New Lexington restaurants: What’s open and what’s coming soon
The Lexington dining scene is always evolving.
New restaurants are always opening and closing, whether they’re locally owned or chain dining spots.
One area of town, the new Fountains at Palomar, off Harrodsburg Road, continues to grow and evolve with construction. Here are several new Lexington restaurants that are open now or about to be open.
Jagger’s
Jagger’s, a burger chain from the people behind Texas Roadhouse, is adding a second Lexington location.
The company has demolished the building at 3029 Richmond Road, near Kroger. The location most recently was The Saucy Crab, which closed in January 2024. Before that, it was the longtime home of Texas Roadhouse before it moved across the street in 2020.
A spokesperson for Jagger’s said the new location will not be different from Lexington’s other restaurant, which opened in August just off Nicholasville Road. They did not share an opening date for the 3,506-square-foot, fast-casual restaurant known for its double-stack burgers, hand-breaded chicken tenders and sandwiches.
Nothing But Noodles
A new-to-Kentucky fast-casual restaurant is coming to a growing side of Lexington.
A spokesperson confirmed Nothing But Noodles will open in early 2026 just south of the Fountains at Palomar, off Harrodsburg Road in the Ethington Shops next to a Kroger fuel station.
According to its website, the restaurant is known for made-to-order pasta dishes drawing influences from Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean and America.
“Within 15 minutes of entering the store, customers are enjoying a wok-seared bowl of noodles or a garden fresh salad served in one of our heavy ceramic china bowls,” the website says.
The menu features items like potstickers, lobster ravioli, margherita pasta, pad Thai noodles and more.
With corporate offices in Arizona, there are currently two locations in North Carolina and four in Alabama.
According to permits filed with the city, the Lexington location at 4257 Harrodsburg Road will be 3,500 square feet.
Mirror Twin Brewing
Also south of the Fountains at Palomar, popular local brewery Mirror Twin Brewing is making progress with its new taproom.
A commercial remodel permit for the 3,870-square-foot taproom was filed in August for 4379 Old Harrodsburg Rd. Suite 101, next to Freshie’s Ice Cream & Soda Fountan. Co-owner Mike Sobolak said in a recent social media post that they had hoped to open in September but hit roadblocks.
Sobolak didn't want to commit to an opening date after permit delays, finding a general contractor and pricing stalled the expansion, which will also include wood-fired pizza from Rolling Oven, just as the original taproom does on National Avenue.
“We’re anxious. We can’t wait to open up. We’re excited to be on this side of town,” Sobolak said in the social media post.
Graeter’s Ice Cream
Lexington is getting a third Graeter’s Ice Cream location, this one on the south side of town in the Fountains at Palomar shopping center, near the new Publix.
The 2,500-square-foot ice cream shop will be at 3957 Fountainblue Lane, Suite 110, just off Harrodsburg Road in a newly built structure next to the building that houses the popular Bella Cafe restaurant.
Expected to open in early 2026, the dessert shop will have a drive-thru and a patio area. A spokesperson for Graeter’s said they had been looking for a third Lexington location for some time, and the new development was a perfect fit.
Playa Bowls
Playa Bowls, an acai and smoothie bowl restaurant, opened its second Lexington location Sept. 20 at 2573 Richmond Road, Suite 100. The healthy restaurant with a beach theme took over the spot in the French Quarter Square once occupied by Panera Bread, which moved down the street after building a new location with a drive-thru.
Since opening the first location last summer at the Fountains at Palomar, just off Harrodsburg Road, owner Dee Smith said many wanted a spot closer to UK and downtown.
“This will make it easier for UK students to find us in person and on DoorDash,” Smith said in an email.
Smith said they have plans for a third, and possible fourth, location in the future.
The new Richmond Road location has dine-in and is open from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
Chick-fil-A
The Hamburg Place Chick-fil-A will reopen in early November, operator Roderick Long said.
The chain restaurant location at 1863 Plaudit Place closed and was demolished in late May for renovations.
Long said the renovated restaurant will have a two-lane drive-thru with a mobile thru lane. The 5,586-square-foot dining room is also larger than the old restaurant location, and Long said the play area is improved.
Long said he expects a grand opening date to be announced on the restaurant’s social media page the week of Oct. 13.
Chicken Salad Chick
Chicken Salad Chick, which has one location in Brannon Crossing, is opening a second location Oct. 21 at 1956 Bryant Road, Suite 110, in Hamburg.
The new location, across the street from Outback Steakhouse, will have the same menu of a dozen chicken salads, plus a drive-thru and patio seating.
The grand opening celebration features a week of giveaways, including free chicken salad for a year.
Nothing Bundt Cakes
Nothing Bundt Cakes, which has a location off Nicholasville Road, is also opening a location Oct. 22 in Hamburg, next to the new Chicken Salad Chick and one day after it opens.
The chain bakery and cake shop has a menu of 8-inch, 10-inch and tiered Bundt cakes in various flavors plus personal-sized Bundtlet cakes and mini cakes sold by the dozen.
The bakery will be open 9 a.m.- 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-4p.m. Sunday.
Bert’s SpeakCheezy
Bert’s SpeakCheezy, which started as a food truck before opening in Old Town Berea, opened a new Lexington location near Hamburg.
Known for its gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, the family-owned business opened Sept. 11 at 2985 Liberty Road, near Olive Garden, Ramsey’s Diner and Five Guys.
Highlights of the Roaring Twenties-themed grilled cheese restaurant include the Blind Pig (pork barbecue between layers of melted Monterey Jack cheese on Texas toast with barbecue Ranch dipping sauce), the Hotsy Totsy (Buffalo chicken dip smothered in sharp cheddar cheese with a side of Ranch) and a variety of soups, pasta salad and chips.
Hours for the Lexington location are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tue.-Sun.
Le Gourmet
Le Gourmet, a new Caribbean restaurant, opened Sept. 14 in the former Bourbon n’ Toulouse/Gumbo YaYa location at 1080 S. Broadway. The Haitian family restaurant had planned to open on Locust Hill, but that fell through.
Owner and chef Patricia Gedeon said the restaurant will use her family’s French heritage, African descent and Caribbean attributes throughout the menu.
Gedeon expects the most popular entrée to be boeuf bourguignon, a traditional French beef stew braised in red wine with carrots and onion.
Le Gourmet is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 4 p.m.-11p.m. Sunday.
City Barbeque
Chain BBQ restaurant City Barbeque opened its third Lexington location Sept. 11 at 2333 Remington Drive, just off Citation Boulevard and in front of the city’s first Publix grocery store.
Located just a short drive from Georgetown, the restaurant, known for slow-smoked meats and scratch-made sides, has dine-in service, a patio, catering and carry-out options.
This story was originally published October 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
