The South is packed with thrilling foodie destinations—few regions on the planet blend culinary quality and homely comforts like here, and Asheville, North Carolina, is very much at the forefront. Once known mostly for its mountains and art galleries, this town has become a foodie’s playground replete with restaurants that reflect the city’s creative spirit. Eating in Asheville is like wandering through a culinary Choose-Your-Own-Adventure, where each turn leads to something a little unexpected and a lot more delicious.
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Even though you’ll find chefs here who are just as likely to serve foraged mushrooms as they are to smoke a trout until it’s practically butter, don’t expect a scene that takes itself too seriously. Dining in North Carolina’s creative hub means fully embracing both the quirky and the creative, while also indulging in traditional Southern standards. Whether you’re hunting for a hidden wine bar or craving a dish that was just plucked from the forest, follow our list below for Asheville’s best restaurants.
September 24, 2025: Since Hurricane Helene flooded corners of the city and left behind economic calamity, Asheville lost a whole lot of restaurants, including seven of our former favorites. But this is a place powered by Appalachian can-do, where optimism blew in as if carried on warm summer air.
Now in Asheville, folks are talking about new restaurants that are opening, and we’ve got three excellent additions to this list. Heck, the South Slope will soon get a Mexican restaurant from renowned chef Scott Linquist, proof that chefs with national reputations still see Asheville as a place to stake a claim.
This year, these best restaurants in Asheville are not just great places to eat. They are, quite literally, survivors.
This guide was updated by Asheville-based writer Eric Barton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
