Asheville is a somewhat bohemian, medium-sized town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina – in fact the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway runs through it. The town has lively arts & crafts and music scenes, and some great restaurants. Here are some of the highlights:
drama / romance
Asheville, Blue Ridge Mountains
CHAI PANI:
Chai Pani was named ‘America’s Most Outstanding Restaurant’ by the prestigious James Beard Foundation in 2023. The literal translation of ‘Chai Pani’ is ‘tea and water’ and is Indian slang for going for a cup of tea or a snack. https://www.chaipani.com/asheville
We had the most delicious lunch there: Crispy Masal Fish Roll, Okra Fries and Bell Puri were all divine. I’m not an okra fan usually but whatever they’d done to these fries were incredible.
That evening we went to the nearby Omni Hotel to watch the sunset. Wow. And this was the first time I’d tried Fried Green Tomatoes – deep fried in breadcrumbs and most enjoyable.
CURATE BAR DE TAPAS:
The next evening we went to a restaurant called Curate Bar de Tapas, run by TV chef Katie Button. https://curatetapasbar.com
The equivalent in the UK would be something like Brindisa in Borough Market or maybe one of Jose Pizarro’s restaurants. There were four of us and I think we ordered almost everything on the menu. Here are a couple of highlights – charcoal grilled fish and Patatas Bravas, which were probably the best I’ve had.
BILTMORE ESTATE:
A visit to the Biltmore Estate built between 1889 and 1895 by the George Vanderbilt was a great day out. https://www.biltmore.com
We hired e-bicycles to explore the vast estate…
…did a tour of the stately home (decorated for Christmas even in October) and partook in some wine tasting at their winery. We left having purchased a dry rosé, a gewürztraminer, an Alberino, plus a dry Riesling and honestly enjoyed them all.
BREAKFASTS:
We had two memorable breakfasts in Asheville. One was at the Owl Bakery where we started the day with Gougeres, Ham & Cheese Croissants, Cardamom Buns, cookies and more. https://owlbakery.com
Again, I must add there was four of us!
The other place was Hole, a donut and coffee shop where they’re making and frying the donuts to order. My pictures don’t do justice to just how light, crispy and delicious these were.
A couple of other things places to visit in and around Asheville:
- The old Woolworth’s building – have a bite at the 1950s diner with its original soda fountain after browsing all the amazing arts and crafts for sale.
- Drive out to Grandfather Mountain, climb up for the views, then go see the moose, otters, bears and bald eagles in their nature reserve.
