After a successful night out, brunch is always a must! And Asheville has plenty of options when it comes to a finding a decadent Southern breakfast. We decided to go to one of Emily’s faves, the funky Biscuit Head.
With three locations, Biscuit Head is clearly a popular choice among travelers, and for good reason. The offerings revolve around their famously fluffy cathead biscuits, with a menu that features anything and everything biscuit: specialty gravies, bacon, and a homemade butter and jam bar. The line that wrapped the building that day was a good sign, but be warned: when arriving during prime brunch time, waiting over an hour to order is the norm.
I don’t mind waiting for good a thing, however, a few of us decided we needed something stat while in line. Luckily, the West End Bakery and Cafe is less than a five minute walk from Biscuit Head and the service is quick and painless. They feature a mix of healthy fare, as well as homemade desserts and pastries. The coffee is very good and is actually from the local coffee house next door. If coffee isn’t your thing, there are boutiques and shops that also certainly get business from the Biscuit Head line!
After brunch, we headed downtown and popped into some local shops on our way to the breweries. The Mast General store was probably the most memorable of them all: it had just about any kind of item you can think of inside and was a great place to pick up a souvenir or a snack. But with the perfect weather that we got that weekend (AKA my hair did not frizz), we did not want to spend much time indoors.
We visited a few of the breweries that Asheville is famous for, but our favorite by far was Wicked Weed. Each brewery has something unique to offer, but the combination of the atmosphere and seating options at Wicked Weed made it the top choice. Wicked Weed is two stories and featured various different areas where you can enjoy your afternoon, most of them outside or open to the elements. The layout is made for sunny Saturdays like the one we got that weekend! Also, I was relieved to find that a majority of the breweries have at least one liquor bar for those of us who do not like beer.
After a perfect afternoon exploring Asheville, we headed back to our cozy barn and had a girls night (complete with matching pajamas) to celebrate Emily’s upcoming New Orleans nuptials.
Our time there was short but sweet. If we had gotten there earlier, we could have made a trip to winery at the Biltmore Estate. I also would not have minded checking out the hiking trails (full of wildflowers and waterfalls) on the Blue Ridge Parkway, specifically those deemed “quick” or “easy” 😉 There’s also the Grove Arcade, a high-end shopping and dining experience (think champagne bar in a bookstore kind of vibe) that is on my list for next time. And of course, I can’t stop imagining how the spa at the Grove Park Inn would be nice after a long day of adventures!
No matter what you like, there really is something for everyone in Asheville. A few traveling tips that I picked up on while there:
– bring comfortable shoes, because the city is totally walkable and very hilly
– it gets cool at night (even in the summer), so having a jacket or sweater on hand is not unreasonable
– the weather is generally comfortable year round, so there is truly no bad time to visit
– due to old laws, all of Asheville’s bars are technically clubs, and they require memberships! If you are not a member, you will have to sign in as a guest (this is normal protocol), and they can turn you away.
– speaking of old laws, ABC monitors everything alcohol-related in the state. And the state-run liquor stores are just that: spirits, but no wine or beer (and a poor selection of mixers). You will have to go to the grocery store to get non-liquor items. They are closed on Sundays, as well
– Asheville may have helped pioneer the “farm-to-table” experience, so checking out local restaurants like Tupelo Honey Cafe and Early Girl Eatery are a must. This also means a lot of the food is organic 🙂
I’ll be dreaming of a trip back, maybe in the fall, when the leaves are changing…until next time, Asheville! ❤
XOXO Hannah
BATB 