mother | bread + wine

I'm beyond thrilled that this shop has opened. And it's SO CLOSE. They're still doing online pre-order but one day they're gonna be open open and I'll be able to swing by for coffee and a bagel before work.

Right now you order online motheravl.com for Saturday pickup and collect your precious treasures between 2-5pm. The two working there were delightful and I'm kicking myself for not asking their names. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Ok now to the important part.

Is their bread good? Yes. Hell yes. I ordered the onion focaccia and y'all, some of the best caramelized onions of my life. Would I eat a bowl of these? With no shame.

The bread itself is deceptive. It LOOKS like there's a loaf of bread but actually it's just your imagination. Despite the gorgeous internal bubbling and the beautifully golden crust, the bread is so light and soft and fluffy that the flavor must be all in your head. You're biting into a dream. I added a slice of fresh tomato with a bit of salt to the heel slice and let me tell you, it was perfection. Samin, your focaccia recipe is great, but I'll skip baking my own and let these folks do it.

Are their bagels good? Yes. I don't love the cornmeal, it's a bit jarring in an otherwise chewy bite, but the bagel is delicious and loaded with sourdough tanginess. The crust properly bubbles, it's tight without tearing up the mouth, and it's hefty without being heavy. A+ in my book.

Enjoy these pictures.
The real thing is even better.

Took an afternoon break at mother after a Sunday perusing the galleries. Since they were out of focaccia, I bought a loaf of the peppercorn bread and tasted it on the spot. Quite possible the best bread I’ve ever eaten. And it went perfectly with the special wine of the day and a hefty dose of sunshine.

There’s a reason the rating is a full 5 stars. Wow. And the focaccia. And the sandwich loaves. gotta come back and try it all. The co-owner was pouring coffee in the shop and gave us a little background in the business. Do yourself a favor and visit.

Phenomenal Foccacia.. Some of the best I've ever had. The simple ham and butter sandwich was to die for. Plus it's next to a wonderful boutique with jewelry, silk and handbags. I think it's called Wonderful!
I love how the RAD is changing and I'm grateful for a bake house like Mother bringing the true crunch into the RAD

My wife and I ate here. We both had a sandwich with crusty bread. Ham, cheese, fancy butter. It was delicious. I’ve never been a fan of mayo on sandwiches and this is exactly how I like them. The lady at the counter let us sample a few different wines to find the right one to go with the sandwiches. Very helpful and great food.

The wine and bread were really good. I thought the owner could have showed more enthusiasm about providing education on their bread and the associated wine pairings. I did buy a focaccia because I was starving. What the owner didn’t know is that I am hosting an event in my home Friday for 13 wine guzzling women, and would have loved having a robust conversation about my options in their store. Oh well!

Edited: I found a hair in my bread. And it was so good!

wow! yay! hallelujah for a shop in this town to offer quality that matches the price. Mother Bakery makes the best rye bread I have ever tasted.And english muffins. And bagels, and, and, and.... So many places in Asheville take advantage of tourism to hike up prices and offer mediocrity in return. It makes me so depressed to love this town yet feel business owners fleece everyone so they can work part time and mountain bike full time. Mother Bakery has solved my bread woes and made me feel like finally, classy and skilled people are moving here and doing great things. Bread and a business that soothes my soul. Thank you for rising above! Pun intended. If there was the option for 10 stars, they would get it!

Visited Mother twice on a short weekend trip to Asheville with my partner because it was THAT good. Brett was super knowledgeable about wines and very friendly and Heidi's baked goods are incredible... We brought 6 types of bread home with us because it was so good

I love this place. If you have IBS or any other stomach issues you can often only have sourdough bread. But one is not equal to the other.
These folks follow every single process, no matter how time consuming, to creat a true sourdough. It is so nice to be able to eat muffins, pretzels and breads again after so long without.
One note, the bread is filling so feel freeze any multiple products you get. The store is a little tricky to find so I load up on product and go only once.
PS stop by Jeffries place next door. I love that guy 😂

The absolute best sourdough! I could go on for days about the focaccia, or the traditional sourdough loaf, or the pretzels, or the peppercorn loaf, or the specialty breads. 🤤 Plus the owner is friendly and they have great hours. Love this place!