12 BONES SMOKEHOUSE & BREWERY 

Orders can be made by phone or online at 12bones.com. | Smokehouse & Brewery in Arden: 2350 Hendersonville Rd, 828-687-1395 | Smokehouse in RAD: 5 Foundy St, Suite 10, 828-253-4493

With award-winning barbecue and locally brewed craft beer, 12 Bones has become a reliable go-to for party hosts looking for easy wins. From birthdays and reunions to backyard gatherings, 12 Bones is a crowd favorite and travels well with easy “serve ready” packaging. The racks of ribs make for hearty plates, and the popular pulled pork is offered by the pound. The sides—which include collard greens, mac and cheese and jalapeño cheese grits—are sold in different sizes going up to a quart. Next door to the smokehouse in Arden, 12 Bones Brewery sells 16-ounce cans of ales, lagers and IPAs, along with 32-ounce crowlers, also available for pickup. 

BABA NAHM 

Orders can be made by phone or online at babanahm.com. | 1 Page Ave, Suite 139, Asheville | 828-575-2075

The bustling Baba Nahm café in the Grove Arcade serves on-point Middle Eastern dishes in convenient packaging, and its to-go options are a favorite for picnics, outdoor concerts and summertime get-togethers. (If you go during the lunch rush, expect a line of tourists and local office workers who flock here). The laffah wraps are a hit and travel well. Served with either roasted organic chicken, Tabrizi-style meatballs or crispy falafel, the wraps are made with hummus, sumac onions, pickled slaw, feta and a za’atar spice mixture. The fattoush salad is a refreshing plate with veggies and lettuce, tabouli and feta, served with a tahini dressing and a dolma. 

COUSINS CUBAN CAFE 

Orders can be made by phone. | 108 Broadway Ave, Black Mountain | 828-357-5513 

Much-beloved Cousins Cuban Café offers great takeout options for lunch and brunch—and, bonus, the takeout orders don’t have to compete for a seat in this quaint restaurant, which is almost always hopping. Cubano Bowls are served with mounds of flavor-rich proteins, including options like mojo pork, garlic lime chicken and the island nation’s signature ropa vieja—along with black beans, rice, sweet plantains and Cuban bread crostini. The Cubano pressed sandwich is another takeout favorite, made with slowcooked pork, sweet ham and Swiss cheese on fresh-made bread. A vegan option is made with jackfruit, vegan cheese and tofu. 

FORK LORE 

Orders can be made by phone or online at forkloreasheville.com/takeout. | 43 Town Square Blvd, Biltmore Park Town Square | 828-209-2715 

Fork Lore offers Southern classics and fresh local ingredients, and its takeout menu is attracting a fan base for work lunches and family dinners. If you’re collecting lunch orders for the office, Fork Lore’s turkey club is a popular option, with smoked turkey and bacon topped with locally grown tomatoes and lettuces, served on City Bakery bread with a housemade apricot-jalapeño marmalade and a side of BBQ chips. When the weather gets chilly, the chicken pot pie is a family take – out favorite, featuring Joyce Farms chicken, locally grown carrots, fresh peas and potatoes with a flaky housemade pie crust. 

RED FIDDLE VITTLES 

Orders can be made by phone, email or at the store. | 1800 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville | 828-412-0506 

This gourmet grocery store specializes in heat-and-eat meals, offering a rotating menu of seasonal dishes with local ingredients that score big with working families, busy couples and retirees. Co-helmed by Chef Erica Beneke, a veteran of the Food Network’s “Chopped” cooking competition, Red Fiddle sells frozen scratch-made meals with simple reheating instructions alongside a curated variety of locally made pantry staples and specialty items. Popular hits include chicken tenders made with Joyce Farms chicken, take-and-bake biscuits with Farm and Sparrow flour, and the always delicious porkstuffed piquillo peppers made with Colfax Creek Farm pasture-raised pork, cotija cheese and chimichurri.

ROCKY’S HOT CHICKEN SHACK 

Orders can be made by phone or online at rockyshotchickenshack.com/order-online. | 1455 Patton Ave, West Asheville, 828-575-2260 | 3749 Sweeten Creek Rd, Arden 828-676-3222 

The menu at Rocky’s rocks, but the chicken party platters are a standout among the takeout options. The platters serve eight to 15 people and are packaged for easy transport, making them a solid choice for year-round parties and gatherings. Offered in a few different combinations of wings, legs, breasts and the popular boneless tenders, the platters come in a variety of spice levels and are served with celery, carrots and dip. Combine with Rocky’s salads and sides (special shout-out for the sweet potato casserole and corn pudding), and feeding a large group gets easy. If you’re looking for picnic options, the chicken sandwiches package up well and go straight from the fryer to eco-friendly containers. 

SOUTH SLOPE CHEESE CO. 

Orders can be made by phone or at the store. | 11 Southside Ave, Asheville, 828-575-2109 

Elevate your noshing options for picnics or outdoor concerts with individual charcuterie boxes from South Slope Cheese. The boxes feature local meats and cheeses—along with nuts, olives, crackers and the store’s homemade spread—and make a perfectly portioned heavy snack or light meal. With a combination of cheeses, they’re designed to pair with either red or white wines, or beer. Orders can be placed in advance by phone, but the store often keeps the charcuterie boxes in stock. Small boxes serve two, while the largest “jumbo” option presents a gorgeous spread for 25 and makes a brilliant snacking tray for summertime parties. 

TWISTED LAUREL 

Orders can be made by phone or online at ChowNow.com. | 130 College St, Asheville 828-552-3240 

Twisted Laurel specializes in Mediterranean-inspired comfort food and its “something for everyone” menu has helped it become a takeout favorite for folks who don’t have time to cook but still want to eat well at home. Twisted Laurel has fresh pastas, burgers and pizzas—all of which get a special shout-out. Meals are served in biodegradable containers, and dressings and sauces are packaged separately. For picnic fare, consider the hummus appetizer served with veggies and pita bread or the seasonal focaccia board served with cantaloupe jam, ricotta and honey, and prosciutto butter. Orders can be made by phone or via ChowNow, which offers a pickup time and makes for easy transactions. 

ZELLA’S DELI 

Orders can be made by phone or online at zellasdeli.com. | 48 College St, Asheville, 828-505-8455 

Ideal for an afternoon of outdoor adventure—a hike, a climb or a bike ride—Zella’s offers a ton of hearty sandwiches and sides. Securely wrapped in foil, and with the option of condiments on the side, the sandwiches travel well, pack well and taste amazing. The Johnny’s Italian is a signature sub, made with capicola ham, pepperoni, salami, provolone and lettuce and tomato, served on a hoagie roll. There’s also a really good BLT, a turkey sub and a roast beef option that comes on a kaiser roll. While there, you can pick up a mug of locally roasted coffee or bottles of Waynesville Soda Jerks. Premium listings offered to our valued advertising partners.