Food is anything but ordinary in downtown Asheville. Start your morning the Southern way with biscuits and gravy at the Early Girl Eatery, just a 10-minute walk from Downton Annie. Walk around town a little, and then enjoy a lunch of duck sausage, goat cheese, caramelized onions, and pears with apple cider glaze on a crepe at Creperie Bouchon. If you’re not still full by dinner, the locally sourced bison curry cooked Nepali style at Kathmandu Cafe is a must-try. Finally, end your day by sipping on the lavender and honey hot chocolate at The Chocolate Lounge. Here are more of our favorite suggestions.
Restaurants—Some of these restaurants do not take reservations. Dining on the early side usually guarantees a table.
Curate—Our favorite but reservations are a must. A tapas place that can be a bit noisy when there is a crowd. Sitting at the bar provides a ringside seat to a terrific culinary show.
The Admiral—in West Asheville. Funky exterior but very good food. Reservations are recommended, as it is a small place. Excellent cocktails.
Limones—Upscale Latin food just off the main drag. Very nice and a beautiful space.
The Blackbird—in the W Hotel on the main drag offering contemporary southern cuisine.
Early Girl Eatery—Quaint little place downtown. Good for lunch and breakfast, especially.
Nine Mile—It is Jamaican influenced and a pretty hip place with reggae music on a permanent loop. It is in the beautiful Historic Montford neighborhood filled with bungalows. Highly recommend for lunch.
Chiesa—A very good Italian restaurant in a converted church in the Montford neighborhood. Perfect for a visit after seeing Riverside Cemetery at dusk where local famous American author Thomas Wolfe is buried. This is an intimate spot and reservations are a must, especially on the weekends. They have a great spaghetti and house wine special on Wednesday for $20.
Vinnie’s—A short drive from downtown and a good, bustling red sauce Italian place.
Barbecue—There are three main places. 12 Bones, in the River Arts District, next door to the Wedge Brewery and Tasting Room. The other place is Luella’s, which is more of a traditional restaurant, near the UNCA campus. Also Buxton Hall BBQ in the South Slope neighborhood.
Nightbell—same owner as Curate. It occupies an interesting, intimate upstairs space off the main drag. A small plates restaurant that serves up tasty and innovative food. Don’t be put off by the steep stairs in front—there is an elevator in the back.
Bouchon—French bistro downtown. No reservations but it is usually possible to get in early. If you like mussels, this is the place. You will not believe how many come in an order. Well executed bistro food.
Indian places—Chai Pani and Mela–both very good. MG Road is on Wall Street and is also owned by Chai Pani, specializes in small unique dishes with Indian culinary influence and delicious specialty cocktails.
Vegetarian—Rosetta’s. Located at the far end of the main drag and clear back to the Sixties. Plant–upscale vegan place a short drive from downtown.
Breakfast places—Other than those mentioned, there is Biscuit Head (W. Asheville). Counter ordering–can be crowded. King Daddy’s Chicken and Waffles (W. Asheville)–really fun and very good. Sunny Point Cafe (W. Asheville). This place gets all the press, so there is always a long wait. Tupelo Honey-another place with lots of press (Downtown).
Wicked Weed, is well loved by many people. A restaurant/brewery/distillery on the main drag, next door to the famous music venue The Orange Peel. Nice outdoor patio.
For a splurge, have lunch or a drink on the deck of the Grove Park Inn and enjoy a spectacular view downtown and surrounding hills. The hotel itself is a national landmark with a lot of interesting history.
Asheville has become a beer brewing center and is developing a buzzing cider industry. Checkout Asheville Ale Trails http://ashevillealetrail.com/trail-map/ for a self-guided tour of them all.
Find your big adventure in the great outdoors surrounding Asheville. A dozen miles take you off the beaten path and into a natural paradise people all over the world – from extreme whitewater paddlers and mountain bikers to families and first-time hikers – come to explore. There is no off-season around this mountain town, whether you want to jump into the summer holes in DuPont State Recreational Forest or see some of the country’s best fall foliage along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Trips and Tours written by Robert Furniss from when he stayed at Downton Annie in October 2016.
The Biltmore and Gardens–This is really great but a big time commitment, especially if people visit the grounds. An expensive ticket but worth it to see the largest private residence in the US and a national landmark. I recommend ordering tickets online and printing them ahead of time (there is a discount for advance tickets) and reserving the first time slot—it gets very crowded by midday. You will also avoid the hectic scene at the visitor’s center. Allow some extra time because the estate is huge and the parking lot is a 15-minute walk, or a shuttle ride, to the house. There is a cafe onsite. To get the full effect, visitors should spend at least three to four hours there.
The Blue Ridge Parkway–Beautiful drive outside of town. There is also the Folk Art Center operated by the Southern Highland Craft Guild just off the drive that is worth a visit. Some nearby towns, (Black Mountain, Hendersonville), are worth a lunch trip. We especially favor the porch at Louise’s Café in Black Mountain.
Strolling the downtown–Lots of interesting places to stop in–Blue Spiral Art Gallery, the Asheville Art Museum., the Grove Arcade, and a great small movie theater showing eclectic films. One fun stop is the old Woolworth’s store, which is now a gallery but has preserved its original operating lunch counter. Double D’s (no, not a strip club!) is a neat coffee place in an old double decker bus. Next to the Art Museum, you will probably see a line snaking out of the French Broad Chocolate Shop-there is a reason for it. For those who tire of shopping and want to see a sporting event while their significant others spend them into the poorhouse, there is Pack’s Tavern which has many taps and TVs, just off the main square. I also like the outdoor patio at the nearby Twisted Laurel. There are many bars and restaurants available for lunch in addition to the ones mentioned here.
Asheville River Arts District–a short drive from downtown or a bus ride. A lot of little art galleries/stores. North Carolina Glass Center has live glass blowing demos and classes, including a 30 minute make your own cup or paperweight. Area restaurants include a good coffee/breakfast/lunch place, (Ultra Coffee Bar), a hipster taco place (White Duck Taco) with informal outdoor seating near the river and 12 Bones, a barbecue spot that also has outdoor seating. Usually a line, but it moves fast. The Junction, a dinner place offering a modern take on southern food, is a block away from the main gallery district.
Battery Park Book Exchange–A must. This is a beautiful book store near the Arcade downtown that is also a wine bar serving small plates of food. Lots of nooks with comfortable seating. They often have live music.
Asheville Tourists— A small fun minor league stadium at the edge of town and much cheaper than major league baseball. Watch for Thirsty Thursdays, when beers are offered at a discount.
The Orange Peel–downtown music venue–mostly rock. There is a small club in West Asheville called The Isis that serves food and has a great jazz brunch on the weekend. West Asheville has a lot of interesting shops and restaurants and is a little grittier than the main town.
Riverside Cemetery–A little weird, I know, but it is beautiful and is the final resting place for Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry. Especially wonderful with fall colors. It is located in the charming Montford neighborhood very close to the apartment and downtown.
The Thomas Wolfe House–This is the author’s home, which served as a boarding house and one of the main settings for his novel, Look Homeward, Angel. The locals were not too thrilled with the book’s thinly disguised portrayals of themselves, to the point that the local library would not carry the novel for many years. The house is frozen in time in the early 20th Century, with original furniture and family possessions, and provides an interesting and authentic portrait of another age. Closed Sunday and Monday, the $5.00 admission includes the mandatory guided tour by a very knowledgeable and engaging staff member. A unique museum that is a must do. Just off the main square.
Watch out, Portland, Asheville’s quickly rising to become the beer capital of America. In fact, Asheville has more breweries per capita than any other city in the country and over 100 local beers so you can be sure to find one or several of your favorites. Locals don’t just love the art of beer; they study the science. Multiple area universities offer degrees in brewing, and many graduates move on to making the beer you’ll enjoy at Sierra Nevada, New Belgium and Highlands, all within 20 minutes of downtown Asheville.
Whether it’s folk art, mountain crafts, street performance or museums, Asheville’s got your imagination covered. Walk around the River Arts District, an industrial zone turned artist living and creative space, where you can check out the funky wall designs and studios. Or take home a piece from the city’s largest craft expo, the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, which includes the fine traditional and contemporary crafts of over 200 artisans.
Love music? Several venues from as small as the Grey Eagle to the bigger Orange Peel feature everything from the next big hit to longstanding favorites like Yonder Mountain String Band.
The shopping scene in downtown Asheville can best be described by the following words: eclectic, organic, and folksy. Stroll the sidewalks and walk into costume parlors, honey shops, vintage boutiques and hippy emporiums. You’ll never see it all or get bored, so keep coming back and find out what interesting storefront makes its way downtown next time.
Top 5: Family Fun Tour
From minor league baseball games with the Asheville Tourists Baseball team, to great local city parks and playgrounds, to miles and miles of hiking trails in surrounding National Forests, to kid-friendly destinations and adventure centers,
Asheville has plenty to keep the little ones entertained.
- Bike the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay: Carrier Park on Amboy Road offers two miles of flat, paved greenway trails perfect biking with younger children. Pedal along the French Broad River and enjoy a picnic in a covered pavilion or along the river. The park also has a large playground, bathrooms, an outdoor roller rink and basketball courts.
- Swim The Davidson River (Pisgah National Forest) There are lots of nice swimming holes and sliding rocks on Davidson River to explore. We recommend this family friendly destination due to the safe and easy river access, plenty of picnic spots and flush toilets (also a nice amenity in parks). After a swim, visit the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. Admission is free and there are various mountain wildlife exhibits to explore.
- Splashville water feature at Roger McGuire Park: In front of Asheville’s two most distinct architectural gems, the City and County buildings in the heart of downtown there is a water feature display, perfect for little ones to play and cool off during the summer months. Beginning in late May, the sporadic, playful water display, named Splashville is turned on for visitors.
- Chimney Rock State Park (Hickory Nut Gorge) Chimney Rock is one of the most popular outdoor attractions in North Carolina. With its wide range of outdoor experiences, this is a great family-friendly destination for those seeking the best of the mountains in one place. The Park features five unique hiking trails that range in difficulty from easy to strenuous. The focal point of the park is The Chimney – a towering 315-foot monolith that sits at an elevation of 2,280 feet with its 75-mile views. And don’t miss the 404-foot-tall Hickory Nut Falls- one of the highest east of Mississippi. For the more adventurous, checkout their wide range of rock climbing options. They also offer environmental education programs.
- Adventure Center of Asheville: The “best adventures” are just five minutes from downtown at the Adventure Center of Asheville. Enjoy expansive views of the Asheville skyline from Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures or hop on one their top-end mountain bikes and learn the meaning of “flow” on their on-site trail system created and groomed for the KOLO Bike Park. More unique and exciting challenges can be found up in the trees at Asheville Treetops Adventure Park, an elevated obstacle course with five levels of difficulty. And just for kids, checkout KidZip, America’s first zipline adventure designed for kids under 10.
Top Romantic Tours
If you are looking to put a smile on your loved one’s face, then here are a few local suggestions that are sure to warm your sweetie’s heart. Whether your destination is a local waterfall, a scenic drive and picnic along the Blue Ridge Parkway or day hike in one of the National Forests, we recommend not only planning your route in advance, but also preparing the cooler (provided in each apartment) with some drinks and eats before venturing out. Stop by our local Whole Foods store Greenlife for some delicious pre-made sandwiches or wraps, snacks, sweet treats, and drinks. Don’t forget to pack plenty of water and a bottle opener! You’ll surely impress your loved one with some advance planning.
- Asheville area hikes: Trailheads commence in every directions. It’s important to determine the difficulty of hiking you’d like to attempt and how much driving you wish to do in a day. The notable Mountains to Sea Trail takes hikers on the gently rolling path with many access points near Asheville. The closest one to hop on is near Town Mountain Road and heads north for a few miles for a fun, close-to-town hike. After the hike, we suggest visiting the nearby historic Grove Park Inn for drinks and dinner at sunset, overlooking Asheville and the picturesque rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. Dinner reservations are recommended.
- K.I.S.S. with sweets: If it’s a mid-afternoon sweet treat and coffee or an after dinner dessert, most everyone likes to indulge in a sugar rush from time to time. For ice cream lovers, The Hop on Merrimon Avenue and The Marble Slab serve up some of the best handmade ice cream with a variety of flavors. If it is pastries and baked goods you seek, then head to Old Europe, City Bakery (both downtown) or OWL Bakery in west Asheville. For serious chocolate lovers, head to The Chocolate Fetish or the French Broad Chocolate Lounge. At FBCL, don’t be deterred by a line outside….it moves quickly and the liquid mocha truffle with lavender is worth the wait!
- Drinks, Dinner and Dancing : Before you start your night on the town, checkout the local arts and entertainment newspaper Mountain Xpress online to find out all the dancing and live music. Sante’ for wine and apps, or the beautiful and historic Grove Arcade which is lovely for a stroll. Chiesa and Strada are both delicious Italian restaurants with great service and wide selection of wines. Both typically have nice specials. The Cork and Keg on Patton Avenue and Tressa’s on Broadway both have great drinks and craft beer plus live music. You can always find people on the dance two steppin to jazz, cajun or rock-a-billy Friday or Saturday nights.
- Chase the rainbows: See the best 40 waterfalls in Asheville, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you’ve never hiked to a waterfall, then make it a must when in the land of the waterfalls. It will be another tough decision to choose which to visit, but many are less than an hour away. One of the most accessible waterfalls is Looking Glass Waterfall which is along the roadside. The 60-foot waterfall is in Pisgah National Forest along the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway. Enjoy it from the parking area or take steps down for an up-close look. 10 miles from Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Sunset and Moonrise at Craggy Gardens: Stop by Whole Foods and grab some pre-made food for an evening picnic at one of the highest elevations near Asheville, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, at Craggy Gardens. Follow these directions to locate the picnic tables and the trailhead to some spectacular rhododendron summer blossoms and panoramic views. Expect temperatures to vary at this elevation so plan to bring extra layers, especially after the sun goes down.
