Tasty Greens, GRIND, Morsel Cookie Co. and Leo’s House of Thirst are among the many new food and beverage businesses opening this fall in Asheville.
Delayed but undaunted, new restaurants open for business
More than most new businesses, restaurants are vulnerable to vagaries beyond their control, and COVID-19 has created even more speed bumps on the path from “opening soon” to “now open.”
Okra 2020 mounts successful campaign to bring pods to the people
Though Slow Food Asheville’s original plans for Aunt Hettie’s Red went awry due to the pandemic, local farmers and chefs have still managed to experiment with the heritage okra variety.
Asheville debuts esports leagues
At a time when COVID-19 makes meeting up for in-person sports less safe, says Asheville Parks and Recreation staffer Maxime Pierre, virtual activities provide an outlet for competition and help to keep the department relevant. But he says video games also allow the city to engage with a larger group of residents than had been served through traditional sports.
Food Court: Introducing Kay West’s occasional column on the local culinary scene
Though my friends and family were taken aback when I suddenly — to them — decided to leave Nashville, they were delighted at my destination. “Asheville? I love Asheville!”
Charlie Hodge turns his downtown bar into Bodega on Broadway
“I never thought I’d be selling candy bars,” restaurateur Charlie Hodge admits with a laugh. Yet PayDays and KitKats are among the hundreds of sundries for sale in Hodge’s newest enterprise, Bodega on Broadway.
Food trucks adapt and roll into new territory
More relaxed regulations mean food trucks can operate at apartment complexes, community centers, libraries and other locations as long as they are more than 50 feet from an occupied residence.
Asheville Tourists give fans missing baseball a taste of the game
Pop-up concessions events at McCormick Field serve ballpark favorites such as the Tourists Dog, chili cheese dogs, bratwurst, soft serve ice cream and, because it’s Asheville, craft beer.
Restaurants convert parking lots, sidewalks and streets to open-air dining rooms
With permission from the city, businesses with private parking lots can now convert 50% of their parking area to dining. To expand onto public sidewalks, businesses must be able to maintain 6 feet of clear space for diners and pedestrians.
Restaurants institute operation standards to ensure safety of guests and staff
“Restaurant people are resilient, determined and creative,” says Anthony Coggiola, owner of The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village. “I believe we can do this.”
Tourism businesses patch together local, federal funds in bid for survival
Restaurants, brewers, hoteliers, tour companies and retailers were all among the 449 named Paycheck Protection Program beneficiaries with headquarters in Asheville. At least 46 of those entities also received help from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to fill needs unmet by the federal loan effort.
Céline and Company Catering offers distanced dining downtown
The Hideaway On Broadway pop-up restaurant features a menu from chef Austin Tisdale and wine pairings through a partnership with Metro Wines.
Newly opened and nearly opened restaurants took a COVID punch in March
Restaurants that were set to debut or relaunch during the state’s pandemic dining room shutdown find creative ways to persevere.
BimBeriBon’s new to-go concept takes diners on a culinary world tour
Each week the bags are themed to a different country; so far, passport stamps include Greece, Cuba, France, India, Mexico, Asia and Spain.
Fundraising dinner brings the experience to donors’ homes
The Free Clinics’ annual Sunset Dining event adapts with delivered meals and virtual entertainment.
The Grey Eagle Taqueria teams with BearWaters Brewing
The owners of the Asheville music venue are taking their taco business to Haywood County.
Local distilleries offer DIY cocktail kits for at-home mixologists
Distillers are offering all-inclusive, make-your-own-cocktail kits.
Restaurants invite guests back to dine and socialize at a safe distance
As restaurants and event spaces in Asheville have begun to reopen for on-site service, “dining out” has taken on new meaning. With many people still cautious about sitting inside a confined space, restaurants that have wide-open outdoor spaces are finding ways to use those areas wisely as they welcome back staff and customers safely. “We […]
Asheville chefs turn their home kitchens into virtual cooking classes
When restaurant dining rooms closed, some local chefs found a new way and personal way to share their love of cooking.
Asheville Strong collects local recipes to support Restaurant Workers Relief Fund
The digital cookbook raises money to support hospitality workers while keeping people connected to their favorite restaurants through recipes that allow them to recreate menu items in their home kitchens.
Kickback AVL keeps it local
When N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper closed restaurant dining rooms in mid-March, the Kickback AVL website became “a madhouse,” says owner Jennie Townsend.