There are plenty of reasons for hungry or thirsty shoppers to stop by Union at Biltmore Fashion Park these days. For one, there's Short Leash Short Lease, the months-long pop-up from local food truck Short Leash Hot Dogs. Plus, there's Juicd Life, the relatively new juice bar that serves cold-pressed and made-to-order juices.
And though it's rather small and easy to miss, there's also a small outlet of Royal Coffee Bar. The tiny coffee shop -- really it's more of a coffee counter -- serves all the usual caffeinated options and stocks locally made Rise Biscuit Co. biscuits on a daily basis.
If you're smart, you'll make time to try one soon.
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Rise Biscuit Co. comes courtesy of mother-daughter duo Kay Allison and Janet Van Hofwegen, who bake biscuits daily. The menu options are short but sweet: a buttermilk biscuit with honey or jam or a gluten-free biscuit with honey or jam. Both will cost you under $4, and you can add on an extra stick of honey for an additional quarter.
You don't really need to, though, because too much honey would mean missing out on some of the flavor of the biscuits themselves. These aren't the super-buttery kind that leave a film in your mouth. These biscuits offer fluffy layers of dough that make for a surprisingly filling snack. They're dense and offer a nice, slightly browned exterior.
We're pretty sure they'd be perfect for biscuits and gravy but do well enough with a simple spread of local honey or jam. And along with a cup of coffee or tea, these make for a perfect afternoon treat.
