Buffalo Trace reported on Tuesday that the storied whiskey brand is constructing a new cafe at the distillery’s campus, which features indoor and outdoor dining, a limited cocktail menu, soups, salads and sandwiches for hungry guests visiting the property. The John G. Carlisle Café is a 4,900 square-foot space, and it can seat approximately 70 people. The café will open in the Spring of 2026. Buffalo Trace provided a rendering of the space, and it can be viewed below.
“The John G. Carlisle Cafe is an exciting new addition to the Buffalo Trace Distillery visitor experience, allowing our team to connect with guests in a brand new way,” said General Manager of the Buffalo Trace Distillery Tyler Adams in a statement. “Offering permanent food and beverage options alongside our complimentary tours and tastings is a natural extension to the Distillery’s legacy of hospitality and craftsmanship. The Cafe will bring a welcoming space that celebrates our history and complements the authentic experience we are known for.”
Buffalo Trace shares that John G. Carlisle was a pivotal figure in the passage of 1897’s Bottled-in-Bond Act. The move was one of the early consumer protection laws, and it set up safety and quality standards for whiskey. Carlisle was such a key figure to Buffalo Trace’s story that Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr. ended up naming one of the distilleries at the property in Carlisle’s honor. Though it was subsequently renamed by Albert B. Blanton the Kentucky River Distillery and demolished in 1936, the brand wanted to continue honoring Carlisle’s contributions by naming a café after him.
Buffalo Trace shared in a news release that those looking to dine at the café will have to use the Distillery’s check-in system that is situated in the welcome building by the visitor parking lot.
This marks a much brighter chapter in the story for the Kentucky bourbon brand’s campus, which saw some damage after historic floods plagued the facilities in early April. The distillery had to temporarily close, as Buffalo Trace is one of the closest distilleries to the Kentucky River. 250 pounds of fish were trapped at the distillery in the aftermath, but they were rescued by students at Kentucky State University. The damage appeared to be minimal.
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