Bennigan’s, the casual dining restaurant that has bounced back from its 2008 bankruptcy, will open a franchise restaurant Monday in Lexington at 5532 Athens Boonesboro Road. The grand opening begins at 2 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting, with Legendary Restaurant Brands CEO and chairman Paul Mangiamele on hand. The restaurant, off Interstate 75, will have all the Bennigan’s favorites, including the Monte Cristo, and more.
The kitchen will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. The bar will be open 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The full menu is available at Bennigans.com. Call 859-309-9945 for information.
▪ July is National Ice Cream month, and one of the trendy new ways to celebrate is mochi. The little dough balls filled with ice cream are becoming popular treats. In addition to Whole Foods, which has a self-serve mochi bar, you can get My/Mochi Ice Cream at Good Foods Co-op, 455 Southland Drive, and at The Fresh Market, 3387 Tates Creek Road.
▪ Another ice cream option is Graeter’s, the Cincinnati-based, family-owned, 147-year-old company that has stores in Lexington at 836 Euclid Avenue and 1925 Justice Drive, and sells in grocery stores. On July 16, single-dip cones are just $1.47, surprise bonus flavors will be revealed every other Monday through Aug. 21, and a new flavor will be unveiled at the Cincinnati Zoo. The special flavor will be sold only at the zoo and will benefit the zoo.
▪ Need more reasons to eat ice cream? Crank & Boom Ice Cream Lounge, 1210 Manchester Street, is celebrating its second birthday from noon to 5 p.m. July 9. The restaurant will have birthday cake, birthday cake ice cream, and lots of giveaways, including a chance for two people to win a year’s worth of C&B ice cream.
▪ Woodford Reserve Distillery, 7855 McCracken Pike, will open for evening tours for the first time in the visitor center’s history, beginning Friday. The distillery will be open every Friday in July, with tours beginning at 5 p.m. The last tour begins at 8 p.m. “Friday Night Live at Woodford Reserve” will feature a choice of tickets: The tour ticket, $14, includes an evening distillery tour and tasting. The dinner ticket, $35, includes tour, tasting and a locally-sourced dinner. A mixology experience will also be available each evening for $8, offering a chance to learn how to make a signature Woodford Reserve cocktail. Music will play from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and dinner will be served from 6 to 8 p.m. To make reservations, go to Woodfordreserve.com/events.
▪ Mark your calendars: the Lexington Jewish Food Festival returns Aug. 27, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Temple Adath Israel, 124 North Ashland Avenue. Stay tuned for details.
▪ For July, Greentree Tea Room, 521 West Short Street, will have watermelon gazpacho; peach scone with peach jam, butter and Fayette cream; shrimp salad; Parmesan tomato rounds, chicken salad and olive nut tea sandwiches; Italian wedding cookies, pistachio cupcakes and chocolate pots de crème; and summer blend tea. Reservations are required; call 859-455-9660. Greetree is open for luncheon tea at noon Wednesday through Saturday or by appointment.
▪ Country Boy Brewing’s popular Shotgun Wedding is now available in cans. You can find the vanilla brown ale on store shelves in Central Kentucky.
▪ Jessamine Growers Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon Saturday behind City Hall at Main and Rice streets in Wilmore, will have locally grown greens, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes and other seasonal vegetables, herbs, local honey and eggs, cut flowers, and perennials.
▪ Bluegrass Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Hamburg Liquor Barn, 1837 Plaudit Place, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Azur, 3070 Lakecrest Circle, will have white half-runner beans, corn, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, eggs, honey, jams, beef, pork and more.
▪ Nicholasville Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at 717 North Main Street, will have peaches, tomatoes, watermelons, sweet corn, lettuces, squash, green beans, cucumbers, carrots, beets, greens, candy onions, flowers jams and jellies, baked breads, black angus beef, specialty roasted coffees and items from Kentucky artisans.
▪ Lexington Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in Cheapside Park and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Southland Drive, will have sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, cucumbers, lettuce and other greens, peaches, peppers, garlic, fresh breads, jams and jellies and pastured meats and eggs.
▪ Chevy Chase Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 316 Ashland Avenue, has fresh seasonal local produce and pastured meats and eggs.
Bennigan’s will open July 10 in Lexington at I-75 and Athens-Boonesboro Road.
