Heather’s guidebook
My Favorite Restaurants
HomeGrown
371 Merrimon AveThe BEST fried chicken.
Zambra
85 W Walnut StUnique and delicious tapas downtown. A little on the pricier side.
9Round North Asheville
61 North Merrimon AvenueMy favorite bbq in town.
Great pizza and beer. Try the jalapeño beer (Fire Escape) and check out the $3 movie showings.
243 locals recommend
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co
675 Merrimon AveGreat pizza and beer. Try the jalapeño beer (Fire Escape) and check out the $3 movie showings.
Pisgah Inn
408 Blue Ridge PkwyDrive up the parkway for lunch or dinner overlooking the mountains.
Sunny Point Café
626 Haywood Rdthe best brunch. Everything is great.
Downtown and River Arts locations. I love the shrimp taco with a Tecate or a margarita!
65 locals recommend
White Duck Taco Shop Downtown
12 Biltmore AveDowntown and River Arts locations. I love the shrimp taco with a Tecate or a margarita!
Healthy, delicious food with lots of vegetarian and vegan options.
25 locals recommend
Green Sage Cafe Merrimon
633A Merrimon AveHealthy, delicious food with lots of vegetarian and vegan options.
Coffee Shops & Desserts
Ultra Coffeebar
242 Clingman Ave ExtCoffee and great sandwiches in the River Arts District.
Dobra Tea
78 N Lexington AveUnique atmosphere and any type of tea you could ever want. Free wifi.
Homemade ice cream! They make tons of unique flavors and are more than happy to give you samples of all of them! My favorite is the salted caramel with hot fudge.
74 locals recommend
The Hop Ice Cream Cafe
640 Merrimon AveHomemade ice cream! They make tons of unique flavors and are more than happy to give you samples of all of them! My favorite is the salted caramel with hot fudge.
Old Europe Pastries
18 Broadway StCoffee and pastries downtown.
French Broad Chocolate Lounge
10 S Pack SquareChocolate lounge. Need I say more?
Well-Bred Bakery & Cafe
232 Reems Creek RdCoffee, tea, desserts, and lunch.
High Five Coffee
190 Broadway StDowntown on Rankin and near the house on Broadway.
Bars, Breweries, & Hangouts
Local brewery located in old-warehouses-turned-graffiti park in River Arts District. It shares a space with 12 Bones Smokehouse and usually has a grilled cheese food truck out back!
78 locals recommend
Wedge at Foundation
5 Foundy StLocal brewery located in old-warehouses-turned-graffiti park in River Arts District. It shares a space with 12 Bones Smokehouse and usually has a grilled cheese food truck out back!
Salvage Station
468 Riverside DrSpacious indoor/outdoor bar on the river.
Hillman Beer
25 Sweeten Creek RdGood food and beer near Biltmore Village.
Burial Beer Co
40 Collier AveMy favorite brewery on South Slope.
Great for cheap drinks and late night hangs. They've got pool tables, skee ball, corn hole, and drag shows.
11 locals recommend
Banks Ave Bar
32 Banks AveGreat for cheap drinks and late night hangs. They've got pool tables, skee ball, corn hole, and drag shows.
Worth a visit! It's huge and beautiful and the tours are free. Food is delicious but be prepared for a wait. Cool outdoor area with an amphitheater and garden.
726 locals recommend
Sierra Nevada Brewery
100 Sierra Nevada WayWorth a visit! It's huge and beautiful and the tours are free. Food is delicious but be prepared for a wait. Cool outdoor area with an amphitheater and garden.
Things to Do
Browse used books and get a bottle of wine and a cheese plate.
191 locals recommend
Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar
1 Page AveBrowse used books and get a bottle of wine and a cheese plate.
Not so much a museum, but you can play all of their pinball machines all day while drinking beer!
210 locals recommend
Asheville Music Hall
31 Patton AveNot so much a museum, but you can play all of their pinball machines all day while drinking beer!
Saturday morning farmer's market April-November. Walkable from the house (~10 minutes on UNCA campus). Food trucks, music, local flowers, veggies, meats, and crafts. Get a sample from the goat cheese lady!
33 locals recommend
North Asheville Tailgate Market
275 University HeightsSaturday morning farmer's market April-November. Walkable from the house (~10 minutes on UNCA campus). Food trucks, music, local flowers, veggies, meats, and crafts. Get a sample from the goat cheese lady!
Get a drink at the bar and watch the sunset over the mountains from the Sunset Terrace in spring/summer, or see the gingerbread houses and relax by the gigantic fireplaces in winter!
26 locals recommend
Sunset Terrace
290 Macon AveGet a drink at the bar and watch the sunset over the mountains from the Sunset Terrace in spring/summer, or see the gingerbread houses and relax by the gigantic fireplaces in winter!
Zen Tubing
608 Riverside DrTube down the river and hop out at the Bywater for a drink.
The Antique Tobacco Barn
75 Swannanoa River RdOld tobacco barn with lots of treasures.
Well Played Board Game Café
162 Coxe AveGood rainy day activity.
Hikes
A bit of a scenic drive to a short hike with 360 views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
34 locals recommend
Max Patch Loop Trailhead
A bit of a scenic drive to a short hike with 360 views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Catawba Falls
530 Warren Mountain Dr30 minute drive, easy hike, beautiful waterfall.
Beautiful drive up the parkway, easy ~.5 mile hike to a fire tower you can climb up for 360 degree views of the mountains.
37 locals recommend
Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower
Beautiful drive up the parkway, easy ~.5 mile hike to a fire tower you can climb up for 360 degree views of the mountains.
Walkable from the house. Stroll through the botanical gardens.
194 locals recommend
Botanical Gardens at Asheville
151 W T. Weaver BoulevardWalkable from the house. Stroll through the botanical gardens.