Travel the world (with your taste buds)

10+ international grocery markets in Asheville

The rice bags pile high at Radha Grocers. | Photo by AVLtoday

Asheville has a remarkable array of international markets, especially when you consider our city’s size and location.

Whether you’re crafting an exorbitant seven-course Chinese Thanksgiving dinner, looking to broaden your culinary horizons, or searching for an ingredient that tastes like home — we hope this guide to international markets helps you map out a delicious meal.

African + Caribbean

Kente Kitchen Market, Virtual
Find extraordinary West African flavors, including sauces made from okra, palm butter, and palava from this e-commerce grocery service.

Wadadli Dessert Oasis, Virtual
Find specialty, vegan + plant-based items like wild harvested sea moss, mushroom patties, island chai tea, and hot pepper sauce.

Middle Eastern

Gypsy Queen Cuisine, 807 Patton Ave.

This Lebanese eatery and small grocer has scratchmade pastries, honeyed nuts, pomegranate molasses, Lebanese cheese, fresh pita + beyond.

Kims-oriental-international-grocery-stores-asheville-nc-avltoday — We’ll never say no to kimchee, especially from Kim’s Oriental.

Asian

Radha Indian Grocers, 813 Patton Ave.
Find piles and piles of spices, ghee, and rice, along with plenty of pre-packaged curry, chutney, samosas, and other fun flavors to feast on.

YZ Asian Market, 22 New Leicester Hwy.
There’s no lack of choice at this labyrinth of a marketplace, which includes walls of pantry goods and spices, fresh fish on ice, a live tank of crab + lobster, and a colossal frozen food section.

Taqueria-Fruteria-Munoz-international-grocery-stores-asheville-nc-avltoday — Browse a variety of hot peppers at Taqueria Muñoz.

Latinx/Hispanic

Taqueria Muñoz, 1438 Patton Ave.
Come for the best tacos in town (yeah, we said it) — and while you’re there, explore the attached tienda which is brimming with fresh mangos, avocados, papayas + stacks of Latin American pantry goods and spices.

Tienda los Nenes, 1341 Parkwood Ave. Suite 110
This spot has it all: a butchery, a salsa bar, specialty spices, and gorgeous, towering shelves of freshly baked pastries.

MORE MARKETS THIS WAY

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Today

Empire Strikes Brass | Fri., Sept. 23 | 9 p.m. | Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave. | $25+ | This kickoff party for the NOLA Brass Fest features Empire Strikes Brass + Funk N Around with King Garfield.
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears and Cedric Burnside | Fri., Sept. 23 | 8 p.m. | Salvage Station| $25 | These two musicians explore the wide world of blues.
Hi-Wire’s End of Summer Blowout Drag Show | Fri., Sept. 23 | 9:30-11:30 p.m. | Hi-Wire Brewing-Biltmore Village, 2 Huntsman Pl. | $10+ | Brenda the Drag Queen will host this end of summer party, with tunes spun by DJ Lil Meow Meow.

Saturday

Blue Ridge Pride 2022 | Sat., Sept. 24 | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Free | Celebrate the LGBTQ+ community at this annual pride extravaganza.
Zwanze Day | Sat., Sept. 24 | 11 a.m.-10 p.m. | The Whale | Free | Celebrate experimental, small-batch lambic beers with tunes from local DJ Kipper Schauer and a worldwide Zwanze toast at 3 p.m.
New Orleans Brass Fest: Asheville | Sat., Sept. 24 | 3 p.m. | Salvage Station | $20+ | This NOLA-style music festival includes performances from Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Joint Killer Brass Band, and Da Truth Brass Band, plus New Orleans cuisine, arts and crafts, and beyond.
Asheville Fitness Sampler | Sat., Sep. 24 | 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | The Meadow at Highland Brewing, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy. | $25 | Start the fall feeling strong with six back-to-back sampler workouts from area fitness instructors.
Seed Saving Workshop | Sat., Sept. 24 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Rd. | Free | Join experts from the Buncombe County Extension Master Gardeners + learn the basics of harvesting, processing, and storing seeds.
Community Playdate | Sat., Sept. 24 |10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Rabbit Rabbit | Free | Families with children ages 1-8 can sign up to receive bikes, books, crafts, health supplies + a free giveaway.
Pridetoberfest | Sat., Sept. 24 | 11 a.m.-10 p.m. | Wicked Weed Brewpub, 91 Biltmore Ave.; Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Ave. | Free | This event features special release beers, live polka music, food specials, a drag show at Funkatorium + more while benefiting Blue Ridge Pride and Campaign for Southern Equality. 🍻 *

Sunday

Drive Electric Car Show | Sun., Sept. 25 | 12-4 p.m. | Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd. | Check out a variety of electric vehicles, including e-bikes, electric mopeds, scooters, solar, and cars.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

Now entering: Asheville’s golden age of robotics

🤖

Most robotic automation is complex and expensive, but Ally Robotic’s programming-free robots represent a step forward for affordable automation. | Photo provided by Ally Robotics

The year is 2022. Robotics company CEO Mitch Tolson is tasked with automating production in a popular fast food chain — and he invents a new type of robot to do it.

It’s not science fiction — Ally Robotics has created a first-of-its-kind scalable robot that bypasses the need for programming and learns by watching humans work.

Ashevillians are invited to invest in robotic technology (a $114 billion market) before it rolls out across agriculture, construction, and manufacturing industries — the investment deadline is Thurs., Sept. 29.*

INVEST

Weather

73º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain ☀️

Eat

Yiassou! The annual Asheville Greek Festival returns to action today, Fri., Sept. 23-tomorrow, Sept. 24 at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (227 Cumberland Ave.). Drive through for plates of Greek meatballs, moussaka, pastichio, spanakopita, and chicken riganato. Boxes of baklava + other pastries will also be available. 🇬🇷

Transit

Buncombe County has proposed potential solutions for service industry workers who have struggled with high parking fees in downtown Asheville. One idea is to initiate an affordable parking program at Sears Alley Public Parking Deck. Learn more. 🚗 (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Festival

The Art on the Island Festival returns to Marshall’s Blannahassett Island tomorrow, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The gathering will feature demonstrations from glass blowers, blacksmiths, basket makers + fabric dyers, plus live music and a robot-building workshop. 🤖

Learn

There’s a new, affordable learning program in WNC, thanks to a partnership between Folkmoot USA and retired local dentist Dr. Darryl Nabors. The Folkmoot Life Long Learning program offers six-week courses on topics like improv comedy, genealogy + Swedish weaving. Classes are $20 for all six weeks. 🎓 (Mountain Xpress)

Cause

Want to honor National Public Lands Day tomorrow., Sept. 24? One idea: volunteer to help clean up Max Patch with Carolina Mountain Club. From 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., volunteers will help rebuild the Appalachian Trail that crosses Max Patch, as well as the blue blaze access trails. Register to participate.

Outdoors

A miles-long stretch of the French Broad River has been placed on the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s impaired list. These impaired (read: polluted) sections include the Swannanoa River and segments near the River Arts District. Want to help? Learn more about Riverlink‘s work to protect the region’s watershed. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Award

Congrats to the Buncombe County Health & Human Services Department on winning Large County Health Department of the Year. The department was recognized statewide for its equity-focused approach to COVID-19 vaccine outreach, staff trainings, and other COVID-19 response programs. 🏆

Holiday

Sundown on Sunday marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. People who observe this holiday typically enjoy apples and honey in hopes of having a sweet new year. It runs until the evening of Tues., Sept. 27. Shana Tova!

Community

Show your support for local journalism by joining the AVLtoday membership program. Membership has some awesome perks like exclusive birthday deals, discounts from our online shop, Six & Main + more. Plus, 100% of membership funds help support our local editors — that’s us, Brook + Laura. Learn more + sign up. 💻

Arts

Starting tomorrow, the National Geographic Photo Ark will be on view at the North Carolina Arboretum. This traveling exhibition features over 50 dynamic photographs by National Geographic photographer and Fellow Joel Sartore, whose goal is to document every living species in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries worldwide. The exhibition will be on view through early January, 2023. 🐅 *

Shop

Time to feel the fall breeze + enjoy the autumn leaves with the Fall For Your City Sale happening now on Six & Main, AVLtoday’s online shop. Take 20% off the entire Fall For Your City Collection now through Sun., Sept. 25.

Wellness

We’ve all been there — trouble falling and staying asleep is infuriating. Your mind races, you toss and turn, and the harder you try, the harder it is to drift off. Healthycell is a new, drug-free, pill-free sleep supplement to help you fall asleep faster, sleep deeply + wake up refreshed. Use code 6AM for 20% off.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

A new installation that honors the Cherokee legacy of craft

Center for Craft unveils a new public art installation that honors Cherokee

A rendering of the ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket. | Courtesy of Center for Craft

After years of planning and cross-cultural collaboration, “ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket” will be unveiled to the public in front of the Center for Craft on Sat., Oct. 15.

In what’s now downtown Asheville, the public art installation and accompanying parklet marks a historic former “trading route on the ancestral land of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and symbolizes the living cultural legacy of the Cherokee and their rich contributions to craft.”

ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket also honors the ancient craft of Cherokee basket making with its colors, structure, and materials. The basket’s chevron design, cut from steel, will also function as a drain for rain, snow, and ice.

The project has been led by consulting Cherokee artist ᎺᎵ ᏔᎻᏏᏂ Mary Welch Thompson, with support from Asheville-based organizations Osgood Landscape Architecture, Iron Maiden Studios, Ironwood Studios, and a committee of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians educators.

Interested in attending the unveiling? The event kicks off Sat., Oct.15 and runs from 1-4 p.m. There will be live craft demonstrations, a meet + greet with the consulting artist, and a Cherokee Fry Bread pop-up. Register to attend.

THE WRAP

	Today’s issue was written by Laura. Editor’s pick: Did any of y’all make it out to last night’s Good Hot Fish Pop-up? I’m still thinking about the pork belly and red shrimp dish, which was served with sorghum caramel. I can’t wait until Chef Ashleigh Shanti’s forthcoming restaurant opens up. Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn how you can help write the future of Pack Square Plaza, here.
Read More

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Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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