Lemon Tree Cafe
Lemon Tree Cafe provides real world, science-based experiences to students in the Quantity Food Production class, a capstone course for Dietetics and Hospitality Management & Tourism undergraduate students.
Lemon Tree Cafe is more than just a restaurant; it’s a living classroom where students gain invaluable hands-on experience. Throughout the semester, students rotate through various workstations and management positions, immersing themselves in the various roles necessary to operate a successful restaurant. From food preparation to service, our students learn it all, providing a high-quality dining experience for our guests while upholding food safety and quality assurance standards.
Reservations Are Now Open!
Check out our menu and make your reservation to experience our dine-in services!
Dine With Us
Students at Lemon Tree Cafe are team-taught and directed by Chef Rachel Bryant and Dr. David Johnson in the Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition. Ms. Bryant is a professional chef with over 10 years of experience and Dr. Johnson is an Assistant Professor, chef, and Registered Dietitian.
Located on the second floor of Erikson Hall, Lemon Tree Cafe welcomes you to enjoy a delicious lunch on select Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:00 noon. This dining experience is open to faculty, staff, and the public, but reservations are required to secure your spot.
The cost of dining at Lemon Tree Cafe is $18 per person. Payment must be received prior to the service date and tendered after submitting your reservation request. Reservations that remain unpaid for more than 30 minutes may be subject to immediate cancellation.
All purchases are final. There will be no refunds. Should an emergency closure (inclement weather, power outages, etc.) be necessary, we will arrange a make-up date. Those with reservations for the cancelled service will be guaranteed a seat at the make-up date. In some cases, to accommodate more patrons and due to lack of additional space, single person reservations may be seated with other parties where seats are open/available.
We hope you join us at Lemon Tree Cafe for an incredible, student-led dining experience. Enjoy a delicious meal while supporting our amazing students!
NEW FOR FALL 2025!! The 1976 Banquet Room is a private extension of Lemon Tree Cafe, available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00pm to 1:00pm during our regular services throughout the semester. Designed for small group gatherings, meetings, or individual reservations, it offers an elevated fine dining experience in an intimate setting. Guests can enjoy the same fresh, student-prepared meals served in the Cafe while dining in a refined atmosphere that makes any lunch feel special.
Check our FAQ below and contact lemontree@uky.edu with any additional questions.
Make a Donation
Donations are accepted here with gratitude on behalf of Lemon Tree Cafe, via the DHN Student Success Fund.
Support UsFAQs
Please click the reservation button located above, and follow the prompts in order to secure your reservation successfully.
Please click the box above that states “Menu” to be taken to the scheduled menu for each service.
If you have additional questions about ingredients due to dietary restrictions, please reach out to lemontree@uky.edu
Payment will not be accepted at time of service. Please follow the prompts on the reservation form and pay for services at time of reserving.
Please support our students by making a donation to our Student Success Fund. Cash donations are not currently accepted.
Please reference the University of Kentucky's guidelines for Visitor Parking, which can be found here.
The easiest way to ensure that certain guests will sit together is to make the reservation for however many meals are being paid for and to settle payments to each other on your own.
Otherwise, you can email lemontree@uky.edu to list the names of the guests requesting to sit together and we will accommodate that request to the best of our ability.
The 1976 Banquet room is utilized for large parties of 8-12 guests, as well as for overflow from our main dining area, the Heritage Dining Room. Our Heritage dining area seats up to 42 guests, and with the addition of the 1976 Banquet Room, we are now able to accommodate as many as 54 guests per service!
If you would like to book the space for your large group, please reach out to lemontree@uky.edu with your request. Booking the 1976 Banquet Room is dependent upon the availability for each service.
Connect With Us
Lemon Tree Cafe
135 Graham Ave.
204 Erikson Hall
Lexington, KY 40508
lemontree@uky.edu
