Shop Around the World
Shop Around the World: Four global food markets with authentic ingredients and more
Tienda Los Nenes Asheville & Hendersonville
What started as a small, family-owned bakery transformed into a butchery and food shop (and eventually, expanded to a second location in Hendersonville) once Maria and Luis Soto saw the large demand for authentic Latin ingredients and dishes in the area. Besides classics like hominy, pollo asado and other fresh-cut meats, salsas, and chicharrón, the bakery also offers custom cakes and house-made Mexican-style pastries like pan de muerto and rosca de Reyes. 1341 Parkwood Rd. Ste. 110 Asheville, 825 Spartanburg Hwy. Ste. 15 Hendersonville; (828) 253-2086, (828) 692-8723; Facebook: Tienda Los Nenes
The Happy Persimmon Boone
Going beyond a grocery store, this Asian market aims to be a community space that creates an uplifting, multicultural, and sustainable environment for shoppers. The Happy Persimmon is woman-owned and -operated, and products are locally sourced as often as possible. Shoppers even have the option to use their refill station of spices, teas, rice, and more to cut down on packaging waste. The aisles are filled with pantry staples like kewpie mayo, mushrooms, sauces, snacks, dumplings, and more for an all-inclusive trip to the market. 140 South Depot St. Ste. 102; Instagram: @thehappypersimmon
Tout Suite Bakery & Café Violette Blowing Rock
This charming pastry shop, café, and market brings the French Riviera to the Blue Ridge with a surplus of house-made breads and baked goods, specialty chocolates, tinned fish, and Mediterranean spice blends. Just next door is Café Violette (named after the owners’ daughter) which serves French-Mediterranean inspired dishes like tagliatelle with wild boar ragú, lacinato kale, and pecorino cheese. 132 Main St. Ste. 102 & 103; (828) 414-9916, (828) 414-9989; toutsuitebakery.com, cafeviolettebr.com
Asiana Market Asheville
Known for its extra-fresh produce and wide selections, this grocery store in South Asheville offers all the old-school and fusion ingredients needed to create a fantastic Asian meal. Shoppers can find a variety of recognizable vegetables, fruit, live seafood, sojus, and sakes as well as hard-to-find favorites like honey pomelos, enoki mushrooms, pre-packaged authentic snacks, and extra-hefty bags of rice. The family-owned store opened last January, and since then, it has become a fixture in the community—Asiana Market even offered free hot meals to first responders after Hurricane Helene. 1968 Hendersonville Rd.; (828) 585-2362; Facebook: Asiana Market