In the mood for a classy cocktail after a long hike in the mountains? Or a smooth cup of cappuccino to pick you up after a big meal or to start your day? For both and more, The Times Bar & Coffee Shop in Asheville’s S&W building is a fantastic choice. This is a cozy and trendy place that is ideal for those who like their drinks taken to that next crafty level.
You will find The Times Bar & Coffee Shop across the street from Pritchard Park and as an indoor neighbor to the popular S&W Market. The S&W Market is a food and events location that can best be categorized as a “food hall” (and, in fact, Asheville’s S&W market has been named by Fodor as one of the best new such food halls in the country). Food halls are spaces that are the next hip generation of shopping mall food courts. Think of them as trendy spots in which you can grab the best in food and beverages with the Times Bar & Coffee Shop being an excellent example of this.
Interestingly, The Times Bar & Coffee originally started as just a bar. Owner Chris Faber opened the doors to this unique location after decades in the industry. Faber and his team chose to zig and zag with the times, changing up their menu and adding in coffee drinks. This adaption was a great success, especially during the cold and rainy months of Asheville when people escaping to the S&W Market were just in the mood for a hot cup of joe.
In fact, the coffee didn’t just stay, it nicely got mixed up with the bar side of the business. Visitors who head into this bar and coffee shop today can enjoy some pretty delicious “Boozy Coffee” options. Such liquor-added cafe drinks include the obvious and always classic Irish coffee, but The Times Bar & Coffee have also added their own unique creations.
You might order up the:
Islay Choco-Latte with its mix of Ardbeg scotch whiskey, dark chocolate, hazelnut, espresso, and milk all topped with marshmallow and gram cracker crumbles.
or the…
S’more of What and its Ezra Brookes bourbon mixed in with all of the above.
But while coffee is now permanently on the menu, the interior of The Times Bar & Coffee Shop still reflects that trendy hole-in-the-wall bar you’d imagine from a place that serves up its own crafted cocktails with names like:
Tales From Transylvania: Plantation 3 Star rum, black garlic, lime, caraway, celery bitters, toasted sesame oil
I Drink, Therefore I Yam: apple butter infused vodka, amontillado sherry, sweet potato, lemon, orange, cinnamon, and angostura
Guests step inside a long, low-lit room with crimson curtains and tall stacks of liquors behind an extended bar. Glitzy chandeliers partially light up this bar area, further adding to the more mysterious environment of The Times Bar & Coffee Shop.
Service here is top-tier, but also note so can be the prices. This is a fabulous place to go when you want to treat yourself and feel like you’re being treated — just make sure to expect higher prices for the more artisan drinks.
Insider Tip:
If you’re going for drinks, this retro-vibing bar is best just after sunset. We recommend first exploring the S&W Market and grabbing a bite to eat there and then finishing off your evening with one of the classy cocktails or spiced-up cappuccinos at The Times Bar & Coffee Shop. Or mix it up with drinks before and dinner at the close.