Another Lexington restaurant closes after 5 years. This one was on its second life
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Goose opened in May 2021 and has closed its Jefferson St. location.
- Robby Carter relaunched The Goose with former Portofino co‑workers in 2021.
- The Goose's closure joins several recent Lexington restaurant shutdowns.
A Lexington restaurant already on its second life has closed after five years.
The Goose, at 170 Jefferson St., had a sign on the door Thursday, Feb. 26, saying it has closed. The restaurant opened in May 2021 after previously being named The Grey Goose under different owners.
Robby Carter, owner of The Goose, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carter relaunched The Goose with a group of former co-workers who had all been together at Portofino on Main Street. The Grey Goose, which opened in 2013, closed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, so the space was available.
Portofino also closed at the end of 2020 when owner Wayne Masterman and his wife, Susan, retired. That left Carter, bartender Rob Vap, restaurant manager Kristen Richardson and chef Andrew Durbin free to partner on The Goose.
While the menu featured pizza and burgers, it also was a melting pot of dishes from three other restaurants, including Portofino and The Goose and Gander in Midway, where Carter also is a partner.
The Goose also was known for its large covered patio, an asset in the early days of the pandemic when outdoor dining was at a premium. It was part of the Jefferson Street dining corridor.
The Goose joins a growing list of recently closed or closing Lexington restaurants, including:
- Zim’s Cafe and Thirsty Fox in the old courthouse downtown.
- Tolly-Ho on South Broadway.
- Bad Wolf Burgers off Leestown Road.
- Joella’s Hot Chicken in Hamburg.
- Sam’s Hot Dogs in Lexington Green.
- Columbia Steak Express on Southland.
- Big City Pizza in Hamburg.
- Fazoli’s locations on Richmond Road and on Nicholasville Road.
