Looking for seafood for Lent? Here’s your restaurant, fish fry guide
Now that Mardi Gras is done, lots of people will be looking for great fish, particularly on Fridays during the Lenten season. But you don’t have to be religious to appreciate a good piece of fish.
Here are some local places where you can catch a great sandwich or a special, while it is in season.
▪ The Ketch Seafood Grill, 2012 Regency Rd., is another place with a local following for its fish sandwiches, po’boys and much more. Call 859-277-5919 for more information.
▪ St. Peter Catholic Church, 153 Barr St., will have a Lenten Fish Fry on Feb. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. Because nobody does a fish fry like a church. You get fish, sides and drinks for $10.
▪ Cathedral of Christ the King, 299 Colony Blvd, will have fish fries most Fridays during Lent to support local charities. It will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 28 (profits support Catholic Action Center), March 6 (profit support Christ the King School), March 27 (profits support Mustart Seed Communities), and April 3 (profits support Little Sisters of the Poor.)
▪ Lexington Seafood Co., 867 East High St., is known for its fresh fish, seafood, shrimp and oysters but they will cook you a piece for lunch, too. Call 859-266-8888 to place an order.
▪ Smithtown Seafood, 501 West Sixth St., is tucked right into the West Sixth Brewery, so you can pair your food with a West Sixth beer. Smithtown also has burgers and vegetarian offerings on the menu, too. Call 859-303-4100 for more information. And there is a Smithtown Seafood location in The Barn at The Summit at Fritz Farm. Call 859-309-0011 for more info there.
▪ Palmers Fresh Grill, 161 Lexington Green Circle, has Kentucky beer-battered cod filets served with bistro fries, napp cabbage slaw and poblano tartar sauce. There’s also a nice lakeside patio if it’s warm enough to sit outside. Call 859-273-0103 for more information.
▪ Charlie’s Fresh Seafood Market, 926 Winchester Rd., is where locals go. The fish sandwich special comes highly recommended. Charlie’s also sells fresh and frozen seafood. Call 859-255-6005 for more information.
▪ Oscar Diggs, 155 North Limestone, will have rotating fish specials, including fish & chips and fish tacos in addition to the blackened fish po-boy on the regular menu.
▪ Horse & Jockey, 131 Cheapside, is a new Irish gastropub downtown that has fish & chips on its menu.
▪ Dudley’s on Short, 259 West Short St., will offer Friday fish specials for both lunch and dinner throughout Lent. Sometimes chef Mark Richardson even does a take on the classic fish & chips.
▪ Sidebar Grill, 147 North Limestone, will have fish on the lunch menu as well as for dinner through Lent. You can get a fish sandwich or fish & chips. Call 859-225-8883 for more information.
▪ J. Render’s, 3191 Beaumont Centre Circle, will do “Fish Fridays” every week through Lent. You can get beer-battered white fish, fries, creamy cole slaw and house-made tartar sauce.
▪ Joella’s Hot Chicken, 101 Cochran Rd., is bringing back the Crispy Cod Sammie, for a limited time only. From Feb. 26 to April 12, you can get the fish double beer-battered and fried, and topped with Sweet Vinegar Slaw and Bama White Dippin’ Sauce. The Crispy Cod Sammie can be prepared with any of Joella’s six famous heat levels including Traditional Southern (no heat), Spiked Honey, Ella’s Fav, Tweener, Hot and Fire-In Da-Hole (inferno-level hot). The Crispy Cod Sammie is available Wednesday through Friday, Feb. 26 to April 7, and daily April 8 to April 12. Pair the sandwich with a choice of one Southern side for $9.50.
▪ Nick Ryan’s, 157 Jefferson St., has fish and chips for dinner. Their version is Country Boy Cougar Bait beer-battered cod, served with fries, tarragon tartar sauce and coleslaw for $14.
▪ Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd. in Harrodsburg, will have Fish Frydays March 6-27. It’s an old-fashioned fish fry every Friday evening in March. Tickets are available online at shakervillageky.org.
