Gas up the car, grab your keys and get driving to the mountain towns of Western North Carolina for a unique food tour experience. We’ve selected the coolest towns with a unique selection of food to try.

Highlands

• Mountain Fresh Kitchen Sink Bread Pudding [Mountain Fresh Grocery] – A bread pudding containing croissants, apple turnover, cherry turnover, apple fritter, cheese danish, fruit danish, glazed donuts, assorted donuts, heavy cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg. Definitely an interesting dessert to try. If you’re a bread pudding fan, or just wanting to try something new, give it a shot.
• Neapolitan Pizza [Mountain Fresh Grocery] – Authentic Italian-style pizzas cooked in their 800° wood-fired oven. One of the best pizzas we’ve had in the mountains. Never fails to satisfy.

Cashiers

• Maple Spice Latte [Buck’s Coffee Cafe] – A creamy latte with just the right amount of maple spice. The perfect drink on those cold mountain days. One of the best tasting lattes you can find in the mountains. A close second from Buck’s, for those hot summer days, is their frozen latte.
• Blueberry Lemon Bread [Cashiers Farmers Market] – This moist lemon blueberry bread is the perfect way to top off a long day of hiking. Get some coffee from Buck’s, grab a slice and relax by the fire. We like to pick up one of their homemade breads for dessert. So enjoyable sitting by an outdoor fire.

Asheville

• Toasted Almond Sesame Cinnamon Doughnut [Hole Doughnuts] – Vanilla glazed dipped in a toasted almond, sesame seed, & cinnamon mixture and fresh, made to order. They only make the doughnut when you order so it’s piping hot, fresh and simply the best doughnut we’ve ever had.
• Loaded Nachos [Mountain Madre] – House made tortilla chips smothered in queso then topped with black beans, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and grated cotija cheese. Great snack to grab as you’re walking the streets of Asheville.
• Chocolate Crème Brûlée [French Broad Chocolate Lounge] – Creamy, chilled chocolate custard contrasts a crunchy, torched caramel top. Bonus: Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake or Espresso Cheesecake. How can we go to Asheville and not get this creamy, chocolatey dessert? We can’t.

Blowing Rock

• Blueberry Waffle Cone Ice Cream [Kilwin’s] – Blueberry-flavored ice cream, blueberry sauce, blueberries & chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces. Such a good flavor any time of the year. If you’re in the area during Autumn try the Pumpkin Pie – you can get two flavors in their single scoop cup so try both.
• Shepard’s Pie [Six Pence Pub] – Ground beef, peas, carrots, and onions in a savory brown sauce, topped with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. Served with a
  salad of crisp greens, cucumber, onion, tomato and cheese. On a cold mountain day nothing like some warm comfort food. The Shepard’s Pie is perfect after a cold day of hiking.

Franklin

• Hand Dipped Cherry Milkshake [Motor Company Grill] – Also comes in flavors like Maple, Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip. The cherry milkshake was creamy with chunks of cherry pieces and so refreshing on a warm mountain day after hiking.
• Black Mussels Opal Basil [Caffé Rel] – Fresh black mussels, steamed in fish fume & white wine. Finished with our Opal Basil Marinara. We opted for no white wine and they we’re simply delicious, finished with a piece of baguette for dipping in the sauce.

Bryson City

• Pina Colada Smoothie [Mountain Perks] – Blended with ice and milk. So good on those warm summer days in the mountains. Grab one after hiking the Waterfall Loop (Deep Creek Falls) in the Great Smoky Mountains.
• Pasta Primavera [Pasqualino’s Italian Restaurant] – Sauteed vegetables with Alfredo sauce, Broccoli, carrots, mushrooms. Delicious. Need we say more?

Sylva

• Tacos [Guadalupe Cafe] – Your choice of fillings/toppings: locally made artisanal cheeses like dark cove goat cheese, yellow branch curds, 3graces feta, sweetgrass blue. plantains, tomatoes, peppers, chilies, avocado, onions, local mushrooms, grilled greens. local meats such as slow-roasted pork, beef, goat; free-range chicken, humanely raised bacon, tofu, gulf shrimp. Influenced by Southern American & tropical cuisines, prepared fresh with whole ingredients, many of which are locally sourced. So unique. so good and so filling.
• Blueberry Muffins [White Moon Coffee Shop] – Homemade, served warm and filled with fresh blueberries. Get there early and they are still warm. Match with a Matcha Latte for the perfect start to the morning.

Brevard

• Kitchen Sink [Mayberry’s Soups & Sandwiches] – House-made veggie burger with pintos, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onion, parmesan, garlic, oatmeal, and spices. served with cheddar, lettuce, and tomato. So tasty and flavorful. Didn’t taste like a typical veggie burger. This could be a habit.
• Peanut Butter Cup Latte [Cup & Saucer] – Espresso, PB2 Powder, Hazelnut & Chocolate and steamed milk. Great for walking around Brevard. Add a shortbread cookie for the perfect compliment.
• Thai Corner Sweet & Sour [Love Eat Thai Kitchen] – Sauteed in Thai sauce with onions, tomatoes, pineapple, carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers. Can’t go wrong with sweet & sour.

Black Mountain

• Killer Bee [The Dripolator Coffeehouse] – Latte infused with honey & cinnamon. Works so well together. Oh yeah, grab a chocolate croissant, you want regret it.
• Good Lovin Taco [Taco Billy] – A Sautéed Medley of Broccoli, Mushrooms, Squash, Zucchini, Spinach, Rice, Garlic, & Monterey Jack Cheese, Topped with Jalapeno. Ranch on a Corn Tortilla. Replaced the ranch for sour cream and it was perfectly fresh, tasty and one of the best tacos we’ve had.