Eating and Running in Lexington, KY
By Riley Marshall
Anyone who’s hung around John’s enough knows that our conversations don’t go on very long without returning to food. Everyone likes eating, not the least runners. Serious runners need lots of calories to sustain their training regimen, recreational runners sometimes run to justify eating more. I’m in the middle of the two. Here I’ve combined two passions and compiled a menu of sorts of some of my favorite local run-and-restaurant pairings. Pardon any bad puns.
The route: For those hill lovers like me, this is a nice, rolling route. Start at John’s in Chevy Chase and take Fontaine to Henry Clay High School, turn onto Lake Shore and continue down to the Island neighborhood. Exit through Edgewater Drive and take the road that runs parallel to Alumni down to the synagogue. At the top of the hill, you’ll find a footpath that connects onto Moreland in the Lakewood subdivision. Turn onto Lakewood Dr. and return via Tates Creek.
The Food: It is to our great fortune and distraction at John’s to have Ilias’s restaurant located so close to the shop that often we can smell the specials on any given day. Athenian Grill’s white and blue color scheme recalls the iconic domed buildings of Mykonos or Santorini and his selections are just as iconic. Unlike some other businesses with their genesis as a food truck, Athenian Grill’s transition to brick-and-mortar has been seamless; they’ve only solidified the appeal of their more ambulatory beginnings. Try the classic gyro of lamb and beef sheared directly from the spit, or the spanikopita. Avoid a common political-charged faux pas when ordering a demitasse of traditional Greek (not Turkish) coffee to finish your meal.
The route: Park in South Broadway Park shopping center and run across the bridge on Virginia Avenue toward South Campus. When you reach University, take advantage of the wide road and run in the bike lane against traffic. Cross into Shawneetown and take the legendary wheelchair ramp into the parking lot of Central Baptist hospital. Enter the Arboretum the back way via Shady Lane and return by taking the road that runs behind the stadium back to Cooper Drive.
The food: Gumbo Ya Ya is a sibling of Chevy Chase’s Bourbon & Toulouse and their histories are intertwined. Everyone has their preference of one over the other, and both have their dishes at which they excel. At Gumbo Ya Ya, be sure to sample the Maque Choux, the Spinach and Mushroom or the Surf, Turf and Jerk. If you’re having a hard time deciding, go for 1/2 and 1/2 option!
The route: Park near the North YMCA and hit the Legacy Trail trailhead. Continue on to your heart’s content! For those who have never run the Legacy Trail before: It’s a great paved surface that provides the best traffic-free runs in Lexington but, in its current iteration, it is a 12-mile out-and-back to the Kentucky Horse Park.
The food: Maria’s Kitchen is an authentic Mexican taco stand on North Broadway. There’s only outdoor seating so this one is ideal for summertime or take-out. Try the tacos or the tortas al pastor and don’t forget the lime and the salsa! Wash it all down with the cinnamon and rice based drink, horchata.