Lexington restaurants’ new summer menus are out. Here are the best to try
Summer is officially here and with it, local restaurants bring out new menu items to highlight seasonal ingredients.
As you would expect, fresh summer fruits and vegetables dominate the special menu items at Lexington restaurants.
Here is a guide and list of some of the highlights and best new summer menu items to dig into around town from drinks and desserts, to starters and entrées.
Azur Restaurant and Patio
Azur Restaurant and Patio has a number of new appetizers, entrées and desserts for its summer menu.
Appetizers include Stone Fruit & Burrata, Deviled Eggs and Patatas Bravas.
The highlight of new dinner items is the Lamb Rack and Berkshire Pork Chop.
And for dessert? How does Chocolate Walnut Bread Pudding sound?
Bella Cafe & Grille
The three Lexington locations of Bella Cafe & Grille have a number of new summer menu items.
There are two new appetizers (Burrata Al Pesca and Corn Chowder) and two new entrées (Summer Herb Salmon and Garlic Glazed Prok Chop).
The popular local restaurant also has a new summer side dish, Grilled Corn Ribs.
Bella Notte
Italian restaurant Bella Notte has five appetizers, three entrees and three desserts on its Taste of Summer Favorites menu.
The appetizers include arancini, salads and Peach Burschetta. While the three dinner options are Sicilian Salmon, BBQ Chicken Pesca and Summer Manicotti.
A Chocolate Budino Tart and Passionfruit Semifreddo highlight the summer dessert menu.
Crust Pizzeria & Bar
Upscale pizza restaurant Craft Pizzeria & Bar, known for house-crafted pies and pastas, has a number of summer exclusives on its menu.
New small plates on the menu include Summer Burrata, Pepperonata Bruschetta and Corn Chowder.
A new pizza from the restaurant’s Italian stone oven is the Golden Pomodoro, while Bucatini Al Sole is a new pasta.
Dudley’s On Short
Dudley’s, the popular downtown Lexington restaurant, has several new summer menu items.
Executive Chef Hannah Coffey has four new offerings: Pesto Rubbed Half-Chicken, Ora King Salmon, a pork chop corn & black bean summer succotash and a new summer salad with pickled strawberry, shaved fennel, roasted beet, goat cheese crumble, marcona almond and strawberry vinaigrette.
Mileta
Known for house-made pasta and a big menu of craft cocktails, Mileta has added several of each to its menu for the summer.
Chef Alex Green says he has been working closely with local farmers to showcase produce and ingredients coming out of the Kentucky soil right now.
Among the new menu selections: Three Cheese Ravioli, Bucatini pasta with Shrimp & Salumi Sugo and Hamachi Crudo.
The bars new cocktails are inspired by tropical flavors.
Mileta will be open for dinner on Tuesdays, starting June 30.
Old School Coffee
Old School Coffee, which recently opened a fourth Lexington location in Hamburg, is celebrating summer with its Christmas is July special menu offerings.
The popular local coffee shop has brought back some holiday favorite drinks for July only, available at all locations.
Palmer’s Fresh Grill
Seafood restaurant Palmers Fresh Grill has three starters, three entrées and a plenty of new drinks to sample on its popular waterside patio bar.
Food highlights include the Sunset Ceviche (shrimp and scallops cured in citrus, fresh herbs, vegetables, topped with avocado and served with chips) and Caribbean Fire Chop (fire-grilled jerk bone-in chop with grilled pineapple, jasmine rice and vegetables).
There are seven craft cocktails on the summer drink menu.
Pasta Garage
Pasta Garage has four new things on its menu that promise “a little sunshine, a little comfort food, and a whole lot of flavor.”
Among the limited time dishes is the Hot Honey Fried Chicken Mac & Cheese, of course made with its signature homemade pasta.
Smashing Tomato
Smashing Tomato’s three Lexington locations, including its new restaurant in the Masterson Station area off Leestown Road, has four new items on its menu for summer.
Two wood-fired pizza’s highlight the summer menu, in addition to the two first course options (Corn Soup and Heirloom Tomato and Pesto Salad).
And for summer, the local, fast-casual restaurant has brought back its Lemon Bar.
The V at the Vine
Downtown fine-dining restaurant The V at the Vine has several new summer menu items from one of the city’s top chef’s, Cole Arimes.
The highlights are a new fruit salad starter, Watermelon Chaat, and a Chilean Sea Bass main dish (prepared with vin blanc, asparagus, pesto, lemon, chili oil).
