Asheville Dining

Asheville NC Restaurants offers an amazing choice of dining options from gourmet worldly presentations to down-home country delights. Almost all are independently owned.

These are a few of our favorite Asheville NC Restaurants but we have a host of others to suggest at the lodge. Nearly all of the restaurants offer casual dining, but reservations are recommended for weekends to ensure you can enjoy your favorite spot. We’re happy to offer suggestions and help you make dinner reservations during your stay. Click on the GREEN restaurant to link to their website.

• 131 Main – Fresh American Cuisine in an inviting, elegant setting only 4 miles away in Biltmore Park Town Square.  828-651-0131. 
• Curate – Authentic Spanish Tapas, One of Asheville’s top restaurants and 3-time James Beard award winner. 828-239-2946
• Limones – An all together different world of Mexican/Californian Cuisine, Downtown. 828-252-2327.
• Chestnut – New American eatery for seasonal bites & homemade treats in restored 1920s digs with a full bar. Downtown 828-575-2667.
• Posana – Contemporary American cuisine featuring local ingredients served in a chic space with a patio–Dedicated Gluten Free Kitchen. Downtown. (828) 505-3969. Second restaurant opened in Biltmore Park Town Square in October 2025. 828-276-2021
• Salsa’s – A funky, innovative blend of Caribbean flavors, downtown. 828-252-9805
• Corner Kitchen – Handcrafted American food with a Southern twist, Biltmore Village, 828-274-2439.
• The Market Place – A benchmark of fine dining in Asheville, Wall Street Downtown, 828-252-4162
• The Admiral – An innovative, daily changing, global menu & cocktails in a humble, cinder block building.   828-252-2541.   
• Mela – Indian food done right, Lexington, downtown.  828-225-8880.
• Luminosa – Appalachia meets Italian. This upscale restaurant offers local farm to table cuisine, with an in-house butcher providing custom cuts and charcuterie. We think it’s the next Jame Beard award winner for Asheville. 828-271-9808.
• Tupelo Honey – Southern cooking with an uptown twist.  Two Locations: Downtown – 828-255-4863 or Hendersonville Rd. – 828-505-7676. According to Southern Living Magazine, “The widely popular operation has expanded with more than 20 locations. The original, located in downtown Asheville, remains a bucket list destination for many in search of authentic Southern eats, including the restaurant’s Famous Fried Chicken (served honey-dusted or with a sweet tea glaze) and Tupelo Shrimp & Grits, with chorizo, Creole sauce, and goat cheese.” according to Southern Living Magazine.
• Zambra – Unique, Tapas bar and more, downtown. 828-232-1060. 
• Asheville Independent Restaurants  Links to many more of Asheville’s fine restaurants.  

FIFTEEN ASHEVILLE RESTAURANTS RECOGNIZED
BY THE MICHELIN GUIDE IN FIRST-EVER SELECTION
FOR THE AMERICAN SOUTH

Courtesy of Explore Asheville, November 2025

Click on the GREEN restaurant to link to their website.

Luminosa earned a MICHELIN Green Star, while Luminosa, Little Chango and Mother earned a Bib Gourmand distinction; 12 others on recommended list.

The MICHELIN Guide recognized 15 Asheville restaurants during the first-ever MICHELIN Guide Ceremony for the American South last night.

Luminosa, the Italian American restaurant with a strong focus on Appalachian ingredients located inside the Flat Iron Hotel, earned a MICHELIN Green Star for sustainability – one of only three restaurants in the South to receive this distinction.

Under the direction of Executive Chef Graham House, a proud Western Carolina native, and Chef de Cuisine Sean McMullen, Luminosa artfully blends Italian techniques and heirloom Appalachian ingredients, creating a dining experience that reflects the soul of the region. The kitchen team collaborates closely with local farmers and producers, practices whole-animal butchering and employs a fermentation program to minimize waste.

As Michelin Inspectors noted, Luminosa “works hard to utilize all trim from their kitchen in sustainable ways,” embodying the spirit of the Green Star distinction: innovation, stewardship, and local love.

In addition, three Asheville restaurants – Luminosa, Little Chango and Mother – received the Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognizes eateries for great food at a great value.

• Luminosa – Double-honored with both a Green Star and a Bib Gourmand, Luminosa proves that sustainability and accessibility can go hand-in-hand. Its menu blends fine-dining precision with neighborhood warmth — the kind of spot where a handmade pasta can still feel like comfort food.
• Little Chango – In the heart of the South Slope, Little Chango hums with color and creativity. Chef Iris Rodriguez’ menu centers on arepas, generously topped with specialties like ropa vieja and pernil.
• Mother – Born from the art and science of sourdough, Mother is a neighborhood café and wine bar where hospitality rises as naturally as its bread. Owner Heidi Bass centers the café’s menu on its bread program, from decadent sandwiches to a delightfully crunchy dusting of sourdough breadcrumbs atop fresh salad.

The MICHELIN Guide for the American South also highlighted 12 Asheville restaurants among its Recommended list – a nod to consistency, creativity, and quality across styles and price points.

• Addissae Ethiopian Restaurant – Warm, spice-forward stews, injera made with care, and heartfelt hospitality anchor this downtown eatery, a cornerstone of Asheville’s global table.
• All Day Darling – A North Asheville brunch favorite by Chef Jacob Sessoms, whose other restaurants, Golden Hour and Table, also make this list.
• Cúrate Bar de Tapas – Chef Katie Button’s nationally-renowned Spanish tapas bar, still defining Asheville’s culinary identity.
• Golden Hour – This glamorous dining room, located inside The Radical Hotel, centers its menu on open fire cooking and seasonal Appalachian ingredients. The concept, by Chef Jacob Sessoms, is both elegant and playful in its execution of upscale, farm-driven cuisine.
• Good Hot Fish – Chef Ashleigh Shanti’s counter service spot in Asheville’s historic Black Southside neighborhood pays homage to the fish-frying matriarchs of her family. The menu centers on classics like fried fish sandwiches on soft white bread and Shanti’s flavorful signature dishes, like a sweet potato cabbage pancake and a zesty “ranchovy” salad.
• Leo’s House of Thirst – A cozy West Asheville bistro with small plates and a serious natural wine list. Owner Drew Wallace and Chef Austin Inselmann also helm The Admiral.
• Soprana – This eatery, atop The Embassy Suites in downtown Asheville, proffers Italian brick oven pizzas by Chef Jon Jerman, and a rooftop view that pairs perfectly with a craft cocktail.
• Sunny Point Café – Owned by April Moon Harper and Belinda Raab, Sunny Point has long been beloved for its all-day breakfast, garden-fresh produce, and joyful neighborhood vibe.
• Table – Chef Jacob Sessoms’ first Asheville restaurant is a downtown pioneer that helped launch Asheville’s farm-to-table movement.
• Tall John’s – Montford’s elevated neighborhood tavern, where co-owners Lillian Payne and Chef Trevor Payne serve up Southern pub classics with sophisticated technique.
• The Admiral – A West Asheville institution, helmed by owner Drew Wallace and Chef Austin Inselmann, serves seasonal, chef-driven plates in a low-key setting.
• Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse – Co-founder and Executive Chef Michael Lewis merges Japanese flavors with Southern smoke in this cross-cultural downtown eatery.

“So many Asheville area chefs, restaurateurs, growers and makers have sown the seeds over the years to cultivate ‘Modern Appalachia’ – one of the most deeply rooted and biodiverse food culture communities in the nation,” said Vic Isley, president & CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. “Explore Asheville is excited for the recognition of our area’s talent in the first year of the MICHELIN Guide for the American South. With 15 MICHELIN-recognized restaurants, the most in the state of North Carolina, we look forward to future designations for our Foodtopia community.”

The acclaim from the MICHELIN Guide is the latest recognition of Asheville’s culinary scene, which has long been celebrated by chefs, food writers, and the James Beard Foundation as one of the top restaurant cities in the world.