Five Best Restaurants in Jessamine Co. Kentucky

Being a native of Jessamine Co. I can assure you that I know all the great spots for all the local eats! From breakfast to supper! I will go over their main menu items and mention their BEST SELLING items on the menu! You do not want to miss these hidden treasures as they have delicious food that will have you coming back for seconds!

Solomon’s Porch – Wilmore

Solomon’s Porch was a big deal to me during my childhood, every time we got to go it would always bring a smile to my face. They had the best food and still do to this day! I and my husband went there a week ago and had a very pleasant brunch date. My Husband ordered the Breakfast of Kings – 2 eggs, 2 (GIANT) pancakes, and a choice of bacon or sausage. He said that those were the best dang pancakes he has ever eaten, and they are the best! So fluffy, very sweet, and delicious. I ordered my usual breakfast choice, which is the Breakfast Sandwich – 2 fried eggs topped with melted American cheese on a croissant. I added sausage as meat to mine and added a blueberry muffin, which warmed to my meal as well. It was so delicious! I love their muffins. It reminds me of when I went to college and me and my best friend Annie would always go grab muffins and get each other muffins sometimes out of the blue. I luckily had the chance to interview the restaurant operator/owner! Read below how the business started and more about their menu!

So I asked some questions and they answered! So the first question I asked was, “How did this business get started?” Her response, “Tim (my husband) and I were fresh out of Asbury College and newly married. We had daydreamed about the possibility of running a coffee shop when we were dating. Solomon’s Porch was an existing business that I often patronized as a student. It went on the market and we prayerfully considered buying it. We made a ridiculous offer (a prayerful fleece) to the owner, and he agreed to allow us to buy it. The business began originally in 1996 and went through three other sets of owners until we bought it in 2004. We have kept a good portion of the original menu, and have since added lots of other items. ” I then asked, “What is the most bought/purchased item(s) on the menu?” She replied, “There might be a tie between the classic C.S. Lewis and more recently added Appian Way sandwiches. CS Lewis is a turkey and Monterey Jack sandwich with honey mustard and sprouts, on a croissant. The Appian Way ( which was created by my husband Tim) is grilled deli chicken, Swiss cheese, tomato, spinach and pesto on a warm croissant”. Lastly, I was curious as to what their most purchased drink was as they are very well known for coffee in Wilmore and her response was, “We sell more of the regular drip coffee and lattes. Our coffee selection is a mixture of different roasters from Pittsburgh ( where I am from originally), Louisville, and Lexington. As far as the lattes are concerned the most popular on our year-round menu is Turtle Mocha with caramel, and chocolate powder. We feature new seasonal drink specials every couple of months. Right now we are featuring our spring dink list which includes: The Chubby Bunny ( Chocolate & Marshmallow Latte), The Spring Fling ( a Jasmine Tea fog with Vanilla), The Cherry Blossom (Cherry & Chocolate Latte), Almond Joy (Almond, Coconut, and Chocolate Latte) and the Honey Bee ( Honey breve latte).” This interview was super exciting to do and I hoped it enlightens you in some way and I hope they get to see you soon! Their menu is so creative and if you’re a Christian you will not want to miss this café while you’re in town! Even if you aren’t a Christian, it is still so so creative and amazing to visit! If you’re attending Asbury University at the moment, DO NOT FORGET to go to Solomon’s Porch, at least once.

Click here to view their website!

The Cottage Café – Nicholasville

Cottage Café has been around for a while and even under other names one I remember being, The Rainbow. As a child, my uncle Eldon would bring me here all the time even though I ordered cereal like a boring child. Now I don’t think you can get cereal however, they do have much tastier items such as a hot brown, some old-fashioned breakfast, they tend to sell a ton of burgers too. If you live in Nicholasville and never have been to this café, you’re truly missing out! It is the best home cooking I have ever tasted in a restaurant! I sometimes get their burgers or their fried cauliflower. My husband is a big breakfast eater so he always gets eggs, hash browns, and of course fried ‘taters’. He says that it is the only restaurant in Nicholasville that will serve him, fried potatoes so there is that (LOL)! I also had the chance to interview Darlene, the owner here as well! Read below for the questions and answers!

The first question I asked was, “how long has this business been alive?” “14 years” they replied. I then wondered, “What inspired you to start this business?” She responded, “I waited tables for 5 years under the previous owner and he was selling it so my husband talked me into buying it.” I asked, “What is the best selling item on the menu?” She replied, “our hamburgers/cheeseburgers.” Which prompted me to ask, “best selling dessert?” and they replied once more, “our blackberry cobbler which we serve all year long!” I also know that they have the best root beer floats in town as well! I’m sure that is their second selling dessert item! If you have never been, I highly suggest you go try it now!

Click here to view their Facebook Page!

The Dixie Café – Keene

I have visited this café more than twice now and it has the best chili I’ve ever tasted! My husband always gets the big Dixie Breakfast and it comes with eggs how you want them, bacon, sausage, and a huge pancake. He says it is a delicious breakfast. I usually get either the Dixie burger or their Dixie Chili. On my last visit, I had their burger and it was quite tasty and the fries are also delicious! I had the chance to also interview the owner here and it went well; you can read their response below.

My interview with the owner went quite well and I asked similar questions. I started with, “How long has this business been going on for?” They responded, “The Dixie Café opened March 22, 2010, so we are coming up on our 11th anniversary!” (this interview was done March 7th I believe) I then asked, what inspired the owner to start this business?” They responded, “In the early 1950s, 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 in Phillips, TX was called the ‘Quick Stop Grocery”. “What are the best selling item(s) on your menu?” They responded, “We serve breakfast all day, from 7 am-2 pm, and our traditional Breakfast Platter is the most popular menu item, followed by Mr. Alexander’s Dixie Burger.” Finally, I asked them what their best-selling desserts were and they replied, “We don’t offer desserts, although Anita’s homemade blueberry muffins are a favorite! Worth mentioning…We were voted in the top 3 “Best in Kentucky” down-home restaurants twice by Kentucky Living Restaurant in the past 3 years, and voted as the best small business in Jessamine County in 2020”. I counted muffins as a dessert (silly me!) Either way, you’re going to have to stop by and see what all they offer!

Click here to visit their website!

Dodd’s Corner – Nicholasville

Dodd’s Corner Farmer’s Market will always hold a special place in my heart too… along with their pizza! Which is why they made the list; their pizzeria was too delicious not to mention! They have so many flavors and specialties to choose from! The catch is you can only come in for their pizzas on Fridays & Saturdays after 4 pm. I’ll be going over this amazing place in a blog all about Dodd’s Corner soon!

I had the chance to try their pizza (according to the website they are partnered with Rolling Oven Pizza) and their breadsticks and oh my goodness it was like tasting a piece of Italy. It felt Italian inspired on my tongue and my taste buds went wild. I recommend trying their pizza which is cooked in a fire-burning oven!

Click here to view their Facebook page!

The Home Stretch Bar & Grill – Nicholasville

My husband and I went about 6 months ago and enjoyed a very fine meal here for dinner. I remember tasting their delicious hot wings and their hamburgers are almost to die for! My husband ordered their chicken strips and he said that they didn’t disappoint either! I unfortunately never received a response but Everyone loves this place so much so I am still featuring it! Below, we will go over their menu together and I will talk more about our dining experience here.

When viewing their menu they have quite a few categories to look at and choose from! From starters to pizza! Their top-selling items (if I had to guess): chicken tender basket, fish & chips, their pizza, the Home Stretch burger (which I had and it was so delicious), and more of their sandwiches and wings! You can view their menu by clicking here! The atmosphere when we dined in (during the pan-eramic) was a very nice experience. It is a bar and grill, so the atmosphere did consist of that bar and grill vibe. The food smelled so tasty and it has me wanting to go back for more!

Click here to view their website!

As always, Thank you so ,much for reading! If any business wishes for me to add or remove anything please email me at caitie@lifewithcaitie.com ! Follow My Instagram for more (@lifewithcaitie) and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for more local spots!