The Phoenix: Local Food, Local Art, Local Hands

By Margaret Bryant, 2013

If you’re in Brevard and you’re looking for something home-cooked and low-key, you’ll be smart to visit Gaston Street–the home of The Phoenix. As I wandered down E. Main, past the Red Wolf Gallery, enjoying the sleepy Sunday in a relatively small town, a dated, chalkboard sign positioned on a street corner caught my eye. The sign read “The Phoenix” with an arrow indicating the way to the restaurant. The storefront resembled that of a house from the seventies, with a split-pea soup colored door, accented by the reflective, kaleidoscope-like glass in the center of the door. The menus were taped to the large glass window to the left of the entrance. I haven’t ever seen anything like it. It is a lounge, bar, and restaurant combined—there is even a large projection screen, which plays ESPN Sunday football.

The most charming aspect of The Phoenix is the personality and the welcoming homegrown atmosphere. It felt as if the intention was that anyone could walk through the door, local or not, and could feel at home, including me. Whether in their Sunday best, work attire, or football jerseys, the potpourri of eclectic patrons dining at The Phoenix is almost as refreshing as the concept of the restaurant itself. My waitress, Lily, dressed comfortably in rolled up jeans, with a high, nest-like bun, and a subtle nose ring, explained that The Phoenix is “Brevard’s only local farm-to-table restaurant.” Local farms in the area provide everything except the seafood, which comes fresh from the coast.

The Phoenix offers two menus. The first is their standard menu, which is primarily offered for lunch and on weekends. The second menu is considered the fancier, more creative of the two and is reserved for dinner. Maybe it’s because I’m an all-things-local junkie, but food just tastes better when it’s not processed and shipped from place to place before being put on a plate and rushed out to your table.

She brings out our Po’ Boys—I also ordered the French Onion soup. Each dish came out steaming. The soup was flavorful and was as far away from canned soup as you can get. The sandwiches were delicious and the steak was fresh. The green and red peppers on the cheesesteak were fresh and vibrant their colors were worthy of Crayola crayon names. The taste of local and organic proves superior in comparison to any other option. When she brought out the order, she mentioned that even the candles are one hundred percent natural and all the artwork, which enhances the cozy atmosphere, is all done by local artists and is available for purchase.

Six nights a week your dinner at the Phoenix is accompanied by live music, and all the musicians are regional or local. Not only do they support and utilize local farms, but they also have signature liquor infusions made in house (including moonshine). Their branding could be categorized as supporting all things local in all the right ways.

Mayberry’s

By Olivia James

At first sight, Mayberry’s looks like a typical soup and sandwich shop in downtown Brevard.  However, it was the only place open for breakfast, and was recommended to us by people working at the local newspaper.  It was clearly new, but had a rustic feel.  As we sat at the bar, we noticed baked goods lining the counter and self-serve drinks against the back wall.  The seating hostess doubled as our waitress and was very friendly, and willing to talk with us about our project and the town.  It was clearly a local place- as soon as one couple walked in, the waitress put two tables together.  At first it seemed odd, but after a few minutes the chairs around the couple filled up and we realized that they had a breakfast group that came in every Saturday morning.

We did not have to wait long for our food, although the restaurant was not crowded at that early hour.  The menu was primarily southern cuisine, which was expected by the advertising of the barbeque sandwiches outside of the restaurant.  When our plates arrived, the portions were larger than expected.  I had the French toast, which was cut thick and very sweet, with a side of grits.  The grits were plain and did not have flavor, but were not lumpy as grits can tend to be.  One of my classmates ordered fried eggs, grits, bacon and toast.  The eggs were done well- fried crispy with a runny yoke- and the portion size was more than enough.  Another classmate ordered home fries, which she enjoyed, but was less than enthusiastic about the vegetable omelet. My other classmate had a waffle that she liked, but did not standout to her at all.

Overall, the price was low, especially for the portion size.  While it was not an out-of-this-world breakfast, it was hearty, southern food and filled us up for the long day ahead.

The Brevard Breakfast Club

By Kelsey O’Connell

In the small town of Brevard, breakfast is hard to come by. Restaurants have come and gone with the times and that’s why one breakfast club in particular meets at one of the only breakfast joints in town, Mayberry’s.

The group has been meeting, in part or in whole, for 19 years of Saturday breakfasts. The group consisted of 9 men and women, all over fifty, on the day when my group and I walked into Mayberry’s.  I noticed them because they looked like locals; they were all comfortable and knew the waitress’ names. I ordered my breakfast and then decided to ask them about their experience with Brevard and Route 64.

The group was extremely welcoming, offering me a seat and jumping right into conversation. I learned that the members of the group all lived in Brevard and four were natives, some even attended Brevard College in town. However, not all were natives. Some had decided to move to Brevard after attending band camp there or even just driving through the quiet town. The group believed that the band camps, which have made Brevard famous, have been a catalyst for attendees later moving to Brevard.

The camps are not all that have made Brevard famous. The breakfast club thought that the town of Brevard had increased in size and notoriety since its association with Route 64. Though this increase has changed Brevard, it has also allowed tourists to experience the waterfalls, outdoors, and music associated with the town. The town has recently been written up in a major biking magazine and has attracted Dale’s Pale Ale to come to Brevard. Additionally, the music from the conductor of the Boston Pops is a major draw.

The residents remember a time when they knew the names of everyone in town even when they were “related to half the town,” but still appreciate the benefits of the growth. As two of the group received cards to celebrate their anniversary, I slipped away to let 19 years of traditions continue undisturbed.

CNC Mountains to the Coast

By: Will Stiefel

We were fortunate to catch the start of the renowned Cycle North Carolina
“Mountains to the Coast” bike trip, which coincided with our visits to
Brevard and Hendersonville. This year the trip, hosted by North Carolina
Amateur Sports, celebrated it’s fourteenth annual journey from the
western Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the it’s eastern
shore. Bikers began their trek on September 28th in the sleep college
town of Brevard. Here, we saw a few early arrivals warming up with trips
throughout Brevard’s surrounding mountainous territory. It would be a
later in the when all 1,100 participants came together to begin the
first leg.

The entire trip adds up to 450 miles of biking from Brevard College to
Carolina Beach. Each biker tends to ride from 40-80 miles per day, a
physical demand drawing only the avid bike enthusiast. However, because
much of this trip is downhill, anyone of any age has the potential to
complete it. The average age of participants is 56, but this year it
ranges from a 5-year old to an 84-year old. Many participants that we
spoke to in the older age range attributed a large portion their bike
enthusiasm to the inability to run anymore due to arthritis or poor knee
health. The next best thing they seemed to think to do was to bike, and
what better a trip to do it on.

The trip coincides with the beginning of fall in western North Carolina,
arguably it’s most beautiful season. As the leaves change, the bikers
coast through both scenic and historical locations such as Hickory Nut
Gorge, Chimney Rock Park, Ellenboro Historic Train Depot, Hamlet Train
Station and Museum, Historic John Blue House, UNC Pembroke, Lu Mil
Vineyard, Jones Lake State Park, Moore’s Creek Battleground, River Road
Park, Intercoastal Waterway and the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. These
beautiful and historically fascinating locations that crop up throughout
North Carolina’s back roads showcase the cultural and geographic
diversity of the state. This is one of the many draws of the trip that
brings over a 1,000 bikers each year.

Bikers who participated this year hailed from 38 states including a portion of
enthusiasts from international locations. Citizens of Canada, British
Columbia, Russia, Great Britain, and Switzerland were all drawn to North
Carolina for this revered event. This year was especially significant
because it marks the first time the bike route will run through downtown
Charlotte. Bikers road on bike-safe roads through the city taking in
its sites and history. The trip is not as much about completing the long
journey as it is about enjoying what town visited has to offer. The
trip finish takes riders to the sandy shores of Carolina Beach. Here,
the town will allow bikers to camp on the beach for the first time this
year.

Throughout the trip, the majority of bikers spend their night stops camping near
the route. Others stay in hotels or bed and breakfasts along the way,
though most are booked months in advance. The overnight stops include
Lake Lure, Shelby, Matthews, Rockingham, Lumberton, and White Lake.
These stops are strategically chosen to break up the trip into even
stretches, both in terms of distance and difficulty. However,
participants are not required to complete the entire journey if they do
not feel up to it. Alternative options include multiple or single day
trips. These trips still help Cycle North Carolina to achieve the
event’s overall goals and participants for shorter portions are always
encouraged to come out.

Cycle North Carolina ends it’s cycling season with this cumulative event.
Riding from mountains to shore gives those who participate a sense of
the entire state, providing the organization with an appropriate season
finale. They hope that the trip will help achieve their goals of
promoting healthy lifestyles and providing economic impact to North
Carolina’s rural communities. Each town that hosts a stop along the way
is significantly benefited by increased business and exposure due to a
thousand-plus visitors. The organization estimates that the event’s
economic benefit ranges from two-hundred to five-hundred thousand
dollars every year. This is an extremely impressive, helpful amount that
both CNC and the participants are very proud of. The last bikers we ran
into on our trip, stopping in Hendersonville for coffee, could not hold
back their smiles and excitement for what lay ahead. We’re sure it was
nothing short of spectacular as they took in all of the sights and
history North Carolina’s roadways have to offer.

Brevard’s Sunset Inn Motel


By Kelsey O’Connell

Pulling into the Sunset Inn Motel, I knew we were a little late. Well, maybe an hour or so late after our trip to Brevard from Elon. Used to Ramada Inns and Marriott Hotels, I suppose we all thought that late check-in was guaranteed. We should’ve expected the small motel might be just that, a small motel. We showed up to a one woman operation sitting in a small booth at the edge of the motel.

After apologizing profusely, we were able to take in the cute, whimsical reception room in all its small town glory. The woman behind the counter was a delight, even after closing time. We were checked in quickly and efficiently, including anecdotes about how her grandfather was involved in the origin of Route 64.

The exterior of the motel was adorable and spotted with small families sitting outside and enjoying the night air. The motel had ice, a vending machine, and even a croquet set.

Our room was nothing we expected from a small motel. The room was bathed in orange and pink, covered in pictures of flowers. Our requested rollaway bed was waiting for us, along with a flat screen television and all the amenities we would expect of any chain hotel. The shower was great for a small bathroom and the room was great for its small dimensions, comfortably fitting four.

We woke at 7 am and left at 8, leaving our keys in an antiqued mailbox because the office didn’t open until 9 am. All in all, we had a very pleasant experience at the Sunset Inn Motel and would recommend it to any weary travelers who find themselves along Route 64.