Sweet Asheville: Indulging in a Day of Desserts

Breakfast:  

City Bakery

City Bakery has two locations, one downtown at 60 Biltmore Avenue, and one close to downtown at  88 Charlotte Street in North Asheville. They specialize in artisan breads and pastries, and also have a lot of breakfast and lunch options. Open at 7am, it's one of the earlier places to grab a delicious egg and cheese sandwich on a huge cheddar scallion biscuit along with a hot cup of coffee. 

Explore:

French Broad Chocolates  

At 11am on Saturdays the French Broad Chocolate Factory, located at 21 Buxton Avenue in the South Slope, offers $10 guided tours for an in-depth look at the chocolate making process and facilities; at the end of the tour you get a 10% coupon to use the same day at the retail store, or the Chocolate bar library up on Pack Square (they open at 11am too). They also offer short guided walk-through every half hour between 2pm-5pm, for free!  

 

Lunch:

The Soda Fountain at Woolworth Walk

For lunch have a classic BLTor Reuben at the restored lunch counter inside the Woolworth Walk, and pair it with a milk shake, malt or egg cream, or follow your lunch with a banana split.

Shop:

Chocolate Fetish 

Across the street is one of Asheville’s oldest downtown businesses, the Chocolate Fetish. They’ve been making award-winning chocolate since 1986. Take home a boxes of truffles, or turtles, or rounds - oh my!

Dinner

The Blackbird Restaurant

The Blackbird Rum Balls

The Black Bird, below the Aloft Hotel at 47 Biltmore Avenue, has good food and a great atmosphere with big open windows at street level for people watching. Enjoy a Crispy Warm Goat Cheese and Berries salad with Heritage Chicken, Grilled Seafood Risotto, or Local trout entree, and end with a huge slice of the Southern Custard Coconut cake.

 

Late Night Dessert

Old Europe Pastries

Old Europe Pastries at 13 Broadway has been serving European-style desserts in downtown Asheville for almost 25 years. They also serve delicious coffee drinks and wine, and are open until midnight on the weekends, the perfect way to end your day - especially since European desserts aren’t as sweet as their American counterpoints. Their macarons are especially good - made fresh each day in multiple flavors, they’re soft and cushy and delicious, also try the French Creamy, Tiramisu, or Godiva Cheesecake. 

Espresso Roulade and Wine at Old Europe Pastries (Photo by Bev Hollis Photography)