Mezzaluna: A Brick Oven Tap House in Hendersonville, NC

Is Mezzaluna in Hendersonville, NC really mighty, mighty?

Have you ever had lottery dreams? When the PowerBall or Mega Millions start creeping up into serious money, you go all Walter Mitty, allowing yourself to dream about what life would be like if you get hit by the bolt of lottery lightning? I do. I was born a daydreamer, and it doesn’t take much for me to kick off into a flight of fancy. 

It’s mostly the usual stuff. See the world. Trip the light fantastic. Create John-a-roo, a one-of-a-kind music festival featuring all my favorite artists and put on exclusively for my friends and family. I’d like a winter home by the beach and a summer home. I would put my summer home near Hendersonville, North Carolina. 

What’s so special about Hendersonville?

We’ve been going to Hendersonville for nearly two decades now. We started going to Hendersonville for the apple picking in the fall when our oldest was still in pre-school. We found the area charming and fell in love with the downtown and the surrounding areas, extending into Flat Rock.

Over the years, we’ve found that Hendersonville makes for a great jumping-off point to explore the wonders of Western North Carolina. Not too far from Bryson City and the like, very close to Asheville and Biltmore and the wonders of the Pisgah National Forest. 

What else do we like about Hendersonville? The dining scene – except maybe for the weird Jack in the Box that always seems to be out of stock of a significant portion of the menu. But seriously, three or four of our favorite restaurants in the mountains are located in Hendersonville. One of our favorites is a brick oven tap house in Downtown Hendersonville called Mezzaluna.

What is Mezzaluna?

Back when we first found our way to Mezzaluna – quite by accident while strolling through the historic and eclectic downtown – it was still relatively new. The place had opened in the summer of 2008. It featured brick-oven pizza, an extensive bar and beverage menu, and Italian-inspired cuisine.

The interior décor is cool, making the most of the old brick building. The back wall features the wood-fired oven surrounded by a mosaic inspired by Van Gogh’s Starry Night. It’s quite a beautiful spot to share a meal, a drink, and to get together with friends and family. 

It has been something of a historic spot for our family. At least one of our girls tried – and loved – calamari there for the first time. It’s possible that this is where both girls fell in love with calamari – there’s some family debate. And it’s also where we first saw family again as we began to emerge from the pandemic. 

We’ve watched significant football games there on the TVs over the bar. And as it approaches its 20th anniversary – it remains a favorite dining destination for the family.

What’s on the menu at Mezzaluna?

It’s pizzas, Italian food, beer, and other drinks. It’s a good menu. The appetizers include the aforementioned calamari and fresh mussels in white wine with fennel, garlic, lemon, and herbed butter. I enjoy the banana peppers stuffed with Italian sausage, parmesan, and marinara. The crab cakes are a favorite as well. 

The selection of wood-fired pizzas includes the classic Neapolitan style, but with more cheese than is typical of Neapolitan, I think. The Margherita – with mozzarella, basil, and Roma tomatoes- is good. There are some more – and less- adventurous options. They include a barbecue chicken pizza, a Hawaiian pizza, and a pancetta-and-fig pizza served on an arugula pesto base with goat cheese and local wildflower honey, which intrigues me but not enough to order. 

The pasta dishes are well-seasoned and tasty. Favorites include the lasagna and the ravioli, which is stuffed with spinach, ricotta, garlic, and a house-made tomato cream sauce. Entrees include chicken, steak, and seafood dishes, including a pan-seared Carolina trout. The Tuscan Stew – seared scallops, shrimp, mussel,s and pancetta is a strong choice as well. 

It’s also kid-friendly. There are kids’ Alfredo and spaghetti options, as well as ravioli or the classic chicken tenders. 

Is Mezzaluna worth it?

It absolutely is. It is perfect for lunch while exploring downtown, or for dinner after visiting the apple orchards or the Carl Sandburg Museum in Flat Rock. We also think it is worth the drive from Asheville, Bryson City, or Cherokee to explore the historic downtown and enjoy a good meal in a classic setting. It’s a great place for a night out with adult friends. And it’s a good spot to take the family, where everyone can find something they like.

In our case, it’s a good adult-style restaurant, but also for the little ones who are learning the ways of the adult world. In fact, I just had a memory pop in while I was writing the above sentence. It had to be fairly shortly after Mezzaluna opened; we were there with our daughter. She was probably barely over three at the time, four at the most. In the middle of the meal, I needed a refill of my drink, and without asking, the waitress stepped in, scooped up my drink to replenish my supply of Diet Coke or whatever. 

Little Sofia was outraged. She thought that woman had come by and stolen her Daddy’s drink. She didn’t make a scene but quickly told me what the woman had done. My assurances that everything was OK eased her anger somewhat. However, she kept a close eye on that woman the rest of the night. She wasn’t going to let her pull something like that again. 

Have you visited Mezzaluna? Share your thoughts here and on the socials!