Looking for soup? Lexington’s got so many delicious options from pho to soup beans

It’s getting closer to the end of the season when a hearty bowl of stew is necessary to warm our insides. The comfort of a good bowl of soup, however, doesn’t rely on the season.

Whether you’re looking for hearty chili or soup beans, or spicy Vietnamese pho, or great vegetarian options, Lexington has it.

Here are two dozen places where you can’t go wrong.

And there are a few you probably aren’t going find anywhere else (Beer Cheese Mac and cheese anyone?)

Here are some places that will satisfy your soup craving any day of the week.

Winchell’s

Winchell’s, 348 Southland Drive. Regular customers claim it has the best white bean soup in town, but don’t overlook the other options – loaded potato soup and tomato bisque, always available, as well as a soup-of-the-day.

Good Foods Co-op

Good Foods Co-op, 455 Southland Drive, has four homemade soups daily for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Vegans should try the vegan carrot soup.

Wilson’s Grocery & Meat

Wilson’s Grocery & Meat, 1010 Cramer Ave. A neighborhood favorite where you can always find beef stew, chili, and their ham and bean soup.

Sahara

Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine, 3061 Fieldstone Way. This restaurant, tucked into a strip mall off Harrodsburg Road, is the place to go for lentil soup.

The Mousetrap

The Mousetrap, 3323 Tates Creek. They offer a soup for each day of the week from cream of asparagus on Monday to lobster bisque on Friday. There’s also an alternate soup available daily if the specials don’t appeal.

Dad’s Favorites Deli

Dad’s Favorites Deli, 820 Lane Allen Road. Another place that offers a different, made-from-scratch soup daily. Favorites include the Mexican corn chowder (Tuesday) and the Beer Cheese Mac and Cheese (Friday). The number one seller, tomato bisque, is available all day every day.

Wallace Station

Wallace Station, 3854 Old Frankfort Pike. There’s no bourbon in their Bourbon Trail Chili, but order it anyway. Likewise, the Whitesburg soup beans and the creamy chicken and mushroom soup.

Carson’s

Carson’s Food & Drink, 362 East Main Street. Known for its prolific menu, Carson’s offers a soup du jour, which can be ordered alone or paired with a sandwich.

Smithtown Seafood

Smithtown Seafood, 501 W. Sixth Street. While many of the dishes have a New Orleans influence, the soup is pure New England. Their Nor’easter Chowder is a frothy concoction of chopped clams, potatoes, onions, bacon, cream and herbs.

Zim’s Cafe

Zim’s Café, 215 W. Main in the Old Courthouse Building. Like its sister restaurant, Wallace Station, Zim’s offers Bourbon Trail Chili along with a Black Bean Bourbon Trail Chili for vegans.

Athenian Grill

Athenian Grill, 313 S. Ashland Ave. If you’ve never tried Avgolemono soup, a Greek tradition combining chicken broth, lemon and egg, here’s your chance.

Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen

Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen, four locations in Lexington. Best sellers are white chicken chili, creamy tomato soup, and for the heartier appetite, sausage, kale and potato soup.

Missy’s

Missy’s Pie Shop, 502 East High Street. You can find more than pies here, especially if you’re looking for chicken and dumpling soup, veggie vegetable soup or any of their daily special soups.

Pho BC

Pho BC, 171 West Lowry Lane. It’s “fuh” not “fo” and their Vietnamese noodle soup is beloved by Lexingtonians. They also offer egg flower soup, beef noodle soup and wonton soup.

A.P. Suggins

A.P. Suggins Bar & Grill, 345 Romany Road, offers a freshly prepared soup of the day.

Sawyer’s

Sawyer’s Downtown Bar &Grill, 325 W. Main Street. Chili is what people flock here for, either “naked” or with spaghetti.

Courtyard Deli

Courtyard Deli, 351 Church Street. When it comes to soups, this could be described as the little deli that could. The menu has a surprisingly large number of soup offerings – cream of artichoke with spinach and Parmesan cheese, white chili, chicken ‘n dumplings, and the favorite, crab and mushroom bisque.

Distilled

Distilled on Jefferson, 157 Jefferson Street. Distilled may have moved to Jefferson Street from its location in the Gratz Park area, but it did keep the Low Country She Crab soup on its menu.

Stella’s Kentucky Deli

Stella’s Kentucky Deli, 143 Jefferson Street. In addition to their soup du jour, Stella’s always has lentil stew with sherry & thyme and their famous tomato basil with artichokes.

Minton’s

Minton’s, 760 North Limestone. The tomato bisque with sourdough croutons is the go-to soup, but they alternate other soups such as corn chowder, carrot ginger and black bean.

Josie’s

Josie’s, 821 Chevy Chase Place. Creamy tomato is on the menu daily, but they also have a soup of the day.

Jason’s Deli

Jason’s Deli, 134 Malabu Drive. You may know Jason’s for the sandwiches, but they also offer a surprisingly large soup menu, from chicken pot pie and Irish potato soup to fire roasted tortilla and for vegans and vegetarians, organic vegetable soup.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods, 4059 Finn Way. No matter what soup you’re in the mood for, you can probably find it on their soup bar.

CoreLife Eatery

CoreLife Eatery, 4040 Finn Way. Their broth bowls allow you to choose from every conceivable menu item – from chicken to chick peas.

This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 6:00 AM.