The Junction

A great place for a Sunday brunch in the heart of the River Arts district. It’s cool and definitely on the trendy side, as you’d expect for that area, but also warm and welcoming. We had the only outdoor table to ourselves on a recent trip and had our dog in tow.
The menu was really inventive and interesting. I ordered the cornbread ($ 8), and it came out looking like a gigantic slice of cake. Topped with pimento butter and peppers, it was truly heavenly. I also got a side of bacon ($ 6) that had been slow-​cooked for 14 hours. It was peppery and incredibly flavorful. Those two orders were plenty to have me stuffed afterward. There were also other creative choices like peaches with ham and a foie gras corn dog (yes, really. I need to try that). Everyone in our party of 6 loved their food and great service and left happy and full. I would to come back and try more of their menu, including dinner.

Our Asheville niece had highly recommended this place, but they were booked. We asked if we could possibly be squeezed in at the last minute with our elderly mother, who uses a walker. Charles, the owner, absolutely bent over backwards to make it work for us! He met us at the curb to help with unloading, gave us a choice of tables, and tended to us all evening — seriously nicest guy ever. Our server was equally as attentive. Most importantly, the food was wonderful. The cornbread has this amazing little edge of crunch on moist, earthy and flavorful middle, accompanied by an amazing pimento butter and honey. The light fresh asparagus sings with a light dill and egg sauce. Soft shell crab was amazing.
The atmosphere is casual, cozy and nice. This is a great place both for families, and for romantic dinners. Highly recommended.

I was visiting my daughter in Asheville and told her and her boyfriend to pick a restaurant that they wanted to try but was out of their price range. They picked The Junction as they had heard great things about it.
First, it is a very trendy restaurant, with «trendy» food, «trendy» descriptions and «trendy» drinks. Angostura Bitters seems to be the new trend in drinks as almost everyone listed had that as an ingredient.
I’m not a trendy mom or a foodie.
I really wanted a steak. Not on the menu. They did have a $ 19 Angus burger. I’ll pay $ 19 for a Kobe or Waygu burger but not Angus. Being originally from the Chesapeake Bay area I settled on the soft shell crab small plate. My daughter had the mushrooms and the boyfriend had the sweet tea chicken.
I’m giving it 3 stars as the food was ok. We all basically liked what we ordered but as my daughter said…“I was expected to be overwhelmed by the food from the reviews but I was just whelmed.” I have to agree.
The waitress never came back and asked if we wanted more «trendy» drinks. Thank goodness they put a large bottle of water on the table.
My biggest complaint was there is NO soundproofing of any kind. A large table of 8 came in and we could no longer hear each other so we ate the rest of our meal in silence as it was a pain to talk over the noise.
So if you are into «trendy» food, drinks, and descriptions this is the place for you. If not, I dont recommend it.

The homemade pop-​tart gave me life! I went here for Mother’s Day brunch and was not disappointed. We ordered a homemade pop-​tart for everyone to split, I don’t think it lasted more than 2 minutes. For my main course I got the Benedict with the beef sliders, it was flavorful and cooked beautifully. The fresh squeezed grapefruit mimosa and side of maple bacon were added bonuses that I highly recommend.

A friend was visiting from out of state so I looked up Sunday brunch on Unilocal and this place had good reviews plus you could make reservations so I decided to try it.
Our reservations were for 10:30 and we arrived 5 – 10 minutes early but the door was locked. We waited around outside and could see people inside setting up. 2 other couples came and also waited outside. At some point the door got unlocked without anyone noticing, but no one from inside opened the door or said welcome to anyone outside, which I thought was wierd, because by that time it was about 10:40 or so and we were all still standing outside. Another couple showed up and tried the door and went in so that’s how we figured out it was open.
Once we got inside though, everything was great! The menu was very unique and our waiter was amazing. He didn’t make us feel dumb because we didn’t know what a lot of the things were on the menu, and he was attentive and very friendly.
I had french toast with walnuts, strawberries, and just a hint of goat cheese. Delicious! My friend had corned beef hash and the meat was tender and delicious, she said. We wanted to order Mimosas but couldn’t before noon because of state law, which wasn’t the restaurant’s fault.
I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because of the wait and no greeting, and because I had to order bacon separately for $ 6.
But the food was amazing.

Arrive a bit early and stroll through the River Arts District. It won’t take long but it prepares your senses for the kaleidoscope of unusual menu options.
Always start with the cocktails. It’s not all about the cocktails. Really. It’s not. But it is the measure of whether the place knows what sophistication and creativity really is.
Well, sit back and sip on one of the unusual concoctions — the beautiful Oaxaca mexi– mule enlivened visually by the prickly pear and jalapeño syrup or the edible flower bedecked Bolshoi Punch as you are buffeted by the sultry mood music and peruse the menu
Everything on the menu was interesting and very unusual. Even the seemingly prosaic dishes were unique in their preparation.
The huge (scratch that. Not huge. HUMUNGOUS!!) pork rinds setting in a light avocado cream graced with roasted pablano peppers were amazing– visually and gastronomically.
The meat and cheese plate had unusually delectable selections with toasted baguette slices that were yummy on their own.
To describe the cornbread as crusty gives you the wrong idea. It was simply delicious with a mixed butter and finished by a honey drizzle.
The baby back ribs were served with perfect roasted potatoes and collard greens. I’ve lived in the South for 26 years and tasted collard greens off and on. I just never warmed to them. UNTIL tonight. Collard greens cooked in fatback are THE PERFECT vegetable. OMG. How did I not know this?
The roasted King Trumpet mushroom dish with ramp risotto was intriguing, flavorful and fresh. Not too heavy– leaving you plenty of room for dessert
The Chocolate Mousse is lightened and enhanced by the Raspberry whipped cream. The chocolate nibs and rice crispy puffs add just a little crunch to make it interesting.
Your mouth will thank you and think it has died and gone to heaven
Servings are ample enough to allow take home…

My wife and I didn’t speak through the meal because we didn’t want to distract each other from the experience.

Perhaps I’m jaded by the otherwise amazing food scene in Asheville. Perhaps I’m jaded because I value politeness and manners. Either way, the Junction was not the happy ending I was looking for to my Asheville food fairy tale weekend.
First, let me be honest: I was in Asheville with a group of girls for a bachelorette party. The brunch was scheduled for Sunday morning at the end of a fun weekend and some of the girls bailed to get on the road early. So our reservation of 11 was cut to 5. Out of courtesy, we called to give the restaurant a heads up that morning and they seemed pissed. Like to the point where I pleaded with the girls «lets just pick another place so they don’t spit in our food?»
The five of us went anyway. Some got there a few minutes before the others. When we sat down, one of the girls even handed the waitress a pretty decent amount of $$ for any «confusion.»
Well… we ordered drinks. The alcohol made it to the table ok but my unsweet tea never came. After asking 2 more times, I finally got the tea. We had an app and by the time my meal came my tea was empty. I went the entire meal without a drink or refill. I asked again and still was not refilled.
To top it off, the food was mediocre at best. As someone who eats a lot of protein, I ordered the eggs benedict sliders as they also had «beef patties.» The patties were about the size of a quarter and also had some homemade pickles that may be good on a normal burger, but was an interesting combination with the poached egg and hollandaise sauce. This may be one of the first breakfast plates in my life I did not devour. Still hungry, I ordered a plate of bacon to fill me up. If I ever had to go back. I’m pretty sure I’d just order plates of bacon.

First night in Asheville and we sought out Junction specifically to try the fried chicken. It did not disappoint! However, we were most impressed by the cornbread. It was a huge piece, definitely for 2 or more people to share. Really crispy, tons of honey to dip in and the butter had a nice spicy kick, so good. The duck confit wontons were also a highlight.
Waitress was a bit distracted but the chef and host stopped by to check in multiple times.

Absolute perfection!!! This restaurant is off the strip and a short Über ride away. My husband and I started with the duck wonton and the scallops crusted with ham powder and they were delicious. Then we went on to have the baby back ribs and the lamb… words cannot describe how amazing these dishes were. The executive chef came out and talked to us about the wine (which was awesome) and even showed us his white truffles and morel mushrooms he had just got in. Also the service was outstanding… personable and unpretentious. This restaurant would make you want to move to Asheville… don’t miss out on this experience, make sure you check it out!!!

OMG! Don’t miss this place! Put it on your bucket list! Incredible flavor combinations, every Exquisite morsel has been meticulously thought out. Even the cocktails are cutting edge, unique, and blended with flavors you would never expect to taste in a cocktail such as Rosemary or basil.
And as a cherry on top the service is above par, way about par! The servers like their job and it shows.
Ask to talk to the chef David he is a fountain of information super friendly and fun to meet!
We will definitely eat here again the next time we’re in Asheville!

My first time in Asheville, the small plates and cocktails are awesome! Having ham dusted scallops with risotto… wow! The vibe is relaxed and chill, the servers are great and outgoing. Have a group of 5 guys on a bachelor party and its a great start to the night

My husband and I enjoyed a Wednesday evening dinner here and we were blown away! We ordered the meat and cheese tray. The waiter took the time to explain each item that came with it when we ordered it. We also ordered the Duck Confit Wontons. They were delectable! When the board was brought out the chef delivered it with a detailed explanation of each item that was served to us. We intended to order another dish but we were so full after the first two. We also enjoyed a few beers each and our tab was only $ 70. Not bad IMO for such a fancy meal.

What an incredible treat! Booked a table on
to ensure short brunch day wait time. Restaurant located in RAD of Asheville in a cool brick building. Parking on street. We were greeted at door by owner and readily seated. The interior is industrial chic, small but comfortable. there is a large bar as well. Looks like there is outdoor seating in warmer months. We were greeted by our friendly and helpful server who made recommendations as we had requested her input. We ordered the breakfast hash with brisket and eggs Benedict on pesto polenta cakes. Our meals were delivered by the chef and it was bon apetit! The presentation was beautiful and the flavors were perfect! Such creativity with texture and flavors. We enjoyed every bite! Ended our meal (granted we were stuffed but couldn’t pass up opportunity) with a homemade pop tart that beckons childhood but way more artisanal! It was fun and super tasty! I highly recommend supporting this local family business. We cannot wait to return.

So let me just say that I had high expectations for this place since it had raving Unilocal reviews. They also accept OpenTable reservations, which were necessary for my family of five who came for my Mom’s birthday.
This was my first time in Asheville and the first restaurant we went to for dinner, so we had high expectations. We arrived promptly at our reservation time, but had to wait about ten minutes for them to setup our table, not a huge deal, but the restaurant is pretty small so I thought it would be ready. Oh well. The beer selection wasn’t huge, but I ended up with some Ale I liked.
Onto the food… We ordered the cornbread appetizer and it was tasty, however at $ 9 it was a little pricey for a mere pie-​slice of it. But, nevertheless it was very buttery and the poblano pepper butter paired with it was silky and gave it just the right amount of kick. The appetizer came out in a timely fashion; however we waited over an hour for our entrees. The waitress apologized, but I still saw tables that came after us getting their food before us. Luckily I had some food and a few beers in me, otherwise my hanger would have taken over. This wait time for my mom’s birthday was not something I was pleased about either. Finally, I received my order which was The Junction crepinette aka lamb, with truffle and lead spoon bread, and roasted brussel sprouts for $ 28, which is a pretty hefty price tag. I will say I got a good amount of lamb with my meal, but it wasn’t anything out of this world. The spoonbread was great, but the brussel sprouts were not anything exceptional, except roasted. My dad got the Redfish ($ 24), which I tasted and it wasn’t too exciting either given that the redfish itself didn’t taste like a great fish (almost tilapia-​like). My mom’s fried chicken was probably the best thing on the menu and at $ 20 it was hard to beat. My sister got the country ham powder dusted scallops, which were wayyy too salty. Now I am one for seasoning, but ham is such a salty component that if you utilize it as a ‘breading’ you might want to cut it with some actual breadcumbs to tone down the salt factor. My other sister got the mushroom dish, which was alight. The butternut squash risotto was sort of bland not very exciting either. We thought we would order the Fruity Pebbly «Pop Tart» dessert, and it was again just alright. Looking back I cannot believe we paid $ 10 for it. I couldn’t quite figure out the filling, since the whole dish seemed to comprise of a flakey crust pastry filled with some type of fig (?) butter/​jam, topped with icing and fruity pebbles. How that is $ 10 I have no idea. I would have rather had a homemade pie, or at least have it consist of a wonderful filling, which ended up being pretty average.
Let me be clear that I am all for paying for a hefty-​priced meal when that meal calls for it. I fully believe in spending money on food that I could not normally make at home, and that is exciting and delicious. However, when I feel like the food is executed poorly, or just overpriced, I have a hard time validating that expense. Given that Asheville has a grand array of wonderful restaurants, I do not think I would ever come back here again. There are too many other places that might have the same price tag, but have better service and a lot better food. The allowance of reservations was a plus, but definitely not worth it. I think this place needs to rethink a few of their entrees and desserts if they are going to attach a large price tag to it. I gave it (2.5) 3 stars because none of the food was 100% terrific via taste and price, and none of it was 100% terrible. The service was extremely medicore compared to the rest of our service experience in Asheville.

Unique menu. Came here for brunch, and there were different options on the menu, ceviche, hash, benediction and pop tarts were on special. I chose the beef hash and it had lots of veggies, an egg but the beef wasn’t what I expected. It’s normally corned beef but this was just normal cooked beef, not a whole lot of flavor to it but it was very tender. Overall the dish was very good just not what I had expected. The drink I got, rad mimosa, was too strong for me. Small place with a few outside tables. Service was great!!!

We love to stop here for drinks and apps or dinner when in Asheville. Low key vibe, fun art on the walls. Top notch service at bar & tables the 3 times we’ve been here.

I love this place so much!
I had dinner there several times and the food there never disappoints.
This weekend, we tried brunch and OHHH MG!
You must order the corn bread for the table. seriously. even if you are eating alone, order it «for the table» and take the rest home. You’re welcome!
We shared a gazpacho and the corn bread as starters, and had a hash and a pork with biscuit thingy. Oh, and a side of bacon. Seriously, that bacon is the reason I could not go vegetarian.
Service was attentive and really friendly. The chef showed us the gigantic cast iron pan where the cornbread was made.
The owners were there and they were just lovely people!
They take Open Table reservations and there is plenty of street parking.

Grabbed dinner with some friends while visiting Asheville a couple weeks ago — booked a reservation on Open Table for our group of four at 8:30 and showed up a few minutes early. Checked in with a slightly frazzled host (they had a large birthday party going on) and he said our table would be ready in a few minutes. Another party of four came in and were seated before us, and as time wore on, I was starting to get a little miffed. Our reservation of 8:30 turned into about 9pm before we were actually seated.
Fortunately, everything else after that point was perfection. The waiter was awesome and extremely knowledgeable about the food on the menu as well as drink options for dinner. We started off with the meat and cheese board and the fried oysters and pickles. Both were superb, especially the meat and cheese board. The meats, including a freshly made bratwurst were delish and the local cheeses were outstanding. The pickled veggies on the board were a nice compliment to both as well.
For supper, I ordered the smoked lamb and pork crepinette which was smoky, flavorful, juicy and sublime and was drizzled with a very nice homemade bbq demi. It came with a tasty orzo and red pepper side and an arugula salad with what tasted like a lemon vinaigrette, radishes and feta. It’s a side that we’re going to try very hard to recreate back at home!
The ladies in the group ordered the pan roasted seasonal fish, which was wolf fish and it was cooked perfectly and well-​seasoned. The remaining member of our group ordered the chicken fried steak, which was also very good.
This is a great little find in the River Arts district, and I’m looking forward to a return trip next time I’m in the area.

We had a late dinner here for New Years Eve.
To start, I asked for a recommendation on a specialty cocktail letting our server know I do not enjoy sweet cocktails, but rather prefer ones that taste more like a Manhattan. She recommended the Generation Gap, and what a great recommendation it was. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the taste, but the visual of one extra large smooth ice cube in the center of the glass with the drink surrounding the bottom of it made for quite a presentation.
We thoroughly enjoyed a meat and cheese board as an appetizer (over 3 weeks later and my wife says it was the best cheese board she has ever had).
Our mains were might tasty as well; I had the scallops and she had the vegetarian entrée. The only complaint/​suggestion would be to swap out the daikon radishes in the scallop dish for something else (neither of us cared for that side).
We had no room for dessert, so can’t comment there.