West Asheville
Sunny Point Café, 626 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Breakfast for dinner means you can order wine and dessert, too. The café is known for impeccable brunch, but if you can’t make it in the morning or don’t want to deal with the crowds, come in the evening and relax on the covered patio. Food is made-from-scratch and edible flowers are plucked from the garden. With a name like ‘Our Favorite Breakfast Sandwich’ – I couldn’t imagine a better choice. I was right. The croissant was so soft and flaky, bacon & eggs perfect, I’d never had sun roasted tomatoes on a breakfast sandwich, it eliminates the need for ketchup. I suppose this clever idea is what they mean by elevated comfort food.
The creamy chicken soup that accompanied the sandwich was next level incredible – a favorite bite from my entire stay in Asheville. Jeff go the BLAT: bacon, lettuce, smashed avocado, tomato, and garlic aioli.
He claims it was the best variety of the sandwich ever encountered. Dessert was just as swoon worthy – grilled peach pound cake with blackberry sauce and vanilla ice cream, dreamworthy.
*Good to know: there is a small parking lot, reservations for dinner only.
Biscuit Head, 733 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Nothing screams Southern cuisine more than biscuit, and this is the place to get them in Asheville. Order at the counter and take your number to sit, it has a CAT on it because cat head is a term used to describe homemade biscuits. AND CAT FACTS.
Serving only breakfast and lunch, there is nothing like sipping an iced coffee on the patio. After much debate I chose the Asheville benedict which was so fresh, beautiful, and filling. Two poached eggs, roasted red pepper, tomato, charred scallion cream cheese, and hollandaise – I could barely finish it, but soldiered on due to deliciousness.
Normally it comes with a kale salad, but they were fine with swapping that with coconut-stewed callaloo collards – one of the beset things I’ve ever eaten. Seriously, the most amazing tasting vegetable combination you will ever ingest, I couldn’t recommend it more. As fun to say as it was to eat, Jeff went for the brisket biscuit.
Poached egg, pickled onion, smoked chèvre, and buffalo hollandaise, he was equally as enamored as I. If you get a plain biscuit you can help yourself to an entire funky butter and jelly bar.
My only regret is not saving room for biscuit donuts, but that just means I’ll have to come back and get them next time.
*Good to know: parking lot is free with voucher from restaurant. There are two locations in the Asheville and one in South Carolina.
Downtown Asheville
Sovereign Remedies, 29 N Market St #105, Asheville, NC 28801
A swanky spot offering dinner, cocktails, and late night bites with high ceilings and loft seating.
We ordered an array of small plates to share, starting with crispy pig ears splashed with chili, lime, jalapeno, and cilantro.
They were a zesty finger food. Next up – bone marrow tater tots, killer presentation and super succulent.
Then moving towards healthier options, two salads. I was enticed by the stewed wanegidum, I’d never heard of such a thing. The waitress said it was a green foraged nearby with magical qualities, a testimony of the restaurants belief in sourcing locally – and I couldn’t argue with her enthusiasm.
Paired with crispy black eyed peas, pickled reishi mushroom, ice plant, and an earthy green oil this was a very unique dish. Last but not least, another name drew me in with pretty feel – flowering pea shoots. The textures of this dish were wonderfully varied including pickled ramps ramp, buttermilk crispy potato, and basil. Interesting offerings and unique local ingredients made this a fun experience.
Weaverville
Stoney Knob Café, 337 Merrimon Ave, Weaverville, NC 28787
Ten minutes outside downtown Asheville and well worth the drive. A truly funky spot like this seems out of place on the quiet road, but that makes it all the better. The décor is delightfully eclectic.
We scored a cozy intimate corner booth, happy to have escaped a downpour. A waitress quickly came over and brought warm bread with a feta and tomato spread, she poured the olive oil over the mix at our table.
A blend of American and Mediterranean dishes are offered along with an excellent wine selection. The eggplant napoleon was gorgeous. Stacked on top of polenta, lightly covered with harvarti cheese, a helping of sautéed spinach, and roasted tomato.
It was so tender, fresh, and flavorful. The chicken pot pie exceeded my expectations, deeply elevated and comforting. The puff pastry was a keen indication of the stellar dessert to come.
Speaking of which, coconut cream pie and baklava ice cream cake made in house were absolutely extraordinary, and HUGE.
*Good to know: reservations are recommended.