Edible Asheville 2024 Visitors Companion

Member of Edible Communities

As a writer, I’m a big fan of unique words that describe oddly specific situations.

There’s the word apricity, for example, which describes the warmth of the sun in winter, or petrichor, which is the smell of rain on dry ground. I also like the word sonder, which is the realization that everyone’s life is just as complex as your own, as well as lethologica, which describes those times you’re trying to think of the right word for something but can’t quite put your finger on it.

While the scope of human experience is grand, there’s something very cool about trying to acknowledge and name all of those moments.

Here’s another one: What’s the word for that feeling when you’re on vacation and you realize you’re no longer thinking about all of the things you have to do or figure out back at home? I don’t know about you, but I always experience this untethering from life’s demands when I’m traveling.

Sure, there’s work to finish, home projects to tackle, schedules to plan and appointments to make. But why bother thinking about these things when you’re miles from home and there’s nothing you can do about them? When the chatter of your to-do list quiets down in your mind, you can experience every moment of your trip—the sight-seeing, the adventures, the shopping and dining—with a more vibrant clarity. The experiences are colorful and the memories are made.

That’s one big reason I like traveling.

In this issue of our “Visitors Companion,” we’ve tried to assemble a mix of features and guides to help you make the most of your time in Asheville. Check out sample itineraries scouted by some of the most trusted local experts, as well as directories of independent restaurants and breweries. And if you’re in town looking to plan an event, don’t miss our list of beautiful event spaces in the area.

There’s also a brilliant set of features on our regional cuisine and how it’s both rooted in history and evolving with the influence of talented young chefs, as well as a truly helpful guide on beer styles and how they differ from one another. And if you’re a fan of history, check out our review of Asheville’s architectural gems and how they mirror the city’s fortunes.

While you’re here—whether it’s for a weekend getaway, wedding, business conference or family reunion—I hope you get the chance to experience our amazing city with a vibrant clarity and enjoy both laughter and leisure. You just might be able to experience a feeling of eudaemonia while here.

Tennille Tracy Legler Publisher

JOIN US AT ONE OF WICKED WEED’S THREE UNIQUE RESTAURANTS LOCATED AROUND DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE.

THE BREWPUB

Our flagship Wicked Weed Brewpub is in downtown Asheville. We welcome you to take a tour of the original 15-barrel brewery. Sample one of our 25 unique brews on tap and enjoy our full-service restaurant. Enjoy a seat on our beautiful outside dog-friendly patio overlooking a bustling Biltmore Avenue. Be sure to grab your favorites to take home from our bottle shop.

91 Biltmore Ave • Asheville • wickedweedbrewing.com

THE FUNKATORIUM

The Funkatorium, located in the heart of Asheville’s South Slope Brewing District, features a full restaurant with a creative menu, alongside a 5-barrel R & D Brewhouse. The Funkatorium is the East Coast’s first sour beer-dedicated taproom and features 32 unique draft lines flowing with both sour and clean beer offerings. This location also offers guests a bottle shop and private event space.

147 Coxe Ave • Asheville • wickedweedbrewing.com

CULTURA

Cultura is in Asheville’s South Slope and was a 2020 James Beard

Nominated Best New Restaurant that features New American cuisine with a focus on culture-based foods using old-world techniques, locally sourced ingredients, and culinary traditions. On Friday and Saturday, you can experience our Chef’s tasting menu while you submerge yourself in the living decor of our dining space. On Sundays, we offer our Cease and Desist menu that pays homage to some of our favorite chain restaurants with a pre-fix menu.

147 Coxe Ave • Asheville • culturaavl.com

Contributors

Erin Adams - Photographer

Erin Adams is an Asheville-based food and lifestyle photographer. In addition to Edible Asheville, her work appears in Our State, WNC Magazine, Southern Living Magazine, and Garden & Gun Magazine. She shoots commercially for Biltmore Wines, The Biltmore Estate restaurants and many small businesses in the area.

Brook Bolen - Features Editor

Born and bred in WNC, Brook Bolen is a writer, editor, home cook and ravenous eater. Her work has appeared in Salon, VICE, WNC magazine, and more.

Nate Burrows - Photographer

Nathan is a commercial and editorial photographer with a love of narrative imagery. He is currently living with his partner and child in Asheville, but enjoys traveling anywhere the job takes him. He is passionate about humanizing his subjects through authentic, engaging and dramatic photography.

Nan Chase- Contributor

Nan K. Chase is the author of Lost Restaurants of Asheville and Asheville: A History, as well as books about the edible, drinkable landscape. She has produced her own crabapple cider, pumpkin wine and yucca fries.

Anne Fitten Glenn - Contributor

Anne Fitten Glenn has been writing about Western North Carolina’s people, beverages, foods, history and traditions for a variety of publications since she moved to Asheville in 1997. She has penned two regional history books, Asheville Beer and Western North Carolina Beer

Andy Lukacs-Ormond - Photographer

Andy is an Asheville-based photographer focusing on travel, lifestyle, and portraiture. He picked up his first camera before he was a teenager and never really put it down. He prefers a documentary-style approach to his work, always keeping an eye out for fleeting moments and perfect light.

Madeleine O’Toole - Contributor

Madeleine is a local food and farm enthusiast based in Asheville. When she’s not exploring new restaurants, farmers markets, festivals or coffee shops, she can be found hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains with her beagle Bennie. She’s currently the market manager of Asheville City Market and Event Coordinator for ASAP.

Peter Ripmaster - Contributor

Peter is an elite athlete who has run marathons in all 50 states and was the 2018 champion of the Iditarod Trail Invitational 1000, a 1000-mile foot race through the Alaskan wilderness. He is now a public speaker and attempting to be the first person to run 100-mile endurance runs in all 50 states to raise money for the Owl Research Institute.

Tarah Singh - Contributor

Tarah Singh is a Guyanese-American artist who grew up in Western North Carolina and has a unique connection to Asheville. Working in a variety of mediums, from paintings to sculptures, Tarah has had her work shown in galleries and exhibitions in New York, North Carolina, Florida and Italy.

Chris Smith - Contributor

Chris Smith is executive director of the Utopian Seed Project, a crop-trialing nonprofit, and co-host of “The Okra Pod Cast.” His book, The Whole Okra, won a James Beard Foundation Award in 2020. He’s received the Organic Educator Award from the Organic Growers School and was named a Champion of Conservation by Garden & Gun.

Gina Smith - Features Editor

Gina Smith lives in Asheville and has been writing about food and agriculture for local, regional and national publications for more than a decade. When she’s not writing, editing or gardening, she coordinates the Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council.

Kay West - Contributor

Kay West covered food and restaurants for over 30 years in Nashville and since 2019 in Asheville. She has written five books, including Around the Opry Table: A Feast of Recipes and Stories from the Grand Ole Opry.

Nationally Recognized Excellence with an Asheville Vibe

Hidden Gems in Asheville

The Locals’ Guide to the 828

In a city with so many iconic attractions, it can be tricky to find the less-trafficked, more-authentic things to do—you know, the things the locals do.

So, thanks to the help of several highly qualified Asheville residents, here’s a list of unique and authentic activities that are sure to keep you busy and well fed during your stay.

Vietnamese Pho & Bánh Mi

Suggested by Erin McGrady and Caroline Perdue, founders of the blog and Instagram page Authentic Asheville

If you ask Erin McGrady and Caroline Perdue of the blog Authentic Asheville where to eat in Asheville, they’ll readily suggest Wild Ginger Noodle Bar. Located in a shopping plaza on Hendersonville Road, off the beaten path for tourists, Wild Ginger offers pho and bánh mi sandwiches, among other options, that get rave reviews. “Their food, as advertised on their website, is truly made with love,” McGrady says.

McGrady and Perdue utilize their blog and Instagram page to share some of the best hidden gems in the Asheville area, specifically highlighting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ owned restaurants, and Wild Ginger is one of their favorites—not only because of the food “but

because of the incredibly humble and hardworking owner, Aileen Tan, and her staff, who go to great lengths to make you feel welcome in their space,” Perdue says.

They recommend starting off with an order of veggie spring rolls, which are served with peanut sauce, and then follow that up with a bánh mi served with a side of prawn crackers and a bowl of Phở Tai, which is their medium-rare eye round steak soup with fresh basil, bean sprouts, cilantro, white/green onions and jalapeños.

Behind-the-Scenes Tours

Suggested by Cathy Cleary, outreach coordinator for Bountiful Cities Cathy Cleary, a local food justice and agriculture advocate, suggests a pair of tours that offer a fascinating look at the history of Asheville’s Black community and the thriving scene for street art.

The first tour she suggests is the Hood Huggers tour, which offers a review of East End Valley Street in downtown Asheville, home to shops and galleries featuring merchandise and art from Black artisans and artists, YMI Cultural Center, Stephens-Lee Community Center, The Block, and significant architecture. “It’s a side of Asheville that tourists don’t get to see and it’s important history for people to know and acknowledge,” Cleary says.

The second tour, the Mountain Mural Tour, gives guests a look at the more popular samples of urban street art.

Pictured left to right: A drink from The Golden Pineapple in West Asheville; the interior of Cultura restaurant; and a dish prepared by chef Silver Iocovozzi of Neng Jr.’s.

Photos by Erin Adams.

Farmers Markets, Hikes & Drinks

Suggested by J Chong, chef and owner of J Chong Eats

Chef J Chong sells delicious Cantonese food such as dumplings, wontons and sauces at local farmers markets around Asheville. You may also have seen her on the HBO Max Show “The Big Brunch.”

Out of all of her favorite local things to do, a visit to a farmers market ranks at the top. “You get such an authentic feel of Asheville when visiting a market,” she says.

After stopping by the farmers market, visitors should grab breakfast at Five Points Restaurant, J says, located on the outskirts of the Montford neighborhood. “You really get to see all of the demographics and communities present in this old-school diner.”

If looking for ways to spend the rest of your day, J recommends a hike, with a personal favorite being Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Then reward yourself with a refreshing boba from Pop Bubble Tea. For an elevated experience in the evening, J says you should look no further than West Asheville’s Golden Pineapple. “The drinks are fantastic and the bartenders are extremely attentive and kind,” she says.

Unique Dining Experience

Suggested by Luis Martinez, chef, designer and founder of Tequio Foods

According to chef Luis Martinez, the downtown restaurant Cultura

provides a one-of-a-kind dining experience that attracts both tourists and locals. Open Thursday through Sunday, Cultura offers innovative dishes, showcasing the most locally sourced and freshest ingredients possible, Martinez says. “It’s a place where visitors can not only savor delicious and innovative dishes but also immerse themselves in the rich cultural and culinary tapestry that defines the vibrant community of Asheville,” Martinez says.

Day Trip & Evening in West Asheville

Suggested by Annelise Kopp, known locally as DJ Lil Meow Meow

If looking for a day trip, she suggests making the 45-minute drive over to Sylva, NC, where you can grab lunch at El Mercadito, which serves amazing tacos, and then hike the 4.8-mile out-and-back Blackrock Mountain Trail. After that, get dinner at Dalaya Thai and grab a nightcap at Dark Moon (a cozy wine bar in the back of White Moon Café.)

If looking for an evening adventure within Asheville, Kopp suggests making a reservation at Neng Jr.’s in West Asheville (or try your luck getting on the waitlist) and then grabbing an after-dinner martini at The Low Down next door. Make your way up to The Odd restaurant and bar for a Party Foul drag show as the combination for the perfect night out.

A Uniquely Asheville Afternoon

Plan a trip to Historic Grovewood Village for an entertaining glimpse into Asheville’s past, as well as the art and culinary specialties that reflect the city’s modern-day appeal.

Historic Grovewood Village (111 Grovewood Road, Asheville) is a collection of one-of-a-kind museums, working artist studios and an art gallery often referred to as a “hidden gem”—as well as a celebrated local restaurant.

Built in the early 20th century, and encompassing six English-style cottages, the Village once housed the weaving and woodworking operations of Biltmore Industries, which was started with the help of Edith Vanderbilt and for a time was one of the largest handweaving operations in the world.

Today it attracts a steady stream of both tourists and local residents. Check out the itinerary below to help you experience everything this magical destination has to offer.

11:00am – Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum

Duck back in time to the era of wooden steering wheels and polished brass headlamps with a visit to the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum.

Open April through December, the museum holds nearly 20 antique and vintage automobiles, including a 1914 Ford Model T Touring Car, a 1922 red American LaFrance Fire Truck (used by the City of Asheville) and a rare 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum was once home to the weaving shop of Biltmore Industries, where 40+ looms would have been in constant operation. Check out the hanging chandeliers, which were originally installed in nearby “Overlook” castle, and look for thoughtful quotes on the ceiling beams intended to serve as inspiration for the workers.

Admission is free, but a $5 donation is welcomed.

11:30am – Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum

Launched in the early 20th century as an education program to teach local men and women how to weave, Biltmore Industries grew to become one of the most respected global producers of handwoven wool cloth. At its height, Biltmore Industries produced 950 yards of fabric per day, employed up to 100 workers and boasted a very well-heeled roster of customers including Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Helen Keller and Eleanor Roosevelt.

At its beginning, Edith Vanderbilt oversaw the operations, interested in building a community of skilled workers in Asheville. But in 1917, a

Pictured left to right: The Homespun Museum; ELDR restaurant; and the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum. Photos courtesy of Historic Grovewood Village.

Built in the early 20th century, and encompassing six English-style cottages, the Village once housed the weaving and woodworking operations of Biltmore Industries, which was started with the help of Edith Vanderbilt and for a time was one of the largest handweaving operations in the world.

few years after her husband died, she sold Biltmore Industries to Fred Seely, the architect and manager of the Grove Park Inn, and the operation moved to the current site of the Grovewood Village.

Also open April through December, the Homespun Museum offers a charming glimpse into Biltmore Industries at its heyday, showcasing an antique four-harness loom, as well as a collection of letters, photos and other artifacts from its past.

Noon – Grovewood Gallery

This expansive two-story gallery is often referred to as a “hidden gem,” but the secret is definitely out because it’s a bustling destination for both locals and tourists looking for unique gifts and treasures.

You’ll find plenty of hand-crafted pieces for the home, including delicately carved wood furniture, original paintings and sculptures and fanciful home decor. There’s also a wide selection of stunning dinnerware, serving bowls and platters, hand-thrown ceramic mugs and beautiful wooden cutting boards. And don’t forget the jewelry and clothing, often including handmade throws and wraps.

Grovewood Gallery features the work of hundreds of artists and is nationally recognized for its dedication to American arts and crafts. Check out its website for a rotating list of exhibits and live demonstrations.

If you happen to be visiting during the weekends of May 18–19 or September 14–15, check out the Open Studio Art Tours, where the Village’s resident artists open their studios for tours. There’s complimentary wine on those weekends, as well as 10% discounts on merchandise.

1:00pm – Lunch or Brunch at ELDR

The celebrated local restaurant ELDR, located in one of the English-style cottages built for Biltmore Industries, offers lunch, brunch and dinner. The restaurant opened its doors in 2022, after a renovation that lightened and brightened the space, by local restaurateur Carson Lucci and chef Eric Burleson—the team behind a popular breakfast destination, Over Easy Café, that closed in 2020—as well as partners Heather and Jim Cassidy.

ELDR means “fire” in Old Norse—a word Lucci and Burleson learned while traveling through Scandinavia—and the restaurant offers New American cuisine with seasonal, local ingredients. The lunch menu includes sandwiches, burgers, salads and plenty of artisan pizzas, while the brunch is a stellar sampling of hearty breakfast fare. Dinner gets dressed up with elegant pastas and stunning steak and fish dishes.

PRIVATE TOURS

Grovewood Village Private Tours

grovewood.com/asheville-history-tours

Private tours are ideal for groups of 10 or more and include an overview of Biltmore Industries and its weaving operations. The tour begins at the Homespun Museum, where guests will watch a 12-minute video, and then concludes at the historic “Dye House,” normally closed to the public, which houses the original looms, mule spinner and dye vats used to make the homespun wool. Tours last about 1 hour and cost $200 for up to 30 people.

Mountaineer Motor Tours

mountaineermotortours.com

Mountaineer Motor Tours is run by a docent at Estes-Winn Vintage Car Museum and offers private tours from the cool comfort of a 1923 Ford Model T! Learn about the history of Grovewood Village, as well as the broader Grove Park neighborhood and downtown Asheville—with a particular focus on the city’s boom era in the 1920s, as well as its automotive and architectural history.

Lodging

8 farm cottages on a beautiful mountain farm complete with expansive views & the morning crow of the rooster.

The Horseshoe Farm is an 85-acre boutique resort nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you are here for the day or the week, we are your home away from home.

The Stable Spa

Surrounded by sweeping pastures and distant mountains, we use the energy of the land in our holistic massage and body treatments to heal your mind, body, and spirit.

The Silo Cookhouse

A culinary farm-to-table dinner party experience in our eclectic dining room, overlooking the sunsets of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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828.393.3034

thehorseshoefarm.com

2024 Event Venue Directory

From small gatherings to large galas, these event spaces in Asheville and surrounding areas will provide the perfect backdrop for your celebration.

12 BONES BREWING TAPROOM

2350 Hendersonville Rd, Arden

The iconic 12 Bones BBQ opened up its taproom and event space in 2019, providing a cool backdrop for a variety of gatherings and showcasing two of Asheville’s favorite things: BBQ and beer. The large Taproom space can accommodate 75 for seated events—with a 15-barrel brewhouse on display—while a dedicated flex space can be closed off for private events and hosts up to 45. The property also has outdoor seating and allows live music. The full 12 Bones menu is available to guests, including pulled pork and chicken, racks of ribs and homemade sides like corn pudding and jalapeño cheese grits—and a catering manager can help customize the menu. Rental rates start at $200 per hour for a minimum of three hours.

THE ARGOT ROOM AT JARGON

717 Haywood Rd, West Asheville

The Argot Room is an intimate and funky chic space opened by West Asheville’s beloved Jargon restaurant, which is known for its dynamic New American cuisine showcasing seasonal and local ingredients. The space can host 45 guests, making it ideal for small receptions, rehearsal dinners and birthday parties, and is instantly welcoming with cool decor and even small sitting areas. Event menus will closely replicate the restaurant’s offerings, which change with the seasons, and guests can work with The Argot Room’s dedicated event coordinator to plan the details. The rental rate is $500, and catered dinners range from $40 to $75 per person with beverages charged separately.

for Asheville’s signature food festival, Chow Chow, and hosts several other events throughout the year, from birthday parties to wedding receptions. They offer a BBQ package for just $75 per person, as well as a customized four-course dinner for $100 and, of course, local beers, wine and liquor. Prices vary depending on the date, but typically range from $2,500 to $8,500.

CULTURA

147 Coxe Ave, South Slope Asheville

Cultura is a James Beard Award–nominated restaurant in trendy South Slope—with a stunning interior of warm lighting, rich woods, live plants and local artwork—and is available for private events all week. The space can accommodate 65 people for a seated meal, making it a great option for rehearsal dinners, birthday parties and corporate events. The food is a highlight as Cultura offers a rotating menu of unique dishes featuring local and seasonal ingredients; since Cultura is owned by Wicked Weed Brewing, the beverage offerings include a lot of great craft beers, cocktails, as well as the company’s line of Vidl Wines. Rental fees start at $1,500, with a food and beverage minimum starting at $5,000.

THE BARREL HOUSE AT WICKED WEED

147 Coxe Ave, South Slope Asheville

Offering one of the largest event spaces in downtown Asheville— accommodating up to 125 for seated dinners and up to 250 for cocktail receptions—The Barrel House was once the barrel aging room for the popular Wicked Weed Brewing and still holds its R&D and pilot brewing system. The Barrel Room is often a venue

THE DAPHNE ROOM BY TWISTED LAUREL

130 College St, Downtown Asheville

Located above the Twisted Laurel’s downtown restaurant, The Daphne Room has the charming appeal of an industrial chic loft, with large windows overlooking Pack Square Park, and warm woods and exposed brick throughout the interior. The in-house catering team offers customizable menus such as sandwich platters for business meetings, as well as charcuterie boards, pasta bars, and carving stations for more formal gatherings, although guests are also welcome to use third-party food vendors. An expansive list of wine, beer, and spirits is available. The Daphne Room is within walking distance of several downtown hotels, and there’s plenty of street parking and garages in the vicinity. Rates vary depending on day and season but typically range between $2,500 to $10,000.

THE HIDEAWAY BY CELINE & CO. CATERING

49 Broadway St, Downtown Asheville

Located in the heart of downtown, The Hideaway is a large open space in a historic building with lots of natural light, vintage tin ceilings and hardwood floors. The space can host up to 250 people and can also be adjusted for smaller events. Guests can customize the room to their preference, making it a chic canvas for almost any type of dynamic gathering. On-site catering by Celine & Co. provides a wide range of options, including hors d’oeuvres, buffets and plated courses, and guests are invited to check the website for sample menus. Live music is welcomed. Rental rates range from $800 to $3,500 for a five-hour event, depending on time of year and day of the week.

THE HORSE SHOE FARM

155 Horse Shoe Farm Dr, Hendersonville

This 85-acre farm resort, located 30 minutes from downtown Asheville, is a one-of-a-kind gem with four different venues on the property—from the 6,000-square-foot Sunset Barn to the 500-square-foot Sanctuary—and countless outdoor options. It’s a go-to destination for large events incorporating up to 200 guests, including weddings, trade shows, corporate events and wellness retreats, as well as more intimate gatherings for family and friends. Either way, the backdrop is a stunning collection of grassy hills dotted with gardens and cottages, all within view of the French Broad River. The on-site Silo Cookhouse offers an impressive catering menu, with everything from casual breakfasts to fine-dining dinners. Rental rates start at $300 per day, with separate rates for catering and bar services.

PACK’S TAVERN SPECIAL EVENTS

20 S Spruce St, Downtown Asheville

Located in the historic Hayes & Hopson building on Pack Square Park (with a fascinating background as an illegal distribution point for booze during Prohibition), Pack’s Tavern offers three unique spaces for special events—including its outdoor Parkside Patio, which can accommodate up to 50 people, and its popular

Century Room, often used for wedding receptions, corporate parties and large family reunions. The event packages are allinclusive, with an easily tailored food menu including heavy hors d’oeuvres, buffet, family-style or plated dinners, and a full bar with cocktails, wine and local craft beers. There’s ample parking with on-street, surface lot and nearby public garages. Rates vary depending on season and event type; contact for details.

RABBIT HOLE AT SUNNY POINT CAFÉ

9 State St, West Asheville

Rabbit Hole is a charming and cheerful space, accommodating 50 for standing events and 35 for sit-down gatherings, and is set among a garden oasis in West Asheville. It’s the newest venture of the team behind the ever-popular Sunny Point Café. The space is a lovely, high-ceiling, covered deck with open sides overlooking the café’s garden, (an absolute gem in warm-weather months), and it can be fully enclosed and warmed with heaters during cooler months. The menu includes a swoon-worthy assortment of breakfast and brunch delights, both savory and sweet, as well as lunch and dinner options. Rates vary depending on the day; Friday-Sunday events are $150 per hour with a minimum of three hours.

THE SOCIAL ROOM AT CLAYWOOD

317 7th Ave East, Downtown Hendersonville

This restaurant focusing on whiskey and wine in downtown Hendersonville offers a beautiful space for 50 people—ideal for corporate meetings and special events with a vibe often described as “industrial chic”—and its broad menu of artisan charcuterie boards presents ideal food options for casual noshing. Check out the popular “Hunter Board,” which includes fresh duck breast, two types of sausages (lamb merguez and wild boar), along with select cheeses and savory muffins. An impressive whiskey menu features 120 hand-selected bottles, and its wine offerings include mostly Old World wines. Live music is allowed and an outdoor space could be available in 2024, so make sure to inquire about options. A $2,500 food and beverage minimum is required.

On This Land

A Primer on the People and Places of Asheville

WRITTEN BY CHRIS SMITH

Here’s a bit of background about the city you’re visiting, the people who first inhabited it and how it came to be the tourist destination it is today.

Originally called “Morristown,” the city of Asheville was renamed in 1797 after North Carollina Governor Samuel Ashe.

Asheville is part of Buncombe County, formed in 1792, which is one of 23 counties that get grouped together as Western North Carolina.

The land that Asheville is built upon is the ancestral land of the Anikituwagi, also known as the Cherokee. The Cherokee are the Native people, who know this land as Togiyasdi, “where they race.” Beyond the geopolitical borders, Asheville and its people (Native and non-Native alike) reside within the French Broad River watershed (aka Tahkeeostee, “racing waters”). The French Broad is considered one of the oldest rivers in the world and meanders through the ancient Appalachian Mountains, which have risen and fallen like waves over a geological time frame.

The long north-south spine of the Appalachians connects from northern Georgia to the lowlands of New England. Asheville, nestled in Southern Appalachia, could also be described as part of the Katuah bioregion—Katuah being the homeplace of the Cherokee, and a place of amazing biodiversity.

The elevation changes, deep gorges and wooded mountains give rise to more species of plants in the mountains of North Carolina than any other region of similar size in North America. This diversity boasts over 4,000 species of plants, 2,000 species of fungi and 500 species of mosses and lichens. These mountains are home to more salamander species

than anywhere else in the world, including a species of giant salamander called the hellbender, which can grow up to 29 inches long! The Great Smoky Mountains have more tree species than the whole of Europe, and there is more old-growth forest in the mountains of North Carolina than in any other Southern Appalachian state.

Climate change and habitat loss are an imminent and ongoing threat to this biodiversity. Enormous changes are required in the way we do things, and for lasting impact we also need to change the way we think about things and perhaps talk about things. There is power in words.

In her bestselling book Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer describes the belief system of the Potawatomi Nation, of which she is a member. She writes, “In Potawatomi 101, rocks are animate, as are mountains and water and fire and places. Beings that are imbued with spirit, our sacred medicines, our songs, drums, and even stories, are all animate. The list of the inanimate seems to be smaller, filled with objects that are made by people. Of an inanimate being, like a table, we say, ‘What is it?’ And we answer Dopwen yewe. Table it is. But of apple, we must say, ‘Who is that being?’ And reply Mshimin yawe. Apple that being is.”

In English (and European languages in general) you are either a person or an “it.” This instant othering separates people from nature and perhaps gives license to treat nature differently than you would a friend. As you visit Western North Carolina and enjoy the beauty and the people (human and non-human alike), I challenge you to greet the mountains and the rivers not as a “something,” but as a “someone.” A someone to be respected and loved and treated with the dignity their age and stature demands.

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PARK IN THE HEART OF

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Village

Experience The Cantina’s Fresh Mex & Tequila Bar in the heart of Biltmore Village. Steps from the gates of the Biltmore Estate, enjoy Mexican favorites with a local twist. From burritos to quesadillas, to our signature Avocado Margaritas, our menu items are made fresh daily with locally sourced ingredients. Whether you are enjoying a pitcher of Margarita’s on our outdoor patio or a football game at the bar, The Cantina is a favorite for locals & visitors alike.

Appalachia Rising

Asheville restaurants, chefs, makers and farmers preserve, honor and advance the legacy of Appalachian foodways

WRITTEN BY KAY WEST

First things first. It’s apple-AT-cha. Not appa-LAY-shuh. Say it the second way to people who can trace their roots back multiple generations across the hundreds of counties in 14 states that comprise Appalachia (as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission) and you’re liable to get a rebuke—or a “bless your heart,” which is nearly the same thing.

Defining a cuisine in an area that spans 206,000 square miles from southern New York to northern Mississippi is a quixotic task. This swath of the country has long been challenged economically, but it is rich in natural resources and resourcefulness. One commonality is a deeply embedded devotion to the land and waterways and the ingenuity to wrest the most from it.

In south central Appalachia, Western North Carolina encompasses 29 counties and the Qualla Boundary owned by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. To be sure, the region’s earliest culinary heritage comes from the Cherokee, whose practices and skills at coaxing food from the lush forests, rivers and limited farmable acreage were emulated by white settlers who began arriving in the mid-18th century in what is now Asheville and the broader region of Western North Carolina.

These culinary practices and customs were absorbed and assimilated into what became known in the 19th and 20th centuries as “mountain food” or “poor people food,” or most derisively—reflecting longheld prejudices about Appalachia—“hillbilly food.”

At the same time, Black communities developed their own culinary customs, birthed by slaves in the South, applying cooking techniques from Africa with what they could grow for themselves on plantation land, and using wild meats such as squirrel and rabbit and throwaway cuts from domestic livestock the plantation owners did not eat.

Today, the influences of these traditions are being woven into a culinary landscape that is both rooted in history and being reshaped

by talented chefs who seek to celebrate, elevate and redefine the food of Southern Appalachia. And as Asheville continues to grow, its dining scene becomes even more diverse. In 2022, two of the national James Beard Awards went to Asheville restaurants that reflect the city’s now global influences: Chai Pani (Indian street food) was named Outstanding Restaurant and Cúrate (Spanish tapas) was recognized for Outstanding Hospitality.

Genesis

One of the best-known agricultural practices among the Cherokee is known as “three sisters,” a term that refers to three crucial crops— corn, beans and squash—as well as a symbiotic planting method.

“You start your corn first and let it get a certain size, then plant pole beans to climb the cornstalks and plant squash under that to keep the weeds down,” explains Nancy Long, who owns Long Family Farms & Gallery in Murphy, NC, alongside her husband, Harold. Harold is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee and one of 10 children. “If they didn’t farm it, forage it, fish it or hunt it, they didn’t have it,” says Nancy. “That’s how he grew up.”

The property Nancy and Harold purchased in 2015 in Cherokee County is 32 acres of deeded land and eight acres of tribal land. Committed to honoring Cherokee and Appalachian history, they farm the land with heirloom varieties and organic practices and assemble garden kits for distribution to Eastern Band families.

“Each Cherokee Tribal Garden Kit has 10–15 varieties of seeds. Some are things known to be Cherokee, like candy roaster squash and tan pumpkins, and others are regular things like cucumbers and tomatoes,” she says. “We provide 900 kits to encourage members to plant gardens, grow and be self-sufficient.”

At left: The Baked North Carolina Oysters Benton are a favorite at Rhubarb restaurant, which describes its menu as contemporary Appalachian cuisine. Courtesy of Food Photography Corner.

The influences of many traditions are being woven into a culinary landscape that is both rooted in history and being reshaped by talented chefs who seek to celebrate, elevate and redefine the food of Southern Appalachia.

Changing the Conversation

For well over a century, the people and foods of Appalachia have been depicted in problematic ways, from 19th century literature to popular culture. Movies, TV shows and books have often portrayed the region’s people as simple or unsophisticated—much like the Clampetts from the TV sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies,” which aired for nearly a decade in the 1960s and 1970s—while the food was similarly derided.

Interestingly, a shift has occurred over the last several years and Appalachian cuisine is now being celebrated, even copied, around the country.

“The foods associated with Appalachia that were once considered coarse, unsophisticated and unacceptable are now trendy, foodie food—and isn’t that weird?” says Erica Abrams Locklear, author of the 2023 book Appalachia on the Table and a professor of English at University of North Carolina, Asheville. “The evolution from ridiculed ‘poor people food’ to acclaimed chefs and restaurants is head spinning.”

One of the first local chefs to give simple food a spin in an upscale setting was John Fleer, owner of the popular Rhubarb restaurant in downtown Asheville and a five-time James Beard Award finalist. Fleer developed an early commitment to local foods and cuisines, elevated to fine dining, while a chef at the very tony resort Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.

“I wanted to anchor myself in East Tennessee and source regional and local products,” Fleer says. “I called it foothills cuisine so it could also apply to other foothills regions around the world.”

Some of Fleer’s Tennessee neighbors included Muddy Pond Sorghum, Cruze Farm Dairy and Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham, the latter of which had been operating in relative obscurity since 1947 until Blackberry Farm began spreading the gospel of Allan Benton’s hams to national fame.

When Fleer opened Rhubarb in 2013, he honed in on his mission to spotlight local, small farmers and producers who tell the stories of this region of Appalachia. Benton’s country ham retains a place on the Rhubarb menu, joined by Gaining Ground Farm in Leicester, Sunburst Trout in Waynesville, McConnell Farms in Hendersonville, rabbit from Sospiro Ranch in Brevard and Vandele Farms pork from Lake Lure.

“So much of what we do is seasonal,” Fleer says, “and we know the rhythm of our producers so well we can have a more freestyle approach to cooking and riff on the rhythm of the products.”

Pictured left to right: Seeds from the Long Family Farm & Gallery (courtesy of the Long family); chef John Fleer, owner of Rhubarb restaurant (by Johnny Autry); dishes from Benne on Eagle (courtesy of the Foundry Hotel); chef Katie Button, co-owner of Cúrate restaurant.

The Story of Place

Fleer’s drive to tell a story of place with purpose brought him to the attention of the developers of The Foundry Hotel, which renovated and reimagined a former steel manufacturing building that sat in a downtown Asheville neighborhood known as The Block. The once-thriving center of Black commerce and business had been decimated by urban renewal razing starting in the mid-1960s.

“Our original mission for the property was to create connection with the community that had been here,” says General Manager Larry Crosby. “When it came to planning the restaurant, we felt John [Fleer] shared a vision connecting the regional Appalachian products with the heritage and people of The Block.”

Fleer partnered with The Foundry to create the culinary profile and design the space for Benne on Eagle, a name that recognizes connection to the benne seed (an heirloom

sesame seed) coming on the slave ships through the Middle Passage to Virginia and Charleston, SC. It also signifies the prospect of sowing new seeds with historical heft on The Block.

Fleer enlisted Asheville native and chef Hanan Shabazz, who once owned Shabazz Restaurant on Eagle Street, to help guide the kitchen in honoring The Block’s soul food traditions. He also hired rising young Black chef Ashleigh Shanti as Benne’s first chef de cuisine. The Virginia native’s study of The Block, Southern soul food, African diasporic influences and local ingredients led to what was dubbed a Black Appalachian or Afralachian culinary profile, and national acclaim for her and Benne.

Shanti left the restaurant in 2019 (as did Fleer in 2022), but Crosby says Benne remains committed to its guiding principles and has since recruited other chefs who shape the menu with their own stories and influences—all while honoring Benne’s place in the ongoing story of The Block.

“We look at it as holding the torch,” Crosby says. “If Benne can help draw people to this neighborhood, to come to know The Block, we are honored to do that.”

Lost and Found

Although firmly rooted in the legacy of the region’s foodways, the definition of what constitutes “Southern” or “Appalachian” food is constantly shifting, shaped by countless farmers, chefs and bakers who are remaking the flavors with the infusion of their own backgrounds and tastes. In 2019, a handful of Asheville chefs—including Fleer, Chai Pani owner Meherwan Irani, Cúrate owner Katie Button and Posana owner Peter Pollay—and other tourism and business leaders decided the time was right for a uniquely Asheville food and wine festival. That fall, Chow Chow: An Asheville Culinary Event made its debut, showcasing restaurants, chefs, breweries, distilleries and wineries, and also farmers, makers, craftspeople, history and culture.

The pandemic necessitated multiple pivots and inspired conversations about ways to incorporate more meaning, inclusion and accessibility. In September 2023, the renamed Chow Chow Food + Culture Festival celebrated the diversity of Asheville’s award-winning food scene, dug deep into the roots of local traditions with workshops on foraging wild foods and events such as “the sanctity of the Southernish Fish Fry,'' while also examining contemporary topics like regenerative farming, vegan cheese and the cuisine of food trucks.

“There is a deeper hunger for meaning and connection across our food systems for everyone involved, from producers to consumers and everything in between,” says Melissa Scheiderer, Chow Chow’s executive director. “Beyond having a good time, we want to tell the stories, the meaning and the place of past, present and future Appalachia.”

The Art of Sue Dolamore

Pictured clockwise, starting top left: chef Meherwan Irani, owner of Chai Pani restaurants (by Tim Robison), the dishes of Benne on Eagle (courtesy of the Foundry Hotel).

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2024 Tour Directory

Experience the best of Asheville with award-winning tours that make the most of your time and offer informative and entertaining looks at our beautiful mountain town.

ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS

Ashevillefoodtours.com

As the longest-running food tour in the city, Asheville Food Tours continues to be a top attraction for both visitors and locals and offers three unique culinary adventures. Each tour includes a stop at five to six eateries, incorporating enough food for a full meal, as well as fascinating tidbits about Asheville’s history. Led by Stu Helm, a well-known local food blogger and podcaster, as well as restaurant and tour guide veteran Paddy Riels, the tours are offered year-round, seven days a week, and often book up fast. Check out the popular “Downtown Brunch Tour,” offered on Saturdays, and the “Food Fan Tour” to get the inside scoop on some of the best places to nosh in town.

BREW-ED BREWERY TOURS

Brew-ed.com

The three-hour walking tour from BREW-ed Brewery Tours has been recognized by both National Geographic Traveler and Tripadvisor for its behind-the-scenes look at Asheville’s craft breweries. The tour includes stops at three breweries and incorporates tastings at each location, covering a wide range of styles and flavors, as well as exclusive access to the production areas. In between, guests will learn about the history of Asheville’s craft beer scene and how beer is made. Owner and guide Cliff Mori was Western North Carolina’s first Certified Cicerone, the beer world’s equivalent of wine sommeliers, and all guides are similarly certified through the Cicerone program. In addition to the walking tour, BREW-ed also offers private tours that can be customized.

EDIBLE ASHEVILLE FARM TOURS

Edibleasheville.com/tours

Our farm tours offer a one-of-a-kind look at Western North Carolina’s stunning mountain farms. From dairy farms that produce award-winning cheese to herb farms that create spices and seasonings, these growers produce much of the food that appears on the menus of Asheville’s restaurants. Known for being both informative and entertaining, our tours include luxury transportation via Van in Black and feature a lunch of locally grown foods; they last about five hours. Check our website for the 2024 tour schedule, and contact us directly for customized tour options for corporate groups and gatherings.

TUKIT TOUR CO

Tukittourco.com

The all-electric, open-air “tuk tuks” offer one of the most unique ways to see the sights, sounds and smells of Asheville. Capable of seating six passengers, these zippy and fun rides are equipped for year-round comfort, with a convertible-like ride for warm weather days and heated seats and rain guards for the chillier months. They offer three charming tours on the tuk tuks, including a popular “City Tour & Chocolate” escapade, which can include stops at several top destinations like the Historic Grove Arcade and River Arts District, and then ends at Chocolate Fetish for a sweet treat. A recipient of Tripadvisors Choice Award for both 2022 and 2023, Tukit also offers bus tours and the option of fully customized private tours.

Global Appalachia

Why Indian street food is attracting a foodie following

WRITTEN BY TENNILLE T. LEGLER

The chefs work in quick movements, spreading batter over a hot griddle and manipulating a spatula around a sizzling mound of vegetables. Their fingers dip into containers of turmeric and chili powder, cumin and coriander, adding a colorful pop of flavor on a plate.

Outside in the dining room, a sensory delight. Crowds of people standing and laughing alongside a row of tables with multi-colored cushions, a jangle of music pouring from the speakers of a wall-mounted TV and a Bollywood movie with dancers. The warm smell of spices throughout.

This is the scene inside Dilbar, one of Asheville’s popular Indian street food restaurants, a downtown hot spot that attracts a steady stream of both tourists and locals and, perhaps more notably, Indian families from Charlotte, Raleigh and Atlanta willing to make the trek for the sounds and smells of home.

“Dilbar is meant to feel like the streets of India,” says owner Al Singh. “There’s all of this chaos, but really that’s the best part.”

When it comes to Indian food in the U.S., Americans have quickly embraced the now-familiar cuisines of North India—dishes like tandoori chicken and butter chicken, served with rice or

naan—and these are what often appear on the stateside menus. But the broad category of eats known as “street food” is the more familiar fare for millions of Indians. Affordable and easy to eat, usually served outdoors from stalls or carts, street food is a cultural phenomena unto itself.

An appetite for Indian street food has hit Asheville hard. It started in 2009, when chef Meherwan Irani opened his now-famous Chai Pani eatery, introducing many locals to chaat, a collection of savory snack dishes that Irani once described as the more “democratic” and “egalitarian” version of Indian cuisine.

Among the favorites on the Chai Pani menu is uttapam, a crepe made with a batter of rice and lentils and offered with a variety of toppings; and behl puri, a tangy and crunchy street food classic made with puffed rice, crunchy chickpea noodles, flour crisps, cilantro and onions. There’s also the crowd-pleasing vada pav, potato dumplings fried in curried chickpea batter, served on a bun with green and tamarind chutneys.

Irani has since opened a second Chai Pani location in Decatur, Georgia, as well as a string of restaurants called Botiwalla, paying homage to India’s “Irani cafés” and their beloved snack dishes, as well as the country’s late-night street food scene. In 2022, Chai Pani received a coveted James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurant,” just one year after being named one of “America’s Favorite Restaurants” by The New York Times, catapulting the small eatery into a destination for food lovers around the country.

ture and the vendors would serve it on a paper plate with chutney and a piece of pickle. I’ve never had this done right in any upscale restaurant.”

Born in Delhi and raised in the northern state of Punjab, Singh lived in several Indian cities as a result of his parents’ appointments in the Indian army. After arriving in Asheville in 2014, by way of California and New York, he purchased a portfolio of Citistop stations and then moved into the restaurant business in 2021 with the launch of the Indian fine-dining restaurant Andaaz in Biltmore Village. He then quickly moved his business ambitions into Asheville’s downtown with the opening of Dilbar and its neighbor, Mehfil, which offers the popular dishes of North India.

Indian street food is just as varied as the country from which it hails, a sprawling land of 1.4 billion people. It’s been said that, in India, the language, culture and food change about once every 100 miles or so. But much like the street food in other countries—think pizza, hot dogs, gyros and tacos in the U.S.—the unifying theme is the food’s approachability and widespread appeal, but with the signature flavors that distinguish Indian food and attract a global following.

The broad category of eats known as "street food" is the more familiar fare for millions of Indians. Affordable and easy to eat, usually served outdoors from stalls or carts, street food is a cultural phenomena unto itself.

Asheville doesn’t have a particularly large Indian community; rather, the proliferation of Indian eateries is owed to Irani and Singh, and a few other pioneering Indian entrepreneurs who seek to bring the food of their youth to one of the culinary hotbeds of the South.

Dilbar is a more recent addition to Asheville’s Indian street food scene—recently declared one of the hottest new restaurants in Asheville—and has quickly attracted its own loyal fan base. It offers a variety of dosas (thin crepes made from a fermented batter of lentils and rice, served with different toppings and chutneys) as well as the crowd-pleasing frankies, hailing from Mumbai, which are wholewheat rotis stuffed with vegetables, paneer, lamb or chicken. The pav bhaji is a delightfully flavorful vegetable curry cooked in a tomato gravy and served with a bread roll. And for all of you bread fans, the chole bhature is a dish of the most perfectly fried fluffy flatbread, served with a chickpea curry.

“The best street food is served in Old Delhi, where you have these narrow alleys and food carts lined along the side of the street,” Singh says. “I remember standing in lines for chole bha-

To be sure, many Indians link street food with cherished memories—the charming experiences of childhood or time with family and friends. “I remember the pani puri man in my neighborhood as a kid,” Singh says, referring to the crispy-fried, hollow dough balls, filled with both savory and sweet flavors, and sold on residential streets much like the ice cream truck in the U.S. “The kids would all come around the cart and the man would just drop the treats in your hand, one at a time, and we’d pop them in our mouth—now five, now 10. And the whole time, the pani puri man is keeping track of how many each kid has had.”

Like all cuisines, which can change and evolve over time, some of the Indian street food dishes have been tweaked to appeal to the palates of folks living in the American South, while others maintain a strict adherence to traditional techniques and flavors. Either way, the end goal is to capture the relaxed experience of “real” food from India, Singh says, because “street food is about going out and having a good time.”

Dishes at Dilbar, an Indian street food restaurant in downtown Asheville (Photo by Andy Lukacs-Ormond).

Eat Local Restaurant Guide

With over 150 independently-owned restaurants, Asheville offers truly inventive cuisines and dining experiences, where talented chefs allow seasonal, local ingredients to take center stage

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ASHEVILLE INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

DOWNTOWN

67

Asheville

Asheville

Asheville

Asheville

The

French

Bomba

Botanist

Bouchon

Burgerworx

Capella

Carmel’s

Chai

Huli

Isa's

1 Battery Park Ave

Jack of the Wood Pub

95 Patton Ave

La Bodega

32 S Lexington Ave

The Laughing Seed

40 Wall St

Limones

15 Eagle St

The Lobster Trap

35 Patton Ave

A consistent winner for seafood classics among both visitors and locals, The Lobster Trap blends the flavors of coastal Maine with the seasonal ingredients of Southern Appalachia.

Mamacita’s Taqueria

77 Biltmore Ave, Ste 101

The Marketplace

20 Wall St

Mayfel's

22 College St

With a mission to “bring the Bayou to the Blue Ridge,” Mayfel’s serves cajun and creole cuisine for brunch, lunch and dinner—with amazing beignets and flavorful shrimp and grits—and offers a dog-friendly outdoor patio.

Mehfil

5 Biltmore Ave, Ste B

Its name means “a place that brings people together,” and with a wellthought-out menu that includes amazing tandoori meats and beautifully flavored curries, it’s often packed.

Mikasa Criolla

56 Patton Ave

Modesto Trattoria

1 Page Ave, Ste 138

Montford Rooftop Bar

199 Haywood St

Mountain Madre

13 Walnut St

Noble Cider The Greenhouse

49 Rankin Ave

Old Europe Bistro

18 Broadway St

Pack's Tavern

20 S Spruce St

Located on Pack Square Park, in a renovated historic building, Pack’s Tavern serves crowd-pleasing classics with a broad menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and hearty entrees at reasonable prices.

Posana Cafe

1 Biltmore Ave

The Rhu

10 S Lexington Ave

Rhubarb

7 SW Pack Square

Salsa's 6 Patton Ave

The Social Lounge

29 Broadway St

Sovereign Remedies

29 N Market St, #105

Strada

27 Broadway St

This award-winning Italian restaurant evokes the feeling of an Old World trattoria, with multiple dining rooms and a rooftop space that can accommodate parties of up to 18 without a private booking.

Table

18 N Lexington Ave

Thirsty Monk Downtown

92 Patton Ave

Tupelo Honey Cafe Downtown

12 College St

Twisted Laurel

130 College St

With a beautiful and spacious dogfriendly patio, Twisted Laurel has a casual vibe and attracts a crowd of both visitors and locals. Its menu is best described as Mediterranean-inspired comfort food.

White Labs Kitchen & Brewery

172 S Charlotte St

Wicked Weed Brewing

91 Biltmore Ave

Visitors flock to Wicked Weed’s brewpub for its award-winning beer, but the restaurant is equally impressive. With a selection of elevated pub fare, the menu is hearty and creative.

Zambra 85 W Walnut St

Zella's Deli 48 College St

This New York-style deli offers a wide selection of hot and cold sandwiches, along with meats and cheeses sold by the pound, and crowd-pleasing sides like pasta and potato salads.

Copper

Creekside

Little

Plant

165 Merrimon Ave

Pulp + Sprout

233 S Liberty St

Rye Knot

868 Merrimon Ave

Salt Face Mule Brewing Co.

450 Weaverville Hwy

Sunset Terrace at The Omni Grove Park Inn

290 Macon Ave

Taco Temple

132 Charlotte St

Tall John's

152 Montford Ave

Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian North 641 Merrimon Ave

Vue 1913 at The Omni Grove Park Inn

290 Macon Ave

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT

12 Bones Smokehouse

5 Foundy St

An iconic BBQ restaurant where everything is made from scratch and the meats are slow-smoked over select hardwoods, 12 Bones specializes in baby back ribs, along with pulled pork and chicken platters and tasty sides.

Grey Eagle Taqueria

185 Clingman Ave

Root Down Kitchen 466 Riverside Dr

SOUTH ASHEVILLE

12 Bones Smokehouse & Brewing

2350 Hendersonville Rd

The team behind 12 Bones launched its brewing operation in 2019, creating this cool space on Hendersonville Road that offers the winning combo of BBQ and beer.

Baked Pie Co

4 Long Shoals Rd, Ste A

Biscuit Head

1994 Hendersonville Rd

Farm Burger South

1831 Hendersonville Rd

Fork Lore

43 Town Square Blvd

This independently owned restaurant is located within the bustling Hilton in Biltmore Park Town Square, featuring scratch-made dishes from local ingredients. Offering breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.

Green Sage

1800 Hendersonville Rd

Hillman Beer

25 Sweeten Creek Rd

Luella's Bar-B-Que

33 Town Square Blvd, Ste 110

Red Fiddle Vittles

1800 Hendersonville Rd, Ste 9

A gourmet grocery store that offers a broad selection of locally produced foods, from meats and cheeses to condiments and sweets, along with heat-anddishes prepared by a professionally trained chef.

Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack

3749 Sweeten Creek Rd

Rocky’s attracts a loyal following with its legendary Nashville-style hot chicken, which is offered in a few different heat levels, including one that owner Rich Cundiff once described as “too damn hot.”

Tupelo Honey Cafe

1829 Hendersonville Rd

Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian South 1981 Hendersonville Rd

Thirsty Monk

2 Town Square Blvd, Ste 170

SOUTH - BILTMORE VILLAGE

Bistro at The Biltmore Estate

Biltmore House & Gardens

The Cantina

10 Biltmore Plaza

The Cantina serves Mexican favorites with a local twist. Look for platters of flavorful tacos, quesadillas and burritos, along with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Also offering catering and private events.

Cedric’s Tavern at The Biltmore Estate

Antler Hill Village & Winery

Corner Kitchen

3 Boston Way

Deerpark at The Biltmore Estate

Biltmore House & Gardens

Dining Room at The Inn on The Biltmore Estate

Biltmore House & Gardens

Red Stag Grill

11 Boston Way

Stable Cafe at The Biltmore Biltmore House & Gardens

Village Pub

100 Fairview Rd

Village Social at The Biltmore Estate

Biltmore House & Gardens

Village Wayside Bar & Grille 30 Lodge St

Well Bred Bakery

6 Boston Way

SOUTH SLOPE

Archetype Brewing + Kitchen

39 Banks Ave

Cultura

147 Coxe Ave

Nominated for a James Beard Award in 2020, under the prestigious category of “Best New Restaurant,” Cultura serves an inventive New American menu in a stunning space decorated with living plants and wooden barrel booths.

Funkatorium

147 Coxe Ave

As the East Coast’s first taproom dedicated to sour beers, the Funkatorium also offers a great food menu, with everything from smash burgers and fries to kale salads and a vegetarian “Buddha Bowl.” Offers both indoor and outdoor seating.

Mother

244 Short Coxe Ave

Pie.Zaa

46 Millard Ave

Well Played Board Game Cafe

162 Coxe Ave, Ste 101

WEST ASHEVILLE

Biscuit Head

733 Haywood Rd

Gan Shan West

285 Haywood Rd, Ste 20

Gemelli

70 Westgate Pkwy

Open for lunch and dinner, Gemelli offers a well-curated menu of Italian dishes—everything from soups and salads to pastas and pizzas—with plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans.

Haywood Common

507 Haywood Rd

Jargon

715 Haywood Rd

A popular hotspot in West Asheville, Jargon offers a creative Modern American menu using local ingredients that change with the seasons, earning the restaurant awards for both its food and wine list.

Pizza Mind

285 Haywood Rd, Ste 10

Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack

1455 Patton Ave

Rocky’s attracts a loyal following with its legendary Nashville-style hot chicken, which is offered in a few different heat levels, including one that owner Rich Cundiff once described as “too damn hot.”

Sand Hill Kitchen

491 Sardis Rd

Sunny Point Café

626 Haywood Rd

A beloved West Asheville restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner— with a fantastic menu of locally sourced comfort food, including many ingredients from its own garden.

Taco Billy

201 Haywood Rd

Tastee Diner

575 Haywood Rd

Owned by an award-winning chef, Tastee Diner offers American comfort food in a funky setting—with fish n’ chips and fried chicken often on the menu, and breakfast plates available all day—and is open late for post-party bites.

WALK

401 Haywood Rd

West End Bakery

757 Haywood Rd

Wicked Weed West

145 Jacob Holm Way

OUTSIDE OF ASHEVILLE

La Guinguette

105 Richardson Blvd

Louise's Kitchen

115 Black Mountain Ave

Okie Dokies Smokehouse 2375 US Highway 70

Twisted Laurel

10A S Main St, Weaverville

CATERING

Chef Michael's Catering

P.O. Box 603

Cielo Catering

46 Haywood St, Ste 201

Fioreously Delicious

Specializing in “boutique catering” and meal delivery, Fioreously Delicious is a popular option for retreats, dinner parties, and backyard weddings. The company delivers healthy food that is both approachable and satisfying, accommodating almost all dietary restrictions.

Sage and Spice Catering and Market 1056 Patton Ave

The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association is a local group representing the city’s independently owned restaurants. It’s the largest non-profit of its kind in the U.S. and provides education, training and advocacy for its members.

JARGON’S LARGE PARTY EVENT SPACE… RIGHT NEXT DOOR.

Special Chef’s Specials

Asheville chefs play a key role in addressing problems of hunger and food insecurity

WORDS BY TENNILLE T. LEGLER

When a Michigan couple planned their dream destination wedding in Leicester, just outside of Asheville, they didn’t know a late fall storm would disrupt the travel plans of nearly half their guests. So when dinner was served at the reception—an impressive spread of taco and fajita fixings from the popular Biltmore Village restaurant The Cantina—there was way too much food and plenty of leftovers: several pounds of chicken and steak, pints of guacamole and queso, and heaps of beans and rice.

After a brief conversation with the newlyweds, The Cantina owner Sherrye Coggiola picked up the phone and dialed a number she had saved in her phone contacts. Within the hour, a car pulled up, loaded up the food and drove off. The food was then delivered to one of several local organizations helping locals experiencing homelessness or hunger, including places like the Salvation Army and the Veterans Restoration Quarters.

The issue of hunger—or “food insecurity,” a more all-encompassing term used to describe situations in which someone lacks reasonable access to healthy and wholesome food—is a pressing problem around the U.S. and requires an all-hands-on-deck response.

In Asheville, there are several nonprofit groups that tackle this problem and individuals who donate, volunteer and work tirelessly to address the issue. But for a city that’s celebrated around the world for its vibrant restaurant scene, it makes sense that restaurant owners often play a key role as well.

Sherrye Coggiola, owner of The Cantina and Mayfel’s.

Photo by Erin Adams.

“I think our restaurants realize that, given the business they’re in, it’s important for them to be supportive of work on this issue,” says Meghan Rogers, executive director of the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR). A survey by AIR in 2023 found that its members contributed $1.5 million annually to local nonprofits, with many of those resources going to groups that work on hunger and food insecurity.

One key initiative is run by Asheville-based Food Connection, which works with several local restaurants like The Cantina, along with catering companies and college cafeterias, to provide meals to those in need by “rescuing” leftovers from large events or meal services. Food Connection redirects about 2,500 pounds of food per week—think crab cakes and beef brisket, homemade macaroni and cheese and roasted vegetables—providing roughly the same number of weekly meals to large agencies and individuals in need.

The program launched in 2014, when the owners of Pack’s Tavern, the bustling restaurant and event space on Pack Square Park, took stock of the amount of chef-prepared food going to waste at the end of a wedding or corporate party. In the years since then, a number of restaurants have participated, including local favorites 12 Bones BBQ and Black Bear BBQ.

“The quality of the food that we offer is key,” says Food Connection Executive Director Marisha MacMorran. “A big part of addressing this issue is being able to provide dignity with the assistance.”

Another key program is the Downtown Welcome Table initiative, run by the Haywood Street Congregation, which provides free lunches on Wednesdays and free breakfasts on Sundays. Each month, at least one or two restaurants prepare and serve the food for free, with some of the businesses also donating the full cost of the food.

“Everyone is welcome here,” says Lorili Toth, director of communications at Haywood Street Congregation. “Our favorite thing is to see the banker, the worker with two to three different jobs and the person

who’s unhoused sitting side by side at a table. They see they’re not so different, and that’s where the magic is.”

After a decade in operation, the Downtown Welcome Table now serves about 1,400 free meals per week and works with about 50 local restaurants that regularly participate, including Strada Italiano and its sister restaurant Gemelli, the celebrated Spanish tapas restaurant Cúrate, and 828 Family Pizzeria.

Both the Haywood Street Congregation and Western North Carolina’s major food bank, MANNA FoodBank, rely on the restaurants to back their large annual fundraisers, which are ticketed dinners with both prep and food often donated by local chefs and their kitchen staff.

Clockwise from top left: chef Eric Morris of Cultura restaurant volunteering at Food Connection (by Julia Lindholm Photography); chef Joe Scully, co-owner of Corner Kitchen, at MANNA FoodBank’s annual fundraiser (by Sophie Granzow of Biltmore Farms); a board at The Cantina restaurant tracks donations to MANNA via its Skip-aSide program.

The issue of “food insecurity,” a term used to describe situations in which someone lacks reasonable access to healthy and wholesome food, is a pressing problem around the U.S. and requires an all-hands-on-deck response.

Haywood Street Congregation’s “A Seat at the Table” dinner is often organized by chef John Fleer, the James Beard Award–nominated owner of Rhubarb in downtown Asheville, with Wicked Weed Brewing sponsoring the event and offering its one-of-a-kind restaurant space for the dinner.

Meanwhile, MANNA FoodBank’s annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser is held with the help of chefs from Chestnut and its sister restaurant Corner Kitchen, Biscuit Head and the students at A-B Tech Community College’s award-winning culinary program.

Like many U.S. cities, Asheville struggles with issues of food insecurity. According to Feeding America, a nonprofit aimed at addressing hunger around the U.S., nearly 12% of the residents in Buncombe County (where Asheville is located) are considered food insecure and more than a quarter of those fail to qualify for assistance under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which means they fall through the cracks.

Food insecurity doesn’t necessarily mean people are unemployed or experiencing homelessness; in fact, many people who are food insecure work multiple jobs and have a place to call home. But it does mean there are times when their resources can’t adequately provide all of their food needs. These could be seniors who are living on fixed incomes or caring for grandchildren, or single parents working several part-time jobs and caring for both children and aging parents.

It might seem ironic to have double-digit rates of food insecure populations in a city like Asheville, known for its bounty of locally grown food and thriving restaurant scene, but the reality is that the cost of living in the city is uniquely high and wages often don’t keep pace.

While the causes for this dynamic are complex—playing out on both a local and national level—many of Asheville’s restaurant owners have directed their efforts to addressing immediate needs.

“The vast majority of people we serve are families with children, working and gainfully employed, along with seniors on fixed incomes,”

says Kara Irani of MANNA FoodBank, who says her organization is now serving more than double the number of people it did before the pandemic—going from an average of 65,000 people per month to 172,000 in October 2023.

Award-winning chef Steven Goff, who owns the popular and living-wage-certified Tastee Diner in West Asheville, is looking to encourage personal interactions with folks experiencing food insecurity with his “wooden nickel” program. This program allows diners to purchase a wooden nickel voucher for $5, which can then be donated to anyone in need and redeemed for a sandwich and side at his restaurant. “I personally have had experience with food insecurity,” Goff says, “and I know this is something that’s a big issue in Asheville.”

There’s also the “Sweets for a Cause” program at Chestnut in downtown Asheville and Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village—both of which are also living-wage-certified restaurants owned by the Westmoreland & Scully restaurant group. Each quarter, the restaurants donate a portion of dessert sales to local nonprofits, which over the last few years have included many organizations that work on the issues of housing and food insecurity, including BeLoved Asheville and Homeward Bound.

At The Cantina, in addition to donating catered food to Food Connection, Coggiola and her team developed a “Skip a Side” program, where they donate $2 to Asheville-based MANNA FoodBank for every side dish their patrons elect to skip. (Each entree comes with two side dishes). Since its launch in 2013, the Skip a Side program has contributed enough money to provide more than 600,000 meals, and Coggiola and her team are now implementing the same program at Mayfel’s in downtown Asheville, which they purchased in 2023.

“I feel like, as a city, we’re struggling a bit, but there are some amazing things our community is doing and we’ll always look for ways to help,” Coggiola says.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

When dining at Mayfel’s in downtown Asheville or The Cantina in Biltmore Village, consider participating in the “Skip a Side” program. Many of the dishes automatically come with two sides.

And for every side dish a diner elects to “skip,” the restaurants donate $2 to the local nonprofit MANNA FoodBank. Since its launch in 2013, the “Skip a Side” program has donated the equivalent of 600,000 meals to the food bank and the residents of Western North Carolina it serves.

Beer Explained

A Short Guide to Beer Styles

WRITTEN BY ANNE FITTEN GLENN

One of the magical things about beer is that brewers can create an almost infinite variety of styles using only four ingredients. Three of these ingredients are those that make beer into beer—hops, malt and yeast—and the fourth, water, is what makes beer a most delightfully drinkable liquid.

To be sure, there are entire databases of hop and malt varieties and subvarieties, each of which imparts unique flavors and aromas to the final product. Then there is yeast, the prolific living organism that alchemizes sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation businesses have wrangled hundreds of different yeasts into purchasable packaging, each of which offers specific flavors and aromas. Some brewers experiment with free-floating wild yeast as well. In other words, you get whatever lands in an open tank and ferments. Thus, brewers can tap into a huge combination of hops, malts and yeasts for each and every beer they create.

Even beer’s primary ingredient, H 2 O, can differ in pH, minerals and salt content, depending on, well, a whole other set of circumstances.

While these four ingredients constitute most every beer, there’s no rule that beers can’t include additional ingredients, called adjuncts, as well. At least that’s the case in America. Germany has an actual ancient law against adjuncts in beer. But here, you might find fruit, spices, chocolate, vegetables and even bacon in whatever fermented malt beverage you’re enjoying.

These simple ingredients—when combined by a brewer or brew team, according to a recipe or not—become this complex beverage, which is further defined by the style group it falls into.

Asheville Brewing Co’s Perfect Day to Burial Beer’s Surfwax, there are many solid choices of local IPAs.

Lagers, meanwhile, have made a comeback and evolved beyond being “lawn mower” beers. An entire new generation of drinkers are embracing beers such as sours, which aren’t your grandpa’s brew. Then there are seasonals and one-offs, which can fall into any of many styles, and often can only be found at a brewery’s taproom.

You don’t need to be an expert to branch out and try a new beer style now and again. WNC is rife with breweries, and most of them offer tasters and flights, so belly up to the bar and expand your taste buds. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Fresh beer is the best beer. Whenever possible, it should be experienced at the source of manufacture (aka, where it’s brewed).

On the following page are a few beer styles you’re likely to encounter in Western North Carolina breweries, although this is only a drop in the barrel compared to the more than 170 different styles compiled by the national Brewers Association (BA), as a reference for brewers and beer competitions.

Brewers can tap into a huge combination of hops, malts and yeasts for each and every beer they create.

If you really want to geek out, you can download a beer style app or check out the Beer Judge Competition Program (BJCP) guidelines. In that competition program, every style is broken down into overall impression, aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, history, characteristic ingredients, style comparison, vital statistics and commercial examples. The BJCP introduction emphasizes that beer styles evolve over time, so this is a general guide and might not correlate exactly to what you’re drinking at your favorite watering hole.

Every Asheville-area brewery is likely to have an India pale ale (IPA) or two on hand, as this style has become an American craft beer favorite, among both brewers and drinkers, over the past decade. From

Additionally, certain styles wax and wane in popularity over time. Some of y’all will remember the popularity of blondes (not the hair color) early in the craft beer renaissance, and the more recent short ascensions of pale lagers and sessions. The latter refers to a beer that’s low enough in alcohol by volume (ABV) to drink more than a couple in a session (4% or lower). There always will be folks who stick to domestic lagers (think Budweiser) while beer aficionados tend to be mavericks looking for more flavor and complexity.

Luckily for us mavericks, innovation is a hallmark of the American brewing industry. Thus, a beer described as a particular style might not fit exactly within the BJCP or BA guidelines. I recently drank a local dark lager that tasted more like a pale ale to me, so I asked the brewer what he was thinking. “It’s a hoppy dark lager,” he said. That style was new to me and a bit of a surprise. But the beer was delicious, and I’m a fan of fermentative creativity.

Here are some standard beer styles you’re likely to encounter in and around Asheville’s many breweries (and probably wherever you’re drinking beer). I’ve kept them general for easy digestion. Also, everyone’s palate is a little different, so go with what works for yours.

PALE ALES

Light to medium color and body with hoppy aroma and flavor. Medium to low maltiness. Medium bitterness means this is a good style to drink with a variety of foods. Pales are my go-to when I’m feeling overwhelmed and indecisive at a brewery.

INDIA PALE ALES

A pale ale with extra oomph! A step up from its pale sibling in bitterness, aroma and flavor. Hops attributes can be floral, citrusy, piney, fruity, oniony, catty or more. IPAs often have higher ABV than pales. A great style to drink with high-fat-content foods, such as burgers or pizza, as the bitterness serves as a palate cleanser.

LAGERS

Typically crisp and dry. While domestic lagers have a sweetness that comes from corn or rice adjuncts, craft beer lagers can have more of a floral hop presence. There are American, European and Czech-style lagers. They can be light or dark, but most often are almost clear in color. Lagers are usually lower in ABV than other styles and easily quaffable. Nothing tastes better after a sweaty hike or bike ride with the protein bar of your choice.

BELGIANS

This style is difficult to quantify as there are so many sub-types of Belgian beer. It’s one of the world’s oldest distinct beer styles. Typically not hoppy or too malty, but fruity or spicy with a sweet aftertaste from the yeast esters. I personally think Belgians are the best styles to drink with food. My perfect meal is a variety of Trappist brews paired with an overflowing cheese and charcuterie board. Note that sours and wheats are sub-categories of Belgians, but I’ve listed them separately to help when you’re reading a beer menu.

WHEATS

Typically fruity, lightly spicy and bubbly. Never heavy. Wheat is the primary fermentable malt as opposed to the more typical barley. Refreshing and popular during the warmer months. A great brunch beer.

SOURS

Sour brews have increased in popularity along with other styles of beer that don’t taste like traditional beer. Fruity, acidic and tart. Often funky—can smell like a barnyard, and that’s considered a good thing. Sours can be bitter or not, hoppy or not. They shouldn’t be malty, however. Because they are highly flavorful, sours can stand up to foods that are bitter, salty or fatty.

STOUTS

Very dark, sweet, full-bodied, usually roasty ales. Stouts often taste of coffee, chocolate or caramelized sugar. Not necessarily higher in alcohol than other styles unless noted as double or imperial. A great beer to drink with dessert. A stout with a slice of cheesecake tastes like heaven.

PORTERS

Rich, malty, medium-full dark ale. Typically less of a strong roasted barley character than a stout. Like stouts, porters are great dessert beers, although I really like how the latter contrasts with spicy foods, such as Indian or Mexican dishes.

If you have further style questions, ask your beertender for help. But please don’t ask me how many beer styles or breweries there are now in WNC because I’ve given up trying to keep track. Cheers!

Claywood

The wine and whiskey bar Claywood in downtown Hendersonville invites conversation and connection … and is giving folks something to talk about.

PHOTO ESSAY

Claywood owner Carly Buntin has created a welcoming space that encourages people to engage with one another—as in talk and laugh and share (and not stare at a phone). Whether that involves a couple, a family, a group of friends or even strangers who are open to chance encounters, Claywood invites connection.

Claywood’s food menu features a variety of artisan charcuterie boards, which include hearty selections of meats and cheeses. While the boards could change seasonally, our recent visit included a “Hunter Board” with fresh duck breast and two types of sausages—lamb merguez and wild boar—along with select cheeses and savory muffins, while a “Spanish Tapas” board had cured chorizo, Iberico and Serrano hams, smoked trout and manchego, along with a skillet of marinated mushrooms and tomato focaccia. A “Fish Board,” meanwhile, was nothing short of stunning, with smoked trout and mussels, a mahi mahi dip and poached colossal shrimp with a dijon tarragon aioli.

The whiskey menu is similarly impressive, curated by Buntin’s husband, Scott, a whiskey aficionado and craft distiller himself, and the wine menu includes a brilliant offering of Old World wines.

The team behind Claywood includes Buntin, an artist and designer who started a love affair with chic spaces years ago as a bartender in some of Chicago’s most stylish bars, as well as her mother, Jean Reinhardt, who wrapped up 20 years in the hospitality industry with a major hotel chain. Scott Buntin rounds out the team with a deep knowledge of bourbon, rye, scotch and other types of whiskeys.

If you’re free for Sunday brunch, check out Claywood’s exotic meat-carving station, which could include elk, antelope, wild boar, venison or pheasant, which pair well with its mimosa and “mary” beverage boards.

And if that doesn’t give you something to talk about, we don’t know what will!

Pictured at top left: co-owner Carly Buntin (fourth from left) with executive chef Ronald Henry (second from left), and bar manager Brett Kiser (far right) and other Claywood employees.

Photo by Nelson Merlock.

Drink Local Brewery Guide

With one of the highest rates of breweries per capita in the U.S., Asheville offers no shortage of places to indulge your love of craft beer.

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ASHEVILLE BREWERS ALLIANCE BILTMORE

Burial

The

Cultivated

Highland

Wicked

As the original Wicked Weed location, the Brew Pub offers a full restaurant, a downstairs taproom, a beer garden, bottle shop and the original 15-barrel brewery. It also has two pet-friendly outdoor patios.

EAST

Highland Brewing Company 12 Old Charlotte Hwy #200

The Whale Outpost 2 Beverly Rd

NORTH ASHEVILLE

Asheville Brewing Company 675 Merrimon Ave

Archetype Brewing 174 Broadway St

Ginger's Revenge 829 Riverside Dr #100

Outsider Brewing 939 Riverside Dr, Woodfin

Riverside Rhapsody Beer Company

Rye Knot 868 Merrimon Ave

Salt Face Mule Brewing Co 450 Weaverville Hwy SOUTH ASHEVILLE

Appalachian Mountain Brewery 46 N Mills River Rd, Mills River

Asheville Brewing Co 1850 Hendersonville Rd, Ste A

Blue Ghost Brewing Company

125 Underwood Rd, Fletcher

Voodoo Brewing Co

3578 Sweeten Creek Rd, Arden SOUTH SLOPE

Asheville

Wicked

The Funkatorium is the East Coast’s first taproom dedicated to sour beer, a Belgian-style beer that (as its name implies) has a tart taste. It has well over a dozen varieties of sour beers on draft or in bottles, along

The River Arts District Brewing Co

13 Mystery St

Located in a century-old stonecutter’s workshop, set amid a secluded glen with a pet-friendly deck and beer garden, the River Arts District Brewing Co offers ales and lagers with attention paid to both classic and modern styles.

Wedge Brewing Co

Studios: 37 Paynes Way

Foundation: 5 Foundy St

WEST ASHEVILLE

Archetype Brewing

265 Haywood Rd

Cellarest Beer Project 395 Haywood Rd

The Whale AVL

507 Haywood Rd #10

GREATER WNC

Big Pillow Brewing Co

25 Andrews Ave N, Hot Springs

Black Mountain Brewery

131 Broadway Ave, Black Mountain

Boojum Brewing

50 N Main St, Waynesville

Cultivated Cocktails Distillery

161 Charlotte Hwy, St eA Asheville

Frog Level Brewing Co

56 Commerce St, Waynesville

Hillman Beer

78 Catawba Ave, Old Fort

Innovation Brewing

414 W Main St, Sylva

40 Depot St, Dillsboro

732 Centennial Dr Unit 102-A, Cullowhee

Lazy Hiker Brewing Co

188 W Main St, Franklin, NC 617 W Main St, Sylva

Mica Town Brewing Company

311 NC 126, Nebo

25 Brown Dr, Marion

Mountain Layers Brewing Co

90 Everett St, Bryson City

Oak & Grist

Distilling Co

1556 Grovestone Rd, Black Mountain

Oskar Blues

342 Mountain Industrial Dr, Brevard

Pisgah Brewing Co 2948 US 70, Black Mountain

Sierra Nevada Brewing

100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River

Terra Nova

204 Whitson Ave, Swannanoa

Turgua Brewing

3131 Cane Creek Rd, Fairview

BREWERIES IN PLANNING

BrewWell brewwell.com

Second Vine Brewing (Opening in 2024)

2 Westwood Pl, West Asheville

Terra Nova (Opening in 2024)

101 S Lexington Ave, Downtown Asheville

PARTNERS OF THE ASHEVILLE BREWERS ALLIANCE

Adventure Center of Asheville

AIR (Asheville Independent Restaurant Association)

Allen, Stahl + Kilbourne

Arryved POS

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

Asheville Bookkeep

Asheville Downtown Association

Atlantic Packaging

AVL Ale Trail

Big Mountain Impact

Breakthrough Performance and Wellness

Brewery Branding Co.

Brewing & Distilling Center, Inc.

BSG Craft Brewing

Carla & Company

Carlisle Craft Creative

Dewey Property Advisors

Dig Local

DMJPS

Duke Energy

Exact Water

Explore Asheville

Fenix Fermentation Solutions

Fiasco Media

FILTROX North America

First Bank

Forvis

Grandstand Glassware & Apparel

Harper General Contractors

Holston Gases Inc

Hop Head Farms

Indulge Images

Insurance Service of Asheville Inc

Iron Heart Canning

Lantern Health

MB Haynes

McGuire Wood & Bissette

Mercy Urgent Care

Micro Matic

Morrisette Packaging

Mountain Credit Union

NC Craft Brewers Guild

Ohanafy

Outdoor Business Alliance

Pinnacle Financial Partners

Proving Coffee Grounds

Red House Architecture

SeaThirst Creative

Servis First Bank

Shay Brown & Company

Sheppard Insurance Group, Inc.

Tap Hopper Canning

The Big Bridge Design

The Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast

The Tyler Mooney Agency

Ward and Smith, PA

WATCO

White Insurance Agency

True Colors

Adoratherapy seeks to facilitate personal transformation and healing through aura readings and essential oils

WRITTEN BY GINA SMITH | PHOTOS BY ERIN ADAMS

There are a handful of experiences intrinsic to the unique spirit of Asheville—seeing a nun riding a unicycle downtown or grooving at Pritchard Park’s drum circle are just a couple. But I recently had the opportunity to try a much quieter, more introspective Asheville experience: an aura reading at Adoratherapy.

As soon as I stepped into the small, bright shop in the Grove Arcade, I noticed a wall covered in photographs of children, dogs and smiling adults surrounded by rainbows of colored light. I was greeted by Adoratherapy founder Laura McCann, who explained that those vibrant halos are the photo subjects’ individual auras captured by a special hand scanner and interpreted by computerized biofeedback technology.

“It creates way more than just the photo,” she says. “It creates a 14-page report with all kinds of data, and it also talks about the chakras.”

Chakras, McCann explains, are the human body’s seven main energy points with a corresponding spectrum of colors that follow the spine from the red root chakra at the base of the torso to the violet crown chakra at the top of the head. A person’s aura is the field of electromagnetic energy that surrounds their body, vibrating at frequencies that produce specific patterns of colors unique to each individual.

There are seven aura colors relating to various personality types (see sidebar), and the main color in a person’s aura indicates their overall personality. Animals have auras, too, so Adoratherapy also offers aura readings for dogs.

Colorful halos show an individual’s aura, captured by a special hand scanner and interpreted by computerized biofeedback technology.

“This is a way to see the mind, the body, the heart and the spirit, and there aren’t many tools that allow you to see that.”

—Laura

McCann, Founder of Adoratherapy

Physical, mental or emotional stresses cause disruptions in the frequencies of the chakras, and when chakras are blocked or unbalanced the aura can appear less radiant. The goal, says McCann, is to have all the chakras in balance.

“If you do acupuncture, they’re doing chi energy work with needles. If you’re doing meditation or yoga, you’re doing the same thing with breath,” she says. “Aromatherapy is just another way to do a chakra healing; it’s just doing it with intention, with breath and with specific oils that have frequencies that match the chakras.”

After getting a primer from McCann, I couldn’t wait to have my aura read, so Jim Levinson—McCann's life and business partner— led me just outside the shop to a small table holding a bowl of colorful crystals, a gaming-style laptop computer and a hand-sized biofeedback scanner. After I took a seat, Levinson instructed me to place my hand on the biofeedback pad, relax and hold still for about two minutes.

As I settled into the chair, the laptop screen showed a three-dimensional, rotating image representing my body encircled in colors—my aura!

After the scan, Levinson took my photo with the aura camera and analyzed the data. He gave me a photo of myself surrounded by my aura and emailed me the report with details about my chakras, suggestions on how to raise the vibration of chakras with low energy and explanations of the significance of the aura colors relative to my personality, abilities and career. (Yes, “writer” is noted as one of the top career fields for my type!)

his engineer’s mind to the task of researching aura-reading technology. He found the groundbreaking bioenergy studies of University of California-Los Angeles physiology professor Valerie V. Hunt to be particularly informative and inspiring, leading him to invest in aura-reading hardware and software for Adoratherapy.

“We had always used aromatherapy to help people balance their chakras,” says McCann. “But now it was, like, ‘Oh, how can this all come together?’”

After generating my aura report, Levinson went to an assortment of crystals on a table and gave me a tiny heart-shaped piece of tiger’s eye (a good stone for my particular chakra needs, he says) that he had charged with reiki energy. Then McCann selected some chakra-balancing products from her aromatherapy line—organic essential oil blends, perfumes, room sprays, candles and more.

AURA COLORS

The seven aura colors relate to various personality types

Violet — spiritual and wise Indigo — intuitive and sensitive Blue — tranquil and serene Green — social and communicative

Yellow — analytical and optimistic Orange — adventurous and courageous Red — grounded and powerful

After doing more than 3,200 aura readings, Levinson says the system is extremely accurate. My reading is no exception: It pretty much describes me to a T.

McCann worked for decades in New York City’s fashion industry before launching Adoratherapy as a chakra-focused aromatherapy company in New Jersey in 2015, then moving to Asheville in 2017. She initially became intrigued by the idea of adding aura readings to Adoratherapy’s list of services after she and Levinson had their auras read at a shop in New York’s Chinatown.

Adoratherapy offers aura and chakra readings, along with aromatherapy oils designed to have frequencies that match a person’s chakra.

In 2020, the Covid pandemic allowed Levinson to retire early from his job as a mechanical engineer. As a reiki master, he shared McCann’s interest in energy healing, so he turned

“Our oils are energetically designed to have frequencies that match the chakras,” she says. “Oils specific to root energy, for example, are patchouli and ylang ylang. Heart chakra oils are very floral. We’ve had people smell them and start crying because it’s so opening.”

My report indicates that my solar plexus chakra (related to confidence and self-esteem) needs a little energetic help, so McCann offered me a roller bottle of the sunny-smelling Chakra 3 blend, which has notes of grapefruit, lemon and cinnamon, among others. To boost my sacral chakra (connected to creativity and emotion), she provided me with a smaller bottle of the citrusy-floral Chakra 2 blend, redolent of blood orange, jasmine and ylang ylang.

“This is about personal transformation,” says McCann. You’re really working on a journey of healing yourself, and that can be as simple as addressing stress or anxiety or it could be about having a health issue or a spiritual crisis. This is a way to see the mind, the body, the heart and the spirit, and there aren’t many tools that allow you to see that.”

Since my visit to Adoratherapy, I’ve continued to use the chakra aromatherapy products daily, because I love how they smell and they do seem to lift my mood and energy level. A few days after my Adoratherapy experience, I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. After grabbing me for a hug, she pulled back and looked at me. “You smell amazing!” she said. “What are you wearing?”

“Well,” I said, “let me tell you, it has to do with my aura…”

All the Buzz

As the first “Bee City” in the U.S., Asheville works to strengthen local pollinator populations

WRITTEN BY BROOK BOLEN

Roughly 200 U.S. cities have become certified “Bee Cities” in the last decade or so, earning the distinction by taking steps to protect native pollinators like bees and butterflies. But Asheville, quite proudly, stands tall among those cities as the very first city in the country to receive this title, which it was awarded in 2012. To this day, Asheville continues to broaden its efforts to strengthen the populations of local pollinators.

Measures being taken here and by other Bee Cities—including nearby locales Charlotte, NC, and Charleston, SC—are increasingly important as modern-day life makes it harder for pollinators to thrive.

“Our ecosystems are really under a lot of stress now because of climate change, habitat loss and pesticide use,” says Phyllis Stiles, a local conservationist who spearheaded Asheville’s Bee City USA Initiative. “So now, more than ever, we need to keep as many of the pollinator species around as we can if we want to keep all of the plant species that support all the other animals on earth, including ourselves.”

If you’re looking to explore a few scenic spaces in the Asheville area that also do double-duty as a pollinator habitat, check out the city’s many planned gardens that are working to attract and protect our native pollinators.

Seeing is Bee-lieving

The role of pollinators in our lives cannot be overstated. As they fly and move about, they spread pollen from one flower to another, helping plants and trees to reproduce.

“Many more people are realizing that they have the ability to actually provide the habitat for a boatload of pollinators right in their own yards.”

Crucially, many of those plants and trees produce our food, things like fruit, vegetables and nuts. Pollinators help to produce a staggering one-third of our global food supply—in other words, one out of every three bites of food we take—and honey bees alone pollinate nearly 95 kinds of fruits in the U.S., according to the Center for Food Safety, including avocados, cranberries and apples, in addition to commodity crops like soy.

Additionally, says Stiles, about 90% of our wild-flowering species rely on the help of these pollinators. Things like flowering dogwood, flowering crabapple and trillium.

The Bee City USA program—run by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, the world’s largest pollinator conservation organization—aims to encourage communities to support and sustain pollinators by planting pollinator gardens, avoiding pesticides and im-

plementing landscape designs that feature bee-friendly native plants.

Pollinator gardens, often made up of native plants, are meant to provide food and shelter to the animals that provide this pollination function. Bees are often the first that come to mind, but butterflies, birds, bats, moths, flies, wasps and small mammals also do this job.

In Asheville, you can see a stunning sample of a pollinator garden at the River Arts District Pollinator Habitat (aka “RAD Hab”) on the Wilma Dykeman Greenway by Craven Street Bridge, as well as a 2,000-square-foot pollinator meadow by Jean Webb Park.

There’s also a garden planted by biologist Bryan Tompkins of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Asheville Field Office on Zillicoa Street. Working with Asheville GreenWorks staff and volunteers, Tompkins additionally helped install a 6,000-square-foot pollinator garden in the historic Klondyke community in North Asheville.

Other popular public pollinator spots include the Asheville Botanical Gardens and the North Carolina Arboretum. In 2016, the Arboretum became the first “Bee Campus” in North Carolina, a similar program to the Bee Cities initiative but for organizations like colleges and universities, as opposed to cities.

Although many folks might immediately think of flowering perennial plants when they envision a pollinator garden, the Arboretum embraces the use of trees for pollinator habitats, says Clara Curtis, the Arboretum’s senior director for mission delivery.

“Trees are absolutely vital for pollinator populations,” Curtis explains. Oaks are “one of the top genuses for supporting many different types of insects and pollinators, like moths and butterflies. Native tulip poplars also support many pollinators, including native bees, honey bees and hummingbirds.”

What’s the Buzz About?

Since its founding, Bee City USA has grown to include over 370 affiliates across 46 states. That includes the work of its sister initiative, Bee Campus USA.

“In every city, what we do is either have the city manage the program themselves or task it with another local nonprofit in collaboration with the city,” Stiles says. “Locally, Asheville GreenWorks has managed the program since 2017.”

One of Bee City Asheville’s primary focuses is educational outreach. This includes launching a pollinator garden certification program for residents in 2020, which already has more than 200 certified gardens, she says.

Among the native plants that can be planted in a pollinator garden, at least here locally, are 282 species of trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses. Things like vibrant purple coneflowers, smooth azaleas and sweet gum trees, to name a few.

Sweet as Honey

While Asheville is known for its pollinators, it’s also renowned for one of their sweetest offerings: award-winning sourwood honey.

Light in color and with a subtle flavor, sourwood honey gets its unique characteristic from the sourwood tree, which grows across the Southeastern United States. Top sourwood honey producers hail from a relatively small region that includes Western North Carolina as well as East Tennessee and North Georgia. In our region, Black Mountain celebrates this distinction by hosting a Sourwood Festival every August.

“Sourwood is a beautiful tree, and they start blooming around late June. They have these flowers that almost look like hands, they’re so long,” says Amber Shehan of Honey & the Hive, a store in Weaverville that sells beekeeping supplies.

Because sourwood trees bloom later in the season than others and to ensure that their bees are collecting only sourwood nectar rather than a blend, beekeepers trying to gather sourwood honey must pay very close attention to bloom times, she explains.

“I call it the cotton candy of honey because it’s very smooth, sweet and light,” Shehan says.

Pictured on previous page: a Gulf fritillary butterfly on a zinnia (by Phyllis Stiles). Pictured left to right: "The Life of the Monarch" sculpture at the NC Arboretum and honey from Honey & The Hive.

A few local businesses, specializing in honey and beekeeping wares, also offer tasting bars where shoppers can sample honeys. Asheville Bee Charmer in downtown Asheville offers honey from around the country, while Honey & the Hive in Weaverville focuses on honeys from in and around Western North Carolina. “That’s fun because you can come in and taste the difference between, say, sourwood or wildflower, or wildflower from Burnsville versus wildflower from Weaverville,” Shehan says.

Bee the Change

North Carolina has more beekeepers than any other U.S. state, and many of them call our mountains their home.

Lyne Vendely of Marshall-based Sweet Betty Bees Honey & Hive has been working as a beekeeper since 2000. A self-described “old farm girl,” Vendely originally started working with bees as a way to provide her husband with a clean source of honey for making mead, then discovered that she loves beekeeping and the connection to nature it provides. And it turns out that folks love buying her raw, unheated, unfiltered honey as well.

“I think it’s important that people know what they’re getting into. It’s a lot of work,” she says. “They need to understand they don’t have to be beekeepers to be a good steward of the bee. They can plant local flora. Anybody who’s doing a landscape job, they can do so much for not just honey bees, but all pollinators, especially native pollinators.”

In the years since Asheville became the country’s first Bee City USA, founder Stiles says Asheville has changed for the better. “There’s a lot of awareness now,” she says. “People at local nurseries, for example, say the demand for native plants has really gone up dramatically. People want locally native plants, and they want pesticide-free plants. People are making sure that the kind of landscaping they’re doing, whether it’s in your own yard or in a commercial landscape, is friendly for pollinators.”

Stiles knows there’s still more work to be done, but she celebrates the growing public awareness about the importance of pollinators. “Many more people are realizing that they have the ability to actually provide the habitat for a boatload of pollinators right in their own yards.”

36 Hours in Asheville for Outdoor Enthusiasts and Nature Lovers

WRITTEN BY PETER RIPMASTER

Throughout my ultra-running career, I’ve been able to see much of the U.S. I’ve run 50 marathons in 50 states, won the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational on foot and am currently trying to become the first person to run 100-mile endurance runs in all 50 states. I adore adventuring around this diverse country, but—like Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz so eloquently said— “There’s no place like home.”

Welcome to Asheville! As nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, you couldn’t have found a better place to explore. I’ve been proud to call Asheville home for 20 years and have seen many changes. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the beautiful mountains that surround our city.

Below, I offer suggestions for folks visiting Asheville and looking for places to hike, play and eat. These are some of my favorite places to go, and they’ll give you a good overview of what our city has to offer.

DAY ONE 4pm—E-Bike Ride

Get the lay of the land by renting e-bikes at The Flying Bike. Located in the River Arts District, a vibrant and colorful neighborhood with amazing greenways along the French Broad River, The Flying Bike offers guided tours as well as general rentals for people who want to explore on their own.

6pm—Dinner

Once you get settled in, head downtown for a bite to eat. For a small city, we sure have some amazing restaurants and you can either splurge on dinner or save a few bucks with a more moderately priced option.

Budget: If you enjoy Thai food, you’ll love Little Bee Thai. What started out as a food truck is now a local staple and for good reason; their curries are outstanding, and my daughters love the fried vegan spring rolls.

Splurge: Chef Katie Button is a local legend, and her award-winning restaurant CÚrate is as good as it gets. Make sure to make reservations because this place is popular among tourists and locals alike. A little planning goes a long way, though, and it will be so worth it; trust me. The menu changes regularly but if you get the opportunity to eat the Cinco Jotas Jamon Iberico (cured pork), absolutely do it.

8pm—Live Music

If you still have some energy after dinner, go to the Grey Eagle to listen to some live music. This venue attracts world-class musicians and to see them in an intimate setting is super fun.

Pictured left to right: an e-bike tour with The Flying Bike; Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain; guests at Sauna House

DAY TWO

8am—Breakfast

Among my family’s favorite places to go for breakfast are Tupelo Honey Café, City Bakery, All Day Darling and Pulp + Sprout. You can’t go wrong with any of these options, and the açaí bowl at Pulp + Sprout is my personal go-to.

10am—Day Hike

Time to explore the Black Mountain area, which is a quaint artistic neighbor of Asheville. As a proud graduate of Montreat College, just outside of Black Mountain, I cut my teeth in these mountains. Here are a couple hikes not to miss:

Easy Hike: The Lookout Trail in Montreat is a pet-friendly hike that’s 1.4 miles round-trip and takes most folks about an hour. The route includes a beautiful summit that looks out over the whole Black Mountain valley. Kid friendly, this hike is a classic family adventure and packs a punch for a short hike.

Tough Hike: The Seven Sisters are a well-known range above Black Mountain and by far my favorite hike in the area. The first mile is straight uphill, but once you gain the ridge the fun starts. This is a 10mile hike and not for beginners. This hike could take four to five hours but leads to some spectacular views.

After your hike, make sure to stop by the WNC Outdoor Collective for a cold brew or kombucha. This outdoor shop/bar is a perfect place to reflect on your hike and plan for the night ahead.

6pm—Dinner

Black Mountain is a town that has stayed true to its roots. There are many options for dinner and all are reasonably priced. Among my favorites are Pure and Proper, My Father’s Pizza, The Trailhead and Veranda Café.

Once again, if you have energy left over, you can usually see live music at White Horse Black Mountain or Pisgah Brewery.

DAY THREE

8am—Breakfast

After an adventurous weekend, you should be tired and hungry! This is the day for recovering and relaxing—on a full stomach, of course.

Budget: The Well-Bred Bakery is one of my family’s favorites. You just can’t go wrong with the Spicy Chorizo Burrito or the Vegetarian Black Bean Burrito. Good luck turning down the pastries too; they’re made fresh daily and are to die for.

Splurge: The Biltmore Estate is an iconic landmark and offers a few different dining options for both breakfast and brunch. The dining room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate is top notch, and don’t you dare forget a Mimosa, which goes great with The Estate Harvest Power Bowl.

10am—Public Sauna

You’ve had a wonderful couple of days and now it’s time to relax! Do yourself a favor and check out The Sauna House. Their hot/cold therapy is next level, and the vibe is just right. This is the perfect way to end your Asheville stay in style.

Happy trails, y’all. If you have additional questions, please reach out to me via my website, peteripmaster.com.

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ARGENTINIAN ASADO

An extraordinary culinary experience created from a cultural Argentinian tradition. Bringing family & friends together to enjoy good company & an endless variety of grilled meat around a raised open fire.

Immerse yourself in a culinary experience as Chef Marcella shares with you her passion for cooking & welcomes you into her family’s century old home, where people who arrive as strangers, leave as friends after sharing a beautiful meal.

PRESENTED BY THE INGLES TABLE

Napa Sandwich

WRITTEN BY SUZY AND CLARK NEAL, OWNERS OF UNICOI PRESERVES | PHOTOS BY ERIN ADAMS

An idea l lunch for the many mountain adventures available in Western North Carolina, the Napa Sandwich can be put in a backpack for hikes, mountain biking and picnics—all while proving that meals on the go can be just as tasty as meals in a city restaurant.

“Clark and I created the Napa Picnic Sandwich after a trip to Napa, CA, where we had a lovely time tasting our way through the area,” says Suzy Neal. “We picked up a similar sandwich on the way to a remote winery, where we enjoyed the sandwich with wine amongst the vines.”

Napa Sandwich

1 Ingles bakery French baguette

2 tablespoons Laura Lynn salted butter, softened

2 tablespoons Laura Lynn coarse ground mustard

¾ pound ham, deli sliced

4 tablespoons Unicoi Preserves Salted Caramel Peach Spread

¼ pound Havarti cheese, deli sliced

¼ pound lacey Swiss cheese, deli sliced

1 cup Harvest Farms organic spring mix lettuce

Cut the baguette in half horizontally. Hollow out some of the bread from the inside of the top half. Spread butter on the cut sides of both the top and the bottom of the bread.

Spread mustard on the bottom of the bread.

Layer ham, salted caramel peach spread, Havarti, and Swiss cheeses. Top with lettuce.

Add top of baguette to sandwich, press firmly, and wrap to travel. Cut and serve when you’re ready to picnic.

PHOTO ESSAY

The Horse Shoe Farm

PHOTOS BY TAYLOR HEERY

T

he Horse Shoe Farm is a one-of-a-kind spa resort in Hendersonville, just outside of Asheville, with 85 acres of stunning mountain landscapes and luxury amenities—ideal for on-site retreats and corporate gatherings, as well as wind-downs and weekend getaways.

The Horse Shoe Farm resort offers eight homes that sleep a total of 61 guests—each of which can be booked separately or together—as well as four lofts that include a private room and bathroom with communal living space.

For those looking to relax, the Stable Spa offers massages, facials and foot soaks, and the Meditation Tower provides a calm space for meditation and contemplation.

The Silo Cookhouse—open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday, and for brunch on Sunday—is top-rated fine dining, with seasonal dishes showcasing the best of local farms, a beautifully curated wine list and a selection of Asheville’s craft beers.

And don’t forget about the fun! With plenty of trails for walking and bike riding, two ponds for fishing and swimming, pickleball, volleyball and a popular gathering spot for families known as The Farmhouse, there is no shortage of ways to embrace every minute at the farm.

ITINERARY

36 Hours in Asheville for Lovers of Art, Music & History

WRITTEN BY TARAH SINGH

As an Asheville-based artist who grew up in the area, I love the variety of things to do and see here. But I particularly enjoy the vibrant community of makers, who are experimenting with new mediums and concepts to create thought-provoking art and music. If you’re looking to use your trip to Asheville to expand your art collection, gather inspiration or just relax, here are some suggestions to help you get started.

DAY ONE

2pm—A Caffeinated Pick-Me-Up & Planning Session

If you’re just getting to town, consider taking a bit of time to plan your trip and make the most of your visit. Head to Battle Cat or Tiger Bay Café in West Asheville for an expertly prepared coffee drink (I always get an iced matcha latte) and get your bearings. If you already have some ideas in mind for your visit, then you can use this time to sit and journal or sketch, while picking up inspiration from the alternative art on the walls.

3pm—River Arts District: Intro Stop

Just across the French Broad River is the River Arts District (RAD), Asheville’s creative hub with dozens of working artists. While there’s enough to see and do here to fill the whole weekend (and I recommend the Studio Stroll on Saturdays), you can get your feet wet with a

visit to the Art Garden, where several local artists are represented (including my daughter, Alex Stilber, who focuses on figurative expressionist painting). Nearby is Tyger Tyger Gallery as well as the Modern Muse, one of the newest additions to the RAD. Consider taking a class at the Asheville Print Studio and Gallery.

7pm—Drum Circle & Treat

If you’re feeling inspired, keep the energy flowing with a trip to Pritchard Park in downtown Asheville and listen to or join the drum circle, which forms on Friday nights. Grab dinner afterward at Tupelo Honey Café right on the square.

9pm—Live Music

Check out some of the local live music options at The Hound (the blues and jazz musician Reggie Headen plays most Fridays), located in a renovated Greyhound bus station on Tunnel Road, just a few minutes from downtown. There’s indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a menu of some local favorites and often a food truck.

11pm—Late-Night Drinks

For a unique experience, and the chance to mingle with a few locals, check out the Pink Moon

Pictured left to right: The Great Wild Nowhere bar; artists at work in the River Arts District (By Red Angle Photography)

Craft Cocktail Bar, located behind Double Crown in West Asheville. It’s a speakeasy type of place and you need a one-time access code, which you can find on Pink Moon’s Instagram stories.

DAY TWO

10am—Museum

Start your day with a trip to the Asheville Art Museum. Recently renovated, and located on Pack Square, the museum hosts many impactful art shows and provides opportunities to local organizations and aspiring young creatives in the area. And make sure to check out the gift shop, which offers a lot of cool treasures.

Noon—Lunch

Stop for lunch at Hemingway’s Cuba, one of my favorite rooftop restaurants. Here you can have a bite with stunning mountain views and enjoy a refreshing mocktail or cocktail. The perfect photo ops happen at sunset. If you’re looking for a treat afterward, head down to Kilwins for an ice cream. And if you have extra time, stop at Bella’s of Asheville on Battery Park to see if any new artists are showing.

2pm—RAD Second Saturday Studio Stroll

On the second Saturday of each month, the River Arts District holds the Second Saturday Studio Stroll with live music, demos, workshops, wine tastings, food and more. They have a trolley you can ride for free to take you to different areas of the mile-long district. If you’re visiting on one of those days, this is a must-see event. Make sure to check out Jeffrey Burroughs: The Jewel of Asheville for one-of-a-kind pieces (I recently stopped by their gallery to discuss having a custom ring created around a stone that I purchased at a gem show.)

5pm—Dinner

Around the corner from Jeffrey Burroughs is The Bull and Beggar, a popular restaurant that has a creative menu and uses a lot of seasonal, local ingredients. After dinner, walk to Wedge Brewing Co on Paynes Way for a Vadim Bora stout, described as “intensely decadent” and named after a local painter, sculptor and gallery owner.

8pm—Music

For great live music, head to Guitar Bar in the River Arts District. You can relax and check out the many guitars that line the walls, some of them signed by incredible rock stars. Another option is the Great Wild Nowhere, which is right next door and has DJs spinning until midnight, and some nights, live bands.

DAY THREE

11:30am—Brunch

If this is your last day in town, you might have to spend a bit of the morning packing up—and hopefully, you’ve got some new art to take home with you. Plan on brunch to give yourself the time you need. I recommend Laughing Seed Café, a downtown restaurant that serves vegan and vegetarian dishes and has great outdoor seating on Wall Street for people watching.

Not Just Pretty Facades

Asheville’s iconic buildings tell the city’s colorful history

WRITTEN BY NAN CHASE

Asheville has earned several descriptive nicknames over the years, including Foodtopia, Beer City, even Bear City and the enduring classic Land of the Sky. Now add this one: Buildings Beautiful.

Asheville’s lively cultural scene, including countless places to enjoy great food and drink, unfurls against a backdrop of distinctive buildings dating back more than a century. So before heading indoors for a meal, feast your eyes on what some observers claim is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture outside of Miami, plus plenty of others that defy any category. Quaint, quirky and awesome, these unique structures reveal much about the city’s enduring appeal as a tourist magnet.

Photo courtesy of The Biltmore Company.

A travel destination dating back to the early 1800s, Asheville experienced a tourism boom after 1880, when the first railway reached town. Trains brought well-heeled visitors eager to spread their Gilded Age wealth among swank hotels, grand municipal buildings and, most notably, ornate mansions.

Then came the Roaring ’20s, as industrialists came to town and built a new and exciting skyline with their money, vision and drive. The layers of architectural wonderment they erected over the mountainous landscape are still with us today.

Through good times and bad—and Asheville has seen plenty of both—the city’s built environment has endured. In many cases the buildings stayed in place even as their uses changed. Sometimes, as during a long mid-20th-century slump, there was simply no money to tear down aging structures. So, they remained—and have come back to life with imagination and verve.

Asheville boasts several nationally recognized historic districts and many protected buildings, due in large part to the talents of individual architects and the skilled artisans who brought their ideas from the drawing board to the street.

Here are four fabulous buildings that illustrate how Asheville’s changing fortunes are memorialized in brick and stone.

Biltmore House

While vacationing in Asheville in the 1880s, George Washington Vanderbilt beheld the mountain vista before him and wanted it all. He nearly succeeded, eventually buying some 125,000 acres of damaged woodland as the setting for his grand country home, Biltmore.

Today the best-known tourist attraction in town, Biltmore retains its title as the nation’s largest private residence, even as his family departed for cozier quarters.

Construction took six years, until 1895, and resulted in a faux French concoction stuffed with furnishings Vanderbilt collected in Europe.

End of story? Hardly.

Vanderbilt’s lasting contribution was to hire experts who could translate his visionary ideas into realities: eroded hillsides and ravaged forests restored to health, construction yards turned into elegant parkland and, perhaps most important, low-lying fields managed as some of the most productive agricultural lands in the South. His scientific farming methods earned kudos from the start and continued to produce crops and livestock for generations, today helping to supply the estate’s dining side.

The Grove Park Inn (Courtesy of Omni Hotels & Resorts)

Biltmore’s early dairy operations were so successful that they supplied the citizens of Asheville with milk, cream, butter, cottage cheese and ice cream, all delivered by a fleet of horse-drawn wagons and then colorful trucks. Later there was a popular Dairy Bar where visitors could enjoy sensational ice cream treats together.

Perhaps the best place to appreciate Vanderbilt’s creative flair is not at the estate itself but by strolling through Biltmore Village, a historic district just outside the gates. There, Vanderbilt had bought the swampy village of Best, filled it in and had his resident architects lay out streets lined with matching homes and stores.

Take time to step into the Cathedral of All Souls, a soaring masterpiece graced with magnificent stained glass and a huge pipe organ. That’s where his spiritual side shines.

Grove Park Inn

Rock solid, this Arts and Crafts fantasy in stone has withstood a dozen iterations since it was completed in 1913 after barely a year of construction.

The current name, since a change of ownership in 2013, is Omni Grove Park Inn, but the goal is the same as at the dawn of the 20th century: luxurious stays in a stunning mountain setting.

Between then and now, the Grove Park Inn has been a stopover for industrial magnates, a conventioneers’ watering hole, a hideaway for U.S.

The Grove Park Inn in an undated postcard. Courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Public Library.

presidents and deposed despots, a recovery center for war veterans and even a motor lodge with a cloverleaf swimming pool and vinyl wallpaper. Wings have been added and subtracted from its massive core, yet the place retains its distinctive profile: a rough castle topped with an undulating red tile roof.

Funded by early pharmaceutical genius E.W. Grove and designed by his son-in-law, Fred Seely, the Grove Park Inn combined every modern convenience with old-fashioned hospitality when it opened. The dining room served banquets of incredible scope; visitors could stable their riding horses during long stays and have their hometown newspapers waiting for them at breakfast. Today, the atmosphere is more casual but the pride of place remains.

A good way to enjoy this architectural marvel is to pay for parking on site and spend a few hours roaming the halls, enjoying the many display cases filled with historic photos, artifacts and well restored decorative furnishings.

Start in the lobby, anchored by two 36-foot-wide stone fireplaces. One still has an operating elevator tucked inside; ride that to the top of the original Palm Court and meander back downstairs. Enjoy a snack, a drink, a meal … and the westward view.

Flatiron Building

Classic lines and fine workmanship never go out of style, and the sleek 1926 (or 1927) Flatiron Building on Battery Park Avenue has been taken out of mothballs and dusted off many times.

Today, after a multi-year, multi-million-dollar restoration, the eight-story triangular landmark is starting a promising phase as the 71-room Flat Iron Hotel, a luxury hotel in the heart of the 30-block Downtown Asheville Historic District. The building’s tan brick construction, limestone façade and richly detailed copper parapet remain intact. Most everything inside is new.

The Flatiron Building mirrors the ups and downs of 20th-century Asheville’s rollercoaster economy. Early photos show Flatiron’s prominence as the city’s commercial zone expanded from Pack Square to the “hinterlands” a few blocks away in the fashionable Haywood Street retail area.

Originally designed as an office building, the Flatiron soon sprouted a pair of 100-foot antennae on the roof; radio station WWNC began broadcasting in 1927. Another early tenant was the pioneering “lady doctor” Mary Frances Shuford.

But Asheville’s Roaring ’20s boom came to a crashing halt after a series of devastating bank failures and the Great Depression. Downtown Asheville went dark for half a century, during which time many historic buildings were lost or fell into disuse and disrepair. By the late 1970s, the Flatiron’s owners had the tax valuation lowered to a mere $175,000.

Eventually, as downtown rebounded in the 21st century, the Flatiron stirred back to life. In 1985, new owners had paid $440,000 to acquire it and then spent a million on repairs. One innovative feature was the trendy Sky Bar, a three-story outdoor lounge hanging off the western side. By 2018, the sale price had reached $16 million, not including the interior gut rehab.

As it is with fashion, sometimes vintage buildings get more valuable as the age.

Grove Arcade

The Grove Arcade, created by the ever-ambitious E.W. Grove, remains endlessly fascinating, architecturally speaking, yet was always shaded by the city’s dark past.

Taking up an entire block in the downtown historic district, that edifice opened in 1929, just in time for the Great Depression. Grove’s sudden death two years earlier already had curtailed his grandiose plan of a 14-story tower atop the midpoint.

The styling remains, now as then, outrageous: Described as Neo-Tudor Gothic, its 269,000-square-foot base and steel innards were clad on the outside with glazed terra cotta tiles, and inside lined with marble and carved oak. The light-filled interior double courtyard glittered beneath a glass roof, creating what some call America’s first indoor mall. More than 200 offices and stores filled its several stories, facing both inward and out to the streets.

In the depths of the Depression, the Arcade was the site of fanciful, if somewhat forced, revelry, as an annual event called the Rhododendron Festival staged outré costume balls and musical performances on the rooftop terrace, accessible to a thousand spectators via wide double ramps on the north side. King and Queen Rhododendron would oversee vast parades from their viewing stand outside.

During World War II, the federal government bought the Arcade for $275,000 to store records. The streetside windows were bricked up and the building became a crypt, later used for archiving national weather data.

As Asheville awoke from its mid-20th-century slumber, around 1980, plans went forward to restore the Arcade, and after two decades of bureaucratic machinations and reconstruction work, it reopened as a mixed-use facility: several stories of high-end residences above a lively mix of restaurants and shops at ground level, plus covered craft stalls outside. The vibe gets younger and hipper. Don’t miss the experience.

Pictured left to right: The Flatiron Building (Courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Public Library); the Historic Grove Arcade (Courtesy of the Grove Arcade).

Enjoy the Art of Living

GRAZING TABLES

THE SOCIAL ROOM

TASTING EVENTS

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Experience a curated selection of quality wines and whiskeys paired with our culinary team’s handcrafted artisan charcuterie boards. Live music fills our space, as you reunite with old friends and connect with new neighbors as Claywood reminds us to … Enjoy the Art of Living

Our founder, Robert Ingle, saw a need to invest in smaller towns and rural communities throughout the Carolinas that were being unsupported by large grocery chains. So, he opened the first Ingles supermarket in Asheville, North Carolina in 1963 working primarily with local farmers to get their product into the hands of consumers.

Today, we continue building on our founder’s ambitious dreams of supporting underserved and local communities, farmers, and producers. Together with our customers we proudly provide assistance to more local children and families, schools and universities, athletic and arts programs, and those hungry and in-need than any other grocery store in the southeast.