Eight Best Restaurants in Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina, restaurants are known for incorporating locally sourced ingredients and giving immense attention to even the most minute details. This has led them to develop quite the reputation as a desirable location for foodies and dining connoisseurs.
In fact, Asheville is known by many as “Foodtopia,” which is a well-earned moniker to be sure. This is thanks in part to the eight best Asheville restaurants you must try when in the area, as highlighted by Greybeard Rentals Vacation Rentals:
Chestnut
48 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC
Chestnut is the offshoot of another beloved restaurant, the Corner Kitchen in Historic Biltmore Village on the Biltmore Estate. After the success found there, owners Joe Scully and Kevin Westmoreland decided to launch another local favorite and their second restaurant, Chestnut. Each and every item is handcrafted and incorporates many products from local growers, dairies, cheese makers, and ranchers. Even the ice cream and sorbet are handmade on site.
Chestnut has quickly become a popular eatery, but what truly sets it apart is the fact that the owners and chef continue to change their dinner menu on a monthly basis. Thankfully, some of the most beloved items, like the Calamari & Kale Salad, Scratch-Made Lobster Bisque, and the beloved Charcuterie, stick around. This menu rotation gives the Chef the freedom to create new dishes and utilize what locally sourced ingredients are in season.
Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar
12 College St, Asheville, NC
Situated across from Pritchard Park, Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar is the flagship restaurant of the franchise. Each menu item, which includes brunch, lunch, and dinner options, is scratch-made and uses responsibly-sourced ingredients. The Tupelo Honey bar is well known for offering an extensive variety of local craft beers, wines, and hand-crafted cocktails.
Outdoor dining on a covered patio, along with take-out (online ordering options) for pick-up or delivery is available at Tupelo Honey. Street parking is an option as there is nearby garage parking for restaurant patrons. This eatery is known for superior Southern hospitality with a menu that appeals to everyone, making it ideally suited for date night, family dinners, special events, or business lunches.
Copper Crown
1011 Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC
As an elegant dining experience in East Ashville, Copper Crown has been serving the area since the fall of 2015. Dinner is served seven nights a week, and the goal of this restaurant is to provide a little something for everyone. Consequently, the menu has a diversity of influences and includes dishes inspired by New Orleans, Italy, and the American South. Indoor dining room, bar seating, or the seasonal covered outdoor patio are dining options. Presently, reservations are highly encouraged (although not required) when visiting Copper Crown due to limited seating availability and great demand.
Curate Bar De Tapas
13 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC
Housed inside a renovated 1920s bus depot, Curate Bar De Tapas features a unique and lively atmosphere and an open kitchen. Only here, can you enjoy the essence of Spain, with traditional Spanish tapas, in downtown Asheville. Curate is owned and operated by Felxi Meana and Katie Button and has won the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Hospitality.
The Curate menu will most certainly be beloved by those who enjoy traditional Spanish cuisine like vermuterias, jamon liberico, and tapas, all complemented with the all-Spanish wine list. Curate translates as “cure yourself” in Spanish. This idea reflects the belief that sharing good food and wine with those we love holds curative effects. Reservations are required to visit Curate, a tasty Asheville restaurant.
Jargon
715 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC
Jargon offers an innovative and ever-evolving menu boasting modern American cuisine items. These items are paired well with an award-winning wine list and creative cocktails, which are all served to guests in a vibrant and appealing setting. The food served by Jargon is noteworthy on its own to be sure. However, it being housed in a small historic building also adds to its appeal.
Seating options at Jargon include dining room seating as well as bar and Chef’s counter options. There is also an outdoor courtyard (heated seasonally) that offers additional seating. The Argot Room is a private party venue inside Jargon that can be reserved for special events or private dinners. All dishes are inspired by the world around us and include many modern American cuisine options.
Pack’s Tavern
20 S Spruce St., Asheville, NC
Situated in the heart of downtown Asheville, within the historic Hayes & Hopson Building is Pack’s Tavern. Pack’s Tavern is locally-owned and operated and provides a modern dining experience in a historic setting. The eclectic menu includes salads, wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, flame-grilled steaks, and other fresh entrées along with handcrafted cocktails, and an extensive selection of beers and wines.
Known as a modern taproom in a historic building, Pack’s Tavern provides a welcoming environment that invites guests to sit back while enjoying scratch-made American favorites. This relaxed environment is warm and inviting with a spacious interior, along with outdoor seating that makes it an ideal spot for lunch, dinner, or just drinks.
The Bull & Beggar
37 Paynes Way, Asheville, NC
Known for offering Appalachian cuisine that is European-inspired, The Bull & Beggar is located in the River Arts District of Asheville. It is known for its raw oyster bar, handmade cocktails, and old world wine options. The Bull & Beggar is also known for offering a unique twist on beloved classics, creating amazing cocktails, and serving phenomenal oysters.
The warehouse setting and lamp light is unique and creates a welcoming ambiance, even romantic. There is also plenty of parking near the restaurant, and they do not require reservations and welcome walk-ins. This restaurant took a hit after Hurricane Helene but has been resurrected better than ever.
Sunny Point Cafe
626 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC
As a family and locally-owned restaurant in West Asheville, Sunny Point Cafe follows a farm-to-table approach and serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week. Dining options at this small eatery include indoor dining as well as outdoor dining on the covered patio, al fresco style. Sunny Point Cafe is so committed to serving the freshest dishes that they even have a garden near the restaurant where the restaurant staff work harvesting the amazingly delicious ingredients.
You can even have a walk through the garden after your meal to see where your delicious dish originated (at least in part).
These eight Asheville restaurants listed above represent some of the best options Asheville has to offer. Greybeard Rentals Vacation Rentals invites you to try one or all of them during your next trip to this beloved Appalachian city. They represent casual, luxurious, and even romantic dining options in one of the nation’s cities well known for its fabulous food options.
