In September 2024, Asheville North Carolina and the surrounding mountains faced the unthinkable when a hurricane (or what was left of it) brought flooding and devastation to the region. More than a year after Hurricane Helene, local businesses in Asheville want people to know one thing… they’re open for you. Unfortunately, there are some exceptions – locations that were too heavily damaged and will never reopen. But here’s our attempt to highlight those that we found on a recent visit that are open and serving again!
First, we can report that long-time favorite downtown spots like Top of the Monk and Imperial did in fact survive both the pandemic and Hurricane Helene. Top of the Monk in particular is worth the wait for seats, even if you have to stand out in the cold for a bit. Their cocktails are top notch and where else can you pick your own snacks from an apothecary cabinet?
Speaking of apothecary… we’ll go with that theme for our first few highlights. How about a fantastic cocktail bar that also makes its own liquor? Antidote is a relatively new spot in the South Slope area – new construction that looks like it’s right out of the 1920s. They have creative cocktails and a wonderful Black Manhattan on the menu as well as tasty charcuterie and other bites. They’re part of the Chemist Spirits distillery, which offers their own gin, vodka, and whiskey. This is a #tipsypick!
There’s also a place downtown that makes their own natural wines and cider! Botanist and Barrel is a cool little spot where you can get wine and cider by the glass or by the bottle. The staff is excellent at helping you navigate and taste the options… and there are lots! They also have guest bottles for purchase and a cool atmosphere perfect for hanging out. This is an ideal mix of bottle shop and wine bar!
Changing tracks, you know we love a good speakeasy! The Crow & Quill fits that with an unmarked door down a side street. But it’s worth the hunt because this place always delivers great cocktails and some live music along with a very cool vibe that fits the theme. Their Smoked Old Fashioned is one of the best around and you have to see for yourself how they add the smoke! This place is less of a secret now that they were named one of the best in the country by USA Today. Find out for yourself why this is a #tipsypick!
We also love great historic buildings that find new life as places for great drinks. That would include The Times Bar and Coffee. This eclectic spot used to be the S&W Cafeteria back in the day – as in 1929. It was also home to the Asheville Times newspaper for many years. Now it’s home to a coffee shop in the morning that turns into a beautiful cocktail spot at night, complete with high ceilings and chandeliers. The drinks are top notch, with their takes on classic cocktails including the Rob Roy, Rusty Nail, Sazerac, Daiquiri, and too many others to mention… even barrel aged and smoked if you prefer!
For creative cocktails in an underground vibe – literally – Farmese Cocktail Lounge is a great spot! This basement space has lots of great areas to relax for a drink – think wood and leather furniture. Customer service is a winner – the bartender even apologized for running out of “big rock” ice before he made our drinks, which were still very tasty.
Some others worth mentioning – 5 Walnut Wine Bar is a welcoming space with a great wine list and food options. They often have live music! Rankin Vault is billed as a cocktail lounge, but they are very popular for their burgers, which we can agree are fantastic! There is even a room that was a bank vault… the door is still intact. And Curate’ has a wonderful food menu with tapas, wine and cocktails.
Do yourself (and these businesses) a favor and make the trip to Asheville and give them some love! Stay tuned because next time we’ll share some cool places we found in a couple of neighborhoods just outside of downtown in our next Off the Tipsy Path post.
