admin
Highland Brewing Company, North Carolina’s oldest craft brewery, has announced the upcoming launch of Oscar’s Pizza, a new culinary venture located on its expansive 40-acre campus in East Asheville. The restaurant is designed as a tribute to the brewery’s late founder, Oscar Wong, often referred to as the "Godfather of Asheville Craft Beer," who passed away earlier in 2025. This strategic addition marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the brewery’s property, transitioning from a production-focused facility into a comprehensive lifestyle and hospitality destination. The pizzeria is scheduled for a soft opening during the highly anticipated 30th Anniversary Cold Mountain weekend, November 13–15, followed by an official opening during the week of Thanksgiving and a formal grand opening celebration in December.
The establishment of Oscar’s Pizza represents more than just a menu expansion; it is a deliberate move to integrate food, beverage, and community space under the Highland brand. As the craft beer industry faces shifting consumer preferences toward "experience-based" taprooms, Highland is positioning its campus as a multi-use hub for outdoor recreation, live music, and family-oriented dining. The restaurant will feature a menu centered on made-from-scratch, thin and crispy pies, complemented by a selection of salads and shareable plates, all curated to pair specifically with Highland’s flagship and seasonal brews.
The Culinary Leadership and Vision
The development of the Oscar’s Pizza concept is being spearheaded by Guest Experience Director Chris Genua and Head Chef Adam Jones. The duo brings a blend of traditional Italian heritage and high-volume kitchen expertise to the project. Genua, a first-generation Italian American originally from Philadelphia, has roots in the pizza-making traditions of Southern Italy. His professional background includes 12 years in the competitive New York City restaurant scene, where he served as the opening general manager of Brooklyn’s The Double Windsor. Before joining Highland, Genua led the pizza program for White Labs Brewing Co. in Asheville, refining his expertise in the intersection of fermentation and dough development.
Genua’s vision for the menu is heavily influenced by the New Haven-style pizza tradition—a style known for its thin, coal-fired or high-heat charred crust and chewy texture. This style, often called "apizza" in its Connecticut origins, emphasizes simplicity and high-quality ingredients. Genua noted that the goal is to create a "nostalgic yet energizing" experience that honors the tradition of sharing food with family and friends, a value that was central to Oscar Wong’s life.
Working alongside Genua is Head Chef Adam Jones, a native of Hickory, North Carolina, and a graduate of Asheville’s culinary programs. Jones’s career spans several of the nation’s most prominent food scenes, including Charleston, Denver, and Dallas. His experience in leading high-volume kitchens is critical for Highland, which sees significant foot traffic during peak seasons and special events. Jones’s role focuses on the execution and precision required to maintain quality at scale, ensuring that the from-scratch philosophy remains consistent even during the brewery’s busiest weekends.
Honoring the Legacy of Oscar Wong
The restaurant’s namesake, Oscar Wong, was a pivotal figure in the American craft beer movement. A retired engineer, Wong founded Highland Brewing in 1994 at the age of 54. At the time, the concept of craft beer was nascent in the American South. Wong began brewing the now-iconic Gaelic Amber Ale using refurbished dairy equipment in the basement of Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria in downtown Asheville. His efforts laid the groundwork for Asheville’s transformation into "Beer City USA," an identity that now supports hundreds of jobs and draws millions of tourists annually.
Leah Wong Ashburn, Wong’s daughter and the current President and CEO of Highland Brewing, emphasized that the pizzeria is a way to continue her father’s mission of community nourishment. Wong was known not only for his technical brewing standards but for his mentorship of other brewers and his commitment to the local community. The restaurant incorporates personal elements of Wong’s history into its branding and menu. For instance, the pizza boxes will feature artwork and stories reflecting Wong’s first encounter with pizza after moving from Jamaica to attend the University of Notre Dame in the 1950s. Legend has it that Wong, unfamiliar with the flat box, carried his first pizza home sideways under his arm—a humorous anecdote that has become part of the company’s lore.
Furthermore, the menu will pay homage to Wong’s Jamaican heritage and Chinese-Jamaican roots. Planned offerings include a chili-crisp pizza and a jerk-seasoned meatball pizza, blending traditional Italian-American forms with the flavors of Wong’s upbringing. This fusion reflects the diverse cultural influences that Wong brought to the Asheville business community.
Chronology of the Opening and Campus Evolution
The rollout of Oscar’s Pizza is timed to coincide with Highland’s most significant annual events. The timeline for the launch is as follows:
- November 13–15, 2024: Soft opening during the 30th Anniversary Cold Mountain weekend. Cold Mountain, a spiced winter ale, is Highland’s most famous seasonal release, often drawing thousands of visitors to the campus for its annual debut.
- November 25–29, 2024: Official opening with a full, robust menu during the week of Thanksgiving.
- December 2024: A formal grand opening event featuring community celebrations and special pairings.
The addition of Oscar’s Pizza is part of a larger master plan for the 40-acre campus. In recent months, the property has seen the arrival of Black Dome Outfitters, a well-known local outdoor retail brand that opened a location on-site. Future developments include an expansion by Cultivate Climbing, which plans to build a 20,000-square-foot rope-climbing facility featuring 45-foot walls. These additions signify Highland’s shift toward a "lifestyle campus" model, where visitors can engage in physical activity, shop for outdoor gear, and dine, all within the brewery’s footprint.
Economic and Industry Implications
The decision to open an in-house restaurant reflects broader trends in the craft brewing industry. According to data from the Brewers Association, taproom sales and on-site food offerings have become increasingly vital for brewery sustainability. By controlling the food program, Highland can ensure a consistent guest experience and capture a larger share of visitor spending. In a region like Western North Carolina, where tourism is a primary economic driver, providing a full-service dining option allows the brewery to compete with downtown Asheville’s diverse culinary scene while offering the advantage of ample parking and outdoor space.
The craft beer sector in North Carolina contributes over $9 billion to the state’s economy annually. As one of the state’s largest independent breweries, Highland’s expansion serves as a bellwether for the health of the industry. The integration of high-quality food programs is seen as a way to increase "dwell time"—the amount of time a customer spends at a location—and to appeal to a broader demographic, including families and non-beer drinkers.
Strategic Beverage Pairings
A central component of the Oscar’s Pizza experience will be the synergy between the kitchen and the brewhouse. The menu has been developed with specific beer pairings in mind. The "char" and acidity of the New Haven-style pizza are designed to complement the malty sweetness of the Gaelic Amber Ale and the crisp, clean finish of the Highland Pilsner. Additionally, the brewery’s flagship AVL IPA will be marketed as a pairing for the more robust, spicy meat toppings, such as the jerk-seasoned meatballs.
The Highland staff will receive specialized training to provide pairing suggestions, further elevating the "craft" aspect of the dining experience. This educational component is intended to deepen the customer’s connection to the brand and the brewing process.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
As Highland Brewing enters its fourth decade of operation, the opening of Oscar’s Pizza serves as both a tribute to its past and a blueprint for its future. By honoring Oscar Wong’s legacy through a medium as universal as pizza, the brewery is reinforcing its status as a cornerstone of the Asheville community. The project reflects a sophisticated understanding of modern hospitality, where the quality of the food must match the quality of the beverage to create a lasting brand impression.
With the 30th anniversary of Cold Mountain serving as the backdrop for the initial launch, the brewery is set to capitalize on its highest-traffic period of the year. As the 40-acre campus continues to fill with retail, recreation, and now high-end casual dining, Highland Brewing remains a leader in the evolution of the American craft brewery experience. The success of Oscar’s Pizza will likely serve as a model for other legacy breweries looking to diversify their offerings and honor their founders in a way that resonates with a new generation of consumers.
