Hey, y'all! There's a plethora of dining options for a visit to Jessamine County. A neighbor to Lexington, Nicholasville provides the charm of Central Kentucky, locality, and is conveniently located to many. I was very impressed by the individuals that I met and the institutions that I visited: the chefs were passionate, talented, and certainly made me a happy diner. I left knowing that I could, without hesitation, recommend that y'all visit Jessamine County and stay a while - in fact: stay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Please enjoy my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide!
This post is in partnership with Visit Jessamine. Thank you all for supporting those that make JCP Eats possible. All opinions expressed are my own. Post originally posted November 2019, updated June 2021.
Jessamine County KY Dining Guide: All Meals
Breakfast: Scott Station Inn, 305 E. Main St. Wilmore, KY 40390
As far as I am concerned, there's no better way to kick off your visit to Jessamine County than with a stay at Scott Station Inn, which is beautifully located in Downtown Wilmore (home of Asbury University). Scott Station Inn is a first-class, charming bed and breakfast that will keep you coming back. Every room is lovely and beautifully-curated; upon walking in, I assure you this: you will feel like you are at home.
For breakfast the morning I visited? A hearty, rustic frittata, the most delicious muffins, Ghirardelli Chocolate Brownies, Fresh Fruit, Coffee, and Tea. Is there a better way to kick off your day? Don't miss out on the Scott Station Inn!
Enjoying my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide? Check out my other blog posts here!
Lunch: Solomon's Porch, 111 E. Main St. Wilmore, KY 40390
Solomon's Porch has been a community staple in Wilmore for over 20 years - and in the restaurant world, that says everything that you need to know. Their menu has local flair, along with a mix of classic and quirky items. I think that is what I loved the most.
The classics on the menu range from sandwiches and wraps and are called "The Hole-iness", "The C.S. Lewis", "The King Solomon", and "The Garden of Eden" to name a few. Alongside a multitude of speciality drinks, they also serve salads and "Holy Cow Burgers". How fun is that?
Enjoying my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide? Check out my other blog posts here!
Well, friends, it doesn't stop there. The menu section that caught my eye the most? The 12 Apostolic Franks: the Thomas, Cephas, Andrew, Simon the Zealot, Judas, John, Jude, Matthew, Bartholomew, Phillip, James of Zebadee, and James of Alpheus. I don't think that I'll ever forget this menu naming convention. I ordered the Judas, which is coined as a hotdog that he couldn't even deny. It is a bacon-wrapped frank topped with beer cheese and tomatoes. Yes, it was as good as it sounds.
Dixie Café: 108 Keene-Troy Rd. Keene, KY 40339
Another great option for lunch is the Dixie Café, which is located in rural Keene, KY. I really enjoyed the drive out to the restaurant; upon walking in, I knew I was in the right place. It was chock-full of locals - and the #1 rule in culinary tourism is to go where the locals go.
The restaurant has an interesting history. To quote: "In the early 1950’s, Dixie Alexander opened the original “Dixie Café” in Borger, Texas. She and her husband Edward lived nearby in a small Phillips Petroleum Company oil field camp. The grocery store, located in Phillips, was called the “Quick Stop Grocery”. Edward had moved to Texas from Missouri where he grew up on a farm. His great, great-grandfather had moved to Missouri from his family’s farm in Woodford County, Kentucky. Now, Edward’s youngest son, Lynn, completed the full circle by moving from Texas, where he lived all of his life, back to a Kentucky horse farm. Lynn and his youngest daughter Kasi decided to open a restaurant showcasing family Texas recipes and thus was born the first “Dixie Café & Quick Stop” in Keene, Kentucky." How cool is that?
Enjoying my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide? Check out my other blog posts here!
Whether it's located in Kentucky or Texas, one thing is certain: it's southern, y'all. So southern that I decided to order a Fried Bologna Sandwich, one of my favorites. Oh, and they have soup beans + cornbread!
Have Coffee at Drinklings: 325 E. Main St. Wilmore, KY 40390
Drinklings pours "Coffee With A Mission" - and I was immediately in love.
Enjoying my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide? Check out my other blog posts here!
Have Dinner at Fuego: 2385 Chrisman Mill Rd. Nicholasville, KY 40356
My dining experience at Fuego was, simply put, amazing. So much so that I wrote an entire post about it. To learn more about the dining experience, click here.
Public Well: 104 S. York St. Nicholasville, KY 40356
Upon walking into the Public Well, I knew that it was a place for me. From local restauranteur Charlie Hensley (of Euro Wine & Tapas Bar), Public Well is a modern, hip, and family-friendly taco oasis. Start with queso, corn croquettes, or the nachos (highly recommend) -- and stay for the street-style tacos.
Enjoying my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide? Check out my other blog posts here!
As for tacos, I ordered the Carne Asada (white onions, cilantro and adobo salsa verde), Spicy Sriracha Shrimp (cilantro lime slaw), and the Key West Korean BBQ Beef (slaw and soy lime dressing). I loved them all and look forward to trying the Baja Fish Tacos on my next visit!
Euro Wine & Tapas Bar: 102 S Main St. Nicholasville, KY 40356
Euro, like Public Well, stems from Charlie Hensley - a staple in Jessamine County, Kentucky. Charlie believes in adhering to quality, service, all while housing it in a relaxing atmosphere -- and he does just that.
Enjoying my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide? Check out my other blog posts here!
Y’all come back now, ya hear?
My best,
JC
Keep Up With JCP Eats
Thank you so much for visiting the blog today! I’d love to keep in touch via social media. You can follow my content on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tik Tok, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I also author a sister website to JCP Eats, Unabashedly Southern, on which I write about southern lifestyle. Read Unabashedly Southern here.
Enjoy reading my Jessamine County KY Dining Guide? Check out my other blog posts here!
Katie-Rose Watson
Fantastic photos and article, JC!