18/01/2025
Sylva restaurant gains national attention
America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to Sylva on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Balsam Falls owners Corey and Laurie Bryson will show off the restaurant’s popular dishes and chat about the restaurant’s special place in the community.
The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.
With extensive experience in the craft beer industry, the Brysons opened Balsam Falls in 2017 simply intending to serve beverages and nothing else.
“We didn’t want to have anything to do with food,” Laurie Bryson said. “We just didn’t really know anything about it. Within two months, we realized that our customer base wanted food. So I stepped in and I said, ‘OK, let’s see what we can do.’”
Although their idea of adding local food trucks didn’t pan out, Corey’s background as a certified beer judge and knowledge of pairing food with beer, wine and ciders encouraged them to learn what would be optimal in terms of a menu. The small but efficient kitchen opened in summer 2019; presently, the brewery typically gains more revenue through food than beverages, something they attribute to their family-friendly atmosphere and well-thought out food offerings.
“We take pride in our products,” Bryson said. “We are proud to be able to make our own beer, cider, mead and seltzer products. We can please foodies and craft beer enthusiasts alike as we have trendy and traditional offerings.”
Popular menu items that may be featured on the episode include the Brewmaster Burger, an invention of Corey’s, topped with bleu cheese, bacon, and mushrooms and onions sauteed in beer; the Cheesy Norman flatbread, named after one of their original cooks and topped with ground beef, typical burger toppings and jalapenos on a beer cheese base; the Philly Cheesesteak, also available with portobello mushroom for a vegetarian option, and the Tipsy Hog, tater tots covered in beer cheese and bacon.
America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location on Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. until noon.
Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are selected based on their customer reviews, menu items, social media presence and level of involvement with their community. They are found through customer nominations, internal vetting or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.
Open daily, Balsam Falls Brewing Company is located at 506 W. Main St. Telephone is 631-1987. For more information visit https://balsamfallsbrewing.com.
