Updated Lexington outdoor dining guide: More restaurant patios than ever
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Lexington dining guides
LexGoEat.com is here to help with a number of guides of Lexington restaurants from family meals to Italian to Mexican.
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It’s no secret that Lexingtonians love to dine outdoors, whether it’s on patios, in picnic areas or rooftop terraces. The need to stay socially distant during the coronavirus pandemic has made outdoor dining even more desirable.
As restaurants cope with reduced indoor capacity, many have expanded their outdoor seating, even adding tents and other amenities to make al fresco seem even more festive.
And the city has allowed restaurants to expand their outdoor footprint onto sidewalks or even into the street parking area.
Here are some updated options if you want to have a dining experience other than your own kitchen or curbside pickup, but still aren’t quite ready to go back inside.
And remember that most restaurants are continuing takeout, which has became a popular option during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
Note that hours of operation are not included as they are constantly changing. Please call the restaurant for most up-to-date hours.
The list doesn’t include chains, which also might have fine outdoor seating.
Epping’s on Eastside
264 Walton Ave.; 859-971-0240; Eppingsoneastside.com; Epping’s on Eastside has gone picnic, adding tables with seating for about 100 under a tent outside, with baskets of flowers and greenery and lights behind a picket fence.
The new tent even has room for live music on weekends. Epping’s is taking reservations dinner and for weekend brunch for the tent seating on Open Table or by phone.
Coles 735 Main
735 East Main St.; 859-266-9000; Coles735main.com; This popular fine dining restaurant already had covered porch area, but social distancing requirements limited amount of seating for customers. So chef Cole Arimes added on, filling the regular parking lot with a tent that gives diners plenty of elbow room with seating for about 50, filled with green plants under garden lights. Extra parking is available next door at the school board lot. Reservations recommended.
J. Render’s Southern Table & Bar
3191 Beaumont Centre Circle; 859-533-9777; jrendersbbq.com; This barbecue place has taken the challenge to maximize outdoor seating to extremes. They have added about 65 seats, all under bright red umbrellas, wrapped around the restaurant.
Sav’s
630 East Main St.; 859-785-1635; savslex.com; This African restaurant added a tent to the parking lot, giving customers a great place to grab some fufu, a beesop drink, peanut sauce bowl and even vegan and vegetarian options. Oh, and ice cream from Sav’s Chill. There’s also a porch for live music.
Roulay
107 West Short St.; 859-253-2222; Facebook.com/RoulayRestaurantandBar/; Roulay, a newish Creole-Cajun place, has rooftop terrace seating under an awning, with lights and a great view of downtown Lexington. They also have sidewalk seating.
Sutton’s
110 North Locust Hill Rd.; 859-268-2068; suttonsrestaurant.com; This Italian restaurant has 30 seats under an awning with lights and fans and another 35 seats under umbrellas.
Boone Tavern
100 Main St. North in Berea; 859-985-3700; boonetavernhotel.com; The veranda around this historic hotel and restaurant is open, weather permitting. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be served there. Reservations recommended.
Josie’s
821 Chevy Chase Place; 859-523-8328; josiesky.com This Chevy Chase restaurant has added a tent on the side where diners can sit.
Giuseppe’s Ristorante Italiano
4456 Old Nicholasville Rd.; 859-272-4053; giuseppeslexington.com; Giuseppe’s has covered patio seating and some with umbrellas, first come first serve, with live music Wednesday through Sunday. Open for dinner; reservations recommended.
The Cellar Bar & Grille
3256 Lansdowne Dr.; 859-317-8301; cellargrille.com; This Lansdowne restaurant has 84 patio seats, all under umbrellas.
Apollo Pizza
1451 Leestown Rd.; 859-523-2992; apollopizzamenu.com; Apollo has a patio tucked behind the restaurant with more than 60 seats, mostly covered. Seating is first come, first serve.
Lexington Diner
841 Lane Allen Rd.; 859-303-5573; lexingtondiner.com; The diner has up a large tent to expand its outdoor seating. You can reserve a table under cover, too.
Horse & Jockey Pub
131 Cheapside; 859-554-5585; horseandjockeypub.com; This Irish gastropub has a huge patio with umbrellas and an upstairs outdoor bar.
Bronte Bistro
161 Lexington Green Circle; 859-422-1429; brontebistro.com; Inside the Joseph-Beth book store, the bistro has a large patio with tables under umbrellas, many overlooking the lake. Live music too.
Mi Pequena Hacienda
3501 Lansdowne Dr.; 859-245-4679; mipequenahacienda.com; The Mexican favorite has added a tent for covered seating, open for lunch and dinner on a first come, first serve basis.
Papi’s Rapido
1214 South Broadway; 859-866-0057; Facebook.com/PapisRapidoLex/; A taco stand with a drive-through, Papi’s Rapido has nothing but outdoor seating. They have picnic tables under bright red umbrellas, perfect for chowing down on all kinds of tacos, including inventive vegetarian and vegan options.
The Stave
5711 McCracken Pike in Frankfort; 859-879-0191; thestavekentucky.com; It’s a bit of a drive, but The Stave has a treehouse patio, with seating under the trees. It’s a big space and it’s all under cover.
Proud Mary BBQ
9079 Old Richmond Rd.; 859-913-5611; proudmarybbq.com; Basically an outdoor venue by the Kentucky River, Proud Mary has tons of outdoor seating to spread out while you listen to live music, enjoy drinks and a huge menu, from barbecue to shrimp boil.
Hall’s on the River
1225 Athens Boonesboro Rd.; 859-527-6620; hallsontheriverky.com; Another great place for riverside dining, Hall’s has a covered deck with ceiling fans overlooking the river. When the restaurant is open for dining in, this makes a great spot to eat. Seating is by reservation only, so call ahead.
Kentucky Native Cafe
417 East Maxwell; 859-281-1718; michlers.com/pages/cafe; This place bills itself as a beer garden, and it’s easy to see why: They serve beer in the frame of an old greenhouse behind a nursery. The menu is rotating and limited, but the atmosphere is hard to beat.
Pietana
210 Rosemont Garden; 859-687count-0333; pietana.com; This neighborhood pizza place added a big tent and picnic tables beside the restaurant, strung with lights and plants to give patrons a place to eat and relax. And even rigged up a projection screen.
Doodles
262 N Limestone; 859-317-8507; doodleslex.com Serving comfort food out of a former service station, their patio is off to the side of the dining room and they have put up a tent for extra spaced apart seating to enjoy their beignets.
County Club
555 Jefferson St.; 859-367-0263; countyclubrestaurant.com; The upscale BBQ joint added a tent just off their patio. You can order your poutine and smoked beef brisket sandwich for take-out and seat yourself.
BRU Burger Bar
3010 Lakecrest Circle; 859-305-0082; bruburgerbar.com/Locations/Bru-Lexington; BRU has lots of tables outside, most under umbrellas and some under covered seating.
J Gumbo’s
808 North Limestone No. 1; 859-286-9239; jgumboslex.com; The Cajun/Creole place has a surprisingly large outdoor space tucked behind, with umbrellas and lights and vine-covered walls. Also room for live music.
Favor
574 North Limestone; 859-687-0100; eatfavor.com; This new place to grab a bite in the evening and brunch on weekends has a big outdoor seating area out behind Arcadium.
The Ketch Seafood Grill
2012 Regency Rd.; 859-277-5919; ketchseafoodgrill.com; This Lexington seafood staple has a big patio with tables under umbrellas, surrounded by greenery. Reservations recommended.
Rolling Oven
725 National Ave.; 859-447-8146; rollingoven.com; Rolling Oven is inside Mirror Twin Brewing, so take advantage of the large “beer garden” of picnic tables in the parking lot. Lots of umbrellas and lights, too. And craft beer.
Ginkgo Tree Cafe
120 Sycamore Road, 859-971-2763, facebook.com/ginkgotreecafe/ Located on Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, this cafe has nothing but outdoor seating in a garden setting. There are umbrellas to keep you dry if it’s rainy and trees for loads of shade on sunny days. Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays by appointment for groups of 20 or more. The food is from Selma’s Catering, including sandwiches and salads and more.
Campestre Mexican Bar & Grill
910 Beaumont Centre Parkway; 859-368-7779; campestre.com; This Mexican restaurant on the South side has covered seating at the front door, under patio umbrellas. Open for lunch and dinner.
Charlie Brown’s
816 Euclid Ave.; 859-269-5701; facebook.com/cblex; This long-time Chevy Chase favorite has both curbside seating in front and a shaded patio in back. Tables are spaced with at least six feet between them and can be re-arranged to accommodate larger parties.
Bear & the Butcher
815 Euclid Ave.; 859-469-9188; bearandthebutcher.com; Another Chevy Chase icon offers multiple outdoor options — patio seating on the sidewalk (two picnic benches, three tables and two high tops) and second floor balcony seating (four tables). Accommodations are on a first come, first served basis.
The Sage Rabbit
438 S. Ashland Ave.; 859-523-2095; thesagerabbit.com; It has a covered porch seating area at the front of the restaurant where you can enjoy your meal after picking it up curbside.
Carson’s Food & Drink
362 E. Main St.; 859-303-3039; carsonsfoodanddrink.com; The large patio at Carson’s is the place to be seen and to see — all the traffic, foot and otherwise, on Main Street. This always-popular spot’s patio has downsized during the pandemic.
Portofino
249 E. Main St.; 859-253-9300; portofinolexington.com; The lovely enclosed patio, strung with lights, is reminiscent of an Italian courtyard. They have removed seven of their tables leaving a total of 10 – primarily tables for two to four people. They do have one table that can be reserved for a slightly larger group.
Zim’s Café
215 W. Main St.; 859-785-3690; zimscafe.com; Located in the beautifully renovated Old Fayette County Courthouse, it doesn’t have a traditional patio, but rather tables on the terrace that winds around the historic building. Orders are placed at the window and food delivered to the tables.
Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse at City Center
101 W. Vine St.; 859-554-7000; jeffruby.com/lexington; The 1,800-square-foot patio leaves plenty of room for social distancing as patrons dine and drink (the patio has its own bar) surrounded by elegant touches such as fountains featuring a bronze horse statue and a row of jockeys in their colorful silks.
Dudley’s on Short
259 W. Short St.; 859-252-1010; dudleysonshort.com; Dudley’s may have Lexington’s most romantic outdoor dining experience. The rooftop terrace, with its Jon Carloftis-designed garden and subdued lighting, is a favorite for those looking for an intimate dining experience. Even before the pandemic, tables were spread out for discreet dining. Several tables have been removed, leaving six of the original 10.
Stella’s Kentucky Deli
143 Jefferson St.; 859-255-3354; stellaskentuckydeli.com; Its small, shaded patio has always offered a secluded, intimate dining experience. And it has become even more intimate during the pandemic as they have removed all but five tables which are spread six feet apart. Tables are assigned on a first come, first served basis.
Blue Heron Steakhouse
185 Jefferson St.; 859-254-2491; blueheronsteakhouse.com; While many restaurants have had to reduce patio capacity, the Blue Heron has expanded. The restaurant has added 500 square feet to the patio which runs alongside the one-time historic home turned chic restaurant, now with retractable awnings. Even though they have more seating, reservations are recommended.
Graze at the Woodlands
111 Woodland Ave.; 859-309-2490; grazeky.com. The covered patio at the front of the restaurant has re-opened for dinner beginning at 4 p.m.
Double Dogs
1916 Justice Drive; 859-963-4150; facebook.com/doubledogslexington/; Double Dogs has had to undouble the number of pooches and their humans that they can accommodate as they are now using only half of their patio space. With only four tables, you and Fido will be lucky to grab one. No reservations required, but you will have to check in at the greeter’s stand to get a table.
Middle Fork Kitchen Bar
1224 Manchester St; 859-309-9854; middleforkkb.com; Middle Fork shares a large patio with other dining and drinking options in the Distillery District on the old James Pepper Distillery. It’s tree-shaded along the burbling Town Branch of Elkhorn Creek, making it a great spot to relax for dinner, a beer or even ice cream.
Goodfellas Pizzeria
1228 Manchester St.; 859-523-5280 goodfellaspizzeria.com; Goodfellas has the far end of the Town Branch patio space, with tables set outside and a bocce ball pit too.
Azur Restaurant & Patio
3070 Lakecrest Circle #550; 859-296-1007; azurrestaurant.com; Azur’s patio is large enough to hold a small farmer’s market, and they have made it even more roomy (and safe) by reducing the number of tables and separating them by at least six feet of space. Shaded by trees, the patio has an arboreal feel to it.
Palmer’s Fresh Grill
161 Lexington Green Circle; 859-2730103; palmersfreshgrill.com. Located at Lexington Green adjacent to Joseph Beth Bookstore, it has a sprawling deck overlooking a small lake complete with fountain. The deck, primarily used for dining, has 12 tables. The smaller outdoor bar removed six tables, leaving a total of seven. All are first come, first served.
Honeywood
110 Summit at Fritz Farm #140; 859-469-8234; honeywoodrestaurant.com; The Summit at Fritz Farm may have lost some dining options with the closing of The Barn food stalls, but it has gained a new patio at Honeywood. Tables and chairs are scattered six feet apart where customers picking up an order curbside can enjoy eating it al fresco. The space is also next to the patio where customers from Whiskey Bear can get a cocktail and linger, so you have lots of options.
Wallace Station Deli and Bakery
3854 Old Frankfort Pike, Versailles; 859-846-5161; wallacestation.com; At this sister restaurant of Honeywood, they have installed an outside counter for customer orders. They have also doubled the number of picnic tables spaced out at the rear of the restaurant and have upgraded the parking lot for tailgating.
Marikka’s
411 Southland Dr.; 859-275-1925; marikkaslex.com; This German restaurant and bier stube in the Southland Shopping Center has ample seating on both of its patios.
Merrick Inn
1074 Merrick Drive; 859-269-5417; themerrickinn.com This local favorite has one of Lexington’s best patios for dining. Completely covered, it has lush plantings, and overlooks the swimming pool of the Merrick Inn apartment complex, giving it a resort feel. The patio is open for dinner by reservation only.
Harry’s American Bar & Grill
3735 Palomar Center Dr.; 859-977-2620; and 1920 Pleasant Ridge Drive; 859-264-8023; bluegrasshospitality.com/harrys-2; Harry’s Both patios are completely covered, allowing for a quasi-outdoor experience, while also protecting against Kentucky’s notoriously fickle weather. To further protect customers during the pandemic, they have placed plexiglas partitions between the tables.
This story was originally published August 10, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
