Q: Warning - Donut Stop LLC Sells Out Quickly!

Pulling up at noon, we were pretty confident we’d have our choice of fresh donuts at Donut Stop LLC in Arden. Wrong! The word’s out this is the place to get some of the best donuts in the Asheville area. They open at 5am, so folks heading out early get the best options. Storefront Hours are 5am until Sold Out every day but Sunday when they close at 2pm. SOLD OUT at NOON! Our donuts are made fresh by hand each day. With a wide variety flavors to choose from, there’s something delightful for everyone. Lucky for us there were a few left (in the back). Two Apple Fritters left? I’ll take two! Donuts filled with different Jellies or Bavarian Cream and topped with Glaze or Chocolate? I’ll take one of each! Barrie scored a few, also. People have said a couple things about their donuts in general (BIG) and Apple Fritters in particular – EXTRA BIG and LOTS OF APPLE. I can vouch for both! The Apple Fritters I took home covered a “sandwich” plate. Glazed Bavarian Cream Filled, Chocolate Bavarian Cream Filled, and Apple Fritter. Cinnamon Twist, Raspberry Jelly Filled, and Glazed Bavarian Cream Filled. No guarantees, but we were each given a small complimentary bag of donut holes. I’ve seen others mention they were also treated to this special gift. Donut Holes Their Menu covers all the bases and is priced reasonably, in my opinion. Menu Board Let’s just say Bill was not unhappy to see me coming through the door with fresh, delicious donuts. Donute Stop LLC 2270 Hendersonville Rd, Ste 4 Arden, NC 28704 828-767-5714

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: Posana: Feed Your Well-Being

“Feed Your Well-Being”. It’s Mandara Restaurant Group’s motto. They’re the umbrella company, owned by Peter and Martha Pollay, under which Posana operates. I’ve known Peter (and Martha) for 15 years, give or take. In all that time, I never thought to look closer at Mandara Restaurant Group or “Posana”, the name they chose for their restaurant(s). Now that I see Mandara’s motto, common translations of “Posana” – “nourishing” & “feeding” – make so much sense. All that said, I haven’t verified any of this ith the Pollays. A few days ago, on Christmas Eve, Bill and I, our son and daughter-in-law went to Posana’s new location in Biltmore Park for a late dinner. We had a wonderful evening, catching up over drinks and shared bites. Peter kindly stopped by our table to say hello and reminisce about Asheville, the restaurant industry, past events, and more. Interesting for the family to hear, especially meaningful for me. Made it an extra special Christmas Eve. Feast your eyes on the gallery. We were seated at a banquette in the Bar, but I only took time for one shot. It’s empty because I took it at 10pm. Like I said, a late dinner. There’s been a lot of talk about Bar vs Dining Room seating & ambiance. The Bar is indeed gorgeious, but I’d be perfectly happy in the Dining Room. It’s not quite as fancy, but has plenty of its own feels.

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

Warning - Donut Stop LLC Sells Out Quickly!

Accepted Answer

Pulling up at noon, we were pretty confident we&#8217;d have our choice of fresh donuts at Donut Stop LLC in Arden. Wrong! The word&#8217;s out this is the place to get some of the best donuts in the Asheville area.
They open at 5am, so folks heading out early get the best options.
Storefront
Hours are 5am until Sold Out every day but Sunday when they close at 2pm.
SOLD OUT at NOON!
 
Our donuts are made fresh by hand each day. With a wide variety flavors to choose from, there’s something delightful for everyone.
Lucky for us there were a few left (in the back). Two Apple Fritters left? I&#8217;ll take two! Donuts filled with different Jellies or Bavarian Cream and topped with Glaze or Chocolate? I&#8217;ll take one of each! Barrie scored a few, also.
People have said a couple things about their donuts in general (BIG) and Apple Fritters in particular &#8211; EXTRA BIG and LOTS OF APPLE. I can vouch for both! The Apple Fritters I took home covered a &#8220;sandwich&#8221; plate.
Glazed Bavarian Cream Filled, Chocolate Bavarian Cream Filled, and Apple Fritter.
 
Cinnamon Twist, Raspberry Jelly Filled, and Glazed Bavarian Cream Filled.
No guarantees, but we were each given a small complimentary bag of donut holes. I&#8217;ve seen others mention they were also treated to this special gift.
Donut Holes
Their Menu covers all the bases and is priced reasonably, in my opinion.
Menu Board
Let&#8217;s just say Bill was not unhappy to see me coming through the door with fresh, delicious donuts.
Donute Stop LLC
2270 Hendersonville Rd, Ste 4
Arden, NC 28704
828-767-5714

Question 2

Excellent Afternoon Tea Discovery! Bed and Breakfast on Tiffany Hill

Accepted Answer

When two sisters want to take a third to the perfect Afternoon Tea for her birthday, it can take lots of research and discussion. There&#8217;s price, dates that work for all of us, sharing allowed or not, dietary restrictions, location near or far. It&#8217;s not easy. 🙂
The Inn
Luckily, we had to cancel our original plans due to the recent WNC ice storm. I say &#8220;luckily&#8221; because in the meantime we stumbled upon a little known Afternoon Tea (experience) at Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill in Mills River!
Owners Karen and Craig Verm are pretty darn amazing.  Karen is a pianist and Craig is an opera singer. As second owners they&#8217;ve been at the Inn&#8217;s helm for about two years. Impressively, on one day&#8217;s notice Craig recently stood in for a singer with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. This is just one of the reasons a performance comes with Breakfast for overnight guests or Afternoon Tea.
Don&#8217;t make the mistake of thinking anything at the B&B is &#8220;stodgy&#8221;! Both Karen and Craig are so genuinely jovial.  The building was thoughtfully designed and built to be an Inn. Design is classic beauty, aka light, airy as well as cozy, and gorgeous.
Suites are spacious, beautifully layed out and decorated with attention to detail. They&#8217;re all en suite, also. You can browse them all here.
Afternoon Tea
Pricing for Afternoon Tea is per person and extremely reasonable. I&#8217;m not mentioning specific price in case it changes. I can&#8217;t say enough about the extent Karen went to in accomodating dietary restrictions! Well above and beyond, she tried new products and adjusted recipes. Everything was absolutely delicious!
When weather&#8217;s not cooperating, tea and meals are at a large communal table just off the kitchen and front hall. In nicer weather there&#8217;s seating at multiple tables on the back patio.
After your Tea or Breakfast, you&#8217;ll be served  what they call the &#8220;Fourth Course&#8221; &#8211; entertainment in the form of a short concert by the Verms. Loved it!
For more information on the Inn and it&#8217;s wonderful keepers, check out this WLOS article published 9 months ago: &#8220;Musical bed and breakfast continues community support 8 months after Helene&#8220;.
I came away full and happy, but even more importantly, feeling like I&#8217;d met two exceptionally good humans.

https://vimeo.com/1169350548?share=copy&#038;fl=sv&#038;fe=ci
 
Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill400 Ray Hill RdMills River, NC 28759Phone: 828-290-6080Email: vacation@tiffany-hill.com

Question 3

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 4

A Dang Good Lunch at Veranda Cafe, Black Mtn

Accepted Answer

All we wanted was a dang good lunch and unwind after finally coming to a decision on some new furniture at Tyson Furniture Company Inc. in Black Mountain. So we headed over to a long time favorite, Veranda Cafe. Descriptions in photo captions.
Creamy Potato Soup and half a Veranda Club: Black Forest ham, oven-roasted turkey breast, bacon, lettuce, tomato, provolone cheese, and mayo on sourdough bread.
 
Cranberry Turkey Sandwich: Oven-roasted turkey breast, Swiss cheese, mayo, lettuce, and house-made cranberry chutney on locally-made cranberry walnut bread. So good!
Veranda Cafe
Website
119 Cherry St
Black Mountain, NC 28711

Question 5

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 6

Exploring WNC Gems: The Pure and Proper

Accepted Answer

Friends Joe, Paula, and I needed some recharging after exhaustive furniture shopping in the maze known as Tyson Furniture in Black Mountain. What better place than Pure & Proper, located in what originally was the 1941 Pure Oil gas station, 114 E State St, Black Mountain.
Pure & Proper owners Richard & Heidi King and Chef Jake Whitman worked together to take the building, that had been empty and neglected for 20 years, to a deliciously engaging eatery.
For the longest time, I thought they were located outside of downtown Black Mountain. They&#8217;re not. They&#8217;re just off the main downtown intersection, around the corner from Tyson Furniture.
Two things struck me: the different & interesting MENUS and the build-out that kept so much of the building&#8217;s original character front and center, some aspects I imagine, with a wink & nod towards theme and uniqueness.
Take their Brussels Sprouts, described on the menu as made with: &#8220;makhana sauce, buttermilk raita, Calabrian balsamic reduction, with pomegranate [seeds] and cashews&#8221;. Chef Whitman has said in past interviews (not a quote) that he likes to incorporate a little Asian/Japanese here and there in menus to keep things interesting. I definitely caught that vibe from the sprouts dish. And it was beautifully plated with the pops of pomegranate red throughout.
Seating is fun and comfortable with faux fur &#8220;throws&#8221; on chairs and high top seating for two inset into the wall just off the bar. I&#8217;m looking forward to patio seating in nice weather. And hadn&#8217;t noticed, but Paula pointed out that their host stand is a large tool chest. Perfect.
Of note, Chef Jake Whitman has &#8220;chefed&#8221; in Asheville area eateries that take different approaches to their menus, serving up creative fare. Chef Jake and Ali Whitman opened a brand new restaurant, Bev&#8217;s Steak, in Black Mountain on December 2, 2025. Concerned, I called Pure & Proper and was reassured that Jake is still involved with the restaurant and menu development.
Now you have at least two good reasons to head to Black Mountain for an excellent meal &#8211; Pure & Proper and Jake and Ali Whitman&#8217;s Bev&#8217;s Steak.
SOCIALS:

Pure & Proper

Instagram
Facebook

Bev&#8217;s Steak

Instagram
Facebook

Question 7

Posana: Feed Your Well-Being

Accepted Answer

&#8220;Feed Your Well-Being&#8221;. It&#8217;s Mandara Restaurant Group&#8217;s motto. They&#8217;re the umbrella company, owned by Peter and Martha Pollay, under which Posana operates.
I&#8217;ve known Peter (and Martha) for 15 years, give or take. In all that time, I never thought to look closer at Mandara Restaurant Group or &#8220;Posana&#8221;, the name they chose for their restaurant(s). Now that I see Mandara&#8217;s motto, common translations of &#8220;Posana&#8221; &#8211; &#8220;nourishing&#8221; & &#8220;feeding&#8221; &#8211; make so much sense. All that said, I haven&#8217;t verified any of this ith the Pollays.
A few days ago, on Christmas Eve, Bill and I, our son and daughter-in-law went to Posana&#8217;s new location in Biltmore Park for a late dinner. We had a wonderful evening, catching up over drinks and shared bites.
Peter kindly stopped by our table to say hello and reminisce about Asheville, the restaurant industry, past events, and more. Interesting for the family to hear, especially meaningful for me. Made it an extra special Christmas Eve.
Feast your eyes on the gallery. We were seated at a banquette in the Bar, but I only took time for one shot. It&#8217;s empty because I took it at 10pm. Like I said, a late dinner. There&#8217;s been a lot of talk about Bar vs Dining Room seating & ambiance. The Bar is indeed gorgeious, but I&#8217;d be perfectly happy in the Dining Room. It&#8217;s not quite as fancy, but has plenty of its own feels.

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

Posana Opens in Biltmore Park

Accepted Answer

Friends Barrie and Mark took a chance at Posana Biltmore Park&#8217;s bar seating last night. Reservations are about 2 weeks out right now for all but bar counter seating. For cozy booth seating in the bar, request &#8220;in the bar&#8221;. No guarantees, but it doesn&#8217;t hurt to request, just in case.
Bar counter seating is first come first served. They&#8217;ll put you on a wait list for bar counter seating if nothing&#8217;s available.
Their take? They&#8217;d choose bar seating every time and they&#8217;d after dark for the cozier vibe.
Usually I lead with food descriptions and reactions, but suffice it to say, they thought every dish they had was great! So great, they couldn&#8217;t finish everything. They headed home with leftovers a dessert and the Confit Sweet Potato. 🙂
Barrie commented that her glass of Tempranillo, Bodegas Lan Reserva, Rioja ($16) was a healthy pour. Nice!
If you&#8217;re not familiar, Posana&#8217;s kitchen is COMPLETELY GF. They don&#8217;t make a big deal about it. Don&#8217;t usually even mention it. You&#8217;d never know from the food coming out of their kitchen.
They found service excellent. Some have mentioned slow service, but they did not experience that at all. Maybe it just took being open more than a week or so. And hosts were very nice, helpful and happy.

Question 11

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 12

Ecusta Market & Café a Winner in Every Way!

Accepted Answer

Virtue Without Signaling
After savoring every bit of my lunch at Ecusta Market & Café, I realized I hadn’t stopped smiling since owners Emily and Robert Gunn walked me through a tour of their Market, Café, and outdoor spaces.
As I lingered over my latte, multiple thoughts came to mind: this is a happy place. It’s light & bright, friendly (including family friendly), and genuine. Attention’s is paid to little details. Employees are smiling, too.
I first met Emily and Robert Gunn by chance a couple years ago at Sharewell Coffee in Flat Rock. I sat near them and couldn’t help noticing they were going over a site/building plan. Of course I started a conversation, asking as many questions as I could politely get away with. They were very open and forthcoming, sharing their journey and plan. Turned out they each have a decade or more of higher-position experience at very successful Asheville culinary businesses under their belts.
Before &#8211; Market on the right and Cafe on the Left
Forward to now and they’ve taken a derelict building and converted it into a fabulous Market (open about 7 months) that features a surprising number of “hyper-local (WNC), local (NC), and Regional” products, including pantry staples, fresh produce, frozen foods, personal care items, wine, beer, and too many other things to mention. Producers are identified by small signs with their details.
Turn in here and head to the back parking lot.
MARKET

Emily and Robert also ended up taking on a second derelict building next door, converting it into a wonderful Café! It&#8217;s been open about 6 weeks now. They originally planned on using the space between the buildings as a breezeway, but ended up enclosing it. That space is now restrooms and additional café seating. Both buildings are located a step or two from the new Ecusta Trail. And I mean a single step or two. They&#8217;re located next to Trailside Brewing Company, if you&#8217;re familiar.
&#8220;We built a place we&#8217;d want to be with our family.&#8221; ~ Emily Gunn
Restrooms and Cafe seating in space that was originally going to be a breezeway. Market to the Right, Cafe to the Left.
CAFÉ
Current Breakfast and Lunch Menus are pictured in the gallery below, but a few small tweaks will be on updated menus soon.

Step out the back door and you’ll see very nice tall boxes planted with flowers and other plants recommended by an employee that has (if I remember correctly) a Botany Degree and Raymond’s Garden Center. Maybe even by the two fun women at Raymond’s known as the “Shady Ladies”? The planters are a friendly barrier between the trail and red-umbrella-shaded picnic tables. Plans are in the works for cords or something similar between planters at all but the two central planters, creating an obvious entrance with a coming soon arbor. Eventually, there&#8217;ll be outdoor seating for about a hundred people. There’s a bike rack out there for folks pedaling their way along the trail. &#8220;Please, no bikes on the patio.&#8221;
&#8220;Our customers get us and what we&#8217;re trying to do here.&#8221; ~ Robert Gunn
Property owners have just created a path from the parking lot to the Ecusta Trail. They were still working on it the day I took this shot.
There have been a couple glitches – not unusual and all out of their control: a short power outage during open hours that affected all of the Trailside buildings, a keg cooler that stopped working, but yay, it&#8217;s been replaced with a new one as of a few days ago so craft beer should be on tap now, and a brand new customer-facing cooler that isn’t working, but is being replaced.
&#8220;We want people to linger. Come in for a drink or snack and spend time working on your laptop. We want the Café to be a gathering place. Meet friends for coffee. Bring your family in for lunch.&#8221; ~ Emily and Robert Gunn
Also, know they’ve been directly involved, doing all of this while raising their three young children: 5, 3, and 1 ½ years old. Speaking of young children, they’ve created a cute, large fenced play area outside. More play “things” will be coming soon, like a climbing dome and kids &#8220;mulch kitchen&#8221; (meaning no water).
My experience was seamless. Yes, they knew me, but I watched everything with a critical eye, with the Gunns on hand and not, and didn’t see anything or anyone treated any differently. You can probably tell, and I tried not to gush, but I am so thoroughly impressed with Emily and Robert Gunn! Kinda&#8217; wish Robert&#8217;s name was Peter, though. Kidding! First time you&#8217;ve ever heard that, right Robert? 😉
&#8220;This is what we want to do withour lives.&#8221; ~ Emily Gunn
NOTES:

Ecusta Market & Cafe is located at 877 Lenox Park Dr, Hendersonville, NC.
The Gunns worked with Atlas Branding on most, if not all, design features. From colors, to logo, and even custom wallpaper used in the the top front of some Market cases and the walls in both bathroom.
The Cafe serves Breakfast from 8am to 3pm, Lunch 11am to 3pm, and the Lunch Menu plus some extras from 3pm to Close. Extra things like Loaded Fries, a Pimento Cheese Plate with house-made Pimento Cheese and Accidental Baker crackers, Trout Dip Plate, and Mexican Torta. A Cheese Plate and Charcuterie may be offered at some point.

Question 13

Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack (Sweeten Creek) Wings & Strings Concert Series

Accepted Answer

Live music is back at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack’s Sweeten Creek location at 3749 Sweeten Creek Rd! Known for their Nashville-style hot chicken and made-from-scratch Southern sides, Rocky’s is kicking off its annual Wings & Strings summer concert series.
Every Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m., with the next show on June 5th, chicken lovers can indulge in hot wings and other fan favorites like the fried mac poppers and pimento cheese chicken BLT while enjoying live acoustic sets from talented local artists. Please find the full Wings & Strings lineup below:
Credit: Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack

June 5: Hope Griffin
June 12: Peggy Ratusz and Kelly Jones
June 19: Parker Zelter
June 26: Raphael Graves Duo
July 3: Eric Congdon
July 10: Tina & Her Pony
July 24: The Hillclimbers
July 31: Possum Royale
Aug. 7: Craver & Carmody
Aug. 14: Peggy Ratusz and Kelly Jones
Aug. 21: Gabriel Al-Shaer
Aug. 28: Hope Griffin

Please let us know if you have any questions. Rocky’s full menu is available HERE.

Question 14

Burnsville's 1833 NuWray Hotel Celebrates Restoration and New Restaurant

Accepted Answer

The NuWray Hotel celebrates the down-to-the-studs restoration of NC&#8217;s 1833 historic gem, located at 102 Town Square, Burnsville NC.
Built in 1833, the NuWray Hotel is North Carolina&#8217;s oldest continuously operating hotel. Owners James and Amanda Keith planned to reopen the fully restored hotel in September, 2024.

Hurricane Helene cancelled their plans. Without power or water, the hotel and Burnsville community linked arms to transform the historic building into the mountain town&#8217;s emergency hub. For months, it was a place to find shelter, relief support and hot meals. Months later, it continued to house displaced residents and relief crews.
NuWray, the new restaurant inside the hotel, will open this Saturday, May 31st.
MORE on the hotel: www.nuwray.com

Question 15

Mexican Debate Over. Go to Tenango's!

Accepted Answer

At least it is for me. When I&#8217;m in the mood for a broad selection of excellent Mexican, I&#8217;ll go to Tenango&#8217;s, 712 Upward Rd in East Flat Rock. It&#8217;s behind the Shell gas station just off I-26 exit 53.
ABOUT TENANGO&#8217;S
Brothers Juan, Enrique, and Aurelio Hernandez have family roots in Hidalgo, Mexico. They&#8217;ve brought their food as well as their noticeably different decor, “Otomi” art. I noticed and loved it immediately.
&#8220;Otomi embroidery is the Mexican embroidery style known as &#8220;Tenangos&#8221;, using vibrant colors, and unique floral and animal designs. Each Otomi piece is hand embroidered on Ivory muslin by Otomi artisans. Tenango de Doria, Hidalgo, Mexico.&#8221; Learn more about Otomi Embroidery.
Although they&#8217;ve been open about two months at this second location in East Flat Rock and just under a year at their first location in Chesnee, SC, it feels like they put a lot of energy and work into preparing the brand before launching. Not always the case these days.
Enrique was in the kitchen both times I was there. Not sure if that will continue, but it&#8217;s good to know owners are on site for now.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
As soon as menus hit the table, it was obvious that something was different. Their many-paged menu presents as very professional, aka slick, with lots of photos. Not stock photos, their actual dishes that look professionally shot and do the job of making you want every one of them. Their website is also very professionally done.
I&#8217;ve become hesitant to order Flautas because lately, they&#8217;re filled with a mix of meat and beans, often mush textured, leaving you with no idea what&#8217;s really in them. They&#8217;re also smaller in diameter and over-fried.
Tenango&#8217;s &#8220;Flautas de Pollo&#8221; were brilliant! Full of roasted, seasoned, large pieces of shredded chicken &#8211; period &#8211; and gently fried.
LOCALS LOVE TENANGO&#8217;S
The word is out among locals. There&#8217;s a great mix of locals. Seeing Hispanic work crews and families dining here says something. This last time there were crews from two fire departments: Dana and Blue Ridge. Unfortunately, the Blue Ridge crew got a call and had to leave (see gallery) before they took bite one.
My only less than fawning comment to our server was that my frozen Pina Colada was less than optimum in flavor. It just didn&#8217;t hit the classic flavors. He took my comment seriously, so hopfully if I ever get another one, it&#8217;ll be better. In general, they might add more focus on their bar program. That said, the Don Julio/La Bomba cocktail I had was great.
Details in Gallery Captions

Of course I&#8217;ll still support El Paso, Papas & Beer, Sol y Luna, Janitzio, and other local favorites, but Tenango&#8217;s will be top of rotation.
Tenango&#8217;s Mexican Restaurant
712 Upward Rd
Flat Rock, NC 28731
828-595-4106

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