NEWS
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, a Chicago-style pizza restaurant, is scheduled to go up in the Fayette Mall parking lot, at the corner of Nicholasville Road and Reynolds Road.
Goodfellas Pizzeria is opening its third Lexington location in the Distillery District, on 1224 Manchester St. The new location will be a 4,500-square-foot space that will include a “speakeasy,” similar to the Cincinnati locations.
The Distillery District is living up to its name: the James E. Pepper Distilling will return to the Pepper Distillery running along the Town Branch at 1228 Manchester St, for the first time in more than 50 years.
Oak Springs Grill opened at the Fayette Mall in May, at the location which was formerly Abuelo’s. The restaurant specializes in comfort food and includes a selection of bourbon and wines.
Chef Ouita Michel has announced plans to open a restaurant in downtown Lexington in the soon-to-be-renovated old Courthouse on Cheapside Square. (She will also add another establishment at the Summit at Fritz Farm, currently in development.)
Panchito’s Ice Cream has opened a second Lexington location at 481 West New Circle Road. Both Lexington stores (the original is at 1388 Alexandria Drive) serve 30 flavors of traditional ice cream every day from noon – 10 pm.
EVENTS
On June 1 from noon – 2 pm, the Kentucky Proud Store at Boone Creek Creamery on Palumbo will celebrate “the uncommon wealth” with an Open House. Stop in, meet local food producers, share their stories, and discover what goes into making Kentucky Proud
The Carnegie Center hosts Lunch with a Legend: Wendell Berry, on Saturday, June 4 at 1 pm at Gratz Park. Berry is a recipient of The National Humanities Medal and was the first living writer inducted into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame. The lunch will include a farm-to-table meal and Alltech’s Bluegrass Sundown (a coffee and vanilla infused bourbon liqueur).
On June 4 at 6 pm, Maker’s Mark Distillery hosts Bourbon and Ballet. The four-course dinner menu pairs with four unique performances by the Kentucky Ballet Theatre. These include several short classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballet works.
Food Truck Friday is back at 100 Midland Avenue on June 10, from 11 am – 2 pm.
Kentucky Cork, Tap & Barrel is at the Cheapside Pavilion on June 10 at 5 pm. The monthly event celebrates Kentucky-made wine, beer, and bourbon, and also includes live music, concessions, and arts & crafts vendors.
The 7th Annual Beer Cheese Festival is in downtown Winchester (on Main Street) on June 11 from 10 am – 5 pm. Last year, an estimated 12,000 people packed the streets of Winchester to sample beer cheese, listen to live music, and shop from vendors.
On June 11, the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill hosts another Fresh Food Adventure: “Garden and Grain” featuring Woodford Reserve and Cedar Creek Farm. Sample the flavors of the simple but powerful grain, locally-raised meats, and the summer garden bounty.
Chew Brunch: Sangria with Lockbox’s Chef Jonathan Searle on June 12 at 11 am at the UK Art Museum. The 2-course meal will be paired with a Sangria bar (with all the fixings) and will be made using locally sourced products.
Bob’s Burgers style Cook-Off at 1 pm at Morris Book Shop on June 12. The Bob’s Burgers Cookbook has landed, so celebrate with a Bob’s Burgers style Cook-Off. 10 competitors will go head-to-head to create the punniest burger they can, while the celebrity judges and the crowd decide the champion. Each contestant will have 45 minutes to make 10 sliders for guest tasting, and an additional 30 minutes to make one full size burger for the judges.
The Well Crafted Brews + Bands Fest, celebrating the quality and diversity of Kentucky’s craft beer and music cultures, is at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill on June 18, from noon to 8 pm. Sample brews in the craft beer tent and enjoy live music by local musicians on two stages. In celebration of the Shakers’ progressive conservationist heritage, the event will be organized from the ground up as a low-waste weekend.
Woodford Reserve Distillery hosts a Father’s Day cookout on Saturday, June 18 at 7:30 pm. Includes a welcome cocktail, a tour of the distillery, and two drinks with dinner. The dinner menu features a build-your-own-salad bar complete with Woodford Sorghum Vinaigrette, a Barrelhead mixed grill, and desserts.
Beer, Bourbon, and Bacon Garden Party, including live music by Grayson Jenkins and The Wooks is on June 19 at 1 pm at Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate. Bourbon Cocktails by Ol’ Major Bacon Bourbon, Bib & Tucker, Barrell Bourbon – Batch 007, Boone County Bourbon. Barrel-aged beer by West Sixth Brewing. Bacon-inspired small bites by Lexington Diner / Creative Table Kitchen and Catering.
Passport to Flavor: international cuisine from local chefs, June 24 from 6 pm – 11 pm at Manchester Music Hall. Features local chefs and restaurateurs and home cooks from around the world. Participating restaurants include Jasmine Rice, Brasabana, Sullivan, Sav’s, and Athenian Grill. There will also be international music, dance, and arts, including a big dance party with local band Vinyl Richie.
STAY TUNED FOR LEXINGTON RESTAURANT WEEK PREVIEW COVERAGE IN THE JULY 1 ISSUE.
To submit a Lexington, Kentucky food, wine, or spirits news item for consideration in Ace’s Best Bites, email acelist@aceweekly.com. To submit a Lexington Food, Wine, or Spirits Event to be considered for the Ace calendar, please go to the Ace online calendar, and click “Submit” (upper right on the Menu bar). For restaurant advertising, call Ace Advertising at 859.225.4889 x229.
This article also appears on page 10 of the May 2016 printed issue of Ace.
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