With a motto like “always baked on the stone,” the 'Shroom is nothing if not laid-back. There's certainly nothing harried about this place, whichever way you slice it. Perhaps that's what makes this pizza joint a favorite haunt for Ashevilleans in search of a relaxed environment to soak up a little Vitamin D with their pint and pie.
Sure, the Mellow Mushroom is part of a chain, but the Asheville location is locally owned and operated. Xpress found owner Gerry Mahon in the office when we stopped by to find out just what makes sun-worshippers and al fresco diners flock to this former gas station turned pizza oasis.
“Well, the patio,” says Mahon. Naturally. It's hard to miss that leafy green courtyard — you can spot the Mellow Mushroom by the crowd gathered outside when the weather's nice. Especially during the height of tourist season, this place is a pretty happening joint for cooling the heels.
There's certainly something about dining in dappled light under a canopy of leaves, that's for sure. “We try to give you a natural feel,” says Mahon. “We try to provide both the great outdoors and a decent seating environment.
— Mackensy Lunsford
