Tupelo Honey opens in Uptown on March 12, and we stopped in for lunch during the restaurant’s media preview (editor’s note: this was a free meal). We were first struck by the feel of the space, with a design that sacrifices just a bit of its homey feeling for a brighter, more vibrant interior. Compared to the former South End space, which was the seventh location of the Asheville-based restaurant, the Uptown location near Trade and Tryon is a much-needed refresh.

The bar shifts from a separate room in South End to the center of the dining room here, and the cocktails seem to similarly be more of a focus with mixology touches like an old-fashioned poured table-side oozing with dry ice smoke and a vodka drink made vibrant purple with butterfly pea extract. On the menu, you’ll find the same Southern dishes that have helped Tupelo Honey expand to 15 locations, including creamy goat cheese grits and a deviled egg with a welcome kick.

Our favorite takeaway from the luncheon, however, was that the restaurant will serve a menu for dogs on its patio. The idea came from CEO Steve Frabitore, who was on hand to welcome guests at the preview event.

The “Bone Appetit” menu consists of five dishes, ranging from three to six dollars, and include items such as “a pawfect snack” (three strips of bacon; a peanut butter smear is an additional dollar) and “the notorious D.O.G.,” ground beef and sweet potato. Along with being fun, full of puns, and creative, the menu is a smart and easy way to increase sales. Uptown has a lack of dog-friendly patio spaces, too, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Tupelo Honey patio frequently packed with people enjoying meals outside with their fur babies.

Also worth noting is the cocktail menu’s zero-proof cocktail menu, which includes an old-fashioned-inspired drink and bright turmeric-ginger tonic, with prices that range from $4 to $6. —Kristen Wile

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