Local Favorites
A few local spots - where to find good coffee, where I run, and where I play volleyball. Not a curated "best of" list.
Coffee
Summit Coffee (back in a permanent RAD home since spring 2026), Rowan Coffee, High Five Coffee and Ultra Coffeebar are good places to start, depending on which side of town you're on.
Browse all coffee shops in the directory →Running Routes
I run marathons, so I'm on the greenways, around Beaver Lake, and on hills all over Asheville. The French Broad River Greenway reopened after Helene, though the riverfront parks along it are still mid-rebuild.
Volleyball at Highland
I play rec volleyball at Highland Brewing. Highland runs leagues through the week in season; check with them for the current schedule.
Everything Else
I haven't written up my restaurant and shopping picks yet - rather than fake a "best of" list, here's the honest option: the business directory has real, LGBTQ+-owned and allied spots across every category.
Browse the full directory →Have a specific question about Asheville spots?
Ask me directly →Local LGBTQ+ community
Where to next
- LGBTQ+ business directoryLGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses around Asheville.
- Where I take out-of-town friendsThe spots I actually take visitors to.
- West AshevilleHaywood Road, walkable blocks, coffee shops and bars.
- Living hereEvents, local favorites and the businesses that make it home.
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