Six new Lexington breakfast restaurants, including all day and open late options
Lexington, are you ready for more breakfast?
Lots of new restaurants are or have opened around town to serve biscuits, waffles, coffee and Dutch babies.
This is a town that loves a good breakfast, in the morning or all day long.
Use this guide and list of several new places to check out.
Biscuit Belly
Where: 112 Lucille Dr. #150
Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m, Friday through Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Online: biscuitbelly.com
The new Biscuit Belly on the west side of town just off Leestown Road will open on Dec. 12, with giveaways and special offers during that week. This is the second location of the gourmet brunch restaurant in Lexington. The first opened in February 2022 at 652 E. Main in the former A&W burger spot and serves breakfast all day (or at least through lunch and into the afternoon.)
And a third location will be coming in the summer of 2024 off Harrodsburg Road in the new Ethington Shoppes retail development south of the Fountains of Palomar, according to restaurant owner Madison Shoffner.
The new Biscuit Belly opening in December will be at 112 Lucille R. #150, in the newly built Leestown Road/Great Acres development, near the new Ramsey’s Diner. It will have seating for about 100 and outdoor seating in warm weather.
Besides the Ramsey’s, Drake’s has also expanded into the corridor and Publix has announced it will be build a grocery store on nearby Citation Boulevard.
Shoffner said that the Leestown Road spot does not have a drive-thru but it will have a separate place to pick up carry out orders. And she said they expect that business to expand; so much so that they also are adding catering options, including new holiday breakfast items including frittatas that can be taken home and reheated for Christmas morning. Or you can bring pans of pancakes, biscuits, breakfast bakes and more to the office.
And there will be a bar, serving brunch cocktails including mimosas and bloody Marys as well as holiday-themed drinks such as the Peppermint Mocha, Spiked Spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate and the Drunken Santa Latte.
Recently Biscuit Belly added three sandwiches made with a specially baked bread rather than biscuits, “for those who are feeling like lunch rather than brunch,” Shoffner said.
Rise n’ Brine
Where: 331 Romany Rd.
Hours: Daily 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
Online: risenbrinebiscuits.com
Rise n’ Brine will be a new restaurant in Chevy Chase on Romany from Matt and Betsy Borland, who own East End Tap & Table on Main Street with former University of Kentucky women’s basketball coach Matthew Mitchell and his wife, Jenna, who also are partners in this venture.
“Our brunch is really popular and the biscuit and chicken is one of our biggest sellers. So we thought we’d do a fast casual spin-off of that,” Matt Borland said. “It’s basically a coffee bar with a kitchen.”
They hope to open in mid-December with a fun menu: Drip coffee from Nate’s Coffee, as well as other options; several versions of the chicken biscuits; gravy flights with three different gravies; biscuit sandwiches with sausage, bacon, meat alternatives including fried tofu; sweet offerings such as a French toast biscuit sandwich with maple butter glaze; fried chicken breakfast burrito; spicy hash browns and more.
Where does the name come from? “Rise is for the biscuits that we will make from scratch daily and the Brine is for the chicken that we will brine in a house made pickle juice and buttermilk which will make for a extra tender piece of chicken,” Borland said in an email.
Grounded All Day Cafe
Where: 106 Burke Rd.
Hours: Wednesday through Friday 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Grounded All Day Cafe isn’t just a breakfast place but the specialties have a great breakfast feel. The menu leans heavy into bagels (plain and everything, with onion bialy also available) and housemade spreads. You can get smoked salmon of course but also Nutella, pepper jam, French onion, spinach artichoke and pumpkin spice.
The bagels are baked in a Queens, New York, bakery and flown in daily.
There also are bagel stacks, soups, sandwiches and salads, as well as Sav’s Gourmet Ice Cream and coffee drinks with house-made syrups.
Beau’s Cafe
Where: 3191 Beaumont Centre Circle Suite 150
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (Takeout window opens at 7 a.m.)
Online: beauscafelex.wixsite.com/home
Beau’s Cafe in Beaumont Centre opened in October and serves breakfast and brunch all day, along with lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu includes a Dutch baby (a kind of puffy pancake) with warm blackberries and yogurt whipped cream served on top. Or you can go with the daily specials, which include items such as the Biscuit Bread Pudding made with chai, banana, lime and served with lime whip cream, or the Pork Belly Biscuit.
Other options include avocado toast, breakfast biscuit, breakfast burrito, French omlette, buttermilk pancakes and Hot Jam Chicken. You also can order items a la carte.
The lunch menu includes sandwiches (gluten-free bread is available), a Market Chop Salad, Chicken Quinoa Soup and Ancient Grains Bowl.
Full menu of coffees and teas including organic chai tea, fresh pressed juices, brunch cocktails, local beer and organic wines also available.
Sweet Iron
Where: 1170 Manchester St. #160
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday, 11 to 9.
Online: instagram.com/sweet_iron_lex/
Sweet Iron is a dessert/waffle concept attached to District 7 Social Hall that recently opened (waffles count as breakfast, no matter when you eat them right?) The menu includes over the top indulgences such as Cherries + Chocolate, a chocolate stuffed waffled topped with black cherry jam and vanilla cream.
Or check out the Iron Stacks, savory treats such as Between the Sheets, a grilled cheese made with sweet waffles, apple jam and smoked gouda.
Looking for something very extra? How about house-made Whoopie Pies made with homemade vanilla cream between two soft cakes (chocolate, strawberry or vanilla.)
Sweet Iron also has a cotton candy of the day, a Rice Crispy Treat of the day and much more.
Old North Kitchen
Where: 101 W. Loudon Ave. Suite 116
Breakfast hours: Thursday through Saturday 7-11 a.m.; Sunday brunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Online: oldnorthbar.com
Old North Kitchen opened in the summer serving sandwiches, wraps, salads and burgers, and in the fall added breakfast four days a week with brunch on Sundays.
It’s Sunday so that means brunch at Old North!! Live music & drink specials today!!
Posted by Old North Bar on Sunday, November 5, 2023
Breakfast is simple, with various bagels, biscuits, burritos and sandwiches. But brunch is heartier. You can get the Bluegrass Breakfast (two eggs, bacon or sausage, toast or biscuit, fresh fruit), pancakes, biscuits & gravy, PB&J French toast, chicken & waffles, breakfast hash and more.
Old North also has drink specials and live music for Sunday brunch.
Sneak peek: New taco and tequila restaurant coming to Lexington distillery district
For 86 years, it’s been a ‘grits and gossip’ breakfast must with a side of horses
