On October 19, 2023, the Asheville Citizen Times reported that Buxton Hall Barbecue at 32 Banks Avenue in Asheville's South Slope neighborhood would close permanently on November 22, 2023. The announcement came several months after the Chai Pani Restaurant Group, which owned the restaurant, had opened a new dining concept in West Asheville. For fans of whole-hog Carolina barbecue in the mountains, the news marked the end of an eight-year run that had drawn national press attention.

Why the announcement mattered

Buxton Hall was more than a single closing date on a local events calendar. Since opening in 2015, it had become one of the most visible faces of Eastern Carolina-style barbecue in Asheville. The shutdown also highlighted how independent restaurant groups evolve: founder partnerships change, new brands launch in the same market, and staff need support when service ends. This article summarizes the Citizen Times reporting only and does not add facts beyond that source.

Background on Buxton Hall

According to the Citizen Times, Buxton Hall opened in 2015 as a partnership between pitmaster Elliott Moss and Meherwan Irani, a chef and co-founder of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group. The restaurant specialized in Carolina-style barbecue, including whole hogs cooked slowly over hardwood coals. Readers who want more on the cooking tradition can see our guide to Eastern Carolina barbecue.

The paper described ups and downs over eight years, typical for an independent restaurant with a demanding pit operation. One high point cited in the coverage was recognition as a top new restaurant by Bon Appetit magazine in 2016. That kind of national attention helped put Asheville's South Slope on the map for food travelers and raised expectations for smoke quality and sides.

In 2022, Moss ended the partnership by selling his shares in the business. He later launched two new restaurant concepts in West Asheville, while Buxton Hall continued under the Chai Pani Restaurant Group until the October 2023 closure announcement.

What was announced on October 19, 2023

The Citizen Times reported a final day of service on November 22, 2023. The story noted that the timing followed the group's opening of a new West Asheville concept, so the Buxton Hall closure unfolded alongside expansion elsewhere in the same restaurant family.

In a statement provided through publicist Jordan Culberson on October 19, the company said it was proud of Buxton Hall's eight-year run and asked the community to support the restaurant team and local producers during the final month of service. Barbecue restaurants often rely on regional farmers and suppliers, so a shutdown affects more than the dining room.

The company also said it was supporting affected employees with financial resources and help finding new jobs. The article did not spell out program details, but the emphasis on workforce support suggested the closure was treated as a real operational wind-down, not a quiet website update.

The building and the brand afterward

When the story was published, the Citizen Times reported that the future of the Banks Avenue space had not been decided. The Chai Pani Restaurant Group said more news would come in the following months. For Asheville, the question of what would occupy the address mattered as much as memories of whole hog coming off the pit.

Buxton Hall's legacy continued outside the dining room. Recipes and kitchen stories live on in Book of Smoke, and press coverage from the operating years is collected on our Press page. The restaurant's official site later noted that service ended November 22, 2023, and thanked supporters for eight years on the South Slope.

Impact on guests and the industry

For restaurant operators, Buxton Hall is a reminder that national praise does not guarantee a long life. Ownership changes, downtown costs, and group strategy can reshape a brand even when the food stays memorable. For guests, the reported timeline meant a final window to eat at the original location before November 22, 2023.

What the source did not include

The Citizen Times piece used here did not publish detailed financial reasons for the closure, sales figures, or a post-closure plan for the Banks Avenue kitchen. This summary leaves those gaps open. Updates from other credible outlets can be reflected in future edits without changing this article's URL or slug.

Timeline reported by the paper

The announcement date was October 19, 2023, with the last service day on November 22, 2023. That roughly one-month window gave regulars time for a final visit, merchandise if still available, and goodbyes to the crew on South Slope. The article did not list special hours for the last day, so day-to-day service details are outside this summary.

The company's statement also described the period as an extraordinarily difficult time for the team and said the group was rallying behind staff with financial and employment support. That language came from the restaurant side, but it signals that management and line employees were not treating the shutdown lightly.

Conclusion

Asheville Citizen Times reporting on October 19, 2023, is the basis for this summary: permanent closure on November 22, 2023, after eight years at 32 Banks Avenue; pride in the restaurant's run; a call to support staff and local producers in the final weeks; and employee assistance from the ownership group. The building's next use was undecided when the story ran. For Carolina barbecue context, use the internal links above and the original source linked at the bottom of this page.