Chef Jacob Sessoms’ Dining Concepts Include Flagship Restaurant Golden Hour, Coffee Bar & Cocktail Lounge Afterglow & a Rooftop Bar at new Boutique Hotel, The Radical, to Open October 2023 in the River Arts District (RAD)
Hatteras Sky, along with its capital partner Somera Capital East, and Lark Hotels are excited to announce their collaboration with beloved restaurateur Jacob Sessoms, acclaimed chef behind Asheville stables Table and All Day Darling, to open three new exclusive food and beverage concepts inside The Radical hotel. Opening in October in the heart of the River Arts District, the property will include 70 guest rooms and suites inspired by the culture and street art of Asheville, signature restaurant Golden Hour, coffee bar and cocktail lounge Afterglow, and the ultimate scenic rooftop bar, The Roof.
Golden Hour, the downstairs wood-fire chophouse, will serve as the hotel’s flagship restaurant and pub that Sessoms has crafted to celebrate the flavors of the South. Open daily for dinner starting at 5pm with a full bar and brunch from 10am-2pm on weekends, Golden Hour will be an easy-going yet refined spot for hotel guests and locals alike. Centered around locally-sourced, farm-driven ingredients, expect a focus on seasonal dishes like ‘Country Captain’ Corn Salad, BBQ’d Japanese Sweet Potato Skewers and NC Fish Crudo alongside a chophouse menu of bold, shareable dishes coming off the wood-fire grill, like Whole Roast Pig, Whole Lobster and Chicken, and Slow-Grilled Porchetta. Other tasty surprises include Carolina Wreckfish, Pork Blade Steak and Brasstown Beef Ribeye plus small bites like Crayfish Beignets, Calamari, Deviled Crab Dip and more.
The beverage program will include classic cocktails with a twist alongside an exciting wine list with around one hundred bottles showcasing natural, organic and Biodynamic wineries. The free flowing space is centered around a racetrack bar in the middle of the dining room and an open kitchen featuring a custom-made, wood-fired grill that fuels the buzz of the restaurant. The space will seat 85 people inside and about 45 people on the beautifully terraced outdoor patio.
Guests looking to unwind or get work done will be able to head to Afterglow, the coffee bar that will evolve into a cocktail lounge each night. The morning, noon and night spot will offer daytime counter service from 7am-4pm featuring pastries, light breakfast and leisurely lunch. Then, from 4pm-midnight, Afterglow will convert into a down-tempo space serving handcrafted cocktails and light dinner with vibey music.
The party will be on The Roof, a 125-person capacity rooftop bar overlooking the French Broad River and Asheville’s River Arts District. Open from noon to midnight, the Roof’s open-air bar will serve up an inviting atmosphere with the best views in town for nibbles, sunset cocktails and weekly live music when the weather is right.
“I am thrilled to be a part of The Radical and bring the city three fun, locally sourced concepts that embody the ethos of Asheville,” said Sessoms.
Jacob Sessoms is the founder and chef-partner at Perfectly Ad Hoc Hospitality Group. Sessoms opened the iconic Asheville restaurant Table in 2005, launching the first of numerous successful culinary ventures in town. Today, the group also encompasses All Day Darling, a neighborhood café in Asheville’s historic Montford neighborhood. Sessoms, who oversees menu development, sourcing and operations at each concept, believes that food should be soulful and heartfelt, and ingredients and attitude matter – no matter fine dining or casual. Each concept sources products locally from farmers and artisans he and his team know personally, and they make nearly everything in house. A father of two, he aims for all of his restaurants to serve food that he would be happy to serve his own family.
Golden Hour, Afterglow, and The Roof are set to open alongside The Radical in October. Golden Hour and The Roof will also be available for booking private events. For more information, please visit www.theradicalavl.com.
The Radical, a bold, daring new boutique hotel in the heart of the River Arts District at 95 Roberts St., is accepting reservations for stays as of October 8, 2023. The hotel transforms a once abandoned 1920s’ warehouse into Asheville’s newest destination, introducing 70 unmistakable guest rooms and suites. Owned by Hatteras Sky, along with its capital partner Somera Capital East, and operated by Lark Hotels, The Radical is more than just another boutique hotel; an unexpected collection of spaces, uses, businesses, offerings and yes, hotel rooms, the hotel will reflect the fiercely independent and artistic communities of Asheville. Inspired by the River Arts District’s RAD moniker, The Radical will bring together a collective of buzzing energy, creative characters and shared experiences designed to inspire locals and travelers alike to be fearlessly radical.
