What I Ate in Asheville, NC (Savory)
I previously wrote about the sweet treats I ate in Asheville in April 2018, but the savory meals I enjoyed are worth mentioning as well. Above you'll see the Organic Tofu and Avocado Sandwich from Rosetta's Kitchen. The herb walnut sauce and sourdough bread put it over the top!
I also enjoyed the Family Favorite which includes peanut butter-baked tofu, and a side of kale that was cooked perfectly. Buchi Kombucha also has a kombucha bar inside the restaurant, so I had a flight of kombucha. My favorite was the Fire Kombucha which has ginger, cayenne, and other spices. I've been able to find it locally which makes it even better.
Laughing Seed Cafe provided us with such a delicious lunch that we went back for Sunday brunch. Though it was served on a white plate, above is the Blue Plate which includes tofu scramble, biscuits and gravy, grits, seitan sausage, and breakfast potatoes. The biscuit was the highlight for me -- it was so doughy that it felt borderline undercooked, but it wasn't, and it was perfect. I also recommend getting the Cinnamon Buns!
North Carolina, along with many other places in the south, prides itself on its barbecue, so it was cool to visit Bonfire Barbecue who includes a vegan option on their menu thanks to No Evil Foods. There wasn't much else vegan, though the baked beans and fries were safe side choices. If you go to Asheville, you may not want this at the top of your list since it's super animal meat-heavy.
No Evil Foods actually operates out of Asheville, and the local Mellow Mushroom includes NEF's plant based meat on their menu. I had never eaten at a Mellow Mushroom before, and I loved the ambiance and customer service. And the fact that they have vegan pizza options is great, of course.
I honestly loved my time in Asheville, and I can't recommend it enough. It's set in the mountains so there's beautiful scenery all around. We drove up into the mountains quite a ways along the Blue Ridge Parkway and even saw a mama bear and two cubs in the forest! There are lots of cute stores in town, and it's super vegan-friendly. I'd love to go back for Vegan Fest at some point.