09.25.2023

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42º | Cloudy | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:40 a.m. | Sunset 5:30 p.m.

🍕 This is how Asheville cuts carbs

20+ places to get your pizza fix in Asheville

There’s no shortage of scrumptious slices around here. | Photo via @pie_zaa

Whenever we’re feeling saucy, we like to dig into a slice of local pizza. Asheville’s scene is bubbling with options — and we keep finding ways to top ourselves. If you’re on the quest for the perfect slice, we’ve pie-oneered a list of 20+ places to grab pizza that are definitely worth the dough.

Local legends

828 Family Pizzeria, 946 Merrimon Ave.
Pizza has been this family’s tradition since 1933 — plus, readers voted it their favorite Asheville pizza in our pizza bracket back in March, making it a slice you can’t miss out on. Get classic pizza, calzones, strombolis, and other Italian favorites, or opt for one of the special recipe pies.

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co., 675 Merrimon Ave., 77 Coxe Ave. + 1850 Hendersonville Rd., Ste. A
The original North Asheville spot is home to a dine-in theater so you can get your fill of film while you grab a legendary pie. The South Slope brewpub is where you’ll find the team crafting up some delicious beers, and the South Asheville locale devotes itself to delivery and pick-up.

asheville pizza and brewing — Is your mouth watering yet?
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Photo by Josh Loffer via @ashevillebrewingco

Fancier fare

Contrada, 28 Wall St.
Here you’ll find pizzas both classic and creative, served in a small downtown space with a bit of European flare. Dine on the Margherita or the Americano for a traditional slice or go for something adventurous, like the Cicoria.

Strada Italiano, 27 Broadway St.
An elevated downtown dining experience, this restaurant has a cozy, old-world feel to it. And even though you can order elegant dishes like Tuscan Duck & Figs or an array of rich pastas, you can’t go wrong with the menu of creative hand-tossed pizzas.

pizza and beer from white labs brewing co asheville — Pizza and a local brew is always a winning combination.
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Photo via @whitelabsbrewingcoavl

If you can’t take the wheat (or cheese)

White Labs Brewing Co., 172 S. Charlotte St.
Located inside an old yeast factory, this brewery has made pizza and beer a seriously delicious business. The team serves Neapolitan-style pizza (whose crust has been fermented for 72 hours) with just the right amount of wood-fired char — plus, you can sub vegan cheese, vegan sausage, and gluten-free crust.

City Guides are presented by Laura Dahl, Broker City Home Realty.

15 more pizza joints

Asked

What’s your controversial pizza opinion?

Do you avoid cold pizza at all costs? Are you breaking out your knife and fork for a slice? Are pickles actually a perfectly acceptable topping? This is a safe space to give us a pizza your mind.

Take a side

Events

Monday, Sept. 25

Tai Chi for Beginners | Monday, Sept. 25 | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Dragon Phoenix, 51 N. Merrimon Ave. #109, Asheville | $13-$15 | Practice the Yang 10 and 24 forms along with some Qigong exercises.
Dominion Duel | Monday, Sept. 25 | 6-9 p.m. | Well Played, 162 Coxe Ave. #101, Asheville | $7 | Claim your spot in the duel, and compete for merch, gift cards, and bragging rights.

Tuesday, Sept. 26

Intro to Senior Games Sports | Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | West Asheville Park, 11 Vermont Ave., Asheville | Free | Start practicing now for the 2024 Senior Games in the spring — each week in the series will cover a different sport.
Blind Date Live! | Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 7 p.m. | The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville | $22-$25 | Watch as real Asheville singles fall in love, sight unseen — don’t miss the pre-show mixer and post-show dance party.
Open Folk | Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 7-9 p.m. | The Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Ave., Asheville | Free | Join a silent audience for six songwriters playing three original songs each.

Wednesday, Sept. 27

Appalachia on the Table: Representing Mountain Food and People | Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 12-1:15 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville | Free with admission | Author Erica Abrams Locklear will speak about her new book before museum staff lead a conversation connecting book themes to selected works in “The Art of Food” exhibition.
Maggie Rogers | Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 7 p.m. | Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave., Asheville | $69.50-$75 | Settle in for a night of unforgettable folktronica, art pop sound on the artist’s Summer of ’23 tour.

Thursday, Sept. 28

Ashevillians Comedy Showcase | Thursday, Sept. 28 | 7-9 p.m. | Wrong Way River Lodge, 9 Midnight Dr., Asheville | $15 | Some of Asheville’s most beloved comedians are coming together for this monthly showcase.

Sunday, Oct. 1

Asheville Symphony Presents: Star Wars - Celebrating a Galaxy of Music | Sunday, Oct. 1 | 5 p.m. | Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr., Asheville | $33.75-$125 | Journey to a galaxy far, far away and experience your favorite musical moments from the Battle of Hoth to the Death Star run, exploring themes from Hoth, Tatooine, Mustafar, Coruscant and more.*

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News Notes

Transit

The City of Asheville has shared next steps for progress on the College/Patton Bike Lane Project after presenting the final design on Aug. 22. At the Downtown Commission meeting on Friday, Sept. 22, City staff provided a project update, and the City will be allowing public comment at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10.

State

After a delay of almost three months, North Carolina’s state budget passed the General Assembly last Friday, Sept. 22 after a Senate vote. The $30 billion budget includes pay raises for state employees, tax cuts, and infrastructure grants. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Closing

Ivory Road Café and Kitchen will be closing its doors for regular service on Saturday, Oct. 28. Before that date, the cafe will continue serving breakfast and lunch, and dining reservations will be fulfilled through December. Special events will proceed. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Outdoors

This event is for the birds. Join the Blue Ridge Audubon Society for Swift Night Out, a viewing of chimney swifts swirling + soaring over downtown rooftops. The free viewing will take place on the top floor of the Civic Center Parking Garage (68 Rankin Ave.) on Thursday, Sept. 28, 6:45-8:30 p.m.

Arts

Get your applications in now for the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival — submissions close this Saturday, Sept. 30. The Festival is accepting applications for innovative performances in dance, theater, poetry, comedy, music, improv + more that are 5-60 minutes in length.

Shop

Village Trade, an online pop-up community yard sale, is hosting its week-long Fall/Winter Exchange now through Saturday, Sept. 30. Shoppers will get to buy the merchandise online then pick up their purchases on Thursday, Oct. 5-Friday, Oct. 6 at one of four local spots (no parking lot meet-ups with internet strangers required).

Home

Are you big on home renovation or DIY projects that use power tools, chemicals, or heavy materials? Here’s what you need to know about “Personal Protective Equipment” (PPE) before you start your next project.*

Cause

Do you want more affordable housing in downtown Asheville? How about accessible medical care under the roof of a new YMCA? Project Aspire aims to make that possible. On Tuesday, Sept. 26, City Council will vote on the transformational project, a partnership between First Baptist Church of Asheville and the YMCA. Learn more or show your support.*

Shop

Calling all garden lovers. Shop the collection of annuals, perennials and crafts to the sounds of live music at the annual Fall Plant Sale and Market on Friday + Saturday, Sept. 29-30. The Market features unique plants grown in The North Carolina Arboretum’s Production Greenhouse and includes over 25 local growers and businesses.*

Drink

This brand believed there was a way to take water and make it a little more perfect by infusing it with fruit essences (but none of the gross diet sweeteners, calories, or sugar). And the fruit flavors really taste like fruit. Groundbreaking. Plus, new customers get 36 bottles for $36 + free shipping.*

Civic

💬 Seeking community comment

The Community Reparations Commission is looking for your feedback

pack square park with city of asheville buildings in the background

The Summit will let the public hear recommendations + provide feedback. | Photo by AVLtoday

Asheville’s Community Reparations Commission came from a July 2020 resolution supporting community reparations for Black Asheville, and since March 2022, the Commission has been working to outline recommendations for the City of Asheville and the Buncombe County Government. But these recommendations wouldn’t be complete without buy-in from the community — that’s where you come in.

On Saturday, Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the City, County, and the UNC Asheville Department of Education and Africana Studies Program will be hosting a Community Reparations Summit at UNC Asheville’s Sherrill Center to provide information to the public and collect community feedback on the draft recommendations. The draft includes short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations in five focus areas — criminal justice, economic development, education, health + wellness, and housing.

The Summit is free, but registration is required. Before the event, UNC Asheville will be hosting two free movie nights (plus, food trucks) on Monday, Oct. 2 and Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. to get the conversation started.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Molly

From the editor

If you’re looking for a way to give back with your good time, Highland Brewing has support for Maui on tap. The brewery has partnered with Maui Brewing Co. + other breweries around the country for the collaborative brew, Kokua. Stop by the Highland Brewing Taproom for this small-batch release — profits will be donated to the Global Empowerment Mission for wildlife relief.

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