The building at 1341 Patton Avenue was home to Barbecue Inn for more than 50 years, until it closed in 2011. Since then several restaurants have opened there under different names. One stretch left it empty for about five years. The next one, a Mexican kitchen from Arden, is listed as coming soon.
The rest of Patton Avenue west of the river follows the same pattern this fall. In the past year, a restaurant at Westgate moved out and a new one moved into the same space. A brunch spot at 1400 Patton served its last plates in August. A golf-simulator bar and a drive-thru coffee shop opened in buildings a few doors apart. The addresses stay the same and the restaurants change, so if you want to know where to eat on Patton this fall, it makes sense to go building by building.
One building, five names
1341 Patton has the longest record on the corridor, and it explains why people are watching the old Barbecue Inn building again.
| Tenant | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| Barbecue Inn | Ran for more than 50 years and closed in 2011 |
| Patton Public House | Open at the address in June 2016 |
| Byrish Haus & Pub | Came before Amicizia; the building sat empty from 2017 |
| Amicizia | Italian restaurant that opened April 22, 2022 |
| Abuela's Little Kitchen | Listed as coming soon as of mid-October 2026 |
The long empty stretch in that table is unusual for this corridor. Mountain Xpress reported in May 2022 that Amicizia had opened in a space vacant since 2017. Amicizia's opening was gradual. The Asheville Citizen Times reported its plan to start with takeout and delivery in March 2022 and add full dine-in service later that month.
Abuela's Little Kitchen is next. The Arden restaurant is expanding into the old Barbecue Inn building, according to the Citizen Times' October roundup of upcoming openings, which listed the opening as "soon." AVLtoday's October 12 restaurant roundup also had it under "Coming Soon," with no date. No opening date has been announced, so the restaurant's own channels will have word first.
Westgate filled its empty space within a season
That five-year gap at 1341 Patton doesn't match what's been happening a short way east at Westgate Shopping Center. There, empty spaces have filled quickly in 2026.
In the spring, Gemelli moved its fresh-pasta kitchen from Westgate to Hendersonville Road in Biltmore Village. Its former space at 70 Westgate Parkway didn't stay empty long. Ritrovo, a pizzeria that makes double-fermented dough, opened there. After a soft opening, the Citizen Times reported a grand-opening celebration set for August 22 and 23. Gemelli is listed among April openings in its new location, so the space went from one Italian restaurant to another in roughly four months.
The second Westgate arrival is newer. Sushi Kingdom opened October 4 at 48 Westgate Parkway. It serves all-you-can-eat sushi along with hibachi and other Japanese dishes. The Citizen Times said it was "rolling out the royal treatment for guests with its all-you-can-eat sushi deal." Pricing and lunch and dinner hours are best checked with the restaurant, since the opening coverage focused on the format.
In short, Westgate lost one restaurant this year and gained two. The two arrivals are a pizzeria in a former pasta kitchen and an all-you-can-eat sushi spot.
1400 Patton is the address to watch now
On Patton, the newest empty space is at 1400 Patton Avenue. Regina's, a modern diner serving comfort classics, held its final brunch service from August 13 to 16 and closed after 3 p.m. on the 16th. The Citizen Times story on the closing said the chef- and woman-owned restaurant opened in 2023. That puts Regina's at nearly four years on Patton.
Regina's wasn't the only closing to get attention. The Citizen Times' October roundup of openings and closings grouped it with Rhubarb and The Rhu downtown as recent departures, alongside openings such as Sushi Kingdom. Across the city this fall, closings and openings are showing up in the same news cycle, and the Patton corridor has both within about a mile.
No new tenant for 1400 Patton has been announced as of late October. If the record at 1341 is any guide, the building will probably take on a new name at some point. Whether that takes months or years is the open question.
The newer arrivals brought different formats
The restaurants that have opened on Patton itself since late 2025 look different from Regina's sit-down brunch service. Both lean on features suited to a busy road.
Georgie's Bunker, 1141 Patton Ave. AVLtoday's October roundup lists it among November 2025 openings, a sports bar built around golf. Georgie's Bunker has four simulator bays, a full bar, pool, darts, and other games, and it takes reservations for the bays. Its website lists these hours: Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The page isn't dated, so confirm before planning a weeknight round.
Earthling Coffee, 1110 Patton Ave. The same AVLtoday roundup lists the space-themed shop among its March 2026 openings. It serves craft coffee, matcha, and energy drinks and has a drive-thru. A drive-thru is the clearest sign of how this stretch works compared with Haywood Road's walk-up storefronts.
Georgie's and Earthling sit a block or so apart in the 1100 block. Both offer something a commuter or a group can use without a long sit-down meal. Sushi Kingdom's all-you-can-eat format and Ritrovo's pizza work the same way.
Patton and Westgate, address by address
For a quick reference heading into November, here's the corridor in order by street number, with each address's status as of late October 2026.
- 48 Westgate Pkwy. Sushi Kingdom. All-you-can-eat sushi and hibachi; open since October 4.
- 70 Westgate Pkwy. Ritrovo. Double-fermented pizza in Gemelli's former space; grand opening held August 22 and 23.
- 1110 Patton Ave. Earthling Coffee. Drive-thru coffee, listed as a March 2026 opening.
- 1141 Patton Ave. Georgie's Bunker. Golf simulators and a full bar; open since November 2025.
- 1341 Patton Ave. The former Barbecue Inn building, with Abuela's Little Kitchen listed as coming soon.
- 1400 Patton Ave. Former home of Regina's, closed since August 16, with no new tenant announced.
Two of the six are waiting on what comes next. One of those is the address that has seen the most turnover on the corridor and will soon carry its fifth name.
At TFM Carolina, we spend a lot of time reading the history of a single address, whether it's a homesite, a house, or a storefront that's changed hands five times. If you're curious what a building or parcel near you has been through, or what might come next, we're glad to talk it over and share what we know.
