Editor’s Note: Fork & Dagger is 828newsNOW’s anonymous restaurant review series, written by our independent Grub Scout—no freebies, no press perks, no agenda. Grub Scout pays full price, visits unannounced, and takes notes on food, service, atmosphere, and value. Each review reflects a recent, honest experience rated on our 1‑to‑5 fork scale. We aim to help you discover standout dining spots—from casual diners to white‑tablecloth affairs—one bite at a time.
I was feeling some brunch and in the mood to get away from the typical stress that comes with that when choosing downtown or West Asheville on the weekends. This led me to Open Oven, a quaint little spot on Church Street in downtown Black Mountain, and it turned out to be a great decision.
There was a wait, but it was brief, and the weather was nice. By the time we decided on our orders, my name was called, and we ordered at the counter. The menu consists of almost, if not entirely, local purveyors and ingredients. Who doesn’t get excited about that these days?
I started with the Buzzy Coffee, a cold-brewed iced coffee, generous pours of Kahlua and bourbon, mixed with chocolate and topped with whipped cream. It was an ideal cocktail.
The food arrived quickly, even though it was a packed house. I had the Hog Heaven Eggs Benedict: A homemade biscuit grilled in bacon drippings, stacked with Hickory Nut Gap bacon, two poached eggs and white wine hollandaise sauce. On the side, I chose Beeler’s country sausage and home fries.
She had The Standard: Two scrambled eggs (tornado style, which was gorgeous), pimento cheese grits, bacon and the Eat More Bakery gluten-free country loaf roast.
I thought every bite of food was perfect, as was the service and the ambience. If you’re a longtime local, I invite you to imagine Early Girl or Over Easy Cafe 15 years ago. It was so reminiscent of that era of Asheville, complete with the recognizable faces of veteran restaurant workers, who have expatriated to escape the growing hustle and bustle of “city life.” I absolutely adored it and can’t wait to visit again, only this time, I’ll grab some of the housemade desserts on my way out.
