Foodtopia Says We’re Open, “Come Hell or High Water”

New Asheville Restaurants | In 2025, foodies of all stripes have a plethora of dining options in Asheville.

• Hell Or High Water – Just weeks after the hurricane, this upscale dining concept in Black Mountain quickly and unexpectedly came to fruition, hence the name. “It’s about doing something, not giving up, and making it better, come hell or high water,” Co-owner Casey McKissick said. McKissick enlisted Chef Eric Morris, whose two decades of experience includes leading kitchens at critically acclaimed Asheville restaurants. Morris’ menu centers on seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients and timeless comfort dishes, like roast chicken with root vegetables and sweet potato gnocchi with broccoli rabe
• Maguro – Dinner and a show just got easier, thanks to this chic Japanese restaurant, tucked between the Wortham Center for Performing Arts and the Fine Arts Theater. Maguro’s extensive menu includes sushi, 10 varieties of ramen, and small plates that demand a social post– like seared wagyu beef with chimichurri sauce, topped with gold flakes. 
• Juancho’s Fonda – This new eatery just south of Asheville is inspired by the “fondas” found in Colombia – small, mom-and-pop eateries with just a few tables, serving homestyle cuisine. Owner Jeison Bosch says it’s an ode to Asheville’s Colombian community. Juancho’s menu centers on Colombian classics, like arepas and sancocho, as well as favorites from neighboring countries, like Peruvian lomo saltado.  
• Botiwalla – As the original home of Chai Pani for 15 years, Botiwalla took over this downtown location in a landmark that embodies the life’s work of owner Meherwan Irani and his mission to change the way Indian food is perceived in America. The walls are decorated with family photos and memorabilia, a nod to the fast-casual eatery’s inspiration -- the tea and kabab houses of Irani's childhood. Botiwalla celebrates the late-night food scene of India with glowing charcoal sigris and sizzling meats.
• Character Study – A literature-inspired cocktail bar is poetically perfect for Asheville, a storied haven for Jazz Age writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe. Patrons at Character Study can sip craft cocktails or mocktails while lounging in cozy leather chairs or tucked-away nooks. Guests can even add a book to their bar tab, thanks to a curated selection from Bagatelle Books. The menu, styled like a book, features imaginative drinks with a story and character of their own, like Tale of 75 Lions, a “whiskey-eyed” twist on the classic French 75.
• Potential New Boyfriend – This listening lounge and dessert & wine bar in West Asheville offers a cushy, living room-like respite that invites guests to luxuriate in sweet indulgences, wines and amaros, and the rich sound of vinyl records on a hi-fi sound system. Owner Disco envisioned Potential New Boyfriend as an offering of joy and an inviting retreat from the outside world. The lounge serves Disco’s artisan ice creams as well as a rotating creations from pastry chef Dana Amromin, such as panna cotta with orange and anise syrup.
• Neng Jr.’s – The James Beard finalist Filipinx restaurant, led by Food & Wine 2024 “Best New Chef” Silver Iocovozzi, has big plans for 2025. Neng Jr.’s expansion will feature a private dining room for 25, effectively doubling its capacity, and Harmony, an adjacent bottle shop. Neng’s beverage program manager, Cherry Iocovozzi, will take the helm at Harmony, leaning into his affinity for natural, funky, and hard-to-find wines. The bottle shop will also offer a selection of wines by the glass and small bites, a compliment to Neng Jr.’s reputation for intimate, standout dining experiences. 

Comeback Stories | Despite the challenges of losing their physical locations, these businesses managed to secure new homes and are already back in action, serving the community. 

• DayTrip – Days before opening, this queer-owned bar and community space was flooded by the French Broad River. In the storm’s wake, supporters from near and far helped fundraise over $200,000 to help rebuild. Now, DayTrip plans to open a new location near downtown, in March 2025. Until then, supporters can catch DayTrip’s “winter vacation” pop-up at The Malvern, an inclusive dive bar in West Asheville, which hosts themed dance parties and live DJ sets.
• Guajiro Cuban Comfort Food – Owner Christian Barroso honors his Cuban roots with his eatery, named after his great-grandfather, who labored in the sugarcane plantations of Cuba (guajiro means farm worker in Spanish). The menu is inspired by his grandmother’s recipes, like slow-cooked black beans, succulent lechon, and sweet plantains. Even though his previous truck was washed away by Helen, Barroso is once again serving Cuban classics out of a brand-new truck, stationed outside Hi-Wire Brewing’s taproom in Biltmore Village. 

Breaking Bread | Asheville’s artisan bread community – from bakers to millers – is in a league of its own. The new year welcomes several additions to the city’s renowned baking scene, comprised of James Beard-nominated and winning pastry chefs, as well as the return of a beloved event that draws bakers from across the country.

• Asheville Bread Festival | Every two years, bakers, millers, farmers, chefs, and bread enthusiasts gather from far and wide to attend Bread Festival’s workshops, presentations, and a bread fair. This year’s theme “A Sense of Place” will highlight the distinctive, resilient, and abundant nature of the region, centering on local talent and opportunities to give back. As always, gathering in community is at the forefront. Details about workshops and talent to be announced in January. (Apr. 26 - 27) 
  • Need to Knead? Several spots around town offer group and private classes, year-round. The Asheville Kitchen, Cottage Cooking, and Crunchy Baker offer a range of workshops, from laminating dough for flaky croissants to mastering the art of a fluffy focaccia. 
• Broadening Our Daily Bread | From focaccia to flatbread, Asheville’s baking scene continues to rise, blending heritage traditions and modern perspectives.
  • Joey’s Bagels – From the Bronx to the Blue Ridge, owner Joe Scarlata brings authentic New York bagels to Asheville. A bagel-maker since 17, Scarlata spent two decades honing his craft in bagel shops in Long Island and Manhattan. Joey’s new location in North Asheville features scratch-made bagels, sandwiches, and deli classics, like lox and a schmear of house-made cream cheese.
  • Habibi Village – Tucked behind Liberty Café, this new truck serves fresh-to-order Lebanese flatbread, known as saj or manouche, made from gluten-free buckwheat, chia, and chickpea flour. Hot off a traditional convex griddle, the flatbreads can be filled with several options, like za’atar, goat cheese, and fresh greens.
  • Tortillas La Regia  - This new tortillería in Woodfin named after owner Luz Maldonado’s daughter, serves up fresh flour and corn tortillas — the ideal vessel for a trail-side lunch (the Mountain-to-Sea Trail and Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary are close by). La Regia also offers house-made salsas, sides, and desserts to-go.
  • Flour –This sidewalk café and bakery housed inside the historic S&W Market is preparing to add a second kiosk inside the historic art deco building. Flour’s Focaccia Sandwich Shop, opening in early 2025, will serve focaccia sandwiches, pizza, pastries, coffee, and drinks, including wine.

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 About Asheville

Asheville is where unrivaled natural beauty and bold creative expression meet. Tucked away in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, the city is steps away from some of the world’s most biodiverse forests and the tallest peaks in the East. For generations, Asheville has nurtured and inspired a compassionate community that’s deeply rooted and ever evolving – just like the ancient French Broad River that runs through it.