Holly Hill Inn

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Restaurant Rooted in Place and History

Holly Hill Inn occupies a Greek Revival home in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region that has been welcoming guests since the early 1800s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building began as Stevenson's Tavern around 1800, served as Midway's first Post Office in 1832, and took its current architectural form in the 1840s under Hancock W. Davis. It has operated continuously as a restaurant since 1979. Chris and Ouita Michel purchased it in 2000 and opened their fine dining restaurant in 2001, carrying forward what the New York Times called "a gem of a restaurant."

The People Behind the Kitchen

Owner and Chef Ouita Michel is the creative force at Holly Hill Inn, a James Beard Foundation semifinalist recognized multiple times for her work. Her cooking philosophy was shaped early: "As a young chef, I studied French and Italian cuisine, and realized early on that their building blocks were local agricultural artisan products. I saw the connection to our Kentucky farmers and wrote my first business plan based on cooking what Kentucky farmers grow." That commitment has translated into more than $10 million in Kentucky-grown meats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables purchased over two decades.

Day-to-day kitchen leadership belongs to Tyler McNabb, Executive Chef and Culinary Director, who rose through the ranks from dishwasher to line cook to his current role overseeing all of Ouita's restaurants. McNabb works directly with staff farmer David Wagoner to ensure a steady flow of seasonal local produce. Many of the herbs and vegetables on the menu are grown in the Holly Hill Inn gardens, designed by Wagoner and maintained by the DirtWorks gardening team. General Manager Jackie Anthony, who grew up in Midway, rounds out the leadership with a hospitality approach she describes simply: "creating a relaxing and comfortable dining experience for our customers."

The Table and the Cellar

Holly Hill Inn is known for its imaginative prix fixe menus, which draw on the American, French, and Italian culinary traditions Ouita studied while remaining grounded in what Kentucky farmers produce each season. Bourbon is woven into the experience as well — the restaurant maintains a library of 100-plus bottles, and Ouita's background as former chef-in-residence at Woodford Reserve Distillery informs how bourbon appears in signature dishes.

The wine program, curated by Chris Michel, has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2002 — a record that reflects genuine dedication to pairing rather than pageantry. Chris hand-picks wine flights to complement each menu and collaborates with winemakers on select wine dinners. The Holly Hill Wine Guild, founded in 2008, extends that passion into monthly educational tastings that draw guests from across the region.

Why It Draws the Drive

Southern Living Magazine called the experience "exquisite," and the 2025 James Beard Foundation semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Hospitality speaks to something beyond the food itself. This is a place where the American farm-to-table ideal is not a concept but a practice — built over more than two decades, served in a room full of history, and backed by a team that has chosen to stay.