Sure, Asheville may be known as “Beer City,” but our cup runneth over when it comes to incredible wine options. Don’t believe us? Take it from Wine Spectator, the esteemed wine magazine, which named 11 Asheville establishments among its 2025 Restaurant Awards, celebrating the world’s best restaurants for wine.
Best of Award of Excellence winners
This distinction is for restaurants typically offering 350+ wines, showcasing a variety of growing regions, and serving as a destination for the “serious wine lover.”
Posana and The Dining Room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate each brought home the honor this year, with the publication noting both of their specialties in Californian and French wines.
We’re awarding bonus points for ambiance.
Photo via Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar
Award of Excellence winners
This award is given to restaurants boasting at least 90 selections that thematically match the food menu, meant “to satisfy discerning wine lovers.”
Steel Pulse: “50th Anniversary Tour” | 7-10 p.m. | French Broad River Brewery | $41+ | The reggae revolutionaries perform their genre-defining music that has spoken to generations of listeners.
Thursday, July 3
Summer Splash Water Day | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Jake Rusher Park | Free | Dive into a world of water-themed activities and beat the heat with an array of aquatic adventures.
Friday, July 4
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” | Friday, July 4-Saturday, Aug. 2 | 7:30 p.m. | Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre | Free | Watch as mystical mischief and magical mayhem unfold in the beloved Shakespeare comedy.
4th of July at The Funk | 1-5 p.m. | The Funkatorium | Free | Enjoy live music in the Funk biergarten with Red Rock Hill + Reedy River String Band, plus AVL Downtown Association’s 4th of July Block Party in the South Slope starting at 5 p.m.*
Saturday, July 5
Dry July Nonalcoholic Tasting | 12-3 p.m. | NØLO | Free | While you’re shopping inside Atomic, sip on booze-free beverages from the NA bottle shop.
Art After Dark Market | 7-9 p.m. | rEvolve buy-sell-trade | Free | The vintage shop will transform into an art market, showcasing the works of 10+ talented local artists while bumpin’ tunes and pouring drinks.
Sunday, July 6
Sunday Swing Dance | 6 p.m. | Highland Brewing Company | $10 | Start with a lesson before dipping into the open dance session, with live music from Mary Kay and the Moonlighters — no partner required.
Monday, July 7
Gary Clark Jr. | 7 p.m. | Asheville Yards | $65+ | Rock and blues guitar meets a syrup-rich voice with Grammy-winning artist Gary Clark Jr. Singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun opens.*
ALDI’s Swannanoa River Road location will host a grand reopening on Thursday, July 10, following months of rebuilding from the damage caused by Helene. The grocery store will also present a $10,000 donation to MANNA FoodBank to support recovery in the area. Bonus: The first 100 shoppers will get an ALDI swag bag.
Eat
Leo’s House of Thirst is now serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner — just look at the decadent waffles, egg sandwiches, and espressos that await you this morning. Pro tip: In addition to the lunch menu, Leo’s has a soup, salad, and sandwich special for $25.
Coming Soon
Chemist Spirits is sticking with its pre-Helene plan of opening a second bar in Biltmore Village, expected to open by the end of the year. But there’s plenty of buzz coming from its South Slope bar, Antidote, as it’s pivoted to add coffee and tea to the menu, opening daily at 8 a.m. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Outdoors
Beginning Monday, July 7, the east side of Weaver Park will be closed to build a new playground, walking path, and give the ballfield a makeover. The temporary closure includes the picnic shelter, restrooms, basketball court, baseball field, and walking loop. Improvements are expected to be finished in early 2026.
Number
More than $35 million. That’s how much recovery funding the Community Foundation of WNC (CFWNC) has distributed to date through the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund. Just last week, $1 million was distributed, with recipients including Fuller Center Disaster Rebuilders for new homes and RiverLink for streambank repair.
Edu
The CFWNC has also awarded a $200,000 grant to UNC Asheville’s STEAM Studio, funding the Community Lumber Project. Students will mill trees downed by Helene to turn them into lumber, offering it for free or at discounted rates to local organizations for rebuilding projects.
Kids
Well Played Board Game Cafe just announced a new summer camp for middle schoolers. The week-long, half-day camps have two themes: Board Game Bonanza and Dungeons and Dragons Week. Spots are limited — sign up the kids for some screen-free gaming.
Civic
FEMA representatives will no longer be onsite at the county’s Helene Recovery Center at 94 Coxe Ave. As federal resources shift, state and local partners and resources will remain available at the center, which is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Plan Ahead
October will be here before you know it, so you can go ahead and grab tickets to Burial’s 12th annual Burnpile. Psychedelic rock band Allah-Las and eclectic alt-country outfit Rattlesnake Milk will headline the music + beer fest, with tastings from 60+ breweries (the most yet).
1 million. That’s how many working professionals subscribe to Superhuman AI to learn the latest AI skills, tools, and news. Sign up for free.*
Category
Culture
Thrive in the second half of 2025
Is there anything more beautiful than a sunset in Asheville? | Photo by @jeffreylukesutton
Just like Jon Bon Jovi, we’re halfway there. Woah.
At 12 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2, we’ll be at the exact midpoint between the start and end of 2025. And that got us thinking: How can we make the second 182.5 days better than the first?
Get active | If your New Year’s resolution was to get your heart rate up, Asheville’s gyms, yoga studios, and run clubs are the place to be. Lucky for you, we have guides for all three.
Make new friends | Whether you’re a born and bred Ashevillian or a transplant to our beautiful city, there are plenty of ways to make friends here. From kickball leagues to gaming clubs, here’s how to find new connections.
Find a new hobby | Expand your skill set by learning to cook, tapping into your creative side, or even stepping on stage at a local theater.
Save money | Filling your days with fun experiences doesn’t have to mean emptying your pockets. Here are 20+ fun and free activities here in Asheville.
The Buy
Save up to 70% at local restaurants, spas, museums, gyms, and more with curated deals from Groupon. New deals appear every day so you can discover your next “why-didn’t-we-do-this-sooner” at the click of a button.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
But in more intense hot dog news, DSSOLVR is looking for competitors for its “Four Feet to Hell” hot dog eating challenge. If you think you can eat four feet of dogs, throw your name in the ring for a chance at glizzy glory.
}})
