Here are the local restaurants Lexington wants to come back and reopen

Janet Patton

Last month, LexGo Eat asked readers what lost and closed Lexington restaurant they would bring back if they could.

Many shared their thoughts in our online poll. More chimed in on social media, too. What’s clear is people are really attached to their favorite local places and once they are gone, it’s hard to move on.

Some people gave us multiple restaurants, a who’s who of gone-but-not-forgotten places.

Others homed in on one, repeating it over and over.

Several restaurants had multiple mentions, including some from this summer’s Tasting the Past series on recipes from lost Lexington restaurants.

Here are the top 11 results in reverse order of places people want to see reopen, and if there is anyone thinking of opening a new place soon, please take notes.

Billy’s Bar-B-Q started in 1978, serving ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, mutton, chicken wings and sides.
Billy’s Bar-B-Q started in 1978, serving ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, mutton, chicken wings and sides.

Coach House, DeSha’s and Billy’s Bar-B-Q.

Three very different restaurants, tied for ninth, tenth and eleventh place.

Stanley Demos’ Coach House was a swanky place on South Broadway, loved for decades as the dining spot where new Lexington money could rub shoulders with old.

The Coach House defined gourmet dining in Lexington.
The Coach House defined gourmet dining in Lexington.

DeSha’s was a steakhouse in downtown Lexington that fed fans heading to the concerts and basketball games at Rupp Arena. Everybody loved to stop in and get some cornbread and honey butter first.

And Billy’s Bar-B-Q, on the corner of Tates Creek and Cochran, was THE barbecue place in Lexington back when there weren’t that many before it closed in 2015. Owner Bob Stubblefield specialized in Western Kentucky-style barbecue including mutton and other meats.

The Nov. 1, 1970 Business page of the Sunday Herald-Leader included a story on a new, 98-seat Cape Codder seafood restaurant at East High Street and South Ashland Avenue.
The Nov. 1, 1970 Business page of the Sunday Herald-Leader included a story on a new, 98-seat Cape Codder seafood restaurant at East High Street and South Ashland Avenue.

Cape Codder

This seafood place at the corner of Ashland Avenue and High Street apparently was one of the most popular in Lexington. That location closed in April 1991 after 21 years. (That’s also the original name of the chain of Jerrico restaurants that became Long John Silver’s when the first one opened in 1969 on Southland Drive. Lexington’s last Long John Silver’s closed in the last year and has been demolished for a new public library branch.)

Middle Fork Kitchen Bar at the historic Distillery District in Lexington.
Middle Fork Kitchen Bar at the historic Distillery District in Lexington.

Middle Fork Kitchen Bar

The life of Middle Fork was brief but it had an outsized impact. Owner Mark Jensen built a following for his food truck Fork in the Road before opening a small restaurant in the old Pepper Distillery building on Manchester in 2015. It got rave reviews, including a Travel piece in the New York Times but was a casualty of the COVID pandemic restaurant closures. Jensen announced the news to supporters in March 2021.

The Chop House restaurant, taken on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. It closed in 2020.
The Chop House restaurant, taken on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. It closed in 2020.
Stanley J’s New York Style Deli at 3101 Clays Mill Road before it closed.
Stanley J’s New York Style Deli at 3101 Clays Mill Road before it closed.

Chop House and Stanley J’s

The Chop House franchise on Richmond Road in Lexington closed in 2020 after 26 years and apparently people really want it back. It tied in number of votes with Stanley J’s, a deli on Clays Mill that made potato salad and sandwiches that people still rave about.

Atomic Cafe bartender Dominick Starosky made a cocktail on Wednesday August 18 , 2010 in Lexington, Ky.
Atomic Cafe bartender Dominick Starosky made a cocktail on Wednesday August 18 , 2010 in Lexington, Ky.

Atomic Cafe

Atomic Cafe, which closed on North Limestone in 2015, came in at Number 4. People really miss that island atmosphere and Caribbean cuisine, from sweet potato chips to those rum drinks. And who can forget the jerk chicken, coconut shrimp, conch fritters and spicy cornbread?

The sun sets on the Parkette Drive-In, on the last night it was open, June 28, 2022. The legendary Lexington restaurant closed after 70 years in business on New Circle Road.
The sun sets on the Parkette Drive-In, on the last night it was open, June 28, 2022. The legendary Lexington restaurant closed after 70 years in business on New Circle Road.

Parkette Drive-In

Readers are nostalgic not just for the food but for an earlier time: One said bring back “the Parkette, but from 30 years ago.” This classic Lexington drive-in diner, with chicken boxes, smashed burgers, fries and shakes closed in June after 70 years on New Circle Road. The building was recently demolished although the iconic neon sign is still there.

The awning is still in place at the old Saratoga restaurant on East High St in Lexington, Ky. February 2, 2000. The restaurant and nearby buildings were later demolished.
The awning is still in place at the old Saratoga restaurant on East High St in Lexington, Ky. February 2, 2000. The restaurant and nearby buildings were later demolished.

Saratoga

The Saratoga, which stood at Euclid and East High in Chevy Chase, closed in 1995 but people still remember what made it special: The food was simple and the drinks were strong. A particular favorite? The olive nut spread. The old Saratoga was torn down and was replaced with a new building that became so many establishments that people have wondered about “the curse of the Saratoga” dooming any restaurant that tries to take its place. Now it’s a Realtor’s office.



Ed & Fred’s Desert Moon

The number one vote getter among our readers: Ed & Fred’s Desert Moon was ahead of its time, serving eclectic food amidst funky art and a fun atmosphere, first on Main Street in 1992 and then on Grand Boulevard. It closed at the end of 2003 and owners Doug and Judy Eifert moved to North Carolina where they opened another successful restaurant. But fans of Ed & Fred’s are still hungry for dishes like the Lime Chili Pesto Linguine and the Caribbean Smoked Chicken Salad.

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