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Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Lexington

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OpenTable
Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Lexington? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!


A photo of Heirloom - Midway restaurant
Heirloom - Midway
4.9
4.9 (2225)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Midway
About the restaurant
"Voted Best New Restaurant in the State of KY 2007"- The Lane Report.

"Voted Best Fine Dining Restaurant in Lexington Area"- KY Monthly Magazine.

Located in the heart of horse country and just 20 minutes from downtown Lexington and 20 minutes from Keeneland. Offering an extensive boutique wine list and specializing in eclectic contemporary cuisine.
Top review
ChristineCVIP
Dined 2 days ago
Amazing as always.
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A photo of Chicken Livers of a restaurant
Popular dish
Chicken Livers
A photo of Beet Salad of a restaurant
Popular dish
Beet Salad
A photo of Kale Salad of a restaurant
Popular dish
Kale Salad
A photo of Zen Sushi & Sake restaurant
Zen Sushi & Sake
4.9
4.9 (471)
$30 and under
Sushi
Lexington
About the restaurant
At Zen Sushi & Sake, we only use the freshest ingredients – the essence of Japanese cuisine. we strive to use only sustainable seafood. Our goal is to offer high quality ingredients in an innovative and sustainable way.
We fly in fish from Japan every Monday and Thursday.
Top review
Layla
Dined on Dec 13, 2024
Excellent service and food! Highly recommend
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A photo of Dumpling Soup of a restaurant
Popular dish
Dumpling Soup
A photo of Nigiri Teishoku of a restaurant
Popular dish
Nigiri Teishoku
A photo of Mango Tango of a restaurant
Popular dish
Mango Tango
A photo of Coles 735 Main restaurant
Coles 735 Main
4.8
4.8 (3657)
$31 to $50
Unspecified
Lexington
About the restaurant
At Coles, we're dedicated to bringing the art of dining to every experience. Think local meats cured in-house. Crisp vegetables fresh off the vine, pickled onsite. Breads baked fresh each day. The best seasonal ingredients available, sourced from local farms and trusted purveyors. And our menus go beyond the plate, with handcrafted cocktails featuring unique, house-made ingredients, hundreds of bourbons available for tasting, and an award-winning carefully curated wine program. We believe in honoring history and chose to set our restaurant in a restored historic landmark in downtown Lexington.
Top review
richard
Dined on Dec 10, 2024
Chase was an excellent server and we enjoyed our anniversary dinner
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A photo of Filet Mignon of a restaurant
Popular dish
Filet Mignon
A photo of Truffle Infused Lobster Bisque of a restaurant
Popular dish
Truffle Infused Lobster Bisque
A photo of Duck Confit of a restaurant
Popular dish
Duck Confit
A photo of Distilled on Jefferson restaurant
Distilled on Jefferson
4.8
4.8 (1736)
$30 and under
Southern
Lexington
About the restaurant
From award-winning Heirloom Restaurant in Midway, Ky stems Distilled Restaurant and Bourbon Bar. Chef Mark Wombles and team specialize in farm-to-table fare, incorporating an artful and elevated approach to southern cuisine in a comfortable atmosphere. The establishment removes all unnecessary ingredients from fine dining, leaving only the artistic expression food.
Top review
Laura
Dined 1 day ago
Our waiter created a beautiful experience with his enthusiasm for the menu. His suggestions were spot and the food preparation was excellent. Full of flavor and delicious!
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A photo of Fried Chicken of a restaurant
Popular dish
Fried Chicken
A photo of Porcini Dry Rub Filet of a restaurant
Popular dish
Porcini Dry Rub Filet
A photo of Epping's on Eastside restaurant
Epping's on Eastside
4.8
4.8 (2192)
$30 and under
Unspecified
Lexington
About the restaurant
We're a bit like our hometown: sophisticated, well-traveled, but grounded in our roots. We believe there's nothing more important than taking time to dine well with family and friends in a beautiful space. And we have a passion for all things Bluegrass - curing our meats in-house, supporting the region's diverse farming and food community, and keeping a local-first mindset in everything we do. Epping's is located in a renovated historic building that once held Epping Bottling Works, home to the hustle and spirit of local entrepreneur John G. Epping. Today, we are proud to honor that history and be part of the energy of downtown Lexington's Warehouse Block.
Top review
GraceVIP
Dined 7 days ago
Excellent. Fabulous menu, as always. Great service!
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A photo of Crispy Brussels Sprouts of a restaurant
Popular dish
Crispy Brussels Sprouts
A photo of Lamb Kabobs of a restaurant
Popular dish
Lamb Kabobs
A photo of Bella Cafe & Grille in Chevy Chase restaurant
Bella Cafe & Grille in Chevy Chase
4.8
4.8 (142)
$30 and under
American
Lexington
About the restaurant
Everyday Dining Elevated
We have taken your everyday favorites and elevated them a smidge!
At Bella Cafe & Grille, we’d like you to enjoy our menu prepared with attention to detail and the quality you deserve.

Bella Notte Restaurant Group’s newest concept keeps with the same tradition of using fresh local ingredients and letting the natural ingredients speak for themselves with a focus on convenient carryout and delivery.


Top review
FranVIP
Dined 5 days ago
Lively atmosphere, great service and food. The French fries were to-die-for.
A photo of Bella Cafe & Grille (Fountains at Palomar) restaurant
Bella Cafe & Grille (Fountains at Palomar)
4.8
4.8 (224)
$30 and under
American
Lexington
About the restaurant
At Bella Cafe & Grille, we’d like you to enjoy our menu prepared with attention to detail and the quality you deserve.
Top review
J
Dined 3 days ago
Charming but classy atmosphere with a variety of seating options. Exceptional wine list with adequate choices at reasonable prices. Entrees were greatly limited by our reservation time at 7:30 but each and every time we have had the opportunity to indulge in their culinary masterpieces they have been memorable. The only reason the other entree choices including specials was due to the fact that the restaurant chooses to utilize fresh, high quality ingredients keeping cost under control by limiting their orders on daily quantities. Just keep this note in mind and reserve your table at an earlier time of evening. Kelly/Kellie was an exceptional server; it was readily apparent that she had a broad base of skills to ensure that your dining experience reflected the quality this restaurant claims to hold as priority.
A photo of School Sushi restaurant
School Sushi
4.7
4.7 (192)
$30 and under
Sushi
Lexington
About the restaurant
School Sushi offers authentic Japanese cuisine, featuring tapas, traditional Izakaya style dishes and fresh sashimi and sushi.
Available 2 private dining rooms with Karaoke system and old bank vault room.
Top review
Michael
Dined on Nov 26, 2024
The fish was fresh, service was great and well worth the money.
A photo of AZUR Restaurant & Patio restaurant
AZUR Restaurant & Patio
4.5
4.5 (2083)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Lexington
About the restaurant
AZUR restaurant & patio was designed after European establishments providing the feel of being in a different place without leaving Lexington. The food is described as new American and Heirloom Contemporary. The chefs react to what comes at them from the local markets making our cuisine locally influenced, but worldly inspired. The walls are bold blues and greens with curves throughout. The interior space flows outside through three sets of French doors onto the elegant stone bordered brick patio. Weather permitting, the patio is opened and the patio sides could be lowered for inclement weather.
Top review
Joshua
Dined 1 day ago
The pork chop was the most moist chop I have had anywhere. It is very consistent and cooked to ordered temp. The risotto was excellent.
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A photo of Seafood Risotto of a restaurant
Popular dish
Seafood Risotto
A photo of Prime Frenched Pork Chop of a restaurant
Popular dish
Prime Frenched Pork Chop
A photo of Top Chop of a restaurant
Popular dish
Top Chop
A photo of Cypress & Oak restaurant
Cypress & Oak
4.5
4.5 (23)
$31 to $50
Steakhouse
Frankfort
About the restaurant
A high-end steakhouse with an unparalleled dining experience marries traditional elegance with modern sophistication. The restaurant exudes a classic steakhouse vibe with an open kitchen layout and an ambiance rich with dark wood and jewel tones. With 66 seats in the main dining room and bar, 32 in a private rentable dining room, and 30 on the outdoor patio, Cypress & Oak offers versatile dining options for both intimate gatherings and larger events.
Top review
Michael
Dined 6 days ago
We stayed at The Delegate and decided to dine there after a great night at BT. Food and service were spot on!!
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