Kentucky Native Café

Name: Kentucky Native Café
Address: 417 East Maxwell Street, Lexington, KY, 40508, US
Telephone: (859) 281-1718
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.8

Greenhouse dining, lush plants, and garden charm in Lexington.

4.8(5 reviews)

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About

Kentucky Native Café is a Lexington restaurant and cafe housed in a plant-filled, open-air space. Guests enjoy greenhouse dining in cooler months and outdoor garden dining when weather allows. It is dog-friendly, with friendly staff and a calm, nature-rich ambiance. Menu highlights include vegetarian options like lentil soup, hummus, and roasted cauliflower soup, plus occasional live music and seasonal markets.

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Location

417 E Maxwell St Unit B, Lexington, KY 40508, USA

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Information

417 East Maxwell Street

Lexington, KY, 40508

(859) 281-1718 www.michlers.com/pages/cafe

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Services

Garden Dining

Enjoy meals in a lush greenhouse or outdoor garden setting, surrounded by plants and trees for a tranquil experience.

Vegetarian Small Plates

Savor healthy, flavorful dishes like lentil soup, hummus, and roasted cauliflower soup, with seasonal ingredients.

Dog-Friendly Atmosphere

Bring your furry friends to relax in a welcoming, pet-friendly environment with outdoor seating.

Seasonal Events

Participate in special occasions such as live music nights and annual Christmas markets for community engagement.

Bakery and Gelato

Indulge in fresh pastries, pretzels, and artisanal gelato flavors like blackberry and cherry swirl.

4.80 · 5 reviews

Overall rating

JESSICA

via Google

· 8 months ago

If I could only pick one place that I could go to every day in Lexington it would be KY Native. I mean, I love plants and delicious foods but this is more than that. Michler's has been at the heart of Lexington for over 100 years, so the roots are strong but they have grown a sanctuary here with beautiful plants flowing through carefully curated greenhouses. If you visit in the colder months the dining space in the greenhouse is warm, bright and beautiful. If you visit in the warmer months you are treated to outdoor, garden dining which is unmatched in its ascetic and charm. If youre lucky, you will visit when they have live music or an event! The Christmas Market is something my family visits each year. My last visit was with my 93 year old grandma. She didnt know what to expect and I was sort of nervous with her walker. She's new to Lexington and was very upset about having to move from Louisville. One warm Saturday, we went to the Farmer's Market downtown and then KY Native and she was the happiest she had been in months. Truly a special place!

Rana Hattar

via Google

· 9 months ago

I was looking for a dog friendly restaurant to go eat with my fur baby 🐶 . I had to do some online search I came across Kentucky native Café a lot of reviews mentioned it’s a dog friendly place and how the atmosphere at the cafe is so nice and honestly it did not disappoint. If you wanna eat healthy food thats good for your soul , have your fur baby with you with plants and nature around you . I had the lentil soup and hummus I felt so good eating them 🕉️💜 thank you ! I wish I took some food for my baby with me so he can enjoy the experience with me🥹🫶🏼✨🐶 that’s the only reason I had to leave quickly.

Jonna Lee

via Google

· 11 months ago

Heads up, no meat on the menu and they are small plates. That being said, the Roasted Cauliflower Soup was beautiful. The atmosphere was so unexpected. Smack in the middle of the city is this beautiful and quiet green space. As the sun went down, stings of light lite up in the trees and they set little low light lanterns on the tables.

Samira Tongou

via Google

· 1 year ago

There’s so much I can say about how amazing this place is. All the plants are so comforting and the little kids running around just gives a sense of home. This is my go to place whenever I am hanging out with people. I love that even though this is an open air space, there is still a privacy factor due to all the trees. Sitting outside surrounded by trees made me feel connected to nature. Everyone who works here is very friendly and welcoming. The food is delicious and the wait time is not even felt ( it is about 5 minutes). This time I just got a pretzel, a chocolate croissant, a blackberry and nutella gelato, and a cherry swirl gelato. That cost me about 17 dollars. The cafe is definitely hard to find but as long as you locate Michler’s Florist you can find it. Overall I love this place, the atmosphere is so peaceful and I am not about to stop visiting it.

Maggie Hughes

via Google

· 1 year ago

I have been to Naive Café numerous times and I have had good and bad experiences. At this point the bad out weigh the good for me. The food is pretty good, but I have the gene where cilantro tastes like soap and unfortunately unless you ask what is in the food, you don’t know until your food is ready. Last time I went was an evening for dinner and they were just as busy as normal. When I asked two questions the person taking my order spoke very rudely to me. My friend and I order the burrata plate and it was supposed to come with peaches and another fruit, when it was ready it had tomatoes instead. The upsetting part was they did not tell us it switched. I like Native Café for the atmosphere, and it is worth checking out at least once! If you plan to go, go with the mindset that you are there for the green house and to hang out in a pretty area and if you feel like eating, then they have food and drinks available.

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