizza/flatbread.
Shae got the sriracha shrimp flatbread which came with blackened shrimp, sriracha aioli, pineapple, red onion, mint, cilantro and basil. I was a little surprised that she ordered this as she’s usually just a straight cheese and tomoto pizza kind of person, but she loved it. I tried a bite and could see why she liked it so much.
Address: Saul Good, 1808 Alysheba Way, Lexington, KY 40509
2) DV8 Kitchen
The following morning we went out to breakfast with mom and Steve before they headed off. I’d looked into breakfast places the previous night and came across a restaurant called DV8 Kitchen. Checking out their website, I saw that they have a great mission, as they employ people who’ve had substance abuse problems and provide them with employment, training, life skills and more.
Funnily enough, we got chatting to someone while canoeing the other day and she mentioned that the guy who owns Saul Good also owns DV8 Kitchen, which explains why the food and service was good at both.
Shae ordered huevos rancheros which came on Texas toast with scrambled egg, chorizo, cheddar cheese, tortilla strips, green chile sauce and cilantro cream. My breakfast had been good, but I was jealous of her sandwich as it was even better.
We also got a blueberry cinnamon roll to share which was very good.
Address: DV8 Kitchen, 867 S Broadway #140, Lexington, KY 40504
3) Harkness Edwards Vineyards
The afternoon we arrived in Lexington, Shae and her mom drove out to nearby Winchester to go wine tasting at Harkness Edwards Vineyards.
They had such a wonderful experience that Shae and I went on Mother’s Day too. I’m glad we did as it was the most enjoyable wine tasting experience we’ve ever had.
As you can see from the photo above, dogs are allowed on the property and, seeing as we were the only ones there at the time, they let us bring Truffles inside.
We’d gotten a Groupon for a wine tasting for two people that also came with a cheese plate, along with some lovely chocolate-covered pomegranates.
The wine tasting includes six wines, all of which were excellent. I’m not normally a fan of white wine, but theirs were all really good. Taste The Sun – a white wine – was actually both our favorite one we tried.
Be sure to check out Shae’s post which shares even more about our wine tasting at Harkness Edwards Vineyards.
Address: Harkness Edwards Vineyards, 5199 Combs Ferry Rd, Winchester, KY 40391
4) Double Dogs
From a pet-friendly winery to a pet-friendly restaurant. Just a couple of minutes walk from the hotel we were staying at (the Hyatt Place Lexington) was Double Dogs. They have an open outdoor seating area, with half of it being pet-friendly.
It was a warm day out, so the fact that they served our drinks in frozen mugs was appreciated.
Seeing as we were eating at a place called Double Dogs, I decided to get a hot dog for lunch. And what a hot dog it was.
That’s because I ordered the Breakfast Dog which comes with a Fat Boy Hebrew National hot dog, two bacon strips, two fried eggs and grilled onions. It also normally comes with American cheese, but I asked for that to be left off as I don’t like cheese.
I think this might have been the best hot dog I’ve ever had. Ridiculously unhealthy, but well worth the who-knows-how-many calories it contains (not to mention the side of fries).
Shae made a better food choice than me health-wise (although probably not taste-wise) as she ordered the tuna salad which was on the lunch specials menu.
Address: Double Dogs, 1916 Justice Dr, Lexington, KY 40509
5) Buffalo Trace
If you’re going to be in the Lexington area, you’re in prime Kentucky Bourbon Trail territory. Frankfort is Kentucky’s state capital and is just over half an hour away, with numerous distilleries being based in and around the two cities.
We visited Buffalo Trace Distillery and had a great time there. Tours of the distillery are free, pets are welcome on the tour and you get to taste several types of whiskey, vodka and bourbon cream at the end.
I highly recommend visiting Buffalo Trace, even if – like Shae – you’re not a bourbon drinker. Check out this post for more about what it’s like.
Address: Buffalo Trace Distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601
Your Suggestions
I’m sure we missed out on a ton of great bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries in and around Lexington, so what are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below.
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