Jane Godiner covers food, drink and entertainment for the Free Times and The Post and Courier Columbia. Her food bylines have previously appeared in TASTE and Spoon University. She received a Master's Degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 2024.
This is Full Under Forty, a three-part series where we walk you through the tastiest and most affordable eats in neighborhoods across the Midlands. The day's total must amount to $40, tax and 20 percent tips included, and consist of a sit-down breakfast, lunch and dinner with complementing beverages.
Lexington has no shortage of restaurants, but between upscale destinations and the standard rotation of chains, it can be difficult to find a home-grown business with affordable eats. That's why, in the final installation of Full Under $40, we explored Lexington's most cost-effective -- and delicious -- hidden gems.
The rules for Full Under $40 remain the same: sit-down meals must consist of at least one food item and one beverage, and the tax-and-tip-included total must amount to $40 or under. And the meals should fill you up.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the cheapest and most satisfying meals in Lexington.
Breakfast: Second Wave Coffee and Books
Location: 529 S Lake Dr.
Hours: M - Sat, 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sun, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
What to order: Honduran chocolate brownie, 12-ounce hot tea
Meal cost: $7.69
Nestled in a self-contained house with a front yard and bonfire is Second Wave Coffee and Books, which slings house-made baked goods and caffeinated beverages into the evening. Walking into Second Wave is like walking into a familiar living room. Couches, bookshelves and side tables are swapped for the traditional coffee-shop décor. For a true breakfast of champions, order the Honduran chocolate brownie and dunk it in a cup of Earl Grey tea. Between the rich, gooey chocolate and the gentle flavors of bergamot, there are few better ways to start the morning off right in Lexington.
Lunch: Friends House
Location: 100 Old Cherokee Road
Hours: W - M, 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
What to order: Chicken and broccoli lunch special, lemonade
Meal cost: $13.74
For a filling midday feast, head to Friends House, a Chinese restaurant offering classic takeout staples and seafood boils on Old Cherokee Road. Their lunch special entrées range from $6.15 to $9.35 and come with white rice -- or fried rice for an extra upcharge. The Friends House chicken and broccoli lunch, which can come either steamed or in a sweet and savory brown sauce, boasts tender and expertly velveted chicken and firm pieces of broccoli. Wash the meal down with their sweet lemonade for a well-rounded and satisfying lunch.
Dinner: Clara and Ray's Ristorante Italiano
Location: 5410 Sunset Boulevard Ste. S
Hours: M - Th, 4:30 - 8 p.m.; F - Sat, 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.; Sun., 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.
What to order: Eight-inch Neapolitan pizza, raspberry hand-mixed Italian soda
Meal cost: $18.42
When it comes time for dinner, spring for an experience at Clara and Ray's Ristorante Italiano. The old-world Italian restaurant is known for their house-made tomato sauce, which they ladle generously atop their lineup of pizza and pasta dishes. Their classic Neapolitan personal pie is listed at $9.95, and features the slightly tart and tangy sauce and rich mozzarella cheese. For a sweet complement, order one of the restaurant's hand mixed Italian sodas, which consist of sparkling water and fruity syrup. The raspberry varietal is dessert in a glass.
Grand total: $39.85