Where to eat in Frankfort
The places locals actually go, from Saturday breakfast to a bourbon after dinner. Every spot is checked to be open. See them on a map.
Breakfast & coffee
Melisa's Family Diner
An early-riser diner on the east end that opens before most of town is awake. Plan around it: it is a weekday-only spot and shuts down early afternoon.
Cliffside Diner
A retro diner off Old Lawrenceburg Road, known around town for its cheeseburgers. Breakfast is weekends only, Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 to 11:30 AM, so plan a lazy weekend morning around it.
Main Street Diner
A downtown diner on Main Street that serves breakfast and burgers well past the morning rush. Handy when you want eggs at noon or a casual supper near the Capitol.
Andy's Artisan Bread
A small South Frankfort bakery doing bread, pastries, coffee and breakfast sandwiches. It keeps short hours and closes at 1 PM, so go early, especially on Saturday.
Engine House Coffee and Crepes
A downtown coffee counter with sweet and savory crepes alongside the espresso drinks. Opens at 6 on weekdays, which makes it an easy stop before work.
Kentucky Coffeetree Cafe
The bookshelf-lined coffeehouse steps from the Old Capitol, open from early morning into the evening. Coffee and light food by day, cocktails and live music on some nights, and plenty of room to sit and work.
Lunch & dinner
Sage Garden Cafe
A lunch spot inside a plant nursery on the East-West Connector, with salads and sandwiches built around produce they grow. One of the easier places in town for vegetarian and gluten-free eaters, and you can browse plants after.
The Brown Barrel
A Broadway restaurant a block from the Old Capitol, open for lunch and dinner every day. Good for a casual meal with a bourbon when you are already downtown.
Fusion Restaurant
A small Asian kitchen in a strip center on 127 South. A solid pick for a quick lunch or takeout on the west side, and closed Sundays.
Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub
Wood-fired pizza made with Kentucky farm ingredients, plus Kentucky beer and wine, on Wilkinson Boulevard. The same building runs a local food market, so you can pick up groceries from area farmers on the way out.
Serafini
The long-running Broadway bistro facing the Old Capitol lawn, mixing Italian dishes with Southern ones and a deep bourbon list. A go-to for date nights and for dinners when someone is in town.
Limewater
A New American bistro on Wilkinson Boulevard where the sauces, dressings and cocktail syrups are made in house. Takes reservations by phone or Resy and has private rooms for group dinners.
Bourbon On Main
A red-brick pub at the foot of Main Street by the river bridge, with hearty American plates, a long bourbon list and outdoor tables. Works for lunch, dinner or a drink after work.
Doc Crow's Social
Southern comfort food with wings, seafood and sandwiches, right next to Bourbon On Main at the river end of downtown. Roomy enough for groups and family dinners.
Bars & breweries
Sig Luscher Brewery
Frankfort's own brewery, named for a Swiss immigrant brewer from the city's past, pouring house beers with brats and hot dogs. The biergarten welcomes kids and dogs, and there is live music most weekends plus Sunday brunch.
POURter's
A self-serve beer garden on Taylor Avenue where you pour your own from a wall of taps. Good for trying a few small pours before settling on a favorite.
House of Commons: A Bourbon Library
A bourbon bar on Main Street built around a big back-bar collection, the place to go when you want to taste something you cannot buy at the store. Opens at 2 in the afternoon.
The Kentucky Hug Bourbon Bar and Music Emporium
A bourbon bar and listening room on St. Clair Street that puts live music front and center. They run a monthly bourbon tasting night with a different distillery each time.
Dicey Riley's Irish Pub
An Irish pub on St. Clair that opens at 11 and stays open late, which makes it one of the few places downtown still pouring after midnight. Easy to pair with a show at the Grand, a few doors down.
Sweets
Hoggy's Ice Cream
A downtown ice cream shop on Main Street that keeps a rotating case of flavors. A natural last stop after dinner or a walk around the Old Capitol.
Wicked Whisk Cake Co.
A Main Street cake shop selling slices and treats by the piece, plus custom cakes to order. Open into the evening on weekends, so it works as a dessert stop after dinner downtown.
B's Bakery
A homemade donut and pastry shop on Main Street that is only open Thursday through Saturday. Get there in the morning for the best selection.
Poppy's Bakery
An old-school Frankfort bakery on Wilkinson Boulevard with donuts, cookies and decorated cakes. It has a drive-through, which is handy on a busy morning.
OMG Donuts
A donut shop on Louisville Road that opens at 5 AM with a wide spread of flavors and a drive-through. The early hours make it a regular stop for shift workers and commuters.
Hours change. Tap through to the website or call before you go. Own one of these spots and something is wrong? Let us know.