Answer Woman: Is that Hendersonville Road restaurant abandoned or will it open soon?

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read

ASHEVILLE - A reader asks for the status of a new restaurant slated to open at the location of a former favorite eatery. Got a question for Answer Man or Answer Woman? Email Executive Editor Karen Chávez at KChavez@citizentimes.com and your question could appear in an upcoming column.

Question: Could you find out what the future is for the abandoned restaurant at 1996 Hendersonville Rd.? Before COVID, it was Papas and Beer and was very popular. (Sure wish they would return.) For the past few years, it has been mostly closed, but with a sign that says “opening soon.” Construction workers come and go. There are even potted plants along the outdoor dining area. But no restaurant.”

In February, Margarita's Grill owners advertised that the restaurant would open at 1996 Hendersonville Road in South Asheville.
In February, Margarita's Grill owners advertised that the restaurant would open at 1996 Hendersonville Road in South Asheville.

Answer: The future is now for the restaurant that’s been teasing Asheville diners with its “coming soon” signage for several months.

On Sept. 15, Margarita’s Grill opened its doors to the public for its soft opening at 1996 Hendersonville Road, the former home of Papas and Beer and El Patron Subs & Grill.

In March, Citizen Times checked in with the owners and sisters, Aida and Carmen Ortiz, and they shared that they were aiming for a spring debut. However, as is common for many new businesses, things were delayed, and the opening was pushed closer to fall.

At that time, they were amid renovation and menu planning but shared that Margarita’s Grill would focus on authentic, traditional and scratch-made Mexican cuisine ― with marinated grilled chicken and ribs as the star proteins ― from their hometown Veracruz, Mexico.

So don’t expect Tex-Mex-style dishes.

"Margarita's Grill started with my mom's recipes. We're coming from Mexico, and our family has been in the grilled chicken and ribs business for a very long time, so this is a dream come true for us to be able to put all this together and make it a reality," Carmen Ortiz told the Citizen Times.

Now open, the Ortiz sisters are ready to feed the community during regular operation hours, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

On opening day, Aida Ortiz, a nutrition professional, introduced her curated menu of family recipes prepared using fresh ingredients and healthier alternatives, such as cauliflower and quinoa rice mixes and low-calorie, vegetable tortillas made in-house.

For a deeper dive into Margarita’s Grill’s menu, follow the Citizen Times.

Follow Margarita’s Grill at margaritasgrill.net and on Facebook.

And remember, at one point, Papas and Beer was new and had to earn its loyal customers. Give Margarita’s Grill a try and you may find a new favorite restaurant to visit.

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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Margarita's Grill opens with authentic Mexican dishes, fresh tortillas