Andrews, NC’s newest location (Dec 2020) to grab something to drink and eat is The Parting Glass Irish Pub. The owners of this family-run establishment are husband and wife, Eric and Shannon West. They opened in November of 2020 and are located at 945 Main St in downtown Andrews, NC.
Debra and Dee Dee by a snowy Nantahala Lake
828Vibes made the trip from Franklin to Andrews crossing over a snowy mountain of Nantahala to get to Andrews. The Nantahala community was under a fresh snowfall so we enjoyed some tremendous wintry views along the way. One of Debra’s best friends was up from Atlanta for the weekend. So, with the snow on the mountain and around the lake, the two of them got some great photos together.
We arrived in Andrews at about 6:45 and parked right on Main Street in front of the pub’s front door. With winter, it was already dark and cold so there wasn’t a lot of activity along the downtown sidewalks.
Seeking the warmth and great food, we quickly made our way inside and found a nice open table. The building itself was built in 1929 and once served as the post office. The pub was framed on each side by beautiful red brick walls supporting high ceilings. On both sides of the front door were small elevated platforms overlooking main street where musicians could entertain guests.
Our waitress, Shannon is part-owner of this family-run business. Two of her three sons were working between the kitchen and the dining area just like many family-run businesses are. Her youngest would leave out occasionally to ride his scooter around the block, but each time quickly returned to the warmth of the pub.
On this chilly, dark Appalachian evening, I ordered a fitting Cold Mountain from Highland Brewing Company and Debra enjoyed a Dark Elf, which Eric tells us is named after a character in Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). The recipe came from a D&D themed cocktail book and is a nod to the many hours Eric and Shannon have spent sitting around gaming.
For dinner, I enjoyed their delicious Bangers & Colcannon, sausages topped with onion gravy and served with mashed potatoes combined with sautéed cabbage and bacon. Debra ordered the Reuben sandwich and fries. There was plenty to eat and the meal was excellent.
When I asked them about the pub’s theme and name, Shannon explained that they wanted the establishment to be a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, like a community gathering place.
Shannon stated, “Our inspiration for the pub really just came from places we enjoy visiting ourselves. We have a great little pub in Murphy called The Parson’s Pub that we love to go to when we are able, and we always check out the local pubs when we are traveling.
You can definitely see the nod to our Scottish and Irish heritage, which is so prevalent in this region. You will find books and chess boards stacked in the corners, but no televisions. We want people to be able to get away from the clutter and distractions, and just enjoy good company and conversation.
We love music. The name of the pub itself comes from an old Scottish folk song, The Parting Glass. If you listen to the lyrics of the song, it is traditionally sung at the end of a gathering of friends. It just seemed to perfectly express the feeling we wanted our place to have.”
As a parting farewell, the final lyrics to The Parting Glass song, Goodnight and Joy Be With You All is painted above the door.
Though the Wests intend to focus on good beer and simple, classic cocktails, they know providing traditional pub fare comfort food is important also. They have recently added some vegetarian options and desserts to their menu. Now that their base menu is finalized, Eric expects to start adding specials each week.
Recently they have just begun to have live music. The space inside the pub is small, but they do have room for one or two people to do an acoustic set. This spring when warmer weather arrives, they expect to have their garden area spruced up for outdoor seating and possibly a small stage area also.
When you are traveling through the far western North Carolina region of the 828 area code, make sure to stop in and see Eric and Shannon at The Parting Glass Irish Pub. The pub can be located in downtown Andrews, NC at 945 Main St.