Asheville Restaurants Best: 13 Drool-Worthy Spots Worth Every Single Bite!

Finding the best restaurants in Asheville NC shouldn’t feel like solving a group chat debate between five people with wildly different taste buds and zero actual suggestions.

Between gluten-free husbands, plant-based cousins, and your own need for something fried and fabulous, narrowing down the Asheville restaurants best list can feel like an Olympic sport.

Add in the pressure of “we only have three nights here” and suddenly dinner becomes a full-blown strategy session instead of, you know, fun.

This guide exists to save you from spiraling into a Yelp rabbit hole while standing on a street corner with 12% phone battery. These are the best restaurants in Asheville that locals hype, visitors rave about, and your stomach will 100% thank you for.

Keep reading for the Asheville restaurants that guarantee zero regrets and max flavor explosions!

Southern Comfort That Hits Like a Hug From Your Grandma

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar

At both their 12 College St and 1829 Hendersonville Rd locations, Tupelo Honey takes the soul of Southern food and gives it a chef-inspired glow-up.

The Asheville restaurants scene wouldn’t be complete without their iconic honey-dusted fried chicken—served bone-in, boneless, or starring in the beloved Sweet & Spicy Chicken & Waffles with a drizzle of sriracha honey and peach compote. 

Don’t sleep on their Famous Fried Green Tomatoes either, perched on creamy goat cheese grits and red pepper coulis, or the Smother Lovin’ Biscuit Sandwich that turns breakfast into a core memory.

Whether you’re brunching on a mountain morning bowl or sipping a color-changing Magic Lemonade, this place is equal parts comfort and Southern sass.

Daddy Mac’s Down Home Dive

A few blocks off the beaten path at 161 Biltmore Ave, Daddy Mac’s serves up smoky, cheesy, fried-everything glory in the coziest little dive you’ll swear you’ve been to before in a dream.

This is where the mac and cheese is topped with brisket, the sliders come with blackberry habanero sauce, and even the pimento cheese has its own PR team. 

The “Down Home Egg Rolls” (yes, egg rolls—stuffed with pulled pork and collards) are a must, especially after 10pm when their Late Night menu turns into a food lover’s fever dream . It’s the kind of place where you go for the smoked wings and end up staying for the Cheerwine BBQ and banana pudding.

HomeGrown

Up in North Asheville at 371 Merrimon Ave, HomeGrown is the kind of place that locals don’t really want to tell tourists about—but they do, because the fried chicken is that good.

Everything here is made with local ingredients and enough love to power a PTA bake sale, and the vibe is ultra-casual (order at the counter, grab a tea, and chill). 

Go for the Buttermilk Fried Chicken with mushroom gravy, the Catfish Po’Boy, or the fan-favorite Blue Plate Special featuring Sunburst Trout. With a rotating menu that adapts to what’s fresh and in season, it’s a no-fuss, flavor-packed tribute to what makes Asheville dining so grounded and great.

Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack

Out on 1455 Patton Ave, Rocky’s is where heat-seekers and fried chicken enthusiasts come to test their limits—and then go back for seconds. Specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken with heat levels ranging from honey mild to ghost pepper madness, Rocky’s is basically the daredevil of Asheville restaurants.

Order the Fried Chicken & Waffles combo or the Rocky’s Royale with Cheese sandwich if you’re feeling bold, and don’t miss the Fried Mac Poppers or Coconut Shrimp starters while you’re at it.

Casual, counter-serve, and completely addictive, this is the place to go when flavor needs to punch you in the mouth (with love, of course).

Fancy Feasts and Unexpected Flavor Bombs for Your Inner Food Snob

Cúrate Bar de Tapas

Some dining experiences remind you why you still book restaurant reservations weeks in advance—and Cúrate Bar de Tapas at 13 Biltmore Ave is one of them. This award-winning spot is the beating heart of restaurants Asheville, known for its Spanish tapas that feel like a passport stamp to Barcelona. 

Do not skip the pan con tomate, gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), or the bomba de pulpo (octopus croquette), and if you’re lucky, the seasonal paella might just ruin all future rice dishes for you.

With an open kitchen and an even more open invitation to overindulge, it’s a can’t-miss for date nights, girls’ trips, or just flexing your foodie credibility.

Posana Downtown

Over at 1 Biltmore Ave, Posana is redefining upscale dining with its 100% gluten-free kitchen and seasonal American menu that just happens to be one of the Asheville restaurants best kept secrets.

This is the type of place where roasted beets wear whipped feta like a fashion accessory, and even the butternut hushpuppies come dressed in stracciatella. 

The ricotta gnocchi with lobster is a decadent showstopper, and the pork chop with caramelized pear is basically autumn on a plate. Whether you’re dining on the elegant patio or in their airy, modern space, it’s elevated without the attitude.

The Dining Room

Don’t skip the formal finery at The Dining Room at the Biltmore Estate, 1 Antler Hill Rd, where the white tablecloths, fine china, and expertly executed dishes feel like an extension of the Vanderbilt legacy.

Everything is hyper-local and hyper-elegant, from the sweet potato puree under the seared duck breast to the pumpkin farro paired with heirloom carrots. 

It’s one of those restaurants Asheville visitors dream about long after the last bite of s’mores pot de crème. Book ahead, dress up, and prepare to feel like you’ve been cast in a Southern period drama with a modern (and mouthwatering) twist.

Chestnut

Located at 48 Biltmore Ave, Chestnut feels like the neighborhood restaurant your Pinterest board dreams about—warm lighting, exposed brick, and a seasonal menu that swings between creative comfort and chef-driven classics.

Their lobster bisque deserves its own fan club, and the pecan-crusted trout is proof that Asheville can turn Southern staples into upscale stunners. 

From the savory pumpkin danish to the mole braised short ribs, every dish hits that sweet spot between indulgence and elegance. Pro tip: come hungry, leave with zero regrets, and probably a dessert to go.

Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse

Bold flavors meet backyard barbecue vibes at Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse, a wildly inventive spot tucked away at 121 Biltmore Ave that’s rewriting the playbook on fusion dining.

This East-meets-West gem combines Japanese soul food with American BBQ swagger—think crispy baby back ribs with yakiniku glaze and pork belly skewers with Fuji apple chow chow.

The wagyu tataki and smoked duck ramen are required eating, and the cocktails? Let’s just say the Purple Rain isn’t just a Prince reference here, it’s a mood. It’s one of the menus you didn’t know you needed but won’t stop talking about after.

Red Stag Grill

If your vibe leans cozy-lodge-meets-steakhouse-glam, then Red Stag Grill inside the Grand Bohemian Lodge Asheville, Autograph Collection at 11 Boston Way is exactly where to eat in Asheville NC for maximum drama (and maximum truffle fries).

Known for wild game and rich, regional dishes, the menu features seared scallops with heirloom squash risotto and elk carpaccio with crispy capers that feel straight off a Gilded Age dinner party. 

The dark wood interior and roaring fireplace make it perfect for special occasions—or just pretending you’re a guest in a moody Netflix drama. Order the crème brûlée with lavender strawberries and thank us later.

Chill Vibes, Great Bites, and Zero Judgment if You Show Up in Leggings

Pack’s Tavern

Set inside a restored 100-year-old building at 20 S Spruce St, Pack’s Tavern blends pub grub and local flair with zero pretension and plenty of parking (which is practically currency in downtown Asheville).

The best move here is to start with the Black Market Brew espresso martini before digging into their Fried Green Tomato BLT or the Down Home Egg Rolls filled with pork, pimento, and collard greens. 

Beer lovers can work their way through local drafts like the Green Man Trickster IPA or Pack’s own pilsner while keeping it light with the Hi-Wire Lager or Pisgah Blueberry Wheat.

No surprise this is on every best Asheville restaurants roundup—it nails that laid-back hangout energy with food you’ll still be talking about tomorrow.

Sunny Point Cafe

Over in West Asheville, Sunny Point Cafe at 626 Haywood Rd is the kind of spot that makes you rethink every other breakfast you’ve ever had. The line might be long, but one bite of the shrimp & grits or the pork belly nachos topped with kimchi slaw and goat cheese crema, and you’ll forget you even waited. 

Avocado toast fans will cry actual tears over the double-stacked version, and brunch purists should go all-in on the pumpkin bread French toast with pepita brittle and crème anglaise.

It’s walk-in only, but that’s part of the charm—no reservations, just really, really good food and garden-side seating.

Corner Kitchen

Tucked into a sweet Victorian cottage in Biltmore Village, Corner Kitchen at 3 Boston Way is equal parts cozy and elevated. It’s the rare place where you can show up in yoga pants or dress for a date night and still feel perfectly at home ordering chicken and waffles slathered in sausage gravy and chipotle honey. 

Fans of savory will love the CK Shrimp n’ Grits with creole butter and Benton’s ham, while sweet tooths should go straight for the boozy French toast dipped in Grand Marnier batter.

This is one of those Asheville restaurants best at making you feel fancy without the stress of acting fancy.

Which One Are You Trying First?

Whether you’re craving crispy fried chicken, fine-dining tapas, or a biscuit that might just change your life, this list covers the best restaurants in Asheville NC that are worth every single bite.

Food is a huge part of the Asheville experience, and now you’ve got 13 solid reasons to book that trip (and a few stretchy pants).

While you’re mapping out meals, don’t forget to lock in Asheville attractions and hotels early—this city fills up fast, especially on weekends and during festival season.

You can bundle everything together and save big with vacation packages through Tripster, which makes trip planning almost as satisfying as brunch.

Trust us, the fewer tabs you have open, the better your pre-vacation vibe. Get that itinerary together and prepare for a food-filled adventure that your taste buds will never shut up about!

Best Restaurants in Asheville NC FAQs