Following a two-year search for the right location from which Jenna Barker would launch the next chapter of her two-decade career in the restaurant business, the setting revealed itself when the former owner and manager of the No. 3 Grill in Spruce Pine made a trip to downtown Black Mountain with her husband.
“From the second I walked in the door, there was just an unexplained feeling that this is it,” said the founder of the the Tuscan Table, which opened, Sept. 17, in a recently renovated space on 203 West State Street. From that moment, the unique and intimate design shaped the story from there.
The veteran chef, who trained under multiple chefs in a diverse array of kitchens, dreamed of opening a restaurant in her own building since discovering her passion for creative techniques and recipes as a senior in high school. Even after taking over a well-established restaurant in the Skyline Village Inn and the Grassy Creek Golf Course & Country Club, Barker pursued professional growth.
“I leased for a number of years, but the next step in my career, and a goal I’d had since getting into the business, was to own my own spot,” she said. “I looked for the right location, anywhere from Boone, to Mars Hill and all over the region for a while, and even put in some offers that fell through. So when my husband showed me this place in Black Mountain, we were excited to take a look.”
The one-story brick structure overlooking the sidewalk, a contributing building in the downtown district on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally used as a garage in the 1930s and later the home of Song of the Wood for 38 years. It was renovated and opened briefly as another business in 2022.
The southern European theme of the interior helped inspire the menu at the Tuscan Table, open from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, according to Barker.
“I kind of let the space and community tell me what they needed,” she said. “The tile work on the walls of the building really spoke to something from that region, and as I’ve done research and gotten to know the community, I knew an Italian restaurant was something people wanted. I mean, who doesn’t like pasta?”
With cozy indoor and outdoor sidewalk seating, Barker crafted a menu fusing Italian recipes with new American styles.
“We’re not authentic Italian cuisine, by any means, which is why we have a few items on the menu that aren’t necessarily what you think of as being Italian,” she said.
Dining and Cooking