What’s Good Here | Main Street Cafe in Lexington

What’s good here?

History plays a role not only in the building where Main Street Cafe is housed in downtown Lexington, but also in the recipes passed down through the family that owns the establishment. The Trifos family has owned the restaurant since 1998 and has been serving dishes on the menu that are straight from their culinary heritage.

Dubbed “Greek. Unique,” Main Street Cafe presents old world Mediterranean flavors in a historic building next to Lexington’s original courthouse. Diners won’t find just typical Greek fare here. There are Mesquite Quesadilla Rolls, which include Monterrey jack cheese, jalapeno peppers, and mesquite chicken wrapped in quesadilla rolls with a side of salsa fresca and tzatziki sauce. The Mediterranean Veggie Medley is grilled and served with a side of feta, olives, tzatziki and pita. There are salads and standard main dishes such as lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, and cheese filled ravioli, but there are also distinct entrees: breaded fillet of trout topped with garlic butter and oregano and served with rice and a Greek salad. Pastichio is a casserole made of macaroni and ground beef topped with béchamel sauces and served with rice and a Greek salad.

What else?

Main Street has substantial main dishes, including a half of a roasted Greek-style lemon chicken, grilled top sirloin steak, grilled rib eye, grilled pork chop, and Greek style filet of flounder. Each dish is served with sides and a Greek salad. Main Street has pizzas, pitas and sandwiches. Pitas are the classic lamb/beef gyro or made with pork or chicken.

One has ground beef with donair sauce made with sweet garlic. There are regular burgers, a feta burger, a grilled chicken sandwich and a tuna steak sandwich. Zeus Steak has slices of rib eye served with melted mozzarella and donair sauce. Main Street serves beer and wine. In the evening, customers can order drinks from the bar and from a Bar Bite Menu. There is live music on weekends, karaoke during the week, and special events – which are listed on Main Street Café’s website.

What does the place look like?

Main Street is a true sidewalk cafe when the weather permits, while inside has a colorful ambiance and festive dining atmosphere.

Who eats here?

There is the regular lunch crowd made up of families, friends, and business associates who work in and around downtown Lexington. In the late afternoon, the cafe boasts the “best happy hour in Lexington” from 4-7 p.m. Wings, quesadillas, meatballs, corndogs, peel-and-eat shrimp, spring rolls, Greek nachos and the like draw in crowds to socialize around the long bar at one side of the restaurant. Evenings attract couples, families and business meeting crowds.

This story was originally published June 20, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "What’s Good Here | Main Street Cafe in Lexington."