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Happy Monday y’all! I am so excited about sharing this post with you guys! I get a lot of questions from people about what to do and where to go in Lexington, so today I am dishing on all of my favorite places to eat, shop, drink & visit that won’t break the bank! As a newly engaged twenty something, being mindful when it comes to spending money is a must, so mostly everything I will be sharing is budget friendly! I have such a love for my city, so I am going to do my best to show you what is so great about Lexington. Get ready, this is a long one, mainly because I take food very seriously 😉
Great Bagel– This is my favorite spot after our Saturday workouts! I mean lets be honest, I only workout so I can eat all of the carbs 😉 They have almost 20 different bagels, gluten free options and they also serve lunch!
Doodles– This is a downtown staple for us. They serve breakfast and lunch, and they have a great little patio that we can take our pups to! My fav on the menu? The hot brown quesadilla (but they only serve it during the week!).
Local Taco– This place has such a fun atmosphere and killer margaritas!! But breakfast is a little early for margs, so I’m sticking to breakfast tacos, cheesy grits & mimosas. They also serve lunch & dinner, but the bfast tacos are my fav!
Northlime Coffee & Donuts– No words will do these donuts justice. They’re my favorite in Lexington! The glazed is hands down the best, but we also love trying their flavors of the day, like blueberry lemon, french toast and smores!
Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen– This is a fairly new staple in Lex, but locals quickly caught on to how delicious the salads are, and now they have two locations! They also make homemade lemonade. My fav? The chicken taco salad, pictured above 🙂 They also serve dinner.
Limestone Blue– Sandwiches that won’t disappoint! They also offer fresh salads, mac n cheeses of the day & pizzas (only served for dinner). My favs? The Gray, avocado fries and the beer cheese fried green tomato pizza! They also serve brunch on the weekends.
Dad’s Favorite– Okay, I have a thing for really freaking good sandwiches. Sandwiches from Dad’s are hard to beat! My fav? The Asiago Pot Roast Sandwich (pictured above :)).
Athenian Grill– If you like Greek food, then you have to give Athenian a try! The hummus is amazing! They’re also open for dinner.
Jefferson St. is my go to spot when I know I want a good meal! It is full of restaurants, there really is something for everyone on Jefferson!
County Club– This newish restaurant kills it in atmosphere & food. Their pork sandwich is SO good! They have unique specials each night, and even serve tamales every once in a while, which are my fav (pictured above!)! They also serve brunch on Sundays.
Enoteca– A tapas & wine bar that does dinner right. They’ve recently added on a cute little patio upstairs. My fav? The Brussels Sprouts & the Kir Royale Cocktail!
Wine + Market– Lexington’s boutique wine shop also makes the BEST sandwiches, I told you I love a good sandwich! My fav? The #6! They offer free wine tastings every Friday from 5-8!
The Grey Goose– This has been a favorite of mine for years. The atmosphere is laid back and welcoming; we love sitting on their patio! My fav? The grilled wedge & fried egg pizza! It also holds a special place in our hearts, Tyler & I had our first date there!
Also worth trying on Jefferson, Stella’s Deli
Tyler & I LOVE trying out new places in Lexington, and luckily for us, our city is booming. It seems like every time we turn around there is a new restaurant, bar, etc popping up! So its only fitting to introducing some of the new & noteworthy developments 🙂
The Pasta Garage– Lexington Pasta’s new restaurant that serves their fresh pastas for lunch. We had it for the first time a few weeks ago, and it is amazing!
Street Craves– Street tacos, chopped salads and craft beer, enough said! Also, you must give their organic margarita a try!
Tony’s– Okay, so this isn’t budget friendly, but this new steakhouse is definitely making its mark. If you’re trying to watch your spending, opt for something off their bar menu or share one of their pasta dishes (the pistachio pesto orecchiette is pictured above), they’re huge!
Kentucky Native Cafe– This cute little cafe & beer garden is something you just have to experience yourself! Order their bavarian pretzels while you’re at it.
Daily Offerings Coffee Roastery– I am a sucker for a coffee shop where I can set up shop and get some work done. I love this new spot!
The Press– Lexington’s new smoothie & juice bar! One of our friends helped start this new joint, so we may be a little bias, but it is pretty freaking good! Definitely give it a try! My fav? The Green Glow smoothie!
National Provisions is a one stop shop! They’ve recently expanded, so now they have a restaurant, bakery, grocery & beer hall! This place is just so neat!
Downtown Lexington is on the up & up! Which I love! With new restaurants & shops popping up everywhere, it is becoming the heart of the city! Eat, drink, see a movie at the Kentucky Theatre, have a picnic at triangle park, see a play at the Opera House or catch a CATS game!
The James Pepper Distillery is another new, trendy spot in the city that also has something for everyone! The Break Room at Pepper & Ethereal Brewing are two places to grab a drink before heading to Middle Fork Kitchen Bar for dinner. Trust me, make sure you have desert at Crank & Boom.
If there is one thing Kentucky is known for, besides basketball & bourbon, its horse racing. Keeneland is a must visit during the spring & fall meets! Two months out of the year, people gather from all over to see the races and take part in plenty of betting, beers & socializing! Keeneland is a Lexington staple that you have to experience for yourself! Keeneland is also the home for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup! P.s. General admission is only like $5! ( I think 😉 )
Now onto the good stuff, where to shop!
omar + elsie is a quaint boutique located downtown, you might recognize o+e from some of my outfit posts 🙂 Abby, the owner, really sees the value in investment pieces, which I really appreciate having in my closet as I get older! Their shoe & jewelry selection is hard to beat!
Another must stop shop for me is Morton James. They really have something for everyone at every price point, which is always appreciated when I am shopping!
I hope that this city guide helped you get a feel for this gorgeous city I call home!
xoxo!
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I haven't been to Lexington in yeaaaars (sad, since my brother lives there). It looks like it's really improved!
xx
Jenny // Mish Mosh Makeup
I've never been. Looks like a fun place to visit!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Such a cool post! Makes me want to visit Lexington!
Sarah Jessica
The Laws of Beauty
Great guide. I've never been but it sure makes me miss living in Nashville!
Samantha // http://www.GirlMeetsSF.com
This guide is amazing! Makes me homesick for Lex.
xx Kathryn
http://www.chicandshimmer.com
I love lexington blue and west sixth brewery! I must try out these other spots! Thanks for the guide! 🙂
so many cute spots! great list
http://heyprettything.com
Thank you for this!!! My boyfriend lives in Lexington but is very much in his routine… So I'm always trying to find great places to go. I'm moving to Lexington in 2016 so this will be even more helpful then!
Awesome post Shelby! Makes our hometown look like a super fun place, which it is!!!
xo
Meredith
I was born and raised in the Lexington and it's making me excited to head home for a week to try out all these yummy places!
xx,
Abigail
thegirlwithfournames.blogspot.com