Lexington restaurant where ‘Big Bang Theory’ actress Kaley Cuoco ate is closing
A Lexington restaurant where “Big Bang Theory” actress Kaley Cuoco ate while in town is closing, at least for a while.
The Social Vegan, one of the original tenants in the revamped Greyline Station bus garage turned market, announced on social media that the local restaurant would be closing.
The local dining spot adds to the more than 20 Lexington restaurants or bars that closed in 2023.
The Social Vegan, which opened early in 2021, served an exclusively vegan menu and was owned and operated by a Black entrepreneur who regularly participated in SoulFeast Week and Lexington Vegan Week.
Frank Hall, the owner of the restaurant, said in a post online that “It pains us to announce that we will be closing our doors until further notice. We thank you for your patronage and all of the memories shared! This is not a goodbye, this is a “See Ya Later.””
According to The Social Vegan’s website, the restaurant has expanded to Tallahassee, Fla., “and plan on becoming the first chain vegan restaurant in the U.S.”
Hall said Thursday that he hopes to reopen the Lexington location when he can focus on it more intensely. He said that his attention has been on developing and releasing a new Social Vegan vodka line, which he plans to launch next month.
“I know the restaurant can be successful,” Hall said. “We served people from all over, not just Lexington and we got great reviews.”
One of those fans was Cuoco, a vegetarian who ate at The Social Vegan when in Lexington for events at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2021.
Chad Needham, developer of Greyline Station, said that Hall had been a good tenant. “He’s got a lot of different irons in the fire,” Needham said. He said the Greyline tenants signed original three-year leases and Social Vegan’s was up. Greyline is working on a new tenant for the spot. .
Other restaurants opening, closing at Greyline Station
The Social Vegan is one of several big restaurant changes at the venue at the corner of North Limestone and Loudon on the north side of Lexington.
Rise Up Pizza left Greyline for the Horse and Jockey Pub downtown and Julietta Market, one of Greyline’s signature tenants with several food stalls, left in October.
Needham has said that he plans to revitalize the space with new options this year.
Other restaurants in Greyline have opened or expanded: Old North Bar added Old North Kitchen, Wing KYng moved into a spot vacated by a barbecue restaurant, The Breeze Wine Bar changed hands and became Darling Wine Bar, and former food stall Papa Pretzel is expected to reopen in a bigger space.
This story was originally published January 4, 2024 at 10:46 AM.
