Fernweh, An Ache for Distant Places

10/4/24 Post-Hurricane Helene Addendum:
Helene struck western North Carolina last week with such violence that most of its small towns are currently underwater. The greater community is still trying to locate and account for all of its people. I am thankful that my people have all checked in but it feels hopeless to know there is nothing more tangible I can do to help them rebuild, aside from donating.

This destruction and devastation extends beyond Asheville into surrounding towns where even more people that I love still live and are in tremendous need. I could type volumes about the horror stories I have heard, but I won’t. Not here.

I have been putting off writing about Asheville until this point because it has always been a second home instead of a place I go to visit and leave again. The thought of publishing a blog about it made it feel some weird finality about it, as if I would not return, but I know I will. I have spent the last decade writing about western North Carolina more than any other region, and I will resume once these towns are rebuilt. 

I have no clue when that may be, or if anything will ever look or be the same, but this is the West Ashevillle I knew before Helene.

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The irony of the quote in this mural is tragic.

Asheville, North Carolina really hits the spot when it comes to healthy food, global cuisine, funky beers, street art, beautiful handmade goods, and world-famous breweries.

I am lucky to have “framily” there and I always look forward to seeing them, discovering new places, and settling back into old haunts.

Over the last few years, West Asheville has became my favourite part of town.

This is where you will find edgier alternative types mixed in with nouveau cowboys and mountain folks, all hanging at the same metal show.

Characterized by vintage shops, locally-owned small businesses, unique breweries, quirky bars, and loads of murals, I am sure you can imagine why I love it so much.

If you are familiar with East Nashville, it is basically the same vibe.

The neighbourhood is basically Haywood Road, the main road through West Asheville for more than a century.

Most of our favourite spots are in the roughly 1.3 miles stretch between Fleetwood’s and The Odd, west of downtown and west of the French Broad River. Here are some of them.

COFFEE SHOPS, TEA HOUSES, & BAKERIES
I have always admired Asheville for its cafes and bakeries, and enjoyed seeing more of them in the small surrounding mountain towns.

Hole Donuts is such a treat in every sense. We shared the vanilla glazed, cinnamon sugar, toasted almond, and sweet curry donuts with a perfect cup of coffee.

I am not usually wild about donuts but this place is an exception, and each time we have been, I just want to go back even more.

The counter is set up so that you can watch the donuts being made from scratch, from start to finish, from the baker’s hands to your plate.

This painting in the bathroom is everything. I have seen this artist’s work in other spots around Asheville but unfortunately the name was not legible for me.

Anyone know? I would like to buy a print!

The Owl (Old World Levain) Bakery is ran by an acquaintance and it is a lovely little yellow building full of delicate, imaginative, European-style treats.

We liked the coffee, orange spice croissant-muffins, rosemary caramel tarte, and chocolate cookie.

Dobra Tea House offers tea service, small bites, and regular classes/events. I prefer the floor seating with pillows but there are some great window seats for people watching.

We had the Moroccan mint tea service with cheddar biscuits, miso, and a cookie.

They have two Asheville locations, and both are lovely.

Izzy’s Coffee Den is a long-time favourite where I have often found myself milling about in between plans with others while I am in town.

Me, with a London Fog, and a few moments of quiet is a snapshot I will always see in my mind when I think of Izzy’s.

Like Dobra, they also have two locations in town.

Rabbit Hole Bakery is adjacent to/part of Sunny Point Cafe, and it is one of the cutest, most whimsical places.

Their pastry case makes me want to panic buy everything, but ultimately I chose a carrot cake cream pie and a pimiento cheese scone as my prize.

Kota Kai Coffee Library is a new one for me. My friend and I just visited for the time in September of 2024, three weeks before Helene struck the region.

I love how they have each type of coffee set out like a story so you can learn about the region it comes from and what sets it apart from other brews.

RESTAURANTS & BREWERIES
Asheville has so many top notch restaurants that showcase food from all of the world, and I do not think you could live there long enough to try or tire of everything.

Something new is always opening, some new pop-up is always trying out new collabs, and I have not had a meal in the whole city that I did not enjoy.

Haywood Common became an immediate favourite the first time I went. I am not even embarrassed to say that I made my friend go four times in one single month.

We savoured everything we ordered, from the kimchi Bloody Mary and Old Fashioned with charred oranges, a rosemary fizz cocktail, to the Thai buffalo chicken sandwich, chicken & pear Banh mi, Korean pulled pork, brunch burger, chicken & waffles, and a breakfast wrap with loads of cheesy lemon crema and Benton’s bacon.

Here is their Thai buffalo chicken sandwich and the chicken & pear Banh mi sandwich:

French Toast with strawberries and whipped cream:

Salmon eggs benny with salad:

Brunch burger with mushrooms, cheese, and pickled onions:

We have interacted with about a dozen staff members and each person was absolutely lovely, the interior is cozy and intimate without any pretense, and I am hooked.

Speaking of hooked, The Whale shares a building and side patio with Haywood Common and serves up local and imported craft beers.

They have a penchant for German beers, so obviously I like this place too.

Inside there is a full-scale whale skeleton that hovers gracefully across the entire ceiling, but the best part is Bear.

This sweet chow mix has sadly passed away since I drafted this blog seven years ago, but I always remember him and his little purple tongue sticking out the side of his mouth.

He was a good, Good Boy.

Jargon is a handsome joint with a fantastic jazz brunch and lots of gold mirrors, which reminded me a little of my house.

Another theme is refurbished wooden objects and art. The tables here are made of repurposed bowling alley flooring panels; something I have not seen done before.

The bathroom walls are made of wooden Scrabble pieces and pretty rustic lights.

We took on a few different items from the menu- the pork belly omelet with crispy string onions and potatoes, the eggs benny with lox and hollandaise, and sun-dried tomato quiche.

Jargon offers luxury cocktails, Surf ‘n Turf, burgers, casseroles, french toast, and some lighter fare for brunch on Sundays.

HomeGrown is known for sourcing their menu from local farms, and I enjoyed their buttermilk chicken sandwich with sprouts, lettuce, pickles, pickled onions, and horseradish mustard.

WALK (West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen) knows a secret for making macaroni and cheese, and I want in.

It may not look like much in the photo but there were so many rich flavours in the sauce that I still think of it months later.

The Caribbean pork sandwich with pineapple jerk slaw was satisfying too.

Bottiwalla is where we had dinner during my last visit, and I am kicking myself for not going sooner.

We both got the Malai grilled chicken that has been marinated in yoghurt, cream, garlic, ginger, and cardamom. It reminds me a lot of  Reshmi kebab.

I am very much NOT an okra fan, but these spicy okra fries are one of their top sellers.

Nine Mile, Taco Billy, The Admiral, Rocky’s, Early Girl Eatery, and Itto Ramen Bar are a few more places I never managed to take photos of inside so I am making a note here for the future.

BARS/BREWERIES
The Low Down is one of the newer businesses to join West Asheville, though the owner also operates the long-standing Crow & Quill in downtown Asheville.

They are a personal friend of mine and I was actually planning to return the week after Helene hit for a highly anticipated visit.

In either case, both bars are classy AF, just like the owner.  Here is a photo shared from The Low Down’s Instagram page:

Fleetwood’s on Haywood Road is a bar, vintage shop, chapel, and more. You never know what you might walk into there, but it will be something good.

Whether it’s a thrift treasure or a new favourite band, I always leave with an exciting new find.

We blessed the Lemmy Kilmister shrine on Dia de los Muertos last year.

Fleetwood’s is just the kind of place to see rowdy rock and roll and sideshow acts.

But there is plenty of seating to carry on conversations with friends.

The Odd (fka Odditorium) is another old standby for most of my friends.

It has always been an anything-goes type of place with some killer bands, low key crowd, alternative events, rad murals, etc.

They recently got a new paint job and all the crazy sideshow art is gone. I am not fond of the new exterior at all, but things change and we must change too.

DeSoto Lounge
Just across the street from Haywood Commons is DeSoto Lounge which has a barcade and a private outdoor patio area.

We tried the Cuban sandwich with salad, and the Chicken Waffles which comes with a spicy maple syrup.

The barcade in the back is a really chill space.

One World Brewing is a funky spaceship themed brewery in West Ashe but there is a downtown location as well. I tried the fascinating indigo Slumbeer seen below:

Like every other place in Asheville (sending a big wink to my pal Jim), they often host pop-up vintage sale events with eclectic vendors, live DJs, lots of dancing and silliness.

Haywood Country Club “ain’t no goddamn country club” as the giant banner inside proclaims.

They advertise as being the middle-ground between swanky lounges and grungy dive bars, with an “affordable cocktail program” I have only learned about on their website.

Most importantly, check out this mural that covers the exterior of the building.

Archetype Brewing West, Westville Pub/All Sevens Brewing, Diatribe Brewing, Haywood Lounge, and Leo’s House of Thirst (Wine Bar) are all on my list for the future.

SHOPS
Firestorm Books is a self-described “a worker-owned and self-managed “anti-capitalist business.” 

Tragically, I have not been inside yet, but I always drive by and admire the murals. This will be the first shop I visit when I return, fingers crossed. 

Whist, Instant Karma, Harvest Records, the go-to place for vinyl, are all rad places to visit and pick up gifts.

You all know by now that I kind of hate shopping, but damn it if I am not a sucker for plants and rocks, so I really like Chlorophyll Plant Shop and this new metaphysical place with crystals that I can not recall the name of.

They had just opened and the guy who owns it invited us into his synth lab in back. I wish I could say this happened to me every day.

You will find lots of salons, tattoo shops, and other service businesses in West Asheville, and many more we have not visited yet.

The most difficult part of publishing a blog before I have been able to visit each place and experience it to the fullest is having the sense that I am not doing everything justice, but until we can all go back to support Asheville and see what its future holds, this will have to do.

In the area for a while or looking to get outside of Asheville? Follow me to Marshall, Hot Springs, Wayenesville, Weaverville, Sylva, Black Mountain, Hendersonville, or Brevard, and don’t forget to subscribe!

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