Stella’s Kentucky Deli

Amazing place. Its a home turned into a restaurant. The interior is very beautiful and homely. The staff is very nice and patient. I tried to order ahead of time, but forgot to see the menu before. No worries, the person on the phone patiently went through the menu, helped me decide an entrée soup and a drink. I ordered the chicken croquette, house made ginger lime soda and lentil soup. Amazing! Great place to have dinner. Not to forget they have their own parking right in downtown.

One of the best Lunch spots in Lex. The hot brown is always great. Try any of the soups, lamb burger, or specials of the day.

I just visited Stella’s today with two of my coworkers for lunch. I had the fried green tomato BLT and it was delicious. The bacon was nice and crispy. The mayo on the sandwich didn’t taste like it came from a jar. This place has a casual atmosphere and the service is friendly. They pride themselves on sourcing ingredients locally and the price reflects that fact.

We’re perfecting our tour of Lexington for all of our out of state visitors, and this place is at the top! Everything here is good, but the Hot Brown is the real star of the show. For a northern transplant, it’s even life changing.
Make sure you order dessert while you’re here too! The pecan pie beats any other pie I’ve ever had. We brought one up north for Thanksgiving and it was the first one completely gobbled up because people couldn’t get enough!

My husband found this place on Unilocal and we decided to try it out before we headed back home. Its a cute, quaint place and it wasn’t far from our hotel. We both had the Pick 3 for brunch ($ 9.95, not $ 8.95 like it says on their website). I had biscuits, eggs and sausage links; my husband had bacon, eggs and biscuits. We both liked our food and would probably come back again if we were in the area.

Saddened by the disappointment. I was so excited by reading the menu. I ended up house made soda because I’m always looking for something new when it comes to soda but I was disappoint by the lack of flavor. We ordered a sandwich which took forever to make and then came with out the basil mayo which was really the reason I chose it. By the time our waitress came by for me to point it out everyone else had pretty much finished their food she brought it out and after all that wait I was disappointed that even just dipping a fry into it you couldn’t take the basil bc they skimped so much. Idk about you but when I think specialty mayo I think full of flavor. It’s a condiment that’s what it’s for. I also felt it was a bit over priced for what it was. The location and building was cool although cramped.

I wish this gem could be recreated, I would love to have one close to home! I came for Sunday brunch with a large group of friends after we were done visiting for bourbon trail tours. Brunch was incredible and the pies were amazing. We may have stayed all day just to keep trying all the pies that were on the menu if we didn’t have to get back on the road. This neighborhood gem is a must visit while you are in town!

4 stars, well deserved. I was skeptical at first after reading all the reviews, but this establishment’s understanding of flavor, sourcing of quality ingredients and willingness to take risks charmed me and will have me coming back (and bringing guests). The lamb burger looks normal on first glance, but as you bring it near for a bite, succulent gyro-​spice aromas hit you right in the face. It is savory without being overly seasoned, juicy and balanced – outstanding. The beet special sandwich looked like a hit-​or-​miss on the menu; I’m happy to report that it was a hit. Griddled squash, roasted beets, caramelized onions and candied pecans play nicely with each other, dazzling with an array of textures and flavors and riffing on the theme of sweetness without ever becoming boring or cloying. Herbs, chevre, and appropriately crusty pan-​toasted bread cut the procession of flavors with savory funk to keep the palate fresh; the chevre was a little on the strong side, but still a very good sandwich. Of the sides we tried, fried green tomatoes were just fine. Tomato-​olive aspic fell a little flat with the flavors, understandable given that we were eating so close to winter. Moreover, I was impressed to partake from a chef willing to push the comfort zones of the Central Kentucky palate. House-​made sodas were good, if not excellent – the rose was definitely better than the ginger. Mary Porter chocolate pie tastes like the delicious offspring of Almond Roca and a bourbon ball. Space is limited and parking is excruciating difficult to find by Lexington standards, so prepare accordingly. Highly recommended.

I went there for late dinner with my hubby. Ordered fried green tomatoes as an appetizer to share which were good but my highlight was lamb burger which was juicy and delicious. My husband ordered truffle Mac N cheese but I still think my lamb burger was better. Will be back soon:))))

We knew while driving through Kentucky we had to get a hot brown sandwich, picked out this place as the one we had to try and planned to get here before they closed at 4. Showed up at 10 til 3 and as we walked in we were told that they were closing early today and that they’d make us something to go. With a disappointed look we told them we were driving and to go wouldn’t work for us, after a quick word with the chef, they happily agreed to get us our meal! So glad they did!
We tried two of the house made sodas, ginger/​mint and blackberry soda, both were amazing, blackberry was a sweet delicious treat and the ginger/​mint was perfectly cooling and refreshing.
He had the hot brown and it was just awesome. This is our first (and only) experience with a hot brown, but I hope they’re all this good or better! I had the blue cheese and apple grilled cheese sandwich, it was perfectly crispy and the nuts were an awesome addition, very tasty grilled cheese. For sides we had the greens which were just about the most fantastic greens I’ve ever had, really spicy and perfectly cooked and also the local grits for the second side, which were good as well. The only food disappointment for me was the Mary Porter Pie… not my style I guess, while it tasted fine, it just didn’t come across as spectacular as other reviewers have made it sound. *shrugs* to each their own!
Service was beyond fantastic, so friendly! Not the best place for large groups, seems like when busy it will get full and cramped very quickly, also not really sure where to park, we just kinda parked in the neighborhood.
This place was tops for great quality, local, southern style food and I really hope to eat here again sometime!

What you need to know, brunch menu is only weekends so if you are in town and looking for breakfast don’t look here. Sides are not on the menu, you have to check the chalk board which was not mentioned by the waitress. Sides listed sounded better than chips so of course we got potato salad and grits. Grits were cold and flavorless, potato salad was just not good and only worth a few bites. Hot brown was a salty hot mess and I would have to agree with another review, possibly worst hot brown I have ever had. Only redeemable thing was the candy bar sandwich and it was just nutella and peanut butter so not really anything you can’t make at home. So overall, I have no idea how this place has good Unilocal reviews. Our experience left us never wanting to return, which is unfortunate because the place has character and super friendly staff.

5 stars for the lamb burger alone. It was perfectly juicy without dripping in oil. The burger was seasoned well enough on its own, so I appreciated the fact that they didn’t feel the need to pair it with a sketchy «secret sauce» that ultimately masks the flavor of the meat.
The ambiance in this deli is on point. I travel to Lexington for work, and am constantly surprised by how quaint and artsy some of the local eateries are. Stella’s Deli is a cool old house with adorable outdoor seating and servers who aren’t scared to show their tattoos.
The only disappointment was the lentil soup. I wouldn’t consider it a showstopper though — just not really my cup of tea. If you want something healthy and vegan, you might just love the soup. But for me, it was a little reminiscent of something my mom used to make me eat when I was younger cause it was «good for me»… you know the type.

Eureka! So happy we found Stella’s! Came here on the recommendation of some friends, and I’m so glad we checked it out.
Adorable place, and we chose to sit outside.
Started with the Fried Green Tomatoes, since it is season. Stella’s is all about seasonal fare, and you can’t go wrong here. They kindly vegan-​ized this dish by leaving off the basil mayo and ham.
My husband ordered the Lentil Supreme burger, and I ordered the Grilled Veggie Salad with the Lentil Patty on top, replacing the Red Wine Vinaigrette with an Herb Vinaigrette. Glad I did.
My husband’s lentil burger looked fabulous, and my salad was gorgeous. Every kind of fresh available veggie was in this salad… diced & cooked to perfection. Full of flavor. The lentil patty was an excellent addition. This was much more than just a salad, take it from me.
We were most impressed with our waitress, Ana. She was extraordinarily knowledgeable about the menu, and when I complimented her on that, she replied «I love this place!»
It shows, and I love that.
Ana also suggested we take a walk after dinner in McConnell Springs, a little gem of a nature preserve not far from there. That topped off a nice evening.
We’ll be back to sample more from Stella’s menu!

While the environment and staff can be a little sleepy at Stella’s, you can’t beat their menu, prices, or location. I would highly recommend Stella’s for a quiet lunch meeting. The pimento cheese sandwich is a must.

(3.5 stars)
This is the place to be for locally sourced comfort foods. Menu has a good selection of some KY favorites but it also has a good number of tasty and filling options for the non-​meat-​lovers (vegetarian and vegan)!
Located in an old-​house, the inside is cozy and a bit small. So if you are planning on bringing a group of friends (4+), it will be a little tight.
I have been to Stella’s many times and my experience has been varying. During lunch hours, the service slows down but that is not enough to ruin my experience. However, execution of some of their dishes don’t live up to the standards they have with other dishes.
Let’s start with the highlights. For lunch, they have a variety of sandwiches and burgers (including a lentil burger) that are tasty. Probably my favorite things I tried have been the delicious KY-​style cassoulet (loaded with meat) and the chicken croquettes I had for dinner! Oh, and let’s not forget the extra zesty ceaser salad! Such a good flavor! Also, their Mary Porter pie is pretty tasty!
However, on one of our visits, I had a taste of the pork shoulder which didn’t leave such a good taste in my mouth. it was smothered with a sauce that was a bit overpowering. Though the serving size was great for the price, the execution of the sauce left us unsatisfied. On their mix-​and-​match brunch menu, the french toast and the egg strata don’t meet the standards, looking very sad and lacking flavor. On the other hand, their eggs benedict (when they offer it) has been delicious!
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One thing that is truly unique to Stella’s is their home-​made sodas. They always have 4 – 5 different home-​made syrups that they use to flavor sodas. Lavender rhubarb is perfect for someone like me who doesn’t like her sodas really sweet. And they also have a ginger mint that I like to have every time I go there.
Stella’s is one of those places that I love but I also know that it’s not perfect. With such mixed experiences, I don’t know if I will have a 5-​star experience, but I will keep coming back knowing that they offer good local flavors!

I’ve been here for brunch, lunch, and dinner. The food is delicious. It’s the closest I’ve been to diner food. Also, they have endless items on the brunch menu, and it’s quality food. You cannot beat this, so you should just eat it. I’ve not had a bad thing here – they make unique, tasty sodas (rose geranium, ginger mint, strawberry, jalapeño – not touching that one) and delicious pies.
The last thing I tried was the Revro. It was such a good burger; the special thing about it is that it’s topped with a fried green tomato. This is good, however, the meat stood out. It was cooked to the right temperature and it must have been quality meat.
I’ve usually had very good service, the lunch rush was a bit busy. The only con is that it is very difficult to park. The park immediately behind the restaurant is reserved for Nick Ryan’s – even though they have their own lot? I think they have a lot for dinner?

Cute little house in a neighborhood setting. I say outside in the garden area. Service was fine, I ordered the Kentucky Hot Brown-​my first. Since it was my first, I have nothing to compare it to! I wish the turkey was hotter (temp) though and I wish the sauce was thicker. Came with store bought potato chips. Had I known they weren’t homemade I would have changed my side.
I would try this place again but order something else because I love outdoor dining and I love quaint which they have in spades!

After seeing reviews on Unilocal,we decided to try this restaurant at 6:30pm on a Friday night. I knew that Stella’s was smaller and I was worried about a wait time, but we walked in and were immediately given a choice to sit inside or outside. The parking is very limited, however we found out that you can also park in the lot to the left of the restaurant if it’s after 5pm.
We decided to sit outside since it was my husband, myself and our sometimes ‘very vocal’ toddler. It’s covered and shady and was perfect for us! One waitress immediately brought us waters and a second soon followed to answer any questions and take our order. We ended up getting the Hot Brown, the Griff Burger & a side of the cheese grits.
Everything was very delicious and fresh. Our 20 month old daughter even enjoyed all three things. Our waitress was very friendly, attentive, and spent some time talking to us about other local activities and restaurants we may enjoy (we just moved to Lexington). Highly recommend Stella’s and we can’t wait to come back and try brunch!

Friendly, welcoming, old charm restaurant in a historic home. One of the best hot brown sandwich versions I have had, which was more of an open face sandwich piled high with turkey and bacon and other goodies and drenched in delicious sauce that you don’t even want to think about how many calories you are consuming). Our waitress was super accommodating and friendly, explained the menu and was so patient even when we took forever to order (so many awesome things to choose from!)
Prices were very reasonable for the large portions and quality of the food. I ordered wine for $ 5/​glass which is pretty decent for a city.
The only negatives were that it was small and a little crowded when I went on a Saturday night for dinner. It was a part of the charm though.
I am already craving the hot brown sandwich…

Positives: The service is pretty friendly and the atmosphere has a really cool vibe. It’s in a newly revamped area of downtown Lexington– dare I say the «hipster» area. I got the chicken salad sandwich and it’s very basic there’s nothing in it that adds a wow factor, but to be fair the waitress told me that it was pretty basic, that being said it wasn’t bad though if you’re looking for a plain old chicken salad sandwich this is the place to go. Husband got the burger, again it was plain, nothing special but cooked well.
Negatives: The food is boring. The seating is a little bit cramped, and the side choices aren’t spectacular (save for the potato salad though, that was good).
The Vibe: Basic food, good pie, decent service and cool area. I plan on trying the Reuben sandwich as that’s what the waitress said they are known for, maybe that will change my mind but otherwise I don’t think I’ll be coming back anytime soon, I’m more so a bold flavor type of girl!