A gastronomical travelers' guide to Hendersonville Restaurant Week Slice of Jess

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of previewing the very first Hendersonville Restaurant Week with a handful of other writers for 72 hours. Our dining and accommodations were sponsored by the establishments listed below, however I would never recommend a restaurant or hotel that I didn’t enjoy myself. In this post, I talk about my culinary excursions and overall visit to Hendersonville, North Carolina. All opinions here are mine alone.

Hendersonville is a scenic mountain community located about 2 hours west of Charlotte. This Blue Ridge getaway serves as an outdoor paradise, which encourages tourists to spend their time fishing, golfing and trekking through their vast amount of hiking trails. To be honest, I’m not quite sure how this charasmatic little destination fell off my travel-radar in the past. The entire town is captivating and I instantly fell in love with it’s rustic downtown and charming residents. In fact, I adored Hendersonville so much that I even returned this past weekend with my family visiting from California.

Where to Fill Up:

FYI: These are listed in the order that we visited (not by favorite or taste preference). Depending on the mood you’re in, Hendersonville Restaurant Week truly has something for everyone in various price ranges.

Flat Rock Wood Room

1501 Greenville Hwy, Hendersonville

The Deets: Located just a few minutes outside of quaint downtown, this award winning barbecue joint offers a variety of smoked meats, wood-fired pizzas and a plethora of southern-inspired sides. Owner, Jamie, was very accommodating and knowledgeable and can often be found greeting customers as they arrive.

Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu

Personal Favorite: Smoked Pork Satay with Peanut Butter Glaze and Ginger Grape Sauce.

Old Orchard Tavern

201 Sugarloaf Road, Hendersonville

The Deets: Located inside the Cascade’s Mountain Resort, this family-friendly hotel boasts a gigantic indoor pool (complete with waterslide) and massive entrees to satisfy those after-swim cravings.

Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu

Personal Favorite: Braised Lamb in White Wine and Fresh Thyme, Tomatoes, and Carrots over Mable Potatoes and Drizzled with Gremolata.

Brooks Tavern

142 Third Avenue West, Hendersonville

The Deets: I am in no means picking favorites, but if I lived in town… this pub would definitely be my go-to for weekend drinks with the girls. It was cozy yet chic and the food was delish. Think pub fare that’s elevated to the next level.

Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu

Personal Favorite: Candied Bacon Strips, ‘nough said.

Postero

401 N Main St., Hendersonville

The Deets: Have you ever stepped into a restaurant and immediately thought… omg I love this place and I haven’t even tried the food. Well… that’s what you get when you walk into Postero. Located in cute-as-a-button downtown Hendersonville, this open kitchen creates classic dishes with modern flair and flavor.

Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu

Personal Favorite: Polenta Fries made with Flash Fried Smoked Gouda Polenta and Catalan Style Sofrito.

Season’s at Highland Lake

86 Lily Pad Lane, Flat Rock

The Deets: I had the pleasure of dining here twice (once with the group and then again the next morning with Chrissie for breakfast) and both occasions were sensational. Executive Chef, Nate Sargent, focuses on utilizing fresh local ingredients when creating his menu; the bright contrast of flavors really shows his dedication to his craft.
Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu
Personal Favorite: The Lamb Pappardelle featured Roasted Lamb Leg with Kalamata Olives, Preserved Lemon, Peas and Asiago-Rosemary Allemande Sauce tossed with hand-cut Pappardelle Pasta.

Hannah Flanagan’s

300 N Main St., Hendersonville

The Deets: A traditional Irish pub that’s ideal for a pint with your friends and a few sliders. We visited during the day for lunch, but I can see this place swarmed with crowds during happy hour and dinner.

Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu

Personal Favorite: The Sliders. We noshed on both the Smoked Turkey with Cranberry and Roasted Pork with Pesto. Their Shepherd’s Pie Egg Rolls were also unique and flavorful.

Never Blue

119 South Main Street, Hendersonville

The Deets: Offering a variety of dishes from around the globe, Never Blue’s kitchen is run by a husband and wife team that prides themselves on serving spectacular food (which they damn well should be). Entree portions are plentiful and the margaritas are a must-try.

Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu

Personal Favorite: I was so unbelievably impressed with their Gnocchi V, I would gladly eat it for dinner every single night and not be upset about it. Fluffy potato dumplings smothered in granna podano-lemon herb cream with feathered parmesan and lemon zest (game changer). Jesse – if you are reading this – can I have the recipe please? 🙂

The Dugout Taproom & Grill

430 N. Main St., Hendersonville

The Deets: I’ve never been so impressed by a sport’s bar’s menu… EVER. True story… I thought we’d be feasting on nosh-worthy bar food that I would typically pair with a night full of heavy drinking. The entrees were extraordinary, yes, but I was not expecting the killer (oh, and scratch-made) appetizers, main dishes and desserts (OMG… the desserts) from Executive Chef, Brooke Crider.

Restaurant Week: Open for lunch & dinner; Menu

Personal Favorite: If I had to pick one dish from the impressive list of yumminess… I guess it would be the Fried Green Tomato Stacker. How do you make Fried Green Tomatoes better? Smother them in house-made Pimento Cheese and Bacon (drooling). Oh yeah, and the Peanut Butter Magic Cake lives up to it’s name… just sayin’.

I want to give a whole-hearted thank-you to all the restaurant owners who graciously invited us into their establishments and treated our group to a special sneak-peak of their restaurant week menu. Just a short drive from Charlotte, this mountain town is a hub for gastronomical fare and outstanding customer service.

Hendersonville’s very first Restaurant Week kicks off March 15th through the 24th, featuring prix fixe lunch and dinner menu’s ranging from $10-$15 for lunch and $25-$35 for dinner. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Dandelion Cafe, a non-profit that provides an internship program to those who have been victims of domestic violence. Read more about Safelight’s programs here.

Where to Wind Down:

Highland Lake Inn & Resort

86 Lily Pad Lane, Flat Rock

This jaw-dropping property is tucked away on 26 secluded acres in Flat Rock, North Carolina. There’s a private lake on-site that offers canoe’s in the summertime and picturesque views year-round. If you’re looking for a gorgeous mountain getaway that’s conveniently located to Hendersonville Restaurant Week, I highly recommend staying here.

In addition to the relaxing lakeside views, this resort boasts a highly sought-after restaurant, organic gardens and a small farm that’s complete with goats, one of the friendliest turkeys I’ve ever met, chickens and a curious white peacock (who may or may not have scared the living crap out of me because he was so eager to say hello).

I stayed in a room at Highland Lake’s Historic Lodge, which just so happens to be over 100 years old. This 20-room estate serves as the perfect retreat for a family reunion or large wedding party because everyone could stay under one roof. The manor is equipped with a spacious kitchen and dual-sided common room that’s furnished with leather couches, claw foot chairs, a classic piano and flat screen TV. What more could you want? In addition to the shared amenities above, each private room is outfitted with it’s own bathroom, coffee maker, cable TV and wireless internet access.