6. Black Bear Coffee

Location: Hendersonville

Bagel and coffee at Black Bear Coffee in Hendersonville, North Carolina

Downtown Hendersonville is a great place to go antique and boutique shopping. The historic district is home to many unique shops. Before exploring all the great local gems, stop by Black Bear Coffee for a cup of coffee and a light snack. The coffee is always delicious (both medium and dark roast Counter Culture blends available) and the food is great too. Treat yourself to a bagel with cream cheese or something sweet (a variety of muffins and pastries are available). The best aspect of this coffee shop is its’ spacious layout and cute bear themed decor. This shop has a lot of personality and is one of my favorites in the region.

  • What to try: NY style bagel, Scone
  • What to do nearby: Enjoy fabulous mountain views via Jump off Rock
  • Address: 318 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792

7. Sweeten Creek Coffee

Location: Asheville

Delicious coffee and pastries at Sweeten Creek Coffee in Asheville, North Carolina

This cozy local coffeehouse offers a laid-back vibe much different than most of the trendy coffeehouses in downtown Asheville. The setting far away from the tourist crowds in South Asheville is quite appealing. The regular drip coffee here is delicious, plus they offer all sorts of specialty drinks. Inside is super cozy and quaint, and outside there is a nice covered deck (although it’s a bit noisy with the traffic noise). Food options are limited and include local bagels and pastries. During the hot summer season, you will want to treat yourself to the Mocha Magic. This chocolate delight features a tasty mix of craft coffee, lots of chocolate, and mocha whip cream.

  • What to try: Banana Nut Muffin, Americano, NY style Bagel, Quiche, Chicken pot pie
  • What to do nearby: Take a hike at Collier Cove nature preserve.
  • Address: 330 Sweeten Creek Rd, Asheville, NC 28803

8. Daymoon CoffeeBar

Location: Fairview

Banana Bread and house coffee at Daymoon CoffeeBar in Fairview, North Carolina

Daymoon is a cute local coffeeshop offering locally roasted beans (from Asheville roaster Pennycup) and scratch made pastries. It’s located in a pretty rural town about 10 miles south of Asheville. The setting is quaint and rustic, far away from the tourist crowds of Asheville. The vibe is super relaxed with cozy couches and a large porch for the summer months. Although the espresso is a bit bland, the house coffee is delicious. Do try one of their double seeded everything bagels (from local bakery Rise Above), a slice of quiche, or a slice of banana bread.

  • What to try: Everything bagel, House coffee, Banana Bread
  • What to do nearby: Challenge yourself up the 499 step climb up Chimney Rock
  • Address: 381 Old Charlotte Hwy, Fairview, NC 28730

9. West End Bakery

Location: Asheville

Americano and Chocolate Chip Muffin at West End Bakery in Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville’s premier coffeeshop in the West end neighborhood offers a spacious layout, a tempting selection of homemade pastries, and of course, a wide variety of delicious coffee drinks. Benefits of this cafe include convenient proximity to other notable restaurants including Biscuit Head (known for their giant cathead biscuits and jam bar) and Nine Mile, a Caribbean inspired favorite. Although this one can get pretty busy, they offer a super spacious seating area with cozy couches and big open windows. Everything is made with organic flour and there is always a gluten-free and vegan selection available.

  • What to try: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffin, Americano
  • What to do nearby: Enjoy old-fashioned gaming fun at the Asheville Retrocade
  • Address: 757 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806

10. Well Bred Bakery

Location: Weaverville

Update: The Biltmore cafe is unfortunately still closed following the damage of Hurricane Helene. Repairs are currently underway.

Breakfast Panini at Well Bred Bakery in Weaverville, North Carolina

This award-winning Weaverville Bakery has expanded to also include 3 Asheville locations. With a charming cafe on Main Street in downtown Weaverville, along with locations in historic Biltmore Village and The Grove Arcade building, it’s easy to squeeze in a trip to Well Bred on any trip. The great thing about this bakery is the diversity of options, from sweet to savory, to vegan and vegetarian. If you are craving something savory, go with the Tomato Quiche or a Black Bean breakfast burrito. Those with a sweet tooth will have a plethora of options including muffins, croissants, eclairs, and a variety of cakes, cookies, and assorted goodies.

  • What to try: Tomato Gouda and Scallion Quiche, Baklava, Breakfast burrito
  • What to do nearby: Take a stroll around Lake Louise Park
  • Address: 26 N Main St, Weaverville

And, be sure to check out a few of these wonderful WNC waterfalls while in the vicinity.