The Med, Asheville’s longest-running downtown restaurant, sold to new owners

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Jason Sandford

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

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Pete Apostolopoulos, at far left, has been a fixture at The Mediterranean diner in downtown Asheville for four decades./ photo by Jason Sandford

The Med, Asheville’s longest-running downtown restaurant located at 57 College St., was officially sold last week.

Samantha Kronberg, Chris Kronberg and Rachel Goodman, owners of the nearby Foggy Mountain Brew Pub on Church Street, as well as long-term chef Eli Scott, bought the business. In a social media post, Sam Kronberg said the group’s goal was to stay true to the roots of the classic diner.

“We want to keep the food simple and the price point as close as we can to the original offerings while adding more local elements to the food,” Kronberg told Dig Local, which broke the story. The name won’t change, they said.

In a separate social media post, Kronberg stressed that “we are not a giant corporate company, just locals that want to keep Asheville local and affordable.”

The Mediterranean opened in 1969. The Apostolopoulos family bought it in 1975. Pete and Paula Apostolopoulos have been fixtures there ever since, serving up breakfast and lunch staples every day since

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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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7 Comments

  1. Leland Edwards August 5, 2019

    So here comes another fix it when its not broken duck Confit experience. I sure did love the Med! If you want to know what not to do. look no further than the Tastee Diner. Sold with a large loyal customer base then the big meal of the day at first done away with. The place is not even a shell of its prior self. Sure hope this does not happen to my beloved MED. Sometimes things just don’t need fixed! Just continue the tradition of good food served affordable and served well! the daily specials , Breakfast and so much more!

    Reply
  2. Dave C. September 19, 2018

    Thanks Pete. You are the personification of an immigrant coming to this country and working there tail off (in your case 50 years). You sir, are what makes this country great and makes me proud to be an American.

    Reply
  3. Mike Dawson September 18, 2018

    I first went to the Med in 1999 on my first work trip to Asheville. It’s where all the NCDOT folks went for breakfast so I knew it was going to be reasonably tasty and inexpensive. Fast forward almost 20 years. I’ve had breakfast at the Med probably twice a month since then. The service has always friendly, the food always tasty (the short lived Sweet Potato Pancakes from a few years back were epic!) and the price couldn’t be beat. It was the kind of place that welcomed everyone and the people watching was entertainment in itself. I saw people from all walks of life enjoying breakfast there – from folks who looked like they might be one paycheck away from homelessness to powerful political types. I even witnessed more than one “spirited” conversation between the wait staff and the owner. It was the real world and it was just fine. No matter who walked through the door, they all got the same smile, the same good food and the same friendly service. Thanks mightily for your hospitality to the former owners and staff. You should be very proud of running such a successful, simple and iconic restaurant. You have more fans than you probably know Best of luck to the new owners. Please try to keep it real.

    Reply
  4. Alan Rosenthal September 18, 2018

    Walk-in
    Greeted
    Easy sit down
    Order with friendly, helpful, unrushed (poise) staff
    Food out fast
    Attentive server (coffee refill, everthing ok?)
    Time to eat and spend with your co-eater
    Friendly and helpful to single diners at tables
    Check
    Unrushed, easy pay
    Thanked, gracious all the way
    A diner is a place that is not rushed, where you feel comfortable to enjoy your food and fellowship with your co-diners and staff, maybe read some of the paper.
    This diner and good diners all over.
    Pretense in food and attitude will be a big change. Hip and trendy, lines out the door will be a whole ‘nother thing. Nobody waits at a true diner.
    Love and THANKS for all the great meals to Pete and family!
    Best of luck to the Foggy Mountain Boys!

    Reply
    1. Mike Dawson September 18, 2018

      Wow, you totally nailed my experiences at the Med!

      Reply
  5. Big Al September 18, 2018

    I was here for 4 or 5 years before I realized that there was some place downtown that actually sold BISCUITS (and damn good ones, too) for breakfast. Every other place downtown seemed to deem them too common to bother with.

    Reply
  6. Murphy September 17, 2018

    What … don’t they want to make an Air B&B out of it instead?

    Reply

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