Call me Asheville.
Or, call me Ishmael. I’m not picky.
If you’re in the mood to obtain your literary sea legs while in town, get in your dinghy and paddle as quickly as you can to The Whale, 507 Haywood Road in West Asheville.
This bar is a cozy little nook festooned with nautical ornaments and paintings that make you yearn to hear the crashing waves. The Whale is not hidden (like certain other giant, alabaster swimming mammals), yet you may drive right by it if you’re not paying attention. But that is part of its charm. It’s kind of an open secret. The Whale is there for all who seek it, but it remains elusory to those who don’t.
It’s where Melville would watch the sun slowly setting while sipping a craft brew and telling his “whale tails” to an enchanted crowd.
The roll-up door opens the bar onto the patio in case you need some sea, ahem, mountain air.
And the beer menu is definitely a highlight—full of unique, solid, well-crafted brews.
To paraphrase Moby Dick, if you and your mates find yourselves growing grim about the mouth … “I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.”
And if you can’t do that, the next best thing is getting yourself to The Whale.
