Guest Author - Jessica Hoffmann
Luella’s Barbecue in Asheville serves heaping plates of delicious, smoked barbecue with quirky style and offers an excellent beer menu to wash down your meal. In early 2009, Luella’s moved from South Asheville to Merrimon Avenue, and appears busier than ever.
Luella’s restaurant features a dash of the quirky, artsy style that has made Asheville an extremely popular southeastern destination. Although named after the owner’s daughter, Luella’s roots date back to Jeff Miller’s grandparents, who raised prize-winning hogs. The playful décor in their North Asheville location emphasizes Buncombe County with a dash of retro fun in a laid back atmosphere.
I was quickly steered towards the St. Louis style, dry-rubbed ribs, and I was not disappointed. The ribs were juicy, tender and plentiful. The succulent Brisket and the Pulled-Pork Sandwich were so good, they disappeared before anyone shared them with me. Conversation dwindled as our table of eight was consumed with devouring fabulous food.
While the vinegar-based Collard Greens were tasty, my neighbor’s Mac n’ Hoop Cheese was far superior. Luella’s offers a slew of handmade sides, like the chili grits and, which leave you with the difficult task of picking just one or two. Our vegetarian friend devoured an ample plate of BBQ Tempeh, which is a big hit with vegetarian diners.
Both sandwiches and entrees come with scrumptious hush puppies and Luella’s offers both eastern and western barbecue sauce, ensuring barbecue lovers from across the country can douse their food with their sauce of choice. The rich western sauce was the perfect accompaniment for my ribs.
Luella’s manages to satisfy microbrew lovers, with beers on tap from local favorites like the Asheville Brewing Company and Pisgah Brewing Company, plus year round and seasonal offerings from Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewing Company.
We never made it to desert, as our crew was headed to The Grey Eagle for a concert, but Luella’s Bar-B-Que was delicious enough to ensure that each one of us is bound to return to this Asheville prize.
