Most visitors to Asheville’s River Arts District come for the studios. They leave talking about something else entirely — a burger they didn’t expect to be that good, a mezcal bar they stumbled into, or a glassblowing demo that stopped them in their tracks. That’s the thing about the RAD: it rewards wandering.

River Row Suites sits in the heart of it all, and provides a perfect home base to explore the RAD on foot. Step outside, and within a few blocks, you have craft beer on a cantilevered deck above the French Broad River, biscuits with a cult following, and original art in buildings that used to be industrial warehouses. The French Broad River Greenway ties it together — a paved path running right through the district that makes the whole neighborhood feel like it belongs to you.

Here are eight places worth the walk.

1. New Belgium Brewing — 21 Craven St

New Belgium’s Asheville outpost is the brewery that locals bring out-of-towners to when they want to show off the city. The Liquid Center tasting room sits perched above the French Broad River, with a cantilevered deck and views that make it hard to leave after just one pint. Inside, nearly 14 linear miles of repurposed wood — salvaged from the stockyards that previously occupied the site — line the bars, tables, and chairs, all crafted by Asheville-based artists and designers.

The tap list runs deep, with year-round favorites and rotating seasonal releases always on offer. Food trucks pull up regularly, so check the website before you head over. Brewery tours are available with advance booking and worth every minute of the 90 minutes they take.

Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Sunday noon–8 p.m. A short walk or bike ride from River Row via the French Broad River Greenway.

2. Small Batch Glass — 46 Craven Street

Walk into Small Batch Glass and you might catch artist Asher Holman mid-gather, pulling molten glass from a furnace. This isn’t a tourist demonstration — it’s a working studio where glassblowing happens every day, and visitors are welcome to watch. Holman’s work draws inspiration from topographical maps and lighthouse Fresnel lenses, producing intricate pieces that feel both scientific and deeply handmade.

The gallery showcases everything from sculptural art pieces to functional lighting, all made on-site. If watching isn’t enough, sign up for a hands-on glassblowing experience. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Just down the block from New Belgium, making it an easy two-for-one.

3. Anoche — 176 Clingman Avenue

Anoche is a small, dark, genuinely good mezcal bar — the kind Asheville needed but didn’t have until this corner of Clingman Avenue opened up. The mezcal list is the most extensive in the city, and the bartenders know it well enough to guide you through it without making you feel like a student. During the day, they serve coffee sourced directly from a small family farm in Oaxaca.

One wall opens garage-door style onto a side yard with picnic tables and plants when the weather cooperates. A taco truck often parks out front, solving the question of what to eat. This is the rare bar that works equally well as a morning coffee stop or a late-night mezcal situation.

4. Baby Bull — 1 Roberts St

Baby Bull is the casual counter-service offshoot of the beloved Bull and Beggar, and the locals who discovered it early are fiercely loyal. The menu stays tight: smash burgers, a fish sandwich, a lobster roll, hush puppies that are genuinely hard to stop eating. It’s the perfect pit stop during your RAD walking tour. Order at the counter, grab a seat inside or on the dog-friendly patio, and let the food do the talking.

The burgers — crispy-edged smash patties with house-made pickles — consistently rank among the best in Asheville. On Fridays and Saturdays, oysters join the menu. Open Monday and Wednesday through Sunday; closed Tuesdays.

5. ButterPunk — 372 Depot Street

Beth Kellerhals spent years building a following at farmers’ markets before opening ButterPunk in May 2025, and the wait paid off. The biscuits — crispy outside, fluffy within — come stacked with soufflé eggs that have become a talking point of their own. The O.G. Breakfast Sammie with cheddar and house-made mayo is a solid starting point; the BBLT with candied bacon and tomato jam is where things get serious. 

The strawberry cheesecake scone has achieved near-legendary status in the RAD, and the double chip cookie — yes, potato chips are involved — is a strong finish. Open Thursday through Monday, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Get there early on weekends; the best items go fast.

6. Marquee — 36 Foundy Street

Marquee spent over a year recovering after Hurricane Helene submerged the 50,000-square-foot marketplace under 15 feet of water in September 2024. It reopened in September 2025, and the return feels earned. More than 300 artists, antique dealers, and small businesses now fill the space with vintage finds, original art, handcrafted jewelry, home goods, and apparel.

Plan to spend more time here than you think you need. The combination of a European street-market energy and Asheville’s creative spirit makes it genuinely hard to leave empty-handed. Open seven days a week, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Monthly events like the Uncommon Market add extra energy to an already lively space.

7. Summit Coffee — 37 Paynes Way #9

Summit Coffee‘s River Arts District location has a comeback story worth knowing. Hurricane Helene destroyed the original Lyman Street cafe in September 2024. For 18 months, the Summit RAD team kept going with a mobile coffee truck. In April 2026, they officially reopened inside Wedge Studios — just down the street from the old spot — now sharing space with Joyful Noise Hi-Fi, a vinyl listening lounge and kitchen.

Summit, which roasts its own beans out of Davidson, NC, brings intentionally sourced coffee and well-crafted drinks to the RAD. The new space is a fresh chapter for a business the neighborhood genuinely missed, and a worthy destination while exploring Asheville by foot. Stop in, order an espresso, and say hello to a crew that has been waiting a long time for this. 

8. Cotton Mill Studios — 122 Riverside Drive

The Asheville Cotton Mill is a 19th-century industrial building that now houses working artist studios, galleries, and Guajiro Cuban Comfort Food — a restaurant returning to its original home after Helene forced a long displacement. The building itself is part of the draw: exposed brick, high ceilings, and the particular energy of a space where creativity has been the primary industry for decades.

Artists, including the Asheville Fine Art Gallery, Alison Press Art, and Linsey Grey Fine Art keep studios here. The combination of fine art, craft, food, and history in one building makes Cotton Mill one of the more complete RAD stops. Check cottonmillasheville.com for current studio hours before visiting.

Walk to it all from River Row Suites

The River Arts District is one of those places that reveals itself slowly — the more time you spend here, the more you find. River Row Suites puts you at the center of it, with 15 modern studio suites two blocks from the French Broad River and the greenway that connects all of it.

Full kitchens mean you can pick up pastries from ButterPunk and coffee from Summit and make the suite feel like home. Free parking means you’re not calculating costs every time you step out the door. And when you’re ready to explore beyond the RAD — downtown, West Asheville, the Blue Ridge Parkway — you’re minutes from all of it.

Ready to experience Asheville like a local? Book your stay at River Row Suites and start planning your walking tour of the RAD.