4 restaurants in Lexington are closing. Some already have plans for what’s next

A handful of Lexington restaurants have closed or announced upcoming closures, with owners citing a wide range of reasons.

From a troubled brewpub chain’s sudden departure to one owner saying they wanted to leave “on top,” here’s what to know about four recent closures.

• Goodwood Brewing has permanently closed and Doc Crow’s Social has taken over leases at the former locations in Lexington, Frankfort and O’Fallon, Missouri, with operations beginning April 22 amid lawsuits totaling more than $500,000 in unpaid rent, vendor bills and back taxes.
• Chef John Foster is closing The Sage Rabbit on May 16 after nearly 11 years at 438 S. Ashland Ave. in Chevy Chase, saying he “wanted to exit while on top” and spend more time with family and travel.
• Tilted Kilt, the British-themed sports bar known as “Hooters in plaid,” will close May 16 after seven years at 1030 S. Broadway, with owner Jamie Daniel planning a new concept for the space later this year.
• The Athenian Grill’s downtown Lexington location will close in July and be replaced by Hellenic Kitchen by Ilias Pappas, the same owner. The new spot will be a quick-service Greek and Mediterranean restaurant with build-your-own bowls and sandwiches open Monday through Saturday.

The summary points above are based on the reporting of Herald-Leader journalists. The roundup was produced with the assistance of AI. Herald-Leader reporters and an editor reviewed this story for accuracy. You can read more about our AI policy here.