With the motto, “anything worth doing is worth doing right, and anything worth experiencing is worth experiencing to the fullest,” Asheville Proper is a fine dining establishment that features live-fire dining, along with modern comforts and traditional services. The vision for the eatery was the brainchild of Chef Owen McGlynn and his wife and partner Mindi McGlynn who have together brought this dream to fruition.
Located in the historic Grove Arcade in the epicenter of downtown, Asheville Proper provides a feast for the senses to every guest. The landmark location has been fully and beautifully restored and features organic wooden elements, alabaster walls, and marble flooring, all providing a spacious environment for dining and a refreshing cocktail. The eclectic mixture of 1920s-inspired lighting gently illuminates and warms guests with relaxing luxury and culinary pleasures, designed to be refined without pretension and accessible for all. Anything less, as they like to say, “simply wouldn’t be proper”.
The live-fire dining option with the featured burning hearth creates a closer connection between patrons and their food. The chefs carefully stoke embers, expertly producing just the right amount of smoke and heat to perfectly prepare the dish at hand. The foods served in Asheville Proper are proudly locally sourced, ensuring a rich, fresh, flavorful experience.
Owners Owen and Mindi Mcglynn both have significant experience within the restaurant industry. Owen began his own culinary career in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he worked his way through college. He then moved to Charleston, South Carolina to attend culinary school at the acclaimed Johnson and Wales School upon graduation. His move to Asheville, NC happened years later and began with his opening of the Storm Rhum Bar and Bistro where he remained for nearly nine years.
Mindi has also worked within the restaurant arena for much of her career, serving in virtually every position in the industry. She actually met Owen while working at the aforementioned Storm Rhum Bar. She moved on to become a member of the management team at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Biltmore Village, where she learned invaluable lessons about the hospitality industry. Jason Sweeny serves as Asheville Proper’s own Chef de Cuisine. He first joined the team as a Sous Chef but quickly became a vital member of the operations as Chef de Cuisine at Asheville Proper. Russell and Mercy Joseph make up the remainder of the management team and are also all-stars in the restaurant and hospitality industries.
The porterhouse steaks, double-cut pork chops, New York Strips, and flat irons are of course some of the most desirable dishes to try when experiencing live-fire dining at Asheville Proper. However, they are far from the only menu items that fit the bill of must-try items.
When visiting Asheville Proper, you must try…
From the Fire
Obviously, the live fire is a big draw and the dishes you can enjoy cooked using this method include the dry-aged filet mignon, the trip tip eight-ounce apple brandy beef, the ribeye, the wagyu zabuton eight-ounce offering from Snake River Farms, the New York strip, and the culotte.
Composed Plates
There is also a trio of composed plates featured at Asheville Proper, which include the seared catch of the day, with couscous, fried artichokes, burnt citrus puree, embered foraged vegetables, and lavender glaze, the dry-aged duck breast with citrus beets, embered spring onion, favas, carrot butter, smoked mascarpone, and pea shoots, or the grilled mushroom risotto, with spinach, smoked onion, confit garlic, parmesan, piquillo pepper, and lemon.
Chef’s Tasting Menu
Offered Sunday through Thursday for a set per-person price of $95, guests can enjoy a bit of everything Asheville Proper has to offer.
Proper Cocktails
There is a wide variety of cocktails you can try in this elegant setting, including the classic Manhattan, pink panther, rum negroni, el diablo, smoked old fashion, bee’s knees, french, espresso martini, tableside martini service, and much more.
Insider Tips:
-Dessert options at Asheville Proper include carrot cake, house-made ice cream or sorbet, coconut rum panna cotta, and more.
-Reservations are available and recommended with OpenTable.