Molly & Sebastian
Our AVL Guide
High Five Coffee
Arguably the best espresso in Asheville - three locations, all good. We've added the address for the downtown location. My favorite drink here is a latte with cinnamon, cayenne, honey and sea salt (previously called "El Diablo", recently renamed "Cess Pool of Cinnamon").
OWL Bakery North Asheville
From Christmas morning hauls to birthday cakes - this is our go-to spot. On an ideal day, we're eating croissants and pain au chocolat dipped in El Diablo's (see High Five rec).
Taco Billy
Excellent breakfast tacos, right across the street from Hole Donuts. Two birds, one stone. No wrong orders, however, we have favorites: the Migas with a crispy cheese underbelly and the Mama's Favorite with a plantain tortilla (my Haitian mother approves).
Hole Doughnuts
Ok - this place is very special, the mecca of donuts. The pilgrimage begins with picking which of the 4 daily flavors you want, then you sit down and witness perfect rings of leavened dough plop into the frier - made to order every time. Once golden and crisp with egg shell thin bubbles, you feel yourself coming closer to a higher power - the doughnut is glazed and tossed with your choice of crunchy - toasted hazelnuts, sesame ... fruit loops. Lastly, you are presented with the most perfectly balanced bite - hot, crunchy, chewy, lightly sour, not-too-sweet - and meet your maker in the process.
12 Bones Smokehouse
Best BBQ off of the North Caroline Blue Ridge, make sure to order the collards. In true Asheville fashion, the building doubles as a brewery. Order at the bar in the back to skip the line.
All Souls Pizza
A rare pizza restaurant: wood-fired, sourdough pizzas utilizing freshly milled, local grains. Toppings are seasonal, such as nettles. Excellent sides as well. Tangential: I used to sell bread at the RAD farmer's market next door (in addition to UNCA, see below) for David Bauer, one of the founders of All Souls. He would often bring me a pie at the end of my shift. I really loved what they were doing, so much so, I took my high school friend group to All Souls before prom. Even more tangential: At the time, I was also working part-time at Chipotle to save up money to travel before starting college. My favorite colleague was Steven, a young guy from Florida, moonlighting as a pizza cook at our local mall's Sbarro. He spontaneously treated himself to All Souls without me knowing, and had such a religious experience that he went back for dinner the next day. The day after that he quit his jobs at Chipotle and Sbarro and moved over to All Souls - he is fondly known as "Pizza Steve".
Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack
Lucas and I broke 10 years of vegetarianism over this fried chicken. Worth it. Also, ideal hangover cure.
Taqueria Muñoz
North Carolina has increasingly phenomenal Mexican food, and Asheville is no exception. Post-one-too-many-PBRs, order an horchata in a large, styrofoam cup and chilaquiles topped with fried eggs.
Zillicoah Beer Co.
This riverside brewery is back, rising out of the mud from Hurricane Helene. Crisp beer, food truck at the ready, excellent outdoor space - check, check, check.
Sovereign Remedies
This place marks the spot where I had my first legal drink, purchased by my father, at 12:05 am on Christmas Eve on my 21st birthday. For 10 years running, Sovereign Remedies has been my family's go-to spot for a pre-dinner drink or nightcap.
New Belgium Brewing Company
Another classic Asheville Brewery right off of the French Broad River. Conveniently located near Taco Billy and Hole Donuts.
The Orange Peel
Read: "Cool, independent music venue that pulls everyone from Keys and Krates to The Killers to Indigo De Souza to Cherub to MJ Lenderman." Similar to Cats Cradle for our Chapel Hill friends. Lucas and I went to our first concerts here, mostly Canadian EDM artists.
UNC Asheville Tailgate Market
This Saturday farmers market has amazing produce farmers, bakers, cheese makers, butchers... and it's my favorite place in the city. This is where I had my first and best job, selling bread and pastries for Dave Bauer (co-founder of All Souls Pizza) throughout high school. A few years later, after graduating from UNC, I found myself selling produce for Gaining Ground at this market. Most recently, I cooked a dinner with my friend Vitor at the Applewood Manor in 2024, and sourced most of the ingredients from this market. If you go, pop by: *Gaining Ground, say hi to Anne *Spinning Spider Creamery, say hi to Cullen *Silvermoon Chocolate, say hi to Truth-I and order a chocolate shot
Town of Marshall, NC
This charming town, right on the river, is less than a 10 min drive from Weaverville and 25 mins from downtown Asheville. If you want a change of scenery, or just a quieter area to explore - head to Marshall for a coffee and banana bread at Zuma, some new Carhartt from Penland & Sons, or a beer at Zadie's. Marshall is close to my family's hearts: In high school, I would ride my bicycle through this town most weeks - descending from Leicester and recharging at Zuma. In 2021, my parents moved to the town (now they reside just outside) and Lucas started working at Zadie's as a line cook. And by September 2024, Hurricane Helene had put Main Street 10 ft under - one of the most devastating images from the storm. The town is back up-and-running, but it's been a journey - I would be remiss not to steer you this way.
Blue Ridge Parkway - Craggy Gardens Visitor Center
On your way to Mt. Mitchell, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you'll pass a visitor center with a spectacular view. It's a dramatic scene, bottom of the saddle on the mountain ridge, flanked by rockfaces and fields of Rhododendrons. You can climb up a mile for an even more spectacular view, or walk through the forest for a slightly shorter distance until a beautiful pasture opens up to you.
Mount Mitchell
Tallest peak East of the Mississippi (and the view that many of you have on your save the date). It's a bit of a drive from downtown Asheville, however, it does provide an excuse to stroll along the Blue Ridge Parkway, pull into a Vista and snack on some produce from the UNCA tailgate market. There are multiple hiking trails spiraling Mitchell, including the Mountains-to-Sea stretching from Cherokee Nation to the Atlantic. Lucas and I woke up one morning at 5am and hiked from our house in North Asheville to the top of Mt. Mitchell.
Greybeard Trail
*if you want a challenge* head to Montreat College and go up a 4.7 mile wall to the top of Greybeard. You'll be rewarded with creek crossings, Rhododendrons and a 180 degree view of the Blue Ridge at the top. Save enough energy, and water, for the walk down.