Over the past few weeks, my dining adventures have led me to some exciting new spots, each vying for attention in Asheville’s vibrant culinary scene. The list of new restaurants to explore seems endless, and we’ve been diligently working through it, almost needing to dine out daily to keep pace with the influx of enticing eateries in Asheville and its surrounding areas. Recently, I even took a brief culinary detour to Rochester, New York, discovering some exceptional new spots there as well.

Landing at the top of the list last week was Soprana, the new rooftop restaurant at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Downtown Asheville. Soprana promises culinary homage to our region, emphasizing brick oven pizzas, and locally sourced Alpine/Appalachian seasonal menu items, all with the amazing backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Celebrating our friend Anna’s birthday, we began with their house made limoncello which was delightful. Chilled to perfection, and offering a refreshing burst of tart sweetness and a remarkably smooth finish. Traditionally, Limoncello is categorized as a digestif liqueur, meaning it’s meant to be sipped after a meal to aid in digestion, but we couldn’t resist diving into it right away.

We ordered dish after dish, wanting to try everything and share bites all around the table. Burrata cheese with heirloom tomatoes, basil pesto, and a syrupy aged balsamic, The Asheville Pizza, with fresh meats from The Chop Shop, smoking hot honey and fresh mozzarella, a Fig & Prosciutto pizza with balsamic jam and chèvre, and The Tartufo pizza. This was our favorite all around with herb roasted mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, roasted garlic and pecorino Romano. The blend of flavors melded perfectly together and the whole thing was oozing with cheese, it was delicious.

We tried one of each of the desserts. I have to say that I was most looking forward to the tiramisu ice cream sandwich and it was the most disappointing item of the evening. The Olive Oil cake was probably my favorite of the four options. However, none of them were anything special. I’d skip dessert if I went again and opt for more limoncello.

The service was very slow, but our waiter was so friendly and accommodating (separating a check 8 ways), that we didn’t mind much, The atmosphere of the restaurant left something to be desired. It was quiet and stale. No music was playing, and you could tell they were trying for an Italian Bistro vibe, but missing the mark by still having that “im a hotel restaurant” feel. There are a few simple tweaks that could be made to take Sporana to the next level.

Regardless, I think we will be back because of the gorgeous mountain views, the limoncello, and that delicious mushroom pizza. Have you tried Soprana yet? Let me know what you thought!!