North and South Carolina’s 2025 Eater Award Winners | Eater Carolinas

"Coming out of Hurricane Helene, Potential New Boyfriend owner, Disco, wasn’t sure if he wanted to open his new bar while many Asheville establishments were struggling to reopen, but he was encouraged by the community to unlock the doors to his ice cream/wine/listening bar in West Asheville. Since then, Potential New Boyfriend has become a stop for locals to group and share conversations over masala chai sundaes and scoops of Vietnamese iced coffee ice cream (also earning it the title of “ Best Third Place ” by Eater). The space leans in nostalgia, between the desserts, music, and decor, which provides comfort to those who came of age in the ’90s — but you don’t need to be Gen X or a millennial to appreciate Potential New Boyfriend, you only need to be 21 and over." - Erin Perkins