Rainbow and brook trout farmed in the cold streams of Western North Carolina, served whole or filleted with brown butter, sorghum, country ham or foraged.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Cherokee mountain larders relied on native brook trout from the Smoky Mountains streams; the rainbow was introduced for sport fishing in the 1880s. Sunburst Trout Farms in Canton (35 miles west of Asheville) opened in 1948 as a working hatchery and now supplies most of Western North Carolina's restaurant trout. William Dissen's The Market Place on Wall Street and John Fleer's Rhubarb on Pack Square run Sunburst trout as a permanent menu item; Crusco in the River Arts District works it into seasonal Italian plates. Country ham, brown butter, sorghum drizzle and pickled ramps are the canonical pairings.
Common allergens: Fish, Dairy
Tip from the editors. The skin needs to crisp; if you flip too early it sticks and tears. Wait until the trout releases cleanly from the pan, four minutes minimum.
William Dissen's The Market Place on Wall Street moved here 1990 (founded 1979 by Mark Rosenstein). Dissen is a 2025 JBA Outstanding Chef semifinalist.
Order: The Sunburst Trout Farm trout from Canton, plus the seasonal foraged mushroom plate.
Tip: Book on the restaurant's reservation page. The walk-up bar pours small plates from the main menu.
John Fleer's Rhubarb on Pack Square runs Sunday brunch alongside its modern Southern dinner service. Wood-fired flatbreads, buttermilk biscuits, country ham.
Order: Whatever the wood oven is running, plus a buttermilk biscuit and country ham plate.
Tip: Book Sunday brunch a week ahead. The bar takes walk-ins from 10:30 on Sunday.
Crusco in the River Arts District opened in summer 2025 from Kat Kearney and former Cucina 24 staff.
Order: Whatever pasta the kitchen is running, plus a glass off the food-friendly wine list.
Tip: Book on the restaurant's site. Dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 17:00. Bar walk-ins.
Posana on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville opened in 2009 as a dedicated gluten-free kitchen.
Signature: Crab cakes, Trout almondine, Flourless chocolate torte
Order: The crab cakes, plus the flourless chocolate torte if you saved room.
Tip: Book on the restaurant page. A South Asheville Biltmore Park location at 264 Thetford Street is a separate kitchen.
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