Along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there lies a Shangri-La that captivates eco-tourists, history buffs, artists, writers, musicians, chefs, baristas, brewers, and dreamers donned in flannel and sporting beards. A hipster haven in the heart of Appalachia. Despite being the largest city in the western part of North Carolina, it has less than 100,000 people. But don’t let that fool you; all of that aforementioned creative genius that resides here has transformed this town into one that will easily satisfy your epicurean taste buds.