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Breakfast is the champ at this bright and airy in-demand spot for biscuits, smashed avocado toast, and frittatas, but it's also worth a visit later in the day for delicious bites like fried halloumi with honey and capers.
102 Montford Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Quick counter service
- Hemp lattes
- Breakfast sandwiches overflowing with goodness
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In 2022, this unassuming storefront Indian street food eatery stunned the culinary world by winning the James Beard Award for Most Outstanding Restaurant in the country. Fortunately, the accolade hasn't changed the laid-back delightful experience of dining here. Chef-owner Meherwan Irani draws inspiration from his hometown near Mumbai in dishes like bhel puri (crispy puffed rice with a tamarind sauce) or chicken pakoras (savory fritters).
22 Battery Park Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Shareable dishes
- Vegetarian-friendly menu
- Reasonable prices
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If you have the blahs, Cúrate, with its extraordinary authentic tapas and fun atmosphere (they won the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Hospitality—in the country) is the cure. The kitchen showcases the flavors of Spain over two dozen snacks and small plates, with special attention to cured Iberian ham dishes and seafood such as octopus and calamari.
13 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Spanish sherries and wines
- Convivial atmosphere
- Selection of hams
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Reservations essential
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This charming intimate space features handmade shadow-box art from the 1950s, a collection of mirrors, and retro lava lamps above the bar. The menu is equally eclectic, with small and large plates, including deep-fried deviled eggs, calamari in a garlic marinara sauce, roasted octopus with fava beans, duck and andouille gumbo, elk meatballs, and trout with fennel.
715 Haywood Rd., Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Known For
- Creative takes on traditional dishes
- Craft cocktails like the Ice Breaker
- Outdoor courtyard
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Don't let the pig statue out front full you—this is sophisticated vegan dining with a menu of frequently changing dishes from different cultures and cuisines. A typical menu might include seitan chili with cheese, lasagna with raw vegetables, smoked portobello mushrooms, and delicious coconut milk ice cream for dessert.
165 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Biodynamic cooking methods
- Industrial-chic setting
- Organic wines and local beers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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The Bull and Beggar is decidedly warehouse hip, with brick walls, old wood floors, and high ceilings. The French-inspired menu plays like an upscale steakhouse, and the surf-and-turf theme extends to the mollusks, which include raw oysters and escargot. Their 30-seat nearby spinoff, Baby Bull, now hosts their popular Burger Monday, with deals on fabulous double-patty burgers.
37 Paynes Way, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- An incredible 34-oz. dry-aged ribeye
- Excellent surf, as well as turf
- Sunny patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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A French-style bistro, Bouchon ("cork" in French, and a type of Lyonnaise restaurant) serves simple Gallic comfort food, such as steak frites, bouillabaisse, and a version of chicken cordon bleu in a lemon juice, white wine, and butter reduction. The owner is from Lyon, and the casual spot fills up due to its prime location on Lexington Avenue.
62 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- French fare like steak frites and escargots in garlic butter
- Steak tartare and ris de veau (sautéed sweetbreads) on Thursdays
- All-you-can-eat mussels in savory sauces
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch.
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$$$ | |
Entrées such as pecan-crusted mountain trout with ginger sweet potatoes grace the frequently changing new American menu at this charmingly renovated Victorian cottage with wood floors, plaster walls painted in serene colors, and a fireplace in one dining room.
3 Boston Way, Asheville, North Carolina, 28803, USA
Known For
- Innovative versions of Southern and American favorites
- Charming Biltmore Village location
- Farm-to-table menu
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$ | Downtown |
Named after an early-maturing tomato variety, Early Girl Eatery is casually Southern, with a natural twist, as it partners with about two dozen local farms for its farm-to-table cuisine. Breakfast is served all day and includes stacks of multigrain pancakes with organic maple syrup, shrimp and grits, and sausage-and--sweet potato scramble. In 2018, the owners opened a second location at 444 Haywood Road in West Asheville.
8 Wall St., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Southern comfort food
- All-day breakfast
- "meat and two" specials at lunch and dinner
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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Inspired by the food of Southeast Asia, China, and Japan, Gan Shan West has an eclectic and inventive menu of house-made dumplings, ramen, soups, and noodles. Choose a table in the colorful petite dining room or sit on the breezy patio.
285 Haywood St., Asheville, North Carolina, 28806, USA
Known For
- Pleasant outdoor dining
- Cool and casual vibe
- Tasty creative specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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The perfect stop for chic picnic provisions, a memorable lunch, or a lively pintxos (small bar snacks) dinner with friends, fans of Cúrate are thrilled to find many of its specialties available at this sister establishment, including cured meats, cheeses, sangria—even paella. The "La Bodega Experience" is one of the best prix-fixe menus in town.
32 S. Lexington Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Nicely curated selection of European foodstuffs
- Gourmet sandwiches
- Perfect for picnics
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This vegetarian-vegan eatery is a longtime Asheville favorite on charming Wall Street. The extensive menu ranges from banh mi sandwiches and a vegan sweet potato Reuben to dinner specialties influenced by the flavors of India, Cuba, Thailand, Mexico, and Morocco. There are also several raw entrées.
40 Wall St., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Thai panang curry
- Cold-press juices and other beverages
- Breads baked in-house
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed., Reservations not accepted
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Three components—a talented chef from Mexico City, locally sourced ingredients, and a San Francisco bistro atmosphere—combine to make this modern Mexican place a standout. Whet your appetite with the ceviche sampler and lobster nachos before going on to the regularly changing list of main dishes like carne asada with a romesco mole.
15 Eagle St., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Extensive margarita menu
- Smart unobtrusive service
- Airy and open space
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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Rather than specialize in one type of Indian cuisine, Mela offers dishes from across the country. The traditionally prepared tandoori dishes (chicken, shrimp, and lamb) are especially delicious, and at lunch there's an inexpensive buffet.
70 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Classic dishes nicely presented
- Bright and airy dining room
- Vegetarian and vegan options
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$ | Montford |
This informal neighborhood spot in Montford serves what it bills as Jamaican food, although the not-too-spicy jerk dishes are served in bowls over linguine or basmati rice. Tofu can be substituted for any meat, and many of the ingredients are from local organic farms. (If you like more heat, ask for the Rasta Fyah hot sauce.) Wine, beer, organic coffees and teas, and Cheerwine, a North Carolina soft drink with a cherry flavor, are among beverage offerings. Nine Mile has a second location in West Asheville.
233 Montford Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Jamaican and Caribbean food
- Large servings at low-to-moderate prices
- Laid-back atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted
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$$$$ | Downtown |
A regular on "top restaurants of the South" lists, Rhubarb brings a dose of creative cuisine and local sourcing to a prime location on Pack Square, in a setting that is a charming mix of rusticity and utilitarianism. Hyperimaginative chef-owner John Fleer, a multiple James Beard Award finalist, relishes the unusual, such as rabbit-leek rillettes, octopus salad, and lobster corn dogs. Rhubarb has a little bakery and café, the Bru, around the corner at 10 South Lexington Street. Chef Fleer also operates the Benne on Eagle soul food restaurant at 35 Eagle Street, which mixes traditional Appalachian and Lowcountry cooking.
7 S.W. Pack Sq., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Palate-challenging, creative menu
- James Beard Award--finalist chef-owner John Fleer
- Fixed-price Sunday dinner served at communal tables
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$ | West Asheville |
Serving Nashville-style fried chicken (at different levels of spiciness), this casual restaurant is a little ways from downtown, but a local's favorite and one of the best places for a cheap meal or takeout picnic. Large chicken platters, sandwiches, sides, and your pick of sauces are all loaded with flavor; order the fried pickles with zippy ranch as a snack. Family platters feed 8--15.
1455 Patton Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28806, USA
Known For
- Nashville-style hot chicken
- Good Southern sides
- Food for the whole family
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Sunny Point serves food that's simple, well prepared, and not too expensive. Herbs and some veggies come from the restaurant's organic garden next door. Don't pass up the shrimp and grits or meat loaf (regular or vegetarian) with buttermilk mashed potatoes and sautéed greens.
626 Haywood Rd., Asheville, North Carolina, 28806, USA
Known For
- Perfect intro to West Asheville
- Great breakfasts served all day
- Covered outdoor patio dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. and Mon., Reservations not accepted
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One of Asheville's hottest dinner spots, this neighborhood tavern serves elevated but approachable fare like pork schnitzel with fennel salad and striped bass with harissa.
152 Montford Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, USA
Known For
- Bustling weekend brunch
- Convivial atmosphere
- Steak tartare with saltines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No reservations
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This tiny restaurant disguised as a dive bar helped transform West Asheville into a dining destination. The buzz around their charcuterie program, house-made pasta, and entrées like a confit duck leg continues today.
400 Haywood Rd., Asheville, North Carolina, 28806, USA
Known For
- Dark hip interior
- Creative plates that please both vegetarians and omnivores
- Inspiring service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
