Soup for summer? Yes! Try these fresh-from-the garden bowls at Lexington restaurants
Soup and all its variations may be considered by some as a wintertime favorite, but there’s no reason the dish can’t be enjoyed in the summer.
With fresh produce like spring peas and melon in season, there’s no better time to add soup to your lineup this season.
Local restaurants like The Courtyard Deli take advantage of Kentucky produce to give you light and delicious options for when you’re craving the comfort of soup.
Krissy Fraser, co-owner and chef at The Courtyard Deli, said she believes it’s “kind of a misnomer” for people to label soup solely as a winter meal.
“People still eat hot food in the summertime,” Fraser said. “You eat dinner that’s warm, so why not warm soup?”
Fraser said soup is like a comprehensive meal.
“Soup can be an accompaniment, it can be an entree, it can be heavy like as a meal, or it can be very light as something refreshing like as a starter,” Fraser said.
Here are 17 local restaurants to get you started on your summer soup eating journey.
The Courtyard Deli
Location: 351 Church St., Lexington, KY 40507
Phone: 859-252-3354
The Courtyard Deli, a Lexington favorite, offers a variety of soups for the summer season, including an end-of-the-summer tomato gazpacho, a summer split pea dish and a cold melon soup.
Customers can place orders by phone as early as 9:30 a.m. The Courtyard Deli offers curbside drive-up or walk-up options for picking up pre-ordered meals.
Check out the full menu and find daily specials at thecourtyarddeli.net.
Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen
Location: 113 N. Broadway, 1781 Sharkey Way, 2200 War Admiral Way and 3735 Palomar Centre Drive
Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen, with four locations in Lexington, offers four soups including a seasonal sausage, kale and potato.
The restaurant allows customers to call in orders or place orders for catering, carry-out or delivery online at vinaigrettesaladkitchen.com.
The Sage Rabbit
Location: 438 S. Ashland Ave.
Phone: 859-523-2095
The Sage Rabbit is a chef-owned restaurant that offers a menu ranging from bourbon and burgers to seafood. Their spinach egg drop soup is just another addition to the restaurant’s extensive menu.
Another bonus? The restaurant houses a dog-friendly patio.
If you’re looking for a spot to eat good and decompress, The Sage Rabbit is open Wednesday thru Saturday from 5-9 pm. Customers can place orders by phone starting at 4 p.m.
Good Foods Co-op
Location: 455-D Southland Drive
Phone: 859-278-1813
Open every day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Good Foods Co-op offers different soups daily, with a vegetarian option.
The Co-op café dining room is open for dine-in, carryout and curbside service from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Customers may call and order for curbside pickup before 5:30 p.m.
Distilled Restaurant & Bourbon Bar
Location: 157 Jefferson St.
Phone: 859-255-0002
If you’re in the mood for seafood, check out Distilled’s Low Country She Crab soup. Mixed with sherry, lump crab, corn scallion fritter and caviar, Distilled’s crab-based dish is sure to satisfy both your seafood and soup cravings.
The Southern-style menu has a wide variety of soups, salads and entrees including verlasso salmon, smoked lamb and goat cheese ravioli.
Customers can make reservations online at distilledonjefferson.com or place online orders.
The Ginkgo Tree Café
Location: 120 Sycamore Rd. at Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate
Phone: 859-608-2486
Looking for some gazpacho? The Ginkgo Tree Café, which serves food from Selma’s Catering and Events, has got you covered.
Served with diced cucumber and crackers, the Ginkgo Tree Café offers customers a delightful cold soup ideal for eating at the outdoor cafe. .
If gazpacho isn’t your thing, check out the Café’s full menu for a plethora of sandwiches and salads including The Liberty and the restaurant’s Superfood salad.
Athenian Grill
Chevy Chase Location: 313 S. Ashland Ave.
Phone: 859-303-5048
Park Plaza, Downtown Location: 120 E. Main St.
Phone: 859-309-9020
For our Mediterranean lovers, Athenian Grill offers a soup native to Greek cuisine. The avgolemono soup made with chicken broth, arborio rice, egg and lemon making it both a savory and customary traditional dish.
Athenian Grill’s menu ranges from traditional dips to an extensive selection of gyros. There’s something for everyone at this Lexington restaurant.
The Mousetrap
Location: 3323 Tates Creek Road
Phone: 859-269-2958
If you’re one for spontaneity, look into The Mousetrap for a soup-du-jour. Located in the Lansdowne Shoppes, The Mousetrap is a family-owned specialty food, kitchen and tabletop shop that has fresh deli offerings.
Recent daily soups include tomato basil, creamy wild mushroom, potato, bacon and hearty vegetable.
Searching for more? View The Mousetrap’s Facebook page for daily updates on featured soups or their website for a peak at the seasonal spring menu.
Minton’s
Location: 760 N. Limestone
Phone: 859-948-1874
Who says tomato soup is only good for the winter? If you’re looking for a way to mix the tomato-flavor into a summer soup dish, Minton’s Restaurant has the perfect bowl for you.
The tomato dill bisque is a vegetarian option described as a creamy tomato soup with lots of garlic and herbs. It is topped with house-made sourdough croutons.
Minton’s menu also includes a lentil and black bean burger, a vegan sriracha tempeh salad sandwich and and Carolina pulled chicken corn cakes.
Joe Bologna’s Italian Pizzeria and Restaurant
Location: 120 West Maxell St.
Phone: 859-252-4933
Established in 1973, Joe Bologna’s has a variety of pizzas, sandwiches and, yes soups, for customers to choose from.
Recent house-made soups include chicken noodle, gazpacho, cream of potato and cabbage and ham and bean.
One look at Joe Bologna’s menu, and you’ll be craving more than just soup this summer.
Missy’s Pie Shop
Location: 502 E. High St.
Phone: 859-253-0449
Missy’s Pie Shop serves a variety of panini sandwiches, wraps and salads to complement the restaurant’s signature pies.
Open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the restaurant has a dine-in only soup-du-jour available for all the soup lovers out there.
Check out the full menu here.
Dad’s Favorite Deli
Location: Located inside the arcade at 820 Lane Allen Road
Phone: 859-309-1930
Dad’s Favorite Deli’s soup-du-jour to get you in the mood for summer.
Known for cheese spreads and sandwiches, Dad’s also does a daily soup.Dad’s is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. making it the perfect lunch spot.
Stella’s Kentucky Deli
Location: 143 Jefferson St.
Phone: 859-255-3354
Speaking of delis, Stella’s Kentucky Deli offers restaurant-goers a variety of soups to try.
Ranging from a tomato bisque with artichoke hearts to lentil stew with sherry and thyme, Stella’s is sure to have your next summer soup favorite on their menu.
Their Facebook page offers a look at other menu items, including breakfast favorites like eggs Benedict.
Josie’s Restaurant
Location: 821 Chevy Chase Plaza
Phone: 859-523-8328
In the mood for a good soup and salad? Whether you’re a tomato soup fan or prefer spontaneity when it comes to selecting your dish, Josie’s has got you covered!
Josie’s homemade tomato soup is the perfect complement to a grilled cheese or quesadilla. Check out the restaurant’s Facebook page or menu options for further options, or visit the restaurant to try their soup du jour!
The restaurant allows customers to place online orders and offers menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Sidebar Grill
Location: 147 N. Limestone
Phone: 859-225-8883
Sidebar Grill offers a daily soup made with seasonal fresh ingredients.
Recent options include cucumber gazpacho topped with fresh jalapeño, and the chilled strawberry basil gazpacho.
Charlie Brown’s Restaurant & Lounge
Location: 816 Euclid Ave.
Phone: 859-269-5701
Charlie Brown’s Restaurant and Lounge has made a home in Lexington for over 30 years and so have their soups.
Charlie Brown’s gazpacho is a mouth-watering classic that will certainly top your list of soups to try this season.
Check out the restaurant’s Facebook page for a look into their daily specials.
AP Suggins Bar and Grill
Location: 345 Romany Road
Phone: 859-268-0709
AP Suggins Bar and Grill switches up their soups regularly, so you’ll have to call ahead or stop by the restaurant to figure out exactly what’s being served.
Recent daily soups include tomato bisque and French onion, and they’re both the perfect complements to other menu items like the grilled chicken salad or the Suggin’s chicken sandwich.
You can find a showcase of menu items on the restaurant’s Facebook page.