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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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asheville_sandwich_shop_2014Four new independent restaurants are on track to open sometime in the next few weeks along West Asheville’s Haywood Road, a commercial strip that has seen a boom of independent eateries and businesses recently. It’s a veritable food explosion in West Asheville, which recently got big play in the New York Times. The NYT noted the changing face of West Asheville, calling it a blue collar-hybrid, where auto repair shops and pawn shops are giving way to yoga studios and new restaurants.

There are more changes coming beyond March, but here’s a look at the new food coming right around the corner:

-First up: The Asheville Sandwich Shop says it’s getting ready to open a new location at 794 Haywood Road very soon. From their Twitter just the other day:

All permits passed at our new Haywood road location!!! Look for us opening up at 794 Haywood late next week

The Asheville Sandwich shop has awesome sammies. Check it out.

King Daddy’s Chicken & Waffles, the work of the popular Early Girl Eatery owners John and Julie Stehling, is coming to 444 Haywood Road. It will feature what the name implies. There will be an outdoor patio. They’re shooting for a March opening. When you get inside, check out the original tin ceiling, which was disassembled during construction and painstaking put back up.

Nine Mile West is coming together in the former Taqueria Gonzalez building. This Jamaican restaurant has been a success on Montford Avenue on the north side of town, and now they’ll planting a flag on the west side. Vegetarian friendly, these guys do the following: “Caribbean-inspired pasta dishes, rice dishes, a handful of traditional pasta dishes, daily specials, and an array of locally made desserts.” Also aiming for March opening.

-Buffalo Nickel is also coming together in the former Taqueria Gonzalez building, next door to the Nine Mile West. I don’t have details on menu or concept, but it’s my understanding these guys are also hoping for a March opening.

There’s more. A new barbecue joint is going in next door to the Haywood Quick Stop convenience store at the Haywood/I-240 intersection. I don’t have timeline details. There’s also a new coffee shop, Odd’s Cafe, coming to 800 Haywood Road. And the owners of the new doughnut shop Hole are preparing to start construction of their new building along Haywood in East-West Asheville.

This action comes on top of the successful opening last year of Barleycorn and Biscuit Head and Oyster House Brewing and Urban Orchard Cider. (Yes, that was all just last year, all on Haywood Road.)

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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21 Comments

  1. Ritchie February 26, 2014

    It seems that Haywood Rd is developing positively despite the city, not due to help from it.

    It could use a major municipal face lift, bike lanes, common spaces, new signage and lighting. And actions could be taken to incentivize “dead spot” businesses like Builder Supply, which occupies 2 ramshackled blocks, to relocate to a less residential area.

    Reply
  2. LEW February 25, 2014

    And King Daddy’s will offer gluten-free waffles and fried chicken I hear!

    Reply
    1. Ron February 25, 2014

      You mean gluten-less or low-grain or grain-free or made-with-gluten-free-ingredients-in-a-non-gluten-free-facility-so-it-may-or-not-be-completely-gluten-free? The FDA has recently defined “gluten-free” and that term can no longer be used unless the food has been tested and certified in a lab. Seriously. http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm367654.htm

      Reply
      1. LEW February 26, 2014

        Hey as long as I don’t react to it (I get itchy and grumpy when I eat gluten and have been eating gluten-free for twenty years now – except when I cheat and pay the price) I DON’T CARE!

        Reply
    2. RLP February 26, 2014

      Asheville Sandwich Company also offers gluten free bread and ALL their fried food is gluten free (corn flour).

      Reply
      1. LEW February 27, 2014

        Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
  3. Chris February 24, 2014

    What’s the deal with Digable Pizza? Will they be sharing the space with Asheville Sandwich? Back in early December they posted on FB: “it will be after the first of the year before we are able to re-open”

    Reply
    1. Orbit DVD February 25, 2014

      We peeked in there last week. Looks great, but I didn’t see a pizza oven.

      Reply
    2. RLP February 26, 2014

      Asheville Sandwich took over the space in November and will be running solo.

      Reply
  4. Orbit DVD February 24, 2014

    I miss Burgermeisters.

    Reply
    1. IceNine February 25, 2014

      me too!

      Reply
    2. Chris February 25, 2014

      Was only there once. But I really enjoy Barleycorn.

      Reply
  5. Fred Schuldt February 24, 2014

    If the food is good (and much of this is/will be) then there’s no such thing as “saturation.” It will be a repeat destination, bringing locals and tourists alike. The biggest problem is likely to become parking. But because of the density, and the relatively flat run of Haywood Rd, people will be more likely to park and walk. It’s really the ideal location for such a collection of establishments. My opinion only…

    Reply
  6. frank February 24, 2014

    Parking capacity is going to be a definite issue.

    Reply
  7. Ron February 24, 2014

    At what point is there saturation for food and drink in a 1.5 mile strip? Nona Mia, Waking Life, UJ, Odds, Bean Werks, Asheville Sandwich Co, Nine Mile 2, Buffalo Nickel, Biscuit Head, Tailgate Market, Barley Corn, West End Bakery, West Village Market, Westville Pub, The Hop, Barleycorn, Sunnypoint, Oyster House, King Daddy, TBD BBQ, Admiral, WALK, Short Street Cakes, Urban Orchard, Hole. I’m sure I missed a few.

    Reply
    1. Rich February 26, 2014

      Market research says the strip can support the opening of 7 full service restaurants a year.

      Reply
  8. Jessica February 24, 2014

    Looks like I picked the perfect time to move to West Asheville. BOOM.

    Reply
    1. Z February 25, 2014

      Yeah right, till the New Belgium trucks start rolling up and down Haywood 24/7. Enjoy that new brewery smell and construction!

      Reply
      1. Timothy February 25, 2014

        I’m PSYCHED about New Belgium coming to town, especially since many of their visitors will come by to support all these new local businesses opening up. If you can’t handle a few extra trucks on Haywood road then please move somewhere else.

        Reply
      2. Del February 25, 2014

        Better than Russian tanks

        Reply
        1. Harry February 25, 2014

          Not for a few years yet.

          Reply

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