Ten years is a long time for any restaurant to thrive and survive, especially in Asheville’s highly competitive dining scene.
But Luella’s Bar-B-Que has reached that decade mark and will celebrate Tuesday, March 21, with a special anniversary beer plus food-and-brew pairings at both the Merrimon Avenue and Biltmore Park locations.
Luella’s has teamed with Asheville’s Hi-Wire Brewing Co. to create Pig on a Wire Anniversary Ale, an amber honey-wheat ale that goes well with barbecue.
The event will also feature Hi-Wire’s limited-edition blueberry sour, a gose and Bed of Nails Brown Ale. Some of the brews will go into small-bite food offerings like shrimp on a wire and beer belly wrapped pork shank, says Craig Peters, general manager of the Merrimon Avenue Luella’s. As part of the celebration, customers who buy the beer can take home the glass while supplies last.
The pairing is part of Luella’s Tuesday Brewsday monthly series, Peters says. “Because we’ve reached the 10-year mark, we wanted to celebrate by upping the ante for our customers.”
Along with the specialty food items, Luella’s will offer its regular menu at the pairing, including its popular chicken wings and smoked beef brisket. “This will not be like a big beer dinner,” Peters says. “Each of the beers will be paired with a bite.” No reservations are needed.
Luella’s, which specializes in Eastern North Carolina vinegar-based barbecue sauce, was opened in 2007 by Jeff Miller and had its first location on Hendersonville Road in South Asheville. In 2009, it moved to North Asheville and took over the former Boston Pizza site, which had once been an A&W drive-in, Peters says. That was followed by a Luella’s at Biltmore Park.
The barbecue scene has changed a great deal since those early days, says Peters. “There is a lot of barbecue competition in town these days. Everyone is putting out good food. It’s a matter of staying consistent. There is room for everyone.”
Luella’s 10th-anniversary celebration happens 5-9 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at 501 Merrimon Ave. and 33 Town Square Blvd., Biltmore Park. For details, follow Luella’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit the Luella’s website.
Follow Tony Kiss on Facebook at Carolina Beer Guy and on Twitter at BeerGuyTK. Email avlbeerguy@gmail.com
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