30 Best Restaurants in The North Carolina Mountains, North Carolina

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We've compiled the best of the best in The North Carolina Mountains - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Artisanal Restaurant

$$$$ Fodor's choice
Artisanal is in a barn by a country stream, but don't let that fool you: this restaurant is elegantly designed, modern, and serious about first-rate food and service. The menu, which changes frequently, features only a few entrées, such as lamb tenderloin with charred eggplant and North Carolina flounder with morels, but they are prepared perfectly. This is easily the best restaurant in Banner Elk.
1200 Dobbins Rd., Banner Elk, NC, 28604, USA
828-898–5395
Known For
  • Sophisticated food and service in an upscale barnlike setting
  • Craft cocktails and good wine list
  • Chef's tasting menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–Mar. Closed Sun. and Mon.

Ilda

$$ Fodor's choice

Don't tell anyone else, but Ilda may be North Carolina's best restaurant west of Asheville. Owners Santiago and Crystal defected from New York to Crystal's hometown during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving behind Michelin stars to chase their dream of a community-driven Italian restaurant without pretension. House-made pastas are divine, and the cocktail program—highlighted by a series of infused limoncellos—is world-class. The team also owns the adjacent Santé wine bar and a quietly wonderful pizza joint across the street, Meatballs. 

462 W. Main St., NC, 28779, USA
828-307–2036
Known For
  • Pancetta with a slow-poached egg
  • Addictive pastas like squid ink spaghettoni
  • Cocktails built with care
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.

Ristorante Paoletti

$$$$ Fodor's choice

A fixture on Main Street for more than three decades, Ristorante Paoletti serves sophisticated Italian cuisine with first-rate service, although this comes at a price. The menu includes a lengthy section of freshly made pastas, along with many excellent seafood dishes. The wine list, one of the largest in the area, includes more than 1,000 selections. Reservations are a must.

440 Main St., Highlands, NC, 28741, USA
828-526–4906
Known For
  • Extensive wine list
  • Upscale Italian food
  • Reputation as a longtime favorite with many repeat guests
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Jan.--Mar., Reservations essential

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Singletree Heritage Kitchen

$$$ Fodor's choice

Singletree boldly proclaims their guiding principles, from integrity in sourcing to sustainability, and those values are conveyed in beautifully presented plates and, most importantly, in flavor. Seared duck breast and Parisian gnocchi with collards shine at dinner, but it's sandwiches like the Brasstown Melt—sliced steak on ciabatta with horseradish, provolone, arugula, and caramelized onions—that keep the midday shift bustling.

The Bistro at the Everett Hotel

$$ Fodor's choice

The best place to eat in Bryson City, this wood-paneled bistro serves hearty dinner entrées like mountain trout with quinoa and brown rice or meatloaf made from four different locally sourced specialty meats. The dining room is a rustic yet elegant space in a 1908 building that formerly housed Bryson City Bank. If you're not staying at the hotel, make reservations at least a week in advance. 

The Orchard

$$$$ Fodor's choice

Located in a century-old farmhouse in an old apple orchard, the Orchard is the best restaurant in Cashiers, putting a Southern twist on traditional American dishes. The decor is comfortable rather than fancy, with a few kitschy Southern touches.

905 NC 107 S, Cashiers, NC, 28717, USA
828-743–7614
Known For
  • Catering to upscale visitors and second-home owners
  • Location in an old house, with outdoor seating in warm weather
  • Mountain trout prepared four different ways
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential

The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge

$$$$ Fodor's choice
Attached to the Gideon Ridge Inn, this intimate 10-table restaurant is your top choice in Blowing Rock. It sticks with dishes it carries off perfectly, such as lamb sirloin, pork loin chop, or duck breast, and most items are sourced from local suppliers.
202 Gideon Ridge Rd., Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, USA
828-295–3644
Known For
  • Reputation as the best restaurant in Blowing Rock and a top spot in the region
  • Locally sourced meats and vegetables
  • Often being fully booked well in advance
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.

Vescovo

$$$ Fodor's choice

Homemade gnocchi, divine seared scallops, and a brief but excellent wine list are among the highlights at this chef-owned Italian trattoria in Brevard's tidy Lumberyard Arts District. Live edge and sleek wood tables and chairs set a rustic homey tone.

175 King St., Brevard, NC, 28712, USA
828-885–7630
Known For
  • Barrel-aged Madeira wine
  • Inspired craft cocktails
  • Addictive focaccia bread
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations recommended

West First

$ Fodor's choice

Wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas made from organic flour are the specialty at this lively eatery. Besides the standard toppings are more unusual ones like roasted salmon and barbecued chicken. The open-air patio is especially popular.

Cup & Saucer

$

Coffee shop in the front, grab-and-go sandwich-and-salad counter in the back, this downtown staple serves vegetarian-friendly grub and is a popular community hub.

36 E. Main St. A, Brevard, NC, 28712, USA
828-884–2877
Known For
  • Smoothies and specialty coffee drinks
  • Mercantile shop with local gifts
  • Stone-ground grits
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

Daddy D's Suber Soulfood

$
Family owned and friendly, this no-frills storefront is the place for soul food in the Asheville area. Fried chicken plates are the specialty; catfish or pork chops are a close second. For sides, expect the classics, like collards and mac and cheese, done well.
411 7th Ave., Hendersonville, NC, 28792, USA
828-698–7408
Known For
  • Generous portions
  • Black-owned business
  • Served with love
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

Dan'l Boone Inn

$$$

Near Appalachian State University, in a former hospital surrounded by a picket fence and flowers, Dan'l Boone serves old-fashioned Southern food family style. You can have any or all of the items on the menu, and seconds and thirds if you want them, for the same price—and the portions of fried chicken, country-style steak, ham biscuits, mashed potatoes, and green beans (to name a few) are generous. There's usually a line waiting to get in.

130 Hardin St., Boone, NC, 28607, USA
828-264–8657
Known For
  • Large portions
  • Simple Southern dishes
  • Friendly staff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No breakfast weekdays. No lunch weekdays Jan.–late May, No reservations except for large groups; cash or check only, No credit cards, Reservations not accepted

Dandelion Eatery

$
This downtown destination is more than a restaurant; it's a nonprofit organization that provides job training and other resources to those at risk of domestic abuse. Open for breakfast and lunch only, the ingredients are local, fresh, and delicious, with the emphasis on comfort food like chicken potpie and, in season, tomato pie.

Frogs Leap Public House

$$$

This popular eatery partners with more than a dozen natural and organic producers to find the ingredients needed to create its rigorous "farm-to-fork" modern Southern menu, which changes frequently. The atmosphere is charming, with high pressed-tin ceilings and reclaimed barn wood accents, and the service is friendly.

44 Church St., Waynesville, NC, 28786, USA
828-456–1930
Known For
  • Charmingly rustic atmosphere
  • Informed servers and sophisticated meals
  • Five-course chef's menu on weekends
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Mon., and periodically during winter. No lunch.

Gamekeeper

$$$$

This stone cottage in the woods, off a winding country road between Boone and Blowing Rock, surprises newcomers with a rotating menu of unusual, sophisticated dishes like grilled elk, antelope Bolognese, bison steak, and other game. In cool weather, there's a roaring fire in the fireplace; when weather permits, eat on the deck with woodsy views.

3005 Shull's Mill Rd., Boone, NC, 28607, USA
828-963–7400
Known For
  • Wild game on the menu
  • Rustic setting
  • Views from deck
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Wed., Credit cards accepted

Lulu's on Main

$$

Lulu's feels old-school—there are old-timey quilts hanging from the walls—but the food is decidedly forward-thinking, from the Thai chicken soup to the savory meatloaf Manhattan. Vegetarians also feel right at home, thanks to options like a marinated tempeh sandwich with kimchi and Szechuan sauce at lunchtime. 

678 W. Main St., Sylva, NC, 28779, USA
828-586–8989
Known For
  • Friendly Southern service
  • Community gathering place
  • Healthy options that don't skimp on flavor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

Madison's

$$$$

In the Old Edwards Inn, Madison's is Highlands' most upscale restaurant. The dining room is gorgeous, light, and sunny, with stone floors and windows overlooking Highlands' Main Street. The restaurant adheres to a farm-to-table philosophy as much as possible, with pork, trout, quail, beef, and other dishes from area providers. The inn's Wine Garden adjoining Madison's is the spot for a more casual alfresco lunch.

Native Brews Tap & Grill

$$

This newcomer to Cherokee's dining options was an immediate hit, with entrées like roasted blackberry chicken and peanut-crusted trout with shrimp Florentine sauce that go beyond much of the basic fare available in town. They outsource their Native Brews label, but it's the place to find a craft IPA or stout in a place that only legalized alcohol sales in 2021. 

Over Yonder

$$
Founded by the former chef of Simplicity restaurant at Mast Farm Inn—the two businesses still have a friendly, reciprocal relationship—Over Yonder serves an updated style of Appalachian food, with dishes such as tomato cobbler, grilled meat loaf with grits, and panfried rainbow trout with almonds. Over Yonder is in a charming 1861 farmhouse near the Mast Farm Inn.
3608 NC 194, Valle Crucis, NC, 28691, USA
828-963–6301
Known For
  • Updated, delicious versions of Southern mountain food
  • 1861 farmhouse with a fireplace in one dining room
  • Reasonably priced cocktails, some made with moonshine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. Closed Mon.--Wed. Dec.–Mar.

Peter's Pancakes and Waffles

$

Pancake houses are big in Cherokee, and Peter's is at the top of the stack. Many locals are regulars here, and you'll see why when you try the blueberry pancakes with country ham in the dining room with wide windows overlooking the Oconaluftee River.

1384 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee, NC, 28719, USA
828-497–5116
Known For
  • Breakfast served until the afternoon
  • Old-fashioned diner feel
  • Perky service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner

Rocky's Grill and Soda Shop

$

This kitschy but fun version of an old-fashioned soda shop—an institution in Brevard since 1941—has burgers, hot dogs, and a wide range of ice cream creations. The tuna salad sandwich is a local favorite.

50 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC, 28712, USA
828-877–5375
Known For
  • The Elvis sandwich (grilled peanut butter and banana)
  • Delicious milkshakes, floats, and sundaes
  • Perfect place to take the kids
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.

The Chef's Table

$$$

At the region's most celebrated restaurant, chef-owner Josh Monroe uses ingredients from his own farm and local purveyors to prepare dishes in an open kitchen. The award-winning menu includes dishes like lamb shank, trout, and deconstructed lasagna that are created with wine pairings in mind. After 20 years, the decor feels a bit tired, but the top-notch service and white tablecloth atmosphere stand the test of time. 

30 Church St., Waynesville, NC, 28786, USA
828-452–6210
Known For
  • Hands-on chef who uses local ingredients
  • The best wine selection in town
  • Classy date night experience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations recommended

The Falls Landing Eatery

$$$

The hands-on owner has made this downtown mainstay one of the most recommended dining spots in Brevard. The menu skews to seafood, with standouts including fish-and-chips, mountain trout, and haddock, but the pork chops and filet mignon are excellent, too. There's a full bar in the brick-walled dining room.

The High Test Deli and Sweet Shop

$

This little sandwich shop is known for pressed Cubans, roast beef hoagies, and corned beef on rye, or you can opt for a bowl of chili. While you're waiting, explore the old service station memorabilia. There's a small dining room, or take it to-go. 

The Square Root

$$

Chef-owned and globally inspired, this approachable mainstay serves creative regional entrées like local trout with grits and lobster sauce alongside rabbit-and-crawfish gumbo and chicken curry. Sit on the covered patio fronting a quiet alley or inside the soaring brick-walled dining room.

33 Times Arcade Alley, Brevard, NC, 28712, USA
828-884–6171
Known For
  • Lively bar crowd
  • Locally adored cedar plank salmon
  • House-made limoncello martinis
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.

The Sweet Onion

$$

This casual restaurant serves delicious Southern comfort food like country fried steak, shrimp and grits, and blackberry barbecue short ribs. Business bustles at lunchtime for favorites like the pimento cheese fried chicken club.

Veranda Café

$

With its gingham curtains and checkered tablecloths, this popular downtown lunch spot serves food that is both unpretentious and tasty. The soups are the best thing on the menu (the Hungarian mushroom soup is a longtime favorite), and the sandwiches are winners, too.

White Moon

$

This bustling bistro transforms from a coffee shop into a cocktail bar after hours. Stop in for a to-go cappuccino, or stay awhile amidst the calming greenery for smashed avocado toast topped with a farm egg. 

Willow Tree

$$

Robbinsville's best restaurant is a chef-owned gem serving specialties like local mountain trout with lemon-caper butter sauce and a grilled ribeye. Seating is inside and on the porch of a historic home.

302 Ford St., Robbinsville, NC, 28771, USA
828-260–8158
Known For
  • Smoked trout dip
  • BYO wine or beer (it's a dry county)
  • Rich desserts like chocolate cobbler
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. Lunch only Tues.–Thurs.

Wolfgang's Restaurant and Wine Bistro

$$$$

Cheerful and unpretentious, though not inexpensive, Wolfgang's has an eclectic menu ranging from a Wiener schnitzel to venison au poivre to Cajun shrimp and grits (the founder was a chef in New Orleans). Several of the rooms have fireplaces, and in good weather there's outdoor seating. The wine list is smart and long.

474 Main St., Highlands, NC, 28741, USA
828-526–3807
Known For
  • Quaint bistro atmosphere
  • Eclectic menu
  • Extensive wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and most of Dec.–Feb.; closed dates vary annually, Credit cards accepted