Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Lexington area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Lexington area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

Texas de Brazil

1 / 30

#30. Texas de Brazil

- Rating: 4.0/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 151 Larue Ste 150 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Steakhouses, Brazilian, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

The Tulip Bistro & Bar

2 / 30

#29. The Tulip Bistro & Bar

- Rating: 4.0/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 355 Romany Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Desserts, Diners, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Pasta Garage Italian Cafe

3 / 30

#28. Pasta Garage Italian Cafe

- Rating: 4.1/5 (447 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 962 Delaware Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Italian, Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

Smithtown Seafood

4 / 30

#27. Smithtown Seafood

- Rating: 4.1/5 (282 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 501 West 6th St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

Dudley's on Short

5 / 30

#26. Dudley's on Short

- Rating: 4.1/5 (297 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 259 West Short St. Ste 125 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Diners, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Malone's Hamburg

6 / 30

#25. Malone's Hamburg

- Rating: 4.1/5 (514 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1920 Pleasant Ridge Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

Merrick Inn

7 / 30

#24. Merrick Inn

- Rating: 4.1/5 (269 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1074 Merrick Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Ted's Montana Grill

8 / 30

#23. Ted's Montana Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2304 Sir Barton Way Ste 170 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, American, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

Winchell's

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#22. Winchell's

- Rating: 4.2/5 (433 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 348 Southland Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

A P Suggins Bar & Grill

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#21. A P Suggins Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 345 Romany Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

Windy Corner Market

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#20. Windy Corner Market

- Rating: 4.2/5 (309 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4595 Bryan Station Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Delis, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

Distilled On Jefferson

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#19. Distilled On Jefferson

- Rating: 4.2/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 157 Jefferson St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Southern, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Epping's on Eastside

13 / 30

#18. Epping's on Eastside

- Rating: 4.2/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 264 Walton Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp

J2C Sichuan Bistro

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#17. J2C Sichuan Bistro

- Rating: 4.2/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 561 South Broadway Ste 140 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Szechuan
- Read more on Yelp

Thai Street Food Kitchen

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#16. Thai Street Food Kitchen

- Rating: 4.2/5 (197 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3340 Clays Mill Road Ste 110 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Thai, Asian Fusion, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

Cheng's Chinese Restaurant

16 / 30

#15. Cheng's Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3101 Clays Mill Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Bella Notte

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#14. Bella Notte

- Rating: 4.2/5 (596 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3715 Nicholasville Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Good Foods Co-op

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#13. Good Foods Co-op

- Rating: 4.3/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 455 Southland Drive Ste D Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Grocery, Buffets, Health Markets
- Read more on Yelp

Tony's of Lexington

19 / 30

#12. Tony's of Lexington

- Rating: 4.3/5 (572 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 401 West Main St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Harry's Hamburg

20 / 30

#11. Harry's Hamburg

- Rating: 4.3/5 (188 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1920 Pleasant Ridge Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Sports Bars, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

Giuseppe's Ristorante Italiano

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#10. Giuseppe's Ristorante Italiano

- Rating: 4.3/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4456 Nicholasville Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Italian, Pasta Shops, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine

22 / 30

#9. Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.3/5 (268 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3146 Mapleleaf Drive Ste 110 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Indian, Buffets, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

Coles 735 Main

23 / 30

#8. Coles 735 Main

- Rating: 4.4/5 (304 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 735 East Main St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

Sushi Blue

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#7. Sushi Blue

- Rating: 4.4/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 185 Pasadena Drive Ste 130 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse - Lexington

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#6. Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse - Lexington

- Rating: 4.4/5 (321 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 101 West Vine St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Steakhouses, Sushi Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

Rosemont Station

26 / 30

#5. Rosemont Station

- Rating: 4.5/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 222 Rosemont Garden Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Fast food
- Read more on Yelp

Carson's Food & Drink - On Main

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#4. Carson's Food & Drink - On Main

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1372 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 362 East Main St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

Bella Cafe and Grille

28 / 30

#3. Bella Cafe and Grille

- Rating: 4.6/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 890 East High St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

Minton's 760

29 / 30

#2. Minton's 760

- Rating: 4.6/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 701 National Ave. Kentucky, Kentucky
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

Dad's Favorites

30 / 30

#1. Dad's Favorites

- Rating: 4.8/5 (461 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 820 Lane Allen Road Ste 148 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Delis, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.