First look: Mulberry Street Bar & Kitchen restaurant opening on North Lime
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mulberry Street Bar & Kitchen will have a grand opening July 11 at 574 N. Limestone.
- Kitchen hours vary by day, not uniformly 5 p.m. to midnight.
- The bar will serve craft cocktails, beer, wine and nonalcoholic options until 2 a.m.
A new bar and restaurant featuring cocktails and fresh food options is opening on North Limestone.
Mulberry Street Bar & Kitchen, which is going into the former Arcadium spot at 574 N. Limestone, is having a grand opening July 11. The kitchen will be open from 5 p.m. to midnight and the bar will be open until 2 a.m.
The Herald-Leader got a sneak peek at Mulberry Street, which is owned by Kurt Bachelder along with former Arcadium manager and bartender Sean McClary and Julia “J” Estes, a veteran of the Lexington restaurant scene (Sahara, Crust, Pearl’s and County Club). Bachelder was a longtime regular at Arcadium, which closed at the end of April.
McClary said that when Arcadium’s owners decided not to renew the lease, he approached them about selling.
“One of the big motivations was keeping it as a neighborhood hangout but also making it a little more inviting, easier to walk into, more of a community space,” McClary said.
After Arcadium, along with adjacent food concept Favor, closed, the building was refreshed and a menu of cocktails and bar-centric snacks was created. Most items are priced in the $5 to $20 range and will change seasonally, although favorites including vegetarian and vegan dishes will be constants.
Estes said the menu is largely Mediterranean based.
“It’s what I like to eat,” she said, “I like working with fresh ingredients and what’s in season, so the menu will change.”
For the opening on Saturday, there will be snacks including salsa and corn chips for $8, baba ghanoush with corn chips and Wild Lab Bakery baguette for $9, hand-cut fries for $5, fresh salad for $14, falafel sandwich with tomato jam, tahini mayo on Wild Lab ciabatta for $16, chicken kabab for $16 and lamb fried rice for $18.
The kitchen will be open Wednesday and Thursday 5-11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to midnight, then Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and eventually will add brunch. Weekday lunch could be an option at some point if foot traffic in the area picks up.
The space has more tables and a warm, friendly atmosphere. The name comes from Lexington’s early days, when Limestone was called Mulberry. There’s seating inside for about 70 in the main room and in the restaurant space out back with more seating on the patio. Customers will be able to get food in the bar and drinks in the kitchen area.
The bar will serve a menu of craft cocktails, including classics and riffs on those, as well as a draft and bottled beer and wine by the glass. There also will be a selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
They did keep a touch of the Arcadium: There are two arcade games tucked into the back by the bathroom, Ms Pac-Man and Street Fighter II, both of which will be set to free play, McClary said.
Mulberry Street Bar & Kitchen
Where: 574 N. Limestone
Hours: Monday through Thursday 5 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Kitchen closes earlier than bar.)
Online: mulberrystreetlex.com
