After three decades of defining the Plateau’s culinary scene — first with Wild Thyme, then at Meritage where wine was everything – Andrea Schmitt has opened Moondance, and it might be her best work yet.
Justin Burns
At Meritage she forged a partnership with chef Justin Burns – one that’s now blossomed anew at this latest venture in Lake Toxaway.
Moondance, which opened this summer along Highway 64, a wine bar with food, is equal parts sizzle and style. The transformation of the former office building is remarkable.
Andrea’s husband, architect Paul Schmitt, raised the low-slung entrance into a dramatic, angled space with a high ceiling, giving the exterior its mid-century modern lines and a sweeping sense of arrival. Step inside, though, and the atmosphere shifts: ceilings drop, the scale narrows, and you’re drawn into an intimate art deco interior. Vintage tile, polished wood, bold glass fixtures, a zinc-wrapped bar, and a wall of industrial wine shelving make the space both glamorous and inviting.
And then there’s the food. Every bite is spectacular, every dish a star – rigorous yet playful, the kind of food Andrea and Justin themselves most want to eat. Paninis and salads come off the menu with unexpected flair and complexity: a Cuban pressed with Spotted Trotter meats, roasted portobello paired with creamy goat cheese, and pastramied cobia, a twist on the Reuben.
A voluptuous lobster roll finds chunks of real Maine lobster dressed in classic style, stuffed into a griddled, buttered top-split roll. It’s a dish that tastes like it was plucked from a New England shoreline, a level of detail that leaves diners marveling, “This is so much more than I expected.”
Andrea Schmitt
Evenings at Moondance are reserved for Fridays and Saturdays, when the menu transforms into a tapas-style playground showcasing global flavors in small, shareable bites: steak frites with shiitakes and brie, Spanish-style crudos, tuna tartare, sushi-inspired temaki rolls, and aromatic Thai selections. You get the sense it’s a menu created by two people chasing down ideas, guided only by taste, skill, and self-assurance – which in Andrea and Justin’s case run happily high.
Alongside all of this, the deli case is a daily draw, offering soups, side dishes, entrées, and desserts to take home—recently including artichoke and crab soup, spinach manicotti with house Bolognese, lemon ricotta cheesecake, and a towering seven-layer carrot cake.
Burns brings serious depth to the partnership. He trained with top chefs in Colorado, later opened his own restaurant in Davidson, North Carolina, and has been part of the Plateau food community for more than 15 years. His background includes time in the wine business as well, which dovetails seamlessly with Andrea’s passion and makes him an ideal collaborator in a concept where wine and food share equal billing.
True to Andrea’s roots, the wine list anchors Moondance. With more than 300 selections, it emphasizes boutique producers, older vintages, and small-batch winemakers who prize quality over volume. Guests can sip by the glass, share a bottle, take home a bottle, or attend tastings with importers and winemakers announced throughout the year.
The name Moondance reflects both music and the open night skies of Lake Toxaway, where the moon feels close. It’s an apt metaphor for the space itself: bold, luminous, and just intimate enough to make you want to stay awhile.
There’s more information (and that exquisite menu) at moondance-market.com.
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