I recently was in Lexington for a couple mornings in a row to take the kids to classes at the Lexington Living Arts & Sciences Center. During the next break from school I recommend you check out their creative days camps. They offer a great learning environment for kids and a fun experience at a reasonable price.

I had a couple hours to kill and needed a chill location nearby where I could purvey some respectable caffeine and satisfy my morning crave for a snack. North Lime Coffee & Donuts hooked me up with all three.

This high-end donut joint is located in a storefront resembling an old house on the corner of N. Limestone and Sixth Street, in the up-and-coming North Limestone (NOLI) neighborhood. Situated across the street from the quintessential Al’s Bar, North Lime has become a cornerstone for business development and upward mobility for this gritty neighborhood since it took over its current location from a dilapidated liquor store.

My 3-year old daughter, Isabella, and I took a seat by the window, where we could look out and observe several murals decorating the walls of surrounding buildings. It was a visual feast and a great way to get the brain going in the morning.

The smell of fresh donuts and coffee are unmistakable. North Lime is all about pairing up freshly roasted coffee drinks with life-changing donuts – and I will add, providing both of those offerings in a fun, quirky environment that stimulates creativity.

It’s not a big place but there is sufficient seating for a normal day’s crowd. I hear there are lines out the door on weekends. I haven’t been to their second location on Clays Mill, but my impression is there is more seating but the tradeoff is it’s less funky.

There were six or eight varieties of donuts available, and they have specials each day. We went with the glazed, chocolate iced, and cinnamonkeys (their take on donut holes). Then I couldn’t resist a maple bacon. It is served with a strip of bacon on top. It tastes like a bite of pancakes topped with maple syrup with a side of piglet. Yummy! Though my daughter stole most of my bacon. Bella is crafty like that.

These are donuts with soul, full of dreams and indulgence. North Lime serves yeast donuts, which are thicker and less airy than say Krispy Kreme.

They are chewy, fresh and extremely savory. It’s hard to eat just one, and the plain glazed are only like .85 cents, so try a few.

There is a passion in the products offered here. The espresso roast coffee is brewed specifically for North Lime by Nathan Polly of Nate’s Coffee. If you elect to dine-in you can enjoy drinking your coffee out of a hefty Kentucky Mud Works cup crafted for North Lime. The coffee is well-balanced and smooth, a fine density to go with these artisan treats.

Don’t miss out on the special flavors of the day, they too are bursting with creativity. Check North Lime’s Facebook page to see what specials are available daily. Some examples are Bourbon Peanut Butter Honey Cake, French Toast filled with Bavarian Cream, a S’mores donut covered in chocolate with mini-marshmallows and graham crackers, Espresso-filled Tiramisu, the North Key Lime and a bourbon-y Old Fashioned.

Get there early, as the specials tend to vanish quickly.

NORTH LIME COFFEE & DONUTS

575 N. Limestone Street | Lexington, KY | 859-554-6026
3101 Clays Mill Road | Lexington, KY | 859-303-6114