S&W Artisanal restaurant has quietly opened in downtown Asheville

The lights went on in the long-dark S&W Cafeteria Building Thursday as its new restaurant, S&W Artisanal, launched a series of soft-opening services in advance of its February grand opening.

The warmly lit Greek restaurant beckoned through the gloom of a rainy January day. Inside, rows of traditional pastries, flaky under crisp phyllo or glaze glistening under the lights.

Read more: Asheville's historic S&W Cafeteria building enters (another) new era

In the ground-floor cafe, you order by pointing at whatever looks good, a somewhat dangerous proposition as most everything looks good. 

Co-owner Sakis Elefantis, who has partnered on this ambitious new eatery with local businessmen Douglas and Kenneth Ellington and architeTheodore Kondylis, said the first floor is devoted to traditional Greek comfort food, like his grandmother used to make.

As such, find spanakopita, moussaka, bougatsa, sandwiches and Greek salads. There's a gleaming new espresso machine, all the better to accompany the scores and scores of Greek desserts, including a not-too-sweet cheesecake or fruit-studded tarts.

Above the cafe is a second-floor mezzanine for fine dining, and a bar serving craft cocktails and Greek liqueurs, cordials and wines. 

There's also the new first-floor bar, The Times, with its gold-leaf walls and pedigreed management, all in the former Sadie's Seafood Pub. More about that here. 

Find it at 56 Patton Ave. More info on the restaurant's Facebook page.