Accolades come as thick as black bears in Asheville, North Carolina. Some of the many this city of 95,000 in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains has racked up include #1 foodie city — buoyed by multiple James Beard Awards — one of “21 Best Road Trips Destinations” and “10 Best Cities to Visit for Art,” and, of course, a top city for craft beer.
It won’t take you long in Asheville to see why. Against a postcard mountain backdrop, Asheville sprawls casually across hill and dale alongside the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers, creating a hodgepodge of distinct neighborhoods that always seem to be in full chillax mode. That suits the “keep Asheville weird” crowd just fine; in fact, they encourage it, as is immediately apparent amid the bevy of quirky, laidback restaurants, cafes, music venues, art studios, parks and more. This, in turn, has created one of the most robust and dynamic arts and culture scenes in the country that keeps visitors arriving by the busload.
It also makes choosing the best of anything in Asheville a real challenge, as the options are many and quality high. Indeed, each day of exploration only seems to reveal more fantastic discoveries, including these:
What to Drink
Best Craft Brewery: Burial Beer Co.
With around 50 breweries in the city and more outside, Asheville remains a beer-lover’s paradise. That also makes it nearly impossible to give your love to just one, but based strictly on the beer, Burial Beer Co. may win it by a nose tip, thanks to impressive takes on just about everything they lay their hands on, from Czech- and Vienna-style lagers to American Imperial stout to New England IPAs. The brewery in the South Slope neighborhood of Asheville — a lightly converted old transmission shop — is a great place to sample the goods, with multiple seating areas inside and out. Fun is splashed all over, too, be it a perhaps unnatural devotion to Magnum P.I.-era Tom Selleck or the gutted cars outside converted into tables. The brewery also hosts a live music venue, Eulogy, that hosts weekly — and often daily — performances by touring indie bands.
Honorable mentions: Wedge Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing Company, Cellarest Beer Project, DSSOLVR
Best Cocktail Bar: Antidote
When bottles of Chemist gin appeared at the 2022 Daytime Emmy Awards as the official spirit, it represented one more piece of plumage in the cap of this female-founded and -owned distillery in Asheville’s South Slope neighborhood. The attached bar fully embraces a 1920s, speakeasy spirit that elegantly echoes through the ground floor seating area, upstairs mezzanine and roof-deck “botanical bar,” thanks to the dark wood paneling, black-and-white tile floors, Deco lighting fixtures, turn-of-the-century antiques and a handsome wood staircase that makes you want to promenade down it. So it’s no surprise that old-timey cocktails — particularly Gin and Tonics — are a major focus, as are Gimlets, Martinis, Old Fashioneds, Sazaracs and the like.
Honorable mentions: The Tiki Easy Bar, Crow and Quill, The Golden Pineapple
Best Dive Bar: Burger Bar
Named after the former Bürger Beer from Cincinnati, this roadside dive bar sticks to booze by the can, bottle or cup — with nary a hamburger in site. The moniker also points to how old Burger Bar is, having opened inside a distressed, baby-blue, former service station in 1960 and been in continuous operation ever since. Today, it strikes new customers as a veritable set from a Quentin Tarantino or David Lynch film in the best possible way. It’s dark, cheap, cozy and festooned with enough knickknackery to keep solo drinkers busy for an hour, from zebra-fabric sofa (complete with napping pooch), Christmas lights, Elvis shrine, skulls, a stuffed boar’s head, pink flamingos, stickers and posters galore, and, of course, an assortment of Bürger Beer swag. Despite the small size, the bar hosts regular events, including karaoke, live music and comedians, pop-up fish fries and sewing classes. In warmer weather, fun spills out onto the lawn.
Honorable mentions: Fleetwoods, The Odd, Yacht Club
Best Hotel Bar: The Draftsman/Observatory at Restoration Hotel
One of Asheville’s newest hotels splits its nightlife into two bars — Draftsman in the basement and Observatory on the roof. They are polar opposites in many respects, with the Observatory offering a classy boutique ambiance marked by sleek and chic tables and chairs draped from above by dozens of green plants and wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows. An outdoor section adds fresh air and clearer views of almost the entire Asheville area. The Draftsman, on the other hand, aims more for fun and games, be it the large screens for sport matches or two-lane bowling alley, shuffleboard, Skee-Ball, billiards and a live music stage.
Honorable mentions: Workshop Lounge at The Foundry Hotel, Capella on 9 at AC Hotel, Pillar Rooftop Bar at Hilton Garden Inn
You Are Here: The Twin Cities
All the sweetest parts of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, according to someone who lives thereWhere to Eat
Cheap Lunch: Tastee Diner
Personality oozes as much as the ingredients in the breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes at this diner, largely thanks to the impressive talents of owner and chef Steve Goff. That’s at least part of why customers always seem to be pouring in and out of the front door during most of the morning and afternoon, too. Across two tight rooms — a bar and countertop in one and main dining area in the other — Tastee displays a lot of the quirk that so typifies Asheville, with oodles of local art, graffiti, skateboards and knickknacks galore atop 75 years of history as a classic American diner. While brunch perhaps remains the star attraction, the lunch menu matches easily with dishes like spicy fried chicken sandwich with apple kale slaw and tzatziki on a honey bun, smoked bologna dressed in pimento cheese and tomato aioli and a sliced brisket po’ boy.
Honorable mentions: Biscuit Head, Sunny Point Café, Haywood Common, Asheville Sandwich Company
Best Burger Spot: Baby Bull
This trackside burger joint in the River Arts District hits all the right notes in a pleasantly no-nonsense way. Simply step through the double doors next to the red bull head sign, slide up to the slatted wood panel counter and order the double cheese burger — the only burger on the menu generally. They come “all-in,” with American cheese, bread and butter pickles, Duke’s mayonnaise and caramelized onions. Substitutions not allowed but you can omit certain ingredients of ask for everything on the side. But then you might not get the full impact when you unwrap the classic black-checkered roadside diner paper in a red basket to reveal carnivorous culinary beauty inside. Complement with the fries cooked in beef tallow, or if you prefer, pork rinds and hushpuppies.
Honorable mentions: Foothills in RAD, Rankin Vault
Nice Dinner: Chai Pani
Riding high on numerous James Beard awards and nominations, including “outstanding restaurant,” and best chef, this Indian restaurant downtown offers impressive culinary bang for a relatively cheap buck. Inspired by Indian street food, the menu delivers chaat — a kind of Indian street food. Examples include bhel puri, made with puffed rice and crunchy chickpea noodles; crispy Masala fish rolls; butter chicken in a tomato cream sauce; and spicy potato dumplings fried in a curried chickpea batter. The fact that nearly all dishes cost less than $15 makes it all the more amazing. The interior, which includes a full bar, is as colorful as the food, making an ideal get-together spot with friends or an intimate tete-a-tete with a date.
Honorable mentions: Rhubarb, White Duck Taco Shop, 12 Bones Smokehouse
Nicer Dinner: Cúrate
The awards racked up by Katie Button, chef and owner of Cúrate, are tumbling off the mantel at this point, including four nominations and two James Beard Award wins and a bevy of citations among the best chefs of the world, not to mention hosting duties the National Geographic Channel series, “The World’s Best Chefs.” In fact, her Spanish-flavored Asheville restaurant, Cúrate was named one of the “40 Most Important Restaurants of the Decade” by Esquire. The pedigree shows in the first bite of anything you order, and the tapas approach of the menu means you can spoil your palate with a lot, from the Galacian-style octopus and charcoal-grilled Iberico pork with charred rosemary and thyme to Basque-style chorizo wrapped in potato chips and charcuterie of cured Spanish meats and cheese. Pair with almost anything on the wine list, acclaimed as one of the 100 best in the country by Food & Wine. If possible, grab a seat on the side with the open kitchen — and ideally at the marble, kitchen-side bar itself — to add an olfactory banquet to the one on your plate.
Honorable mentions: Neng’s Jr.’s, Vivian, Benne on Eagle
Where to Shop
Best Menswear Shop: Lex Twenty Menswear
Casual is generally the name of the game in ultra-laidback Asheville, so fancy menswear shops are as few as the reasons to gussy up. That said, this man cave-esque downstairs boutique downtown offers plenty of ways to with its inventory of shirts, jackets, shoes, boots, hats and accessories “tailored to the modern man.” That might include coats by Billy Reid, textured knit shirts by The Normal Brand, Case Fairisle Crew Neck Sweater from Barbour and Iron Ranger Traction Tread shoes by Red Wing, as well as a range of bags and masculine knickknacks, including cocktail shakers, cologne and caps. Best of all, you can browse with beer in hand, thanks to a vintage kegerator behind the counter dispensing pints of Hillman Beer.
Honorable mention: Gentlemen’s Gallery
Best Vintage Shop: Marquee
Taking up a converted 50,000 square-foot former warehouse about the size of a football field in the River Arts District, Marquee offers a complete end-to-end experience for any vintage hunters. Starting with the bar just inside the north entrance, grab a beer, wine, cider or mead to accompany your perambulation among the displays of more than 100 artists, craftspeople and vintage — and vintage-inspired — vendors selling clothing, home goods, artwork, jewelry and handicrafts, and that’s only scratching the surface. Even if you are not looking to purchase anything, Marquee is a hoot to explore and large enough to require repeat visits to see it all. It also captures the quirk and zing of Asheville life better than most shopping experiences in the area.
Honorable mentions: Honeypot Vintage, The Regeneration Station, House of Kismet
Best Record Store: Harvest Records
As a city that takes its music seriously. Asheville loves vinyl records and the record stores that sell them. Among them all, Harvest Records lays the strongest claim to the crown. In part, this is because they’ve been around for nearly 20 years, but mainly it’s the large inventory of new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, stereo equipment, books, DVDs and accessories alongside delivered with a dose of personality. Seeing itself as a community hub, Harvest also hangs the work of local artists and hosts regular in-store performances, listening parties and other special events. A DJ booth in one corner also provides a soundtrack as you browse the two rooms of musical treasures and try to resist emptying your wallet.
Honorable mentions: Records in the RAD, Voltage Records, Citizen Vinyl
Best Bookstore: Malaprop’s Bookstore
As much a community center as a bookstore, thanks in part to its 40-plus years in business, Malaprops devotes the majority of its browse-friendly aisles to books for adults, children and young adults. But it adds a café, too, with local bakery treats and coffee. The building itself, originally a hotel built in 1917 by Asheville’s first millionaire, adds a historical shine, while the activist edge comes from the bookstore founder’s escape from communist-era Hungary and passion for free expression. The community side gets a major boost from the regular events, including book signings, author conversations, book clubs and forums on community issues. Also be sure to check out their sister store, Downtown Book & News, a couple blocks away, which focuses on secondhand books.
Honorable Mentions: Firestorm Books, Bagatelle Books, Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar
What to Do
Best Gallery: Wedge Studios
Asheville appreciates art so much that it’s dedicated an entire district to it. Stretching along the east bank of the French Broad River, the River Arts District takes up a former industrial zone that now teams with art studios, galleries and shops supporting the more than 280 artists that work there. Wedge Studios is the ideal place to begin the exploration. Amid a labyrinth of studio spaces across multiple floors, visitors can engage with the full range of mediums — painting, illustration, sculpture, metalwork, pottery and more. When finished, pop around to the backside of the building to rest your feet with a pint at the Wedge Brewing bar and flip through vinyl at the record store next door. It’s the complete River Arts District experience in a single building.
Honorable Mentions: Momentum Gallery, Asheville Art Museum, Folk Art Center
Best Running/Hiking Trail: French Broad River Greenway
The Asheville area is virtually saturated with hiking trails, many of which lead to gorgeous waterfalls and vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. However, in Asheville itself, the French Broad River Greenway offers the longest paved running and biking trek possible. Thanks to its location along the gently sloping riverbank, it’s also one of the flattest trails, ideal for all fitness levels. The four-mile-ish greenway comes with charming views of the sparkling river, canopies of trees, nature-watching benches, picnic tables and many happy dogs. On the east bank, find a parallel paved path that runs alongside the entire River Arts District, offering a multitude of quick stop-offs for art, coffee, beer, food and movies. Otherwise, continue the journey on the linked trails, including the Wilma Dykeman Greenway at the north end, which adds two more miles, and the 1.4-mile Hominy Creek Greenway at the other.
Honorable Mentions: Triple Falls in DuPont State Forest, The North Carolina Arboretum
Best Place for Live Music: The Grey Eagle
There’s a casual, homespun atmosphere at this River Arts District music venue — one of the longest-running ones in Asheville. Much of it has to do with the intimacy of the main room, which holds a max capacity of 550 standing, but the in-house taqueria helps, as does its location somewhat off the beaten tourist path that ensures a local crowd. Touring musicians of many genres have responded, gracing the stage with the likes of Ralph Stanley, Avett Brothers, Band of Horses, Richie Havens, Frank Black and Sharon Jones among many others since doors opened in 1999. Grey Eagle also welcomes the spoken word, with monthly Moth story slams, watch parties on the big screen, burlesque and even toy expos.
Honorable Mentions: The Orange Peel, Asheville Music Hall, Salvage Station
Tourist Spot That’s Actually Worth It: Asheville Pinball Museum
Perhaps more arcade than museum, this collection of 35 pinball machines — most of which are playable — offers not just an hour or two of flipping fun but also a survey of gaming history going back to the 1940s. This also imbues each game with a heaping spoonful of nostalgia as you launch pinballs into the world of Star Trek, Evel Knievel, The Beatles, Jurassic Park, Twilight Zone and so much more. That’s just the front room, too. Head into the back room to find an almost equal number of ’70s, ’80s and ’90s arcade games, from Q*bert to Frogger to Pac-Man. Gamer’s prize goes to the 1983 Star Wars in a sit-down cabinet, one of holy grails of gaming. Most are playable for an entry fee of $15 that lasts all day but a few machines, like Star Wars, cost a few quarters extra.
Honorable Mentions: Moogseum, Moog Factory
Where to Stay
Best Luxury Hotel: The Inn on Biltmore Estate
This inn offers more than just luxury accommodation, but a luxury world. When the Vanderbilt family made their home in Asheville — the largest private home in the country at the time — they brought luxury at the highest levels to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Today, the much-expanded estate includes this 210-room inn that immerses guest in the world of the Vanderbilt’s world with gilded-age inspired furnishings, complete with four-poster mahogany beds and pillows bearing the “V” monogram of the Vanderbilt family amid a cream and beige colorscape. But you probably won’t spend much time in there as you explore the vast estate offerings, including the mansion itself, a winery, equestrian center, library, spa, hiking trails and the 80 acres of landscaped gardens created by Frederick Law — and that’s just to start.
Honorable Mentions: The Omni Grove Park Inn
Best Boutique Hotel: The Radical
This freshly opened boutique hotel in the River Arts District works hard to capture the fun and quirk of Asheville and largely succeeds. Not only does it follow the usual Asheville story of rehabilitating a previously vacant warehouse, it populates the 70 guest rooms, two restaurants and various common spaces with “rebel luxe” design that includes colorful graffiti — some discovered and preserved during renovations — curtained headboards, mood lighting, tiger-print pillows, gold bathrooms and bright, curvaceous furniture. If it reminds you of a Wes Anderson movie, that’s because the design team included one of the director’s set designers. Aiming for a complete boutique experience, the Radical comes with an equally boutique restaurant, café and rooftop bar that looks west across the French Broad River and sunsets beyond.
Honorable Mentions: The Restoration, The Windsor, Zelda Dearest
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