Highest-rated restaurants in Lexington by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we’ve seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven’t been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Lexington, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

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#30. Parlor Doughnuts

– Rating: 4.5/5 (66 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 630 Euclid Ave. Ste 150 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
– Read more on Yelp

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#29. Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine

– Rating: 4.5/5 (426 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 3061 Fieldstone Way Ste 1200 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Mediterranean
– Read more on Yelp

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#28. East End Tap and Table

– Rating: 4.5/5 (173 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 333 East Main St. Ste 180 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Gastropubs, New American, Cocktail Bars
– Read more on Yelp

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#27. Viva Mexico

– Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
– Address: 2573 Richmond Road Ste 170 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Mexican
– Read more on Yelp

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#26. La Taquiza

– Rating: 4.5/5 (141 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 130 West Tiverton Way Ste 190 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Mexican
– Read more on Yelp

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#25. Hola Havana Cuban Restaurant

– Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 115 North Locust Hill Drive Ste 109B Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Cuban, Wine Bars, Seafood
– Read more on Yelp

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#24. Salt & Vinegar

– Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
– Address: 102 West Vine St. Inside Ethereal Brewing Public House Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: German, Southern, American
– Read more on Yelp

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#23. Taco Time

– Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2128 Nicholasville Road Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
– Read more on Yelp

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#22. Tortillería Y Taquería Ramírez

– Rating: 4.5/5 (202 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 1429 Alexandria Drive Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Mexican
– Read more on Yelp

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#21. South of Wrigley

– Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
– Address: 472 Southland Drive Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Sandwiches, Hot Dogs
– Read more on Yelp

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#20. Wine + Market

– Rating: 4.5/5 (107 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 486 West 2nd St. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Sandwiches, Delis
– Read more on Yelp

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#19. Bella Cafe and Grille

– Rating: 4.5/5 (99 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 890 East High St. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Cafes, Burgers
– Read more on Yelp

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#18. Moody Mike’s

– Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
– Address: 962 Delaware Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Vegan, Food Trucks
– Read more on Yelp

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#17. Minton’s 760

– Rating: 4.5/5 (152 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 760 North Limestone St. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: New American
– Read more on Yelp

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#16. Old Vine Bistro

– Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
– Address: 400 Old Vine St. 106 Ste 106 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Southern, New American, Wine Bars
– Read more on Yelp

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#15. Kenwick Table

– Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 201 Owsley Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Bars
– Read more on Yelp

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#14. El Patio

– Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
– Address: 2628 Richmond Road Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Mexican, Seafood
– Read more on Yelp

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#13. Farm Market

– Rating: 4.5/5 (207 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 1079 East New Circle Road Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Mexican
– Read more on Yelp

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#12. DV8 Kitchen

– Rating: 4.5/5 (770 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 867 South Broadway Ste 140 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
– Read more on Yelp

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#11. DV8 Kitchen

– Rating: 4.5/5 (55 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 594 East Third St. Ste 100 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#10. Big Kahuna

– Rating: 4.5/5 (272 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 904 Liberty Road Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Hawaiian
– Read more on Yelp

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#9. Genesis Coffee House & Eatery

– Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
– Address: 1403 North Forbes Road Ste 130 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#8. Wing KYng

– Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
– Address: 101 West Loudon Ave. Unit 110 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Chicken Wings
– Read more on Yelp

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#7. Georgetown Cafe

– Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
– Address: 417 Georgetown St. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Cajun/Creole, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#6. favor

– Rating: 5.0/5 (38 reviews)
– Address: 574 North Limestone Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: New American, Diners
– Read more on Yelp

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#5. Blue Skillet

– Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
– Address: 213 East 7th St. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Soul Food
– Read more on Yelp

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#4. Bourbon n’ Toulouse — South Broadway

– Rating: 5.0/5 (57 reviews)
– Address: 1080 South Bdwy Ste 107 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Cajun/Creole
– Read more on Yelp

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#3. High on Art & Coffee

– Rating: 5.0/5 (83 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 523 East High St. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Arts & Crafts, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp

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#2. Dad’s Favorites

– Rating: 5.0/5 (405 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 820 Lane Allen Road Ste 148 Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Delis, Soup
– Read more on Yelp

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#1. JY Kitchen

– Rating: 5.0/5 (56 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1006 Delaware Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
– Categories: Korean
– Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.