The brewery district south of downtown: Burial Beer, Green Man, Wicked Weed Funkatorium, Hi-Wire, Asheville Brewing on Coxe Avenue. Chai Pani (moved to Banks Ave 2024), Good Hot Fish, Little Chango and Mother anchor the food.
Meherwan Irani's Chai Pani opened in 2009 and won the 2022 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant award. Moved May 2024 to 32 Banks Ave on the South Slope.
Signature: Sloppy Jai, Kale pakoras, Bhel puri
Order: The Sloppy Jai (Indian sloppy joe with a Punjabi spice mix), plus a plate of kale pakoras.
Tip: Walk-in lunches Mon-Fri are fastest; weekend dinners get a 60-90 minute wait without a reservation.
Ashleigh Shanti's Good Hot Fish opened January 2024 upstairs at Burial Beer's South Slope campus (Buxton at Collier) as a Black Appalachian fish fry counter.
Signature: Fried catfish basket, Hush puppies, Slaw dog
Order: The fried catfish sandwich on white bread with tartar, or the fish plate with hush puppies and sides.
Tip: Order at the counter; take your basket downstairs to Burial's beer garden. Limited indoor seating upstairs.
Little Chango on Coxe Avenue in Asheville earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand for its Pan-Latin small plates. Empanadas, arepas, and a tight wine list.
Signature: Empanadas, Arepas, Mojo grilled chicken
Order: The empanada flight and the arepas con carne mechada (shredded beef).
Tip: Walk-up only at the bar, reservations on Resy for tables. Small room, arrive at opening for best chance.
Heidi Bass's Mother on Short Coxe Avenue in Asheville earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand. Editor pick on TableJourney with hours, address and what to order.
Signature: Sourdough sandwiches, Country loaf, Seasonal salads
Order: Whatever sandwich is on rotation, plus a take-home loaf of country sourdough.
Tip: Sourdough loaves sell out by lunch on weekends; arrive at opening for bread. Wine bar opens later.
Meherwan Irani's Chai Pani won the 2022 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant award. Moved May 2024 to 32 Banks Ave (South Slope). Indian street snacks, thalis.
Signature: Sloppy Jai, Kale pakoras, Bhel puri
Order: The Sloppy Jai (Indian sloppy joe with Punjabi spice) and a plate of kale pakoras.
Tip: Walk-in lunches Mon-Fri are fastest; weekend dinners run 60-90 minutes without a reservation.
Ashleigh Shanti's Good Hot Fish opened January 2024 upstairs at Burial Beer's South Slope campus (Buxton at Collier) as a Black Appalachian fish fry counter.
Signature: Fried catfish basket, Hush puppies, Slaw dog
Order: The fried catfish basket with hush puppies and Carolina mustard sauce.
Tip: Order at the counter, take your basket downstairs to Burial's beer garden. Limited indoor seating upstairs.
Asheville Brewing Company on Coxe Avenue opened in 1998 as the city's third-oldest brewery. The pizza-and-beer brewpub format with one of downtown's largest.
Signature: House pizzas, Burgers, House lagers and ales
Order: A Ninja Porter or Shiva IPA with a Mom's Garden pizza.
Tip: Counter service. Family-friendly; the Coxe Avenue patio takes the overflow on warm evenings.
Izzy's Coffee on North Lexington Avenue is the small-batch local roaster's downtown cafe. Vegan-friendly menu, longtime work-friendly format with multiple.
Signature drink: Lavender latte
Tip: Open early 07:00 Mon-Fri, 08:00 weekends. Lavender and chai lattes are the local-cult drinks.
Heidi Bass's Mother on Short Coxe earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand, one of the few US bakeries to receive the distinction in the inaugural Michelin guide.
Tip: Sourdough loaves sell out by lunch on weekends; arrive at opening. Wine bar opens Wed-Sat evenings.
Worth the queue: Country sourdough loaf
Izzy's Coffee on North Lexington Avenue is the small-batch local roaster's downtown cafe. Vegan-friendly menu, longtime work-friendly format and a tight.
Tip: Lavender and chai lattes are the local-cult drinks. Cupping sessions monthly at the roastery.
Sources from: Costa Rica, Honduras, Ethiopia, Sumatra
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Antidote at Chemist Spirits on Coxe Avenue runs three floors of 1920s apothecary-styled cocktail bar above the Chemist gin and rum distillery.
Signature drink: Chemist Crimson Moon gin cocktails
Food: Snack menu, charcuterie
Tip: Top-floor bar takes the views. Tours of the distillery downstairs run weekends; book ahead.
Burial Beer's South Slope taproom on Collier Avenue is the defining Asheville craft beer hangout, opened 2013. Saisons, IPAs, sours; Good Hot Fish counter.
Signature drink: Saisons, IPAs, mixed-fermentation
Food: Good Hot Fish counter upstairs
Tip: Outdoor courtyard takes the overflow. The Forestry Camp on Shelburne Road is the sister destination for the barrel program.
Ashleigh Shanti's Good Hot Fish upstairs at Burial Beer's South Slope campus runs counter-style as a Black Appalachian fish fry. Catfish, hush puppies, slaw.
Try: Fried catfish basket, hush puppies
Tip: Order at the counter upstairs, take the basket to Burial's beer garden below. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Burial Beer Co opened on Collier Avenue in 2013 and is now one of Asheville's defining South Slope breweries. Editor pick on TableJourney with taproom hours.
Tip: The Forestry Camp restaurant on Shelburne Road is the Burial sister project; ride share between South Slope and the Forestry Camp barrel cellar.
Green Man Brewery opened on Buxton Avenue in 1997 as the first brewery on what became the South Slope. British-style ales out of two adjacent rooms: Dirty.
Tip: Dirty Jack's at 23 Buxton runs the British pub format with darts and football. The Mansion's third-floor patio takes the views.
Wicked Weed's Funkatorium on Coxe Avenue opened in late 2014 as the East Coast's first dedicated sour-and-funky taproom. 20 mixed-culture beers on tap plus.
Tip: Vidl in-house winery pours alongside the sours. The Brewpub at 91 Biltmore Avenue is the sister downtown room.
Hi-Wire's original South Slope brewhouse on Hilliard Avenue, the first of three Asheville locations. Dedicated to award-winning sours, wild ales and one-off.
Tip: South Slope is the mural-covered art-leaning sour room. Bring your own food; the brewery accepts outside take-out.
Twin Leaf Brewery on Coxe Avenue opened in 2014 as a brewer-owned independent on the South Slope. Editor pick on TableJourney with taproom hours.
Tip: Walk-up bar service. The patio takes outside food from neighbouring South Slope kitchens.
Asheville Brewing Company on Coxe Avenue opened in 1998 as Western North Carolina's third-oldest brewery. Brewpub, second-run cinema and pizza joint wrapped.
Tip: Shiva IPA and Ninja Porter on the daily list; pizza pairs especially with the Ninja Porter.
AVL Beer Week is the annual celebration of Asheville's craft beverage industry, with brewery-specific events, tap takeovers and collaborations across the city. Editor pick.
Tip: No single ticket; individual events and tap takeovers run at each brewery. Check the official AVL Beer Week site for the rolling calendar.
Meherwan Irani's Chai Pani lays out a snack menu starting under $7 from its 32 Banks Ave South Slope home (moved 2024). Editor pick on TableJourney.
Try: Indian street snacks, chaat
Tip: Lunchtime walk-in moves fastest. Order three small snacks for under $20; skip the thalis if you're keeping it cheap.
Ashleigh Shanti's Good Hot Fish at Burial's South Slope runs a $14 fried catfish basket as standard. Hush puppies, slaw dog and Carolina mustard included.
Try: Fried catfish basket
Tip: Order at the counter upstairs. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Beer downstairs at Burial.
Asheville Brewing Company on Coxe Avenue runs $13-18 pizzas and house beers in a brewpub format. The Mom's Garden pie at lunch with a Shiva IPA hits under.
Try: Brewpub pizza and house beer
Tip: Walk-in. Family-friendly; the Coxe Avenue patio takes the overflow on warm evenings.
Pie.zaa on Millard Avenue in the South Slope runs $5-8 NY-style slices and late-night pies. The default Asheville late-night cheap eat for service industry.
Try: NY-style slice
Tip: Open until 01:00 Fri-Sat. Two slices and a soda lands under $14 even at midnight.
Heidi Bass's Mother on Short Coxe Avenue earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand for the sourdough-anchored cafe menu. Editor pick on TableJourney with brunch.
Order: Whatever sourdough sandwich is on rotation, plus a take-home country loaf.
Tip: Loaves sell out by lunch on weekends. Wine bar opens Wed-Sat evenings, after brunch service closes.
Ashleigh Shanti's Good Hot Fish upstairs at Burial Beer South Slope runs as a brunch and lunch fish fry counter. Sunday brunch leans into Black Appalachian.
Order: Fried catfish basket with hush puppies, slaw dog on the side.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Order at the counter upstairs, take your basket to Burial's beer garden below.
Pie.zaa on Millard Avenue in the South Slope opened in 2020 as Asheville's premier late-night NY-style pizza. Editor pick on TableJourney with close time.
Try: NY-style slices
Tip: The default South Slope late-night cheap eat. Two slices and a soda under $14 even at midnight.
Antidote's top-floor bar at Chemist Spirits on Coxe Avenue runs as a 1920s apothecary-styled cocktail rooftop above the South Slope. Chemist gin and rum.
Tip: Top floor takes the South Slope views. Distillery tours run downstairs weekends; book ahead.