Asheville restaurant openings in 2023 through September
ASHEVILLE - In 2023, the Asheville area continues to grow and evolve with more food and beverage destinations.
Local restaurateurs have introduced new concepts from gourmet markets with fresh and frozen meals to eateries serving street food from India and Mexico.
Regional and national chains have debuted and expanded with restaurants serving chicken prepared in various ways to bakeries regularly rotating cookie flavors.
Bring an appetite and set off on a self-guided dining tour. Here are some of the restaurants, breweries and bars that have opened in the Asheville area through the third quarter of the year:
Sage & Spice Market
In September, Sage & Spice Market & Catering opened at 1056 Patton Ave in West Asheville. Gourmet food and beverages, hot café dishes and drinks, frozen chef-made prepared meals and catering services are offered under one roof.
Read more: Gourmet café, market opens. Here's what's on the menu, shelves.
Huey Magoo’s
Huey Magoo’s, home of the chicken tenders, opened at 291 Long Shoals Road in Arden. It’s the national chain’s 50th restaurant in the U.S. and its first in North Carolina.
The Pot Stirred
In September, The Pot Stirred, a mushroom café and adaptogen bar, opened at 191 Lyman St., Suite 320. The menu features mushroom brews, herbal teas, and other infused drinks.
Margarita’s Grill
In September, two sisters opened Margarita’s Grill at 1996 Hendersonville Road. The restaurant, inspired by their family, serves authentic, traditional and scratch-made Mexican cuisine and grilled meats, plus healthy ingredient alternatives like veggie tortillas.
Salt Face Mule Brewing Co.
In September, Salt Face Mule Brewing Co. opened as a restaurant, craft beer brewery and family-friendly entertainment venue with two mini golf courses at 450 Weaverville Highway in Woodfin.
Read more: New restaurant, entertainment hub opens with Appalachian food, craft beer
Mudpuppies Sushi and Sports Bar
In August, Mudpuppies Sushi and Sports Bar officially opened at 5 Andrew Way in Arden. The menu features American and Asian fusion dishes, drinks including sake, plus a full fresh sushi bar with chef specials.
Botiwalla
From the Chai Pani Restaurant Group, Botiwalla made its Asheville debut at 97 Haywood Road in August. The casual eatery offers Indian street food fresh off the grill.
Hotbox
This summer, Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse opened a seasonal sandwich shop and bar, Hotbox, outside the restaurant at 121 Biltmore Ave. The outdoor eatery, open through mid-fall, offers smoked meats and other locally sourced ingredients made by the Ukiah culinary team.
The Tiki Easy Bar
In July, Hi-Wire Brewing introduced its first tiki bar with an in-house distilled alcohol program, The Tiki Easy Bar. The speakeasy-style bar with tropical island décor and a menu loaded with classic and signature tiki cocktails is inside 197 Hilliard Ave. Cut through Hi-Wire’s South Slope taproom and go past the brewing production area to find the hidden oasis.
The Elder Dragon Coffee Shop
In June, The Elder Dragon Coffee Shop opened inside the relocated Nerd Dungeon in the Erwin Hills Plaza at 505 New Leicester Highway in West Asheville. The store specializes in geek culture merchandise and hosts gaming events while the café serves specialty coffee and espresso drinks, vegan baked goods and more.
Sweets and Seats Café
This summer, Sweets and Seats Café opened at 81 Patton Ave., in the former location of Blue Dream Curry House. The house of treats offers pastries, cakes, bubble tea, shaved ice, espresso, coffee and tea.
Crumbl Cookies-South Asheville
In July, Asheville got its second Crumbl Cookies, this time at 816 Hendersonville Road, Suite 10. The bakery’s menu rotates weekly with various flavors. The national chain bakery, owned by a local franchisee, made its debut in January 2022 at 5 Westgate Parkway in West Asheville.
Read more: Asheville's 2nd Crumbl Cookies hosts grand opening, weekly mystery cookie
The Restoration
In March, The Restoration made its grand debut at 68 Patton Ave. downtown. The boutique hotel offers several food and dining areas, including The Exchange restaurant bar, the Observatory greenhouse rooftop bar, The Rise coffee bar, and the Draftsman basement speakeasy game lounge and bar.
More: Inside The Restoration's restaurants, bars, garden bar, speakeasy game lounge
Overlook Coffee Collective
In the spring, Overlook Coffee Collective opened a new, local coffee shop at Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Road, suite 677, in the former space of Earthling Coffee and Espresso. The menu features an assortment of rotating, sustainable coffee roasters and signature drinks and snacks.
Little Billy
For years, Taco Billy restaurant has been a West Asheville staple but in the last year, the eatery has made big moves. A new brick-and-mortar opened in Black Mountain at 117 Cherry St., over the winter. In May, its first mobile eatery debuted as a permanent fixture at Little Jumbo cocktail bar at 241 Broadway St. in the Five Points/Montford neighborhoods. Dubbed “Little Billy,” the food truck is open even when the lounge is not and offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night bites.
Cats at Play Café
In May, the city got its first café that offers guests the added perk of enjoying their coffee and treats surrounded by adorable cats and kittens. Cats at Play Café, a boutique and rescue lounge at 12 Eagle St., serves a variety of snacks and beverages, including themed cocktails and mocktails and local zero-proof drinks. There’s also a retail area. Café drop-ins are welcome but to visit with the cats, appointments are required. Adoptions are encouraged.
Earthling Coffee and Espresso
The local coffee shop that became known for its drive-thru-only coffee hut in Candler has branched out into a new neighborhood. In May, Earthling Coffee and Espresso relocated its brick-and-mortar coffee shop from Asheville Outlets to Asheville Mall at 3 South Tunnel Road. And its drive-thru moved down the street from its original location to open at 1476 Smokey Park Highway.
A Ci-Tea
In May, A Ci-Tea opened in Biltmore Village serving milk teas (also known as boba or bubble teas), fresh fruit teas, fruit smoothies, refresher juices and coffee drinks and more. The locally owned café is planning to open more locations across the region, but for now, visit the flagship shop at 2 Hendersonville Road, suite A4.
Suwana Express
In May, the longstanding downtown eatery, Suwana’s Thai Orchid, was rebranded and reintroduced with a new quick-service concept and name. Now Suwana Express, the restaurant offers cafeteria line-style ordering from a buffet of Thai and Chinese cuisine, poke bowls and more.
River Arts District Brewing
Aptly named, a new brewery opened in the River Arts District in May. RAD Brewing is inside a renovated 100-year-old renovated stonecutters workshop and warehouse that’s been designed with a taproom and spacious deck and patio tucked away at 13 Mystery St. Beyond small batch craft beer, the menu features wine, hard cider and ginger beer, kombucha, draft coffee, sodas and other soft drinks.
The Argot Room
In June, West Asheville restaurant Jargon introduced The Argot Room, a new event venue next door at 717 Haywood Road. The eclectic space may be requested for intimate corporate and group meetings, birthday parties, wedding showers and rehearsals, small band performances and other special occasions for brunch, lunch or dinner. Catering and bar service are available by Jargon.
Mother South Slope Café
Just more than a year after opening a quaint brick-and-mortar in the River Arts District, Mother opened a new bakery café at 244 Short Coxe Ave. on the edge of the South Slope in May. The menu features fresh bread, espresso drinks, chef-made small plates, plus hand-selected wines to enjoy in the café or purchase a bottle to go.
Chipotle
In May, burrito and bowl fans got another place to grab a quick bite. Chipotle opened a new store with a Chipotlane express pick-up service at 879 Brevard Road.
Regina’s
In early June, Regina’s opened at 1400 Patton Ave., on the west side of the city with chef-made comfort foods made with farm-fresh, local ingredients. The former Happy Hill Restaurant site received a total revamp but maintained a classic, modern feel. Also new, a full bar was constructed with a menu of cocktails and old-fashioned and signature drink selections.
Little Louie’s
The Malvern bar in West Asheville was revamped into the prime location for the Philly-style deli. Little Louie’s, sister restaurant to Regina's, offers hoagies and perogies, plus a full bar at 1478 Patton Ave.
Archetype Brewing and Kitchen
In June, the West Asheville-founded craft brewery opened its third taproom and introduced in-house dining. Archetype Brewing and Kitchen is at 39 Banks Ave. in the South Slope Brewing District in the former location of Harvest Pizzeria. The tri-level social hub also has a rooftop with a view. The taproom offers Archetype’s rotating beer collection and full bar service. The dining menu features wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza, smash burgers, chicken or tofu bao buns, power green and grain bowls and more.
The Dripolator South
A year after opening its second location in Candler, the Black Mountain-based Dripolator expanded with its third coffee shop in South Asheville in June. The café offers a chill “parlor” and sidewalk patio and a menu of coffee and noncaffeinated beverages and baked goods at 20 Gala Road, Suite 101, in Gerber Village.
The Hound
In June, The Hound made its debut at 2 Tunnel Road and showed how a former Greyhound bus station could become a cool, chic lounge. A team of restauranteurs and innovators designed the East Asheville bar with a Zen-like Garden and warm, modern décor and an upscale beverage and shareable snack menu that includes handcrafted cocktails, mocktails and kombucha and wine and local beer.
Appalachian Mountain Brewing
The Boone-based Appalachian Mountain Brewery made headlines for its Asheville native owners buying back the business from the mega beer company of Anheuser-Busch in May. Then, in June, AMB expanded with the opening of its second taproom at 46 North Mills River Road in Mills River. In September, AMB brought its brewing operations back to Western North Carolina at Green Man Brewery’s production facility in downtown Asheville.
Hatchett Goods
Hatchett Goods made its spring debut at 96 Weaverville Road, Suite 107. The coffee house is sharing a space with Flowermouth Coffee Roasters. Stop in for a cup of coffee, a bag of beans, and retail home décor.
Taqueria Molina
In the spring, Tortilleria Molina introduced their second business, Taqueria Molina at 809 Patton Ave. Tortilleria Molina offers tamales and tortillas, while Taqueria Molina is serving up tacos.
Dobrá Tea-East
The third Dobrá Tea shop opened at 1011 Tunnel Road in February. The menu features a wide variety of handpicked herbal teas, plus all gluten-free small plates, including hummus and vegan cheese plates.
More: Dobrá Tea, an Eastern tearoom, opens in East Asheville, its 3rd location
Gourmand
The French-inspired eatery with a wine bar and retail shop opened in March at S&W Market, 56 Patton Ave. downtown. The menu features traditional, chef-made French sandwiches, sharable plates, cheese and charcuterie.
More: New French wine, charcuterie restaurant opens in Asheville
Abuela’s Little Kitchen
The family-owned and operated Mexican restaurant relocated to 6 Long Shoals Road, the former site of JK’s Kitchen in Arden. Abuela's Little Kitchen's traditional menu features Hispanic and American breakfast and lunch.
Little D’s
The chic North Asheville restaurant with a cocktail bar opened at 952 Merrimon Ave. in February and is the second venture from the Asheville Proper owners. Little D's menu features seasonal fare, shareable plates and signature drinks.
Montford Deli
The local deli upgraded to a full-service restaurant in March at a new address, 1461 Merrimon Ave. in the former locale of Nick’s Grill. Montford Deli's menu features deli sandwiches, burgers, wings, salads and more.
Rabbit Hole
Sunny Point Café’s new bakery opened in March next door at 9 State St. Rabbit Hole's menu features fresh baked goods, coffee and cocktails, which may be consumed in the café or on the garden-side deck that doubles as a rentable micro event space.
Sovereign Remedies Exchange
From the same folks who brought Sovereign Remedies to downtown Asheville, a former dive bar at 2645 New Leicester Highway was flipped into Sovereign Remedies Exchange, a café and beer and wine bar with chef food trucks and pop-ups in rotation in March.
Thai Chili Asian Bistro
A new spot for noodles, fried rice and curry is at 1550 Hendersonville Road. Opened in April, the bistro offers a fully loaded lunch and dinner menu with chef’s specials and other Thai-style entrées and desserts to order to-go or to enjoy in the restaurant’s dining room or patio.
The Daily Grind
The locally-owned coffee shop made a springtime debut. Drop by for a morning or afternoon caffeine and pastry pick-me-up at 100 District Drive #216 at The District apartments in Biltmore Village.
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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: Restaurant openings in Asheville through September 2023
