Guide: 5 of the best iced coffees in and around Lexington you should try this summer
For some, coffee makes the world go ‘round, and without it, there’s no way they’ll complete the day’s necessary tasks. For others, not so much.
But if you’re looking for something new, try iced coffee for a change — specifically at one of Lexington’s local coffee shops who have mastered the art of the iced beverage.
New to the coffee game and unsure of what iced coffee even is? Simply put, iced coffee is any normally brewed coffee beverage, its temperature brought down through a cooling process and then served cold over ice.
Here’s a list or a guide, sampling of some of the best that Lexington and Central Kentucky coffee houses have to offer: Five iced coffees for the coffee and even non-coffee drinkers.
Amsden Coffee Club
Location: The Amsden at 151 South Main, Versailles
Phone: 859-423-2968
Amsden Coffee Club has a wide ranging menu featuring coffee, tea and seasonal drink options, but if you’re looking to give iced coffee a try, you should order their honey vanilla latte.
All of the drinks on Amsden Coffee Club’s menu can be made without espresso.
What makes this coffee shop special is that it’s housed in The Amsden, a mercantile that features tenants like The Amsden Bourbon Bar and The Yoga Room Versailles.
Brevedē Coffee Co.
Location: 1170 Manchester St., Suite 110, Lexington
Phone: 502-208-9956
Established by Nik and Viorika Kopets in September 2020, Brevedē Coffee Co. is a coffee-forward shop housed in the Lexington Distillery District.
Nik was born in Belarus and Viorika is a Ukrainian native. Together, they serve specialty coffee and European-style bakery goods.
The shop’s name is a play on the word brevity, which means shortness of time.
“Our goal was to create a space where people could go to stop and enjoy their time for a little,” the couple said on their website. “Time passes by so quickly, it’s important to pause and enjoy the little things with the people we love.”
From Brevedē’s menu, try adding some sweetness to your iced coffee, such as caramel. Dulce de leche, Spanish for sweet of milk, is likely the sweetest flavoring they offer but elderflower, lavender, honey or chocolate will decrease the coffee flavor in any of their drinks.
All drinks are available hot or iced.
Leestown Coffee House
Location: 1416 Leestown Rd., Lexington
Phone: 859-554-5900
Next on the list is Leestown Coffee House. Their Fruity Pebbles Macchiatto, one of the shop’s most popular drinks, is perfect for someone who doesn’t like a strong coffee.
The Fruity Pebbles Machiatto is essentially a taro boba base topped with a double shot of espresso and sweetened condensed milk, the shop’s owner, Thomas Ward, said.
Ward said Leestown Coffee House has different options on its menu for people who don’t like coffee and that drinks can be flavored in certain ways depending on a customer’s coffee preference.
“We have a bunch of different options,” Ward said. “We kind of pride ourselves on the different, weird and interesting flavors.”
Other available flavors include the Cocoa Bear and the Mexican Mocha.
High on Art and Coffee
Location: 523 E. High St., Lexington
Phone: 859-576-3981
You can enjoy coffee and purchase art, jewelry, beauty supplies and more from artists in Kentucky and elsewhere at High on Art and Coffee.
But since you came here for their coffee options, from their menu be sure to check out their iced espresso con panna (espresso with whipped cream). The whipped cream’s sweetness should balance out the coffee taste perfectly.
Common Grounds Coffee House
Richmond Road Location: 2901 Richmond Rd., Lexington
Phone: 859-317-9392
Common Grounds has six different locations, including three on the University of Kentucky’s campus.
If you don’t like coffee, try the Hazelnut Fancy, a specialty latte made of hazelnut and white chocolate. The Honey Bee, a honey and vanilla latte, is another drink to try from its menu.
But if neither of these tickle your fancy, check out Common Grounds’ full menu here.
The shop also has signature roasts available for purchase.