Among the streets of Lexington culinary gems hides everything from vintage drive-ins to down town hot spots, all offering a unique experience. Perhaps the most illusive of these is Sunrise Bakery. Placed among the Victorian style row buildings of Main Street and hidden by the monstrous downtown construction site is this fresh and local favorite. Offering a wide variety of hand crafted pastries and made to order Italian sandwiches, Sunrise combines a big city taste with a small town atmosphere and charm. In this week's article I will shed some light on the big family roots and big flavor bites that make Sunrise Bakery a “must" this semester. So as always … Lex Eat.
Although Sunrise has made its mark among the true Lexingtonian foodies, it remains relatively illusive to the culinary buzz of the downtown food scene. Those who know it, know it's worth the wait until later in the week. The minimalist business hours keep loyal customers lined up out the door Thursday-Saturday (the only days they are open) for a tasty bite and a glimpse at the owner's welcoming smile.When I first discovered Sunrise three years ago on my first weekend in Lexington, I made a pact with myself to fit this local wonder into my schedule as much as possible. The infrequent hours make it difficult for me to fit my favorite sandwich into my weekend plans but I make it a point to drag myself out of bed by their noon closing hour regardless of how many fish bowls and john wall shots I consumed the night before. I try my best to tell myself, "If you are going to wake up early, you might as well wake up at Sunrise."
As a family business, Sunrise cares not only about the quality of their food but the treatment of their customers and these standards are displayed as soon as you walk through the door. The walls of the tiny café are plastered with family photos, articles and awards, showing the pride that made Sunrise what it is. The menu features hand made breads topped with fresh Italian ingredients, cinnamon roles the size of the Wildcat mascot's head and melt in your mouth chocolate croissants. The shelves are filled with mason jars of fresh honey and hand jarred tomato sauce along side packages of pasta and grains of rice. The glass case displays fresh Italian meats and local iced tea and lemonade. The minimal tables are always filled with an array of hungry customers smiling and enjoying their favorite dish among peers. Having experienced this scene many a time, I can vouch that there is truly no better ways to spend a morning than at Sunrise.
As UK students, we should make a more conscious effort to explore the hidden gems of the city we call home, because if you are looking for a bite to eat on the way to the Farmers Market or before a shopping spree with the girls to Urban, there's no better place to add to you established itinerary; so on your next trip downtown, be sure to say, “Lex Eat at Sunrise."
