Ace Eats Out

Lexington KY Restaurant News Column

(from the June 2024 issue)

Summer is here. 

Bring on the ballpark hotdogs, the funnelcakes and cotton candy and kettlecorn at the fair, and the food truck corrals. 

BIRTHS 

Playa Bowls is opening its first Lexington location at Palomar Fountains, between Chipotle and Omakase. They will feature açaí, coconut bowls, smoothies, and more. 

Chicago-based chain Rosati’s will open its first Lexington location off Nicholasville Road, serving pizza, pasta, and sandwiches. 

OBITS 

Saul Good has closed its final location, in the Fayette Mall area, after what was originally posted as a temporary close in the Spring. Founders Rob and Diane Perez opened the Mall Road location as their flagship store, and ran it for 14 years before selling to new owners in 2022. (The Hamburg location and downtown location closed several years ago.)

After seven years in business, Whiskey Bear closed in Beaumont in May. An original tenant of the Summit’s Barn Food Hall in 2017, they relocated to Beaumont in the summer of 2022, after the Food Hall closed in 2021 to make room for a new tenant for the space, who has yet to materialize. They added Addie’s Pizza to the concept in the new location, and revamped in February of this year to lean more towards the restaurant side of the business. 

TRANSITIONS

Carson’s is opening a Hamburg location in Andover. The downtown location remains open. 

Good Foods is undertaking a capital-raising drive with member-owners with the goal of retiring a fiscal deficit. A Lexington Reddit thread began posing questions six months ago, asking “Is everything ok?” — in response to equipment outages and intermittent closings in the cafe and at the hot bar. Hot sandwiches were unavailable for a time due to oven failure. Rent is reported to be among the highest per sq ft of any Co-Op in the country. The Herald-Leader published a May 28, 2024 article headlined, “Good Foods Co-op needs investments to stay afloat. It’s looking to owners for help.” Founded in 1972, the Co-Op moved to Southland Drive from Woodhill in 1986, adding a Cafe in 2002, and a major expansion 2010. Good Foods recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. 

Shamrock’s has closed its Hartland location and is relocating the Hartland location to Brannon. 

Ace Eats Out Calendar 

SUN JUN 2 

T’AI on Rye, Lexington’s pop-up Jewish deli, will be back on Sunday, June 2 at Temple Adath Israel. It’s the last one before summer break, so take advantage of the opportunity for pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, kosher hot dogs, matzo ball soup, a special dessert, and more. The Pop Up is at Temple Adath Israel, 124 North Ashland Ave., for dine-in or carryout from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

TUE JUN 4 

The Tuesday/Thursday Lexington Farmers Market opens in its new Tuesday/Thursday home on National Avenue. 

FRI JUN 7

Celebrate National Donut Day with a Lexington donut. You can enjoy thirty-five years of Ace donut archives at acemagazinelex.com. 

SAT JUN 8 

Hot on the heels of May’s Beer Cheese Food Week, Winchester is back with the Beer Cheese Festival on Saturday June 8, 2024. 

TUE JUN 14 

SoulFeast Week (Jun 14 thru Jun 23) is a ten-day celebration of Black culinary culture highlighting restaurants, farmers, and chefs in Central Kentucky. Through educational exhibits, curated experiences, and enjoying great food, SoulFeast Week is an opportunity for Kentuckians of all races and backgrounds to support Black businesses by putting their money where their mouths are, literally.

Ace Eats Out appears on pages 16-17 of the June 2024 issue of Ace. Click here to page through a digital copy of the June  2024 print issue of Ace. To subscribe to digital delivery of Ace’s print edition each month, click here. Click here to join the Ace Eats Out Facebook.