Asheville Food Tour

I am best friends with my two college roomates, whom I have known since high school.  This year we scheduled a Girls’ Trip to Asheville, NC, Foodie Capital of the eastern US of A.  I’ll have several posts about how we ate our way from one end of town to the other, but I’ll kick it off with the food tour we started with.  

Asheville Food Tours was recommended by a friend, and we signed up online.  Our meeting place was the XYZ Bar in the Aloft Hotel downtown on the main drag,51 Biltmore Avenue for the Food Fan Foot Tour.  Led by “well known local food writer, blogger, and bon vivant, Stu Helm”, I was expecting a paunchy, red-faced blowhard in love with his own voice.  Stu could not have been more different – a bundle of energy and knowledge without ever being a know-it-all, he was a lithe and lean leader who managed to be an excellent host while keeping professional distance.    We had originally signed up for the Downtown Food Tour at $55/each, but received a phone call in the morning saying not enough had signed up, and we were being moved to the Food Fan Foot Tour, normally $65, for the same price at the same time- excellent customer service.   Our group consisted of us 3, plus 2 couples and a single for a total of 8 = perfect sized group.  We did quick introductions at 2 pm, and were then off down the street like a shot, with Stu keeping up a steady stream of information, and stopping the group now and then to point things out.   

Our first stop was a 10-minute walk away (it was in the 30’s with a biting wind.  Downtown Asheville is COLD when it’s cold) to Daphne at Twisted Laurel on College Street.  We were shown upstairs to a large room where a table was set for the 8 of us.  We were served ricotta-cheese stuffed tortelloni in hot chicken broth, with a crisp German Riesling.  It was bliss, especially after the cold walk.  The pasta was tender, obviously house-made as was the broth.  As almost everywhere we went, the chef came up to chat with us.  Amazingly, this was VALENTINE’S DAY AFTERNOON, but because we were coming in and out before they got busy, Stu (and we) were welcomed everywhere with open arms.  After a warming and tasty 15 minutes, we were off again.  

https://www.twistedlaurel.com/location/daphne-at-twisted-laurel

The next stop was The Greenhouse – Noble’s Bar & Bistro.  This is owned by the Noble Cider Company, and has been open less than a year.  Housed in a former garage, it has an open kitchen and a bright, sunny interior.  We were served lamb meatballs, with a wonderfully spicy sauce of cardamom, cumin and cinnamon, along with a chocolate-cherry cider that was a perfect counterpoint.  The flavors were exciting and delicious.

https://www.noblecider.com/greenhouse 

Someone described a food tour like “speed dating for restaurants”, and that’s it – you don’t dawdle.  Off again, our next stop was the Aux Bar on North Lexington, “an American bar & restaurant and headquarters of The Blind Pig Supper Club and Catering”.  It looks like an eclectic dive bar, but they serve lunch, brunch dinner and late night.  Here we had house-made pork rinds and pimento cheese, shredded pork shoulder over rice porridge and a Cheerwine sangria.  Cheerwine is a local NC softdrink, and this was combined with brandy, jaegermeister and I’m not sure what else – but it sure went down easy!  I can see this being the place where other restaurant workers would come when they get off of their own shifts.  The food was surprising and delicious.

https://www.auxbar.com/  

The next stop was the biggest surprise – not a restaurant, but The Bee Charmer, a honey store on Battery Park Avenue. In the back is a long tasting counter, like you’d find in a tasting room at a winery. Our very knowledgeable hostess told all about thier honeys, as we tasted different ones off the end of cardboard tasting spoons. It was fascinating, and as I’m a honey afficianado, right up my alley! I bought 3 varieties there: sourwood (which is not sour), fireweed (which is not hot) and lahua (which is from Hawaii). https://ashevillebeecharmer.com/

Then it was off to Manicomio Pizza, for slices of cheese pizza with water to drink. The crust was thin and chewy, and the sauce very slightly sweet. It was excellent substance after the sugar-rush of the honey. Stu told us the story of Mike Napelitano, who moved to Asheville to retire, but felt compelled to open a pizza-by-the-slice operation upon finding no existing ones in town. The vibe was casual and fun, with a large outdoor patio for warm weather. We didn’t try any of the desserts, but they looked awesome.

Our next stop was Storm Rhum Bar and Bistro, where chef/owner Jay Medford welcomed us for high-end small plates of grouper cheeks with eggplant and a lethal cocktail of mescal and tequila. Lots of professional-looking staff were rolling in while we were there (remember, this was VALENTINES DAY) and it looked like a place for an “occasion”.

https://www.stormrhumbar.com/

Our final stop was Sunshine Sammies to indulge our sweet teeth. Originally a food truck, this operation now produces cookies, ice cream and delicious-looking pastries. We were treated to samples of 3 different ice creams and cookies. The snickerdoodles were my favorite, and the apple & brie ice cream my least favorite… https://www.sunshinesammies.com/

Stu’s parting gift was a “food passport”, listing all the places we’d visited and more. Showing the passport at those locations gets you anything from a discount to free chocolate – another value-added touch that drives business to these restaurants and is yet another reason Stu and his flock are welcomed enthusiastically, even on Valentine’s Day afternoon…

This food tour delivered great entertainment, value for money, exercise, and group dynamic. I can’t recommend it enough, and I can’t wait to do another one, either in Asheville or for my next city break elsewhere.