STU HELM’S
12th ANNUAL FOOD FAN AWARDS!

PART 1 & 2: 2024 RESTAURANT ROUND-UP + CATEGORIES & NOMINEES

Welcome to the 12th annual Food Fan Awards aka The Stoobies!

These awards are just my way of saying a special thanks to all the folks in the food & beverage industry, while highlighting my favorite stuff from the previous year.

THIS IS HOW THE STOOBIE AWARDS WORK…

First: I comb through all of my pictures and posts from the previous year.
Next: I select & announce all of the nominees in all of the categories right here on my blog. (see below!)
Then: I will announce all winners in all categories, again right here on my blog. (stay tuned!)
Finally: I print some snazzy stickers for the winners to display in their windows or wherever they want!

I’ve been making recommendations about food and pointing people toward my favorite stuff for 12 years, and I am still constantly amazed and impressed by the incredible food and talented people that we’re surrounded by at all times! I started writing about food just for my friends in 2013, and was fortunate enough to get published by Jason Sandford’s Ashvegas.com, where my audience grew exponentially. These days I have 20,000+ social media followers on on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Substack, and I also lead tours for Asheville Food Tours several days a week.

Please keep in mind as you read these, that no matter how much I’d like to, I can’t eat everywhere in Western North Carolina, or the country! So, if I didn’t get to your place of business in 2024, I apologize, and I will do my best to see you in 2025! Feel free to reach out to me to me in the meantime to let me know what you’re cookin’ at stuhelmavl@gmail.com. That being said, I went to as many places as I could. 211 to be exact.

Here’s my Restaurant Roundup for 2024…

In 2024 I ate food at or from 211 different restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks, food carts, caterers, ghost kitchens, market places, food events and food makers of all sorts. Here they are…

12 Bones River, 12 Bones South, 4D’s Sweet Dreams Ice Cream On The Go, 5 Points Restaurant, 67 Biltmore, Abeja’s House, All Day Darling, All Souls Pizza, Aloha Cafe, Altmont Deli & Grill, Andale Way, Apotheca, Appalachan Chic Food Truck, Arturo Ristorante, Asheville Airport, Asheville Club, Asheville Pizza South, Baabals Ice Cream, Baba Nahm, Back Porch Baking Co., Bargello, Batter & Whisk Baked Delights, Bear’s BBQ, Bee Thai Kitchen, Ben’s Backdraft BBQ, Bier Garden, Bird’s Eye Oufitters Cafe (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Bite Me Chef’s Cook-Off, Black Bird, Bodega, Bold Rock, Botanist & Barrel, Botiwalla, Bouchon, Bridge & Tunnel, Bun Intended, Burger Bliss, Burgerworx, Burial Beer, Buttermilk Bakery (Winter Park, FL), Buxton Chicken Palace, Capella on 9, Carmel’s, Centreville Luncheonette, El Centro, Chai Pani, The Chemist, Chestnut, Crater City Coffee Co., CFA Cafe, Clean Street Food (truck), Clyde’s Drine-In, Contrada, Coriander Farm & Kitchen, Corner Kitchen, Corto y Lima, Cúrate, Dancing Crane Coffee House (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Delish Food Truck, Delta Sky Club, Dilbar, Dizzy’s Glizzies, Domu (Winter Park), Don Juan Caffe (Winter Park , FL), Dos Gatos, Double D’s Coffee Bus, Early Girl, El Mariachi Restaurant, Farewell Coffee, Farm Burger, Farm Dogs, Fitzgerald’s, Fletcher Village Bakery & Cafe, Flour, Folk Method Kitchen, Frank’s Place (Sault Ste Marie), French Broad Chocolate Lounge, The Giddy Chick, Goodale’s Bakery & Deli, Good Hot Fish, Grateful Roots Deli, Grayling Coffee & Tea Company, The Grayling Restaurant, Green Sage Cafe, The Grind, Happy Belly Food Truck, Hemmingway’s Cuba, High Climate Tea Room, High Five Broadway, High Five Coffee Rankin, High Five River, The Hop Ice Creamery, The Hound, Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ, Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ Food Truck, Hygge Market, Infuso Dinner at The Green Room, Insomnia Cookies, Izzy’s Coffee Den, Jack of the Wood, Jam Hot Chicken (Winter Park), JD’s Meals To Go, Jettie Rae’s, Jimmy, Josie’s Restaurant, Juicy Lucy’s, La Bodega, Laila Indian Restaurant, Laughing Seed, Le Supreme, Lineage Coffee Roasting (Orlando, FL), Little Amsterdam Cafe & Smoke Lounge, Little Bee Thai, Little D’s, Loott House, Lost Flamingo, Lothrop & Sons Fishery, Luminosa, The Madness, Mamacitas, Mane Street Bar & Cafe, Manicomio, Maguro, The Market Place, Marriott-Bonvoy Hotel ATL, Mary’s Mountain Cookies, The Med, Mëhfil, Mela, Mera Brother Oyster Co., Mikasa Criola, Milltown Brick Oven Pizza, Mission Pizza / Terra Nova Beer, Miyako House, Modesto, Moofinfries, morE mod•diSh, Mother Bakery South Slope, MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), The Mule, New Stock Pantry, Nightcrawler, Nisu Bakery & Cafe, Noodle Shop, Old Europe, The Original Conella’s, Palate Coffee Roasters (Sandford, FL), PennyCup RAD, PennyCup YMI, Penny’s Cafe (Sault Ste Marie), Peterson’s Fish Market, Pierre’s Marketplace, PlantBar, Pollen Flowers & Cafe, Pon’s Thai Cuisine, Posana, Provisions MQT (Marquette, MI), Pupuseria Paty, Quench, Rabbit Hole, The Rankin Vault, Red Ginger, Red Hook Cafe, The Rhu, Rite Rite cafe, Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack, Roman’s Deli, The Roof at The Radical, Rowan Coffee, Sabora Food Truck, Sage & Spice, Sakshi’s Roasted Chestnuts, Sedo’s Premium Ice Cream, Session Cafe @ Citizen Vinyl, Sinbad’s, Shanghai Dumpling House, The Soda Fountain at Woolworth Walk, Soprana Rooftop Cucina, Sovereign Remedies, Spike’s Keg o’ Nails, St. John’s River Seafood & Steak (Sandford, FL), Static Age Records, Storm, Sugar (Sault Ste Mari, Canada), Summit Coffee, Sunshine Sammies, Suomi Home Bakery & Restaurant, Superior Coffee Cafe (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Sweets & Seats, Table, Tall John’s, Taste of Asheville, Thirsty Monk, Tienda Los Nenes, Times Bar, Trenary Toast Cafe, Tupelo Honey, Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville, Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse, Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse Hot Box, Velodrome Coffee Co., The Vierling Restaurant, Vivian, Wafu, White Duck Taco, Winter Park Biscuit Co. (FL), World Central Kitchen, The Worthy Baker, Yamaneko Bento, Yalla Food Truck, Zambra, Zephyr Wine Bar (Marquette, MI)

I enjoyed (almost) everything I ate in 2024, and had very few bad bites, lame dishes, or meals I didn’t like along the way. Out of allllllll the food I ate last year, the nominees below represent my top picks, my highest recommendations, my most favorite. If you made the list, congrats! Competition has never been tighter than it was in 2024!

SMASH BURGER OF THE YEAR

Smash Burgers should be simple, and fucking delicious. I ate an assload of them in 2024, and below is a list of my fave Smash Burgers from the whole year. The nominees for 2024 Smash Burger of the Year are…

Altamont Deli & Grill – Burger of the Week
Burgerworx– Double & Single Smash Burgers
Centreville Luncheonette – Basic Smash Burger
Happy Belly Food Truck – OG & Deluxe Slap Burgers
Laughing Seed – Bistro Slider (Technically not a smash burger, but also not a big burger)
Rankin Vault – Smash Burger
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville – Double Smash Burger

BIG BURGER OF THE YEAR

Unlike Smash Burgers, Big Burgers can be anything they wanna be. Wild and Crazy, or super traditional, just so long as they ain’t smashed, they qualify as a Big Burger in my book. Here are my favorites from 2024, one of which will be my pick for Big Burger of the Year…

Bier Garden – Wild Boar Burger
Burial Beer – Burger w/ Fries
Clyde’s (Sault Ste Mari, MI) – Big C w/ Cheese
Moofinfries (Naubinway, MI) – Local Beef Burger
Sabora Food Truck – Ghost Maker
Spike’s Keg o’ Nails (Grayling, MI) – Spikeburger w/ pickeld jalapenos & cheese
Thirsty Monk – House Burger

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR

Bread with stuff inside, or on top, I love a great sandwich and I always have. Here’s a list of the one’s I ate last year that were memorable, noteworthy, and highly recommended. They are my nominees for 2024 Sandwich of the Year...

Aloha – Bhan Mi
Domu (Winter Park, FL) – Lobster Roll
Good Hot Fish – Fried Fish Sandwich
Manicomio – Reuben / Beef Dip
Market Place – Oyster Po’ Boy
Sabora Food Truck – Cuban / Fried Chicken Sandwich
The Soda Fountain at Woolworth Walk – Turkey Club
Table – Tomato Tartine

PIZZA OF THE YEAR

Pizza, Pizza, Everywhere, Pizza! 2024 was a banner year for pizza in Asheville! A bunch of new pizza places opened up, and it seemed like a bunch of restaurants added pizza to their menu, so, as a result, I personally ate a lot of fucking pizza. It’s a good thing I love it! Below is a list of the ones I loved the most, from among which I will be selecting my 2024 Pizza of the Year winner!

All Souls Pizza – Hot Honey
Asheville Pizza South – Pizza of the Month
Contrada – The Estate / Arabiata “Baller Style”
Flour – Focaccia Pizza
Luminosa – Breakfast Pizza / Lemon Ricotta Pizza
Milltown Brick Oven Pizza – Pepperoni Pizza
Mission Pizza – Guanciale & Arugula

TACO OF THE YEAR

Y’know what we’ve got going on in this little ol’ town way up here in the Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina? Great tacos! Like, lots of them! So many vendors, so many trucks, so many ding dang tacos! I love it. I stepped up my taco eating game in 2024, though I only scratched the surface, and below is the short-list of great tacos that I highly recommend, and one of them will soon be named my 2024 Taco of the Year…

Andale WAY Mexican Grill – Canritas & Chicken Tacos
El Centro 828 – Birria Tacos
Mamacitas Taqueria – Carnitas Taco
Tienda Los Nenes – Cheek Taco / El Pastor Taco
White Duck Taco – Shrimp ‘n’ Grits Taco

DEEP FRIED THING OF THE YEAR

ME: “I’ll Take the Orange Pill.” Yes, I have high cholesterol. Yes, I eat my weight in deep fried things yearly. So what? As long as RFK Jr doesn’t have an issue with statins, I should be fine! LOL So, yeah, as usual, I ate a fuck-ton of deep fried things last year, and below are my favorite “things that tried kill me but only made me stronger,” AKA the nominees for Deep Fried Thing of the Year 2024…

Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ – Bear’s Balls w/ Cheese Sauce
Bee Thai Kitchen – Crab Rangoon
Corner Kitchen – Corn Fried Oysters
Good Hot Fish – Bloomin’ Onion
JAM! Hot Chicken (Winter Park, FL) – Hot Chicken Tenders
Moofinfries (Naubinway, MI) – Fried Whitefish
Miyako House – Deep Fried Lobster Roll / Crab Rangoon
The Rankin Vault Lounge – Tater Tots

HUNKS OF MEAT

That’s what it’s called: Just “Hunks of Meat.” I’ve only given this award out once before, and I thought I had retired it forever, but I’m telling you what, I had some fucking great hunks of meat in 2024, most of them on a stick. Here are my nominees for Hunks of Meat 2024…

Botiwalla – Chicken Skewer
Capella on 9 – Ribeye w/ House Made Steak Sauce
The Corner Kitchen – Spiced Beef Skewers
morE mod•diSh – Chicken on a Stick

BREAKFAST / BRUNCH OF THE YEAR

I ate the shit out of some breakfast last year! Partly because I joined a committee and they meet really fucking early, but also, because I’ve been know to… hold onto your hats… maybe you ain’t heard of this… eat breakfast all day. Shocking I know. Sometimes I call it brunch. (It’s like a combination of breakfast and lunch!) and sometimes it’s breakfast for dinner, which is like Christmas in July, except it happens more often. Anyhoo, out of all the brunches and b-fasts that went in me last year, these are my faves, my highest recommends, and the current contenders for 2024 Breakfast / Brunch Item of the Year…

5 Points Diner – Steak ‘n’ Eggs
Abeja’s – NOLA Chicken ‘n’ Shrimp
Asheville Airport – Bacon, Eggs & Taters
The Blackbird – Steak ‘n’ Eggs / Corned Beef Hash
Bomba – Mexique Tostadas et al
Flour – Biscuit w/ Butter & Jam
Frank’s Place (Sault Ste Marie, MI) – Egg Sandwich w/ Bacon
The Grayling Restaurant (Grayling, MI) – Eggs, Hash Browns, Toast & Canadian Bacon
Luminosa – Steak ‘n’ Eggs / Breakfast Pizza
Mother Bakery South Slope – Croque Madame / French Omelet
The Rhu – Biscuit ‘n’ Gravy Plate
Rosabee’s – Brekkie Okonomiyaki
Sovereign Remedies – Shrimp ‘n’ Grits w/ a side of Hollandaise

CAFE OF THE YEAR

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Coffee, coffee coffee coffee coffee! Love me some coffee. Here’s a list of my favorite cafes from 2024, whether I go there to hang out or just to grab a cup to go, they are all extremely tight contenders for my 2024 Cafe of the Year Award…

The Asheville Club
Dead River Roasters (Marquette, MI)
Farewell Cafe
Little Amsterdam Cafe & Smoke Lounge
Old Europe
PennyCup in The YMI
Pollen Flowers & Cafe
Rowan Coffee
Summit Coffee Asheville
Times Bar & Coffee Shop

BAKER / BAKERY OF THE YEAR

I am baked, therefor I love baked things. It’s simple math, Yo. Now… I’m not saying you have to be a stoner to truly appreciate baked goods, but it sure as fuck doesn’t hurt! Of all the many many many baked things that I consumed over the 12 months that made up last year, the short list below is the dream team, the mix masters, the batter-ful best, and my nominees for 2024 Baker / Bakery of the Year…

Back Porch Baking Co.
Batter & Whisk Baked Delights
Blooming Baking Company
Buttermilk Bakery (Winter Park, FL)
Fletcher Village Bakery & Cafe
Flour
French Broad Pantry
Goodale’s Bakery (Grayling, MI)
Mother Bakery South Slope
New Stock Pantry
The Rhu

LUNCH OF THE YEAR

Lunch is what’s up. I luv lunch. I can skip breakfast, I can eat a bag of popcorn for dinner, but lunch is a like a sacred ritual for me. I gotta take a break in my day, eat, relax, maybe see some people I know, do a little networking, experience life at its absolute best. You know: EAT LUNCH! Of allllll the lunches I ate last year, the list below is the cream of the crop, the things and places and experiences that I liked best, and the current challengers for the 2024 Lunch of the Year Stoobie Award…

Ben’s Backdraft BBQ – 1/2 Rack & Sides at The Hospital
Good Hot Fish – Fish Sandwich & Bloomin’ Onion
Modesto – 1/2 Lobster w/ Angel Hair Pasta
Noodle Shop – Stir Fried Egg Noodles w/ Chicken
Pupuseria Paty – Giant Pupusa
Rosabees – Brekkie Okonomiyaki
Shanghai Dumpling House – Dumplings
Yamaneko Bento – Bento Box

SMALL PLATE OF THE YEAR

“Call it a side dish, call it an appetizer, call it tapas if you want to, they are the reasonably-sized bites and accoutrement that are part of every menu, and are intended for sharing (or not), and to offer a variety of tastes, and a more textured experience than filling up one large entree. Whether it’s French fries or Ravioli du Homard, I love me some small plates!” – Some Guy Named Stu

What I wrote (above) for this section last year was so good, that when I reread it this year, at first I thought I was quoting someone else, but nope, that’s me! Not bad. So, I decided to quote myself. And here are my nominees for 2024 Small Plate of the Year…

Contrada – Sugar Snap Peas w/ Cucumber, Buttermilk & Mint
Cúrate – Sqaush Soup
High Climate Tea Company – Chinese Tea Egg / Tofu in Ponzu Sauce
Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ – Chicken Fried Ribs
La Bodega – Gem Salad w/ Fried Shrimps
Rosabee’s – Musubi (house made spam)
Table – Melon & Ham
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville – Brussels Sprouts / Meatballs

ENTRÉE OF THE YEAR

Don’t be jelz, Tapas, but Entrées are my first true & real food crush. Sit me at a table, put a big dish ol’ something awesome in front of me, and watch me go. I’ll be all, like, “fuck, this is good,” for, like, the next 20 minutes, while using whichever utensil is appropriate or handy to shovel it into my mouth hole until it’s all gone. Done. I ate alotta entrées last year! Here’s the short list for my 2024 Entrée of the Year…

Cúrate – Whole Charcoal Grilled Sunburst Trout Farms trout
Little D’s – Grilled Heritage Pork Loin
Lobster Trap – Cioppino
Mother Bakery – Carbonara
Table – Half Roasted Chicken
Vivian – Ribeye w/ Taters, Steak Sauce, Onions & Mushrooms

SWEET TREAT OF THE YEAR

Sometimes, I think savories are just the things I eat to stay alive in between sweets. “I’ve already had too much sugar today,” is something I say pretty often. Does that stop me from eating more sugar? No. Fuck no. I’mma die with a piece of pie in front of me, and I’ll be happy as shit. Below a big list of all my most favorite sweet treats throughout the past 12 months. They are the contenders for a Stoobie in the incredibly tight competition for 20204 Sweet Treat of the Year…

All Souls Pizza – Soft Serve Iced Cream
Apotheca / Chef Shane Casto – Brownies
Arturo Ristorante (Sault Ste Marie, Canada) – Pistachio Iced Cream
Chef Amber Cate – Italian Rainbow Cookie Cake/Hostess-style Cupcakes/Strawberry Madelines
Cúrate – All Desserts
Goodale’s bakery (Grayling, MI) – Sour Cream Donut et al
La Bodega – All Desserts
Little D’s – Creme Brûlée
Lobster Trap – Key Lime Pie
Luminosa – Orange Ricotta Stuffed Cruffin
Mother Bakery – Chocolate Espresso Crémeux
Sweets & Seats – Pistachio Paris Brest
Wafu (Winter Park, FL) – Ube Soft Serve Iced Cream

EDIBLES OF THE YEAR

NEW CATAGORY! Last year I launched Asheville Cannabis Tours, and publicly stated that I would like to be the person for the local weed scene that I have been for the local food scene, and I got a tremendous response! So now, in addition to all the great food that doesn’t get ya high, I also get to try a lot of food, and drinks, that do! I’ll do deeper dives in the coming months, but for now, here are my nominees for 2024 Edibles of the Year Award…

Apotheca / Chef Shane Casto – Brownies
Astria Farms – Nano Gummies
Infuso – Cuisine Elevated
Mellow Fellow – Gummies
Shoe BD (TN) – Gummies
Skyland Cannabis Co. – Organic Nerds Rope / Lollipops / etc

POP-UP OF THE YEAR

I don’t always include this category in the Stoobies, but in 2024 I stopped into or stumbled upon more than the usual number of pop-ups, with the ones listed below being particularly excellent and memorable. They are my nominees for the 2024 Pop-Up of the Year Award…

Botanist & Barrel / Mera Brothers – Oyster Pop-up
Dizzy’s Glizzies – Hot Dog Pop-up @ Imperial Life
Market Place – Shell or High Water Oyster Pop-up
morE mod•diSh – Soul Food Pop-up @ Imperial Life
Starview Coffee Catering – Coffee Pop-up @ LaZoom
Shay Brown / The Mule / Chef Michelle Bailey – Pop-Up Dinner

FANCY DINNER OF THE YEAR

For a minute there, it seemed like fancy dinners might be making a come back, and then… well, you know what happened. I was fortunate enough to attend a few fancy dinners before the disaster though, and I even participated in one! (Yes, I cooked a course!) The list below is short, but solid. These are my 2024 nominees for Fancy Dinner of the Year…

Botanist & Barrel / Stu Helm Food Fan – Tinned Fish Dinner
Infuso / The Green Room – Cuisine Elevated
Jack-of-the-Wood – St. Patty’s Day Dinner
Mëhfil – Shahi Daawat Dinner

FOOD EVENT OF THE YEAR

For a million reasons that I won’t list here, producing a Food Event is more difficult than ever, and I’m personally not sure when or how it’s gonna get any easier for food event producers to get back into the groove again. Even with the odds stacked against them in 2024, however, they persisted! I was lucky enough to attended several excellent Food Events last year, and below are my favorites, my nominees for the 2024 Food Event of the Year Award…

ABTech & Bite Me AVL – BITE ME: Inaugural Cooking Competition
Asheville Independent Restaurants – Taste of Asheville
Capella on 9 – AFWBIMP Tasting
Shay Brown / The Mule / Various – Burger Bliss
Shay Brown / The Mule / Various – Wing Wonderland
Sweet Impact – Cookies for a Cause

MEAL OF THE YEAR

I always say, “I eat a lot of meals,” and then I wait for people’s reaction, because it’s such a dumb thing to say. These days, I gotta find my fun wherever I can, and if that means saying dumb shit just to see how people react, that’s the fuckin’ best I can do right now, okay? I’m tired. Anyhoo, I really do eat a lot of meals, so this category is one of the most tightly packed in terms of the sheer number of competitors, as well as the quality of the experiences involved. I tried to pick the absolute most special meals of the year for this roster, mostly involving other people, and taking into account the entire experience, not just the food, tho all the food was fucking great, of course! Anyhoo, here’s the list of nominees for 2024 Meal of the Year …

Arturo Ristorante (Sault Ste Marie, Canada) – Dinner w/ Dawn
Corner Kitchen – Throw-Back Menu w/ Mom
Cúrate – Anniversary Dinner
Little D’s – Dinner with Family
Luminosa – Birthday Brunch
Mëhfil – 8 Course Dinner
Modesto – Lunch w/ Friend & Lunch w/ Dawn & Mom
Mother Bakery South Slope – Dinner w/ Dawn & Nephew
Roasabee’s – Lunch w/ Jennie Townsend
Table – Dinner with Dawn
Ukiah – Chef’s Menu
Vivian – Nephew’s Birthday

FOOD TRUCK OF THE YEAR

They got wheels. That’s the number one reason I can’t get to as many food trucks as i want to. They roll around form place to place, and I barely get a chance to eat off of any of them, and it makes me sangry. Sad and angry. And hungry, so I guess that would be.. sahangry? I dunno. I’m just grateful that the Hatch Coworking people have been booking food trucks on my very own street for awhile, so I had a chance to try more than usual this year! Here’s the short list of the best food truck experiences I had all year, the nominees for my 2024 Food Truck of the Year Award…

Happy Belly Food Truck Co.
Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ Truck
JD’s Meals To Go
Mill Town Brick Oven Pizza
Sabora
Shaa’Bingo Jamaican Street Food
Strictly Wings
Yalla

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

These final categories are the most difficult for me to come up with, because there are just so damn many excellent people, places and organizations on our local food industry. But I gotta start somewhere , so let’s go with the easiest category first (simply based on the fact that there’s fewer of them), although it’s still hard to choose! Here’s the list of noms for the New Restaurant of the Year 2025…*

Bee Thai Kitchen
Botiwalla Downtown Asheville
Good Hot Fish
Flour
Laila Indian Restaurant
Luminosa
Maguro

* I am defining “new” as being around two years old or younger.

CHEF OF THE YEAR

Uh… this one’s always hard. This year it’s even harder. Can I give everyone a trophy? I don’t even know the full extent of who did what after the hurricane, and it will take years for the stories to be told, but from where I was sitting, what I was seeing, and who I personally encountered when Asheville & WNC needed them most, these are my nominees for 2024 Chef of the Year Award…

Chef Ashleigh Shanti – Good Hot Fish
Chef J. Chong – Superstar
Chef Jose Andres – World Central Kitchen
Chef Julie Allen et al – Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ
Chef Meherwan Irani – Chai Pani / Botiwalla
Chef Michelle Bailey – At Large
Chef Silver Cousler – Neng Jr’s
Chef Tom LaFauci – Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Some years it’s hard to think of which restaurants will be my nominees in this category, but this year it was kind of the opposite: I want to give this award to ALL the restaurants! What a year. What a completely crappy year, for almost everyone, including of course for the restaurant and hospitality world, and yet, here we are. Things will never be the same, but then again, they never are, so we push forward into another year, and hope for better days. In the meantime, here’s my short list of contenders for the 2024 Restaurant of the Year award…

Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ
Chai Pani
Good Hot Fish
Manicomio
Mëhfil
Mellow Mushroom
Modesto
Neng Jr’s
The Noodle Shop
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville

PERSON/PEOPLE OF THE YEAR

I’ve been know to skip this category, but for 2024, I feel like it’s the most important category of them all. These are just a fraction of the people who went above and beyond in and around the food industry, whether it was delivering free hot meals to ravaged areas for literally weeks on end, to handing out MRE’s, to getting the water turned back on, these individuals and organizations helped us, not just to get through, but to literally survive when the shit hit the fan. I know I’ve left off dozens, if not hundreds of names from this list, but these are the ones that were in my own immediate sphere, they are all heroes in my opinion, and they are my nominees for 2025 Person or People of the Year…

Arturo – Modesto / Citizen
Beloved Asheville – Non-Profit
Ben Woody – Asst. City Manager
Cheryl Antoncic – Owner / Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ
Food Connection – Non-Profit
Kim Roney – City Council Person
MANNA Foodbank – Non-Profit
US National Guard – Military Branch
Will, Nick, et al – Skyland Cannabis Volunteer Effort
World Central Kitchen – Non-Profit
Y’all – All Y’all.

Please use the comments section here, or your own social media platform to shout out the other post-hurricane heroes of WNC. Thank you all!

Aaand that’s it for the nominees. Everyone mentioned above did an incredible job in 2024, and you’re all awesome in my opinion! Now I’ll leave you all in suspense for a little bit before I announce the winners… Stay Tuned!

THOSE WERE THE NOMINEES.
WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE ENJOY THE ARCHIVES BELOW…

ARCHIVES

Below is a comprehensive list of all past Stoobie Award winners and nominees, in reverse chronological order.

⭑ – PREVIOUS WINNERS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN BOLD RED TEXT – ⭑

XI
2023

In 2023 I ate food at or from 180+ different restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks, food carts, caterers, ghost kitchens, market places, and food makers of all sorts. Here they are…

67 Biltmore, All Day Darling, All Souls Pizza, Altmont Deli & Grill, Andale Way, Anoche, Antonio Carlo Sauce, Archetype Pizza & Beer, Asheville Pizza South, Asheville Snacks, Axum Coffee (Winter Park, FL), Azalea Bar & Kitchen, Bab Nahm, Bargello, Barley’s, Bear’s BBQ, Banned THC Infused Pot Corn, Bargello, Benne on Eagle, Bird’s Eye Oufitters Cafe (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Black Bird, Blue Ridge Biscuit Co. – Black Mountain, Bomba, Botanist & Barrel, Bouchon, Brasilia Churrasco Steakhouse, Bull & Beggar, Bun Intended, Buttermilk Bakery (Winter Park, FL), Buxton Hall BBQ, Capella on 9, Centreville Luncheonette, Chestnut, City Bakery, Contrada, Cousins Cuban Cafe, The Crunchy Baker, Cultura, Cúrate, Daddy Mac’s, Dancing Crane Coffee House (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Deep South Kitchen, Del Vecchio’s, Dilbar, District 42, Doc Brown’s, Don Juan Caffe (Winter Park , FL), Double D’s Coffee Bus, Downtown Farmer’s Market, Dripolator (Black Mountain), Eldr, Empanada & Co. (Winter Park, FL), Farewell Coffee, Farm Dog, Food Experience to Go (Candler), Frank’s Place (Sault Ste Marie, MI), French Broad Chocolate Lounge, French Broad Food Co-op, The French Pantry, The Funkatorium, Gan Shan West, Garage BBQ Food Truck, Gemelli Gourmand, Grateful Organic Diner (Marshall), Green Tea Sushi, The Grocery (Black Mountain), Guajiro Food Truck, Havanna Miami, Hemmingway’s Cuba (Cabana Experience), High Climate Tea Room, High Five Coffee, Homegrown, Honey Badger Bakes Pop-up, The Hop Ice Creamery, The Hound, Hubs Nuts, Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ, Ingles, Isa’s Bistro, Ivy & The Poet (Marshall), Jimmy’s by The River, La Bodega, Laughing Seed, Leo’s House of Thirst, Little Bee Thai, Little Chango, Little D’s, Little Louie’s, The Lobster Trap, Lock View Restaurant (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Loott House, Louise’s Kitchen (Black Mountain), Luella’s BBQ, LuLu’s on Main (Sylva), Mac’s Burgers & Cheesesteaks (Black Mountain), Malaprops, Mama’s Fixin’ Sumthin’ (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Manicomio, Marble & Steel Craft Chocolates, Mariscos Seafood Shack, Master BBQ AVL, Mayfel’s, The Med, Mëhfil, Mikasa Criola, Milton’s (Black Mountain), Miyako House, Mizu Ramen & Poke, Modesto, Morsel Cookie Co., Mother Bakery South Slope, Mother Ocean Market, Mother’s Pizza, Moziac Cafe, Mynt (Winter Park, FL), Neng Jr’s, New York Butcher Shoppe, Oak & Grist, The Odd, Old Europe, Olde London Food Truck, The Open Oven – Black Mountain, OWL Bakery (Charlotte Street), Pasta and Prana, PennyCup RAD, PennyCup YMI, Penny’s Cafe (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Pie•Zaa, Pollen Flowers & Cafe, The Pure & Proper – Black Mountain, Rabbit Hole, Rebel Burger, Red Ginger, Red Stag Grille at The Grand Bohemian Hotel, Restoration Hotel, Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack, Rowan Coffee, The Rhu, Rhubarb, Ritmo Kultural (pop-up), Sabora Food Truck, Salsa’s, Sand Hill Kitchen, Sassafras (Black Mountain), Sawhorse, Session Cafe @ Citizen Vinyl, Shin Jung Korean (Winter Park, FL), Sisu Bread, Smoky Park Super Club, The Soda Fountain at, Woolworth Walk, South Slope Cheese Co., Sovereign Remedies, Storm, Summit Coffee, Sunny Point Cafe, Superior Coffee Cafe (Sault Ste Marie, MI), Sweet Plantain Food Truck, Sweets & Seats, Stay Glazed, Table, Tall John’s, Tastee Diner, Taste of Asheville, Times Bar, Tiny Fish Co. (product), Trade & Lore, Tupelo Honey, Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville, Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse, Universal Joint, The Vault, Veranda (Black Mountain), The Village Pub, Well Bred, West End Bakery, White Duck Taco, Whole Foods, Wild Ginger, WNC Outdoor Collective (Black Mountain), The Worthy Baker, Yum! Poke & Sushi Burritos, Zella’s Deli

SMASH BURGER OF THE YEAR
★ The Odd – Burger Trio
Olde London Road Food Truck – Basic Smash Burger
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville – Double Smash Burger
Frank’s Place, (Sault Ste Marie, MI) – Basic Smash Burger
Tastee Diner – Impossible Smash Burger
Mac’s Burgers & Cheesteaks (Black Mountain) – Basic Smash Burger
Altamont Deli & Grill – Basic Smash Burger
Laughing Seed – Bistro Slider (Technically not a smash burger, but also not a big burger)
Sabora Food Truck – Basic Sabora Burger
Rebel Burger – Double Smash Burger

BIG BURGER OF THE YEAR
★ Storm Rhum Bar – Surf & Turf Burger
Buxton Hall – Patty & Pearl Brisket Burger w/ Oysters
La Bodega – Hamburguesa
The Odd – Burger Trio (made both lists)
Universal Joint – The Steinbeck

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR
★ Manicomio Pizza – Corned Beef Reuben
The Rhu – “The Dirty South” biscuit, pulled pork, collards, pimento cheese, and pickled onions.
Zella’s Deli – Egg, Cheese & Bacon on a Kaiser Roll
Session Cafe – Egg, Cheese & Pepper Sandwich
Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ – Grilled Fish Sandwich
Storm Rhum Bar – Meatloaf Sandwich
The Odd – Bahn Mi
Buxton Hall Barbecue – Smoky Fried Catfish Sandwich
Sand Hill Kitchen – Fried Chicken Sandwich

PIZZA OF THE YEAR
★ Asheville Pizza South – Bangin’ Panang & Korean Pizza
Manicomio Pizza & Food – New York & Sicilian Style Slices
Contrada – Arrabbiata, “Baller Style” (w/ Pepperoni)
Pie • Zaa – Gi-Sli (giant slice)
All Souls Pizza – Pepperoni & Hot Honey
Del Vecchios – Cheese Pie
Mother’s Pizza – Margarita & Lady In White

NEW CATEGORY! HOUSE MADE PASTA OF THE YEAR
★ Twisted Laurel – All Shapes & Sauces
Gemelli – Mafalda Pasta w/ Short Rib
Bargello – Mushroom & Chevre Ravioli
Pasta & Prana – Hemp Seed Fettuccini
Leo’s House of Thirst – Bucatini

HOT DOG OF THE YEAR:
★ The Vault – Bacon Kimchi Hot Dog
Altamont Deli & Grill – Reuben Hot Dog

TACO OF THE YEAR
★ White Duck – All The Tacos
Andale Way – All The Tacos
Ritmo Kultura Pop-up – All The Tacos (+ all the tostadas!)

RIBS OF THE YEAR
★ La Bodega – Pork Costillas
Little D’s – Smoked Pork Ribs
Bear’s Barbecue – Sticky Ribs
Benne on Eagle – Sorghum Apple Ribs on a Hoe Cake
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville – Tour Ribs
Doc Brown’s BBQ – Memphis Dry Wood Smoked Ribs

DEEP FRIED THING OF THE YEAR
★ Neng Jr’s – “Kwek Kwek” Fried Quail Eggs
Yum Sushi Burrito & Poke – Shrimp Shumai
Laughing Seed – Jalapeño French Fries
Green Tea Sushi – Spider Roll
Benne on Eagle – Banana Blossom
Green Tea Sushi – Spider Roll
Chestnut – Pimento Cheese Fritters
The Odd – Pickle Plate
Tastee Diner – Fried chicken thighs w/ whipped taters, sausage gravy & fried herbs
Rhubarb – pimento cheese hush puppies
Miyako House – Tempura Lobster Roll
District 42 – Bison Cigars

BREAKFAST / BRUNCH ITEM OF THE YEAR
★ Tastee Diner – The Big Tastee
Session Cafe – Egg, Cheese & Pepper Sandwich
The Rhu – “The Dirty South” biscuit, pulled pork, collards, pimento cheese, and pickled onions.
Zella’s Deli – Egg, Cheese & BaconSandwich on a Kaiser Roll
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse – Bruce’s Biscuits & Gravy
OWL Bakery – Ham & Cheese Croissant
Session Cafe – Waffle Wednesdays
Tastee Diner – Biscuits & Gravy
Tastee Diner – French Toast
Capella on 9 – Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict
The Odd – Eggs Benedict Burrito
Ukiah – Bruce’s Biscuits & Gravy
Grateful Organic Diner (Marshall) – Eggs Benedict w/ Carrot Bacon
Mother Bakery South Slope – French Omelette

CAFE OF THE YEAR
★ Times Bar & Cafe
Penny Cup in The YMI
Session Cafe
Izzy’s Coffee Den
Summit Coffee at The Grove Aracade
Double D’s Coffee & Desserts
Sweets & Seats
Dancing Crane Coffee House (Sault Ste Marie, MI)
Bird’s Eye Outfitters (Sault Ste Marie, MI)

BAKER /BAKERY THING OF THE YEAR
★ French Broad Pantry
Rabbit Hole Asheville
The West End
Sisu Bakery (Candler, NC)
Buttermilk Bakery (Winter Park, FL)
The Worthy Baker
Mother Bakery
The Rhu

LUNCH OF THE YEAR
★ Green Tea Sushi – Spider Roll & Shrimp Shumai
Miyako House – Tempura Lobster Roll
Mëhfil – Fixed Price Lunch Buffet
67 Biltmore Ave Downtown Catering & Eatery – 1/2 Sandwiches
Rankin Vault – Cheesesteak with Tater Tots
Huli Sue’s BBQ & Grill – Grilled Fish Sandwich
Asheville Pizza South – Pizza of the Month
Twisted Laurel Downtown – Hot Brown
Tastee Diner – All the Things

SALAD OF THE YEAR:
★ Ukiah – Avocado Salad
Pure & Proper (Black Mountain, NC) – Caesar Salad
Tastee Diner – Cucumbers w/ French Onion Dip & Chili Crunch
Mother Bakery South Slope – Seasonal Salads
Contrada – Panzanella
Rhubarb – Panzanella w/ goat cheese burrata
Leo’s House of Thirst – Little Gems Salad

NEW CATEGORY! SMALL PLATE OF THE YEAR
★ Altamont Deli & Grill – Cabbage & Ham
Buxton Hall Barbecue – Jalapeño Poppers
Laughing Seed – French Fries
Sweet Plantain – Fried Plantains
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville – Meatballs
Pure & Proper (Black Mountain, NC) – Asparagus
The Grocery (Black Mountain, NC) – Stuffed Mushroom
Tastee Diner – Fingerling Potatoes
All Souls Pizza – salt & pepper shrimp
Bouchon – Ravioli du Homard
Cúrate – Head-on Prawn
Cúrate – Pan can Tomate

ENTRÉE OF THE YEAR
★ Leo’s House of Thirst – Bucatini
Mikasa Criolla – Peruvian Chicken Stew
Lulu’s on Main (Sylva, NC) – Steak ‘n’ Taters
Capella on 9 – Tuna Tataki
Bomba – Fideuà
Pure & Proper (Black Mountain, NC) – Gnudi
Pure & Proper (Black Mountain, NC) – Pork Cheek & Grits
Milton’s (Black Mountain, NC) – 8 oz black angus beef tenderloin
The Grocey (Black Mountain, NC) – Creole Goulash
Tastee Diner – Mussels
Tastee Diner – Braised Eye of Round w/ Cauliflower Mash
Neng Jr’s – Striped Sea bass with Greens on Coconut Rice
Neng Jr’s – Crawfish Pancit Canton
Neng Jr’s – Crab Cake
Cultura – Halibut with Coconut Milk
Rhubarb – Wood Oven Cooked Flounder w/ Bacon Fat-roasted Taters
Leo’s House of Thirst – Half Roasted Chicken
Bargello – Chevre & Mushroom Ravioli
Bargello – Pork Chop

SWEET TREAT OF THE YEAR
★ The Hop – Duke’s Mayo Chocolate Cake Ice Cream
Sweets & Seats – Chocolate Mousse Cake
Marble & Steele Craft Chocolates – Valentine’s Gift Box
Ivy & The Poet – Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Cream Frosting
Double D’s Coffee Bus – Affogato
Sweets & Seats – Caramel Cream Puff
Mary’s Mountain Cookies – Caramel Apple Pie Cookie

N/A BEVERAGE MAKER OF THE YEAR
★ Devil’s Foot
Infruition Tea
Ginger’s Revenge
Pop Bubble Tea
Cultura

MEAL OF THE YEAR
★ Pure & Proper (Black Mountain, NC) – Date Night
Leo’s House of Thirst – Date Night
Bull & Beggar – Wedding Night
Gan Shan – 1/2 Chicken Dinner
Neng Jr’s – Date Night
AB Tech – Capstone Dinner
Leo’s House of Thirst – Bro date
Milton’s (Black Mountain, NC) – Date Night
The Grocery (Black Mountain, NC) – Menu Tasting
Cultura – Tasting Menu
Bargello – Asheville Food Tours Dinner Junket
Benne on Eagle – Treating Myself to Dinner
Bouchon – Asheville Food Tours Dinner Junket

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR:
★ Little D’s
Leo’s House of Thirst
Sweets & Seats
Pop Bubble Tea
Rabbit Hole Asheville
Deep South Kitchen
Tall John’s
Eldr
Gemelli

CHEF OF THE YEAR
★ Chef Rakim Gaines – Capella on 9
Chef Steven Goff – Tastee Diner
Chef Santiago Vargas – Mikasa Criola
Chef Susannah Gebhart – OWL Bakery
Chef Vikas Kurial – Mëhfil Indian Restaurant
Chef Drew Peterson – Asheville Pizza South

NEW CATEGORY! TASTING OF THE YEAR:
★ Tastee Diner – Breakfast Tasting
★ Tastee Diner – Dinner Tasting
The Odd – Epic Breakfast & Dinner Tasting
Food Experience – Catering Menu Tasting
Marisco’s Seafood Shack – Menu Tasting
Chestnut – Brunch Tasting
Andela Way – Taco Tasting
Capella on 9 – Breakfast Tasting
Loott House – Menu Tasting
Gemelli – Brunch Tasting
Bomba – Menu Tasting
The Exchange – Brunch Tasting
Deep South Kitchen – Menu Tasting
The Grocery (Black Mountain, NC) – Menu Tasting

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
★ Rhubarb
Tastee Diner
Capella on 9
Chai Pani
La Bodega
The Odd
The Rhu
Contrada

2022

SMASH BURGER OF THE YEAR:
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville
Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro
Chop Shop Burger Truck
The Med
Foothills Local Meats

BIG BURGER OF THE YEAR
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville – JC Burger
Sabora Food Truck – The Carolina Burger w/ Pork Belly
Chop Shop Food Truck – Winged Cheddar Burger
Cream Works Food Trailer – Big Daddy Burger

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR
The Rhu – Turkey & Kale
Isa’s French Bistro – Croissant Madam
Storm Rhum Bar – All Sandwiches (I tried twelve!)
Tastee Diner – Fried Chicken Salad Sandwich
Buxton Hall Barbecue – Catfish Sandwich
Session Cafe – Egg Salad Sandwich
Dilbar – Chicken Frankie
Tastee Diner – Fried Bolgna Sandwich
Chai Pani – Crispy Masala Fish Roll

PIZZA OF THE YEAR
Asheville Pizza South – Umami Bomb / Pizza of the Month
Manicomio Pizza & Food – Sicilian Pizza w/ pepperoni
All Souls PIzza – Honey
WNC PIzza Fight – Event (16 Pies)

HOT DOG OF THE YEAR
Woolworth Walk – Basic Dog w/ mustard
Mamacita’s Food Truck @ Olde London Road – Mexican Street Corn Hot Dog
Bigfoot Longs – Squatch Dog
Chop Shop Burger Truck – Carolina Style Dog

TACO OF THE YEAR
Andale Way – Birria Taco
White Duck – Pork Belly Taco
Mamacita’s Food Truck at Olde London Road – Birria Taco
El Charolais (Johnson City TN) – Carne Asada
La Rumba – Street Tacos

DEEP FRIED THING OF THE YEAR
Homegrown – Fish & Chips
Jettie Rae’s Oyster House – Cod Fritters
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse – Chicken Karaage
Mother Ocean Market – Grit Cake
Buxton Hall Barbecue – Hushpuppies
Little Bee Thai – Volcano Chicken
Bear’s BBQ – Fried Cheese Curds w/ Gravy
La Rumba – Chile Relleno
The Med – French Fries

BREAKFAST / BRUNCH ITEM OF THE YEAR
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse – Breakfast Ramen
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse – Scallion Potato Pancake
Gemelli – Tuscan Eggs
Sawhorse – Mushroom Toast
Sawhorse – Full Irish Breakfast
Sourwood Inn – Breakfast Buffet
Zella’s Deli – Egg Sandwich on Kaiser Roll w/ Cheese & Bacon
Table – Mushroom Toast
Stay Glazed Donuts – Egg Sandwich on a Biscuit w/ Cheese & Bacon

LUNCH OF THE YEAR
Mëhfil – Lunch Buffet
Bomba – Voodoo Chicken et al.
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville – Burgers & Fried Chicken Sandwich or Tenders
Bear’s BBQ – Vegan Meatloaf Sandwich, Wings, Ribs, etc.
Little Chango – Mounted Arepas
Buxton hall Barbecue – Sandwiches & Sides

ENTRÉE OF THE YEAR
Abeja’s House Cafe – NOLA Chicken & Shrimp
Chef Paty Saens – Momma’s Honduran Chicken
Benne on Eagle – Catfish & Broken Rice
Thai Pearl – Drunken Noodle
Cottage Cooking – Salmon en Papillote on Brussels Sprout Hash
Postero (Hendersonville) – Crispy Pan Seared Trout on Cauliflower & Ginger Carrot Purée
Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro – Grilled Rib Eye
La Rumba – Carne de Puerco en Adoba

SIDE DISH OF THE YEAR
Neng Jr’s – Autumn Fruit
Buxton Hall Barbecue – Corn Pudding
Modesto – Dolmas
Smoky Park Supper Club – Squash Bisque
Postero (Hendersonville) – Deconstructed Mexican Style Street Corn

SALAD OF THE YEAR
Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ – Blackened Fish Taco Salad
Buxton Hall BBQ – Buxton Salad
Vivian – Salade de Saison
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack – Chef’s Salad
Dandelion (Hendersonville) – Summer Shrimp Salad
Postero (Hendersonville) – Peach Caprese Salad

BAKED THING OF THE YEAR
Mother – Olive Focaccia
The Rhu – Any muffin
Dogwood Cottage Baking – Morning Bun
McFarlan Baked Goods (Hendersonville) – Assorted
Buttermilk Bakery (Winter Park, FL) – Housemade Pop Tart

MEAL OF THE YEAR
Storm Rhum Bar – Birthday Dinner
Neng Jr’s – Date Night
Turntable Series w/ Farmer Sunil – Ticketed Dinner
Benne on Eagle – Dinner w/ Friends
Vivian – Date Night
Griff’s Kitchen & Bar
Jettie Rae’s Oyster Bar – Spontaneous Dinner
Postero (Hendersonville) – Date Night
Wright & Company (Detroit, MI) – Dinner w/ Friends
Rye Knot – Delivery via KickbackAVL.com
Smoky Park Supper Club – Thanksgiving Dinner at Home
Sourwood Inn – Anniversary Dinner
Tall John’s – Soft Opening

SWEET TREAT OF THE YEAR
The Hop – Yule Log
The Worthy Baker – Red Velvet Whoopie pie
La Bodega by Cúrate – Xiuxio & Bollo de Crema
French Broad Chocolate Lounge – Quintessential Chocolate Cake & Carrot Cake
Little Pearl – Creme Brulee
Marble & Steel Craft Chocolates – Truffles
Morsel Cookie Company – Birthday Cake Cookie
Vivian – Meringue
Ivy & The Poet – Black & White Cookie
Well Bred bakery – Petite Eclair
Cousins Cuban Cafe (Black Mountain) – Various Cookies

HOT SAUCE
Deli Llammma – Llammma Spit
9 Mile – Red-i
Surly Sauce – Smoky Green Habenero
Better Thymes – Green Apple
Firewalker – Runnin’ w/ The Reaper
O’Yeah! – Hot Sauce
Ghost Dog – Cayenne Garlic

FOOD MAKER OF THE YEAR
Adam Anson – The Matzo Man
2. Pasta & Prana – Hemp Pasta
3. The Well-Seasoned Table – Gingerbread Sugar et al
4. Legally Addictive – Gingerbread Graham Cracker Cookies

N/A BEVERAGE MAKER OF THE YEAR
Cultura – NA Cocktails
Ginger’s Revenge – N/A Flight
Devil’s Foot – Canned Sodas
Cultivated Cocktails – NA Cocktails
Summit Coffee – Cappuccino
Times Bar Cafe – Cappuccino
PennyCup Coffee – Cappuccino

FOOD EVENT OF THE YEAR
Outdated Video Box – Grand Opening
Chow Chow – Corn Brunch
Chow Chow – Food Stories Dinner
Cultura – Cultivated Community Dinner Series
Shay Brown & Stu Helm – 2022 WNC Pizza Fight
Tall John’s – Soft Opening

FOOD TRUCK OF THE YEAR
Sabora
Cream Works
Good AF
Pasta & Prana
Deli Llammma
Feta Flav

BEST MUSIC
Session Cafe – Eclectic / Pan-Genre / Obscurities & B-sides
Trade & Lore Cafe – Eclectic / Contemporary
Mehfil / Dilbar – Classical Indian on one side / Bollywood on the other
Izzy’s Coffee Den – Underground / Cutting Edge
Buxton Hall BBQ – Vintage R&R, R&B, and Soul, incl. B-sides

BEST DECOR
Mehfil / Dilbar – Beautiful & Comforting (Mehfil) / Fun & Exciting (Dilbar)
Tall John’s – Homey & Contemporary
Neng Jr’s – Tiny but Awesome
Session Cafe – Cavernous, Bright, Eclectic
The New Tastee Diner – Salon Style Old School Punk
Postero (Hendersonville) – Restored Vintage Interior with Modern Elements
Andale Way – Classic Mexican Restaurant with “That’s so Asheville” Touches

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Neng Jr’s
Island Pan
Tall John’s
Mehfil / Dilbar
La Rumba
Andale Way

F & B PERSON / PEOPLE OF THE YEAR
Co-Founders – Asheville Food & Beverage United
Reynaldo Macario – Owner / La Rumba Latin Restaurant
Vince Charbenau – Manager / Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville

CHEF OF THE YEAR
Chef Tom LaFauci – Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville
Chef Silver Cousler – Neng Jr’s
Chef Katie Button – Heirloom Hospitality
Chef Meherwan Irani – Chain Pani Group
Chef Steven Goff – Tastee Diner

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
La Rumba
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville
Blue Dream Curry House
Chai Pani
La Bodega by Cúrate
Tastee Diner

2021

BREAKFAST OF THE YEAR
Abeja’s House Cafe – ⭑
Sunny Point Cafe
Sawhorse
Doc Brown’s BBQ

LUNCH OF THE YEAR
Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken née Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken
Ziggy’s Bakery & Deli
Waku Waku Japanese Eatery – ⭑

FANCY DINNER OF THE YEAR
OaxaCalifornia Dinner
Swine’d Sustainably / Cultura – ⭑
Food Stories / Chow Chow

SWEETS OF THE YEAR
Buggy Pop Popsicles
Old Europe Cakes
Marble & Steel Craft Chocolates – ⭑
Bhumi Chocolate

MOCKTAILS OF THE YEAR
Sovereign Remedies
Cultura – ⭑
Session Cafe

MEAL OF THE YEAR
The Odditorium – ⭑
Griff’s Kitchen & Bar
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse
Zambra

FOOD EVENT OF THE YEAR
Grandest AVL / Black Wall Street AVL
Goombay – ⭑

FOOD COMPETITION OF THE YEAR
Cue for a Cause BBQ Throwdown – ⭑
Bring Your Heat, Asheville
Dinner Impossible Food Truck Throw Down
Punk Rock Hot Dogs
Duke’s vs Blue Plate

BEST RIBS OF 2021
Doc Brown’s BBQ – ⭑
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse
12 Bones
Avenue M

BEST MEATLOAF OF 2021
Rye Knot
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ
Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro – ⭑
East Village Grille

BEST SHEPHERD’S PIE OF 2021
Pierachy – ⭑
Iconic Kitchen & Drinks
Asheville Yacht Club
The Bier Garden

BEST CHEESESTEAK OF 2021
Ziggy’s Bakery & Deli – ⭑
The Odditorium
Asheville Sandwich Company
Buxton Hall Barbecue

BURGER OF THE YEAR
The Odditorium / Barf Burger – ⭑
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville / Smash Burger
The Malvern / Crunch Burg Supreme

BEST HUNKS OF MEAT OF 2021
Iconic Kitchen & Drinks / Wrack of Lamb
Caitlyn Farms Sustainable Beef / Fillet
Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville / All Steaks – ⭑
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse / Seared Wakyu

BEST WINGS OF 2021
Buxton Hall Barbecue
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ
Deli Llammma Food Truck – ⭑
Benne on Eagle
Strictly Wings
Haywood Common
Neng Jr’s Pop-Up

CHICKEN SALAD OF THE YEAR
Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken – ⭑
Well Bred bakery
Buxton Chicken Palace

DEEP FRIED THING OF THE YEAR
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse / Beech Mushroom – ⭑
The Odditorium / Deep Fried Tamale
Huli Sue’s Hawaiian BBQ / Reuben Spring Rolls
The Madness Sushi & Burgers / Jalapeño Poppers
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ / Bear Balls

TACO OF THE YEAR
Los Tacotes Food Truck – ⭑
Asheville Yacht Club
El Gallo Asheville

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR
Ziggy’s Bakery & Deli / Meatball Sub
12 Bones BBQ / Smoked Turkey
Mother Ocean Market / Oyster Po’ Boy
Wild Ginger / Pork Belly Banh Mi – ⭑
Brenda Cabrera / Pambazo

FOOD TRUCK OF THE YEAR
Feta Flav
Deli Llammma
Los Tacotes
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ – ⭑
Spotted Banana

FOOD MAKER OF THE YEAR
Adam Anson – Matzo Man
DJ’s Pickles – ⭑
Earthy
Good Gravy Bakes

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
El Gallo
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse – ⭑
Holeman & Finch

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Smoky Park Supper Club
Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken
La Bodega by Cúrate
Cultura – ⭑

CHEF OF THE YEAR
Chef Naomi Mikami / Waku Waku Japanese Eatery – ⭑
Chef Eric Morris / Cultura
Chef Chazzy Edwards / Deli Llammma Food Truck

2020

BURGER
Rosabee’s – Loco Moco Burger
Post 25 – Jalapeno Popper Burger – ⭑
Curate / La Bodega

CHICKEN DINNER
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack – ⭑
Pupuseria Paty’s
Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken
Vivian

BRISKET
Brinehaus – ⭑
Black Bear BBQ
Doc Brown’s BBQ
Green House

SANDWICH
Sandwich Trio from Session Cafe at Citizen Vinyl
Brisket Philly from Little Louie’s Pop-up – ⭑
Grilled Boloney from Sweet Southern Funk Food Truck

DEEP FRIED THING
Little Louies’ / Buxton Hall Barbecue – Saucy Chicken Strips / Kids Chicken Nuggets
Sweet Southern Funk – Chicken Tenders & House Made Sauces
Storm Rhum Bar – Gator Tail and Grits – ⭑

BREAKFAST
Abeja’s House Cafe
Bomba
Blue Collar Diner Food Truck – ⭑
The Worthy Baker

LUNCH
Pupuseria Paty’s Asheville – ⭑
Thai Pearl
Manicomio
Broth Lab

DINNER
Lean Times Meat Co.
Lola’s Fresh Foods
Asheville Pro Kitchen
Red Fiddle Vittles – ⭑

SWEETS
Sunshine Sammies
The Worthy Baker – ⭑
Abeja’s House Cafe
Wild Ginger

MEAL OF THE YEAR
Anniversary Meal at Vue 1913 – ⭑
Vivian Marketplace – Trout Dinner
Avenue M – Take-Out Buffet
Buxton Hall Brunch
Zambra – Unexpected Meal

FOOD PERSON / PEOPLE
Jane Anderson
Flori Chastain Pate – ⭑
MANNA Foodbank
Asheville Strong
Anonymous Donors

PIVOT MASTER
Manicomio
Biscuit Head
Twisted Laurel
Pachimama5 – ⭑
Sunny Point Cafe

NEW RESTAURANT
Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken née Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken
Pie.Zaa
Thai Pearl – ⭑

CHEF
Chef Tom LaFauci
Chef Melissa Gray
Chef Paty Saenz
Chef Sujitra Chubthaisong aka Chef May
Chef Eric Morris – ⭑

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Twisted Laurel – ⭑
Vivian

2019

BLOOD & GUTS
Blood Sausage at Cúrate
Hog Hash at Buxton Hall
Liver Pudding at Benne on Eagle – ⭑

BURGER
Marley Burger at The One Stop – ⭑
Basic Burger at Tastee Diner
The Vault Burger at The Rankin Vault (Slider Size)

FUNGUS
Fried Mushrooms w/ Ponzu Sauce at Noble – The Greenhouse
Mushroom Casserole at Cultura – ⭑
Mushroom Toast at Imperial Life

PICKLED THING
Pickles on Everything at AUX Bar
Pickled Eggs at Bhramari
Pickle Plate at Cultura – ⭑

PORK
Ogbono Pork Ribs at Benne on Eagle
Pork ‘n’ Porridge at AUX Bar – ⭑
House Made Spam at Rosabee’s

SANDWICH
Sloppy Joe at Doc Brown’s BBQ – ⭑
Pimento Cheese Chicken BLT at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack
Bubble Waffle Grilled Cheese w/ House-made Spam at Rosa Bee’s

SWEET TREAT
Maple Eclair at Sawhorse – ⭑
Li’l Cakies at Sunshine Sammies
Liquid Truffle Affogato at French Broad Chocolates

BAKER
Jill Worthy aka The Worthy Baker – ⭑
Fred Dehlow / Geraldine’s Bakery
Joe and Annie Ritota / Annie’s Bakery

CAFE / TEA ROOM
High Climate Tea
Double Decker Coffee Bus – ⭑
Yuzu Patisserie Cafe

FANCY MEAL
Parrillada Atahualpa w/ Chef Santiago Vargas / Out of the Blue Food Truck – ⭑
Hog Hash Bash w/ Chef Elliott Moss / Buxton Hall BBQ et al.
Love Songs w/ Chef Silver Cousler / Gan Shan West

FARM / FARMER
Gaining Ground Farm – ⭑
Sleight Family Farm
Franny’s Farm

FOH
Contrada
Strada – ⭑
Benne on Eagle

FOOD MAKER
Bees / The Asheville Bee Charmer
Meg Chamberlain / Fermenti – ⭑
Franco Donohue / Firewalker Hot Sauce

FOOD TRUCK
Brinehaus Meat + Provisions Food Truck
Food Stop Food Truck – ⭑
Out of the Blue Peruvian Food Truck

BREAKFAST
Benne on Eagle
Sovereign Remedies / OWL Bakery – ⭑
The Rhu

LUNCH
Bomba
12 Bones
Green Tea Sushi – ⭑

DINNER
Bull & Beggar
Smoky Park Supper Club
Zambra – ⭑

CHEF
Ashleigh Shanti / Benne on Eagle – ⭑
Chef Steven Goff / AUX Bar
Chef Rakim Gaines / Capella on 9

COOK
Erika Villaney / Bomba – ⭑
Corey Willis / Manicomio
Martha Misenheimer / 67 Biltmore Ave

FOOD PERSON / PEOPLE
MANNA Foodbank
Chowchow Organizers – ⭑
Mother Ocean Market

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Homegrown

NEW RESTAUTANT
Cultura
Sawhorse
Noble – The Greenhouse – ⭑

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Vivian – ⭑
Waterbird
Foothills Butcher Bar West

2018

BURGER
Burgerworx, Build Your Own Burger
Oyster House Brewing, Oyster House Brew Burger – ⭑
Underground Cafe with Doughp Doughnuts, Single Patty Smash Burger

CHICKEN
Sand Hill Kitchen, Fried Chicken Sandwich
67 Biltmore Downtown Eatery + Catering, Fried Chicken w/ Biscuit & Gravy – ⭑
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack, Pimento Cheese Chicken BLT & Rocky’s Royale with Cheese
Buxton Hall Barbecue, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich
Henrietta’s Poultry Shoppe, Charleston Fried Chicken Sandwich
Homegrown, Fried Chicken w/ Gravy & Grandma Willie’s Pimento Cheese Stuffed Fried Chicken
Bhramari, Fried Chicken Sandwich

CHEF
Chef Ashley Capps – ⭑
Chef Katie Button
Chef John Fleer

COOK
Patty Wright
Dave Bristol
Matt Kovitch – ⭑

CONSISTENT
Cucina 24
Table
Cúrate – ⭑

FANCY MEAL
Farm to Village, Dinner Under the Stars – ⭑
“Drinking Like Ladies” Cocktail Dinner at Nightbell
Braised & Confit Pop Up Beer Dinner

FOH
The Admiral
Buxton Hall Barbecue – ⭑
The Nightbell

FOOD MAKER
French Broad Chocolates
Sunshine Sammies
No Evil Foods – ⭑

FOOD PERSON / PEOPLE
Rob & Lynn Foster, BRRE
Jane Anderson, AIR – ⭑
Flori Pate, Food Connection

NEW RESTAURANT
AUX Bar
Vivian – ⭑
Haywood Common

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Vivian – ⭑
Cucina 24
Underground Cafe

RESTAURATEUR
Meherwan Irani – ⭑
Button Family
Chef John Fleer

PIZZA
All Souls Pizza, Artesian Pepperoni
Del Vecchio’s, Hamburger Pizza
Manicomio, Smoked Artichoke and Fresh Tomato Pizza – ⭑

REUBEN
Blackbird, Pastrami Reuben
Foothills Butcher Bar
Sand Hill Kitchen
Continental Lounge, Continental Reuben – ⭑
Food Stop Food Truck

SANDWICH
Cúrate, Pepito de Ternera
Food Stop, Philly (cheese steak)
Underground Cafe, Ma! Meatloaf – ⭑

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Sunny Point Cafe – ⭑

2017

BEST BREAKFAST:
67 Biltmore – ⭑
The Rhu
Early Girl

BEST CAFE:
Trade and Lore Coffee – ⭑
Double Decker Bus
Izzy’s Coffee Den

BEST BAKERY:
OWL Bakery
Geraldine’s – ⭑
The Rhu

BEST LUNCH:
Buxton Hall Barbecue
Mojo Kitchen
Tastee Diner – ⭑

BEST DINNER:
Takeout Central
All Souls Pizza – ⭑
Cucina 24

BEST DATE NIGHT:
Storm
The Admiral
Nightbell – ⭑

BEST DRINKS:
Sovereign Remedies
The Imperial Life – ⭑
Nightbell

BEST LATE NIGHT BITE:
Old Europe
Mojo Kitchen & Lounge
Sovereign Remedies – ⭑

BEST HOUSE CUP:
City Bakery – ⭑
Trade and Lore Coffee
Izzy’s Coffee Den

BEST ESPRESSO:
Rankin High Five
PennyCup Coffee
Trade and Lore Coffee – ⭑

BEST PASTRIES:
Karen Donatelli – ⭑
Old Europe
50 / Fifty the Art of Dessert

BEST CAKE:
Blackbird: Coconut Cake
50/Fifty The Art of Dessert: Various Cakes – ⭑
Kali Cakes at Bhramari Brewhouse: Chocolate Stout Cake – ⭑

BEST BRUNCH ITEM:
Posana Pork Belly Benedict
Korean House Bulgogi Bibimbap
Mojo Kitchen & Lounge Jerk Chicken ‘n’ Waffle Sandwich – ⭑

BEST BISCUITS N GRAVY:
67 Biltmore – ⭑
Early Girl
Blackbird

BEST SHRIMP N GRITS:
Sunny Point Cafe – ⭑
Blackbird
Table

BEST BURGER:
Twisted Laurel
Carmel’s
Bhramari Brewhouse – ⭑

BEST PIZZA:
Delvecchio’s
Manicomio – ⭑
All Souls

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR:
Buxton Hall Fried Chicken Sandwich
Lexington Corner Market Grab and Go Sandwiches featuring bread from The Rhu
Melt Your Heart Food Truck Firebird Sandwich – ⭑

BEST COUNTER SERVICE:
City Bakery, Biltmore Ave
67 Biltmore Ave Downtown Eatery & Catering
Mamacita’s – ⭑

BEST TABLE SERVICE:
The Admiral – ⭑
Nightbell
Buxton Hall

BEST BAR SERVICE:
Imperial Life
Cucina 24 – ⭑
Cúrate

MOST KICK-ASS KITCHEN CREW:
Cúrate
Buxton Hall Barbecue
Cucina 24 – ⭑

FOOD PERSON OF THE YEAR:
Kelly Denson: All American Food Fights – ⭑
Leah McGrath: Ingle’s Dietician / Radio Show Host
Danny Keaton: Danny’s Dumpster

RESTAURATEURS OF THE YEAR:
Chef Jacob & Alicia Sessoms, Table / Imperial Life / Tod’s Tasties
Chef Peter & Martha Pollay, Posana
Button Family, Heirloom Hospitality (Cúrate / Nightbell) – ⭑

CHEF OF THE YEAR:
Chef Jacob Sessoms, Table
Chef Brian Canipelli, Cucina 24
Chef AJ Gregson / Mojo Kitchen & Lounge – ⭑

BEST FOOD EVENT:
Downtown City Market
Izakaya Japaneese Pop-ups at Gan Shan Station
Taste of Asheville – ⭑

BEST FOOD COMPETITION:
Asheville Wing War
Asheville Burger Battle
Asheville Food Truck Showdown – ⭑

MOST MISSED RESTAURANT:
Montford Pull-up
Local Provisions
The Junction – ⭑

BEST NEW RESTAURANT:
Underground Cafe
Polanco
Jargon – ⭑

MEAL OF THE YEAR:
Jargon
Admral
Table – ⭑

BEST RESTAURANT:
The Admiral
Cúrate
The Nightbell – ⭑

FAVORITE RESTAURANT:
The Admiral
All Souls Pizza
Buxton Hall Barbecue – ⭑

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR:
Cucina 24
Mojo Kitchen and Lounge
Table – ⭑

2016

SERVER OF THE YEAR
Counter Service: Tommy @ PennyCup Coffee Co. – ⭑
Table Service: Molly & Cara @ Chestnut – ⭑
Bar Service: Ben @ The Imperial Life – ⭑

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR
Charlie Hodge – Sovereign Remedies – Ole Shakey’s – ⭑

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Salt & Smoke – ⭑

MEAL OF THE YEAR – TIE SCORE!
Dawn’s Birthday Dinner at Posana – ⭑
Chef’s tasting Table at The Junction – ⭑

CHEF OF THE YEAR
Chef Katie Button – Cúrate,The Nightbell – ⭑

BEST COFFEE
PennyCup Coffee Co. – ⭑

BEST CAFE
Trade and Lore Coffee – ⭑

BEST BAKERY
OWL Bakery – ⭑

BEST PASTRIES
Karen Donatelli Cake Designs – ⭑

BEST DESSERTS
The Admiral – ⭑

BEST BREAKFAST
67 Biltmore Downtown Eatery + Catering – ⭑

BEST BRUNCH
Posana – ⭑

BEST LUNCH
Chai Pani – ⭑

BEST DINNER
Rhubarb – ⭑

BEST BURGER
Buxton Hall Barbecue – ⭑

BEST HOT DOG
Buxton Hall Barbecue – ⭑

BEST PIZZA
Tin Can Pizzeria – ⭑

BEST SHRIMP ‘N’ GRITS
Sunny Point Café – ⭑

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR
Reuben at Chestnut – ⭑

2015

BEST POUR OVER
Ryan The Coffee Pedlar – Uncontested – ⭑

BEST HOUSE CUP
City Bakery
PennyCup Coffee Co.
Vortex Doughnuts – ⭑

BEST LOCAL COFFEE ROASTER
Dynamite Roasting Co.
PennyCup Coffee Co – ⭑
Bean Werks Coffee C

BEST ESPRESSO / SPECIALTY COFFEE DRINKS
Vortex Doughnuts – ⭑
French Broad Chocolate Lounge
High Five Coffee
Double Decker Bus

BEST BREAKFAST
67 Biltmore Ave – ⭑
Rise ‘n’ Shine
Clingman Cafe
Tod’s Tasties Cafe

BEST BRUNCH
The Grey Eagle Taqueria
The Junction – ⭑
Buffalo Nickel

BEST DEEP FRIED THING
Kale Pakoras @ Chai Pani – ⭑
Donuts @ Hole Doughnuts and Coffee
Parsnips, et al @ Buxton Hall BBQ

BEST SANDWICHES
Fresh Lunch Delivery
Foothills Deli & Meats
City Bakery
Buxton Hall Barbecue – ⭑

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR
Smoked Turkey @ Buxton Hall BBQ
Chicken ‘n’ Waffle @ Sunny Point Cafe – ⭑
French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese @ Mellow Mushroom via The Mountain Cheese Fest

BEST LUNCH
Buxton Hall BBQ
Chestnut – ⭑
Foggy Mountain Brew Pub

BEST FOOD TRUCK
Farm to Fender
Root Down – ⭑
Gypsy Queen Cuisine

BEST PATRIES
Karen Donatelli – ⭑
Old Europe
Yuzu Patisserie
67 Biltmore
Geraldine’s
Well-Bred
Short Street Cakes
Hole Doughnuts
Vortex Donuts

BEST LATE NIGHT BITE
Sovereign Remedies
The Imperial Life
The Nightbell – ⭑
MG Road

BEST DINNER
Sunday Dinner @ Sovereign Remedies – ⭑
Burger Night @ Bull & Beggar
Dinner Specials @ All Souls Pizza
Food Trucks @ The Wedge

MEAL OF THE YEAR
Birthday Dinner @ Ambrozia Bar and Bistro
Family Gathering @ Buffalo Nickel
Anniversary Dinner @ Vue 1913 – ⭑
Black Sheep Dinner by Blind Pig
Cuban X-Mas Dinner @ MG Road

SERVER OF THE YEAR
Mithran @ Ambrozia Bistro
Ben @ The Imperial Life
Naomi @ The Imperial Life / Sovereign Remedies
histle @ Sovereign Remedies
Ben @ Sovereign Remedies – ⭑

CHEF OF THE YEAR
Chef Steven Goff
Chef Dano Holcomb
Chef Elliott Moss – ⭑
Chef Katie Button
Chef Joe Scully
Chef Liam Luttrell-Rowland

RESTAURANTOF THE YEAR
The Junction
All Souls Pizza – ⭑
Buxton Hall BBQ

2014

The second year that I did The Stoobies, I announced the nominees and winners at the same time. I also changed from “Best ” to “of the Year” for my superlatives, and added some new categories, including my favorite: Deep Fried Thing.

HOT COFFEE OF THE YEAR
City Bakery
Vortex Donuts
Bomba
The Coffee Pedlar – ⭑

SANDWICH OF THE YEAR
Spicy Tuna Melt – Clingman Cafe – ⭑
Turkey Day Turkey – City Bakery
Various – All Souls Pizza

LATE NIGHT SMALL BITE OF THE YEAR
Nightbell
The Imperial Life – ⭑
Curate

DEEP FRIED THING OF THE YEAR
Boudin Balls – Root Down Food Cart
French Fries – Carolina Cinemas
Frito Misto – Rhubarb
Shepherd’s Pie Fritters – King James Pub – ⭑
Donuts – Hole

SERVER OF THE YEAR
Chad – All Souls Pizza
Cliff – Cúrate – ⭑
Lisa Marie – Nightbell
Sky! – Clingman Cafe/city Bakery

CHEF OF THE YEAR
Chef Steven Goff – ⭑
Chef Katie Button
Chef Karen Donatelli
Chef Peter Pollay

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Posana
Cúrate – ⭑
King James Public House
City Bakery

2013

The first year that I did the “Stoobie Awards” the winners were ranked, except for one tie score.

BEST PIZZA
1) All Souls – ⭑
2) Hi-Fi Cafe
3) Marco’s
4) Circle in the Square

BEST COFFEE
1) Dark Roast at City Bakery – ⭑
2) Starbuck’s on Charlotte Blonde roast
3) Curate – AMericano
4) Fig Coffee w/ Chicory

BEST PASTRIES
1) Over-all: Karen Donatelli Bakery – ⭑
2) Eclairs at Olde Europe
3) True Confections Pies
4) Red Velvet Cheesecake at New World Coffee Cafe
5) Well Bread Bakery

BEST PEOPLE WATCHING
1) The front window seats at New World Coffee Cafe – ⭑
2) Front seats at Karen Donatelli
3) Bomba
Runner -up: City Bakery

BEST SERVICE
1) Starbucks on Charlotte Street – ⭑
2) Curate
3) Early Girl Eatery

BEST ATMOSPHERE
1) Battery Park Book Exchange – ⭑
2) Dobra
3) Katmandu

BEST BACHELOR CHOW
1) Home Grown – ⭑
2) Posana
3) Storm

BEST BREAKFAST
1) Rise and Shine – ⭑
2) Sunny Point
3) Early Girl

BEST LUNCH
1) Mamacitas – ⭑
2) Chestnut
3) Loretta’s

BEST OF THE BEST
Reza’s – ⭑
Zambra – ⭑

• end archives •

From left: Chef Jacob Sessoms of Table; Chef William Dissen, The Market Place; Chef Steven Goff, Standard Foods; Chef Katie Button, Curate; Chef Joe Scully, Chestnut and Corner Kitchen; Stu Helm; Chef John Fleer, Rhubarb; Chef Karen Donatelli, Donatelli Bakery; Chef Peter Pollay, Posana Cafe; and Chef Matt Dawes, Bull & Beggar./ Photo by STEWART O’SHIELDS for ASHVEGAS.COM

Stu Helm is an artist, writer, and food tour guide living in Asheville, NC. As a frequent diner at local restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and the like, his tastes run from hot dogs and mac ‘n’ cheese, to haute cuisine, and his opinions are based on a lifetime of experience. He began writing about food strictly to amuse his friends on Facebook.

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