Asheville bar named among top in U.S. Here's what to expect ― and order ― when you go
The Crow & Quill, a downtown speakeasy bar, made national news: the Asheville favorite was one of 27 on the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list. USA TODAY Network food writers across the country created the list featuring devil-may-care dives to chic cocktail lounges.
Owner/mixologist Casey Campfield said Crow & Quill’s staff is responsible for the bar’s decade-long success.
“I’ve never seen a crew that’s so cohesive, sincere and good with customers,” Campfield said. “They maintain a good place and people want to be there and work with their friends, and that rubs off on the customers. … People enjoy the space more because the staff is knowledgeable and friendly.”
What makes Crow & Quill stand out
In April 2014, Campfield opened Crow & Quill to pursue his passion for bartending and foster others’ careers.
A decade later, the clandestine cocktail bar has earned a reputation with locals and tourists for its creatively curated bar program, events calendar and cloak-and-dagger setting.
Crow & Quill, under Campfield’s support, pioneered the food and beverage industry unionization movement locally and statewide.
“I wanted it to provide good jobs for other people so that became part of the central tenet of the business," Campfield said. "Now that I have a good job for myself, how can other people have a good place to work where they’re respected and paid well?”
The Crow & Quill's bar entry is marked with “gas” lanterns and "106."
Initially, Campfield withheld signage so that staff didn't get overwhelmed by attendees of a downtown music festival.
“We had a soft opening and told some friends there were no signs on the door,” Campfield said. “They loved that idea so much they said, ‘You can’t change it. You can’t put a sign up.’”
The Crow & Quill is intentionally designed in Victorian Gothic style with antique parlor furniture creating a cozy, living room feeling.
The Crow & Quill, a cocktail and spirits-forward bar, has an average of 14 signature, staple and seasonal craft drinks, including barrel-aged and top-shelf selections. Bartenders guide guests through the extensive catalog of nearly 1,100 spirits including about 800 whiskeys.
Many fresh, seasonal ingredients and garnishes are sourced from Campfield’s home garden. In-house juices and syrups keep beverages bright and flavorful.
Fall Fashion, a crowd favorite, is an Old-Fashioned cocktail made with Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, maple syrup, orange and pimento bitters and Black Cavendish pipe tobacco smoke. The fire, smoke and lingering aromas create a must-see (and smell) spectacle.
Smoke Moon, made with mezcal and cinnamon, is another eye-catching production, resulting in a refreshing, easy-sipping cocktail.
The Crow & Quill is a place for anything from board game playing to sideshow shows to sets of old-timey, traditional swing jazz, honky-tonk, folk and Americana music.
In the winter, a sprawling, multi-room blanket fort is erected for themed storytelling sessions with local performers and guests.
Details: 106 North Lexington Ave., Asheville, N.C.; thecrowandquill.com
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville bar named one of USA TODAY’s best bars of 2024
