In the middle of nowhere, tucked within the mountains of Western North Carolina, offering a view that enables the stress and chaos of the day to disappear is The Crown Brasstown, a fine dining, totally gluten-free experience.
Full disclosure, I am a gluten fan. There’s nothing more enjoyable than a plate of pasta, a loaf of bread or a pile of cookies. I wear “I love gluten” stickers as a badge of honor. Having done my research, I missed one of the most important elements about the restaurant—which is one of the driving factors that brings diners from hundreds of miles away to dine on this mountaintop—totally gluten-free.

Yes, my pistachio pine nut pesto pasta was gluten-free. My cheesecake followed suit. My crackers for Luke’s pimento cheese, same. And honestly, I didn’t miss it. Isn’t that the point for those who can’t have gluten? Never sacrifice taste. And The Crown has figured out the recipe—many recipes, in fact—that allow you to have your cake and eat it, too.

Meet Donna and Richard Forsyth, owners of The Crown Brasstown, and discover what makes their restaurant a hidden gem in Western North Carolina.

What makes your restaurant so special?

Building community is the core of our mission at The Crown. Creating a place where people feel welcome and comfortable has been an integral part in developing our vision. Not only is our mission about creating community with our guests, we also do it with our staff, which has created a place where you’re welcomed by staff who enjoy their job and believe in our mission. Our core values are Excellence, Community, and Integrity. Consistency is important to us and we work to make your experience at our restaurant an enjoyable one. Plus, the lovely mountain view doesn’t hurt!

How do you define your menu and the experience?

The menu offerings we’ve created, while being somewhat of a play on traditional Appalachia foods, have also been selected as windows into cuisine that is not entirely common in the area, adding creative global influences. We want to make them available not only because of their deliciousness but also to expose the community to different foods they might not have tried before. 
The Crown provides an experience to our guests. It’s not just about coming out to dinner, it’s about joining the community and gathering together. Any night by Fire Master Tom’s beautiful fire is joyful; add the Community Jam and it becomes a delight. There’s something special about every night at The Crown. The feeling of belonging and feeling at home makes for an experience like no other. Sunday brunch brings its own relaxing vibe. Tasty brunch with a side of cool breezes under our solar pavilion and gorgeous mountain views makes for a delightful morning or afternoon.

What should I order?

You can’t go wrong with anything on our menu! Fan favorites for small plates are the crispy brussels. Even guests who confess they hate brussel sprouts love ours. The pakoras, our take on the popular Indian dish—battered and fried root vegetables served alongside mint chutney and pear chutney—also gets rave reviews.
For entrees, the Carolina Mountain Trout - sweet tea brined local trout, chilled quinoa salad with vegetable sauté.
You won’t find a better pork chop anywhere: za’atar crusted with potato salad, asparagus, strawberry red pepper and tahini lime. It’s tender, juicy and full of flavor.  We often hear that the Brasstown Beef ribeye is the best steak anyone has ever tasted. If you’re looking to step out of the box, our Green Curry is a top of the list fan favorite for multiple years in a row.
The flavors and the love that Executive Chef Derek Mazza puts into his food can’t be beat.

Join The Crown for Wine Wednesday with 1/2 priced bottles of wine; Thirsty Thursday with $5 pints of draft beer plus the Community Jam; and Old Fashioned Fridays for $6 old-fashions.

For more information and reservations, visit The Crown’s website.