Blueberry Bistro opens in time for blueberry picking season

One day before the official opening, Perry’s Berry’s Vineyard and Winery offered a sneak peek (taste) of the sandwiches, salads, desserts, and — the piece de resistance — savory and sweet crepes on the Blueberry Bistro menu.

About 40 people, including myself, were invited to this special event on the evening of Thursday, June 27. Upon entering the main winery, I first saw the owners Debbie and Terry Perry, who greeted everyone who arrived. Terry was behind the bar pouring wine and opening bottles of cider (all made onsite) and Debbie carried out trays of food, set up buffet-style for all to enjoy.

Blueberry Bistro has been a long time coming. Adding a restaurant of some kind to the winery had been on Debbie’s mind for years. After a couple of food truck vendors either didn’t show up as scheduled or drove up hours late, she knew the universe was telling her it was time to put her plan into action.

“I knew I wanted to have crepes,” she said, remarking that the dish isn’t found on other menus in Burke County.

Crepes are common in French cuisine. They are similar to omelets; they can be stuffed with just about anything, offering limitless flavor profiles. Instead of the whipped eggs of an omelet, an ultra-thin, delicate pancake folds around the ingredients.

In early March, she and Terry formed Blueberry Bistro LLC with the N.C. Secretary of State and began working on the design of the building and the menu. Classified technically as a food cart, the bistro’s brown metal exterior perfectly matches the rest of the building. If you didn’t know better, you would be forgiven for thinking it was always attached to the tasting room and covered seating area.

The menu is equally streamlined — a no-fuss approach utilizing the same ingredients in multiple dishes.

“We don’t have a lot of storage,” explained Debbie, “and this helps us better manage the inventory.”

The pre-opening gathering featured samples of two crepes, the Market Delight (smoked chicken, spinach artichoke dip, and mushrooms) and Going Greek (smoked chicken, tomatoes, Greek salsa, and tzatziki sauce). The Keep It Classy sandwich (their version of a club sandwich) Fire Bird chicken salad (homemade chicken salad with a drizzle of Buffalo sauce), pimento cheese, and such sides as potato salad, pasta salad, and broccoli salad all made their debut.

The official opening of the Blueberry Bistro on Friday, June 28, was about a month later than originally planned. Weather at times delayed construction, which in turn delayed inspections and required licensing. That’s all behind them now, and the bistro is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays during the summer.

The bistro opened just in time for the vineyard to welcome blueberry pickers. The season began earlier in June and will continue until early August. Pickers are welcome as early as 9 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon on Sunday. Pick as much as you want. How much you pay is based on the berries’ weight.

Already-picked and packaged blueberries are also available. A team gets out among the bushes at 7 a.m. to pick the berries for those who want straight-off-the-bush freshness but lack the time to gather for themselves. The team-picked berries are also used to make blueberry wine, ice cream, slushies, jams, and other homemade items.

Perry's Berry's is at 1136 Browning View Road in Morganton, near Lake James.

After enjoying the samples at the preview party, my husband and I went back out on Saturday, June 29, to enjoy more crepes and pick our own berries, some to keep for ourselves and others to give to my brother, whom we were visiting the next day.

Family is at the core of Perry’s Berry’s. Debbie and Terry’s children and grandchildren are often lending a hand. For example, a granddaughter weighed our berries and put them in a box for us to take home. You don’t have to be blood-related to feel like part of the family. The casual, come-as-you-are vibe makes everyone feel welcome.

Angela Kuper Copeland is editor of The Paper. She may be reached at 828-445-8595 or angela@thepaper.media.