FOCUS ON FERMENTATION: The restaurant at White Labs Kitchen and Tap will highlight microbiologically based cuisine, such as pizza made with a dough leavened with brewer’s yeast. The menu is designed by Sonoma, Calif., chef Sean Paxton, who blogs about cooking with beer at homebrewchef.com.

Beer Scout: White Labs Kitchen and Tap to open in October

Posted on September 14, 2017September 11, 2017 by Scott Douglas

The new Charlotte Street yeast-production and testing facility will open a fermentation-focused restaurant and taproom this fall.

NIGHT LIFE: Many of the new businesses opening on Haywood Road this year feature late-night food and beverage service, promising to increase West Asheville's draw as a destination for nocturnal fun.

Boom town: Haywood Road’s exploding restaurant, bar scene

Posted on September 1, 2017September 4, 2017 by Nick Wilson

A new crop of eateries and drinking spots is changing the face of the West Asheville business corridor.

SHINING THROUGH: Chef Chris Holden, owner of Milk & Honey Café, says his philosophy is to focus on fresh, minimally processed dishes that let high-quality ingredients shine. The new counter-service eatery features fresh-pressed juices and smoothies as well as a full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner items.

Small bites: Milk & Honey Café opens in South Asheville

Posted on July 25, 2017July 21, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Milk & Honey Café brings a chef-driven food menu plus cold-pressed juices and smoothies to Arden. Also, Dobra Tea benefits Rise as One, The Hop hosts a fundraiser for ASAP and Nightbell teams with No Taste Like Home.

ALL IN A DAY'S ROAST: Matthew Hickman and Lisa Hoffman offer unique, single-origin coffees at their new business, Independent Bean Roasters.

Small bites: Independent Bean Roasters opens in Hendersonville

Posted on July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Hendersonville’s Historic Seventh Avenue District welcomes a new coffee venture. Also, Spruce Pine BBQ & Bluegrass Festival begins Friday, July 14; Metro Wines host multiple classes and tastings and the Asheville International Wine Competition celebrates regional wineries.

TURNING POINT: The recent move to a downtown brick-and-mortar space marks a major crossroads for Sunshine Sammies. The 2,000-square-foot space will enable the business to expand its menu and ramp up production for wholesale accounts.

Sunshine Sammies opens on South Lexington

Posted on July 5, 2017July 3, 2017 by Nick Wilson

The ice-cream sandwich purveyor moved into its first brick-and-mortar at the end of June.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Noble Kava's co-owner, Andrew Procyk, sits with his daughter, Zosia, at the venue's new location. Procyk first opened Noble Kava in 2010 with his wife Seely Flow.

Small bites: Noble Kava celebrates new location

Posted on July 4, 2017July 3, 2017 by Thomas Calder

In its seventh year, Noble Kava launches a new location on Biltmore Avenue. Also, the WNC Battle of the Burger returns, Atlanta barbecue comes to Buxton Hall, Sovereign Remedies hosts Bad Hombres Taco Pop Up and Shuck N Brew Oyster Bar opens in Fletcher.

THE ARTIST AND THE BAKER: Cynthia Pierce and Akira Satake bring their two passions — ceramics and baked goods — to Riverview Station with the launch of Gallery Mugen.

Small bites: Cafe Yuzu celebrates its grand opening in the RAD

Posted on June 27, 2017June 26, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Café Yuzu will feature handmade treats by baker and owner Cynthia Pierce along with products from Vortex Doughnuts, French Broad Chocolates, OWL Bakery and Dobra Tea. Also, Fork & Knife hosts a Fourth of July event, Tiki Thursdays returns to Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian and Bone & Broth introduces its early-summer menu.

MOUNTAIN MADHOUSE: Syracuse, N.Y., native Mike Napelitano, right, said farewell to an intended retirement to open Manicomio, which translates to "madhouse" in Italian. He is joined in the venture by Jonathan Leibowitz, left, who moved to Asheville from Florida for the project. They are currently hard at work renovating the Biltmore Avenue space for a late-June launch.

Manicomio Pizza brings New York-style pies to Biltmore Avenue

Posted on June 21, 2017June 19, 2017 by Nick Wilson

The new pizza-by-the-slice restaurant is taking over the space that once housed Hannah Flanagan’s Irish Pub.

LIFE OF PIE: Kirsten Fuchs launched Baked Pie Co. as a departure from her previous career in the corporate world. “I was looking for something to do with the rest of my adult life,” she says. The shop’s grand opening is Saturday, June 24.

Small bites: Baked Pie Co. hosts grand opening

Posted on June 20, 2017June 19, 2017 by Thomas Calder

A new pie cafe hits South Asheville. Also, Urban Orchard Cider Co. will host a five-course live fire dinner, Asheville Breakfast Rotary Club and Hickory Nut Gap Farm team up for a fundraiser and lots more in this week’s Small Bites.

BUILDING A DREAM: Sean Piper says he persevered in the face of numerous challenges working up to the May 18 launch of his first restaurant, Jargon. “We’ve hit things that feel like walls, but there’s really always a way to get through them,” he says.

From the ground up: What it takes to open a restaurant in Asheville

Posted on May 24, 2017May 22, 2017 by Jonathan Ammons

The owners of Jargon and Gan Shan Station discuss the ins and outs of launching an eatery in Foodtopia.

SWEET AND SAVORY: Frostbite Ice Cream is set to open a second location in North Asheville on Friday, May 26. Owners Misti McCloud and Jason Istvan are pictured in front of the new restaurant's sign.

Small bites: Frostbite Ice Cream’s new location will offer grown-up treats

Posted on May 23, 2017May 23, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Frostbite Ice Cream Bar expands to north Asheville. Also: Blue Dream Curry House celebrates two years, A Taste of Portugal comes to La Guinguette and Put It Up! Youth Food Preservation Camp is now open for enrollment.

CULTURAL CONNECTION: Café at the Cradle chef Zika Singogo sources locally raised meat, produce and other food products from farmer Kendall Huntley to create a menu that connects to the Cradle of Forestry’s focus on Appalachian heritage and culture.

Café at the Cradle: A ‘hidden gem’ in Pisgah National Forest

Posted on May 10, 2017May 11, 2017 by Dana Schlanger

Asheville chef Zika Singogo is partnering with local farmer and food supplier Kendall Huntley to provide sustainability-focused food at the Cradle of Forestry.

Carolina Beer Guy: Changes coming for two Thirsty Monk locations

Posted on April 23, 2017April 23, 2017 by Tony Kiss

Thirsty Monk’s Open Brewing becomes a coffee pub while the chain’s efforts to purchase French Broad Brewing Co. continue.

NO SHOES, NO SHIRT, NO PROBLEM: Chef Elliott Moss will be adding a Hawaiian twist to the menu at the upcoming Buxton's Beach Bash.

Small bites: Buxton’s Beach Bash

Posted on April 11, 2017April 7, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Catawba Brewing Co. and Buxton Hall Barbecue welcome spring with a tiki-themed outdoor bash. Also, Table hosts Nowruz, a community focused Persian, Sephardic and Parsi dinner; Star Diner in Marshall rolls out brunch; Gan Shan Station has new offerings and plenty more.

GOOD BOY: At Posana, diners can now order a meal for their four-legged companions. Menu items include biscuits, meatloaf and burgers.

Small bites: Posana’s new menu is going to the dogs

Posted on March 28, 2017March 27, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Posana debuts its menu for dogs. Also, Foothills Meats expands its CSA program, the Asheville City Market opens the season on North Market Street and more in this week’s Small Bites.

GAME ON: Cortland Mercer lounges inside Well Played. The Wall Street venue opens Saturday, March 25.

Small bites: Well Played focuses on comfort food and board games

Posted on March 22, 2017March 21, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Well Played opens Saturday, March 25. Also, LaZoom Tours has a new pop-up bar, Strange Carolinas aims to find the best burger in the state, kids can eat breakfast with Curious George and the Asheville School of Wine hosts the Mediterranean Diet Appalachian-Style dinner.

SPREADING OUT: Cúrate's expansion into the space next door will nearly double the restaurant's size. Much of the growth will occur in the behind-the-scenes kitchen and storage areas. "What we are doing is giving ourselves more room to work," says co-owner Felix Meana.

A bigger table: Cúrate expands both its space and menu

Posted on March 22, 2017March 30, 2017 by Jonathan Ammons

The celebrated Spanish tapas restaurant’s expansion project will increase its seating capacity, but the primary goal for the owners is to create a more spacious and efficient work area.

PENNYCUP PARENTS: PennyCup Coffee co-owner Amber Arthur and new Haw Creek location manager Roman Vinson stand in front of the soon-to-open PennyCup location on 6 Beverly Road. Arthur and Vinson are longtime friends and co-parents of 5-year-old son Henry.

PennyCup targets late March for launch of Haw Creek location

Posted on March 19, 2017March 18, 2017 by Nick Wilson

With its third Asheville location, PennyCup joins a growing wave of homegrown restaurants expanding to the east side of town.

SIMPLE BUT VERSATILE: While the menu at Baba Nahm will feature only eight core dishes, the items can be combined in a variety of ways to create different meals. Classic Middle Eastern fare such as shwarma, tabbouleh, hummus, fattoush and pita sandwiches will be available at the counter and from a grab-and-go cooler.

Falafel on the fly: Baba Nahm brings quick Middle Eastern eats to Grove Arcade

Posted on March 15, 2017March 15, 2017 by Nick Wilson

Rezaz founder Reza Setayesh and current Rezaz owners Brian and Laura Smith are collaborating to open a grab-and-go Middle Eastern eatery downtown.

GREAT MINDS PROGRESS ALIKE: "Elliott [Moss] has become known as a very creative and progressive chef," says Michael Files. "I think because of that and because of his reputation ... we attract a lot of people ... of that same mindset."

Small bites: The Remingtin Room opens at Buxton Hall Barbecue

Posted on March 8, 2017March 6, 2017 by Thomas Calder

With its ever-changing menu, The Remingtin Room will allow the chefs at Buxton Hall Barbecue to cut loose on Friday and Saturday nights. Also this week, Gan Shan Station announces plans for a new West Asheville location, Hickory Nut Gap Farm schedules spring events and more.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: Jamie Wade says the menu at Sand Hill Kitchen sets it apart from chain restaurants moving into the area. “I think we will differentiate ourselves because we use local ingredients and cook from scratch,” she says.

Small bites: Sand Hill Kitchen opens for breakfast and lunch

Posted on January 31, 2017January 30, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Sand Hill Kitchen is a new shop offering homemade biscuits, pastries and more. Also: A winter pop-up comes to Knife & Fork, Recession Proof Mixology is happening at Sovereign Remedies and the International Black Jar Honey Contest returns with a public tasting event.

Restaurant Openings