Five Places to Grab a Drink in Lexington
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When live racing begins at Keeneland, what better way to relax and celebrate after a great day at the track than with a nice drink, good company and countless “coulda, woulda, shoulda” race stories to recount?
While some might assume that all Kentuckians drink mint juleps all the time, that's not really the truth – it took me five months of living there to have one and that was at the Kentucky Derby! Thanks to help from some of my pals in Lexington I’ve rounded up five thirst-quenching spots for you to grab a drink like a local.
National Provisions
Photo courtesy National Provisions
While I’ve never been here I have, indeed, read and heard all about it.
Being the food and drink lover that I am it’s quickly found itself at the top of my “must” list for my next Lexington visit. Crafted out of a vacant soda bottling plant by Lexington natives, National Provisions is a culinary complex that houses National Provisions Beer Hall on one end, National Boulangerie on the other and Bluegrass Brasserie in the heart of the place - basically paradise!
You're sure to find something you love in this space that looks to mix rustic and industrial, rugged and dainty and stylish and cool – aka I WISH I WAS THERE RIGHT NOW! You can take a seat at the beer hall’s refurbished factory table for a brew, grab an éclair inside the red-trimmed, gold and black floor of the boulangerie or enjoy some seriously mouth-watering dishes inspired by the Bluegrass in the brasserie. There’s even a store where you can buy local produce, regional specialties and artisanal products to take home.
The Village Idiot
Photo courtesy The Village Idiot
Dubbed Lexington's first gastropub, The Village Idiot is a bar that showcases their well-priced, high-end beer, spirits, fun cocktails and wine plus yummy, sophisticated "pub grub." Yes, bar snacks are delicious – the scotch eggs and pomme frites (order every possible dipping sauce, you won’t regret it) are my favorites to share. Every time Team ABR is in Lexington we make multiple stops here.
OBC Kitchen
Photo courtesy OBC
With an extremely rare and extensive collection of bourbon, a diverse wine list, crafty cocktails and eclectic craft beer selections, OBC is the perfect place to grab a drink and some local, artisanal cuisine.
The Beer Trappe
Photo courtesy The Beer Trappe
The Beer Trappe, Lexington’s first craft beer store, was just voted one of the top 100 beer bars in the country. With one of the most diverse collections I've ever seen it's definitely a place to kick back and grab a beer with friends - they've got eight rotating beers on draught and hundreds of cold bottles behind the bar – many of them coveted and only available in limited numbers.
One of my favorite things about this place is the consideration they take in your drinking experience - like wine and liquor, glassware enhances flavors so depending on your beer of choice you’ll get the glass that best showcases it. You can even leave with a mix-and-match six pack or a growler for the next time you’re celebrating a great track day.
Harry’s
Photo courtesy BHG
This is the most “horsey” of my five picks and most definitely a place for racing fans to feel right at home in. Big screens, racing memorabilia, good all-American food and drinks make for a relaxing, laid-back night after a long race day – a perfect time for some handicapping time in preparation for the next day’s races.
Do you have any favorite Lexington places for a drink?