Go Here: Asheville

From the founders of Welton's Tiny Bakeshop

Hello dear friends, fine readers, and maybe a few enemies? I’ve got a very exciting newsletter for you today - our first (but not our last!) guest contributor.

Hannah and Zach Welton own Welton’s Fine Foods and Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop here in Charleston. After working together in some incredible restaurants (Hartwood in Tulum, Mexico; Husk in Charleston) they launched their first project in Charleston with Welton’s Fine Foods. It started as a mobile pizza oven but really morphed into the best laid back catering operation in town. They’ve catered my birthday a couple years ago as well as two of our company holiday parties.

Their food is seasonal, free of unnecessary frills, and delicious. Great pizza, salads, meatballs, and more - just what you want to eat. And Hannah always brings a level of style (and incredible incense) to her gatherings. Zach seems to handle the pizza (although I’ve watched Hannah man the ovens), and Hannah brings her prowess to their incredible desserts and baked goods.

Fortunately they gave those baked goods a bigger stage when they opened Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop in late 2022, which is in a very charming space down the street from my restaurants. They make great neighbors and a stellar addition to the Charleston scene - it is by far my favorite bakery in town. And not to rest on their laurels, they’ve recently added a weekend pizza party to the bakeshop in the form of Tiny’s, offering their pizza, snacks and sweets (plus natty wine) with seating along the pebbled alley adjacent to their space. It’s all very fun, natural, and good.

Over the past couple years I noticed Hannah posting more and more photos from Asheville, a quick four hours from Charleston, nestled amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains. She and Zach clearly have a fondness for the area, and they seem to do it right: lots of saunas, beautiful hikes, gorgeous food and cold, crispy beers. I found myself craving a visit, but I wanted THEIR guide.

The mountains and the Welton’s sweet dog, Cookie.

Well - good news: they obliged!

Please enjoy their guide to this special place - a soulful spot that has attracted artists and adventurists for years:

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A WELTON’S GUIDE TO THE BLUE RIDGE

The beauty that makes up Asheville is being surrounded by the mountains, the green pastures, the valleys, cobblestoned downtown streets, the preserved historical architecture that makes up the lively downtown, the mom & pop shops, the farmers markets, the waterfalls, the breweries and the magic of all the folks that call this part of the blue ridge mountains their home.

A DREAM DAY IN ASHEVILLE

Start your morning by visiting OWL BAKERY: depending on what part of town you are staying in, they have two locations, which is a total win. Grab yourself a cappuccino and some of the best naturally leavened pastries & sourdough bread on this side of the mississippi. Their ham and cheese croissant & pasteis de nada are everything. If you don’t inhale them before you get in the car because they are that good, then I recommend you take a box with you to your next adventure for the morning… which would be a hike along The Blue Ridge Parkway.