Asheville food bites: Restaurant relocation, cidery closing, coffee shop opening, more
ASHEVILLE - A Mexican restaurant makes a quick exit from Asheville; A West Asheville cider taproom closes permanently; two neighborhood coffee shops near opening days; two Asheville-founded craft food and beverage businesses expand retail distribution.
Margarita’s Grill making moves
On Nov. 30, Margarita’s Grill served its final meal after a brief run at 1996 Hendersonville Road.
However, it’s not the end of the family-operated restaurant owned by sisters Aida Ortiz-Antonio and Carmen Ortiz.
In September, Margarita’s Grill opened at the former site of Papas and Beer after an extensive renovation and opening delays.
The restaurant specializes in grilled meats and healthy alternative dishes inspired by recipes and techniques passed down from the family’s matriarch, Margarita, and their home of Veracruz, Mexico.
According to Carmen Ortiz, Margarita’s Grill is planned for relocation at an unconfirmed address in Hendersonville. The reason for the move was not confirmed. The new location and details about the restaurant’s reopening will be announced on Facebook.
Cider taproom closure
On Nov. 26, Urban Orchard Cider Company closed its West Asheville taproom at 210 Haywood Road a decade after the local cidery’s original location opened.
A message on Urban Orchard’s social media page, posted on Nov. 16, states: “After a lot of deliberation, post-Covid fatigue, and careful consideration about what will serve the community better in this location, we have decided to entrust our West Asheville taproom to a fresh concept.”
Urban Orchard’s South Slope taproom remains open at 24 Buxton Ave.
The post continued, “We started our journey crafting ciders and serving them to the public here. It’s a bittersweet change. However, we know we are leaving it in capable hands and we feel confident in their vision for its future. Urban Orchard will continue to grow and create ciders downtown at our 24 Buxton location and we hope to continue our long lasting relationships with all of our regulars.”
In October, Urban Orchard celebrated its 10th anniversary.
In the same month, USA TODAY’s 10Best media company announced Urban Orchard’s Vacation Station ranked No. 2 on a readers’ choice list of “10 must-taste picks” for cider.
The new tenants of the West Asheville taproom will be Cooperative Coffee Roasters. Thomas Miller, owner of Urban Orchard, said via email that the independent roasting company has used the lower level of the site for the past three years and the owners plan to convert the taproom into a coffee house.
For more, visit cooperativecoffeeroasters.com. For more about Urban Orchard, visit urbanorchardcider.com.
Good things coming to Bad Manners
The grand opening of Bad Manners Coffee has been announced for 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 16 at 697 Haywood Road, suite G in West Asheville, neighboring Botiwalla.
Drink specials, giveaways, treats and other surprises are planned for the momentous day of the local business.
Owner Ashlyn Sholar introduced Bad Manners as a pop-up coffee business, and this will be its first brick-and-mortar.
The regular hours will be 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For more, visit facebook.com/badmannerscoffee or follow on Instagram @badmannerscoffee.
Cuban café coming
Another coffee shop is slated for the West Asheville neighborhood. Haywood Famous has been announced to open in spring/summer 2024 as a café specializing in Cuban coffee and a “sober nightlife” destination.
Owner/barista Eva Rodriguez-Cué said via email the business is planned to open at 2 Westwood Place, off Haywood Road, for those “looking for nightlife without alcohol.”
For more, visit haywoodfamous.com and follow @haywoodfamous.
Retail cocktails for sale
In September, Devil’s Foot Beverages, an Asheville business founded on nonalcoholic craft drinks, launched its alcoholic brand of canned cocktails, Friend of the Devil.
Vodka Lemonade and Carolina Mule debuted at Devil’s Foot’s warehouse taproom, The Mule.
Now, the ready-to-drink cocktails are available for retail sale at nine ABC stores across Asheville and Buncombe County: Sweeten Creek Road, Hendersonville Road, Louisiana Avenue, Tunnel Road, Merrimon Avenue, Asbury Road, New Leicester Highway, Charlotte Street and Long Shoals Road.
Friend of the Devil Vodka Lemonade (7.6% ABV) is made with Botanica Vodka by Nippitaty Distillery, of Charleston, South Carolina, plus fresh-squeezed organic lemons, organic cane sugar and a touch of honey.
Friend of the Devil Carolina Mule (8% ABV) is made with Asheville Vodka by local distillery Cultivated Cocktails, Devil’s Foot’s Fuego Ginger Beer, fresh-squeezed organic limes, organic cane sugar and a touch of honey.
For more, visit devilsfootbrew.com and follow on Instagram at @friendofthedevilcocktails.
Ingles’ popcorn takeover
Another local food business has expanded its distribution.
Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn’s line of gourmet popcorn is now available at 90 Ingles Market locations.
Flavors include salted caramel, pimento cheese, parmesan and black pepper, and Poppy Mix – a trio of non-GMO white cheddar, salted caramel and spicy jalapeño cheddar popcorn.
Also, visit Poppy Popcorn’s holiday pop-up market at Biltmore Park at 8 Town Square Blvd., suite 140 and shop online at poppyhandcraftedpopcorn.com.
Stories you may have missed:
Vodka lemonade in a can? An Asheville soda company dives into cocktails
Bad Manners Coffee opening first brick-and-mortar in West Asheville
Answer Woman: Is that Hendersonville Road restaurant abandoned or will it open soon?
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Margarita's Grill relocates, taproom closes, coffee shops coming, more
