Revival Cafe in Lexington / Credit: Vikram Anantha

With summer on the horizon, it’s hard not to get excited for outdoor dining. The season to enjoy restaurant patios is shorter here in Lexington than many of us would like, so run, don’t walk, to your nearest restaurant patio – because you never know, it might rain tomorrow. Here’s one resident’s itinerary for a day of delicious outdoor dining in Lexington with an unintentional but decidedly Mediterranean feel.

11 am: Leonardo da Kimchi at Revival with a cup of complex coffee

Colorful, light, and yet somehow filling – Revival’s Leonardo da Kimchi bowl hits just right. Kimchi for breakfast isn’t for everyone, which is why we wait until 11am to order this one — think of it more like brunch — but once you cut into the egg and let the soft yolk combine with the slightly salty crunchy seasoning with a little kick to make a tasty sauce, you won’t be able to help yourself from mixing it all together like a Mediterranean bibimbap.

The thoughtfully sourced complex coffee typically pairs well with all of the flavors going on in this dish, but if classic is more your style, then you do you. If espresso is your thing, consider an oat milk cortado — the perfect ratio of espresso to milk. Between the savory superfoods and caffeine, you’ll have the energy to conquer the world after this meal.

Revival Cafe / Credit: Vikram Anantha

4:30 pm: Grilled Octopus appetizer at Il Casale with a glass of white wine from Sardinia

Treat yourself to a sophisticated afternoon snack at Il Casale right when they open at 4:30pm. If you aren’t transported to a sunny and breezy Mediterranean cafe by your second bite of grilled octopus, order a glass of the Sardinian vermentino — bright and crisp like a sauvignon blanc, but with a little more weight that complements the potato salad and Castelvetrano olives. Armchair travel at its best.

8:30 pm: Hanger Steak at Town Meeting Bistro with a glass of red wine from France

Extend your culinary visit to European seasides at Town Meeting Bistro and try a glass of Mar y Muntanya, a red wine from the Côtes Catalanes. The winery may be located in France but you can taste the proximity of Domaine de L’Horizon to the Spanish border. 

Order the hanger steak and don’t be shy about asking to substitute fries for the potatoes. Nothing wrong with potatoes, but it’s hard to argue with bistro classics like steak frîtes. That said, Town Meeting Bistro’s chimichurri sauce is a welcome and lighter substitute to the classic accompaniment of bearnaise sauce; close your eyes and let the combination of the parsley and olive oil based sauce and juicy syrah grapes take you right back to that armchair Mediterranean vacation.

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