Asheville returns to its speakeasy past with opening this week of Top of the Monk

Jason Sandford

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

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It’s back to the future for Asheville later this week when Top of the Monk opens above the Thirsty Monk on Patton Avenue. The bar is going for a speakeasy feel, from its nondescript entrance to its emphasis on cool cocktails.

The owners of Curate in Asheville will be next to jump in when they open Nightbell down on South Lexington in December. Here’s a bit from their recent press release:

The night scene of Asheville is about to be electrified by a bar unlike anything the city has ever seen before. From the owners of Cúrate, one of Asheville’s most beloved and acclaimed restaurants, comes Nightbell, a contemporary bar of unrivaled sophistication designed to excite, invigorate and satiate in ways the city has never experienced before.

Harkening back to the days when speakeasies promised a night of unexpected mystery, the adventure at Nightbell begins right at the vintage entrance where signage is minimal, atmosphere is paramount and an extraordinary experience is guaranteed. Shelves displaying coveted objects that are not for sale but elicit envy and heighten the intrigue surround a bouncer who beckons guests through the gated entrance to a staircase leading to a modern wonderland adorned in rich hues. Turquoise chandeliers overhanging the main bar set the stage for a commanding bar stocked with premium liquor available nowhere else in Asheville.

It makes sense that the drinks of Nightbell set a new standard in a community celebrated for its beer and spirits culture considering the cocktail list is designed by elBulli alumni Felix Meana, who not only worked the front of the house at a restaurant ranked number one in the world for five consecutive years but also crafted an award winning wine and cocktail list at Cúrate. At Nightbell, Felix transfers all the whimsy and jeau de vivre that his inaugural Asheville restaurant is celebrated for into a refined level of sophistication.

The speakeasy fad has been in full effect for years in bigger cities. Asheville’s just catching up. The city has its own speakeasy past, of course. I don’t know much about it, but I hear tell that Asheville Beer by local writer/beer lover Anne Fitten Glenn has a good bit about that. I’ve seen evidence of the secret doors and secret stash places that old Asheville fraternal orders had as I’ve toured old downtown buildings that have been renovated over the past decade or so. But I don’t know of any legendary AVL speakeasies. Anyone?

So what do you think of the speakeasy trend?