Farm to Table Restaurants in Asheville, NC
Posted by Kelby Carr on Well Fed on the Town.
There is something divine about biting into a fresh-picked piece of produce like a slice of ripe tomato or sliver of strawberry. The farmer’s tailgate markets in the Asheville area are just beginning to open for the season, and there are 45 of them to choose from in the Western North Carolina region.
These farmer’s markets aren’t just about finding fresh local finds like produce, cheeses and artisan breads, they are about socializing and connecting with the people who produce your food.
Several chefs and local, independently-owned restaurants practice farm to table sustainable cooking by working with local farmers or hand-picking produce each morning at local markets. That means you can sample fabulous dishes made with the health benefits of locally-grown produce.
At Bouchon, for example, you can dine in the lush courtyard on French comfort food made with local farm produce. Early Girl Eatery (named, in fact, after a variety of tomato) puts a healthy spin on Southern cuisine, using organic, free-range and local produce, meats and cheeses in their made-from-scratch dishes. Savoy serves up innovative and creative farm to table cuisine that is finely presented.
If you’re looking for more ideas of places to dine on cuisine made from ingredients fresh from the farm, the Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project features an extensive list of restaurants serving fresh local farm products. The restaurants on this list are official Buy Appalachian Local Food Campaign Partners who have committed to working with local farmers.
When you are in Asheville, you can also simply look for the Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project logo on restaurant windows, or find the Local Food Guide throughout town for listings of farm to table restaurants, farmers markets, and bed and breakfasts that participate.
Photo courtesy of Savoy in Asheville, NC. Logo courtesy of Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project.
