Day 18, 2026: Smokee's Pizza (Asheville, NC)

exterior

DAY 18: OCTOBER 18th, 2026 

LOCATION: Smokee's Pizza at New Belgium Brewery (21 Craven St, Asheville, NC 28806)

GUEST(S): Maddy Mako, Tom Tenney, Ange DeManti, Paul Tkacs, Nick Brown, Odysseus

ORDER: 1 slice of The Pickle (Mozzarella, parmesan, DJ's "En Fuego" pickles, hot Italian sausage, homemade ranch), 1 slice of The Bianca 3.0 (Mozzarella, parmesan, roasted garlic, arugula, lemon ricotta, balsamic glaze), 1 slice of Cheese (marinara, mozzarella, parmesan), 1 slice of The Supreme (Marinara, mozzarella, parmesan, pepperoni, Italian sausage, onion, mushroom, bell pepper)

REVIEW: 

Where there is Smokee's, there's wood-fire.

Smokee's Pizza proves that some food trucks are just better! This one is equipped with a blazing wood-fired oven and a crew that knows how to use it. I visited Smokee's when the truck was parked at the New Belgium Brewery in Asheville, North Carolina, which happened to coincide with the "Dogs in Drag" contest where owners dress their pups in full Halloween costumes. It was a massive hit—the parking lot was jammed, with people and costumed dogs pouring out onto the brewery grounds. That said, there were still plenty of open chairs, tables, play areas, and entire tasting rooms available so it never felt too crowded.

Naturally, orders at the pizza truck piled up quickly. It's a small operation, so get yours in early—trust me, it is definitely worth it. Smokee's pies, both traditional and creative, are wood-fired masterpieces. I recommend getting one of each and sharing them with a friend. My favorite was "The Pickle": the combination of DJ's "En Fuego" pickles with hot Italian sausage and homemade ranch dressing created a powerhouse flavor profile not often tasted on a slice. For more traditionalists (or anyone feeding kids), opt for the Cheese or the Pepperoni.   

Every pie is topped with high-quality ingredients baked to crisp perfection at a very affordable price. Smokee's alliance with New Belgium Brewery is a match made in heaven, allowing patrons to bring the family, the dog, friends, coworkers, and anyone else out for a fun day of awesome pizza paired with awesome beer.  

PHOTOS:

menu

New Belgium Brewery

outdoor seating area at New Belgium brewery

Smokee's Food Truck w/ wood-fired oven

underside

Day 18

The Pickle pie

Cheese pie

The Supreme pie

The Bianca 3.0 pie

VIDEO:

coming soon

MISCELLANEOUS:

Paul Tkacs, Maddy Mako, Odysseus, Nick Brown, Ange DeManti, Tom Tenney, Sean Taylor

1. Nick Brown is a New York City ex-pat who moved to Asheville and replicated! Yup, three boys (including Odysseus) each with about half a dozen middle names. Almost too many names to remember, but not for Nick - he's pretty smart. His lovely wife and mother of his children said, "he's good to have on a pub quiz team." 

2. Ange DeManti and Maddy Mako are also great assets on a pub quiz team. I know this from experience. We have won many pub trivia nights thanks to these two friends (and neighbors). My primary contribution to the pub trivia team is "putting the team together." 

3. Paul Tkacs ran a marathon last year and hit his target time. 

4. Tom Tenney doesn't seem to get hangovers - Ange DeManti may have uncovered a cure for them. 

5. We're all in town for the wedding of Jon Bander and Shannon Krowicki which occurred later in the afternoon. It was beautiful!

RATING:

 4.31/5

• VALUE:
   4/5


• AMBIENCE:
   2.5/3


• TASTE:
   9/10


• SERVICE: N/A

15.5/18 = .861 x 5 = 4.31