Asheville, North Carolina is a beautiful mountain city known with a funky vibe and an eclectic taste that has spilled over into its local restaurant and craft beer scene. You’ll find a plenty of comfort food that the Appalachian region is known for, and you can wash it down with a locally brewed beer or hand-crafted cocktail. They are together the perfect Asheville experience. Here are 13 of the top places to eat in Asheville, NC—and drink.
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Omni Grove Park Inn
You don’t have to be an overnight guest to enjoy the Omni Grove Park Inn’s restaurants, bars, and shops. This historic resort hotel has dining options that range from casual to fine dining. Grab a drink on the Sunset Cocktail Terrace and enjoy the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, or get a bite to eat at the casual Blue Ridge farm-to-table concept or the Edison, Craft Ales + Kitchen bar and restaurant.
The Kitchen Café at the Biltmore
A trip to the Biltmore is a must when visiting Asheville and it’s an all-day affair, so plan to get lunch on the estate. The Kitchen Café is a great quick and cheap option for paninis, salads, baked goods, coffee, and tea. You’ll find the café at Antler Hill Village on the lower level of Village Hotel.
Noble Cider & Mead Downtown
Noble Cider & Mead’s downtown taproom is a great place to sample the company’s award-winning ciders. You’ll have a selection of up to 14 ciders and meads to choose from, as well as a selection of canned craft beers.
Get a flight while you play board games and enjoy the fresh air of the patio. They’ve also recently partnered with Red Fiddle Vittles to serve casual eats and small bites to complement their ciders.
The S&W Market
The S&W Market is a trendy food hall housed in a historic art deco building in Downtown Asheville. The building was originally opened in 1929 for the S&W Cafeteria chain and served quick-service but locally-sourced food. The market is true to its roots with counter service for multiple fast-casual local Asheville food vendors.
I recommend Bun Intended for Thai-inspired street food like curry bowls and bao. There is also Buxton Chicken Palace, Peace Love Tacos, Farm Dogs, The Hop Ice Cream, and Highland Brewing.
If you need a road trip idea close to Asheville, how about Winston-Salem, and the beautiful Graylyn Estate?
Botanist & Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop
Botanist & Barrel is a chic cider and wine tasting room in downtown. They craft all natural ciders and wines with no additives like sulfites or extra sugar. You can select from over 50 of their own offerings as well as guest offerings of natural wines, ciders, beers, and mead.
Mamacita’s Taqueria
Mamacita’s Taqueria is a locally-owned Asheville restaurant serving up made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine. Established in 2004, the restaurant has made a name for itself by being voted Best Burrito, Best Taco, and Best Mexican Restaurant in Asheville.
Bold Rock
Bold Rock’s downtown Asheville cidery and taproom is another top place to try a flight of ciders and one of the top places to eat in Asheville. Bold Rock is the largest independently-owned cider company in the country, and their downtown cidery produces small-batch cider on site. Their long list of ciders range from bone dry to sweet, with special seasonal and limited release flavors mixed in.
On their food menu, they serve burgers, sandwiches, and bowls.
The Crow & Quill
The Crow & Quill is another speakeasy-like cocktail bar that’s hidden behind a faintly marked door. Inside, the bar is filled with antiques and a Victorian-Gothic vibe. Here, you’ll find jazz music, a long list of spirits, and a curated seasonal cocktail list to really solidify the speakeasy vibes.
Top of the Monk
If you want drinks on a rooftop bar, head to Top of the Monk. This bar on the upper level of Thirsty Monk Brewery is very different than the downstairs, opting for handcrafted classic and modern cocktails rather than brews.
Their rotating cocktail menu is based on seasonally available ingredients for the freshest takes on your favorite drinks.
Antidote at Chemist Spirits
Antidote at Chemist Spirits is a bar with an apothecary aesthetic and an old-fashioned craft cocktail selection for that speakeasy feel without the exclusivity of a speakeasy. Their menu covers seasonal creations, gin & tonics, beer and wine from around the world, non-alcoholic mocktails, and light bar snacks. They have a patio, two stories of indoor space, and a partially covered rooftop.
Biltmore Estate Winery
A visit to the Biltmore Estate Winery is a must for your Biltmore day as well, and tastings are complimentary with your estate entry. At the tasting room in Antler Hill Village, you’ll get to taste 6 different wines from the Biltmore’s own award-winning list of reds, whites, and rosés.
Wicked Weed Brewing Pub
The BrewPub is the original home of Wicked Weed Brewing. At this location, you’ll find a full restaurant, a downstairs beer bar, a bottle shop, and the original 15 barrel brewery. Both the upstairs restaurant and the downstairs beer bar offer a full pub menu, up to 25 of Wicked Weed’s beer offerings, and a creative cocktail menu.
Miyako House
Miyako House offers excellent Japanese cuisine like sushi, bento boxes, and hibachi dinners. This downtown restaurant is known for its outstanding sushi, modern interpretation of classic Japanese dishes, and use of high quality fresh and local ingredients.
This article was written by Paige Watts of Paige Minds The Gap.
Bio: Paige is an avid traveler who lives in Atlanta. Paige grew up in Alabama before moving to Georgia and is a Southern girl through and through, no matter where her travels take her. You can find her writing about bears, castles, Atlanta, and everything in between on her blog, Paige Minds The Gap.