30 Best Restaurants in The North Carolina Mountains, North Carolina

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. 

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.

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 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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.