Q: An Especially Tasty Trivia Night at The Henderson!

‘EARTH DAY HOOT’ This month’s ‘Hoot‘ Trivia dinner at The Henderson Inn (Wednesday, April 22nd @ 6pm) is a celebration of this ‘pale blue dot’ we call Earth or simply put ‘home‘. Chef Michael has created a menu with all local to NC Ingredients. Jeanne has wonderful wine Wimmer, Grüner Veltliner, which is known for its bright, refreshing style featuring citrus, green apple, and white pepper notes that will go perfectly with your dinner. This could be the month that you get your teams name up on the coveted Henderson wall of fame and to win tickets to the Flat Rock Cinema. As always in partnership with the irrepressible Bryan B2 Byrd from the Flat Rock Cinema (and music & comedy venue) as our ‘HendoEmcee‘ who will be asking the questions. https://carolinaepicurean.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/inn-video.mp4 APPETIZERS Earth Day Vegetable & Grain Bowl Feta Cheese, Cheese, Toasted Sunflower Seeds, Carrot-Tahini Dressing Or Spring Garden Pea & Mint Soup Sourdough Croutons, Citrus Crème Fraîche ENTREES Shrimp & Crab Stuffed NC Flounder Saffron Risotto Cake, Red Pepper Coulis Or Baked Free Range Chicken Breast Ratatouille, Roasted Baby New Potatoes DESSERT Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Frosting COST: $45 per person (plus tax & gratuity) CALL (828) 696-2001 FOR RESERVATIONS (SPACE IS LIMITED) OR EMAIL US Info@thehendersonnc.co

Q: Find the Hidden Tea Room on Hendersonville's Main St

Tucked away in the back of The Emporium Market, aka “The Market” on N Main St is a sweet, cozy tea room dubbed “The Tea Cottage“. There are four tables, seating a total of 16. For the very fair price of $15 per person, you can get a Scone w/Jam, Assorted Fruits, and a Pot of Tea. Fresh scones are baked daily. If you don’t want this tea package, you can order Ala Carte. I think I’ll give their “Full Tea” try. It’s $35 per person or $45 shared by two. See this and other menus like their ‘Tea, Sandwiches, and Sweets” menu and “Grab & Go Box Lunches” HERE. Full Tea. Image Credit: The Emporium Market & The Tea Cottage No reservations are required for The Tea Cottage unless your group is 8 or more people. The Emporium Market & The Tea Cottage 448 N Main Street Hendersonville, NC 28792 828-376-3740 Facebook

Q: Eden's Garden: Fantastic Debut on Main Street Hendersonville!

Barrie and I separately (not on purpose) went to Eden’s Garden this past Friday to try their Açaí Bowls and Smoothies and absolutely loved both! She was familiar with Açaí but I wasn’t. Part of my initiation was learning Acai is pronounced “ah-sah-EE”. Owner Eden Almog told Barrie that she’s still tweaking the menu, adding things like what the options are for “choice of drizzle”, and maybe another detail or two. My small Carolina Coast Bowl (Small $9.99, Large $12.99) made with Açaí sorbet, strawberries, pineapple, granola, honey, and shredded coconut was so good! That’s the purple sorbet peeking out from under all the toppings. Just wow. We both were pleasantly surprised at how crunchy the granola stayed. Carolina Coast Bowl: Açaí, strawberries, pineapple, granola, honey, and shredded coconut. My smoothie, a 16oz Heavenly Nectar Smoothie (12oz $7.99, 16oz $9.99, 24oz $11.99) made with Pineapple-Mango Sorbet, Mango, Peach Pineapple, Apple Juice, and Orange Juice had great flavor. Sweet, but not too sweet. Really good! You can find Eden’s Garden at 432 N Main St., Hendersonville, NC 28792. Look for the very narrow entrance to the long, slightly wider space. Their phone number is (828) 844-0108. This was their Soft Opening week. As of now, hours will be Seven Days a Week from Noon to 5pm. It looks like in the future they’ll take orders on their Website. Bottom line – GO! You won’t regret it.

Q: Brandy's on Main, Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood!

Getting to the meat of the matter, Brandy’s on Main is where I go in Hendersonville for consistently excellent steaks. Really, everything I’ve had has been good, but I’m a “Filet Mignon girl”. My go-to is their Michael Jordan. It’s a plate of happiness portioned to my preferred size: filet mignon medallions grilled and topped with lump blue crab blended with fontina, cream, and served over rice pilaf with asparagus and bearnaise sauce. I’d been recently and had the Michael Jordon. In my mind, you really can’t have filet mignon too often, but this time, Bill ordered it and I gave Brandy’s “From the Sea” option, The Simone a try. Take jumbo shrimp stuffed with blue crab blended with fontina, cream, shallots & sherry. Roast until browned, and serve it over rice pilaf with hollandaise sauce on a plate seemingly designed with this dish in mind. It’s not an understatement to say Brandy’s complimentary Bread Service is absolutely delicious. Crusty and seasoned impeccably. Ambiance is warm, cozy and comfortable: dark-ish, walls covered in art, a pianist at the grand piano, and placed here and there, interesting objects like Bruce Jenner’s training shoes from the 1976 Olympics where he won a Gold Medal in the Decathlon. Service was excellently handled by the team, especially given that they’re currently short-staffed. It was friendly, all hands on deck without seaming rushed or frustrated. Courses may have arrived slightly slower than normal, but that gave us time to really enjoy the experience. Note: Brandy’s on Main is one of the few remaining restaurants that doesn’t charge for credit card use.

Q: Pies by Di - a Totally GF Bakery

We stopped in at Pies By Di’ in Horse Shoe for a treat recently and ended up having a great conversation with owner/baker Diana Casteel. She talked about her baking process as well as multiple dietary restrictions her baking addresses. If you’re not familiar, her bakery is totally GF. She also bakes grain-free, nut-free, and dairy-free goodies. Owner/Baker Diana Casteel talking ingredients with us at her bakery, Pies By Di’ I left with a huge Lemon Muffin that Bill and I shared after dinner. Even though I didn’t get a slice, or whole pie, Diana’s Cherry Pie was so impressive, I had to take a picture to share with you! Lemon Muffin at Pies By Di’ Cherry Pie at Pies By Di’. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm! Pies by Di is located at 3632 Brevard Rd Hendersonville NC, 28791 in Horse Shoe Gap Village on Highway 64 Contact info: Phone: 828-582-7068 Email: contact@piesbydi.com If you can’t make it to her Horse Shoe, NC bakery, she ships nation-wide!

Q: Food Allergies? Pies By Di' Bakery's Got You Covered

Food allergies? No problem! Listen below to Pies By Di’ owner, Diana Casteel, talk about all new Breakfast options, and you won’t believe the extent she goes to bake for folks with food allergies! Whether you have food allergies or not, you’ll love this cute Hendersonville Bakery. Not included in the video is that her husband bakes Peanut Butter cookies at home, so alergy causing ingredients are kept out of the shop. Pies by Di’ Horse Shoe Village Shops 3632 Brevard Road Hendersonville, NC 28791 https://vimeo.com/1134068658

Question 1

What’s Up With Dixie Diner & Laurel Park Road Work?

Accepted Answer

In light of swirling misinformation and confusion about the Brevard Road/US 64 Improvement project through Laurel Park and which businesses/properties will be affected, I spoke directly with all primary sources involved in the project, getting the real skinny.
Those sources would be the owner of Dixie Diner (the restaurant business), the owner of the property and building housing Dixie Diner, who also owns the Car Wash and Energy Mart gas station & convenience store, and the DOT Civil Engineer referred to me by DOT state, regional, and local offices, that’s working on the project.

Here’s What’s Up:

The DOT has never had and does not have any plans to require demolition of any buildings.
Proposed easements for drainage, construction, and utilities along US 64 will mean loss of Dixie Diner’s front parking lot and some land in front of both the Car Wash and Gas Station at the US 64/Brevard Rd/Daniel Dr intersection.

This should mean a permanent Dixie Diner front parking lot sinkhole fix. Finally.
Not sure if the Dixie Diner rear parking lot will be expanded.
Dixie Diner’s front door will be 25’ to 30’ from the new Sidewalk.
Energy Mart pumps have already been removed from the gas station, but underground tanks will remain in place for now. No word yet on whether pumps will be placed somewhere else on adjacent property with access to the tanks or not.

The roundabout at US 64 and Daniel Drive will be raised about six feet from current road level. (Should be interesting)
A new retaining wall will curve around the corner of the gas station closest to the Daniel Dr roundabout.
Both sides of US 64 will have a 5’ wide Bike Lane AND a 5’ wide Sidewalk.
Click on each image for larger PDF view. They&#8217;re large files so give them a sec to load.

US 64 Brevard Road Widening Project Detail Map
NOTE: I believe this project has a 2028 estimated completion date. You know how construction goes. Changes and delays happen. Business and property owners can always change their mind and decide to put land or buildings to different uses. Just know the DOT is not taking any buildings as of now.

Question 2

Something New & Different - Osceola Lake Inn

Accepted Answer

Historic Osceola Lake Inn has reopened after major renovations. It’s been under the same ownership, via multiple LLC’s, for many years. Majority co-owner Shawna McColley explained their ownership structure as via financial and/or in-kind investment. In-kind was explained as contributing to the property in a variety of ways. See their current Our Story page.
SEE ALMOST 30 PHOTOS ON MY OSCEOLA LAKE INN FACEBOOK POST
“Renovations” is really an understatement. Not sure what the catalyst was, but the Inn’s in the midst of tectonic changes with plans for an entire community to be built around, and including, the Inn on their 3.75 acre property. See the site plan in photos.
Barrie and I went recently, primarily to check out the Café (of course). We ended up also checking out the Inn’s multiple floors, rooms – done, in the process of being done, and waiting their turn. Had a surprise and laugh when we looked through the open door of a darkened room used to store goblins, ghouls, and more Halloween decorations.
We sampled a few items at their Zelda&#8217;s Café & Speakeasy for our lunch. Most are pastry-based savory and sweet items. One of the things I tried was a very good Ham and Cheese croissant.
Ham and Cheese Croissant
Just a heads-up. We were surprised by the very small amount of chocolate in the Chocolate Croissant (see photo). It was explained to us that’s how they’re done in France. True, but at this point, the American/Western version of generous chocolate filling has also infiltrated France. Pastries and other menu items are made by an off-site independent French couple.
Chocolate Croissant done the historic French way with little chocolate.
Broccoli and Cheese Quiche
Kouign Amann &#8211; buttery, caramelized goodness
We also explored the property, talking with event and permanent on-site artists and product vendors. Surprisingly, the Inn includes two separate multi-story wings of rooms in back that are more akin to a motel. According to the project architect, those rooms are remnants of property use as a camp. Both wings are currently also under major renovation.
If you’re interested in learning more, a good reference would be architect/co-owner Joey Burnett’s writings.
Local publications have described this project as, “A new adaptive reuse of the 3½-acre [on record as 3.75 acre] site would result in a &#8220;mixed-use, community-oriented, environmentally conscious residential and hospitality campus . . . &#8221; and “A new plan for the historic Osceola Lake Inn includes 10 hotel rooms, 15 artist studios, a restaurant and bar, event space and business center plus 14 new dwellings and a ‘resiliency hub.”
My take? I like what they&#8217;ve done and what they have planned is interesting and different. Communal, but open to the public. As described in their plans and verbiage, it feels a little like a 1960&#8217;s/1970&#8217;s commune, but with financial stability. I visited a few in the early 70&#8217;s. Kibbutz also came to mind, as they&#8217;re viewed as intentional, collective communites.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this all develops !

Question 3

An Especially Tasty Trivia Night at The Henderson!

Accepted Answer

&#8216;EARTH DAY HOOT&#8217;
This month&#8217;s &#8216;Hoot&#8216; Trivia dinner at The Henderson Inn (Wednesday, April 22nd @ 6pm) is a celebration of this &#8216;pale blue dot&#8217; we call Earth or simply put &#8216;home&#8216;.
Chef Michael has created a menu with all local to NC Ingredients.
Jeanne has wonderful wine Wimmer, Grüner Veltliner, which is known for its bright, refreshing style featuring citrus, green apple, and white pepper notes that will go perfectly with your dinner.
This could be the month that you get your teams name up on the coveted Henderson wall of fame and to win tickets to the Flat Rock Cinema. As always in partnership with the irrepressible Bryan B2 Byrd from the Flat Rock Cinema (and music & comedy venue) as our &#8216;HendoEmcee&#8216; who will be asking the questions.
https://carolinaepicurean.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/inn-video.mp4
APPETIZERS
Earth Day Vegetable & Grain Bowl   
Feta Cheese, Cheese, Toasted Sunflower Seeds, Carrot-Tahini Dressing
Or
Spring Garden Pea & Mint Soup
Sourdough Croutons, Citrus Crème Fraîche
ENTREES
Shrimp & Crab Stuffed NC Flounder   
Saffron Risotto Cake, Red Pepper Coulis
Or
Baked Free Range Chicken Breast  
Ratatouille, Roasted Baby New Potatoes
DESSERT
Carrot Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
COST: $45 per person (plus tax & gratuity)
CALL (828) 696-2001
FOR RESERVATIONS (SPACE IS LIMITED) OR EMAIL US
Info@thehendersonnc.co

Question 4

Find the Hidden Tea Room on Hendersonville's Main St

Accepted Answer

Tucked away in the back of The Emporium Market, aka &#8220;The Market&#8221; on N Main St is a sweet, cozy tea room dubbed &#8220;The Tea Cottage&#8220;. There are four tables, seating a total of 16.

For the very fair price of $15 per person, you can get a Scone w/Jam, Assorted Fruits, and a Pot of Tea. Fresh scones are baked daily. If you don&#8217;t want this tea package, you can order Ala Carte. I think I&#8217;ll give their &#8220;Full Tea&#8221; try. It&#8217;s $35 per person or $45 shared by two. See this and other menus like their &#8216;Tea, Sandwiches, and Sweets&#8221; menu and &#8220;Grab & Go Box Lunches&#8221; HERE.
Full Tea. Image Credit: The Emporium Market & The Tea Cottage

No reservations are required for The Tea Cottage unless your group is 8 or more people.

The Emporium Market & The Tea Cottage
448 N Main Street
Hendersonville, NC 28792
828-376-3740
Facebook

Question 5

Eden's Garden: Fantastic Debut on Main Street Hendersonville!

Accepted Answer

Barrie and I separately (not on purpose) went to Eden&#8217;s Garden this past Friday to try their Açaí Bowls and Smoothies and absolutely loved both! She was familiar with Açaí but I wasn&#8217;t. Part of my initiation was learning Acai is pronounced &#8220;ah-sah-EE&#8221;.
Owner Eden Almog told Barrie that she&#8217;s still tweaking the menu, adding things like what the options are for &#8220;choice of drizzle&#8221;, and maybe another detail or two.

My small Carolina Coast Bowl (Small $9.99, Large $12.99) made with Açaí sorbet, strawberries, pineapple, granola, honey, and shredded coconut was so good! That&#8217;s the purple sorbet peeking out from under all the toppings. Just wow.
We both were pleasantly surprised at how crunchy the granola stayed.
Carolina Coast Bowl: Açaí, strawberries, pineapple, granola, honey, and shredded coconut.
My smoothie, a 16oz Heavenly Nectar Smoothie (12oz $7.99, 16oz $9.99, 24oz $11.99) made with Pineapple-Mango Sorbet, Mango, Peach Pineapple, Apple Juice, and Orange Juice had great flavor. Sweet, but not too sweet. Really good!

You can find Eden&#8217;s Garden at 432 N Main St., Hendersonville, NC 28792. Look for the very narrow entrance to the long, slightly wider space. Their phone number is (828) 844-0108.

This was their Soft Opening week. As of now, hours will be Seven Days a Week from Noon to 5pm. It looks like in the future they&#8217;ll take orders on their Website.
Bottom line &#8211; GO! You won&#8217;t regret it.

Question 6

Brandy's on Main, Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood!

Accepted Answer

Getting to the meat of the matter, Brandy&#8217;s on Main is where I go in Hendersonville for consistently excellent steaks. Really, everything I&#8217;ve had has been good, but I&#8217;m a &#8220;Filet Mignon girl&#8221;. My go-to is their Michael Jordan. It&#8217;s a plate of happiness portioned to my preferred size: filet mignon medallions grilled and topped with lump blue crab blended with fontina, cream, and served over rice pilaf with asparagus and bearnaise sauce.
I&#8217;d been recently and had the Michael Jordon. In my mind, you really can&#8217;t have filet mignon too often, but this time, Bill ordered it and I gave Brandy&#8217;s &#8220;From the Sea&#8221; option, The Simone a try. Take jumbo shrimp stuffed with blue crab blended with fontina, cream, shallots & sherry. Roast until browned, and serve it over rice pilaf with hollandaise sauce on a plate seemingly designed with this dish in mind.
It&#8217;s not an understatement to say Brandy&#8217;s complimentary Bread Service is absolutely delicious. Crusty and seasoned impeccably.
Ambiance is warm, cozy and comfortable: dark-ish, walls covered in art, a pianist at the grand piano, and placed here and there, interesting objects like Bruce Jenner&#8217;s training shoes from the 1976 Olympics where he won a Gold Medal in the Decathlon.
Service was excellently handled by the team, especially given that they&#8217;re currently short-staffed. It was friendly, all hands on deck without seaming rushed or frustrated. Courses may have arrived slightly slower than normal, but that gave us time to really enjoy the experience.
Note: Brandy&#8217;s on Main is one of the few remaining restaurants that doesn&#8217;t charge for credit card use.

Question 7

Pies by Di - a Totally GF Bakery

Accepted Answer

We stopped in at Pies By Di&#8217; in Horse Shoe for a treat recently and ended up having a great conversation with owner/baker Diana Casteel. She talked about her baking process as well as multiple dietary restrictions her baking addresses. If you&#8217;re not familiar, her bakery is totally GF. She also bakes grain-free, nut-free, and dairy-free goodies.
Owner/Baker Diana Casteel talking ingredients with us at her bakery, Pies By Di&#8217;
I left with a huge Lemon Muffin that Bill and I shared after dinner. Even though I didn&#8217;t get a slice, or whole pie, Diana&#8217;s Cherry Pie was so impressive, I had to take a picture to share with you!
Lemon Muffin at Pies By Di&#8217;
 
Cherry Pie at Pies By Di&#8217;. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm!
Pies by Di is located at 3632 Brevard Rd Hendersonville NC, 28791 in Horse Shoe Gap Village on Highway 64
Contact info: Phone: 828-582-7068 Email: contact@piesbydi.com
If you can&#8217;t make it to her Horse Shoe, NC bakery, she ships nation-wide!

Question 8

Food Allergies? Pies By Di' Bakery's Got You Covered

Accepted Answer

Food allergies? No problem! Listen below to Pies By Di&#8217; owner, Diana Casteel, talk about all new Breakfast options, and you won&#8217;t believe the extent she goes to bake for folks with food allergies!
Whether you have food allergies or not, you&#8217;ll love this cute Hendersonville Bakery.
Not included in the video is that her husband bakes Peanut Butter cookies at home, so alergy causing ingredients are kept out of the shop.
Pies by Di&#8217;
Horse Shoe Village Shops
3632 Brevard Road
Hendersonville, NC 28791
https://vimeo.com/1134068658

Question 9

Hearth and Herron - A Hendersonville, NC Experience

Accepted Answer

There are reasons for choosing to have a meal at a restaurant bar instead of a dining room table. It’s easy conversations with people in nearby seats. Same with the bartender. View and vibe can be very different, also.
Love the warm, cozy feel in Hearth and Herron&#8217;s bar. There’s probably 10 to 12 seats. Walls are exposed historic brick. The lit shelves of bottles in front of exterior windows make a big impact. Haven’t been during the day, but I’m guessing those shelves would look great then, too.

Prime example, dinner at Hearth and Herron this past Sunday. People on one side of me were visiting from near Fort Mill, South Carolina. It was interesting to hear their thoughts on Hendersonville and which restaurants they’d tried. On the other side, a woman who lives in Hendersonville and her friend visiting from Tryon. They told me which dishes they’d had and what they though about them.
The friend was raving about the Wood Roasted French Feta, with market vegetables, orange marmalade, and grilled slices of Underground Baking Co Sourdough Bread.

He made it sound so delicious, I had to order it, even though I planned on dessert and could have stopped after the dish I will forevermore rave about &#8211; Flying Cloud Farms Winter Squash Salad with freekeh, parmesan aioli, arugula, and pumpkin seed gremolata. What’s “freekeh”, you ask? It’s “a cereal food made from green durum wheat that’s roasted and rubbed to create its flavor”. It’s crunchy and delicious! See image at top of article.
Biggest personal takeaway after chatting with the two bartenders is that they make their own Limoncello. I’m a Limoncello fan. We almost always have a chilled bottle of Limoncello on hand at home. They were kind enough to give me a taste. I’m still shaking my head at how good it was. Clear, smooth texture, and great lemon flavor!
The other takeaway is what the lead bartender said about staff. “We’re a small crew, we all like each other, and work well together.” As far as I could tell, watching interactions, all of that is true.
Oh! Speaking of bartenders, the lead bartender said he’s really getting into the finer points of wine and is looking into starting Sommelier courses. Hope he does well and brings that knowledge to H&H.

From the beginning, Owner Chef Bradley has said this would be a Mom & Pop/family restaurant. After meeting and talking with his wife, Marisa (sweetest ever), I can share that their young boys also help out doing things like stacking old brick kept after demo and buildout of the 1930 building’s interior, and stacking firewood. Marisa went on to say “as soon as they’re 14, you can expect to see them working in the restaurant.”

This landed well with me because our three children started doing chores when they were toddlers. Things like setting the table, bringing milk in from the front porch milk box, getting the mail. Easy, but a responsibility and something that helped the family. When they got older, they each had a cleaning caddy and were responsible for various rotating chores around the house: cleaning bathrooms, washing floors, vacuuming, dusting. Ready for life after they went off on their own.
Hearth and Herron has been open a few months now and are consistently busy. Chef Brad mentioned that some folks come in a little warry, but as soon as they see the menu, they visibly relax.
Speaking of their menu, it changes daily depending on market availability. Some items change, not the whole thing. Where’s the menu? If you’re having trouble finding their menu, they post it daily as a Story on their Instagram account. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, comment and I’ll explain. If you don’t have an Instagram account and can&#8217;t view their account/menu, take a chance and go. I&#8217;m confident you&#8217;ll be glad you did.
Sunday, November 2, 2025 Menu
They don’t have a website as of now, and may or may not have one. Even if they did have one, it would be pretty tough (possibly expensive) to change the Menu on a website every day.
Dessert: daily dessert, that’s right, one dessert is offered each day, and might not have an official name. When I said I’d like to order a dessert, they did a good job describing it to me: &#8220;it&#8217;s like creme brulee meets flan topped with an ice cream quenelle, with baked apple and nut halves in a light caramel sauce&#8221;. Take a leap. Whatever it is, it&#8217;ll be good!

Bottom Line: Go! You won’t regret it. Bar is first come, first served. seating Make a Reservation on Resy if you want a table.
More on Chef Bradley Herron: https://carolinaepicurean.com/a-conversation-with-chef-bradley-herron-hearth-and-herron-owner/
Chef Bradley Herron Background: https://carolinaepicurean.com/new-hearth-and-herron-restaurant-to-open-at-337-7th-ave/
Hearth and Herron
337 7th Ave East
Hendersonville, NC 28792

Question 10

What's Happening on Hendersonville's Main Street - July '25 Update

Accepted Answer

Here’s what’s new on Main Street, Hendersonville as of this past Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Quite a few changes have happened since my previous update almost a year ago. Something&#8217;s definitely happening. It feels a little like a &#8220;sea change&#8221; of sorts. Replacement and/or movement is happening that involves new businesses, but also some businesses that had been at their locations for decades. Images below.
429 N Main St &#8211; The Beehive Resale Shop has moved into a space two doors down, previously occupied by Just Ducky, at 449 N Main St. They&#8217;d been at 429 N Main for 42 years! If you didn&#8217;t check them out before the move, definitely take time to visit their new spot. I&#8217;ve found a few great deals in the past. I previously identified, in error, Willow Hill Soap Co in a different unit at this address as closed. Willow Hill Soap Company is open and thriving!
449 N Main St &#8211; You already know The Beehive Resale Shop just vacated this space. An interesting concept, Blue Ridge Bardega (Website: https://blueridgebardega.com/) is going in. They describe themselves as &#8220;a sophisticated, community-driven retail and social destination that blends the charm of an upscale wine and beer shop with the ambiance of a boutique market and lounge.&#8221; I&#8217;m curious to see what that looks like. Sounds a little like The Blue Door Bottleshop & Beer Hall on 3rd Ave E. Maybe more upscale? Maybe not?
448 North Main St. &#8211; Christian Science Reading Room had been in this space for decades. The &#8220;coming soon&#8221; sign reads, &#8220;The Emporium Market: Foods, Coffees, Teas, Gifts&#8221;. Looks like this is a second, different type of location for the Emporium on Main at 424 N Main St. They say they&#8217;re &#8220;opening our Market at the corner of 5th and Main St! Looking for some unique General Store/Market vendors! Coffee & Tea items, Kitchen Items, unique gifts and souvenirs.&#8221;
321 N Main St &#8211; Tartans Sports Bar closed in May this year. They had a good-sized loyal following. According to some, it seems like they had a difficult time recovering from Hurricane Helene issues &#8211; loss of power, drop in business, etc. This space is now for Lease.
225 N Main St &#8211; The &#8220;Something Special Coming Soon&#8221; signs have been up for quite a while after Four Seasons (Christmas, Garden Decor & More) shop closed. I thought of it as a Christmas (plus) shop. Not sure when they closed, but posts on their Facebook page go through Christmas 2024. According to the Historic Preservation Commission website, it doesn&#8217;t seem that they&#8217;re currently reviewing this building/space, even though their sign is on the door.
241 N Main St &#8211; Mia&#8217;s Marketplace has closed. The space is now for lease. Opened (I believe) in 2017, it was &#8220;A Marketplace of unique Items offers a diverse selection of antiques, art, vintage finds, vinyl LPs, books, kimonos, Southwestern and vintage jewelry, home décor, and soy candles. An interesting spot to explore.
101 S Main St &#8211; The Kingmaker&#8217;s Draft closed quite a while ago. Now this corner location is about to open as Pinky Promise Bar. I had a chance chat with someone in the know about what to expect. She said things like, &#8220;lots of color inside, fun, and to expect amazing cocktails created by Timmie Hoffman, owner and creative mixologist&#8221;. Follow their progress on Instagram @pinkypromisebar.

Question 11

Bake Me House Now Open on Church St in Hendersonville, NC

Accepted Answer

Meet Thipayapa Thanyadolchanokdech, aka Emily Roper, owner and baker at Bake Me House, 414 N Church Street, Hendersonville, NC. She&#8217;s been baking since before landing in Hendersonville a couple years ago, but this is her first brick and mortar bakery. Officially opened this past March 4th.
I can&#8217;t imagine the hours she keeps, doing everything herself! By that I mean not only baking everything you see in the shop, but making drink ingredients and syrups, cleaning all the equipment she and her husband had installed in the back, and cleaning the public-facing shop. I drove by before the shop&#8217;s opening and she was out front cleaning the windows and door glass.
Thipayapa Thanyadolchanokdech, aka Emily Roper, owner and baker at Bake Me House, 414 N Church Street, Hendersonville, NC
Some people refer to Bake Me House as a &#8220;Thai Bakery&#8221;. I&#8217;d say it’s an “Asian-influenced” bakery from cookies to cakes to drinks. In general that means less sweet, but delicious.
DRINKS
A few Thai drinks are available (see images). I tried the Milk Tea with Cream Cheese Mousse. It’s made with “Premium Black Tea, creamer powder, and brown sugar syrup”.
IN THE CASES
This day the smaller one on the counter held cookies you&#8217;re used to seeing like Chocolate Chip and Red Velvet. The larger case held the fun stuff &#8211; Japanese Cheese Cake (link to Emily describing Japanese vs NY Cheesecake), Matcha Cake, Coconut Cake, and more, all sold by the slice in containers.
I left with a slice of the Coconut Cake to share later with Bill. We both loved it. The frosting on top was so light and fluffy. Probably her Whipped Cream Cheese Mousse. The cake itself was a little denser than I expected, moist, had small pieces of pineapple throughout, and was just sweet enough. So good! Friends Barrie and Mark tried and liked many of the cakes. They feel all of them were low in sodium and sugar.
If you&#8217;re interested, Emily uses pretty top notch ingredients: Matcha, Chocolate, Butter. Browse through the photos on the bakery&#8217;s Facebook Page and you should be able to spot her ingredient posts.

Question 12

Spice of Life reimagined as community-oriented Ginkgo Tea Life

Accepted Answer

Spice of Life, opened in 2019 at 240 North Main Street Hendersonville, is restructuring and rebranding under their new name, Ginkgo Tea Life. Plans were already in the works, but after Dobra Tea closed in Asheville, owner Jeff Swientek became even more certain about the change.
Jeff’s making changes he hopes will foster a community gathering space. A place where you can relax, read, spend time with friends, while enjoying hot or cold tea or one of a few other drinks available if you’re not feeling tea that day. The day we were there, he had strawberry lemonade, blackberry black tea (turmeric bliss), and purple papaya berry non-tea drinks.
“Spice of Life is becoming Ginkgo Tea Life &#8211; a full service tea house and Tea Bar! We no longer carry spices, oils, rubs, etc. Stay tuned for updates and progress!!” – Jeff Swientek
A variety of cozy seating areas for various numbers of people are already in place, with more in the works. A large community/tea tasting table is also being custom built for center stage in the front half of the shop. When all the new seating’s in place there should be room for about 40 people.
A beautiful, long custom built wood counter has already replaced some of the previous retail space and shelves. Jeff or an employee will be making and pouring the tea of your choice. Pick from dozens of Chinese and Taiwanese loose leaf teas. (See Gallery) You’ll be able to experience “dry pours” and more formal tea brewing & pouring. I’m guessing a very formal pouring will need some advance notice.

The smaller, original bar for brewing and pouring, remains farther back in the space. I’m guessing it seats about four or five.
A new bar and “overflow” seating area will be created through a door to the very back where you can watch employees make Chai, Matcha, Teas . . . &#8220;all the things&#8221;. They’ll be pouring hot teas, iced teas, herbal elixir blends, seasonal teas, and more.
Pre-packaged foods from a baker in Hendersonville will be available. They’ll be the same Standard, good GF, and Vegan items that were offered at Dobra, if you&#8217;re familiar.
The new Ginkgo Tea Life website isn’t complete yet, but you can still find them at https://spiceoflifeinc.com.
Ginkgo Tea Life
240 North Main Street
Hendersonville, NC 28792
828-692-6363

Question 13

What Happened on Main Street!

Accepted Answer

Pay attention or you might find the Hendersonville Main Street shop/restaurant/brewery you’ve frequented for years is gone and a new business is in its place. It happened to me. All I did was blink. Images of most locations below.

119 S Main St – This previous Never Blue location is becoming the 9th Tipsy Taco

(Tex-Mex with a Little Twist) location. It’s a Greenville, SC based franchise.The space is totally gutted, being prepared for the new buildout. Frank Roman, owner of the new Hendersonville franchise, as well as two other Tipsy Taco locations, said in a recent Hendersonville Lightning article, &#8220;It should be about two months of work” and “he hopes to open Tipsy Taco by Labor Day for sure.&#8221;
Background: Tipsy Taco is a Greenville, SC franchise with eight locations in and around Greenville, SC. Company owners Lazaro Montoto, Tony King, and Brian Shelton talked about their plans in this 2020 article, &#8220;New Tipsy Taco owners have aggressive plan for growth&#8221; A Feb 2023 SC Biz News article says &#8220;Roman comes from a music background and moved from Miami to Greenville about five years ago.” Read even more background in this BlueRidgeNow May 29th article.

101 S Main St &#8211; The Kingmaker&#8217;s Draft (Board Games & Beverages) has closed. This space is currently available, as is the 2nd floor office space.
114 N Main St &#8211; Moes Original BBQ has closed and is relocating to 1794 Asheville Hwy, Hendersonville, the previous Zen Hen locatation.
238 N Main St &#8211; Bone & Bottle Butcher Shop is still in the buildout process.
305 N Main St &#8211; Eclat Realty + Co has opened in the previous 305 Lounge and Eatery location, moving from their previous East Flat Rock office location at 126 W Blue Ridge Rd.
341 N Main St &#8211; Orchard Properties has opened in the previous Goldcrafting by Phillips location.
424 N Main St &#8211; The Village Green Antique Mall space is now The Emporium On Main with quite a variety of vendors. They might be right when they say, &#8220;Over 80 Vendors! Something for everyone!&#8221; They advertise “Handcrafted, Handmade, Upcycled Resale, Vintage, Antiques, Ladies Boutique, Doggy Boutique, General Store, Fiesta Dinnerware, Collectibles, Woodworking, Stained Glass, Pottery, Fabric Art, and Artists – all under one roof!” I can confirm there’s plenty to choose from and it feels bright and fresh inside!
425 N Main St – Franklin, NC Caffé REL French bistro owners Tracy and Katie Passmore are opening their 2nd location in the previous D9 Brewing spot. According to a recent Hendersonville Lightning article, it sounds like it’ll be a while before they’re open: “We have to build a whole kitchen, which will take some time. We’re not in a big rush.” No pictures of this one.

Question 14

Feta Flav - Rich, Filling, Very Greek!

Accepted Answer

Looking for a restaurant that serves authentic Greek food? You&#8217;re looking for Feta Flav in Hendersonville!
We stopped in for dinner yesterday, a Saturday. We didn&#8217;t have a problem getting seated, but it was busy. That was good, considering I was interested in checking out the &#8220;whole package&#8221; &#8211; getting a feel for how they would handle being busy, as well as food quality, pricing, presentation, authenticity, interior feel, cleanliness, and service.
So what&#8217;s my take? Feta Flav&#8217;s an all-around winner! It&#8217;s a classic, intimate neighborhood eatery, where owners move between the kitchen and front of house. Servers are friendly and personable. The food&#8217;s authentic, made from &#8220;recipes [that] are over 300 years old and and passed down from family members.&#8221;
The Owners
This is how they describe themselves: &#8220;Chef Alex Baxevanis boasts his two cultures Greek and American in his menus. He loves to cook traditional flavors with bold spices, simply plated. Chef Ashleigh thrives with playful and fun flavors in her desserts and breads.&#8221;
The Journey
Although Co-owners & Chefs, Alex and Ashleigh Baxvanis are known for their food truck, and now this restaurant, they have backgrounds in a variety of hospitality/culinary ventures.
What&#8217;s Next
Renovations are underway in the space next door. They were using it as a commissary for their food truck, but are now converting it into a second Dining Room for additional restaurant seating. I think they&#8217;re going to need it.
Wine and Beer are coming soon. They want to keep it simple, so there are intentionally no plans to have a full bar. Things change, of course, but that&#8217;s how it stands as of now.
Meal Notes

I ordered more than I normally would so we&#8217;d be able to sample a variety of dishes. The plan was to take home whatever was left.
When I heard about the flambéed Goat Cheese, ordering it was a no-brainer! Melted inside with crusty, crunchy edges. Awesome. We put some of it on more toast that came with it. Perfect, because it&#8217;s rich.
Portions &#8211; every single dish &#8211; were large. Go hungry!
Spanakopita in Greek means &#8220;Spinach Pie&#8221;. You may have, but I&#8217;ve never had so much spinach inside Spanakopita! It was a nice mix of onions, feta, and aromatic herbs. I scooped a little out and used it to top a slice of toast.
Sliced & toasted house-made Foccacia bread is complimentary for each table. Now and then Chef Ashleigh changes up the type of Focaccia she makes.
One of the specials this night was Fried Brussels Sprouts, one of the most delicious things I had in a while. Tried to stop after a few, pushed the plate to the end of the table, but kept reaching over with my fork for just one more. 🙂
Bill would have never ordered the &#8220;side&#8221; House Salad as his Gyro side if he&#8217;d known how big it was going to be.
Speaking of the Gyro, my gosh, take a look at the amount of meat in that thing! The Lemon Potatoe side had great flavor, but could have been cooked just a &#8220;titch&#8221; more.
Dessert. Bummed they were out of Baklava, but Ashleigh had made Kataifi, something new to me. It&#8217;s &#8220;a Greek dessert made of shredded phyllo dough that&#8217;s rolled into nests, brushed with butter, and filled with nuts. The dough is then baked until crispy and soaked in lemon honey syrup&#8221;. Liked it a lot, but to be fair, I need to compare it to Ashleigh&#8217;s Baklava. 🙂

The Space
Inside, the restaurant has a bright, fresh feel in traditional blue and white. Loved the framed posters in Greek on the walls, and the traditional Greek paterned vase and flowers on the table.
It&#8217;s a good thing they top their tables with paper. We made an uncharacteristic mess. No excuses, just a messy fact.
Feast Your Eyes

Feta Flav
2111 Asheville Hwy
Hendersonville, NC 28791
(828) 595-2365

Question 15

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION - Trailside Brewing Company!

Accepted Answer

LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION. It&#8217;s in the name and they have it &#8211; Trailside Brewing Company.
They&#8217;re in a historic, multi-building complex known as Lennox Station, located right &#8211; and I mean RIGHT &#8211; on the Ecusta Trail in Hendersonville&#8217;s Lennox Park Historic District.
Lennox Station co-owners &#8220;Dale Salvaggio-Bradshaw and Steve Bradshaw, Dr. Charlotte Riddle and Clement Riddle and Alisa and Bart Salvaggio raised their children together in Hendersonville and have been friends for over 20 years. The families are all lovers of the outdoors and consider the property the perfect location for their vision.&#8221; &#8211; Hendersonville Times-News, April 9th, 2022.
&#8220;The vision for the space includes a neighborhood grocery with locally-sourced meats and produce, a bakery and café, brewery and a restaurant.&#8221; &#8211; Hendersonville Times-News, April 9th, 2022.
The original building that houses Trailside Brewing was &#8220;built in 1915 and retains much of the character of the original structure. Lennox Station has been the home to the Freeze-Bacon Hosiery Mill, the Wing paper Box Company, and later, the first Hendersonville Lowes. Learn more fascinating history of Lennox Station.
Trailside&#8217;s interior Tasting Room is expansive, but somehow feels warm and welcoming. It&#8217;s cool that you can get an up close and personal view of the brew tanks right behind the counter.
We were wondering if it would get really loud with a lot of people inside, but even as the crowd built, the noise level didn&#8217;t. It&#8217;s probably similar when live music is playing.
There&#8217;s another huge open space adjacent to the main tap room/brewery that looks set up for overflow and/or private events. That&#8217;s just a guess on my part.
Just outside is plenty of patio space with a variety of seating options, including a killer Fire Pit. They&#8217;ve surrounded this space with fantastic planters that are full of flowers and lush greenery in growing months. I didn&#8217;t include an off-season picture because I couldn&#8217;t get past the barbed wire look of the empty vines.
Between us, we had a pint of Trail Hazer IPA and a 1/2 pint of Community Brew Stout. Both tasty. If you&#8217;re not feelin&#8217; beer, they also serve up Wines, Prosecco, and Non-Alcoholic drinks. A food truck was parked right outside the side door, which seems to be a daily thing. Not sure, but I&#8217;m guessing this will continue even after the new Market and Cafe open.
Exciting news about the new Market and Cafe coming soon to Lennox Station in a following post. I was lucky enough to randomly run into and chat with the lovely couple that&#8217;s taking on this project. They gave me a peek at the plans for both the Market and Cafe and I can say with confidence, the entire project is going to be awesome!

Trailside Brewing Company
873 Lenox Park Dr
Hendersonville, NC 28739

Category: Hendersonville

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