Unusual places to eat: Want to dine surrounded by antiques? plants? horses?

We’re lucky here in Lexington to have an abundance of good eating establishments, some of which have had intriguing past lives.

A former church has become a shrine to Italian food at Joe Bologna’s; the Merrick Inn was once the manor house at a horse farm, and there are cafes in places ranging from book stores to bourbon distilleries.

The following spots promise good eats in unique settings.

‘Cornering the market’ in Jessamine County

Dodd’s Corner Market, 309 N Third St., Nicholasville, Facebook.com/DoddsCorner/. My sister, who introduced me to this find, won’t even think about buying her produce anywhere but here at Dodd’s Corner Market, situated at the corner of Third and Depot Streets in Nicholasville.

In the summer we’ve picked up fresh corn and succulent tomatoes, but there was more produce than expected in mid-October. In addition to the sea of pumpkins in all sizes, there was the bounty of fall on display – jams and jellies, pickles and relishes, local eggs, shiny apples, and russet potatoes.

But the real attraction for me was the aroma wafting from the outdoor smoker. Disappointment awaited as market manager Beth Dieterich told me the ribs that the “pitmaster” – her brother Bill Dieterich - was smoking were all gone.

That’s the caveat at Dodd’s – they produce and you eat – what’s in season, and once they sell out (which is quickly) that’s it for the day. My sister, the Dodd’s devotee, checks Facebook daily to see what is being offered, and so should you. Especially if you are a fan of Dodd’s best sellers – creamy homemade pimento cheese and country ham.

I sat down at one of the three tables near the pizza station (they bake them every Friday and Saturday), and let Beth pour me a glass of Nicholasville resident Chris Hardy’s Apple Cider Mead. Made using local honey and spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and orange peel, it almost made up for missing the ribs. Almost.

The market’s fall hours are Monday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 5:00 p.m.

Dining Among the Trees

Kentucky Native Café at Michler’s Florist, 417 E. Maxwell St., michlers.com. Neighborhood dog walkers and baby pushers routinely stop here to relax over a coffee. However, if you haven’t popped in for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch, you’re in for a treat.

At Michler’s Florist, the flora isn’t just for sale. In a lush woodsy setting behind the greenhouse, tables are scattered among trees and pathways give the feeling of dining in a forest.

A kiosk-style kitchen dispenses small plates with two choices ($8.73) or three choices ($12.26) as unusual as the setting. No ham and cheese sandwich on my plate; instead there was lox and goat cheese on French bread with capers and red onions.

Forget chicken tenders. Instead, it was Chicken of the Woods which isn’t really chicken at all. This intriguing dish is actually a large mushroom – cubed like chicken and tossed in a dressing – and served on a pretzel croissant.

As the café is outdoors, it’s open seasonally (April 1 – Oct. 30), but owner Rob Michler says if you don’t make it in before then, you don’t have to wait until spring. The annual Christmas Market, now in its fifth year and scheduled for December 7 and 8, has as he says, “become kind of a beast unto itself.”

There will be mulled wine and Christmas cookies along with 20 local artists who set up tents in the trees. Speaking of artists, check out Transylvania ceramics professor Zoe Strecker’s striking sculpture on the wall of what can only be described as a really upscale outhouse.

Trivia, Bluegrass Music, Beer on Tap and groceries

Whole Foods, The Summit at Fritz Farm, wholefoodsmarket.com. If you thought Whole Foods was only about the freshest of organic produce, think again. Sure, the Austin, Texas-based company attracts legions of health-conscious Lexingtonians to its massive location at the Summit. However, like me, some of you have probably never turned right as you entered and headed straight back to the Barn Door Taproom.

If you haven’t, you should – especially on Wednesday nights when Bluegrass Joe and his band put on a show from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. (you can even bring your own instruments and join in the jam.) If you’re more of a “Jeopardy” than “Austin City Limits”kind of person, wait for Thursday when it’s Trivia Night at the Taproom. Indulge in any of the 32 beers on tap while you test your knowledge.

Pub grub is available every night – pizza, burgers and what Wade Smith, who holds the title of prepared food team leader, says is their most popular offering.

“Brisket, smoked 12 hours overnight, is definitely our hot ticket item,” he says. “People get upset if we don’t have it.”

Where Golf and Thoroughbreds meet Pub Grub

Daddy Joe’s, 1215 Highpoint Dr., Nicholasville, , daddyjoesky.com. It’s a beautiful day and you can’t decide whether to play a round of golf, tour a horse farm or seek out a cozy lunch spot. What if I told you that you could do all three at Taylor Made Farm?

First up, that round of golf. You don’t have to be a member of Thoroughbred Golf Course, adjacent to the farm and part of its operation. You’ll likely not find a more scenic course in the Bluegrass.

If you’re more of a horse lover than a duffer, book at tour to see the stallions as they strut their stuff right before you. Taylor Made was the birthplace of Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup winner American Pharoah, and while he may have moved on to Ashford Stud to do his manly duty, you won’t feel slighted.

California Chrome, the richest Kentucky Derby winner ever with total earnings of more than $14 million over his racing career, is happy to meet you.

Taylor Made staff are not going to let you go home hungry. Daddy Joe’s Bar & Grill (named in honor of Joe Taylor, a legendary Bluegrass breeder) provides a casual, friendly atmosphere for golfers and horse lovers, or for those just in search of good eats in a unique surrounding (it’s in what was once a tobacco barn).

Start off with a specialty bourbon cocktail at the bar, and then grab a Churchill Backstretch Burger, Keeneland 1/4 mile dog or Saratoga grilled cheese sandwich. Choose an inside table surrounded by memorabilia of the farm and Taylor family, or a table on the outdoor covered patio overlooking Thoroughbred Golf Course, and be prepared for, as they say, “service faster than a Thoroughbred.”

Puttin’ on the Glitz

The Glitz, 4205 Fords Mill Road, Nonesuch. irishacresgallery.com. Lexingtonians know about this iconic dining spot in a restored school house in the tiny Woodford County burg of Nonesuch. They frequently make the 25-minute drive to Irish Acres Antiques to browse the high-end offerings displayed in what were once the school’s classrooms.

If you want to have lunch at the Glitz, formerly the school cafeteria, be sure to reserve in advance. Yes, it’s that popular. Rightly so, with the delectable dishes cooked up by co-owner Emilie McCauley.

The set three-course menu changes every three weeks. From now through November 7, it features such dishes as Golden Harvest Bisque, Mini Salmon en Croute and Autumn Shepherd’s Pie. Always on the menu is the signature dessert, the Nonesuch Kiss (a baked meringue shell filled with jamoca ice cream, hot fudge sauce, toasted sliced almonds, whipped cream and a cherry.)

If you haven’t been to the Glitz and are wondering about the name, your first look will tell you all you need to know. A color scheme of silver, black, mauve and pink, and a décor featuring smoky mirrors, gauzy drapery and hundreds of twinkling lights makes you feel as if you were dining on a movie set straight out of Hollywood’s golden era.

To avoid disappointment, know that the Glitz closes after Christmas and reopens April 1.

This story was originally published October 24, 2019 at 8:27 AM with the headline "Unusual places to eat: Want to dine surrounded by antiques? plants? horses?."