Heirloom Restaurant

I recently visited Heirloom for a lunch meeting and now I want to find an excuse to go back. The small restaurant feels upscale but warm when you walk in. Our server was extremely friendly and attentive throughout the entire meal. But the reason I really loved this place was the food.
The lunch menu has a variety of options from pasta, sandwiches, salads, burgers, etc. Several things looked appealing to me but I went with a special they had that day which was a bacon, pimento cheese, and fried green tomato panini. It was so good. In fact, I’m pretty sure my boss wished he had ordered it too, although his salad with blackened shrimp was good as well. The panini was perfectly grilled and didn’t get messy or fall apart when I ate it like some paninis do. It came with crispy fries that perfected the meal.
The menu changes seasonally so you can’t be sure they will have an item every time but I like that. I want to go back and try the dinner menu. Overall, this was a great experience and it’s in the middle of a very cute small main street in Midway that you can explore.

Wonderful food. Everything on the menu is amazing, especially the desserts. Beautiful presentation. You cannot beat the lunch prices. Service is perfect!

I was instantly delighted by the décor and ambiance and happy to sit at the bar until our table was ready. Our excitement to try this raved about restaurant was soon over however — overshadowed by a rude comment muttered by one of the male servers after I ordered a classic daiquiri…“maybe you should try Applebee’s.” Really? Maybe you should learn how to make the very classic Hemingway Daiquiri (rum, fresh lime juice, & simple syrup) or ANYTHING beyond the handful of overly sweet fruit juice cocktails on your drink menu. And might I suggest a bit of restraint on your ignorance-​induced insults?
Once we were seated and were handed off to Hanna, we realized we were now in much better hands. She was charming, kind, and knowledgeable. She recommended the amazing beef tartar appetizer (which was incredible) and helped us all the way through dessert. She even gave us wonderful ideas for how to spend our last day in town, site-​seeing in Frankfurt and checking out a couple distilleries. We really appreciated her!
The food was ridiculously good. Perfect from start to finish (though it was hard to finish — so much food!) We had the Beef Tartar, Warm spinach salad (both unbelievable,) the crab cake (the peppery micro herbs and super fresh corn took it over the edge,) the Beef Tenderloin & Mary Burger (both stupid good) & Cheesecake with Strawberry Basil sorbet for dessert. An absolutely stunning meal.
Thank you Hanna for the great service, and chefs, thank you for your amazing cuisine. I wish I could have been spared the early insult, but overall it was a lovely evening.

My Favorite central KY restaurant! Chefs know what they’re doing. Service always impeccable whether it’s Bo or Gretchen. Be sure to say hi to Henry for a great story and laugh! Great dining experience for lunch Dinner or Desserts! Cheers!

First time in Midway. Quite a surprise on the restaurant selection in this small village. We ate outside the day before the Kentucky Derby. Our waiter was attentive and made some good recommendations. We had the crabcake and cheese platter app. Very good. I had the Rabbit entrée. I have never had it before, it was nice presentation and cooked just perfect.

Table of four split the things below. I can’t say one bad thing about our experience except that I with that I would have dined here much sooner. I’m very excited about what the chefs at Heirloom are creating. It rivals the best New American restaurants in Louisville, and is definitely worth the drive. The Midway Main St. charm only adds to the wow factor. We are coming back, and bringing more friends.
Cheese plate with the best green olives
Crab cake (yes! In landlocked KY!)
Warm spinach salad (with bacon dressing!)
Chilled carrot soup with garlic essence
Potato and asparagus salad
Beef tenderloin
Grouper with risotto (my order and personal favorite)
Agnolotti with pea shoots
Passion fruit and mango financier
Rocky road deconstructed
Coconut curry ice cream with cake
Raspberry ice cream
Chocolate Mousse plate (semifredo, brownie, a bourbon ganache, etc)
Limoncello
Gin martini with thyme (gin from Wisconsin)

I happened upon the Heirloom driving through Kentucky and getting off at different exits to look at the small towns. The Heirloom is one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at. My lunch consisted of velvety squash soup, boneless chicken breast, lightly breaded and fried over pureed potatoes. The presentation was beautiful and the food tasted delightful. Beau was my waiter and he was charming and helpful. I kept exclaiming how wonderful everything was and he didn’t act surprised. I am sure he hears this every day. Can’t wait to make the trip back for dinner.

I love this place! The sautéed chicken livers are delicious and their pretzel bread is so good dipped in the créme fraiche the chicken livers are served in. It’s an appetizer, but the portion is generous enough to be a meal.
This visit we shared the salmon entrée and they graciously split the plate for us in 2 very generous portions.
They have an excellent wine selection and instead of dessert, I decided to go with a White Russian (which was really good!).
I love the atmosphere of the dining room, which is quaint and cozy. I’ve always experienced great service while dining here — professional, friendly, attentive.

Everything in our meal was wonderful. Fried chicken which was expertly prepared. Our daughter had the best hamburger I think I’ve ever eaten in my entire life and the chef was kind enough to give us his secret ingredients. The other ladies in our party have the shrimp and grits which had a marvelous smoky quality and again outstanding. In addition to all the wonderful things I can say about the food the décor and the lighting in the service were out of this world., 9

Heirloom bested my expectations. It was the perfect dinner spot for taking my wife on her birthday dinner-​date! The food, setting, seating, and the service were top notch. It’s a very homey and happy place, and the southern charm of downtown Midway is very apparent in Heirloom.
We split the crab cake app (the best crab cake I’ve ever had inland). I had the warm spinach bacon salad, and she the squash soup. For dinner I had the Beef Tenderloin, which was unimaginably delicious and utterly perfectly cooked. She had the grilled cauliflower steak, and she loved it. Autumn specialty dessert, and we proceeded to waddle to the car, relaxed, stuffed, and slipping into a full-​bore food coma. Moral of the story — Heirloom in Midway = 5’s and you should check it out!

Stopped here for lunch while traveling and are so glad we did. The service was excellent even when I dropped and broke a glass of water on the food. Even though we were almost finished I could see in my husband’s face that he was disappointed to have to pass up the last few bites of his blackened shrimp and grits. I had tried them too and they were very flavorful practically exploding with goodness in my mouth. My Caesar Salad was crispy crunchy with the perfect ratio of dressing and freshly grated Parmesan, and very moist chicken. Even as I write this I am plotting how to arrange a return visit because there were so many other dishes, like the Mary Burger and the Fish and Chips, on the menu I want to try.
It was really difficult to pass up the desserts but I had just taken a vow to work to be «more svelte» last night!

First recommendation is to place your order promptly. We enjoyed a drink & some cheese prior to ordering… big mistake. By the time our food arrived it was very late. Hours later… I have also decided there must be a «battle of the chefs» going on nightly in the Bluegrass. More is truly not better… simplicity & the allowance of a good cut of meat or choice piece of seafood to speak for itself has gone out the window & in its place are multiple layers of presentation that simply bury the star of the meal. Among us we ordered Scallops, Crab and Beef Tenderloin. I had no idea there were Scallops on the plate, the Beef Tenderloin was so over cooked & covered with an overly salted accompaniment our dinner guest had it boxed for later… for the dog maybe? My Crab cake was delicious with the tender corn under layering it but Crab is so rich & tasty if cooked well it needs no enhancement… the heated green whatever heaped on top of my Crab cake was in excess & did its best to try & ruin a perfectly good meal. My Wilted Spinach salad arrived swimming & the giant chunks of Goat Cheese & bacon simply overwhelmed me. Maybe the Chefs were just tired by the time they got around to cooking our dinner. It was disappointing for sure. Next time I’ll play it safe & order a Mary Burger… KUDOS to our waitress. She was super attentive!!!

Meals were divine.
Chicken Liver with lemon — unique and delicious
Crab cake sandwich — huge and full of authentic crab
Saw a bacon burger — thought it looked unreal! Wanted to eat here again but ran out of time on our vacation. We also ate at the Grey Goose (down the street), Heirloom was so much better.

We tried to go to 815 Prime, only to discover it was out of business. Luckily, this place was just a few stores down. The service was excellent. The staff was very friendly. The food was good. I will be coming back.

What a gem in the heart of Midway! All the staff were warm and friendly when we arrived very early for our reservation. Luckily they have a small bar at the back and we were able to have a couple drinks before dinner. They were even thoughtful enough to bring out these amazing, warm pretzel rolls for us to snack on.
Our dinner was delicious. We started with the chicken livers and the crab cake. Both were very good. My husband had the rack of lamb, which was tender and flavorful, albeit a little salty. I had the pork chop and it was also very good, just slightly dry. I can’t wait to return and sample more items in this lovely restaurant.
Heirloom isn’t pretentious; it is classy and sophisticated. And taking reservations is necessary when a restaurant is this busy, so make sure you have one if you plan to have dinner there on a Friday or Saturday night.

LOL! I just read Todd W’s review of Heirloom and I don’t think he and I ate at the same restaurant. I work in Midway, and I can tell you that we do have several restaurants in town, but few of them are worth a second meal. If I want pizza, Grey Goose makes a decent one (but the rest of their lunch menu is uninspired). Holly Hill Inn is good for dinner, but they don’t serve lunch. Don’t even get me started on Wallace Station.
I love Heirloom. I either eat here or take out from here at least once a week. The chef, knowing I am trying to follow a Weight Watchers diet, has been wonderful about special requests… arugula salad instead of fries, no bun on my crab cake sandwich. The food is tasty, fresh, and exactly the right portion size for lunch. The servers have sampled all of the food and they know what to recommend. They are proud of their restaurant, and they should be. I have never had a bad meal here and I’ve probably eaten here more than 40 times.
I have, on more than one occasion, come in for lunch definitely sweaty and smelling of horses. I have never felt uncomfortable or been guided to a back table. I have brought family and friends here for special occasion lunches, but I am usually here alone, using the break to catch up on emails, and the booths are a quiet place to relax for a few minutes.
A few of my favorite things here: The Mary Burger with grilled onions and blue cheese, the shrimp and grits, the crab cake sandwich, and the seasonal soups. I know their dinner menu is more expansive, and one of these days I am going to have dinner here… when I do, I’ll post a review.
In the meantime, don’t believe EVERY review you read, but do believe this one: Heirloom is the one beautiful exception to a dearth of lunch possibilities in Midway.

The food here is fantastic. I might have had the best burger of my life at lunch– don’t skimp out, get the works with blue cheese grilled onions and bacon.
Not for a quick meal though. Dress is casual.

Best meal I’ve had in Kentucky. Four of us dined together and everything from start to finish was perfection. A truly delightful dining experience.

My daughter and I both enjoyed this restaurant. We both had the crabcake which was delicious. Everyone was very nice and pleasant. We would definitely go back.

We have had three great meals at this restaurant. Not only is the food excellent, flavorful and inventive, the staff is friendly and helpful.
Cocktails are very good and the wine list is excellent. The pours on the wines by the glass are sizable. They even made up some blue cheese stuffed olives for the perfect martini.
The chicken livers are one of the dishes they are ‘known for’. I’m not partial to them, but each time our party ordered them and everyone loved them. We haven’t tried their special burger yet, but maybe next time.
Spend a few extra minutes and walk around downtown Midway during your trip. Lots of quaint stores and shops to explore.

Table of four split the things below. I can’t say one bad thing about our experience except that I wish that I would have dined here much sooner. I’m very excited about what the chefs at Heirloom are creating. It rivals the best New American restaurants in Louisville, and is definitely worth the drive. The Midway Main St. charm only adds to the wow factor. We are coming back, and bringing more friends.
Cheese plate with the best green olives
Crab cake (yes! In landlocked KY!)
Warm spinach salad (with bacon dressing!)
Chilled carrot soup with garlic essence
Potato and asparagus salad
Beef tenderloin
Grouper with risotto (my order and personal favorite)
Agnolotti with pea shoots
Passion fruit and mango financier
Rocky road deconstructed
Coconut curry ice cream with cake
Raspberry ice cream
Chocolate Mousse plate (semifredo, brownie, a bourbon ganache, etc)
Limoncello
Gin martini with thyme (gin from Wisconsin)

Once again I am stopping in Midway for a little get away from life and I am at Heirlooms. My favorite waiter was here and everything was as excellent as the first visit. This is a wonderful lunch or dinner in the middle of Woodford County.

First time eating here and it was fantastic! The crab cake & Cuban sandwiches were delish! The atmosphere is very nice and downtown midway is really a great place to visit if you haven’t been. The drive on old Frankfort pike is beautiful and a must if you’re going to Midway. I will be back!

Pretension run amok.
For me, the best part of serendipitous restaurant discovery in a small town is the opportunity to find that rare gem of culinary masterwork in a quaint and unpretentious setting.
Unfortunately, you will find neither at Heirloom.
My wife and I literally stumbled across this place after a day of sightseeing while on a family visit. Upon walking in, we knew we’d made a mistake. The stark walls of white and muted tones were as cold as the smile of the hostess. After asking if we had reservations (What?! You DO realize there’s a train track running through the middle of this one-​street-​light town, right?) — of course we did not — she promptly shuffled us to the back of the restaurant. Not that this mattered. The uncomfortable booth seating rises so high that there’s hardly a chance of feeling the vibe of the place.
The ambiance in a nutshell: horrible lighting + minimal interior interest + the smell of kitchen disinfectant. Yea.
Our meals, once ordered, took over twenty-​five minutes to arrive. The good news for us was that this allowed the waiter plenty of time to promise us how excellent it was going to be when it finally arrived. He lied. The meal itself was adequate at best. Nothing to write home about, and certainly not worthy of the pretension being dished out in spades.
My advice — stay well clear of this establishment until the obviously neophyte restauranteurs fold up and allow someone with real chops — and a congenial small town attitude — to open a spot worth visiting.

Elegant, cozy little restaurant in quaint Midway. Great service and delicious food. The beef tenderloin entrée was really wonderful– purple potatoes and the most amazing broccoli gratin you can imagine.

Absolutely the best restaurant in LEX area. We just wish they were closer to LEX. Creative and simple menus. All dishes are executed perfectly. Service is pleasant, attentive, friendly and yet not pretentious or overbearing. Mike and William surely are very knowledgeable about the wine!
Everything we tried — Salads (root vegetables, Caesar, and warm spinach salads), appetizers (scallops, chicken livers), and entrees (rabbits, duck breast, beef tenderloin, and red snapper) — were all delicious and beautifully presented. Desserts (chocolate molten cake, ice creams, and a caramel apple and cake dessert whose name we forgot) were perfect, too: not too sweet and creative.
Always a good time at the Heirloom!

This was the most impressive dinner we had while visiting Kentucky. Heirloom is located in a tiny historic district outside Lexington — and the restaurant itself has a cozy, romantic atmosphere. They rely on seasonal, local ingredients, so the menu changes frequently and the specials all sound enticing.
Our table shared an order of the homemade sausage appetizer, which came with mushrooms, gnocchi, and a poached egg. We had to request an extra basket of warm, crusty French bread to sop up all the decadent, yolky sauce. The marvelously creamy, fresh-​tasting gazpacho was another hit, even if I do not want to know how much olive oil is required to produce that velvety texture!
The rabbit wrapped in bacon, ultra-​tender pork tenderloin, seared duck breast, and English pea agnolotti were all so delicious that the entire table was inducted to the clean plate club. For dessert, we shared an order of deconstructed blueberry cobbler — intensely flavorful cooked-​down blueberries topped with a cornmeal shortcake and berry meringue — and a dish of olive oil cake with strawberry ice cream and a jammy strawberry sauce.
It is a rare thing to visit a restaurant where every single dish that comes out of the kitchen is well thought out and executed splendidly. On top of that, our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and just plain delightful. The restaurant was buzzing throughout the evening, so weekend reservations are a must. If you are in the Lexington area, Heirloom is a must-​try.

My husband and I ate at Heirloom for the first time earlier this month. It came highly recommended for serving southern comfort food with a big city twist. The recommendation was well deserved, because we both loved the food, service, and atmosphere. And, the prices were very reasonable for the quality that we received — we were pleasantly surprised, considering the food was terrific and we both left so stuffed we could barely walk (thanks to the southern comfort aspect!).
The restaurant is tiny (so reservations are almost requisite), and it is snugly situated in picturesque historic Midway (quaint and home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the Bluegrass State). The interior is very nice and reflects a more upscale dining experience (but seemed kind of lackluster to me, since the hearty but gourmet food itself and the natural beauty of Midway outshines any big city trappings).
Our server was a very sweet girl who gave just enough personalized attention without overdoing it. She was familiar with the food preparation and answered all of our questions accordingly (i.e., I’m not a big fan of servers who don’t know anything about the menu, or who assert unhelpful comments like «I don’t like fish so I don’t know»). We both had salads: I had the warm spinach salad and my husband had the roasted beet salad. We loved my warm spinach salad, which was pungent with vinegar and creamy goat cheese — and it was HUGE. We could have easily split the salad. We also shared the crab cake with «sweet corn veloute, avocado, corn-​cotija salad, sriracha honey.» This appetizer was heavenly — the velvety sauce under the tender, golden crab cake was addictive — I ate it with a spoon! And the crisp sweet corn was just a lovely touch of texture. My husband isn’t a fan of crab cakes (madness, I know) and he loved the dish as well.
For entrees, he ordered the filet mignon with a veal glaze, and I had beef short rib on grits topped with a jicama slaw. I don’t see either dish still on the menu, which is a travesty! They were both sexily prepared and throw-​your-​hands-​up-​and-​holler delicious! My husband’s steak was perfectly cooked and the veal glaze topping it was just ridiculous. And I loved my dish: the meat was fall-​off-​the-​bone tender, the grits were luscious (I love me some grits, and loved that they made an appearance on a ‘fancy’ menu) and the jicama slaw was a perfect and crunchy topping. I truly hope that these entrees will make a reappearance again, because we fully intend to return Heirloom!
Our sweet server also had the chef special prepare me an Irish coffee upon my request (something they don’t normally have on the menu), since we were both so stuffed — we couldn’t finish our entrees or have dessert — and I didn’t think I’d make it home without a jolt of caffeine. The Irish coffee was perfect, and the chef had hand-​whipped some cream on the spot (they should seriously put this permanently on the menu, as my man did a good job improvising). The final check (glass of wine, Irish coffee, two salads, appetizer and two entrees) was about $ 120 — very reasonable, considering we have spent that much per person in Cincinnati alone. And, we both agreed that Heirloom easily rivals any of the big city restaurants we’ve dined at… and, I’ll say it, for the price, quality and portion sizes, I think Heirloom trumps my favorite fine-​dining Cincinnati restaurant, Boca (gasp!). We definitely found a new favorite and will return the next time we want to splurge a bit.

I had probably one of the top 3 meals of all time here. The chef is a mastermind. It is clear he has an extensive array of flavors and textures that he selects from and expertly blends to culminate in a wondrous tasting adventure. I want to try everything! There is strict attention to the detail of every part of his dishes. No you will not get a heaping pile of food, but if you are looking for entrees that will delight and challenge your palate, this is the place to be.
I do wish he used social media more to post his daily entrée specials, but it seems he puts it all together an hour before opening which I guess highlights his genius ability.