Ask anyone who’s lived in Asheville for a while to name their favorite pioneering restaurants, and the Corner Kitchen will be on the list.
Located in one of Biltmore Village’s original pebble-dash cottages, the restaurant has served locally sourced, Southern-inspired food since it was opened by business partners Kevin Westmoreland and chef Joe Scully in 2004.
Diners have long noshed on classic brunch fare like shrimp and grits flecked with Benton’s bacon, French toast with bourbon sorghum, and bloodies and mimosas. Come evening, mains like Sunburst Farms trout and butcher’s cut meats have appeared alongside crispy Brussels sprouts, butter-whipped potatoes, and other flavorful sides.
In fact, Corner Kitchen became such a hit that the owners opened a downtown sister restaurant, Chestnut, in 2012, offering a similar menu with the same hand-crafted approach.
Following Hurricane Helene, Biltmore Village received some of the most devastating flood damage. The nearby Swannanoa River crested at 22 feet and left behind deep layers of mud and massive debris. Though the sturdily constructed building that houses the Corner Kitchen remained intact, the first floor was fully submerged. “There’s so much we lost. Plates, cups, cookware—we have to buy everything new,” says Vanessa Salomo, who’s married to Scully and serves as the company’s COO. She’s grateful, however, both for the ways the disaster has united the community and for flood insurance.
Though physically unharmed, Chestnut, like most Asheville businesses, suffered significant financial loss due to mandatory closure while the city repaired its water system. It opened its doors again in mid-November, bringing back as many staff as possible from both restaurants. Although reopening has been economically challenging, Salomo describes it as necessary. “The sooner we can get people back to work, the faster we can hopefully get back to an even better place than we used to be.”
Meanwhile, a complete rebuild of Corner Kitchen is underway—with a little silver lining. Biltmore Village has been hit with plenty of "nuisance floods” over the years, says Salomo, so Helene has presented an opportunity to address prior damage and build back better. Though required to adhere to historic building codes, the restaurant is making some long-needed updates, including a new HVAC, plumbing, and stairs. Corner Kitchen aims to reopen in summer 2025, which may coincide with a partial reopening neighborhood celebration currently planned by the Historic Biltmore Village Association for July. “I’m optimistic,” says Salomo. “I feel like we’re going to be OK.”
