A cream-and-sherry crab soup with female crab roe, traditionally a Charleston Lowcountry plate adopted by Asheville's modern Southern kitchens.
She-crab soup originated in Charleston around 1920 when William Deas, butler-cook to the city's mayor, adapted the Scotch-Irish partan-bree (cream-crab soup) by adding crab roe. The Lowcountry classic migrated inland to Asheville's modern Southern restaurants through the 1990s farm-to-table movement, where mountain kitchens added foraged mushrooms or local trout-roe substitutes. The Market Place and Rhubarb both run she-crab soup as seasonal specials; Tupelo Honey serves a year-round version on its Southern menu. The Lowcountry-Appalachian fusion plate became part of Asheville's broader Southern identity in the 2010s.
3 editor picks for Lowcountry she-crab soup (Asheville interpretation) in Asheville, ranked by editorial score. All Asheville signature dishes · Lowcountry she-crab soup (Asheville interpretation) across every city.
The Market Place ★ 4.8
downtown · 20 Wall St, Asheville, NC 28801
William Dissen's The Market Place runs modern Appalachian on Wall Street. Mark Rosenstein founded 1979; Dissen took over 2009. 2025 JBA Outstanding Chef semi.
Rhubarb ★ 4.6
downtown · 7 SW Pack Sq, Asheville, NC 28801
John Fleer's Rhubarb on Pack Square has served wood-fired modern Southern since 2013. Fleer is a multi-time James Beard Best Chef Southeast nominee.
Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen and Bar ★ 4.2
downtown · 12 College St, Asheville, NC 28801
Tupelo Honey opened on College Street in downtown Asheville in 2000 as an eclectic Southern cafe. The original location of what is now a regional chain.