Falling For Frankfort

Come for the bourbon distilleries, and stay for the history, nature, and food in Kentucky’s capital city

- ROBIN ROENKER,CEDRIC ANGELES

BESIDES THE ENTICING aroma of freshly made muffins and croissants, what’s most striking about Andy’s Artisan Bread—a husband-and-wife-run bakery that sits within a block or so of the Kentucky State Capitol—is the eclectic mix of foot traffic coming through the door. Legislators and lobbyists in suits chat with families while a city councilman exchanges first-name pleasantries with constituents, young and old, in line. The staff greets everyone with the same warm welcome, and customers leave smiling, with a half dozen pastries in hand, knowing the goodness they’re about to enjoy.

This is Frankfort in a nutshell. Because of its smallish size, Kentucky’s capital (population 28,000) is a city where neighborliness and politics go hand in hand. It has, at times, been overshadowed by larger nearby destinations like Louisville or Lexington, but thanks to its ideal location as a hub on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, that could be changing.

Over the past two years, a host of downtown businesses that cater to bourbon-minded visitors have opened—including new cocktail bars like House of Commons: A Bourbon Library (with curated shelves that sparkle with high-end and hard-to-find bottles) and Howser Tavern (a speakeasy-themed bar inside the St. Clair hotel, where they have an aged pour on hand to suit any taste).

Recently, there has also been a boom in upscale boutique lodging options. The Delegate Hotel breathes new life into a former warehouse downtown, and The Ashbrook Hotel is a 14-room inn located in the one-time home of E.H. Taylor, who’s called the “father of the modern bourbon industry.”

It’s easier than ever to find a well-crafted place to stay in Frankfort that feels in step with the artisanship evident along the trail itself. Once the leaves start to change and the weather turns cool, it’s the prime time to experience it for yourself.