About us

Carson’s Food & Drink brings Lexington to life by combining Kentucky Proud products and local craft breweries with new and exciting recipes and a décor that feels like “old Kentucky elegance”.

Kentucky is an amazing place filled with history, thoroughbreds, bourbon, great food and the big blue nation; and Carson’s brings you ALL the Bluegrass has to offer, under one roof.

From the very beginning Carson’s was established on a foundation of Family.
“I wanted the name (of the restaurant) to reflect our dedication to excellence, our kindness to others, and our commitment to you; our guests and our team. I only had to look to my son Carson to know that “Carson’s” was that name.” said Mark Fichtner (Founder/Owner/Carson’s Dad).
The main driver to open Carson’s was a passion of wanting to create an employee-centered work environment (essentially a place that people just loved to work for) and growing our family. It was important that this philosophy flowed into every facet of the restaurant.
Under the concrete foundation of “Carson’s on Main”, I sealed our family’s Bible along with a letter of dedication to the city of Lexington, and to all who enter Carson’s. “My grandfather gave this bible to my father, and my father to me, and I passed it on to my son, Carson and this now rests under the very foundation of who we are.  We had hoped by literally building this business on faith and deeply held family values, we would always be reminded of what is truly important.”
Carson, Mark, & Jayme all work together every day to grow Carson’s and in turn, the Carson’s family.

“Cheers!”

Starting at “Carson’s on Main” as a server and quickly rising up the ranks to General Manger, to now becoming Vice President & a Co-Owner, Zimmerman has overseen the growth of Carson’s from the inside out and continues to be dedicated to his guests and his team. Zimmerman has created a lasting legacy of leadership and pioneered a management style to be proud of. “Being involved in every role in the restaurant, from host stand to the dish tank, is the only way I know how to lead. My team knows that when they get in the weeds, I’ll be there to help dig them out. My team makes me who I am, and I do my best to pay that forward every single day.”

For Zimmerman, hospitality happens in every day moments: like having a conversation with a regular, helping seat guests at the host stand, or being there for his team when they need personal help. “Thats what makes the difference. Our guests can feel when the team is out of sync. And bringing that harmony across all roles in the restaurant is what helps us deliver an unforgettable experience to every guest that walks through our doors”