Interstate 75 — Lexington to the Tennessee State Line
Rather than stop at exit fast food and chain facilities, go a little further and discover the many delightful gems of Kentucky. “It’s the journey, not the destination!”
EXIT #99
Jean Farris Winery and Bistro (3.2 miles north): A winery with a tasting bar and an upscale restaurant serving dinner only in a scenic rural setting. jeanfarris.com
Grimes Mill Winery (2 miles north): This small family-run business was originally a 30-acre farm producing tobacco. When tobacco sales began to decline, the DeSimone family harkened to their Italian heritage and converted the tobacco fields into vineyards and the tobacco barn into a winery. grimesmillwinery.com
Proud Mary BBQ (0.9 miles south): Located on the banks of the Kentucky River is this indoor/outdoor restaurant and event center. proudmarybbq.com
Photo: Steve Makela
EXIT #90a
Purdy’s Coffee (2.7 miles south): With a full breakfast and lunch menu, food is made in-house and includes fresh salads, roasted pulled chicken, country ham and oven-roasted turkey, homemade chicken salad, and much more offered all day, everyday. purdyscoffee.com
EXIT #77
Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea (0.3 miles south): A must stop, the Kentucky Artisan Center celebrates Kentucky’s artisans through craft sales, exhibits and displays, events, and demonstrations. The Café & Grill serves Kentucky Proud produce and farm products. kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov
Photo: Berea College Farm Store Facebook uploads
Berea College Farm store (2.2 miles south): The Berea College Farm Store offers a wide variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, grains, beans, meat and more: all produced by students gaining hands-on farming experience. Lunch is served Tues-Fri and breakfast and lunch are served on Saturday. Bring a cooler. bereacollegefarmstore.com
EXIT #76
Boone Tavern (2.4 miles east): A true state treasure. Past guests include the Dalai Lama, Henry Ford, Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou, and Robert Frost, among others. Dine at the historic and beautifully updated Inn and Restaurant adjacent to Berea College. boonetavernhotel.com
Photo: Steve Makela
Noodle Nirvana (0.8 miles east): Co-founder Mae Suramek has given a Tedx talk about our business model which is strongly linked to charity work. Build your own bowls. noodlenirvanaky.com
EXIT #62
Backporch Smokehouse (2.4 miles north): a family owned restaurant, that prides itself with quality food and #1 BBQ Sauce. Breakfast served all day. Dine inside or eating outside on picnic tables on the deck enjoying a nice view of the lake. backporchsmokehousebbq.com
Marcella’s Farm to Fork (3.8 miles West) Country cooking and decor using locally grown farm and dairy products whenever available. marcellafarmtofork.com
EXIT #49
Rockcastle River Trading Company (1.5 miles north), a garden center is located in the countryside on a rolling plot of 50 acres that is the family homestead of well known landscaper, Jon Carloftis. From Southern Living magazine, “The Rockcastle River Trading Company is definitely worth the stop.” joncarloftis.com/rrtc
Photo: The Wrigley Facebook uploads
EXIT #29
The Wrigley (3.2 miles east): From the Executive Chef sourcing the freshest ingredients daily (often from her own farm) to 24 rotating taps, 60+ Kentucky bourbons, and a house-curated craft cocktail menu: you’ll have a different dining experience every visit. The Wrigley has been featured in multiple publications including Time Magazine, Food & Wine, and Forbes. thewrigley.com
Harland Sanders Café and Kitchen (1.9 miles south): Colonel Harland Sanders, developed the famous KFC secret recipe at the café during the 1940s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Upon completion of Interstate 75, which bypassed the restaurant, Sanders sold the café in 1956 and began selling franchises for his secret recipe chicken. kentuckytourism.com/ harland-sanders-cafe-and-museum
Photo: G&E Burgers Facebook uploads
EXIT #15
G&E Burgers (4.5 miles east): G&E was opened as a Drive-In in the 1960’s by Sister-in-Laws Gerldine Buhl and Emeline Alder. ‘Best Burger in Town!’ gandeburgers.com
- Reminder: check websites for open hours and any seasonal closings.
