This weekend we celebrated our one year anniversary in Asheville, NC. While our trip may have been short, we had the best time eating, drinking, and exploring our way through this colorful, hip city. With art on every corner, murals on every wall, and gorgeous mountain views everywhere you turn, Asheville definitely takes sight-seeing to a whole new level. We could have easily spent our entire weekend just snapping pictures of street art and visiting all the studios in the River Arts District. Asheville is also known for it's awesome culinary scene, which some call Foodtopia. The city is full of local dive bars, killer food trucks, and several award winning restaurants. And of course, let's not forget the beer! Named Beer City in 2009, Asheville has more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the United States. Beer, art, and mountain views? It's like this city was made for us.
In typical 'me' fashion, I packed my nice camera (fully intending to take tons of good photos) and then rarely used it. I think it's because we were on the go constantly and busy just enjoying our time together. Which was actually great. Just not great for this blog post. Sorry! I do have a decent amount of photos we snapped with our phones, so hopefully they'll do the trick.
Here's how we spent our weekend:
Saturday
White Duck Taco: There are two Asheville locations for this cool little taco shop, and we stopped at the one downtown (Biltmore Ave) while walking around and seeing the sights. I love that all the tacos are funky and unique and we each ordered two with a side of queso and chips.
Our Favorite: Spicy Buffalo Chicken Taco
Grove Arcade: To walk off our tacos, we eventually made our way over to the Grove Arcade. This place is known for its history and architecture, and it is definitely beautiful inside and out. It's full of shopping and restaurants, but our favorite place was Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar. It's exactly what the name says and it's gorgeous inside! So cozy and cool.
Our Favorite: Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar
Off The Wagon: Later that night, we made our way back downtown for dinner and drinks, and this dueling piano bar was our first stop. Is it totally different from any other piano bar you've been to? No. But is it awesome? YES. We had so much fun! Everyone was rowdy and singing along, and we loved hearing them cover everything from classics like, "Don't Stop Believing" to more interesting hits like, "Baby Got Back".
Our Favorite: Being told to yell at people when they walked in the door
Sovereign Remedies: Next, we walked across the street to the coolest little bar called Sovereign Remedies. We heard they make amazing craft cocktails and the drink menu did not disappoint. Unfortunately, after ordering a shot of Fernet-Branca each (a tradition that began on our honeymoon, when a man at the Husk bar bought us shots of Fernet to celebrate), we opted for water instead of another cocktail. That Fernet will get ya!
Our Favorite: Who knows? But all the drinks looked great!
Rankin Vault: We ended our night grabbing a beer and some food at a place called Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge. Their menu includes a burger that's been voted the Best Burger in Asheville 3 years in a row, so we knew we wanted to eat here at some point during our trip. James ordered the famous burger and while there was nothing crazy about it, it was the juiciest burger I've ever had and definitely full of flavor. So good! In the meantime, out of all the other great menu options, I ordered the Nacho Tots, which is basically a big bowl of tater tots covered in cheese, sour cream, black beans, jalapeños, etc. Nothing fancy about this either (clearly) but DANG was it delicious. Why is this not on menus everywhere? I need more nacho tots in my life.
Our Favorite: I mean, the burger was good... but those TOTS though. YUM!
Sunday
Biscuit Head: After falling in love with hearty breakfast biscuits thanks to our own Maple Street here in Jacksonville, we typically make it a point to try any other awesome biscuit place we come across. In Asheville, it's Biscuit Head. True to what we had been told, the line was already out the door when we arrived. But, it was worth the wait! They have so many cool biscuits to choose from and they even serve gravy flights. Yep, you heard me! You can create your own flight by choosing three of their 7 unique gravies. James ordered a fried chicken biscuit with pork sausage gravy and I ordered the mimosa fried chicken biscuit (a biscuit with mimosa fried chicken, sweet potato butter, sriracha slaw, and a poached egg). Both were amazing.
Our Favorite: Can't beat the Mimosa Fried Chicken Biscuit!
Mural Mania: After breakfast, we spent time walking around and checking out all the fun murals in the area. There are tons along Haywood Rd (the same street Biscuit Head is on) that were within walking distance. My favorites here include the El Camino mural at the corner of Jarret & Haywood Rd and the Alley Cat at 785 Haywood Rd. Biscuit Head also has a cool mural on one of its walls, but the line was eventually wrapped around that side of the building so I didn't bother to try and get a picture. I told you those biscuits were good! Next, we drove around the River Arts District where you can find many more, including my favorite: Good Vibes! For more awesome murals, check out this blog post from the Local Adventurer, it's super helpful!
Our Favorite: Good Vibes
Beer, Beer, & More Beer: Our trip to Asheville wouldn't be complete without checking out the local breweries. It was definitely hard to narrow down which ones to visit, but we decided to check out the downtown options, so we could walk to each one. We went to Lexington Ave Brewery, One World Brewing, Burial Beer Co., and Green Man Brewery. They each had their unique qualities (One World is underground with darts and games, while Green Man has a third floor patio with mountain views) and they all had awesome beer! But our favorite, hands down, was Burial. It has indoor and outdoor seating, with funky art, gardens, and of course, cornhole. It's dog friendly, much like the rest of Asheville, so I had an awesome time petting all the local pups that were there, including Roscoe who was hanging out behind the bar. They even had a band playing music outside. Overall, it was just a really great place to hang out and drink a beer.
Our Favorite: Burial Beer Co.
The Admiral: That night, we ate dinner at The Admiral and it was our best meal by far. The place is small and quirky (we almost missed the little cinderblock building as we drove by) and loved by locals. I won't go into much detail describing it because I don't know what else to say other than to EAT HERE. The service was great and the food was out of this world. I had rabbit ragout (never thought I'd try that!) and James had pork belly. They both were incredible and we agreed that this was one of the best meals we've ever had.
Our Favorite: The Pork Belly (but the menu changes daily & I'm sure it's all fabulous)
High Five Coffee: We loooove coffee and while there are many great coffee shops in Asheville, we decided to try this one, as it was recommended to me by a local friend. They say it's where the "coffee is so good you'll high five yourself" and I would have to agree. It was super tasty and just what we needed after brewery hopping the day before. Secret tip: If you visit the Broadway location, you can meet some friendly goats across the street!
Our Favorite: A regular coffee with their simple syrup
Blue Ridge Parkway: For us, the Blue Ridge Parkway was a must-see. Living in Florida, we have lots of sand and palm trees, but nothing compares to the mountain views of Blue Ridge. Driving the parkway is free and offers tons of great overlooks for pictures. There are also trails along the way if you want to stop and hike. We only had about an hour before grabbing lunch and hitting the road home, so we were only able to drive a small portion of the parkway. But even that was breathtaking. The views were unreal. I would have loved to see more and hike some fun trails. Next time!
Our Favorite: Driving it with the windows down
12 Bones Smokehouse: The locals love it, there's a brewery next-door, and Obama has eaten here twice. Basically 12 Bones is pretty dang cool. The building itself it awesome, with fun outdoor seating and corn hole. Plus, the entire place is covered in colorful graffiti. It's crazy. The food is also crazy delicious, as evidenced by the line that's typically out the door. There are tons of traditional bbq items on the menu, as well as some funky options as well. James ordered a pulled pork sandwich while I tried the smoked turkey sandwich (smoked turkey, sugar bacon, brie cheese, and pesto mayo on texas toast). We ended our trip full and happy.
Our Favorite: Smoked turkey sandwich
In typical 'me' fashion, I packed my nice camera (fully intending to take tons of good photos) and then rarely used it. I think it's because we were on the go constantly and busy just enjoying our time together. Which was actually great. Just not great for this blog post. Sorry! I do have a decent amount of photos we snapped with our phones, so hopefully they'll do the trick.
Here's how we spent our weekend:
Saturday
White Duck Taco: There are two Asheville locations for this cool little taco shop, and we stopped at the one downtown (Biltmore Ave) while walking around and seeing the sights. I love that all the tacos are funky and unique and we each ordered two with a side of queso and chips.
Our Favorite: Spicy Buffalo Chicken Taco
Grove Arcade: To walk off our tacos, we eventually made our way over to the Grove Arcade. This place is known for its history and architecture, and it is definitely beautiful inside and out. It's full of shopping and restaurants, but our favorite place was Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar. It's exactly what the name says and it's gorgeous inside! So cozy and cool.
Our Favorite: Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar
Off The Wagon: Later that night, we made our way back downtown for dinner and drinks, and this dueling piano bar was our first stop. Is it totally different from any other piano bar you've been to? No. But is it awesome? YES. We had so much fun! Everyone was rowdy and singing along, and we loved hearing them cover everything from classics like, "Don't Stop Believing" to more interesting hits like, "Baby Got Back".
Our Favorite: Being told to yell at people when they walked in the door
Sovereign Remedies: Next, we walked across the street to the coolest little bar called Sovereign Remedies. We heard they make amazing craft cocktails and the drink menu did not disappoint. Unfortunately, after ordering a shot of Fernet-Branca each (a tradition that began on our honeymoon, when a man at the Husk bar bought us shots of Fernet to celebrate), we opted for water instead of another cocktail. That Fernet will get ya!
Our Favorite: Who knows? But all the drinks looked great!
Rankin Vault: We ended our night grabbing a beer and some food at a place called Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge. Their menu includes a burger that's been voted the Best Burger in Asheville 3 years in a row, so we knew we wanted to eat here at some point during our trip. James ordered the famous burger and while there was nothing crazy about it, it was the juiciest burger I've ever had and definitely full of flavor. So good! In the meantime, out of all the other great menu options, I ordered the Nacho Tots, which is basically a big bowl of tater tots covered in cheese, sour cream, black beans, jalapeños, etc. Nothing fancy about this either (clearly) but DANG was it delicious. Why is this not on menus everywhere? I need more nacho tots in my life.
Our Favorite: I mean, the burger was good... but those TOTS though. YUM!
Sunday
Biscuit Head: After falling in love with hearty breakfast biscuits thanks to our own Maple Street here in Jacksonville, we typically make it a point to try any other awesome biscuit place we come across. In Asheville, it's Biscuit Head. True to what we had been told, the line was already out the door when we arrived. But, it was worth the wait! They have so many cool biscuits to choose from and they even serve gravy flights. Yep, you heard me! You can create your own flight by choosing three of their 7 unique gravies. James ordered a fried chicken biscuit with pork sausage gravy and I ordered the mimosa fried chicken biscuit (a biscuit with mimosa fried chicken, sweet potato butter, sriracha slaw, and a poached egg). Both were amazing.
Our Favorite: Can't beat the Mimosa Fried Chicken Biscuit!
Mural Mania: After breakfast, we spent time walking around and checking out all the fun murals in the area. There are tons along Haywood Rd (the same street Biscuit Head is on) that were within walking distance. My favorites here include the El Camino mural at the corner of Jarret & Haywood Rd and the Alley Cat at 785 Haywood Rd. Biscuit Head also has a cool mural on one of its walls, but the line was eventually wrapped around that side of the building so I didn't bother to try and get a picture. I told you those biscuits were good! Next, we drove around the River Arts District where you can find many more, including my favorite: Good Vibes! For more awesome murals, check out this blog post from the Local Adventurer, it's super helpful!
Our Favorite: Good Vibes
Beer, Beer, & More Beer: Our trip to Asheville wouldn't be complete without checking out the local breweries. It was definitely hard to narrow down which ones to visit, but we decided to check out the downtown options, so we could walk to each one. We went to Lexington Ave Brewery, One World Brewing, Burial Beer Co., and Green Man Brewery. They each had their unique qualities (One World is underground with darts and games, while Green Man has a third floor patio with mountain views) and they all had awesome beer! But our favorite, hands down, was Burial. It has indoor and outdoor seating, with funky art, gardens, and of course, cornhole. It's dog friendly, much like the rest of Asheville, so I had an awesome time petting all the local pups that were there, including Roscoe who was hanging out behind the bar. They even had a band playing music outside. Overall, it was just a really great place to hang out and drink a beer.
Our Favorite: Burial Beer Co.
The Admiral: That night, we ate dinner at The Admiral and it was our best meal by far. The place is small and quirky (we almost missed the little cinderblock building as we drove by) and loved by locals. I won't go into much detail describing it because I don't know what else to say other than to EAT HERE. The service was great and the food was out of this world. I had rabbit ragout (never thought I'd try that!) and James had pork belly. They both were incredible and we agreed that this was one of the best meals we've ever had.
Our Favorite: The Pork Belly (but the menu changes daily & I'm sure it's all fabulous)
Monday
Hole Doughnuts: In my opinion, you can't visit Asheville without stopping by Hole, because who DOZEN'T like doughnuts?? You know you love doughnuts and that bad doughnut joke, too. Anyway, Hole is the best! It's an adorable little shop where the doughnuts are made to order and fried right in front of you. Talk about fresh. They usually only have 4 flavors to choose from, which is perfect for someone like me who can never decide. We ordered a toasted almond sesame cinnamon, a beignet, and then they threw in a free cocoa rub doughnut for us too. I was so excited! All three were drool-worthy delicious and I wish I could have them every Monday morning. I love you, Hole.
Our Favorite: Toasted almond sesame cinnamon
High Five Coffee: We loooove coffee and while there are many great coffee shops in Asheville, we decided to try this one, as it was recommended to me by a local friend. They say it's where the "coffee is so good you'll high five yourself" and I would have to agree. It was super tasty and just what we needed after brewery hopping the day before. Secret tip: If you visit the Broadway location, you can meet some friendly goats across the street!
Our Favorite: A regular coffee with their simple syrup
Blue Ridge Parkway: For us, the Blue Ridge Parkway was a must-see. Living in Florida, we have lots of sand and palm trees, but nothing compares to the mountain views of Blue Ridge. Driving the parkway is free and offers tons of great overlooks for pictures. There are also trails along the way if you want to stop and hike. We only had about an hour before grabbing lunch and hitting the road home, so we were only able to drive a small portion of the parkway. But even that was breathtaking. The views were unreal. I would have loved to see more and hike some fun trails. Next time!
Our Favorite: Driving it with the windows down
12 Bones Smokehouse: The locals love it, there's a brewery next-door, and Obama has eaten here twice. Basically 12 Bones is pretty dang cool. The building itself it awesome, with fun outdoor seating and corn hole. Plus, the entire place is covered in colorful graffiti. It's crazy. The food is also crazy delicious, as evidenced by the line that's typically out the door. There are tons of traditional bbq items on the menu, as well as some funky options as well. James ordered a pulled pork sandwich while I tried the smoked turkey sandwich (smoked turkey, sugar bacon, brie cheese, and pesto mayo on texas toast). We ended our trip full and happy.
Our Favorite: Smoked turkey sandwich
Things We Missed
Like I said, our trip was short! Even though we had a great time, there are a few things we REALLY wanted to do and see but didn't have the chance. Here's a few:
Curate: Based on what we have heard from locals and read online, this sounds like the best restaurant in Asheville. It's certainly the most popular, since we couldn't get a reservation time that worked for us. Definitely eating here next time!
LaZoom Tours: Although I typically like to avoid being a super obvious tourist when I travel, I think these LaZoom tours sound fun and unique. We really wanted to do the Band & Beer Bus Tour, which takes you to two local breweries and has a live band playing music on the bus, all for a pretty reasonable price. Unfortunately, they weren't offering tours on Sunday.
Sunny Point Cafe: Every local we talked to raved about this award-winning restaurant. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner but apparently their breakfast is where it's at. We opted instead for biscuits and doughnuts during our trip, but I'm sad we missed this local favorite. We'll be sure to visit next time & order the huevos rancheros since it's the dish they're known for.
The Biltmore: It's one of Asheville's biggest attractions and a place that everyone has told us to visit! I'm sure it's gorgeous but we just didn't feel like it was worth eating up a whole day of our short trip. If we had more time, I would have loved to check it out. Next time, giant house!
No comments
Post a Comment