Asheville restaurant rumor control: Circle in the Square to close?

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Catching up on some Asheville restaurant gossip. The following is unconfirmed:

-Circle in the Square to close? I’ve heard from two separate sources that the Circle in the Square pizza joint on Biltmore Avenue will close soon. Last August, the owners of Circle in the Square gave over their Merrimon Avenue location to new owners, who renamed the restaurant Grand Central Pizza & Deli, but maintained their Biltmore Avenue location, which opened just a couple of years ago.

-Eddie Spaghetti status: An Ashvegas reader asks: what is the status of Eddie Spaghetti on Hendersonville Road?

-Plays on Papas and Beer: The popularity of the Papas and Beer mini-chain of Mexican restaurants in Asheville is undeniable. People flock to these joints. Now, a couple of new restaurants are playing off that name. Banditos and Beer is opening in the former Elena’s Mexican Grill location way down south on Hendersonville Road. Also, there’s a Mamas and Beer coming to East Tunnel Road.

32 Comments

Amanda February 18, 2014 - 12:03 pm

I agree, the customer service was certainly poor at Circle. Unfortunately after attempting to go to that place 2 times, the service really ended up discouraging me to go back for a 3rd time.. The service was not very Asheville-like or friendly & I am an Asheville native, born and raised here so I know how the Avl customer service is. I will say the pizza however is the pizza is delicious! I hope a decent local restaurant will take it’s place!

Amanda February 18, 2014 - 12:05 pm

Oops typo earlier! ‘the pizza however is delicious!’ is what I meant to say.

J February 14, 2014 - 10:17 am

Do we know when Circle In The Square will close? I’d love to get one last pie…

Scott February 14, 2014 - 6:44 pm

Mmmm, they gone!

DasDrew February 13, 2014 - 9:26 am

Too bad about Circle. Always liked them. It’s a difference in culture between AVL and NYC when you think about it. See through that lens and he and his dad were perfectly nice people.

doghaus28815 February 11, 2014 - 7:44 pm

Puhleez wishin’ on Marco’s to open a spot in east ashe!!! I am tired of taking a death wish to go down Merrimon for a great pie! We need you here!!!!

Ted Ramsey February 10, 2014 - 10:32 pm

Circle in the square owner was usually a jerk and I’m not sad to see him go. Treat people poorly and your business will go under.

Big Al February 11, 2014 - 8:23 am

The restaurant before that attracted too many loud, obnoxious, drunken assholes. Maybe the place is jinxed..?

JTC February 11, 2014 - 8:52 am

The new french bar was a good fun spot

eldubz February 13, 2014 - 3:48 pm

French bar was a black out spot for most Ashevillians I know!

smytty February 11, 2014 - 11:08 am

You mean Peter? He was always quite friendly to me. Hope he finds somewhere else to peddle his pizzas

ashevillain February 11, 2014 - 6:22 pm

Can’t say I ever had any issues with Peter but the rest of the staff was awful. Terrible service. I can’t think of any other place where I (as a paying customer) have been greeted with such contempt as Circle in the Square downtown.

Good riddance.

pksale February 10, 2014 - 4:01 pm

Circle in the Square on Biltmore Ave. is closed. Rumor is they are in talks with Favilla’s NY Pizza about taking over that location.

pksale February 10, 2014 - 5:53 pm

That is one Favilla’s might take over the location on Biltmore Avenue.

Jake February 11, 2014 - 10:14 am

I’ve heard they’re also eyeing Frank’s location on Sardis.

Scott February 10, 2014 - 9:46 pm

I don’t think anything has ever done well in that location.

JML February 10, 2014 - 3:35 pm

Tried Grand Central because they gave us a free large pie, It honestly was one of the worst pizzas we’ve ever had. Nothing beats Marco’s

Harry February 10, 2014 - 2:17 pm

I’ve tried to eat at Circle in the Square on 2 separate occasions in the last week. Pretty sure they’re gone.

chett February 10, 2014 - 10:15 am

This is unconfirmed as well…Jason Sandford the author of these unsubstantiated rumors is to be Let go as a contributing writer by Ashevegas and will never be able to work in this town again.

Frank February 10, 2014 - 11:08 am

::snicker:: Did anyone else get a good laugh out of this?

Jason Sandford February 10, 2014 - 3:28 pm

thank you, chett.

Z February 12, 2014 - 9:13 am

Are you high? Jason has some of the best insider info in this town. When you contribute to the community, Chett, then you can talk.

Radio Follower February 10, 2014 - 10:02 am

El Que Pasa on Patton Ave. looks to be owned by the Papas and Beer folks. I’d love to hear why they open other restaurants under a different name? Not going to argue, as the food is great, but an interesting business practice. Certainly isn’t hurting business!

hauntedheadnc February 10, 2014 - 10:38 am

As I recall, Papa’s and Beer got hassled by a nightclub chain out of California with the same name and started to diversify the names of their new locations around that time.

Ashley February 10, 2014 - 7:17 pm

Yes, they were going to be sued by a nightclub in CA so henceforth there are no more restaurants owned by the Huerta family named Papas and Beer.

Radio Follower February 12, 2014 - 12:00 am

Interesting. Thanks!

MusicLover45 February 12, 2014 - 7:12 pm

The reason is a feud within the family that owns Pappas and Beer. The other members of the family are opening these other restaurants to keep close to the original name without lawsuits by the original Pappas and Beer!!!

Citizen Thymes February 10, 2014 - 9:31 am

Pretty Sure Eddie’s Spaghetti is now Woodies Pizza and Hoagies

Jason February 10, 2014 - 3:47 pm

Yep, it is Woody’s now. Used to be on Tunnel Road in front of the Innsbruck Mall. I had a Groupon for Eddie Spaghetti but Woody’s refused to honor it.

mrzeau February 10, 2014 - 9:27 am

Mama’s and Beer isn’t coming, it’s already open. It’s no knockoff simply playing off the name, though – it’s owned by the Papa’s folks. No idea why they chose Mama’s rather than Papa’s for the official name, but the menus are the same as those at Papa’s and even have the Papa’s name on them (I guess printing new ones was too expensive). Nomenclature doesn’t really matter: we in the oft-ignored east side of town will take what we can get!

CraveRecords February 10, 2014 - 6:28 pm

I went to Mama’s on Sunday because Papa’s on Tunnel had a 25 minute wait. $3 32 oz. beers and the same great food!

Dusty February 10, 2014 - 7:54 pm

Seems like the same kind of deal as El Que Pasa on Patton Ave. I think they too are owned by Papas and Beer and they have the same menu, salsa bar etc. Not sure about now, but for a while the receipts at the bar even read Papas and Beer at the top.

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