Black Squirrel, the newest addition to Central Kentucky’s restaurant scene, opened today in downtown Versailles.
The Kentucky cafe serves breakfast and lunch with an elevated take on Southern comfort food. Menu items include biscuits and gravy, steak and eggs, and a Kentucky hot brown. Lunch sandwiches feature options such as a candied BLT, a chicken salad club, and more.
The concept comes from one of Lexington’s most prominent restaurant teams. Executive chef and owner Cole Arimes, named “Best Chef in Lexington” in 2025, and business partner Richard Turnbull are also behind local favorites Cole’s 735 Main and Epping’s on Eastside. Arimes is also a chef partner at The V at The Vine.
The kitchen is led day-to-day by Chef de Cuisine Olivia Jackson, a Versailles local whose dream job was opening a breakfast and lunch restaurant, according to Arimes. He met Jackson at a West Sixth Brewing event while she was working as a sous chef at The Manchester. She later joined the team at The V at The Vine before being tapped to lead Black Squirrel kitchen.
Located on North Main Street, Black Squirrel sits in the heart of Versailles, surrounded by local businesses.
With four projects under his belt, Arimes said Black Squirrel is his main focus for now, though his creative momentum continues.
Arimes said he remains interested in The Commons, a development site off Leestown Road with multiple projects in the works, and that a future collaboration could be possible. He previously met with the development team, but delayed further talks while focusing on other projects.
