Appalachians: Mount Pisgah
Asheville is a vibrant city in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains known for its local breweries, outdoorsy lifestyle and art scene. There are over 25 different breweries and an amazing foodie scene. Unlike other Southern towns definitely has a more of hippy dippy rather than preppy vibe.
Within the past year, I have been lucky enough to head to Asheville, North Carolina for two very happy occasions. First, Matt’s best friend got married in the mountains right outside of Asheville (as pictured above) , and then most recently, my future sister-in-law’s bachelorette party. I had two completely different experiences there, but both were a blast.
How do you get there? – They do have direct flights into Asheville, but they can be expensive! We flew into Charlotte and then took a 2 hour drive to Asheville. Nothing like a good roadtrip 🙂 Along the way if you get hungry make sure you add Bridges BBQ as a pitstop for food. Their Carolina pulled pork can’t be beat!
Carolina BBQ! 
Must Do:
Flora & Forage – Coffee & Flower Shop – West Asheville – This place is everything I look for in a coffee shop and shopping experience. It is part coffee shop/part flower shop and was just adorable. They have so many cozy nooks that I could envision myself enjoying a cup of coffee here while getting work done or a glass of wine in the afternoon. They have adorable planters for sale and it was an Instagramer’s paradise.
City Bakery- Breakfast – Asheville – Delicious breakfast sandwiches–including the fresh foccacia with sausage, apple butter, spinach and eggs! I also had the mushroom and swiss quiche which had a cornmeal crisp on the bottom rather than a thick pie shell. It was accompanied by a side salad, which I loved since it didn’t feel too heavy and was a good way to start a long day of stuffing ourselves. They had a lavender latte that had the perfect floral element to it.
Sausage & cheese breakfast sammie 
Mushroom & swiss quiche
Sunny Point Cafe -“Blunch” – West Asheville – They’re big on the “Blunch” front in Asheville. Lest you think they are being different for difference’s sake, there is a difference between “brunch” and “blunch”: “blunch” is much heavier on the lunch front whereas “brunch” implies there will be more breakfast-type items. (Seriously.)
Either way, you will love this super busy local spot in West Asheville, starting with the best bacon you’ve ever had! It was thick and super crunchy (aka Hartzell-style). I had the pimento, tomato, bacon omelet with foccacia. Pimento cheese is the perfect omelet cheese since it melts all over everything! I got the salad with a hemp dressing to go along with it. Mom got the pecan encrusted fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and a chipotle remoulade. They were perfectly fried, and didn’t feel too heavy.
Grab a cup of joe while you wait outside! No reservations, it might take a little while, but take a seat on a bench under the big trees and dog watch! Try to get David Jones as a server, he’s got a great energy! If it’s monkey bread day definitely grab one for the table.
Fried Green Tomatoes 
The Southern omelet
Rhubarb – Dinner – Asheville – This farm to table restaurant is a tough one to get into, so make sure you make reservations. We ordered a bunch of small plates that we shared. The highlights included their cassoulet with foraged mushrooms, pesto, and beans which was superb. The other stand outs included the Mongolian barbecued lamb ribs with collard green kimchi and the goat cheese burruta with rhubarb jam and crunchy onions
Buratta – So yummy!
The Rhu – Breakfast – Asheville – Around the corner from Rhubarb is their little sister restaurant “The Rhu.”The Rhu also features farm fresh ingredients just like Rhubarb, but is done in a more casual atmosphere. They have good coffee and freshly baked pastries if you want to grab and go quickly. They also offer breakfast toasts, homemade granola and breakfast sandwiches.
When I was there the first time around, I actually got a breakfast salad, which seems to be a big thing in Asheville. Mine included a frisee salad, a soft boiled egg, bacon, and other roasted veggies. They also had a bunch of lunch options and you can even order picnic baskets to go here.
New Belgium Brewing Company – Brewery – Home of Fat Tire beer, this place is no stranger to the craft beer scene. It actually began over 30 years ago in Denver and made its way over the the east coast in 2016. New Belgium Brewing has a huge beautiful facility right on the river which was perfect way to unwind after the week and spend a Spring afternoon. They have over 25 taps on location and were launching special releases every few hours while we were there, luring you to stick around longer to try out the newest creative draught.
They had a huge lawn spread out with picnic tables, a couple of food trucks and friends and their dogs just hanging out enjoying some good beer and sun. We didn’t take one, but they offer tours as well. If they happen to have the Passion Fruit Kolsh on tap do it! It was so refreshing.
Burial – Brewery – Asheville – Burial has a great mix of different inventive beers. Fabulous outdoor space with lots of different seating areas. Picnic tables with big umbrellas and a large stage where bands play and they have beer brewing talks make for a great place to hang out during happy hour and on the weekends. I got a flight of four beers that included a pineapple beer (that even my mother found palatable) and a wildflower saison that was super unique.
Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar – Bar & Store – Asheville– We stumbled on this little gem late Saturday afternoon before heading to dinner. We were all tired from a day of shopping and over indulging all day and were in the mood for a relaxing environment where we could grab a drink and a seat for six without struggling. All of a sudden, we turned the corner and stumbled upon this place. They have a beautiful assortment of used books that focus on North Carolina, the South and the Civil War. The place is super cozy and had so many nooks that you could sit in on a date or with friends. It was gorgeous out, so we opted to sit outside while a live jazz band played in the background. They have over 80 options of beverages to choose from that from what I’ve heard rotate frequently.
The Biltmore Estate – Museum & Wine Tasting – Asheville – Absolutely stunning estate. Those Vanderbilts really knew what a vacation home should look like… wow. I went to the Vanderbilts’ other house in Newport, Rhode Island and it’s hard to believe that they only vacationed in these estates for a few weeks the entire year. The Biltmore estate was very well organized and their headset tours made it a much more educational experience. We visited at the end of March and even though the gardens weren’t in full bloom yet, they were starting to look stunning.
If you drive further down the road on the estate you will drive past their farm including new little baby sheep. We had a nice lunch sitting outside next to their winery. They had a wine tasting that featured 22 different wines that was included in the price of admission to the estate. Make sure to save a little time to check out their cute boutique near the winery.
We thought that it was a little crazy that all of the literature we read talked about spending the entire day at the estate. However, we did just that! We arrived around 9:30am and didn’t leave until 5:30pm. Sure beats a day at the office.
If you have time/If you’re in the neighborhood:
White Labs Kitchen & Tap – Dinner – Asheville – This place was a bit out of the way… the location almost felt like we were going to a doctor’s office in a neighborhood instead of a hip brewery. But once we were inside we had a great experience. We had heard great things about their kimchi fries and man oh man they were delicious. The Lactobacillus-brined fries were perfectly crispy with acidic kimchi and crispy brisket on top. They had an awesome spicy mayo on top too.
We also shared the duck pizza and a Brussels spout pizza. We had a some interesting wheat wines made with Australian and California strands of yeast. They had a great outdoor space out front as well as upstairs. They apparently also offer a lot of classes there as well which I would definitely try to check out next time I’m in Asheville.
Chestnut – Dinner – Asheville – We stayed at the Marriott Aloft directly across the street from the restaurant Chestnut which made for a great commute home. The food here was delicious. I had the shrimp and grits which were peppery and delicious. They did a great job of having different sized options on the menu. For instance, you could get a filet mignon with mashed potatoes and green beans for only $16. All of their food was delicious, but we were coming off of all day eating spree, so to be honest, I just wasn’t as hungry as I wanted to be while dining here.
Hole – Doughnuts – West Asheville – These yeast doughnuts are made to order and get covered in delicious toppings like vanilla glaze, orange cardamom, sesame seeds, and cinnamon sugar. The doughnuts are super fresh and melt in your mouth. The staff is really friendly and nice to be around and they have both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s a little off the beat and path, but if you are in West Asheville it’s worth making your way over to grab a doughnut or two.
Twin Leaf – Brewery – Asheville – Thursday night is karaoke night… it was fun at first, but then, the same people kept singing over and over again. I tried two of their more unique beers, the “Pink Peppercorn Gose” which was delicious and very peppery and their “Like the Moon”- plum and blue basil sour farmhouse ale which tasted just like it sounds. I would give this place another shot, but on another night.
Oyster House Brewing Co – Brewery – West Asheville-Directly across the street from Sunny Point Cafe known for their “Moonstone Stout” made with oyster shells to give it added brine. I thought that these were good, but to be honest, I’m not much of a stout person, so I might not be the best judge.
Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium – Brewery – Asheville – Wicked Weed is a pretty famous brewery in Asheville. It’s so popular that they actually have a second location in Asheville called the Funkatorium… it’s focus is really on their funkier beers – like sours. This place would be awesome to meet a large group of friends here on a Saturday afternoon. It has a lot of indoor and outdoor space to order food, brews and enjoy some good company.
Like sucking on a lemon 😉 
Sour Power!
Take a hike….
If you decide you want to get out into nature…. head to the Pisgah National Forest, where you can hike and spend time in the fresh air. Matt’s best friend got married at the Pisgah Inn, overlooking the mountains and it was just stunning. It’s only a 1/2 hour drive from Asheville, so getting there gives you the perfect mix of city/nature life.
What a view! 
Getting my hike on!