Kentucky Native Café

This is a tiny tucked away place but so worth looking for. Come in and enjoy some ecotherapy. Surrounded by live plants you can find your happy place. Although the menu might be small, it is all freshly made, including all of the bread that is made fresh daily. Even if you aren't wanting to eat, come for a peaceful glass of wine and calming surroundings. Follow us for more great reviews™

Cute brunch place with good food and beer. Perfect place to rendezvous with friends be it a weekend or weekday. There is a big parking lot on E high street side of the restaurant. Google recommends E Maxwell St but that is not convenient to reach the place and hard for street parking.

I love the vibe, a woodland gem in the middle of Chevy Chase/UK. They have a wonderful greenhouse, and their floral arrangements and delivery are perfection. I didn't have a wonderful experience at the holiday market, and the food (cold grilled cheese, not made to order) and drink (5oz of apple cider for almost $5!) were not good. I will definitely visit again and hope to update my ratings with a better meal.

Absolutely worth a visit, if not for the succinct but rather effective menu, then for an hour's worth of meeting some gorgeous new plant friends who need a forever home. Tons of varied seating, reasonable prices for tasty healthier food and select drinks. Cheery, friendly service, in an open, airy, comfy setting. Will certainly be back when next in Lexington; highly recommended.

Very unique experience of seating within the greenhouses. The food was very good and nicely presented on the plate; the menu also unique with creative options of appetizers and soups. Service was excellent. Definitely worth it 👍🏼

Such a beautiful place to go especially when it's sunny but still cold. We had a sandwich, beer, and tea and all were amazing.

This place is a real hidden gem. Maps will take you to the front where you have to navigate through a greenhouse or two. Was a little confused if we were in the right place until we kept going and it opened up into a beautiful wooded outdoor cafe! The food was all amazing, you pick from three choices for a full plate for around $15. Shareable table portions are a good choice too. Absolutely stunning.

This place is absolutely wonderful! Beautiful plants all around, even running up the walls. The greenhouse is amazing, and the entire place is filled with clean, fresh air. The service is lovely and attitudes are friendly. Overall, very inviting atmosphere.

Every town and every neighborhood should have a magical outdoorsy place like this, with its FAIRY LIGHTS and twisty dirt paths. We not only loved the setting, we loved the WINE AND BEER and the small plates were so tasty. The service was friendly and knowledgeable. The wandering around the greenhouses was just the perfect way to spend a Sunday evening. You keep being you, Kentucky Native, and I can't wait to return the next time we visit Lex.

PROS: Whoever considered repurposing part of a great, long-standing Lexington florist into a botanical eatery is a genius. Most of the tables are under a leaf/floral canopy, & the entire area is cool in temperature even when it is 90 degrees & muggy. They even repurposed a huge sand pile with big Tonka toys for the kids. CONS: 1) Unless you are a "fru-fru/pretty" 20-something social influencer, this is not a place for you. 2) I was not expecting "Golden Coral" by any means, but when my younger son ordered, the counter-help was very attentive. When my 50-something-year-old person got to the counter, I was met with passive-aggressive rudeness, eye rolls, & verbal "tsks"--all for asking what seasoning was on the tuna salad [while not having a Karen or a trumper attitude either]. And it wasn't just me. I also noticed that other older customers received the same treatment. 3) Reference the picture of the tuna salad on their Yelp cover page. I ordered that. What I got was MAYBE a tablespoon of tuna salad, four arugula leaves, one olive, & two pieces of bread. All for $8.

Met up with some people at the Kentucky Native Cafe. Haven't been in ages. Was a perfect day under the tree canopy with a nice breeze. Didn't eat, Just had a lemonade spritzer. Musical duo One Lane Bridge played. Unfamiliar with them, but the folksy music suited the environs. A very nice afternoon. 55

I love love love this place. Michlers is full of gorgeous plant options but if you want something that is not just visually satisfying but also physically satiating, you need to go to the cafe for so many options! There's a bunch of drinks and cooler options (the gelato cart in the summer is so worth it). Food has never been disappointing for us but it can be a little unique (wild mushroom hummus bowl, burrata and fruit appetizer tray). Service is pretty quick, they're constantly hopping around in the kitchen! Also, if youte lucky, you'll see some pups that are up for pats, and maybe even a neighborhood cat!

A extermely unique and beatuiful experience, The place offers a house beer for winter and summer months. Glasshouse Helles is our house beer for the winter, and Michler Weisse is our summer house beer. All other beers rotate with an emphasis on local breweries. Coffee and tea are always availble. The limitied table menu offering a rotating menu of salad, soups and various sandwichs. The menu only is posted on the chalboard and it not available online. Seating is on a first come first serve based. Depending on weather coever seating is very limited in the Spring and Summer times. One of the most pouplar cheese is they offer, is Raclette, a tradition popular in Alpine countries. This is where cheese are melted under an open heat source and scraped onto bread or potatoes. A average meal is between $12-$16. We starterd off with a Bavaerian Pretzel with Obatzdal Beer Cheese. The hummus w/roasted red pepper is also amazing. I had the Bruch Crepie w/Side Salad coupled with Goat Cheese Honey and Carmaelized Walnuts. My wife had the Bowl of Soup w/a Side Salad with a Carrot-Apple and ginger. We topped it all of with a Carmel Apple Crepe w/ salted carmamel Gelato. Wow, what a place for having our evening tea. Fully under Mother Nature' Lap. Hot piping coffee and food. Wine and Liquor also served. Service with broad smile. Food prepared in open kitchen. Seating arrangement merges with landscape; all under the open sky. This place has the most unique and naturalistic backdrops in downtown Lexington, KY. While customers may take persoanl, nonprofessional photographs as loing as the follow the photography rules. Others are required to purchase photography permit. The property is amalgamated with a nursery. Big parking behind and small one in front. This place is absolutely wonderful! Beautiful plants all around, even running up the walls. The greenhouse is amazing, and the entire place is filled with clean, fresh air. The service is lovely and attitudes are friendly. Overall, very inviting atmosphere.

Very awesome idea. A cafe connected to a greenhouse. Have a drink and a snack amongst the trees and garden. When you leave stop and pick up a plant or two at the adjoining greenhouse. The service was good.

Don't come hungry and expect to leave full and satisfied because this place is strictly for the vibes. That being said, the vibes are absolutely immaculate. I very really audibly gasped when we got there, through the greenhouse, and saw the locale. It is absolutely stunning, like out of a fairy tale. The tree canopy is to die for. My dear friend and I were in the Lexington area and were looking for a place to eat. I had heard only good things about this place so we decided to check it out. Again, the locale is gorgeous with plenty of shaded outdoor eating space. There were all sorts of people there, from a girl group having a baby shower, to students, to Lexington locals. We ordered pretzels and a couple of pick-twos. The food was pretty tasty and thoughtfully made, but the portions leave a lot to be desired. Also, they call out your name when your food is ready. Given how spacious it was, it was really hard to hear. So hard that we missed our name and were waiting longer than we needed to. I would absolutely recommend this place! It is so beautiful and serene. Just make sure to eat either before or after.

This spot was amazing! While visiting UK, my son and I, along with his friend, met for dinner. Three hours later the sun set and we'd closed the place down. The food menu offers small bites and if you're hungry you need to order a few things or you'll leave hungry. The pretzels were amazing and a great starter to share although the cheese was a bit subtle on flavor. We indulged in almost one of every option - quinoa, couscous, potatoes, hummus. Oh, the hummus! It was some of the best I'd had. Beer and wine, plus a few nonalcoholic drinks are available. For dessert, a super cute gelato cart serving delicious flavors. My crew had a great time exploring the space, from its small trail and kids play area to the interior seating surrounded by books and another dumping into the plant shop. Service was friendly. They kept the line moving and cleared off tables. Even when we asked about gelato later in the evening, we were immediately taken care of even though it was more dishes to clean up. Parking is available on both sides of the restaurant. This space is tucked into a neighborhood and you'll never imagine what's inside based on the exterior entrances. I'm excited to visit again while in Lexington!

Absolutely loved this place. Restaurant is hidden well behind a 109 year old greenhouse (Michler's). It is outdoors under a beautiful canopy of trees, and as a result all the conversation, noise of plates just disappeared. The food was delightful, and the menu is seasonal and changes with what is available, but the peanut noodles are a winner. Plates are tapas style, so order appropriately if you're hungry. The peanut noodles and roasted cauliflower salad shown as part of the pick 2 at $11.00.

Such a wonderful spot to go on a spring/summer evening! I went for the first time with colleagues and professors from my grad department at UK and it was lovely! They have fresh and delicious platters that highlight seasonal and local produce, all of which pair nicely with their alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages! The outdoor area is lush, cozy, lively, and there is plenty of seating. The servers are friendly and efficient as well. Also they have gelato that is delicious!

Love Kentucky Native! A great place to visit during the summer and spring. Their menu continuously changes since all of the menu items are fresh and include local ingredients. Would strongly recommend getting their large pretzel and a burrata dish! Delicious! I also am obsessed with their radler drink - lemonade with beer. Extremely dog friendly business as well! Although I would bring bug spray due to all of the mosquitos!

One of my favorites in the city. Hidden gem. High vibrational ambiance. Hella vegan options

Lucked into this place during Octoberfest, complete with German Oompah band. Place was packed to capacity. Long lines for food and drinks but probably due to the special event. The atmosphere is so relaxing - Outdoors under the stars with lots of string lighting. Literally so many nooks and crannies to find seating. Picnic sized tables all the way down to tables for two. There is a sandpit for children to play in but the fact that many children were running around unsupervised was a turn off for us. Food menu is scant or at least it was the night we were there. They were serving giant pretzels as big as your face. We were disappointed to find out that they were out of them after waiting for a very long time in the food line. Apparently, the mixer broke down but an announcement would have been appreciated. Beer & wine choices were excellent. Menu consists of kale, quinoa, Brussel sprouts, etc. We tried the buffalo mozzarella appetizer with pears and honey. The garlic toast baguettes kind of took over the mild flavors of the cheese and pears. A plain or herbed toast would be a better pairing, IMO. Would love to go back on a normal night to experience this unusual and lovely spot in downtown Lexington.

I've been following this place for years and jumped at the chance to go when we decided to take a day trip out to Lexington. My only complaint is that I wish we were hungrier when we arrived. We stopped but for drinks and a snack before heading to the Burl. Anyway the garden is lovely with tables and seating scattered about. The cafe offered various beverage options as well as a selection of snacks and entrees. We opted for beer, a house made soda, and beer cheese and pretzels. Everyone was super friendly in both the cafe and at the nursery which unfortunately was closing by the time we arrived. Would love to return and shop next time we are in the area.

The location is this cute little hidden patch of woods tucked into an urban setting...a great atmosphere; however, poorly staffed, long waits and nearly nothing to choose from on the menu. We tried to choose a dish with protein on it but the "up scale" amount of food made us pay TOO MUCH FOR TOO LITTLE... Then we went out to eat..

This is an outside eatery and some inside too. I say outside cuz you sit out under the trees. Nice concept and loved the atmosphere. Limited food . There is a large sand pit for the kids... so stop at McDonald s for them first then come by here for a lite bit and a beer. Located behind Michlers green house. Small parking on site otherwise patrons on street.

Enchanting, romantic and full of wonder. Highly recommended, lovely date night spot.

This is a magical hide away. Amazing fresh and delicious food. Friendly service among trees and flowers garden.

This is an amazing place. When we looked at their website ahead of time it didn't do the food offerings justice at all. The tuna sandwich was amazing, as was the eggplant, and cauliflower. Food is interesting and healthy. We had ice tea and sparkling lemonade at 11am but it would be a great place to sit with a glass of wine. I liked that my dog was welcome. Service was quick. You order at the counter and they'll call your name.

I recently dined at Kentucky Native Cafe with my fiancé, and it was a truly delightful culinary experience. From the moment I stepped foot inside the outdoor hideaway, I was shaded with beautiful trees and foliage. First and foremost, the highlight of Kentucky Native Cafe is undoubtedly its mouthwatering local and fresh menu. The menu features an impressive array of dishes, each expertly crafted with a perfect blend of local flavors and contemporary twists. The quality and freshness of the ingredients shine through in every dish. We had the couscous salad (so fresh with parsley, feta and almonds), the grilled cheese (unexpectedly unique with the addition of sweet pickles), and the burrata (OMG, RUN to try this amazingly sweet and creamy shareable!). The menu also offers vegetarian and vegan options, ensuring that every guest can find something to suit their dietary preferences. I also really enjoyed the wine - the Sauvignon Blanc was perfect with our food! The ambiance of the cafe is cozy and inviting, with rustic foliage that pays homage to the beauty of Kentucky's natural landscapes. Another notable aspect of Kentucky Native Cafe is its commitment to sourcing ingredients locally, supporting regional farmers and artisans. This dedication to local produce not only adds an authentic touch to the dishes but also promotes sustainability and contributes to the local economy--an aspect that deserves applause.

My gf and I love it here when we crave what they are: relaxed, chill, and pleasant atmosphere. The food is fine, not bad at all, but just fine. The drinks are good, honestly, and the wine they have is a good selection. Theres a childrens play-area which makes it great for parents to meet up with friends. Only outdoor seating, and the place itself is charming. Its located behind a flower shop, so cannot get more quaint and charming than that. Staff is low-key and friendly. Expect to come and leave relaxed, not a lively outdoor environment.

Just for the cool...secret garden/forest feel this place is soooo cool. I felt a sense of nostalgia entering through the entrance. Really like how the tables are spread out. Seems to have a good vibe. Most were there to drink. We wanted some salads...we liked the options but there are limited. Two of our dishes looked the same...Farro & couscous. Flavors were good. Average portions. My husband was somewhat satisfied but said he was still a little hungry. We did enjoy using their playing cards for a quick game while we ate. Would come again to try their adult beverages. It really is beautiful here. Not sure if more lights are turned on later at night but it did get quite dark.

The elusive 5 stars!! My second time here, and it's SUCH. A special place! A greenhouse that decided it wanted to be a cafe. Order and pick up your small plates and take them to tables set amongst the gardens. The food is exceptional and the setting unique. A great concept. My almond gelato with a shot of espresso poured over was excellent, as was the lox devilries eggs and side salad. Lovely day with wine and a book.

I love this place. It has such a beautiful location, you are under large trees and surrounded by several plants. From my experience, the food is always fresh and relatively nutritious. The plates are light - so if you are hungry I recommend ordering multiple plates.

What you need to know is that this restaurant is all outside seating so you better check the forecast before going. We arrived on the perfect night to sit outdoors. Their location is just beautiful. It's like eating in a magical garden. I wanted to try as much as possible so we loaded up with pretzel and cheese, burrata, hummus, tuna salad and golden beat salad. Everything was freshly prepared and looked delectable! It came out quicker then expected. My favorite was definitely the burrata. I also enjoyed their radler, yum! Bonus points for the huge sand box and toys for my son to play in so we could have a pleasant meal next to him. We didn't try any of their desserts because we were so full from our meal. Next time!

Wonderful ambiance, like an oasis in the middle of the city. It even has an area for children to play while the adults eat, drink, or chat.

Good Job!! Amazing food! Appreciate you all! Keep it up! I recommend you stop here to eat!

I always want to like Kentucky Native. The food is fine and I love the space. However, they are very inefficient when it comes to taking orders. The line gets backed up and it can take 30 minutes to get a drink. You are better off trying to order as many drinks for you and your table when you get to the front of the line.

Pleasing, comfortable, pretty outdoor spot to have a drink, visit and have vegetarian fare.

The ambience of KY Native is incredible, one of the neatest spots in Lexington. With that said, the food is not exactly worth the price. I was a bit taken aback by the prices but still have been a few times, it seems that the portions just do not match the price at all. That said, I can definitely see the appeal for some people who do not necessarily care as much about the price, but as a UK student I'd say this place definitely doesn't consider just how many students are in the area whose business they could absolutely take advantage of with lower prices. I love to stop in and walk around and grab a soda, but that's about it. I've had no issues with the service, it is pretty standard and comparable to most places in the area on that

Server wasn't nice to us.She thought we didn't hear her nasty comments but we just didn't engaged with her bad behaviour. Although the place is very cozy and peaceful, the experience was ruined by the server before our food was prepared.

This is a bit of a niche place, so keep that in mind. They mainly do small plates, which is not typically my thing. That said, the food was alright but nothing special. However, my wife loved the place. I did really like the outdoor seating in the garden. Parking is a bit confusing--you need to park on the other side of a wooden fence that is on a totally separate street parallel to the greenhouse.

Native Cafe is one of my favorite spots in Lexington. Great food is served in a unique setting. Perfect for hungry plant lovers.

One of the biggest gems of Lexington. Great food. Great atmosphere. Spectacular play area for kids. It's always a 10/10 experience.

The food here is always good. A bit pricey, but always solid. The ambiance is amazing, being outside with all the plants it is a unique atmosphere in comparison to a lot of places. I love hanging out here with friends and having a drink (and a pretzel )

Hidden gem. What a cool concept to create a restaurant with seating within the trees. Not a large selection of options but, the food was high quality and delish. Will visit again when we are in the area. Highly recommend.

How it took me over a year of living here to come to KY native cafe is beyond me. A gorgeous scene. Tons of picnic tables with lights strewn everywhere. A million different plants, vegetable garden areas, trees. And a full greenhouse as part of Michlers where you can get pretty much anything for your gardening needs. It was a BEAUTIFUL setting. The food. I tried a lot. We had burrata- fresh and delicious, chickpea salad with this amazing feta, yellow beets and giant white beans which are perfection in this season, the pretzel where you can't go wrong, tuna salad that was flavorful, and an Affogato with coffee and burnt sugar gelato courtesy of Sorellas. Everything was SOOO good and so fresh. I love that the menu changes based on season so you can constantly try new things. Despite the line being long to order food and drinks, it moved so quickly and we got all our food within about ten minutes. I will definitely be back!!

This place is great. I feel blessed to live close to Michler's/Native Cafe. Robin the Native Cafe Manager is super kind. The ambience is very unique and relaxing. Quality food and drinks.

I love this place- also so peaceful and great service. I love that the menu always changes with the seasons- highly recommend

I visited the KNC this Sunday, which luckily was the last day before they closed the greenhouse for the season. It was such a wonderful experience, sitting in the midst of lush greenery... made my heart happy! They change their menu literally every day... and as I experienced first hand, items can be wiped off their menu board in minutes when they run short .. while you're still standing in line. Took us about 30 minutes to get to the counter but the food came out fast! We were a group of 4 and ordered the following: Crepes with raspberries: 2/5 Crepes with strawberries and cream: 4/5 Crepe with egg and salad: 3/5 (came out cold and a bit rubbery) Crepe with eggplant and cheese: 5/5 (winner!) Mezzo platter with strawberries, bean salad and hummus: 5/5 (bean salad for the win!!) Orange juice: 5/5 .. freshly squeezed and not at all bitter! Pomegranate spritzer: 1/5zzz totally bland n tasteless Overall, the ingredients were super fresh right off their plants. I just wished the crepes were slightly less raw-ish and a bit more warm. Ambiance is 5/5!!! I didn't want to leave

Imagine dining outdoors with friends and neighbors in a beautiful garden where everyone is relaxed and enjoying themselves. Children are playing simple games with each other laughing and giggling. Add in just-picked fresh, delicious food which is quickly plated and served, artisan breads, sparkling drinks, craft beers and crisp wines. You are surrounded by trees sitting under the armature of greenhouse which supports a lovely vine canopy outlined with garden lights. This is what dining here looks like.

This place is crazy. You park and see nothing and then you enter the trees and a beautiful peaceful place is in front of you. The tables are nestled in the trees and ahead you can order amazing food and drinks. They also have an gelato bar. The food is fresh and has so much flavor. They make an incredible shandy that is refreshing. If you are in Lexington go to this oasis and just be zen.

I am truly amazed of how wonderful this hidden gem is, the food is incredible and healthy they have options for meals or appetizers. The employees were very kind and welcoming. And the ambiance is incredible! It feels as if you escape into another world!

Such a beautiful atmosphere! Most seating is outdoors in a garden. The tables are split throughout the garden for an intimate setting. In the front of the building, two large greenhouses have plants available for purchase. Order at the counter, and they will call your number when the food is ready. Many delicious options to choose from. They also have a selection of wine. Parking in the front lot is limited. Definitely a must-try restaurant if you are in the Lexington area.

Love this little gem of an outdoor cafe. Such a sweet, quiet space. Didn't care too much for the food, but love the holiday market at Christmas.

This place is the epitome of pretentious café culture. The food is terrible, and everything is priced at 3x what it should be. You'll pay the cost of a steak entre for something like a pretzel (which will also be hard as a brick). As other people have pointed out, they automatically apply a 15% tip for no reason whatsoever. You order at the front, and you pick up your own order -- there's no reason to tip other than to supplement the baristas' incomes, which is *not* my responsibility; I'm a customer, not an employer. Even the "vibes" people are talking about are non-existent. It's a backyard in a residential neighborhood, and most of the area is full of weeds and limestone gravel.

A delightful location under a canopy of trees. The food is healthful and the selection is fascinating. I only wish they had not been out of sorbet!

The food is great! The service was professional and u restating when I accidentally took the wrong plate. The ambiance is wonderful. Highly recommend this place!

This pace is amazing! Must see stop! My husband asked if this was really a place to eat and he was very pleasantly surprised! We did the wavelane historic site, arboretum walk and then lunch here. Such a cool place!