The best bars in and around Lexington

By wendy miller | Contributing Columnist

BEST PATIOS

All downtown revelers know Cheapside (131 Cheapside; (859) 254-0046). Its newly renovated patio’s second story offers excellent views of historic architecture and delightfully shameless customers.

In 2003, nearby Le Deauville (199 North Limestone; (859) 246-0999) introduced the city center to Parisian sidewalk dining. Translation: casual elegance blended with French joie de vivre. Sit near the entrance to view the gorgeous 200-year-old trees nearby, or for contemporary celebrity sightings, such as NBC sportscaster and native son Tom Hammond.

Bigg Blue Martini (369 West Vine Street, in the Lexington Downtown Hotel & Conference Center; (859) 231-9000) offers a charmingly romantic vista of splashy fountains, light-strewn trees and the occasional horse-drawn carriage. The clip-clopping of hooves and the click of heels are street syncopation, but outdoor speakers provide music, too. If the tunes get you going, the patio has a dance license.

The outdoor area at Atomic Café (265 North Limestone; (859) 254-1969) seems closest to the whole concept of the patio, which means “back yard” or “back garden” in Spanish. But forget colonial refinement here. The island energy and tropical tone evoke a good time in the Caribbean.

For bohos and progressive thinkers who relish art and conversation and want to pretend they’re in New York, the obvious choice is Natasha’s Bistro and Bar (112 Esplanade; (859) 259-2754). Visual pleasures abound, from planters of purple flowers to the Kentucky Theatre’s façade (circa 1921) nearby to the moody geometric shadows cast by Moroccan lanterns. There also is the joy of half-priced wine on Wednesdays, and the culture of local independent theater and music inside the restaurant.

A.P. Roots (355 Romany Road; (859) 367-6687) salutes Bluegrass farmers — “Local people, local food” — but that serious commitment in no way precludes a shock or two at this former grocery store. For example, on particularly nice days, customers have been known to stretch out in the French-style garden to catch the rays.

What surprises people most about Merrick Inn (1074 Merrick Drive; (859) 269-5417), says manager Jennifer Murray, is how unstuffy and personal it is despite its stately grandeur. Trees are planted on the property for friends who have passed away. Yet, at this Secretariat of Lexington patios — big-hearted, beloved and enduring — the crowd is not above climbing fences to take a dip in the residential pool. Sports notables — including the equine industry’s Nick Zito and Bob Baffert, as well as Cincinnati Bengals stars Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco — have made “most ogled” on Merrick’s celebrity list.

[See an interactive map and get directions to the places in this story.]

Drinking in Central Kentucky offers something for everyone.

As the mood strikes, you can be among a lively university crowd or sitting beside a septuagenarian who has probably occupied the same stool for more than four decades.

Some establishments serve the well-heeled, while others’ clients show up in flip-flops and hiking boots.

Lexington has one of the best gay bars in the world, watering holes for the horsey set, and Irish pubs that would make its sister city, or rather county — Kildare — proud.

In addition, no matter where you go or what you’re drinking, the people-watching, served with a touch of warm Southern hospitality, is fine, as it must be in any top-notch drinking culture.

Kentucky and bourbon are inextricably linked in the public mind, and why not? Bourbon is one of our claims to fame.

Best for bourbon and wine

No visitor should leave the area without a visit to a distillery or, failing that, a sampling at The Horse & Barrel (101 North Broadway in Victorian Square; (859) 259-3771) that offers at least 60 different bottles appealing to the novice and the connoisseur. In 2008, it was named one of the three top “Bars of the Year” worldwide by prestigious Whisky magazine for its selection and service of bourbon.

But there is far more diversity in drinking habits here in the Bluegrass than simply sipping Maker’s Mark or Pappy Van Winkle.

Local oenophiles gather to enjoy the Wine Spectator award-winning wine lists found at several Lexington restaurants, including Dudley’s, a favorite among Thoroughbred industry types. (Its 380 South Mill Street location is scheduled to close on Oct. 31 before reopening on West Short Street in the winter; (859) 252-1010).

Malone’s (3347 Tates Creek Road; (859) 335-6500) is known for matching red wines with red meat.

The Melting Pot (152 West Tiverton Way; (859) 254-6358) is a chain that makes sure the wine in the glass matches that in the fondue.

Portofino (249 East Main Street; (859) 253-9300) has a California and Italian focus. And Summit (1097 Duval Street; (859) 271-1400) pairs its wine selections with its contemporary cuisine.

The Bluegrass region also has some wineries that are just a short drive from town, including Jean Farris Winery and Bistro (6825 Old Richmond Road; (859) 263-9463), where the views are serenity itself.

Talon Winery and Vineyards (7086 Tates Creek Road; (859) 971-3214) features a tasting room in an 18th-century farmhouse.

Best for beer

Beer lovers have some amazingly good options, too. There’s Marikka’s Restaurant und Bier Stube (411 Southland Drive; (859) 275-1925), which stocks more than 500 international suds. The “Siren Special” at The Chase Tap Room (135 North Broadway; (859) 309-9300) is a quirky discount: beers are half-price whenever a siren blares by.

Pazzo’s (385 South Limestone; (859) 255-5125), a serious student hangout near the University of Kentucky, has bragging rights to excellent draught beer status: 40 brews on tap alone.

Best for atmosphere

Sometimes, however, the driving force is not what you’ll be drinking, but rather where you’ll be drinking it. Atmosphere matters.

Jonathan at Gratz Park (120 West Second Street; (859) 252-4949), set in a historic district, is a restaurant that also houses the town’s coziest bar, complete with an intimate and sumptuous interior and a fireplace that blazes on cold winter evenings.

In October 2007, Out magazine named The Bar Complex (224 East Main Street; (859) 255-1551), aka “The Bar,” one of the top 50 gay bars in the world. It has three bars, a dance floor, drag shows and a welcoming, straight-friendly vibe.

McCarthy’s Irish Bar (117 South Upper Street; (859) 258-2181) is traditionally Irish, from the fresh Guinness to jukebox melodies, while Molly Brooke’s (109 North Limestone; (859) 420-5792) is the pub of the 21st century.

Head toward the south suburbs and you can drink in a remake of the British Invasion: The Pub (3750 Mall Road, near Fayette Mall; (859) 971-2748) pulls imperial pints (22 ounces) of draught beers from all over the British Isles with memorabilia from the Fab Four era.

Student-friendly hangouts — open to all, of course — are naturally found around campus. Music is a given. They include the popular Two Keys Tavern (333 South Limestone; (859) 254-5000); the neighborhood spot Lynagh’s Irish Pub and Grill (384 Woodland Avenue; (859) 255-1292); and the dimly lit Charlie Brown’s (816 East Euclid Avenue; (859) 269-5701).

Best for uniqueness

Finally, three wonderful bars defy classification.

Al’s Bar (601 North Limestone; (859) 309-2901) has grabbed a niche on the north side of town by offering a full bar and locavore gourmet nosh while aspiring to (and quickly achieving) status as the city’s prime Bluegrass music venue.

A local institution is Chevy Chase Inn (833 East Euclid Avenue; (859) 266-9422), famed for cribbage, strong drinks and a lovable cast of regulars.

Soundbar (208 South Limestone; (859) 523-6338) is a fabulous study in contrasts — the beautiful patio could be in Provence, the hip bar could be in any major urban center — that is bringing back classic cocktails like the Moscow mule and the French 75, and its updated version, the French 76.