Spoon

A month later and still my favorite place in the High Country. Nate Allen’s Spoon with Knife and Fork downstairs. International night at the bar – a night in Rome. Cheese, pasta, fresh greens, focaccia, sliced hog jowls (bacon from the face), sotto voce, and so many other goodies. See pics below. Life is good in the mountains.
Wow! What a great place to be. The beauty of Spruce Pine’s mountains, amazing bartender Josh at Spoon and James Beard nominee chef at Knife and Fork downstairs. Where do I begin. With drinks of course! A special gin martini with St Germaine (NC Cardinal gin, of course) and a twist of lemon. Yummy! Now my husband is adventurous. He ordered the Yakatori – sake, bbq gastrique from Buxton Hall (yes, that is vinegar bbq sauce with a little sugar added) and Laphroig. Wow. You notice the bbq first and then that peaty Scotch settles in. Dinner downstairs after drinks. Laid back atmosphere, mountain charm, and an experience to remember. Come. Support your local artisans with an experience you won’t forget.
Tuesday is international night. We went to Tiki Street Tuesday. Amazing. Wonderful food, specialty drinks. The best of New York via Spruce Pine.

Great place for a drink! Don’t miss the Tuesday specials. Spruce Pine is lucky to have this charming bar with an award winning Chef.

I’m still in disbelief over what Spruce Pine has to offer the food scene. Spoon is one of those solid offerings from this teeny-​tiny mountain town in Western NC. I regret we didn’t eat anything, as I imagine it would all be fantastic. We had reservations at sister restaurant, Knife & Fork, so just stopped in for pre-​dinner drinks.
Excellent beer selection and wonderful craft cocktails. I had sangria and enjoyed every sip! The interior of Spoon is rustic and beautiful, perfectly designed and decorated. The staff were some of the nicest we’ve encountered!
If you find yourself in Spruce Pine, be sure to pay a visit to Spoon. In fact, even if you don’t find yourself in Spruce Pine, find a way to get there for this hidden gem of a bar!

Great extension of the restaurant, Knife and Fork. Same owner and chef. About two years ago they opened this bar. The décor is wild and amazing. So well thought out in minute detail. The pendant lights above the bar are made out of hollowed out antique books that have been treated with flame retardant. Every fixture has a story behind it. This is the kind of place where you feel instantly relaxed when you enter. You’ll want to spend hours here sipping on cocktails. Small bites, including some interesting choices like goat ribs. As for the handmade cocktails, I tried the Margarita and the Sangria. The Margarita was made with grilled fruit that gave it a deep smoky tartness. Both were reasonably priced at $ 6 each. An amazing find in Spruce Pine of all places! One night a week they have a taco truck parked out front. The bartender is super chill and has a great playlist on his iPod. Most importantly, they don’t open until 4 PM — so as much as you want to go this second, you’ll have to wait!