2025 brought 40+ fantastic new Asheville restaurants. | Gif by AVLtoday
Asheville’s food scene welcomed 40+ new spots in 2025, from ice cream to Indian food. Read through our full Restaurant Roundup to make sure you’re acquainted with all the new bites on the block.
Saffron India Barrel House | Indian
Once a Woodfin dive, The Barrelhouse was taken over by new owners and is now a scrumptious Indian spot.
Sistas on Montford | Soul food
Inside the Montford Convenience store, you’ll find hearty dishes like barbecue beef ribs, turkey wings with dressing, and oxtail with gravy — plus, classic comforting sides like mac and cheese and collard greens.
Asheville Acai Co. | Smoothies
Fuel your day with a smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruits, granola, and nut butters.
Deep Time Cafe | Coffee + tea
The specialty roastery is rooted in faith, employing and creating community with people impacted by incarceration. The roasters opened their first cafe in May, brewing drip, espresso, and tea.
Smokee’s Breakfast and Lunch | Sandwiches
The folks from Smokee’s Pizza are serving up hearty and delicious breakfast and lunch sandwiches, like the Thick Mister, with sausage gravy and over-easy eggs on a slab of focaccia.
AVLtoday is gearing up to debut The Brief, a new weekly business newsletter designed to keep you in the know without weighing you down. Think: the most relevant local business intel — news, podcasts, events, commercial listings, jobs, promotions, announcements, and more — all in one tidy, scroll-worthy place.
But before we hit “go,” we want to make sure we’re building something you actually want to read. Please take roughly 2 minutes (give or take a coffee sip) to answer a few quick questions and help us shape The Brief.
And because our products will always be free (we think paywalls are bad for biz), we’re opening up just FIVE industry-exclusive launch partnerships. If you want the inside track, email rjohnston@6amcity.com for details.
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Want in on The Brief, our new weekly business newsletter?
Take the quick 2-minute survey below to help shape it — and if you’re interested in an exclusive launch partnership, email rjohnston@6amcity.com.
Now that you’ve reviewed the list of Asheville’s newest restaurants in our Restaurant Roundup, it’s time to tell us your favorite. Bonus points for including your favorite dish.
Featured
The Inn on Biltmore Estate is featured among some of the country’s most coveted hotels on Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List. Magazine editors vote annually to recognize spots boasting the gold standard of service and hospitality. It’s not the first time the inn has made the list for its mountain views and Gilded Age comforts.
Outdoors
Asheville Parks and Recreation Director Tyrell McGirt shared a letter recapping the department’s accomplishments this year, including opening a temporary dog park and new community center playgrounds. Upcoming projects include a skate rink, pickleball complex, and Malvern Hills Park improvements. The letter also promises “exciting news regarding sand volleyball courts.”
Award
Seven finalists from across the US competed in the NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition, and Asheville local Susan Anderson took home the grand prize. Listen to her entrancing violin and evocative lyrics to prep for her upcoming six-song EP recorded at Citizen Studios, part of the grand prize package.
Real Estate
The average home price in Asheville is around $456,000. Within that range, you can get this 1969 Ranch-style four-bedroom home in West Asheville. Psst — there’s a wrap-around deck, multiple driveways, and an additional outbuilding.
Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity has helped thousands of Buncombe and Madison County residents access affordable housing, thanks to donors + volunteers. Give back this holiday season to help Habitat continue to build + rebuild homes, communities, and hope.*
Shop
If you’re a Costco shopper, you know about the $1.50 hot dog. But are you in on these other 10 lesser-known hacks all Costco shoppers should know about? We’re talking deals on everything from travel to tires.*
This new club is music to our ears. Meet Hotel Eve, Asheville’s newest speakeasy jazz club and cocktail bar, tucked in a North Lexington Avenue basement between Virtue boutique and the Dane Wells Gallery.
Notably, it isn’t a hotel, but you can “check in for spirits, soul, and jazz.” Slip into one of the dark red leather booths to enjoy timeless standards and exciting new compositions. See the schedule for the rest of the month, which includes special holiday shows and a New Year’s Eve velvet masquerade.
A 2026 planner to keep track of your events, to-dos, goals, and more. We love this best-selling weekly option that includes 12 months of monthly and weekly pages for easy planning + scheduling. Or, opt for this flower-adorned daily planner with monthly tabs, metal cover protectors, and a page for expense tracking.
Funny animals have long been internet favorites. Now, there’s an award for them. Over 10,000 entries were submitted for the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards, with these 16 snaps chosen as the best. You can hone your photography skills at a local birding spot like the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary, and maybe you’ll be among next year’s winners.
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