These 4 Lexington restaurants are expanding. One is open now
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Athenian Grill launched its third Lexington location with expanded Greek fare.
- Teriyaki Madness plans five Lexington spots, with two already underway.
- Panera Bread, Playa Bowls and Wingstop expand their Lexington footprints.
New restaurants are always opening in Lexington. Here are five expansions of popular eateries all over town, from Citation to Richmond Road, Fayette Mall area to Beaumont.
One is open now, and several more are coming soon.
Athenian Grill
Athenian Grill opened a third location July 28 at 3801 Mall Road, Suite 120.
The restaurant originally was going to be an upscale Greek restaurant called Santorini but owner Illias Pappas decided to switch concepts. It has a similar menu (with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options) to the one on Ashland Avenue and downtown in Park Plaza by the main library.
You can get favorites including gyros and gyro bowls where you choose your grain or green, up to two dips, a protein (options include vegan meatballs and roasted veggies), and toppings. Or try the Crossfit Special of two proteins and two sides (don’t skip the roasted lemon potatoes) for $16.
Also available: Loads of appetizers, soups and salads, lamb burgers, grilled souvlaki sskewers, traditional dishes such as lamb chops and Greek beef stew, moussaka, spanakopita and Greek pasta dishes. For dessert, there’s homemade baklava, portokalopita (Greek orange pie) and karidopita (Greek walnut cake.)
It’s open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Teriyaki Madness
A restaurant that just opened one Lexington location is already working on a second with more to come.
Teriyaki Madness, known for its Seattle-style teriyaki and Asian fusion food, opened one location at 1925 Justice Dr. in Hamburg in June.
Now a second is coming soon to 3165 Beaumont Centre Circle.
Eventually, the Las Vegas-based chain hopes to open five locations in Lexington and 30 in the state of Kentucky, said Jodi Boyce, chief marketing office for Teriyaki Madness.
“We’ve been growing into lots of new markets,” she said. The menu includes big bowls of grilled meats, tofu and salmon, fresh veggies, served with fried or steamed rice or yaka soba noodles. Everything is customizable, made to order and most of it (including sauces) is gluten-free, she said. Dishes also can be made without meat for vegetarians and vegans.
“It appeals to younger working active adults,” she said. And athletes: They do brisk catering business for sports teams, she said.
The restaurants don’t have drive-thrus, but Boyce said they have something better: Curbside “Mad Dash” service. Their app lets the restaurant know when the customer is on the way and alerts the shop when you’re two minutes out.
“Our goal is to be standing on the curb when you pull up,” she said.
Regular-sized bowls (portions are big, so you’ll have leftovers) are $10-$12; junior bowls are smaller and less expensive, and large bowls are bigger and more.
Open daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., follow them on social media to watch for grand openings when they typically give away free Madness for a year to the first five people and free Madness for a month to the next 20.
Why “Seattle-style”? Turns out that’s where American teriyaki got started. It’s on every corner in Seattle, she said, as ubiquitous as hot dogs on Chicago or pizza slices in New York.
Panera Bread
A new Panera Bread is coming to 1425 Newtown Center Way in front of the new Kroger Marketplace, which opens Aug. 14. The restaurant, known for soups, salads, sandwiches and baked goods, is expected to open next to Starbucks in 2026.
Wingstop
Is there any part of Lexington that isn’t within a five-minute drive of a Wingstop? If you said the north side of town, think again because one is coming to 1988 Stockton Way in the Citation Point shopping center next to Publix on Citation Boulevard.
There are already three Wingstop restaurants in Lexington (Woodland Avenue, Richmond Road and Tates Creek Centre) and one in Nicholasville.
