Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Asheville loves food. From organic tempeh reubens to pork barbecue to artisan pizza to please God let us get a great Ethiopian place at last, Asheville is Food City U.S.A.
Here’s the food and restaurant year in review. Foodie news, new restaurants, restaurants coming soon, and the eateries we said goodbye to in 2012: Fiore’s, Pineapple Jack’s, Viva Deli, and later this month, the very tasty Magnetic Field.
FOODIE NEWS
The Lot: After a long and acrimonious battle, food truckers received the right to operate downtown. 51 Coxe, and you should go.
Rosetta’s goes retail: The beloved local cafe branches out, offering veggie burgers and peanut butter tofu at Ingles, the Co-op and select other markets
Tupelo and Chai Pani go big: Local restaurants open in new cities. Chai Pani in Atlanta, Tupelo in Knoxville and Greenville
Curate chef Katie Button cooks in New York: The young chef, not yet 30, made a splash when she was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Rising Star chef award AND invited to cook at a James Beard dinner in NYC.
Mushroom market and more: Where else would the first wild foods and medicinals market in the U.S open? Kansas City?
Sante for sale: Carla Baden, the owner of Sante Wine Bar downtown, puts her bar up for sale
Asheville Brewing on Coxe to expand: Expect a music and event space as the pizzeria branches out
Farm to Home Milk delivery service: The milkman’s back, and he’s bringing chocolate milk, eggs, and fresh bread
Asheville named U.S.’s first green dining destination
Smiling Hara survives salmonella setback (the company is now demo-ing to Whole Foods)
Drama at Fiore’s: Family feud as son leaves Fiore’s downtown to start Strada; furious father closes Fiore’s
Izzy’s West became BattleCat
The Dripolator became High Five Coffee Bar
Cafe Ello became Cafe 64
Mountain Java became Edna’s
COMING SOON
Pho, Neapolitan pizza from the White Duck team, barbecue from an Admiral chef and more:
Oyster House Brewpub
Wicked Weed Brewing
Kitchen 643
Cecilia’s Kitchen (creperie)
BoBo Pho
Pizza Pura
Farm Burger
Zia Taqueria
The Bull & Beggar
Buxton Hill Barbecue
Chick-fil-a Merrimon Avenue
Dough
Biscuit Head
Stirhaus
yet-to-be-named bar & charcuterie in the old Blue Water Seafood location
2012 OPENINGS OF NOTE: Coffee, Latin food, Italian and more
Biltmore Coffee Company
Nuns on Top
Sabor Bustaurant
MG Road
Bomba
The Isis Restaurant & Music Hall
Native Kitchen
Creekside Taproom
Mr. Frog’s Soul and Creole
The Imperial Life: New downtown bar looks gorgeous
Latin Flavor
Asheville Sandwich Company
Chestnut
The Blackbird
Juicy Lucy’s Burger Bar and Grill
Strada Italiano
French Broad Chocolate Factory & Tasting Room
Aqua Cafe & Bar
Magnolia Ray
Puebla (re-opened Swannanoa restaurant)
Wicked Weed
Sabor Bustararant
West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen (WALK)
R.I.P.: THE CLOSINGS
Eat local and support the restaurants you love.
Fiore’s
Never Blue
Palmyra Bistro
Books & Breadboard
The Cupcake Corner
Viva Deli
La Carreta (new Weaverville location is open)
The Magnetic Field
Baja Cafe
Pineapple Jack’s
Solace
Blue Water Seafood
Greenlight Cafe
Mr. Frog’s Soul and Creole
Mamacita’s Baja Cantina
