Espresso martinis, croissants offered at new café, bar in RAD

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read
An espresso martini at a After/Glow, now open at The Radical in River Arts District.
An espresso martini at a After/Glow, now open at The Radical in River Arts District.

ASHEVILLE - The latest restaurant and bar concept developed by Asheville restaurateur Jacob Sessoms has opened in the River Arts District.

In early January, After/Glow, a café and bar that serves coffee by day and cocktails by night, debuted at the boutique hotel, The Radical.

In October, The Radical opened at 95 Roberts St. in a vacant-then-renovated 1920s warehouse, with 70 guest rooms and suites.

The property is owned by Hatteras Sky with capital partner Somera Capital East and operated by Lark Hotels.

Croissants and other freshly baked treats are sold at the new café and bar, After/Glow.
Croissants and other freshly baked treats are sold at the new café and bar, After/Glow.

Sessoms, who owns restaurants All Day Darling and Table, collaborated with the companies as the founder and chef-partner at Perfectly Ad Hoc Hospitality Group to design food and beverage venues in the hotel open to overnight guests and the public.

After/Glow is the third of the three venues to be introduced by Sessoms, following the full restaurant and bar, Golden Hour, and rooftop bar offering a premier view of RAD, The Roof.

After/Glow, open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, offers a menu of baked goods, smoothies, espresso and drip coffee from North Carolina-based Counter Culture Coffee, and hot and cold brews from local tea shop, Dobra.

“It’s kind of like an All Day Darling vibe during the day, then turning into more like moody cocktail-focused in the afternoon,” Sessoms told the Citizen Times.

Inside After/Glow, a café and bar from Asheville’s local restaurateur Jacob Sessoms.
Inside After/Glow, a café and bar from Asheville’s local restaurateur Jacob Sessoms.

Other drink menu highlights include a draft latte, a chilled and frothy drink that may be prepared with creamsicle, vanilla or honey chai flavoring. Or try the “bright, rich and heady” honey lavender cappuccino.

Guests may also opt for noncoffee beverages like The Day Starter, a cold, blended drink made with honey, peanut butter, strawberry and banana.

Or consider the best of both worlds with the Earlyglow, made with cold brew, banana, granola, oat milk and vanilla-orange flavoring.

The morning bites menu features croissants, Danishes, and sweet and savory pastries made by The Radical’s bakery team.

At 3 p.m., After/Glow transforms into a downtempo bar serving handcrafted cocktails, including coffee-forward cocktails like the espresso martini and the Irish Moonlight, described as “lush, rich, dark and warm,” and the “a cold frothy rum creamsicle,” Player’s Anthem.

A trio of caffeinated drinks at The Radical's new café and bar, After/Glow.
A trio of caffeinated drinks at The Radical's new café and bar, After/Glow.

A deejay will play music every Thursday, Friday and Sunday through January, and then every Thursday, Friday and Saturday beginning in February.

For updates on the deejay lineup, follow After/Glow on Instagram @afterglowavl.

After/Glow

Where: 95 Roberts St. at The Radical, Asheville.

Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Info: For more, visit theradicalavl.com and follow on Instagram @afterglowavl.

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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: The Radical opens After/Glow, a new cafe-bar concept in Asheville