Sedona Taphouse officially opened its doors in Lexington, Kentucky, on August 27, marking a milestone in the restaurant’s growth with ten locations and four slated to open over the next several months.
“The response in Lexington has been remarkable,” says DJB Hospitality LLC/ Sedona Taphouse Restaurants Founder and CEO, Dennis Barbaro. “A cornerstone to our success is our commitment to giving back to the communities we serve.”
The new Lexington-Palomar store location is owned by local restaurateur Eric Farber.
“I couldn’t be more thankful to serve the great people here in Central Kentucky,” says Farber. “Sedona Taphouse will define itself through an amazing craft beer selection, made-from-scratch food, and community outreach.”
All proceeds from opening night were donated to The Nest, an organization that provides a safe place for education, counseling, and support to children and families in crisis.
The Sedona Taphouse concept features hundreds of craft beers, hand-cut steaks, and seafood in a vibrant and sophisticated environment. Known for its ‘Steak Out for Charity’ program and happy hour specials, the restaurant chain is seen as a local favorite, with four locations in Virginia, three in the New York tri-state region (New Jersey, New York and Connecticut), one in Michigan, one in Tennessee, and now, Kentucky.
“We consider ourselves ‘the chain that isn’t,’” says Barbaro.
The ‘Steak Out for Charity’ program is every Monday at each store location, where dine-in patrons can purchase a Black Angus flat iron steak (or grilled salmon in select locations) at nearly half off or more. $1 is donated to the store’s featured charity that month for every steak or salmon sold.
In addition to giving back to local charities, the restaurant features its ‘Heroes Appreciation’ day or happy hour where active or retired military, police, fire fighters, teachers, 9-1-1 dispatchers, nurses and EMS personnel can receive one free flatbread.
The Sedona Taphouse menu showcases a variety of handheld items, gluten-free dishes, pastas and wood grilled selections. While known for their hundreds of craft beers, the restaurant’s beverage menu includes several handcrafted cocktails and martinis, with a wine list highlighting producers from around the world.
“We go beyond the traditional tap house,” says Barbaro. “Our signature food items and craft beverage selections are guest favorites, and we have introduced several new items on our menu this year for brunch, lunch and dinner.”
Barbaro founded the company in 2011 and is currently accepting single and area development franchise applications in all states.