Honeysuckle Dining and Bourbon House — Restaurant in Berea

Listen 👂, Today was my first time eating at this amazing place that you must try yourself. For staters the name of this establishment caught attention immediately when my friend strongly recommended I eat here. She raved about the beauty of the building and how it had been restored completely! The excitement in her voice and the pure passion for me to eat here definitely made sense when My eyes 👀 saw what she was describing to me first hand.

From an architectural standpoint this building is on the National Register with the Department of Interior with the Federal Government. To me that something that makes me happy to see and proud to see others care about historic places for others to Learn. This is one of the many reason why you should visit Berea, Kentucky. The renovation is breathtaking; what they have been able to create out of an old factory is a destination location for sure.

Now on with the food Review that you have been so patiently waiting for:

Bone in Chop - Fresh in House - Fresh Goat Cheese mashed Potatoes Made Fresh Daily -Local Goat 🐐 cheese and Golden potatoes 🥔 raised local as well. Topped with - Collard Greens 🥬 stewed with Bacon 🥓 Salt and Vinegar in house made fresh.

Full Disclosure: My taste buds have traveled the world 🌎 and have been beyond blessed to try amazing food from around the world……that being stated….

That was By far the Best Pork Chop meal I have had at a restaurant EVER. It has little seasoning on it except fine crushed coffee grounds, Pan Seared to perfection.

The combination of the collard greens 🥬 even with vinegar (typically I flip out if I even see vinegar coming towards my table to ruin my precious Greens) Not this time. When Dee told me it had vinegar in them I was past caring because my stomach was calling for MORE!!! No one has been able to get me to eat collards this way, but I’ll eat those anytime! Wow! As far as the mashed potatoes 🥔 they were from a different galaxy. Pretty sure today was my first 🐐 Cheese experience and I can tell you it was exquisite.

All Produce and Vegetables were grown and raised locally.

Dee and his staff were Genuine , Good Conversationalist and Happy People that enjoyed what they do. They Serve others with a quality: Farm to Table meal at an affordable and reasonable price while supporting local farms in the area. The staff was top notch and world class. Thank you for a great meal and showing me a side of Berea I have...

Berea is a small quaint town with many attractions for all kinds of people. The Fat Man is a food connoisseur in search of good food. This is where Honeysuckle Dining and Bourbon House comes in. Honeysuckle offers southern cuisine with global influences served in a restored historic building with a full bar and event space.

I tried The Churchill made with Maker's Mark, Spice Syrup, Angostura, and Black Walnut Bitter Blend. The bourbon had a good kick and flavor. The bitters came through on the back end, sweetening the entire drink.

My wife tried the Blackberry Bramble, which was made with Benchmark Small Batch, Blackberry Rufus' Sweet Lemonade Agave, and Lime. The blackberry flavor comes through immediately; the lemonade and lime hit the back pockets of the mouth and leave a lingering tart taste. The bourbon is well hidden but adds to the flavor of the drink.

We started with the Frog Legs. They were fried frog leg saddles with house-made spicy maple glaze. Frog legs can be rubbery, but these were very tender and offered a decent chew. The spicy maple had a good sweetness, but the spice was too subtle, and the sauce was thin, not clinging to the meat.

We both ordered the Filet Mignon—an 8 oz center cut with romesco polenta and grilled zucchini. The grilled zucchini was spot on with some char and had a good flavor and salt. The polenta was creamy and seasoned well, and the red pepper tasted great. They add a scallion oil that brings the next level of texture and flavor to the dish. The black pepper from the steak was a welcomed addition to the polenta, as it had a slight sweetness. The filet had a great crust that was full of flavor and salt. The meat was tender and juicy and cooked to a perfect rare center.

Honeysuckle has a small but well-thought-out menu and a full bar. Less is more when it comes to small menus. The Fat Man says that Honeysuckle Dining and Bourbon House is Fat Man Approved...

We had dinner on Saturday night.. new restaurant.. they could use better signage that better shows exactly where the restaurant is for non-locals.. and which door to enter... The staff is very friendly and good.. the things we ordered were excellent.. the iced tea was fresh and refilled when needed. Fresh sliced bread and butter was brought to the table. The soup of the day was a lobster bisque, which I loved, but was a bit spicy for my husband (more for me ). We shared a small charcuterie board which was nicely appointed.. more than enough for two with two cuts of meat, four different cheeses, red and green gapes, some beer cheese, apple butter and jam, a handful of nuts, some bread, crackers and melon. I think that was all... but it was enough for the two of use to eat and take some home. We had an apple dumpling type dessert with really delicious ice cream. All in all a very good meal.... the menu is a bit limited for my taste... the appetizers included truffled french fries, fried frog legs and a large or small charcuterie boat.. there were three salads to which could add a protein... the entree menu selection was a little limited.. I would have liked to have a salmon or chicken dish available... I would also have liked for there to have been a special in the entrée section.... something southern.. such a meatloaf, green beans and mashed potatoes or a different type of plate of food as the daily special that is in the style of a southern cooks speciality. I know that as a new and smaller restaurant the chef needs to have a lot of flexibility to buy what looks good and is available.. and for me .. a nice glass of wine, a couple of friends and the large charcuterie board would be a exceptional time.. I would also suggest a Saturday and Sunday Brunch with Bloody Mary and Mimosa Drinks... ...