Need TP? Eggs? Ground beef? Sanitizer? Moonshine? These local restaurants have it
With restaurants in Kentucky and elsewhere closed to dining in, many are scrambling to come up with other offerings that will attract business.
Besides takeout and family meals, several local dining spots are offering grocery items, including the coveted toilet paper.
Many also will deliver, so you can stay in your home and get dinner and groceries in one delivery.
Barbecue, banana bread and sanitizer
▪ Red State BBQ is now Red State BBQ and Grocery, a pop-up grocery with everything from New York strip steaks, homemade salsas, some fresh fruits and veggies, sanitizer spray, loaves of bread, pasta, ground beef, chicken salad and much more.
The hard surface sanitizer has been a big seller, said owner David Carroll, and the housemade banana bread. He’s adding a new jalapeno cheese bread soon, and is working with a grocery supplier to add more items. He thinks even when the shutdown eases, people may be reluctant to go right back to normal.
This way, they can come in, have their groceries selected and bagged for them, and take home some barbecue too, he said.
And having other items has helped Red State too: “We just had a customer on Saturday who bought $200 worth of stuff,” Carroll said. “It’s been pretty good.”
Cocktails and spring mix
Wildcat Willy’s Distillery in Winchester used to be part distillery, part farm-to-table restaurant.
Now they’ve leaned heavily into the farm part, with fresh greens and bread, eggs, garlic cheese grits, blueberry cornmeal upside down cake, frozen meats, pints of moonshine, to-go cocktails and even Laura’s Mercantile hemp products.
And they’ll delivery anywhere in Clark County for $5.
Snacks and more
The Mousetrap is a Lexington deli known for its gourmet sandwiches, spreads (mmm, the pimento cheese!) and soups. But they also have grocery items like pastas, soups, chips, salsa and drinks.
Bicycle delivery
Girlsgirlsgirls Burritos, which has had bicycle delivery for years, is now taking requests for lots of other stuff.
They will bring you margarita kits, dry goods, produce, dairy, meats, farm eggs, cleaning products and even a bag of ice. As well as burritos of course (check out the Andy Beshear Burreet.)
Two options in Midway
Heirloom in Midway will take your grocery list and run with it.
Owner Mark Wombles said the restaurant is now selling steaks, chicken breasts, ground beef, burger buns, vegetables, rice by the pound, cheese and more. “You name it, we will sell it,” he said. “If we don’t have it we can take a grocery list from someone and order it and have it the next day.”
The Brown Barrel in Midway was always a liquor store as well as a restaurant. And with the coronavirus shutdown, owner JP Gibson ramped up the items available and is also delivering.
Now he’s offering custom cuts of meat, fresh-cut chicken, hamburgers, portabello mushrooms, eggs, fresh produce and more. Gibson said he’s working on a sanitizer bundle with paper towels, cleaners, gloves and more, too.
Fresh bread
Rise Up Pizza, a Lexington food truck that normally does pizza obviously, is now selling loaves of bread, including sour dough, and take-and-bake frozen pizzas. Delivery is available, too.
Coming soon: Greek options
Athenian Grill is launching Athenian Market. Owner Ilias Pappas said he hopes to go live by the end of the month with an online ordering platform that will start with bakery products and add ready-to-cook items such as skewers and lamb burgers. The market will have meats, vegetables, deli items, cakes, and Athenian Grill’s signature sauces.
Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe is adding produce, meats, dairy/breads/dry goods, deli sides/dressings and beverages. Various amounts of these items will be available to order for delivery or pick-up beginning in Nashville, Richmond, Atlanta, Denver, and Memphis. Taziki’s plans to expand the program across their various other locations throughout the coming months.
Beyond takeout
Other national chains that are thinking outside the takeout bag include:
▪ Longhorn Steakhouse is selling cuts of steak that can be ordered online for sameday pickup.
▪ Panera Bread is selling milk, bread and produce for pick-up or delivery. Available items include 2% and skim milk, Greek yogurt, loaves of white and whole grain bread, apples, avocados, grapes and a number of other kitchen staples.
▪ Texas Roadhouse also is selling fresh cuts of steak you can take home and cook. Call your local restaurant to order.
▪ Jimmy John’s is selling loaves of fresh-baked French bread to go.
▪ Edible Arrangements is offering fresh fruit and vegetables in boxes and bundles.
▪ Subway is selling bread, meats, cheeses and vegetables, available for curbside pickup, inside pickup and delivery near the store in some locations. Call to find out if your location is participating.
This story was originally published April 18, 2020 at 7:00 PM.
