For the second year in a row, Soprana Rooftop Cucina has earned a place in the MICHELIN Guide American South.
The OFTB client and rooftop restaurant at Embassy Suites Downtown Asheville was first recognized as part of MICHELIN’s inaugural American South selection in 2025. Its return to the Guide in 2026 gives Soprana a distinction that feels particularly significant for a restaurant still in its first few years: this wasn’t simply an impressive arrival. It’s recognition sustained.
That consistency traces back to decisions made long before Soprana opened.
Philip Bollhoefer, Vice President of Food and Beverage for Parks Hospitality Group, spent the months leading up to opening studying under a master pizzaiolo, testing ovens built with imported Italian bricks and developing the dough that would become central to the restaurant.
“I carefully selected every tomato, every flour, and every drop of olive oil,” Bollhoefer says. “We then had our master pizzaiolo visit and consult just before opening, and again six months later to ensure we were doing everything the right way.”
But Soprana was never meant to simply replicate an Italian restaurant in Asheville. Bollhoefer brought more than a decade of relationships with Western North Carolina farmers and producers to the project, grounding those Italian techniques in the ingredients and landscape of the Southern Appalachians.
Today, Executive Chef Jon Cropf carries that vision forward in the kitchen. In less than three years, the team has sent more than 101,700 pizzas through the ovens, while continuing to shape a restaurant that feels distinctly at home on its rooftop overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Those early years have also tested the team in ways no opening plan could have anticipated. Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina during Soprana’s first year, bringing an extraordinary challenge to a restaurant still finding its footing.
“We’re incredibly honored to once again be recognized by the Michelin Guide,” said Bollhoefer. “While we have the privilege of being here tonight, the real credit belongs to our team back in Asheville, who do the heavy lifting every single day and consistently execute at such a high level. Their passion for what we do and their commitment to hospitality are what make Soprana special. We’re grateful that this continued recognition allows us to share our passion for pizza and what we’ve created at Soprana with even more people.”
That makes a second year in the MICHELIN Guide about more than maintaining an accolade. It reflects a restaurant that has continued to evolve without losing sight of what it set out to be: thoughtful Italian cooking, strong relationships with regional producers and an experience unmistakably rooted in Western North Carolina.
We’ve been fortunate to tell Soprana’s story through some remarkable early chapters, and we’re proud to see an OFTB client return to the MICHELIN Guide for a second consecutive year. Congratulations to Philip, Jon and the entire Soprana and Parks Hospitality Group team.
