Here’s three new Mexican restaurants in high-profile locations. One is open now.

Central Kentucky loves Mexican food, as you can tell by the many restaurants in and around Lexington.

There are so many options, ranging from Tex-Mex to taco trucks to places that serve handmade tamales and tortillas.

Something for every palate, from authentic to Americanized menus, with more options appearing frequently.

Here are three new local restaurants to have on your dining radar, each in high profile locations.

Mexico Mi Amor

780 N. Limestone. This new restaurant is going into a high-profile location near the Greyline Station: The former Lucie’s Red Light location on the corner of Limestone and Loudon. Owner Roxana Hernandez said she plans to open a family-style Mexican restaurant in April.

“We are going to have really special authentic Mexican, traditional homemade dishes,” she said. “The kind of things that are usually cooked at home, that you don’t find in a restaurant.”

Such as costillas de puerco, or Mexican pork ribs, she said. Tortas, or Mexican sandwiches, also will be on the menu.

Hernandez said her family has had restaurants for years and she grew up in the food business but this is her first venture on her own.

“I want to bring something where people feel comfortable and they’re satisfied with the food, the drinks, the atmosphere. ... You will leave happy and full,” she said.

Mexico Mi Amor will have a bar area with tables on side of the restaurant will booths and a long bench and tables on the other side. In warm weather, the patio will be open for seating too, she said.

El Mariachi

391 Rose St. Popular Lexington restaurant El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant & Cantina is opening a third location next to the University of Kentucky campus in the former BurgerFi spot in Coliseum Plaza. The BurgerFi, where Martha Stewart ate when she was in town, closed January 2022.

Hernan Leon opened his first El Mariachi off of Leestown Road at 115 Towne Center Dr. and his second one at 1916 Justice Dr. in Hamburg. Now he’s bringing a third to the downtown/campus area.

Leon said he hopes to open by mid-April to serve lunch and dinner, with late-night hours on weekends. Eventually he hopes to add a brunch menu on the weekends too, he said.

“The opportunity was there and I feel like we can do well there,” he said. The restaurant features a menu of affordable favorites. “We serve authentic cuisine from the state of Jalisco, Mexico, which is where I’m from, made fresh daily, everything from scratch,” Leon said. “We put a lot of love and effort into what we do.”

Mi Pueblito

524 Marsailles Rd. in Versailles. Mi Pueblito Bar & Grill has built a strong fanbase in Versailles over the last 18 years at 103 Crossfield Dr. Now a second location has opened in a former KFC across from Kroger, just off U.S. 60. The bigger location also includes a drive-thru for pick-orders.

Owner Alfonso Murillo said that the menu includes fajitas, chimichangas, burritos and more, with margaritas, palomas and a full bar. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily, with a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m.