Asheville’s Mother Cafe Serves Sourdough Creations and Natural Wines | Eater Carolinas

"What began as a front-yard sourdough sale on a Montford lawn quickly turned into Mother, launched by Brett Watson and Heidi Bass after a surprise queue of customers (Watson remembers seeing 20 people in line). Initially a 190-square-foot retail storefront in the River Arts District showcasing Bass’s sourdough and Watson’s wine offerings, Mother expanded to a South Slope location that houses bakery production and a European-style café. The bakery—originally known for a consistently sold-out focaccia—produces sandwich and focaccia loaves, bagels, baguettes and, with a new kitchen built to Bass’s specifications, newer formats like boules, and it also services wholesale accounts including Chop Shop Butchery and Metro Wines’ wine club. The café menu, developed by chef Aleksander Kubicki, complements staples like the jambon beurre with items such as a custard-like quiche with sourdough dust, confit mushroom toast, and a braised lamb sandwich on flatbread, all served in a warm, comfortable, sunlit space with hybrid counter and table service. Mother also hosts a weekly, ticketed wine tasting called Sunday Service around a long communal table, emphasizing community-building and hospitality as core parts of the experience." - Jason B James