Restaurants coming to Lexington in 2023: ‘Scratch’ tacos, ‘a really fantastic burger’
READ MORE
Lexington restaurants’ 2022 year in review & year ahead
Expand All
Restaurants coming to Lexington in 2023: ‘Scratch’ tacos, ‘a really fantastic burger’
Lexington restaurants, bars new in 2022 from frozen custard to French fine dining
Post-COVID casualties: How many local restaurants closed in Lexington in 2022?
These Lexington restaurants are moving to different locations or changing owners
The Lexington restaurant scene was busy last year with nearly 50 dining spots opening up. And the coming year is going to be just as busy.
More than a dozen new local or national chain restaurants are expected to open in 2023 and work will begin on Central Kentucky’s first Publix grocery store.
A few new names are looking to bring their first locations to the area. And others are expanding.
Here’s a list and guide of what is known so far and on tap for the area in the new year:
Another Broken Egg
This breakfast chain is scouting the area looking for franchisees to open up to three locations in Lexington. Another Broken Egg is an upscale ‘NextGen’ brunch restaurant that specializes in Southern-inspired menu options with innovative twists and signature cocktails. Stay tuned for more.
Cluckers
Indiana-based chicken chain Cluckers is opening a location in Versailles at 480 Lexington Rd. in old Save-A-Lot shopping center, across from giant Kroger. The restaurant/sports bar menu specializes in tasty chicken wings and tenders with a pick-your-own heat level among the signature sauces, as well as apps, burgers, soft tacos, wraps, chicken sandwiches and quesadillas. Opening in late December/early January 2023.
Crumbl Cookies
Crumbl Cookies, which sells gourmet cookies and ice cream, opened a new location in Brannon Crossing in December and will be opening another in Richmond in 2023, in Richmond Center behind the Chick-fil-A.
Desperados
Word is this will be new “scratch” taco concept will be coming to the Pepper Distillery campus in spring/summer in the spot where Middle Fork Kitchen Bar used to be. Think fresh salsa bar, hundreds of mezcals and tequilas, craft cocktails, a variety of frozen drinks, served on an indoor/outdoor patio. Oh, and weekend brunch. Stay tuned in 2023 for more details.
Dutch Bros. Coffee
Dutch Bros. Coffee is expected to open its first drive-thru coffee spot at 234 E. New Circle Rd. by the end of 2023, with a second one planned for the former “blue Arby’s” at 507 S. Upper across from the University of Kentucky campus by the end of 2024. The Oregon-based company is known for its great service as well as its coffee.
El Asadero Mexican Grill
Opened in December with a grand opening around the end of the year/early 2023 at 144 Rojay Dr. near Fayette Mall, El Asadero is a fun chain with a menu of tasty tacos and over-the-top margaritas and other Mexican cocktails.
Freshie’s Ice Cream & Soda Fountain
Freshie’s, 4379 Old Harrodsburg, is expanding. The ice cream shop, which has had a location in Hartland at 3851 Kenesaw Dr. since late 2020, is opening a second larger location in South Elkhorn Village in early 2023. The new location of this retro/modern ice cream place will have a waffle cone booth. And the menu will include new items like the TikTok favorite “dirty sodas” made with soda, flavored syrup, cream and ice.
Jack Brown’s Burger Joint
Jack Brown’s Burger Joint, 155 N. Limestone, is opening in the former Oscar Digg’s location. Known as “a bar that happens to sell a really fantastic burger,” Jack Brown’s focuses on burgers and craft beer, with an extensive range of local, domestic and foreign beers. But don’t order tomato or lettuce because they famously don’t do that. The restaurant is expected to open in February.
Main Event Entertainment
Main Event Entertainment is a new entertainment venue coming to South Park at 240 Canary Rd. in early 2023. Main Event is going where a Dave & Buster’s had been announced before the COVID pandemic hit. Texas-based Main Event promises to be “the most fun you can have under one roof” (and it’s a big roof, with nearly 50,000 square feet) with a restaurant and bar, 22 bowling lanes with LED lights, laser tag arena, gravity ropes and zip lines, nearly 120 interactive and virtual video games, billiard tables and shuffleboard.
Maple Street Biscuit Co.
Maple Street Biscuit Co. is opening its first Lexington location at 2270 Nicholasville Rd. early next year, next to the new Chipotle in a new building where the O’Charley’s location used to be. The menu is heavy on gourmet biscuits, fried chicken and other specialty toppings. Think “comfort food with a modern twist.”
Par 6 Social
Par 6 Social will be an upscale sports bar at Fayette Mall in the former Bar Louie spot, with Topgolf Swing Suites and lots of TVs for watching sports. Owner Bob Megazzini hopes to tee things up in early 2023 with a menu of pub comfort food and hand-crafted cocktails, draft beer and local brews.
Publix
Technically, the Publix coming to the Fountains at Palomar isn’t scheduled to open until the fourth quarter of 2024, but it’s worth including because a lot of the construction will be going on in 2023. The shopping center at the corner of Harrodsburg Road and Man O’ War Boulevard will have a 55,701-square-foot store with a drive-thru pharmacy and an adjacent 3,200-square-foot liquor store. And maybe the Florida-based chain will announce another location when they break ground. Another (as yet unnamed) grocery store is coming to the corner of Georgetown and Citation Boulevard.
Ramsey’s Diner
Ramsey’s Diner, 2751 Leestown Rd., will be the fifth location of the popular locally-owned Lexington restaurant when it opens in February or March. Owner Rob Ramsey said the new location will be bigger than his other restaurants and will have a drive-thru for carryout.
Scooter’s Coffee
Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru opened at the end of 2022 at 1988 Bypass Rd. in Winchester, serving coffee, smoothies, teas, breakfast sandwiches and more. But the big news is that new locations are planned all around Central Kentucky, including four to six in Lexington. So stay tuned because a Scooter’s Coffee is probably coming to a corner near you soon.
Slim Chickens
Another chicken chain is coming to roost in Lexington. Slim Chickens, which chicken sandwiches, wings and tenders with 17 house-made dipping sauces is planning its first Lexington location at 525 Waller Ave. across from St. Joseph Hospital. It’s expected to open in March or April.
Taco John’s
Taco John’s, the Tex-Mex chain with a cult following for its Potato Ole’s, is finally coming to the Lexington area: The new Taco John’s will open in the Brannon Crossing shopping center between Nicholasville and Lexington at 525 E. Brannon Rd. early in 2023. The chain expects to build a total of five locations in the Lexington area over the next three years, according to Brooks Speirs, Taco John’s vice president for franchise development. All will have Taco John’s new modern look.
Vallozzi’s Italian
Vallozzi’s Italian, an upscale family-owned restaurant coming to downtown Versailles, is now expected to open in spring 2023. The building at 108 Court St. is being renovated and restaurant owner Julian Vallozzi said they are aiming for March. The menu will be high-end but also will stay family-friendly, he said. Think pasta, steaks, fresh fish and Italian specialties.
This story was originally published January 5, 2023 at 10:00 AM.
