If good beer were all Asheville, North Carolina, had to offer—and with nearly two dozen breweries and the nickname Beer City, USA, it has a lot of good beer—we’d still hop a flight. But beer is just the start of what’s happening here. The combination of creativity and drive that fueled the craft brew movement has also inspired a scene where food, booze, music, and art are booming. Pedigreed chefs and mixologists—not to mention artists and musicians—keep moving in. They’re lured by the scene, sure, but also the mountain locale and hippie vibe. New spots offering everything from Indian street snacks to barrel-aged cocktails to riffs on traditional Southern food continue to raise the bar. Which means that Asheville may be America’s best small city to eat and drink right now. We’d bet our biscuits on it.
Go on one of Asheville’s many brewery shuttle tours to get a feel for the sudsy scene. Or better yet, customize your own drinking schedule—just remember to designate a driver. Here are four essential stops on any beer crawl.
The city’s most innovative brewery has a huge bar at its original location up the hill, but try this intimate new space for its more out-there beers, featuring lists titled “Sour” (try the Serenity ale) and “Funky.” Impressive salty snacks, too!
Edgy location? Check. Food trucks? Got ’em. A raucous scene? That, too. This River Arts District brewery has a buzzing patio and food from trucks like El Kimchi (yes, Mexican-Korean).
Dartboards on the wall and (non-American) football on the TVs give this low-key space a pubby atmosphere. Beers run from a classic ESB (perfect for watching footy) to more adventurous pours, like the refreshing Thai Farmhouse Ale, brewed with kaffir lime and ginger.
Traveling with kids? ABC’s Merrimon Avenue outpost is your Disneyland. Sip an Escape Artist Pale Ale or its jalapeño-kissed cousin, Fire Escape, at the bar while your little darlings scarf (very good) pizza in the arcade or take in a movie. No, you’re not a bad parent, you’re a wise parent.
You may have come for the beer, but you need to eat. Fortunately, the food here—from Indian street fare to classic Carolina barbecue—is worth its own visit.
Chef Katie Button's line-generating tapas place lives up to the hype—and there’s a lot of it. Sit at the bar, sip a Rebujito cocktail, and watch them slice Ibérico ham. The order: Clams in cider.
After inventing Foothills Cuisine at Tennessee’s acclaimed Blackberry Farm, John Fleer moved back to his home state to open this spot, which riffs on Southern food traditions. The order: Pickled shrimp and fried green tomato.
This Southern gastropub has a deft touch with charcuterie—from duck liver pâté to lardo and turkey rillettes—and all things fermented and pickled. The order: Any of the “Jars.”
Obama ate here. Unlike politics, however, the mahogany-glazed ribs are something everyone can agree on. (Note: closed weekends. The order: The 12 Bones.
We’re not sure how authentic Bombay Chili Cheese Fries and the ground-lamb Sloppy Jai are, but the Indian street food here is so good, so vibrant, we don’t care. The order: Dahi sev papdi (think nachos with mashed potatoes).
The pizza outpost of Farm & Sparrow bakery, where chef David Bauer mills all the grains used in-house. Grab a loaf of its heirloom grit bread on the way out. The order: Cremini, kale, and mozzarella polenta pizza.
The rustic design only adds to the charm of this doughnut shop on West Asheville's Haywood Road. The order: Toasted almond doughnuts with cinnamon and sesame.
Lest you forget this is the South, you’ll be reminded at breakfast, when biscuits dominate menus—just the thing to establish a foundation for a day of sampling beer. Three to try:
Both always-packed locations serve massive “cathead” biscuits, best eaten smothered in one of seven gravies. (Bonus: You can order a flight of three!)
A fried-chicken biscuit is the move at this locals’ hang. Another local pro move? Top with honey and hot sauce.
A downtown favorite, most likely within stumbling distance of your hotel. Go with the classic country ham, eggs, and cheese. A side of grits is the ideal dip.
Asheville has a surprising wealth of tasty late-night, er, comfort food. The best is at the Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge (open until 2 a.m.), where the gooey bacon cheeseburger will practically take you home and tuck you in.
You came to Asheville to drink, which means that at some point you’ll need an antidote. End the night at Sovereign Remedies with the Pre-Hangover Tonic (it’s all about the milk thistle). Wake up with Nourish & Flourish’s Scarlet Runner juice, made with fennel and cucumber.
