Asheville, NC - The Lab (Lexington Avenue Brewery)

Asheville is like no other place I've ever visited.  If you love beer,wine, or chocolate, it is an absolute must.  On a Friday night in June, you're not likely to find a more vibrant city in the Southeast, or perhaps, in all of the US. Asheville oozes personality.  From the outdoor concerts, to the electric, pulsing drum circle in the heart of downtown, to the street performers, and the fine eating and drinking establishments, it's one big festival, and crazy fun. As I read on a T-shirt, "Asheville, where normal is weird."  Truthfully, you'll see folks with multi-colored dreadlocks strolling next to girls in pearls.  It's a cacophony of color, sound, smell, and taste. No matter what your race, religion, sexual orientation, politics, financial status or fashion sense, everyone feels welcome in Asheville.  The most difficult part of reviewing the festive spots of this friendly city, is where to go first.  No worries, this will not be my only trip to here.  I'll start with a few favorites.  If you know somewhere I should check out, be sure to let me know.

The open air design of the Lab adds to the fun.

The Lab: One of Asheville's lively new brewpubs located in the heart of downtown, featuring a large open air patio with sleek modern decor housed in a historic building
What we had:  White Ale, American Pale Ale and Octoberfest
What's fun: Open air patio offering non-stop people watching, live music, really good beer

The curved bar adds to the sleek modern design.

My husband is a scientist and spends many hours in the laboratory.  But his favorite Lab, is located in Asheville, and offers a fine selection of unfiltered, naturally carbonated, additive free, in-house brewed beer.  Located on a busy street in the heart of downtown Asheville, it's a perfect location to kick back, enjoy a cold beer and watch the world go by. The Lab has only been open for a year and a half, but it's already a popular stop for beer enthusiasts.  Usually, they have at least ten of their own brews on tap, but the evening of our visit, they only had four. They were preparing for their 100 Brew celebration the following week.  Fortunately, two of their offerings were just what we wanted, so we were in good shape. We were fortunate to get a table on their covered patio.  The patio has retractable doors that can be open or shut depending on the weather. The pub is spacious and the decor is modern. The large curved bar is located in the center of the action, and offers wine and mixed drinks.  I was impressed with the lengthy wine list since their selections come from various regions of the US including local vinyards, as well as Europe, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

The beer is why people keep coming back.

What did we have:  I was looking for something refreshing after the three hour drive to Asheville, and the White Ale, a Belgian style beer,with a slight taste of citrus was refreshing and tasty.  My husband had the Octoberfest, a malty ale with a hint of spice. Very nice.  I also sampled their American Pale Ale which had a pleasant balance of malt and hops, and the IPA with a serious hop kick. We shared a pesto and mushroom flat bread pizza which was uncommonly flavorful.   They boast that their menu consists of comfort food with a new slant and included appetizers, sandwiches and burgers and a few special entrees. The prices are quite reasonable, especially the beer which is all brewed in-house.  At this time they do not bottle their beer, but according to the bartender, plans are in the works.

What's fun:  It's a lively place with a great open air patio, and the best people watching. The crowd is a mix of tourists and locals, young and older during the day and early evening. The Lab really pulses at night when live bands are featured and the crowd turns younger and a little more hip.