Asheville restaurant to close after 15 years serving authentic Thai cuisine

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
·1 min read

ASHEVILLE - After a 15-year run, a local restaurant has decided it will no longer serve traditional Thai cuisine to Asheville diners.

On Jan. 31, Little Bee Thai owners announced via social media that the business will close at 45 South French Broad Ave., suite 190 by the end of February.

The post stated that a new business would take over the space, though additional details were not provided.:

“To all of our loyal Little bee Thai customers we are sad to announce that Tuk will be retiring at the end of February. Thanks for your local support throughout all these years. There will be new owners with a new business name and new receipts for you to enjoy. We have been serving Asheville starting out in the sweeten creek gas station to a food truck then to a restaurant for last 15 years. You all have always been there to support us through it all.

Sincerely yours Rick and Tuk”

Little Bee Thai was a popular food truck in Asheville that has newly opened a permanent location on French Broad Avenue.
Little Bee Thai was a popular food truck in Asheville that has newly opened a permanent location on French Broad Avenue.

Little Bee Thai was introduced by Took Charemwong and her partner, Rick Corcoran, to showcase her collection of authentic Thai recipes learned in Thailand and said to have been passed down by elder women in the community and her family.

She opened and closed two restaurants in Oregon and Florida after moving to the U.S. and later moved to North Carolina.

One of the curries available at Little Bee Thai is the Panang, shown here with beef.
One of the curries available at Little Bee Thai is the Panang, shown here with beef.

In 2008, Little Bee Thai launched as a restaurant and then downsized into a food truck at a gas station on Sweeten Creek Road in Arden.

In 2016, the business grew into a brick-and-mortar restaurant on South French Broad Avenue due to the growing popularity of scratch-made Thai dishes, like curry, pad Thai, soups and more offered to lunch and dinner crowds.

Little Bee Thai

Where: 45 South French Broad Ave., suite 190, Asheville.

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

5-8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

5-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Info: For more, visit facebook.com/LittleBeeThai.

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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: Little Bee Thai to close, final days announced