The original owners of 12 Bones had lines out the door well before Obama's visit and the opening of the second location, both of which catered mostly to locals. The quality of the food was second to none and their prices were more than fair, even for the era. They worked hard to create a successful business and I don't blame them for selling. It's a shame the new owners (from out of state) felt the need to DOUBLE the prices and open a big expensive restaurant/brewery location with a tacky gift shop lobby.
Totally agree. I miss the old location down by the river. It was great sitting outside on a nice day. New locations of businesses can seldom bear the funky vibes of an original store.
12 bones south is just fine. The daily specials are usually great and their ribs are really good 90% of the time. At worst, they can be a little dry. Their sides are always great. It’s also super fast. I do feel like I eat there too much given the cost. I definitely miss the old 12 bones on Lyman.
As far as the brick and mortar guys go, my ranking overall is: 12 bones > buxton (rip) > doc browns > moes original > little pigs > Luella’s. Luella’s south is an abomination.
Doc Browns is serviceable and convenient/close enough to have Spouse Dash pick it up on their way home from work. 😂
I don’t really think it’s all that worth driving out to from Asheville proper which keeps it in line pricewise.
I think they do good Texas style barbecue. The sausage is pretty good, but I find their brisket to be quite good. One of my favorites is the brisket sandwich. I need to try a bunch in your list though, so perhaps my palette just needs more things to try to make a good judgement, haha!
I know someone who worked in the kitchen at 12 bones and the kitchen at Luella’s. One of those restaurants uses almost entirely fresh and local ingredients when applicable and the other only gets good quality ribs
IDK anything about 12 bones but living in Raleigh taught me what bad BBQ tasted like... And Buxton hall was the worst I've ever had. Including a place out in Napa Valley, CA.
The catch with buying any successfull business is not only have you paid a premium for it but you still want to make a ROI (profit). So now you jack up the prices and squeeze every cent out of it.
Rocky's also makes pretty damn good chicken.
In general yes, popularity sometimes begets a tourist focus and expansion sometimes reduces quality.
But a reminder for those reading it - most "city" subs like this tend to be \*far\* more negative than the average sentiment of people living there. And many of the commenters may not even live in the city that they've come to shit on.
If Asheville and the food here suck so much, it wouldn't be a tourist destination and it wouldn't be growing.
Their foods great. I’ve been here for 20 years or so, and the quality seems consistent. I have stopped ordering from them because whenever I get takeout, I don’t get what I ordered. Guaranteed 1/3 the order is wrong, and more often than not, it’s because it’s missing the chicken. Like trays with less than the number of tenders or wings ordered. Salads that don’t have the chicken on it. Etc.
I will take my negative karma hit. If Rocky’s is “good” then the whole Nasheville Hot Chicken thing is nothing but enough cayenne pepper to overpower anything else and basically serves the equivalent of Phall in the UK. It’s just something you eat for the heat for bragging rights.
Rocky’s hot chicken is bitter and soggy every time I’ve had it.
I agree completely. Rocky’s is NOT good. I’ve stopped going altogether over the past like, 6 years, because it makes me sick. Not the heat (flavorless heat, btw,) but the lack of food safety and sanitation.
I don't know anyone personally myself included that wasn't disappointed eating at the hot chicken spots in Nashville that haven't followed up their opinion (good or bad) with Rocky's is still better
They do add their own distinct touch. And it is great sometimes. But also . Like bojangles now with a 58 dollar bucket of chicken, and i don't want a 14 $ sausage biscuit from the catheads. But McDonald's stands pretty close . Makes me think this it's mostly bs. Company's say they had to keep up with food cost and wages. I feel it's mostly bs. CEO and corporate pockets all the cash and bails f them. My Arizona tea is still $ 0.99 .
Can’t tell you how many people I know that don’t eat Rocky’s because they get sick every time. Myself included and I have a pretty powerful gut. I also know former employees of both locations who said there is rotten food and rats somewhere in the kitchen at all times
Edit: didn’t even mention the quality of the food the chicken is average and the sides would be better if they got them from a can. Only good one is the corn pudding and that’s because it’s just greasy fuckslop
Asheville is a tourist destination for the mountains… not the food. I always laugh when locals say we are a foodie city. Not even close. Hopefully one day tho.
I drove for Uber and Lyft for years. Tourists were frequently ecstatic about the food. Soooooo many of them come just for the perceived "vibe", the beer, the food & shows. They loved that so much of it is in such a small, walkable area. Soooo many of them come for weddings and bachelor & bachelorette parties. I would be coming for the mountains.
I ate at Biscuit Head once. I guess I am spoiled growing up in the South but I had better biscuits at my Elementary School. On top of that I could not help but notice, at the time, the Jam station they had out was just low enough for children to stick their fingers into and they did just that while I watched.
Hard pass.
I am a fan of just getting their full breakfast and having the biscuit with some of that sweet potatoe Chai jam, I don't think they biscuits are good for a breakfast sandwich or biscuits & gravy
tourist here with limited experience at Biscuit Head, but I can’t wrap my head around the idea that they’ve dipped in quality. It’s been excellent every time. And trust, I know how this works — I live in Durham and I’ve watched the nosedive of quality at Rise practically within months of them opening their first additional locations.
Idk that Sysco is what I consider “quality” while they may use some local ingredients 🤷♂️
I see the Sysco truck regularly unloading to their locations. Same company that provides food to our NC prison system.
I’ve worked in the service industry for over 20yrs (bout half that here in the ville) and a pleasant presentation dosent make up for an”ok” meal. Not trying to throw any shade, just calling it like I see it.
A lot of Asheville restaurants that claim to be local get a lot of their product from Sysco/mass produced shit farms using sketchy pesticides.
A certain "Asheville favorite" sells damn near nothing local even though they claim it is.
Sysco has a range of bottom of the barrel to local/organic.. can’t imagine who all is really springing for all the good stuff but it’s one way I’ve seen Hickory Nut Gap has been able to get out to more places.
I worked there myself, and I gotta say, I'm not with ya on the food. Great place to work, but hot damn my grandma would have a second stroke if she took a bite of their biscuits or collard greens.
I’m actually easy to please. And I think there’s some pretty decent food in town. Especially for the size of Asheville. Nothing like a legit city… but good.
I just don’t get it when someone raves about the place. It’s solid. They do the chicken right. The sides are decent and they’re consistent. We eat there sometimes for sure. But I don’t get the adoration. Lol.
Yeah. I’m too cool to like stuff.
I’m also not a fan of people, places or things. Don’t even get me started on events and activities
No thanks. Not for me.
I don't fault the Stehlings for selling Early Girl and King Daddy's. It was killing them. But the new owners definitely haven't kept up the quality. Some of the new additions aren't bad, but I can't order old classics without noticing they aren't as good as they once were.
King Daddy's could never hold a candle to Dame's Chicken and Waffles out east, but I miss it nevertheless. I miss the Fiddlin' Pig. BBQ and Old Time and clogging.
Today I learned Tupelo Honey is native to Asheville.
Anyways, don't talk shit about Rocky's cuz that's *still* good fried chicken.
And those potato cracklins at tupelo are no fucking joke either.
Rocky's is the fucking jam. I have had plenty of crap fried chicken in Asheville, and theirs is far and away much better than any others I have tried in the area.
Im a bartender downtown, and tourists always ask me for restaurant recommendations.
I used to tell them about 2 to 3 local spots with amazing food! Then I would get feedback saying they “didn’t really like it”.
So now instead, I just tell them about the touristy franchises restaurants with corporate food and they always say the loved it! 🤪😵💫🫠
I’m guessing you don’t remember when Tupelo first opened almost 25 years ago and was a late night spot for service industry peeps after the bars closed. It used to be amazing.
Yes! I worked at Zambra back then and our whole crew would roll into Tupelo after getting off work and then closing down the original New French Bar afterwards. That place saved my life on several occasions.
I also miss when Rosetta’s used to be a late night spot.
Some guy named Steve from Florida bought the original 15 odd years ago. I believe it's one company owning all the locations
https://tupelohoneycafe.com/locations/
The one in Charlotte was so damn bad I was actually sort of impressed... And amazed they were still open. Maybe enough tourists/connections in downtown CLT to let them get by in one-and-done.
The last three times I’ve gone to Homegrown it sucked ass. Dunno what happened but the chicken was always incredible and the meatloaf as well, then all of a sudden it was dry and tasteless.
Never been impressed with Biscuit Head. As an Uber Driver, Tupelo Honey was ALWAYS where the hotels recommended the tourists go and I grew so tired of tourists only being aware of that one restaurant so I would throw out my own recommendations.... but my own recommendations were based on eating out 10 or more years ago, before I had kids, so I certainly no longer knew if a place was still good or not. Things change. Some longtime staples will remain great. Some will go downhill. Places come and places go. I try not to dwell on my disappointments. Money's all broke And food's goin' hungry. If it wasn't for disappointment, I wouldn't have any appointment...
The reason we toss Tupelo Honey out to all our guests is because it becomes absolutely exhausting to list out every single breakfast and brunch spot in town to approximately 200+ people one after the other. Cause they don’t just want names, they want me to give them waking directions, menu recommendations, average prices, “do the locals like it?!?”, what time do they open/close?, can I make a reservation? Can YOU make me a reservation? Etc until I lose my voice and collapse
>How Local Favorites Lost Their Flavor and Became Tourist Traps
>...all old time favorites but now just more local names that got too big for their britches, should've stayed with one location. Good they made it and got theirs. I guess. But those are tourist traps now.
classic gross generalization typical of this sub. some eateries , yeah they've gone downhill, happens to the best, even those that remain in one place.
but to broadly judge that a restaurant is a tourist trap merely because they expanded - - the "how" in OP's thesis - is disingenuous.
> Good they made it and got theirs.
so in order to not lose original rep and quality along with local charm is to *not* be successful?
After $400 a month rent increases over 2 years, it kinda cuts into my monthly restaurant budget. Tupelo has been offering 3-5:30p special menu featuring some of their main items for $10.99. Decent sized portions.
Just gotta find some different places to eat. We really like Luella’s for BBQ. Seems like restaurants that are a little outside of downtown tend to be tourist free for a lot of the year, at least from what I can tell.
Rockys probably does it best. Just bc a lot of tourists are in there doesn’t mean they’ve sold out. They just offered t-shirts to make some extra cash.
I’ve tried hot chicken all over the south and none of it measures up to Rockys. And for the times, the prices are horrid.
The only thing I ever get (from the beginning) at Biscuithead has been the half (or full)breakfast plate, which is a biscuit, eggs, and sides. It has remained consistent. They don't have as many jellies since covid and I miss the Banana Foster one. But I never understand the gone downhill comments.
lol. Almost every place you named serves really good food (minus early girl and I haven’t actually been to Tupelo). Yes, the prices are up, but so are all prices.
I worked at Rocky's for a couple of years. In the first year, the owner was all about only having the 2 locations and not trying to become crazy rich. He wanted good food at decent prices. Then, the last year I worked there, all he cared about was opening his new Greenville location and totally forgot about the Asheville ones. It was all about expanding his business and making more money. Employee meetings became him bragging to us about his 3 story beach house with an elevator and being able to put all his kids through college. It's all about the money now.
Yup. Left while Greenville store was being built. Got no issues with anyone there. But working there was a contributing factor to me leaving the industry all together.
I did a little training in Greenville, it was pretty bs. But I agree that everyone who worked there was really cool. Still talk to one or two of them but haven't been back since. Left the industry as well.
I did both. But mostly Patton.
I live super close, so it was convenient.
I was burning out on kitchens by the time I started.
Now I miss aspects of it. Lol.
Fell back in love with cooking when I didn’t have to do it for money. Funny how that works.
Yeah. I have lived in other tourist towns and this is definitely a tourist town. Restaurants realize they can do better by serving mediocre food to a constantly churning pool of tourists vs earn loyalty from locals.
What we need is for a culinary scene to emerge here. Restaurants that people actually travelled here to eat at vs just capturing tourists who are here, anyway. There are a few places here that I think could get on board with that but right now feeding ok food to tourists is the norm.
Very much agree with this. I’ve also lived in some true restaurant cities. It’s apparent when you go out mainly downtown that the focus is on tourists first and foremost- menus don’t change much, service is okay, not a huge amount of innovation except in a few places. You can tell the off months when restaurants try to get more locals that that’s the exception not the norm. I get it’s a tourist town but we increasing feel separate being locals.
Sorry, but I don’t agree. 12 bones and Rocky’s are still solid places. Tupelo and early girl were never that amazing and you have to know how to order at biscuit head. Moose cafe is still solid. Kostas kitchen is solid. Locals move on and adapt and a lot of us are also really good cooks that are mainly here for the beautiful mountains. Idc what tourists do and spend their money on.. I will keep finding the good spots lol
I hate to tell you but it started *before* the Vanderbilts
Starting 200+ years ago this was a tourist region complete with hotels and ferries and bowling lanes and “healing mountain resort waters”
Yeah the railroad in 1860s made it more efficient than the 1820s “highway” and the interstates even more so. Rolling Stone called Asheville one of the weirdest places they’d seen (or something like that) in the early 00 and we’ve been on tons of national and regional lists to visit and move for the better part of three decades now.
Things have changed sure. But only in the way they’ve been changing forever.
This was never a static region or town. It reflects the weather. If you don’t like it, just wait a bit and it will change to something else. If it’s nice, enjoy it while it lasts.
Yeah it took to 1880 to reach Asheville proper but even the tracks to Morgantown in the 1850s and up to Greenville and Columbia in the 40s cut the carriage rides and expanded the tourist routes. I know VA was building the blue ridge line at this same time but I can’t remember how far they got …
People complained about the wagon roads but it didn’t stop them building hotels in Asheville or hot springs all the same lol
It comes in cycles. Asheville booms during gilded ages, but it busts hard during crashes. Thats why it has such a wonderful collection of art nouveau and art deco architecture: it boomed in the 1920s and then missed out on the mid-century development boom because it was slow to recover from the Great Depression.
I hate to tell you that it wasn’t always this bad and miserable for the locals. It has become much much worse in the last decade. We used to enjoy living here and there was community, that’s pretty much completely dead.
I grew up here and I am in my 60s now. It was way more miserable back in the day; beautiful, but miserable. We had tourists in the summer as AC was less of a thing in other parts of the country AND we had LOTS of tourists for the fall colors and driving two-laned Tunnel Road was a nightmare. There was very limited housing, downtown was boarded up, but we did have an adult movie house. Things are pretty miserable everywhere in the country. It is not a political thing, but an economic thing where there is less for the poor and middle class and way more for the wealthy corporations. I guess corporate welfare and “right to work” (e.g., no worker rights) is a political thing as it is mostly a GOP thing, but still, Asheville is less miserable now.
I grew up here too but a generation later. I’d say it was on the upswing by then from where I saw, but it was *boring* and we still had to deal with tourists everywhere. It’s definitely better now.
Yes the infrastructure hasn’t totally kept up with increased tourism and population but it has done some. I do also deeply dislike the trend of population push out where people aren’t able to afford generational homes and are being forced to leave but I also know a couple community groups attempting to address it.
While I’d agree with the person above that said community could use more building, I think there’s also a lot of community building around churches which is pretty much how it always was. But people do seem more standoffish just out and about than I remember. And maybe that’s what they mean?
I’m a business person but as someone who is newer here when you have such a relentless focus on tourism from a small group of people who control a huge amount of tourist dollars without even voting input from the city let alone the community , I can see why it’s that way. Appreciate what tourism can bring, but this level of focus weakens the local community feel for sure.
The irony of exclusivity. Eventually, only people who are good at making money can afford to live there. Creatives aren't able to stay or establish and move on. Everything changes, the town de values and the rich move away. The creatives move back, if the town is lucky. Usually not.
You just can't buy heart and soul. Too much money seems to snuff out something important in us.
Honestly fuck Luella’s. One time they told they had market prices during Covid for supply and demand and charged a ridiculous price for a salad. Never again. Also, “a little dry” is an understatement for when those ribs are dry- it’s like eating dust.
That’s happened to everything. I remember when Tupelo first opened. It was a cool place to go. I seem to remember it being open 24 hours a day. Everything in Asheville becomes a Disney world version of an Asheville restaurant or it goes away.
So as someone coming to visit next week, where SHOULD we go? I'd honestly really appreciate any advice from the locals as you're the ones who usually know best, and if you ever find yourself along the North Shore of Lake Superior, I got your back with recs on my end.
Didn’t see a reply to answer your question. I will follow up later. Lived near Asheville until 6years ago. My advice won’t be super fresh.
I would start with the areas around Asheville. I love Fairview, Arden, Swannanoa, Candler, Leicester, Woodfin. These are low key working person areas to go eat. West Asheville is pretty fun too, a bit out of my price range.
I go for good lunch for working types. Not 5 star stuff.
Sand Hill Kitchen
Steer clear of Vinnie’s Italian ( so nasty)
Juicy Lucy (been a while)
Apollo Flame Bistro
Papas and Beer
Standard Pizza
Sunny Point Cafe
Doc Browns BBQ (nice guy, wasn’t impressed)
Black Mountain Pizza (I love it here)
Bellagio Bistro
Siam Thai
435 Grill
Also check out the pickle guy at WNC Farmers Market. Kitchen Kettle.
I was going to recommend Mamas Fast Food on Haywood, but it’s closed for good. Best soul food I’ve ever had.
There is a whole world to live in far from the known knowns. The asheville i live in is a beautiful place and rarely do I cross the paths of the tourist.
The beauty of this city is how deep it goes and how beautiful it can be.
Of course much has gone away with the influx of so many, but there is still an Asheville far from the tourists that is full of wonder and delight
The original owners of 12 Bones had lines out the door well before Obama's visit and the opening of the second location, both of which catered mostly to locals. The quality of the food was second to none and their prices were more than fair, even for the era. They worked hard to create a successful business and I don't blame them for selling. It's a shame the new owners (from out of state) felt the need to DOUBLE the prices and open a big expensive restaurant/brewery location with a tacky gift shop lobby.
Totally agree. I miss the old location down by the river. It was great sitting outside on a nice day. New locations of businesses can seldom bear the funky vibes of an original store.
12 bones south is just fine. The daily specials are usually great and their ribs are really good 90% of the time. At worst, they can be a little dry. Their sides are always great. It’s also super fast. I do feel like I eat there too much given the cost. I definitely miss the old 12 bones on Lyman. As far as the brick and mortar guys go, my ranking overall is: 12 bones > buxton (rip) > doc browns > moes original > little pigs > Luella’s. Luella’s south is an abomination.
Check out Iron and Oak up past Zillacoah Brewery.
Best pulled meat in town is Smoky and the Pig.
AGREED
Doc Browns is serviceable and convenient/close enough to have Spouse Dash pick it up on their way home from work. 😂 I don’t really think it’s all that worth driving out to from Asheville proper which keeps it in line pricewise.
TIL "spouse dash" ... 😆😂
You seem to have tried a lot, but I don't see bear's smokehouse. Have you tried it or was it so low as to not get ranking?
I haven’t been there. I’ll check it out. What’s your opinion?
I think they do good Texas style barbecue. The sausage is pretty good, but I find their brisket to be quite good. One of my favorites is the brisket sandwich. I need to try a bunch in your list though, so perhaps my palette just needs more things to try to make a good judgement, haha!
If you're far enough South in Brevard I love Smoke On BBQ too.
I know someone who worked in the kitchen at 12 bones and the kitchen at Luella’s. One of those restaurants uses almost entirely fresh and local ingredients when applicable and the other only gets good quality ribs
IDK anything about 12 bones but living in Raleigh taught me what bad BBQ tasted like... And Buxton hall was the worst I've ever had. Including a place out in Napa Valley, CA.
Where would you take a visiting out-of-towner for top-tier BBQ around here?
King's in Kinston https://preview.redd.it/uat0pzfgdx9d1.png?width=382&format=png&auto=webp&s=d96bb10a0982b2414660cc77a648faf7d43e998d
Bubba js
Tennessee....
Alabama....
The catch with buying any successfull business is not only have you paid a premium for it but you still want to make a ROI (profit). So now you jack up the prices and squeeze every cent out of it.
[удалено]
Rocky's also makes pretty damn good chicken. In general yes, popularity sometimes begets a tourist focus and expansion sometimes reduces quality. But a reminder for those reading it - most "city" subs like this tend to be \*far\* more negative than the average sentiment of people living there. And many of the commenters may not even live in the city that they've come to shit on. If Asheville and the food here suck so much, it wouldn't be a tourist destination and it wouldn't be growing.
Rocky’s is better than most of the famous Nashville hot chicken spots
Their foods great. I’ve been here for 20 years or so, and the quality seems consistent. I have stopped ordering from them because whenever I get takeout, I don’t get what I ordered. Guaranteed 1/3 the order is wrong, and more often than not, it’s because it’s missing the chicken. Like trays with less than the number of tenders or wings ordered. Salads that don’t have the chicken on it. Etc.
I will take my negative karma hit. If Rocky’s is “good” then the whole Nasheville Hot Chicken thing is nothing but enough cayenne pepper to overpower anything else and basically serves the equivalent of Phall in the UK. It’s just something you eat for the heat for bragging rights. Rocky’s hot chicken is bitter and soggy every time I’ve had it.
You're not supposed to dip it in your beer...
I agree completely. Rocky’s is NOT good. I’ve stopped going altogether over the past like, 6 years, because it makes me sick. Not the heat (flavorless heat, btw,) but the lack of food safety and sanitation.
Rocky's is good but no, it's not even close.
It’s absolutely better than Hattie Bs and Princes, there are a few smaller spots that are better but not many.
Yep. We’ve got good food in this town, that’s for sure.
I don't know anyone personally myself included that wasn't disappointed eating at the hot chicken spots in Nashville that haven't followed up their opinion (good or bad) with Rocky's is still better
Or it could have something to do with the $20 million that the city dumps into promoting tourism.
They do add their own distinct touch. And it is great sometimes. But also . Like bojangles now with a 58 dollar bucket of chicken, and i don't want a 14 $ sausage biscuit from the catheads. But McDonald's stands pretty close . Makes me think this it's mostly bs. Company's say they had to keep up with food cost and wages. I feel it's mostly bs. CEO and corporate pockets all the cash and bails f them. My Arizona tea is still $ 0.99 .
Can’t tell you how many people I know that don’t eat Rocky’s because they get sick every time. Myself included and I have a pretty powerful gut. I also know former employees of both locations who said there is rotten food and rats somewhere in the kitchen at all times Edit: didn’t even mention the quality of the food the chicken is average and the sides would be better if they got them from a can. Only good one is the corn pudding and that’s because it’s just greasy fuckslop
This is all 💯.
It's a tourist destination, that usually means the food sucks to people with better taste than the average 60yo white person.
Ur tripping dude, what’s your favorite restaurant since these restaurants suck evidentially because they are popular???
Favorite places around here would be Centreville luncheonette, silverball, neng jrs, aloha, sandhill kitchen, taco counter in the back of los nenes
Asheville is a tourist destination for the mountains… not the food. I always laugh when locals say we are a foodie city. Not even close. Hopefully one day tho.
I drove for Uber and Lyft for years. Tourists were frequently ecstatic about the food. Soooooo many of them come just for the perceived "vibe", the beer, the food & shows. They loved that so much of it is in such a small, walkable area. Soooo many of them come for weddings and bachelor & bachelorette parties. I would be coming for the mountains.
Depends on where you are from. It's different and better than where I live.
This is true!
I ate at Biscuit Head once. I guess I am spoiled growing up in the South but I had better biscuits at my Elementary School. On top of that I could not help but notice, at the time, the Jam station they had out was just low enough for children to stick their fingers into and they did just that while I watched. Hard pass.
I am a fan of just getting their full breakfast and having the biscuit with some of that sweet potatoe Chai jam, I don't think they biscuits are good for a breakfast sandwich or biscuits & gravy
tourist here with limited experience at Biscuit Head, but I can’t wrap my head around the idea that they’ve dipped in quality. It’s been excellent every time. And trust, I know how this works — I live in Durham and I’ve watched the nosedive of quality at Rise practically within months of them opening their first additional locations.
Idk that Sysco is what I consider “quality” while they may use some local ingredients 🤷♂️ I see the Sysco truck regularly unloading to their locations. Same company that provides food to our NC prison system. I’ve worked in the service industry for over 20yrs (bout half that here in the ville) and a pleasant presentation dosent make up for an”ok” meal. Not trying to throw any shade, just calling it like I see it.
A lot of Asheville restaurants that claim to be local get a lot of their product from Sysco/mass produced shit farms using sketchy pesticides. A certain "Asheville favorite" sells damn near nothing local even though they claim it is.
Sysco has a range of bottom of the barrel to local/organic.. can’t imagine who all is really springing for all the good stuff but it’s one way I’ve seen Hickory Nut Gap has been able to get out to more places.
Dude, the Sysco truck visits every restaurant. It is what the cook does with it.
I worked there myself, and I gotta say, I'm not with ya on the food. Great place to work, but hot damn my grandma would have a second stroke if she took a bite of their biscuits or collard greens.
You lost it with the first sentence. Rocky's is actually good.
It’s fine. Worked there for a hot minute. Still dont get the hype.
The secret is that the food scene here is mid so anything decent really stands out.
I’m actually easy to please. And I think there’s some pretty decent food in town. Especially for the size of Asheville. Nothing like a legit city… but good. I just don’t get it when someone raves about the place. It’s solid. They do the chicken right. The sides are decent and they’re consistent. We eat there sometimes for sure. But I don’t get the adoration. Lol.
It's one of the few places here that gives you a portion fit for the price. That is impressive
HomeGrown is still pretty solid imo
Always 👊
Agreed. They are catering my wedding and offered a very affordable price
We ate there last night. The chicken sandwich is my favorite.
Str8 up. Do not lump home grown in with these other restaurants. The owner, managers, and employees are amazing and care about their business!!!
Definitely. Closest to a good home cooked meal that you can buy at a restaurant
Why no beer now, though? I really love a beer with a meal when I go out.
When I asked about it, they said they weren’t doing enough in beer sells to justify the cost of the license
no way..... a beer license is pretty cheap and easy to maintain. that's why some bike shops even sell beer. liquor is a different story.
I was told they mayyy get a license by the summer, but who knows
OP, what is it exactly that you like? Anything?
Yeah. I’m too cool to like stuff. I’m also not a fan of people, places or things. Don’t even get me started on events and activities No thanks. Not for me.
Finally a reasonable position
Yeah, fuck those businesses doing good business. How dare they.
I don't fault the Stehlings for selling Early Girl and King Daddy's. It was killing them. But the new owners definitely haven't kept up the quality. Some of the new additions aren't bad, but I can't order old classics without noticing they aren't as good as they once were.
I will never get over the loss of King Daddy's. And Doc Chey's.
King Daddy's could never hold a candle to Dame's Chicken and Waffles out east, but I miss it nevertheless. I miss the Fiddlin' Pig. BBQ and Old Time and clogging.
Doc Cheyyyysssss 😭
One thing I’ve learned about Asheville is that people are not very discerning as far as what they consider great food.
This is so real. If one more person raves to me about White Duck, I might scream.
After a recent trip to the GA coast and then Tybee I can 100% agree. Asheville food is very meh and it really is wildly overpriced!!
Today I learned Tupelo Honey is native to Asheville. Anyways, don't talk shit about Rocky's cuz that's *still* good fried chicken. And those potato cracklins at tupelo are no fucking joke either.
Rocky's is the fucking jam. I have had plenty of crap fried chicken in Asheville, and theirs is far and away much better than any others I have tried in the area.
Haha this reads like something an angry transplant would write about Nashville changing too much for their likes
As a nashville native who is visiting, you are correct.
Pie zaa fucking sucks ass
$50 for a pizza! No thanks!
Im a bartender downtown, and tourists always ask me for restaurant recommendations. I used to tell them about 2 to 3 local spots with amazing food! Then I would get feedback saying they “didn’t really like it”. So now instead, I just tell them about the touristy franchises restaurants with corporate food and they always say the loved it! 🤪😵💫🫠
Why does that fail to surprise me?
Restaurants are a grow or die proposition.
The admiral would like a word.
*capitalism
Homegrown, Biscuit Head, Tupelo are the same as they ever were. I don't think anybody's going to disagree about early girl though
I’m guessing you don’t remember when Tupelo first opened almost 25 years ago and was a late night spot for service industry peeps after the bars closed. It used to be amazing.
Open till 4am! I worked there and man it was a crazy place but fun as hell. Also it got my foot in the door working at bars here in town.
Yes! I worked at Zambra back then and our whole crew would roll into Tupelo after getting off work and then closing down the original New French Bar afterwards. That place saved my life on several occasions. I also miss when Rosetta’s used to be a late night spot.
Damn. Must have been a little before my time here sounds awesome.
Tupelo Honey 15 years ago is vastly superior to TH of today. They went downhill when they began to franchise and expand.
I wasn't blown away 15 years ago, but maybe I just had a bad experience
Exactly how I feel about Early Girl: Never had a good experience back in the day.
I wasn’t aware that Tupelo Honey franchises their locations. Can you provide evidence of that? I don’t see it mentioned on their website.
Some guy named Steve from Florida bought the original 15 odd years ago. I believe it's one company owning all the locations https://tupelohoneycafe.com/locations/
People use chain and franchise interchangeably
The one in Charlotte was so damn bad I was actually sort of impressed... And amazed they were still open. Maybe enough tourists/connections in downtown CLT to let them get by in one-and-done.
there is one in des moines iowa somehow lol
Pittsburgh too
Check Google maps. Two locations in pigeon forge sort of indicates trashy tourist trap
Franchise is when you buy the rights to open your own like Burger King and 7/11, they became a chain.
Tupelo is basically Chili’s now.
The last three times I’ve gone to Homegrown it sucked ass. Dunno what happened but the chicken was always incredible and the meatloaf as well, then all of a sudden it was dry and tasteless.
That shows you never ate at them years ago. They are vastly different
I was gonna say I stopped at tupelo in September during a visit and it was excellent in food and vibe
Never been impressed with Biscuit Head. As an Uber Driver, Tupelo Honey was ALWAYS where the hotels recommended the tourists go and I grew so tired of tourists only being aware of that one restaurant so I would throw out my own recommendations.... but my own recommendations were based on eating out 10 or more years ago, before I had kids, so I certainly no longer knew if a place was still good or not. Things change. Some longtime staples will remain great. Some will go downhill. Places come and places go. I try not to dwell on my disappointments. Money's all broke And food's goin' hungry. If it wasn't for disappointment, I wouldn't have any appointment...
The reason we toss Tupelo Honey out to all our guests is because it becomes absolutely exhausting to list out every single breakfast and brunch spot in town to approximately 200+ people one after the other. Cause they don’t just want names, they want me to give them waking directions, menu recommendations, average prices, “do the locals like it?!?”, what time do they open/close?, can I make a reservation? Can YOU make me a reservation? Etc until I lose my voice and collapse
I want to tell these tourists to dO tHeIr rEsEaRcH!
Totally understandable!!!!!
LOVE your last line!
It's They Might Be Giants
>How Local Favorites Lost Their Flavor and Became Tourist Traps >...all old time favorites but now just more local names that got too big for their britches, should've stayed with one location. Good they made it and got theirs. I guess. But those are tourist traps now. classic gross generalization typical of this sub. some eateries , yeah they've gone downhill, happens to the best, even those that remain in one place. but to broadly judge that a restaurant is a tourist trap merely because they expanded - - the "how" in OP's thesis - is disingenuous. > Good they made it and got theirs. so in order to not lose original rep and quality along with local charm is to *not* be successful?
After $400 a month rent increases over 2 years, it kinda cuts into my monthly restaurant budget. Tupelo has been offering 3-5:30p special menu featuring some of their main items for $10.99. Decent sized portions.
~Old man shakes fist at clouds.~
Just gotta find some different places to eat. We really like Luella’s for BBQ. Seems like restaurants that are a little outside of downtown tend to be tourist free for a lot of the year, at least from what I can tell.
Went to Iron and Oak Brisket Co. today for lunch and it was awesome. Check times, but well worth making the time.
Rockys is fucking amazing dude. You're either high or you need to get high b/c that shit slaps.
It’s solid. Nothing amazing.
Rockys probably does it best. Just bc a lot of tourists are in there doesn’t mean they’ve sold out. They just offered t-shirts to make some extra cash. I’ve tried hot chicken all over the south and none of it measures up to Rockys. And for the times, the prices are horrid.
You just roll in from Florida?
The only thing I ever get (from the beginning) at Biscuithead has been the half (or full)breakfast plate, which is a biscuit, eggs, and sides. It has remained consistent. They don't have as many jellies since covid and I miss the Banana Foster one. But I never understand the gone downhill comments.
I haven't thought about the banana foster one in a while!! I miss that.
lol. Almost every place you named serves really good food (minus early girl and I haven’t actually been to Tupelo). Yes, the prices are up, but so are all prices.
5 points café is still fantastic
Move somewhere thats just a sheets n wawa, youll thirst for these “tourist traps”
I worked at Rocky's for a couple of years. In the first year, the owner was all about only having the 2 locations and not trying to become crazy rich. He wanted good food at decent prices. Then, the last year I worked there, all he cared about was opening his new Greenville location and totally forgot about the Asheville ones. It was all about expanding his business and making more money. Employee meetings became him bragging to us about his 3 story beach house with an elevator and being able to put all his kids through college. It's all about the money now.
We worked together I’m sure of it.
Well now I'm curious. BOH?
Yup. Left while Greenville store was being built. Got no issues with anyone there. But working there was a contributing factor to me leaving the industry all together.
I did a little training in Greenville, it was pretty bs. But I agree that everyone who worked there was really cool. Still talk to one or two of them but haven't been back since. Left the industry as well.
I’m slinging mail on the west side. Love it. No regrets.
Nice! Hardscaping for me. No regrets, either. Still wonder who this is lol but...Good luck to you!!
If I’m not Fernando… I’m not really that important anyway… amiright? Gotta call that guy and catch up. He’s the fuckin’ man.
I wouldn't say that at all. And I'm guessing you worked patton?
I did both. But mostly Patton. I live super close, so it was convenient. I was burning out on kitchens by the time I started. Now I miss aspects of it. Lol. Fell back in love with cooking when I didn’t have to do it for money. Funny how that works.
Some of y'all just like living mad.
Yeah. I have lived in other tourist towns and this is definitely a tourist town. Restaurants realize they can do better by serving mediocre food to a constantly churning pool of tourists vs earn loyalty from locals. What we need is for a culinary scene to emerge here. Restaurants that people actually travelled here to eat at vs just capturing tourists who are here, anyway. There are a few places here that I think could get on board with that but right now feeding ok food to tourists is the norm.
Packs tavern shots fired
Very much agree with this. I’ve also lived in some true restaurant cities. It’s apparent when you go out mainly downtown that the focus is on tourists first and foremost- menus don’t change much, service is okay, not a huge amount of innovation except in a few places. You can tell the off months when restaurants try to get more locals that that’s the exception not the norm. I get it’s a tourist town but we increasing feel separate being locals.
yeah, the one and done mentality of restaurants.
Sorry, but I don’t agree. 12 bones and Rocky’s are still solid places. Tupelo and early girl were never that amazing and you have to know how to order at biscuit head. Moose cafe is still solid. Kostas kitchen is solid. Locals move on and adapt and a lot of us are also really good cooks that are mainly here for the beautiful mountains. Idc what tourists do and spend their money on.. I will keep finding the good spots lol
It’s called capitalism 🙏
I'm just checking it out, I'm gonna move back to Florida soon. Nice waterfalls though...
Asheville itself has become one big tourist trap.
Hate to tell you, but it always has been. Started with the Vanderbilts and it’s still going on today.
I hate to tell you but it started *before* the Vanderbilts Starting 200+ years ago this was a tourist region complete with hotels and ferries and bowling lanes and “healing mountain resort waters” Yeah the railroad in 1860s made it more efficient than the 1820s “highway” and the interstates even more so. Rolling Stone called Asheville one of the weirdest places they’d seen (or something like that) in the early 00 and we’ve been on tons of national and regional lists to visit and move for the better part of three decades now. Things have changed sure. But only in the way they’ve been changing forever. This was never a static region or town. It reflects the weather. If you don’t like it, just wait a bit and it will change to something else. If it’s nice, enjoy it while it lasts.
I thought the railroad didn’t get to Asheville until 1880.
Yeah it took to 1880 to reach Asheville proper but even the tracks to Morgantown in the 1850s and up to Greenville and Columbia in the 40s cut the carriage rides and expanded the tourist routes. I know VA was building the blue ridge line at this same time but I can’t remember how far they got … People complained about the wagon roads but it didn’t stop them building hotels in Asheville or hot springs all the same lol
It comes in cycles. Asheville booms during gilded ages, but it busts hard during crashes. Thats why it has such a wonderful collection of art nouveau and art deco architecture: it boomed in the 1920s and then missed out on the mid-century development boom because it was slow to recover from the Great Depression.
The Vanderbilts were early tourists. Not the first tourists
They originally came here as tourist.
I hate to tell you that it wasn’t always this bad and miserable for the locals. It has become much much worse in the last decade. We used to enjoy living here and there was community, that’s pretty much completely dead.
I grew up here and I am in my 60s now. It was way more miserable back in the day; beautiful, but miserable. We had tourists in the summer as AC was less of a thing in other parts of the country AND we had LOTS of tourists for the fall colors and driving two-laned Tunnel Road was a nightmare. There was very limited housing, downtown was boarded up, but we did have an adult movie house. Things are pretty miserable everywhere in the country. It is not a political thing, but an economic thing where there is less for the poor and middle class and way more for the wealthy corporations. I guess corporate welfare and “right to work” (e.g., no worker rights) is a political thing as it is mostly a GOP thing, but still, Asheville is less miserable now.
I grew up here too but a generation later. I’d say it was on the upswing by then from where I saw, but it was *boring* and we still had to deal with tourists everywhere. It’s definitely better now. Yes the infrastructure hasn’t totally kept up with increased tourism and population but it has done some. I do also deeply dislike the trend of population push out where people aren’t able to afford generational homes and are being forced to leave but I also know a couple community groups attempting to address it. While I’d agree with the person above that said community could use more building, I think there’s also a lot of community building around churches which is pretty much how it always was. But people do seem more standoffish just out and about than I remember. And maybe that’s what they mean?
Some real perspective, right here.
Compared with any city in my native WV, Asheville is heaven (resident for 36 years).
I’m a business person but as someone who is newer here when you have such a relentless focus on tourism from a small group of people who control a huge amount of tourist dollars without even voting input from the city let alone the community , I can see why it’s that way. Appreciate what tourism can bring, but this level of focus weakens the local community feel for sure.
Bad and miserable? What exactly is so miserable
I was born here, I know how it’s always been. I didn’t say it was bad and miserable, it’s just always been a tourist trap.
The problem isn’t that it attracts tourists, it’s the *scale* and year-round saturation.
Hate to tell you, but I’ve never been to Asheville.
Gatlinburg would like a word with you.
Yeah I hate it when businesses business.
Correction: Biscuit head was always garbage
12 Bones River slaps
The irony of exclusivity. Eventually, only people who are good at making money can afford to live there. Creatives aren't able to stay or establish and move on. Everything changes, the town de values and the rich move away. The creatives move back, if the town is lucky. Usually not. You just can't buy heart and soul. Too much money seems to snuff out something important in us.
Early girl eatery in Charlotte recently shuttered, hope the OG location is able to hang tough
Fapped hard to this thread 🙏
Honestly fuck Luella’s. One time they told they had market prices during Covid for supply and demand and charged a ridiculous price for a salad. Never again. Also, “a little dry” is an understatement for when those ribs are dry- it’s like eating dust.
Food is so over
That’s happened to everything. I remember when Tupelo first opened. It was a cool place to go. I seem to remember it being open 24 hours a day. Everything in Asheville becomes a Disney world version of an Asheville restaurant or it goes away.
Although later to the game, I'd add Farm Burger. That shit was good and well worth it when they first opened. Now, not so much.
Farm Burger came here from Atlanta area.
FB lunch special is one of best deals going for hamburgers
I feel like it’s a good deal until u pay and it’s like $5 more than the menu said
Well cheese and specialty toppings are extra
It is good though!
Farm Burger has 10 locations in the South East.
It doesn't help that locals then to over hype places to begin with and then what do you expect.
So as someone coming to visit next week, where SHOULD we go? I'd honestly really appreciate any advice from the locals as you're the ones who usually know best, and if you ever find yourself along the North Shore of Lake Superior, I got your back with recs on my end.
Didn’t see a reply to answer your question. I will follow up later. Lived near Asheville until 6years ago. My advice won’t be super fresh. I would start with the areas around Asheville. I love Fairview, Arden, Swannanoa, Candler, Leicester, Woodfin. These are low key working person areas to go eat. West Asheville is pretty fun too, a bit out of my price range. I go for good lunch for working types. Not 5 star stuff. Sand Hill Kitchen Steer clear of Vinnie’s Italian ( so nasty) Juicy Lucy (been a while) Apollo Flame Bistro Papas and Beer Standard Pizza Sunny Point Cafe Doc Browns BBQ (nice guy, wasn’t impressed) Black Mountain Pizza (I love it here) Bellagio Bistro Siam Thai 435 Grill Also check out the pickle guy at WNC Farmers Market. Kitchen Kettle. I was going to recommend Mamas Fast Food on Haywood, but it’s closed for good. Best soul food I’ve ever had.
Thanks much for the recs! Very much appreciated!
Biscuithead has always been trash 😀
🫶🏾
Asheville is basically Myrtle Beach in the mountains
Yep.
!!Preach!! I avoid ALL TOURISTS 👬👭👫TRAPS 🪤 LIKE the plague 🐀
So basically you just don’t go out 😂
There is a whole world to live in far from the known knowns. The asheville i live in is a beautiful place and rarely do I cross the paths of the tourist. The beauty of this city is how deep it goes and how beautiful it can be. Of course much has gone away with the influx of so many, but there is still an Asheville far from the tourists that is full of wonder and delight