Natalie Perkins was passing through Asheville when she stopped at Moon & Root. Her Google review remembers a simple kindness: “Was welcomed warmly as a weary traveler and supplied with warm tea.”
She went on to say she would return to Asheville just to spend time in that space again.
That's the kind of recommendation that stays with you. A brief stop during a road trip became somewhere worth coming back for.
At Moon & Root Apothecary, also known as Moon & Root Kava Bar, the setting gives that welcome a fitting backdrop: a fantasy-themed, alcohol-free lounge at 51 College Street in downtown Asheville, with botanical drinks, places to get comfortable, and games that give an evening room to unfold.
Read through the customer experiences and a picture emerges. A mother and daughter spend their visit talking with people at the bar. A factory worker finds somewhere to decompress. A first-time guest gets help choosing a drink. Travelers discover a place where they want to linger.
We believe Moon & Root deserves the kava community's support. Those everyday experiences are a big part of why.
A fantasy tavern you can settle into
Moon & Root has committed to its own little world.
Customers describe hanging plants, forest lighting, cozy couches, reading nooks, and a bar finished with custom woodwork. There are places to sit with a friend, spaces to play, and details that reward looking around. Reviewer Michael James described an interior that felt much larger than the entrance suggested.
The bar's own description adds cosplay bartenders, quests, and Dungeons & Dragons nights to the picture. This is a place that has made an imaginative choice and carried it through the experience.
In his October 16 profile, writer Will Manors recalled stumbling into Moon & Root after watching a friend's band nearby. He described a costumed opening-night crowd, a greeting of “Welcome, Traveller,” and a conversation that kept him there for hours. (source)
You can understand the appeal. Walk in curious about the room, ask about a drink, and suddenly you have something to talk about with the person beside you.
And you can appreciate the place without having a fantasy character ready to introduce.
Bonnie Willow made that point in her Google review. Fantasy wasn't particularly her thing, but she liked the teas, the friendly service, the woodwork, and the lighting.
A comfortable seat and a good cup of tea have a pretty broad audience.
Come for the kava. Explore the tea, too.
For kava drinkers, Moon & Root offers an Asheville stop with a distinctive personality. Customers repeatedly praise the kava, the drink variety, and prices they consider reasonable.
The tea selection gets plenty of attention, too.
Reviewer Jada Kilpatrick described black, green, herbal, oolong, and rooibos teas, with hot and cold options. Other guests mention turmeric and ginger tea, a chai latte, and an iced Americano. Alongside kava and kratom drinks, those choices help explain why different people can enjoy the same outing.
Your friend can be enthusiastic about kava while you're in the mood for tea. You can meet for coffee, get into a conversation, and give yourselves permission to stay.
The most useful menu detail, though, may be the way staff help people navigate it.
While visiting Asheville, Mark Golden found the owner behind the bar. In his review, he praised the time spent explaining the menu and making recommendations. Hillary Varner described another small but telling interaction: when a tea she wanted wasn't available, the staff member helped her find an alternative that appealed to her.
That is good hospitality in practice. Someone listens to what you want and helps you find it.
If you're new to botanical drinks, start there. Our introduction to kava and first-visit etiquette guide can help you arrive with a few useful questions. Tell the team which flavors you like, ask what's in a drink, and say whether you're looking for kava, kratom, a traditional tea, or something else. Check the current menu and ask about availability when you visit.
The regulars tell the story
The most persuasive accounts of Moon & Root have a lot to say about ordinary life.
One reviewer, posting as Buffalo the Great, described working more than 50 hours a week in a hot, noisy factory. What he appreciated about the bar was wonderfully specific: cool air, a drink, a pool table, and a place to decompress after work.
For someone whose workday is physically demanding, a comfortable place to spend the next hour can mean a lot.
Ivory Starke came with her mother. Her review begins:
“My mom and I stopped in and had the loveliest time talking to people at the bar.”
She also praised the kava and teas, the owner's kindness, and an atmosphere that made them want to return.
Brittney Bartell noticed the comfortable little nooks and the mix of locals, regulars, and tourists. Ada Khoury appreciated being able to sit with a friend before dinner and actually hear the conversation.
Then there's Michael James's observation that the regulars looked so at home, he kept thinking they worked there.
That is a memorable description of belonging.
For the kava community, these experiences are easy to recognize. A favorite bar becomes part of how you spend your week. You know where you can stop after work, where to take a visiting friend, and where you might find someone to talk to.
Moon & Root's supporters describe that kind of familiarity taking shape. Their stories give us specific reasons to care about the place and the people keeping it going.
A reason to put your phone down
Moon & Root gives guests plenty of ways to spend time together.
Pool, video games, and tabletop gaming appear throughout the customer reviews. Several visitors specifically appreciate the free pool table. Others mention space for board games and D&D, or simply having somewhere comfortable to sit while friends play.
As we explored in our piece on kava barcades, shared activities make an introduction easier. A game gives you a reason to ask a question, pull up a chair, and talk about something happening right in front of you.
The fantasy setting adds another opening. Customer Ruby Chase praised the venue's lore and described a rewards system involving Grove tokens. Ask the team about the current rewards and activities; the appeal is in getting to take part in the world they've created.
The events calendar currently lists weekly Wednesday karaoke at 9 p.m. and fantasy-themed open-mic programming. Check the calendar for upcoming dates and details.
Choose the kind of visit you want, too. Many reviewers describe relaxed conversations and quiet stretches during the week. In responses to customer feedback, the owner has also explained that some late-night DJ sessions bring louder music and a more energetic atmosphere.
For a catch-up over tea, ask about a quieter time. For a livelier evening, see what's on.
A place for the kava road trip
If you're organizing a kava crawl through North Carolina or visiting Asheville with friends, give Moon & Root enough time to show you what people appreciate about it. Try a drink, look around, talk to the staff, and leave room for a game or a conversation.
That advice applies to locals, too. A place you pass on the way somewhere else can become part of your own routine once you finally step inside.
You can find Moon & Root on HappyKava App and add it to the places you want to explore.
Why we're asking the community to show up
There is a difficult part of Moon & Root's story, and it deserves an honest acknowledgment.
Owner Lewis Easton Cantwell, known around the bar as Elysium, pleaded guilty in 2022 to a felony involving interference with law enforcement during civil disorder on January 6, 2021. He was sentenced to five months in prison and later received a presidential pardon in January 2025. Local reporting in May also raised concerns about an antisemitic Instagram page followed by the business account. (source) (source)
In statements to the Asheville Citizen Times, Cantwell expressed regret for his involvement in January 6 and described Moon & Root as part of his effort to rebuild his life and create a welcoming business. (source)
Readers will weigh that history and those statements for themselves.
Our position is that accountability and an opportunity to rebuild can exist together. Trust grows through conduct: how people are treated, how concerns are handled, and whether a business follows through on its welcome over time.
The customers who describe kindness at Moon & Root are contributing something meaningful to that picture. So are the people who have made it a regular part of their lives.
Some guests have also reported disappointing visits. Supporting a business includes taking that feedback seriously and encouraging it to keep improving.
In his October profile, Manors reported that business had slowed and Cantwell was taking on construction work to help cover the bar's overhead. That report makes the question of support concrete. Keeping a gathering place open requires customers choosing to spend time and money there.
For us, the venue and the experiences described by its supporters make a strong case for a visit. We want to see imaginative, independently run kava spaces earn trust, respond to their communities, and have the chance to grow.
We're encouraging people to give Moon & Root that opportunity.
Help the next person find it
Support can be as straightforward as meeting a friend for tea.
If you're nearby, stop in. Bring someone who would enjoy the setting. Ask the staff what they're excited about on the menu. Try an event that sounds like your kind of evening.
If you've already visited and enjoyed yourself, tell people what made it good. Mention the drink you ordered, the person who helped you, or the game that kept you there longer than expected. Leave an honest review based on your own experience.
Specific recommendations are useful. They help the next traveler, the next curious local, or the next person looking for an alcohol-free night out decide whether to walk through the door.
The reviews that make Moon & Root compelling are full of those details. Warm tea after time on the road. A mother and daughter making conversation. A cool room after a long shift. A regular looking comfortable enough to be mistaken for the staff.
We would like to see more people get the chance to have those experiences.
Visit Moon & Root Apothecary in Asheville
Also known as: Moon & Root Kava Bar
Address: 51 College St #1A, Asheville, NC 28801
Currently listed hours: Daily, 3 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Phone: (828) 712-2815
Website: moonrootkava.com
Events: See the current calendar
Instagram: @moonandroot.apothecary
HappyKava: View Moon & Root Kava Bar
Check current hours before making a special trip.
Next time you're in Asheville, make room for Moon & Root. Bring a friend, order something that sounds good, and give yourself time to settle in.
You might leave with a new favorite stop.
Bula, Moon & Root. We're rooting for you.