Foothills Meats has built quite the thriving culinary destination in Black Mountain. Having begun 23 years ago selling locally sourced meat from the back of a pickup truck at the Black Mountain Tailgate Market, the business is set to launch its latest Black Mountain venture at the end of this month. The restaurant, Skillet, will make its home in one of the town’s historic icehouse buildings, with former Cultura and Wicked Weed Funkatorium executive chef Eric Morris at the helm.
Sourcing whole animals from small, local farmers, the business opened Foothills Butcher Shop on Black Mountain Avenue in 2013, soon followed by two Butcher Bar restaurants (one in West Asheville) and a food truck.
Owners Amanda and Casey McKissick sold the West Asheville restaurant in early 2021, and in 2022, closed the Black Mountain Butcher Bar, refocusing energy on growing the female-led butchery business. Also in 2022, they opened The Grange, a casual, family-friendly concept with a massive outdoor space, covered patio and indoor seating, 16 taps for local brews and a menu Casey described as “everything I liked to eat growing up,” all of it prepared from the food truck.
Meanwhile, the building next door was calling their name. “Both of these properties were owned since the early 1930s by Virginia and Cyril Huffman,” Casey explains. “It operated as Black Mountain Ice and Coal — the coal yard was where Grange is, and the icehouse is the building next door.”
In 2023, with The Grange having outgrown its food truck kitchen, the McKissicks bought the vacant, two-story icehouse, which had been renovated in 2019. They built a built a large kitchen and in August fired it up to cook for The Grange; they also began refining their concept for an elevated dining restaurant and launched the search for a chef.
In mid-September, Morris gave his notice to Wicked Weed Brewing after growing increasingly uncomfortable with the Anheuser-Busch-owned company’s corporate culture. “The job provided stability and benefits when my wife and I had our daughter,” he says. “But personally I wasn’t feeling very fulfilled.”
Morris says he looks forward to his new role in Skillet’s large, new kitchen. “Amanda and Casey’s philosophy on food really works with mine, and their commitment to using the whole animal in creative ways is something I’m really excited about,” he says.
Tropical Storm Helene caused a change of plans. “After the storm, we felt like, for now, a high-end menu is not the right way to go,” says Casey. “People need comfort now, and Eric and his food can feel like a big, warm hug.” Skillet, he says, will offer affordable comfort food served family-style.
Morris is fine with that shift and eager to feed Black Mountain. Among the dishes on the opening menu are brown butter cornbread with chicken butter and hot honey; curried pumpkin and coconut soup with cilantro, apples and pepitas; chicories salad with fried pumpernickel and anchovy vinaigrette; roast chicken with maitake, parsnip purée, Brussels sprouts and candied pork belly, and sweet potato gnocchi with broccoli rabe, pecorino and sage.
Skillet will be open five days a week at first (closed Monday and Tuesday) starting in late November. In the spring, the McKissicks hope to segue to the more elevated concept and a new name, yet to be decided.
“Amanda and I are really happy to be offering jobs to people in this industry and really excited to have Eric here,” says Casey. “He is just a delight to be around, and we know people in Black Mountain will feel the same.”
Skillet is at 128 Broadway St., Black Mountain. For details, visit avl.mx/eaq.
Last call at Bottle Riot
In early 2018, Lauri and Barrett Nichols channeled their love of wine, art and the River Arts District into The District, a funky, friendly wine bar/art gallery they fashioned from the brick-walled studio space of their late friend, sculptor and RAD pioneer John Payne.
In 2019, they endured a trademark dispute over the bar’s name. (Spoiler alert: The District became Bottle Riot.) Then they survived the challenges of COVID-19. But Helene has dealt the business a blow it can’t recover from. In early November, the Nicholses announced the permanent closure of Bottle Riot due to the destruction and flooding from the storm and no help from insurance.
One Last Riot will be held 2-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22. Guests are asked to BYOG — bring your own glass — to fill with wine, beer, THC beverages and nonalcoholic options to enjoy on-site. People are also encouraged to bring tote bags to carry purchases of wines by the bottle, commemorative glassware and other mementos. Asheville party band Pleasure Chest will entertain beginning at 5 p.m.
Bottle Riot is at 37 Paynes Way. For more information, visit avl.mx/eam.
Thanksgiving feast for Eblen Charities
For those who’d rather skip the cooking on Thanksgiving, Embassy Suites by Hilton will host a Thanksgiving celebration noon-3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 28. The menu features all the classics — turkey, ham, gravy, mushroom and sausage dressing, mac and cheese, whipped potatoes, sweet potatoes and green bean casserole. Twenty-five percent of ticket sales support local nonprofit Eblen Charities. Tickets are $55; $25 for ages 4-12; ages 3 and younger gobble for free. Reservations are requested for parties of eight or more. Leftovers will go to Asheville Poverty Initiative’s 12 Baskets Café.
Embassy Suites by Hilton is at 192 Haywood St. For tickets and information, visit avl.mx/ebh.
NOLA for AVL
Just as Asheville restaurants and chefs have fed their community in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene, chefs in New Orleans have stepped up to help Asheville’s hard-hit hospitality industry. Organized by NOLA chef John Harris, owner of Lilette and Bouligny Tavern, Cooks for Carolina is a series of dinners hosted by over 20 New Orleans restaurants. Several Asheville chefs — including Jacob Sessoms of Table/All Day Darling/Golden Hour, Tall John’s Trevor Payne, Bull and Beggar’s Matt Dawes and Gourmand’s Peyton Barrell — will join their Big Easy colleagues for designated dinners. Explore Asheville’s Always Asheville fund will receive 100% of the proceeds from each dinner.
For more information, visit avl.mx/eaj.
Cocktails support storm recovery efforts
Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Biltmore Village has introduced two new cocktails created to raise funds to support recovery efforts for its hard-hit neighbors. All proceeds from the sales of Citrus Sunset (Absolut vanilla vodka, Ketel One Oranje, orange juice and cream) and Sweater Weather (Pyrat XO rum. St. George, St. Germain, lime juice, ginger beer and cinnamon) will be split between the Historic Biltmore Village Association and the Ruth’s Chris Team Member Prime Persistence Fund, which provides crisis relief to Ruth’s Chris staff members.
Ruth’s Chris is at 26 All Souls Crescent. Visit avl.mx/eau for more information.
Save the buildings
Three local restaurants — Corner Kitchen and Andaaz in Biltmore Village and The Bull and Beggar in the River Arts District — have received $5,000 each in storm recovery grants from the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County (PSABC). The organization maintains three preservation grant programs: Bricks and Mortar, Public Education and Historic Designation. But in response to Helene, the organization quickly began awarding grants exclusively for repairs to historic structures,
“They do not have to be designated [historic sites or landmarks], just 50 years or older and damaged by the hurricane — that includes businesses and residences,” says Executive Director Jessie Landl. PSABC committed $100,000, and the Community Foundation of WNC added $50,000, with all the applicants so far receiving the top grant of $5,000. PSABC is continuing to raise funds with the goal of distributing a total of $200,000.
To donate, visit avl.mx/eal.
Santa comes to South Slope
Helene wrecked Hi-Wire’s River Arts District location and suspended brewing, but the company is bringing happiness to the holidays with the repurposing of its South Slope Tiki Easy Bar into pop-up spectacular: Sippin’ Santa. The tropical hideaway tucked behind the Hilliard Avenue Hi-Wire has decked the walls and turned the bar over to Santa’s helpers who have created a festive menu of Christmas in the Caribbean holiday cocktails.
Frosty the Merman, Sugar Plum Mai Tai, Holiday on Ice and Merry Spritzmas are among the seasonal sippers; spirits-free mocktails will also be available as will custom mugs and glassware for your secret Santa parties. Sippin’ Santa runs 4-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 3-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 3-9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, Dec. 21.
Sippin’ Santa is at 197 Hilliard Ave. For more details, visit avl.mx/ean.
To pie for
OWL Bakery is taking orders for Thanksgiving pies through midnight, Sunday Nov. 24; pickups are at the newly reopened West Asheville location 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27. The pie menu includes heirloom apple crumb, heritage pumpkin, maple pecan and oat cream in an oatmeal cookie crust. Other offerings are gingerbread chocolate torte, sweet potato rosemary rolls, country hearth bread and crusty baguettes.
OWL’s West Asheville location is at 295 Haywood Road. To order, visit avl.mx/eao.
Not feeling crust confident? Camille Cogswell, founder/owner of Walnut Family Bakery, says she expects her whole holiday pies will sell out quickly, but she’s also taking orders for her frozen, ready-to-bake pie crusts through Sunday, Nov. 24. Pickups are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Walnut Family Bakery, 590 Barnard Road, Marshall, or 3-6 p.m. the same day at Leveller Brewing, 29 N. Main St., Weaverville.
To order, visit avl.mx/eap.
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