What to do at Beradu?
Black Mountain specialty market and restaurant puts unique twist on Carolina cuisine
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
November 15, 2023
Patrick and Maggie Beraduce are focusing on locally sourced provisions and wild game at Beradu, a new Black Mountain specialty market that will launch an adjacent restaurant in the coming weeks. Photo by Fred McCormick
A new Black Mountain specialty market and restaurant with a distinctive name is bringing unique flavor to the Village of Cheshire.
Beradu, which opened its retail space, Nov. 11, with plans to launch its adjacent restaurant and bar in the coming weeks, ushers a brand new flavor into town, with offerings focused on wild game, invasive species, fresh fish and hyper-local provisions.
The moniker is a take on the surname of owners Patrick and Maggie Beraduce, who purchased the business previously known as The Grocery in September. The Naples, Florida natives had an immediate vision for the space, said Patrick, the head chef with a 14-year career in the culinary industry.
“We were looking for a location in this area about a year ago, but a few different places in Asheville just didn’t feel right,” he said. “We had never been to Black Mountain before when we saw this place, but when we drove into town on U.S. 70, we fell in love with it from the very moment we pulled into town.”
Their affection grew when they walked into the building at the corner of N.C. 9 and East Market Street.
“We really liked what we saw in this building, and I loved the fact there was a separate restaurant and market,” Patrick said. “I’ve always wanted to run a small restaurant and market. As a chef, and growing up as a kid from an Italian background, my grandparents were a huge influence in my life. I grew up cooking with my grandma, so I want to run a market they would have shopped in.”
Beradu offers the feel of an old-fashioned neighborhood market with a bright and welcoming atmosphere, according to the Maggie.
“I want everyone to feel welcome here,” the general manager and former elementary school teacher said. “We want people to come in, feel free to ask us questions and learn about what we offer.”
The market is stocked with locally sourced items, according to the owners.
The Beradu specialty market in Cheshire, which opened, Nov. 11, offers fresh sandwiches, cheese, a meat selection of wild game and more. Photo by Fred McCormick
“Every product we carry is thoughtfully made, so nothing we have has high fructose corn syrup or strong additives,” Patrick said. “We carry almost every food product at the Black Mountain and Asheville Tailgate Markets, and we pride ourselves on working with those purveyors.”
Eggs and produce are also sourced from the area, while the cooler boasts a selection of local beverages. Jams, sauces, dry pastas, chips, dips and spices line the shelves, as coolers hold seafood, meats, fresh pasta and more. Customers also have the option of grabbing a cup of coffee or tea and spinning vinyls on the record player or sitting outside in front of the gas fire pits.
Nearby, deli cases are stocked with Beradu sandwiches, ranging from the “True Paisan Italian” to a pimento pastrami melt, or the vegan banh mi. Meats and cheeses offer a glimpse into another unique aspect of the shop.
“I started working with wild game, starting with wild boar, in Florida because they’re extremely invasive down there, and here,” Patrick said. “We’ve got a lot of that, some rabbit, a couple game birds like squab and pheasant, as well as bison, venison and elk tenderloin. There’s also some elk rib chops in there.”
The meat selection relies on protein sources that are far more sustainable than mass produced beef and pork, he added.
“And, they’re a lot healthier because they’re not raised with hormones, corn or additives,” Patrick said. “Most of the meat is sourced from N.C., but some of the wild boar comes from Texas.”
The market is open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, while the restaurant, which the couple plans to unveil in early December, will operate from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday.
The Beradu restaurant, which will open in early December, will feature a menu specializing in elevated meals made from locally sourced ingredients and wild game. Photo by Fred McCormick
The seasonal menu , which will change every couple of months and feature rotating specials, will introduce appetizers like smoked local trout fritters, crispy winter wheat duck wings and boiled peanut hummus. The “supper” selection will offer N.C. bison short ribs and wild boar ragu with fresh pappardelle pasta, among other entrees.
“It will be a homey and welcoming space with a working fireplace and music from the record player throughout the restaurant,” Patrick said. “We’ll host bring your own vinyl nights where people can bring their own records and put them on. We want it to be a fun place where the community can enjoy a high-class meal at a decent price.”
The owners and their three employees are eager to meet more of their new neighbors, according to Maggie.
“Finally having people be able to come in and talk to us is exciting,” she said. “For so long, we’ve been working on the space and trying to explain the concept, but now customers can come in, see it for themselves and really experience it.”
The opportunity to bring something new to Black Mountain is an energizing one for the chef.
“I’m looking forward to introducing people to new food, while helping elevate the local food scene, along with the other restaurants in town that are doing cool things,” Patrick said. “We want people to come here for a really awesome meal and some interesting products.”