Details on new downtown Lexington restaurant from ‘Walking Dead’ star, Kentucky creator
Lexington is getting a new downtown restaurant that will have fans of “The Walking Dead” running to grab a table.
Nic & Norman’s, from the team behind the post-apocalyptic zombie TV show, is coming to 135 W. Main St., previously the home of West Main Crafting. West Main Crafting closed in September 2021 after almost five years.
The owners of the new restaurant include series star Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, director and special effects artist Greg Nicotero, and Cynthiana native Robert Kirkman, the co-creator of the comic book series that the TV show is based on.
In 2016, they opened the first Nic & Norman’s in Senoia, Ga., where the the show is filmed, and in 2020 opened a second location in Chattanooga. The show is now filming its last season.
The Lexington location will be the third, with plans to open as many as 10 dining spots over the next few years, said David Valentine, vice president of operations for Nic & Norman’s.
Each restaurant is different, he said, but they all will feature a Southern-American plate style menu. There are plenty of burgers, as well as meatloaf, chicken pot pies, “pork shank that melts off the bone,” and brisket.
Nic & Norman’s will have a full bar but will be family friendly, with a kids’ menu too, he said.
The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. While the food is high quality, Valentine said, the price point is low, averaging in the low $20s.
It’s expected to open by April, he said, after some minor renovations to the building. They are adding a Nashville-style stage right in the front windows, he said, for live music.
Fans of the show have embraced the restaurant, Valentine said, so they have T-shirts and other merchandise that play up the connections. Including in the artwork, which will feature photographs by Reedus and Nicotero, with prints for sale.
“But we’re not a ‘Walking Dead’ restaurant. You’re not going to feel like you’re walking into a scary zombie environment,” he said. Instead, it will have more of a speakeasy vibe, he said.
However, you might be lucky enough to catch the “Walking Dead” stars on the right night.
“We’re excited about being here and the guys love to come into their restaurants,” he said.
