Tour Asheville River Arts District's new restaurants, bars at The Radical

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
Updated ·4 min read

ASHEVILLE - River Arts District visitors have more one-of-a-kind visual arts to see and experience as a new boutique hotel’s restaurants and bars open to the public.

The Radical has opened at 95 Roberts St. in a previously vacant 1920s warehouse.

Owned by Hatteras Sky, along with its capital partner Somera Capital East, and operated by Lark Hotels, local partners were called upon to elevate the property and guest experiences.

On Oct. 12, the hotel welcomed its first overnight guests to stay in its 70 guest rooms and suites, each with custom art and eclectic styles inspired by street art and local culture incorporated into the “rebel luxe” interior design.

The Radical boutique hotel and its bar and restaurant hosted a grand opening, October 26, 2023.
The Radical boutique hotel and its bar and restaurant hosted a grand opening, October 26, 2023.

Jacob Sessoms, a James Beard Award-nominated Asheville chef and the founder and chef-partner at Perfectly Ad Hoc Hospitality Group, consulted on the hotel’s food and beverage concepts, Golden Hour, The Roof and Afterglow.

Golden Hour, The Roof and Afterglow

On Oct. 27, two of The Radical's three dining areas officially opened to hotel guests and the public, Golden Hour and The Roof.

Golden Hour restaurant specializes in grilled and roasted shareable dishes and entrées encompassing seasonal ingredients from local farms and purveyors.

Artwork covers the walls of The Radical boutique hotel.
Artwork covers the walls of The Radical boutique hotel.

A racetrack bar draped with gold link chain hangings, the centerpiece of the room, is surrounded by bar and table seating for 85 guests. The terrace outdoor patio seats about 45 guests.

Golden Hour is open daily at 5 p.m. for dinner and bar service. Weekend brunch will be introduced later.

The Roof, open from noon to midnight, offers a view of the French Broad River and RAD and full beverage and small snack menus available ― an abbreviated version of the Golden Hour’s menu with additional items like the Radical Burger, prepared smash burger-style.

The Radical’s restaurant, The Golden Hour.
The Radical’s restaurant, The Golden Hour.

The rooftop, which has a 125-person capacity, is arranged with lounge areas equipped with firepits and seating surrounding its open-air bar.

Afterglow, a coffee bar by day and a downtempo music cocktail lounge by night is intended to open later this year.

Pastries, light breakfast and lunch bites will be offered from 7 a.m.-4 p.m., and handcrafted cocktails and light dinner from 4 p.m.-midnight.

Golden Hour dining menu

Steak tartare. A dish best-served cold, the steak tartare is topped with a farm egg and horseradish and a side of crispy bread.

Steak tartare at The Golden Hour, the chophouse-style restaurant at The Radical in Asheville.
Steak tartare at The Golden Hour, the chophouse-style restaurant at The Radical in Asheville.

Sunburst trout. Two North Carolina farms are featured in the grilled entrée. A whole Sunburst Farms trout is served with rice from Lee’s One Fortune, which specializes in Asian-style rice and produce. The dish is complete with green tomato vierge.

Shellfish beignets. The New Orleans dessert comes to the mountains, served as a savory dish with shellfish, Old Bay mayo and finished with Old Bay dust.

New York strip. The “from the grill for the table” section of the menu is where the chophouse shows off its chops with a big dry ages New York strip, which comes with sides and sauces ― a signature chop sauce, chimichurri, pepper relish and salsa verde.

Mushrooms. Tapping into Western North Carolina’s ripe foraging scene, locally sourced and cultivated mushrooms are served as wood-grilled skewers with soubise.

Golden Hour, a restaurant at The Radical boutique hotel, offers chocolate chess pie with clotted cream, and carrot cake made with carrot jam and curried cream.
Golden Hour, a restaurant at The Radical boutique hotel, offers chocolate chess pie with clotted cream, and carrot cake made with carrot jam and curried cream.

The dessert menu offers a chocolate chess pie with clotted cream, and carrot cake made with carrot jam and curried cream.

Golden Hour and The Roof’s cocktails

Signature handcrafted cocktails served at Golden Hour and The Roof complement the venue's backdrop and ambiance.

3 Day Weekend. Ideal for cozying up next to a fire pit on the roof on a fall evening, the 3 Day Weekend is made with bourbon, apple, ginger and rosemary.

Daycation Daiquiri. Another seasonal delight, the recipe calls for an in-house rum blend, winter spices, lime and saffron.

Handcrafted cocktails shine at The Radical hotel's Golden Hour restaurant bar.
Handcrafted cocktails shine at The Radical hotel's Golden Hour restaurant bar.

Stay Golden. A Golden Hour signature, a saffron gun martini served “freezing cold.”

The zero-proof beverages range with options like the citrusy “I Spritz You Not” made with pomegranate, ginger, grapefruit and lime and the “Phony Negroni” mocktails, nonalcoholic beer and Devil’s Foot Soda.

Local craft beer and cider, domestic imports, and a nearly 75-label collection of wine served by the glass and bottle round out the beverage program from natural, organic and Biodynamic wineries.

The Radical

Where: 95 Roberts St., Asheville.

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

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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 Asheville opens with art, wood-fired dining, cocktails