LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — After closing at the beginning of the pandemic, Alfalfa in downtown Lexington had a grand reopening Friday under new ownership.
The restaurant has been a staple in the city since it opened in 1973. The new owners plan to keep what it's known for while bringing in a new vision.
New owner Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin said she and her husband, Wali El-Amin, were quick to take over when the restaurant closed at the beginning of pandemic and went up for sale.
She said people who have been there before can expect many of the same menu items, but with a new twist, including more gluten-free options.
They'll also have a small shop, an extension of Bellfield El-Amin’s family business Ballew Estates, which will have local products and restaurant merchandise.
With the reopening, Bellfield El-Amin says there are a few goals in mind. As a Black-owned business, they want to celebrate diversity and representation in downtown. They also want to focus on supporting local.
“We’re buying as local as we can buy,” said Bellfield El-Amin. “Having local cooks who might not have a place to cook, having them be able to schedule and use our kitchen cooperatively. Farmers who are in eastern Kentucky who do not have the time or the means to come all the way to central Kentucky, but there's a place that they can sell and make money. Helping them bridge over here and getting their CSA and getting things sold."
As for opening a small business during a pandemic, Bellfield El-Amin said she's not intimated and she's confident in its success. She wanted to bring back this food option to the community.