Why The Urban Stillhouse Somerset Is Kentucky’s Newest Bourbon Destination
The Urban Stillhouse Somerset, KY, location is Kentucky’s newest bourbon destination because it pairs a full-service restaurant with a private Commander’s Club dining and bar space and a direct line to the future Horse Soldier Farms and Distillery. Opened in 2024 at 95 S. Main Street in downtown Somerset, the location expands the brand beyond its St. Petersburg flagship into the heart of bourbon country. This guide covers what makes Somerset worth the trip, from membership perks to what’s coming next.
Inside the Commander’s Club at Somerset
The Commander’s Club concept originally started with the desire to give longtime supporters of the brand, friends, and family access to what used to be referred to as the “Team Room” at the St. Petersburg location. The room was once a space where brainstorming about the brand took place and military memorabilia was displayed from the Horse Soldier Team.
Now known as the “Commander’s Club” at all locations, it offers more than just a space for meeting like-minded individuals. Today, the Commander’s Club serves as a home base for members to dine, enjoy a private bar experience, and join other members, family, and friends of the brand for unique events such as chef’s dinners, barrel picks, “Whiskey and War Stories,” holiday get-togethers, and more. Both individual and corporate memberships are available.
Members who join through the Somerset location get first access to barrel picks and farm experiences as the nearby distillery project develops, a perk that will only grow in value as construction moves forward. Corporate members lean on the club for client dinners and meeting space just as often as personal celebrations, and the same American Freedom Distillery roots that built the flagship show up in every detail here.
Reciprocity across both Urban Stillhouse locations means a member who joined in St. Petersburg can walk into the Somerset Commander’s Club and feel at home immediately without paying for a second membership. A few reasons the Club draws repeat visits include:
- Individual and corporate membership tiers with reciprocity between St. Pete and Somerset
- Private barrel picks and personalized service with a private club concierge
- Monthly chef dinners and exclusive events
This is a must-see at The Urban Stillhouse, no matter which location you visit!
How the Somerset Location Connects to the Future Horse Soldier Farms and Distillery
The Urban Stillhouse Somerset sits near the planned site of Horse Soldier Farms and Distillery, a fifty-million-dollar project set to make Somerset the production heartland of Horse Soldier Bourbon. That proximity means the Somerset location, not St. Petersburg, will eventually sit closest to where the bourbon is actually made.
Once the farms and distillery project breaks ground, a day trip through Kentucky bourbon country will start right at the Somerset restaurant, cutting the distance between a meal and a tour to almost nothing.
Commander’s Club members get first access to farm experiences as the distillery comes online, and that turns a Somerset membership into something bigger than a dining perk. It becomes an early stake in the brand’s next chapter. Locals who’ve watched Kentucky bourbon tourism grow for over a decade see the timing as more than a coincidence, since a downtown restaurant with a built-in bourbon story makes a natural first stop before a distillery ever opens its doors.
Word of the American Freedom Distillery Somerset, KY, expansion has already started drawing attention from bourbon fans well beyond Kentucky, and the Horse Soldier Urban Stillhouse name is becoming part of that conversation.
Somerset isn’t playing catch-up to St. Pete. As The Urban Stillhouse by Horse Soldier expands, Somerset is positioning itself to be where bourbon fans start their trip once the distillery opens.
| Feature | St. Petersburg Flagship | Somerset, Kentucky |
| Opened | 2020 | 2024 |
| Size | 16,000 sq ft | Smaller downtown footprint |
| Service | Dinner, Tuesday through Saturday | Lunch, brunch, and dinner |
| Reservations | OpenTable plus walk-ins | OpenTable plus walk-ins |
| Nearby Development | New Urban Stillhouse addition coming next door to St. Pete! | Future Horse Soldier Farms and Distillery |
What Sets Downtown Somerset Apart From the St. Pete Flagship
The Somerset location covers brunch, lunch, and dinner, giving it broader daypart coverage than the St. Pete flagship, which serves dinner only Tuesday through Saturday. Somerset also accepts walk-ins alongside OpenTable reservations, making it easier to get a table without planning days ahead.
Downtown Somerset’s smaller footprint feels more like a neighborhood restaurant than the 16,000-square-foot flagship in the Warehouse Arts District, though both share the same bourbon-forward menu and Horse Soldier Bourbon story at their core. Among restaurants in Somerset, KY, it stands out as one of the few built entirely around a veteran-owned bourbon distillery’s founding story rather than borrowing the theme.
A guest who’s already visited St. Petersburg knows the broad strokes: wood-fired dishes, an extensive bourbon list, and staff who can walk through the Horse Soldier Bourbon story in detail. The Urban Stillhouse Somerset menu delivers all of that, plus a brunch and lunch option that St. Pete simply doesn’t offer, which is part of why locals already count it among the best restaurants in Somerset, KY. That, paired with its locally sourced ingredients and dishes that are also Appalachian-inspired, makes it truly unique.
What Somerset lacks in second-floor spirits library square footage, it makes up for in proximity, since it sits closest to where the bourbon itself will eventually be produced once the farms and distillery project wraps up. Among downtown Somerset, KY, restaurants, it’s already become a reference point for what a bourbon-forward menu should look like.
Choosing between the two locations comes down to timing, since Somerset only gets more relevant to the brand’s story as the distillery comes online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What membership options exist at the Somerset Commander’s Club?
Individual and corporate memberships are both available at the Somerset location, with corporate tiers geared toward businesses that want a private space for client dinners and meetings. Members get access to the Commander’s Club private space, barrel picks, priority seating, and monthly chef dinners and events. Reciprocity between the St. Petersburg and Somerset locations means a membership at either restaurant works at both, which matters for members who travel between Florida and Kentucky.
Does Urban Stillhouse Somerset serve brunch and lunch?
Yes, and that’s one of the bigger differences from the St. Petersburg flagship, which only serves dinner. Somerset covers a broader daypart with brunch, lunch, and dinner service. Guests who want a lighter midday meal or a Sunday brunch will find more flexibility in Somerset than at the flagship location in Florida.
When will the Horse Soldier Farms and Distillery open near Somerset?
An exact opening date hasn’t been set, but the fifty-million-dollar project is planned for the area near the Somerset location and represents a major expansion of Horse Soldier Bourbon production. Commander’s Club members at Somerset are positioned to get first access to barrel picks and farm experiences as the project develops. Anyone planning a Kentucky bourbon tourism trip around the distillery should check directly with the restaurant for updates before booking travel.
Should I visit the Somerset or St. Petersburg location first?
It depends on what a guest wants out of the visit, since the two locations lean into different strengths. St. Petersburg offers a larger building with a second-floor spirits library and a dinner-only schedule, while Somerset offers broader hours, walk-in flexibility, and closer proximity to where Horse Soldier Bourbon will eventually be produced. Bourbon enthusiasts tracking the distillery project may find more long-term value in starting with Somerset.
Do I need a reservation at Urban Stillhouse Somerset?
Both locations now offer experiences without requiring a reservation! Walk-ins are very much welcome. Booking ahead is still the safer move for weekend dinners or larger groups, especially as the restaurant’s profile grows alongside the nearby distillery project. Guests planning a brunch or lunch visit generally have an easier time getting a table without advance notice.