LINK Streetscapes: Dixie Highway and Kenton Lands Road

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PHOTOS AND STORY BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

This Streetscapes takes a look at three new businesses in the Florence and Erlanger areas. From a feminine bakery to a folklore favorite brewery, come with us to Dixie Highway.

shakers to create a balanced blend of coffee and milk.

Other than its ready-made treats, they also create custom made cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes and cookies perfect for any celebration.

Tacos Joven

Right next door to Amiel Arte sits Tacos Joven, a casual Mexican eatery. The portions are huge, and the prices small, the best combination guests could ever ask for. Located in the same small strip as Amiel Arte, Tacos Joven has a large sign above its entrance signaling guests of their restaurant. Its parking lot is small and shares with a few other local businesses, but once inside the space feels large as well as a spacious side patio. Nothing pairs better with a margarita than a little sunshine. (Well, maybe its chips and queso, but we’ll let readers be the judge of that.)

Like their neighbor, this is a true hidden gem that never disappoints.

Fabled Brew Works

Off the beaten path of the typical bar scene, yet only a mile off of Dixie Highway, sits Fabled Brew Works. Only weeks after opening, Fabled Brew Works has gotten a lot of notoriety, from locals eager for a new brewery concept and from fiction enthusiasts across the country. Fabled Brew Works steps guests into an alternate universe where good beer and goblins coexist.

Its environment is as unique as its beers and pays a nod to the fantastical worlds already imagined and those yet to be told. What may feel like the inside of a shire to one guest reminds another of his favorite lightning-bolt wizard and his red-headed friend and his famous flying car.

see covered next? Email Maria Hehman at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK Streetscapes.

What to Know If You Go:

For guests looking for feminine décor, a quaint atmosphere and the richest vanilla latte in NKY, Amiel Arte Bakery in Florence has all that, and more. Amiel Arte is easy to miss, but those who visit know that it is more than worth every visit. In a small strip, Amiel is best spotted by their neighbor. From Dixie Highway, the signs on Amiel Arte’s windows aren’t visible, so those who venture are in the right spot when they see Tacos Joven.

Once inside, guests will almost immediately comment on the décor. With a large neon sign that reads “love never fails” backed by pink pampas, pink and gold décor accent the space. The décor alone creates an inviting space to do work or catch up. Add into that the service and delicious treats and drinks, it’s one of the best hidden gems in NKY.

This family-owned and -operated Mexican-style bakery serves authentic Mexican sweets: tres leches cake, conchas (a fluffy sweet bread), and flan along with a drink menu strong enough to stand on its own. Their lattes are made in cocktail

Since Tacos are in the name, it feels wrong to order anything else. However, there are Mexican staple dishes for all palates and bellies. Antojitos, quesadillas, burritos and fajitas are all tempting options for those opting out of tacos.

This may be the best brewery for families to visit, as kids will have just as much fun here as adults. Along the back wall of draft brews is an open tree trunk that matches the logo.

Other than brewing beer, it also serves mead, an alcohol derived from honey. Its beers and meads all have names that pay homage to many famous fantasy characters. With over 25 drinks on tap, there are options for everyone.

For patrons who want to step outside of the adventure-themed tap room, there is also an outdoor patio where guests can bring their furry friends.

Fabled Brew Works often hosts local food trucks in its large parking lot. As this is off the path of any mainstay bar scene, it’s an inviting place that offers a unique experience and warrants spending a couple of hours escaping to an alternate universe.

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Amiel Arte Bakery

Location: 7103 Dixie Highway, Florence

Hours: Monday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Tuesday, closed; Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Phone: 859-534-0540

Tacos Joven

Location: 7101 Dixie Highway, Florence

Hours: Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Phone: 859-534-1666

Fabled Brew Works

Location: 331 Kenton Lands Road, Erlanger

Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday and Wednesday, 4-9 p.m.; Thursday, noon-10 p.m.; Friday, noon-11 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Phone: 859-727-2337