Tupelo Honey Cafe

On a recent visit to Asheville, North Carolina, I was anxious to try some of the great restaurants I’d heard about. In the end though, my husband and I found ourselves gravitating back to the same restaurant over and over again - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - because it was absolutely delicious. We just couldn’t resist it. Tupelo Honey is a must if you’re in Asheville looking for some incredible Southern comfort food. This macaroni and cheese was probably the best I’ve ever tasted - rich and creamy, with delicious bits of bacon and other wonderful ingredients mixed in. Definitely not a diet food but worth every calorie!

I discovered a new favorite restaurant during a recent trip to Asheville, North Carolina. Tupelo Honey Cafe (http://www.tupelohoneycafe.com/) offers the best Southern food I’ve ever tasted, from creamy macaroni and cheese and tender po’ boy sandwiches to crispy fried chicken and gooey pecan pie. As soon as you take your seat, you’re greeted with a piping-hot butter bisquit straight out of the oven served with a side of sweet homemade blueberry jam - a little slice of heaven. Aside from its delicious soul food, Tupelo Honey also offers two things a lot of Southern restaurants don’t - several healthy alternatives to the standard calorie-laden fried and creamy Southern dishes, and a full separate menu with gluten-free options. If you find yourself in the beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, I highly recommend a stop at the delicious Tupelo Honey Cafe. Although my husband and I went to Asheville intent on trying all the great restaurants our friends had told us about, we enjoyed Tupelo Honey so much that it became our go-to restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Walking in to Tupelo Honey Cafe, after you’ve waited in line for a coveted table, you may not immediately know what makes it different from the usual restaurant serving traditional Southern fare. Head chef Brian Sonoskus has broken away from tradition to serve Southern favorites in a way that pays homage to everything one loves about okra, grits and fried green tomatoes -- but with a punch those items have always lacked. If you’re at Tupelo for brunch, do not even think about skipping the Moonswine Mary. Your first sip will illustrate Brian’s technique perhaps better than anything else on the menu. He has managed to create a Bloody Mary that isn’t simply a hangover cure but is a can’t-get-enough scene stealer. It’s a concoction of moonshine that’s been infused with bacon and jalapeño plus tomato juice and pickled okra and it’s truly divine. If you’re looking for something a little less savory and a little more sweet, the Lohito also features infused moonshine and packs a punch that will leave your mouth watering for more long after you’ve moved on to shopping or a tour of The Biltmore.