A Fancy Foodie Weekend at the Albemarle Inn in Asheville

Asheville, where have you been all my life?!

Honestly, Asheville would probably respond, “In the western part of the state, dummy. You know that place where you rarely hang out? You’re the one always talking about ENC. Why don’t you get out and explore North Carolina more?”

Touché, Asheville, touché.

But seriously, after a few days in this mountain city, I can honestly say that I had one of the fanciest, foodie-est weekends of my life. I was overwhelmed with both the quality (and quantity!) of amazing food establishments in Asheville and the wonderful experience of staying at a cozy (there’s no other word for it!) bed and breakfast, the historic Albemarle Inn to be exact.

All I could think was, “Ummm, we should do this more often!”

We checked into our room – Juliet’s Chamber – at the Albemarle Inn after dark, but the assistant innkeeper showed us around the property, including key features like a kitchen containing non-alcoholic drinks and small snacks for the guests and also a corkscrew and wine glasses should we need them. Charlie was very excited that the Christmas decor was still up in early January, and it did make the already lovely old home feel a bit magical.

Located in the Grove Park District, the Inn is only a quick Uber away from downtown Asheville, so we grabbed some wine from a nearby shop (tip: go to the gas station if it’s closed!) prior to our dinner reservations that night. There are also dining options nearby if you feel like staying super close for the evening, including a very cool gas station turned Asian restaurant that I was dying to try.

Cúrate

About our dinner. I can’t not mention it. Cúrate is a Spanish tapas place that lives up to all of the hype and the press that it receives. Get reservations for dinner. And letting the waiter help you pick dishes is a must, as ours pointed out a few dishes that we wouldn’t have chosen ourselves (but which ended up being our favorites).

Among those suggestions was lardo. I am a convert and it is now the center of my world.

Yeah, it’s pig fat. But it’s Iberico pig fat. Melted over crostinis and sprinkled with flakey sea salt and paprika. AMAZING. It was surprisingly light yet rich, and we could have eaten ten plates of it. Too bad we had to move onward and try more things…

But we still weren’t done with the ham. We had to try some regular Iberico ham too. Obviously. It even came with a little pan con tomate.

And because it’s Spanish food, of course we had to order some of the most well-cooked pulpo we’ve ever had.

And another server-selected entree, one of the most expensive plates on the menu, but also one of the most life-changing, was MORE Iberico ham, this time in the form of a grilled pork steak. This guy literally could do no wrong.

Other plates not pictured (because I ate them before pulling my camera out or because they were less photogenic in the lighting, not because they were less delicious mind you) included the migas (sautéed brussels sprouts with yogurt mousse), lamb skewers, piquillo peppers stuffed goat cheese, chorizo with potato purée, and the crema catalana for dessert.

After a meeting of the minds, Charlie and I decided that this may have been one of the best meals of our lives (yes, even up there with this one).

Bed AND Breakfast

But wait, what about the breakfast component of our stay? About that. Rosemary, one of the owners of the Albemarle Inn, prepared a fabulous multi-course breakfast each morning. We were extremely impressed (and full) by the end of each meal. Just have a look…

And that’s just from the one of the mornings. There’s more…

Not pictured, because I couldn’t control my desires, was a tasty eggs benedict.

Oh, and you can have breakfast taken up to your room if you would like. And you can eat it in your robe. Maybe even on your balcony if you’re in Juliet’s Chamber…

Charlie had a little work to do, so I hand-delivered his madeleines to him (the diva traveler strikes again!) and we spent the morning hanging out in our room. I mean, understandably so.

We had a beautiful canopy bed, a sofa, and a little table in the corner for work… or wine glasses.

And in the bathroom, a clawfoot bathtub and other nice touches like a make-up towel.

I was a big fan of our room. But if you do venture out into the rest of the house, you can relax in the den or on the huge front porch. You can even get married! There was actually a wedding onsite while we were there.

Don’t worry, we got out of the way and headed into town…

Because we had to go to a…

Food Tour!

I planned our High Roller Food Tour with Eating Asheville while I was still in South America. You guys know I love a good food tour (see Bangkok and San Juan) and this might’ve been the best one ever. I realize most of this post sounds like hyperbole, but Asheville honestly blew me away.

Yes, it could’ve also had something to do with choosing a food tour that included drink pairings…

Our tour included eight stops, beginning with the Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar – what a novel concept (HA HA! puns!) – where we tried pimento cheese spread and a smoked trout dip. The rest of the tour led us to Table, where we’d later return for drinks, and Cucina 24 where we’d return even later for dinner.

So yes, this food tour will provide you with plenty of great recs for eating and drinking during your stay in Asheville.

There was a blur of tapas and sangria at Zambra, farroto with a parmesan crisp at Isa’s Bistro, and the most amazing creation of a deviled egg I’d ever tasted alongside a cocktail at Nightbell (the Cúrate chef’s other restaurant). We finished the tour with a a raviolo at Strada Italiano and a hot chocolate and truffle at French Broad Chocolates.

The amount of food provided by Eating Asheville was plentiful to say the least! And such a fun time. We then rolled away into the evening, in search of cocktails downtown with our new friends from the group.

---

The next day, we reluctantly checked out of our room at the Albemarle Inn and headed off to do a little brewery tour of our own. But not before saying goodbye to our wonderful host, Rosemary, and taking a couple of photos together.

So everybody, get to Asheville now! It was such an incredible surprise. And if you go, I can highly recommend this B&B as a place that will really make you feel at home… especially if your home is a grand, historic, beautiful place with delicious food. (Okay, okay, it’s better than home! It is a Four Diamond property after all.) The city has so much to offer, and the Albemarle Inn provides a comfortable jumping off point to explore it from… or not, because lounging in your room is also a totally valid option as well.

I was a guest of the Albemarle Inn for two nights in coordination with Select Registry, but of course, all opinions are my own. This place is amazing and I’d never steer you wrong!

Have you guys stayed in many B&Bs? And am I the only one who’s been missing out on the excitement that is Asheville?