CuisineNew American, craft cocktail
Price$$$
Neighbourhooddowntown

Signature dishes: Bone marrow, Seasonal small plates, House pastas

Must order: The bone marrow with sourdough.

Tip: Book a table on Resy. The downstairs bar takes walk-ins for the cocktail menu.

Location

Address: 29 N Market St, Asheville, NC 28801

Also in downtown

Buxton Chicken Palace ★ 4.3

Fried chicken, Southern$$downtown

Buxton Chicken Palace inside the S and W Market in Asheville is the Elliott Moss and Meherwan Irani spinoff dedicated to the Bon Appetit-anointed Buxton Hall.

Signature: Buxton fried chicken, Hot honey biscuit, Chicken sandwich

Order: The hot honey chicken sandwich with a side of slaw.

Tip: Counter service inside S and W Market. Grab a seat upstairs at the bar or take it to go.

Cúrate ★ 4.9

Spanish tapas$$$downtown

Katie Button and Felix Meana's Cúrate in Asheville opened on Biltmore Avenue in 2011 and won the 2022 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding.

Signature: Jamón ibérico, Paella Valenciana, Patatas bravas

Order: The jamón ibérico with pan con tomate, plus the paella Valenciana for the table.

Tip: Book on Resy 30 days ahead. Bar seats and the chef's counter take walk-ins from 17:00; arrive at opening.

The Market Place ★ 4.8

Modern Appalachian, farm-to-table$$$$downtown

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.

Signature: Sunburst trout, Heritage pork chop, Foraged mushroom risotto

Order: The Sunburst Trout Farm trout from Canton, plus the seasonal foraged mushroom plate.

Tip: Book on the restaurant's own reservation page. The walk-up bar pours small plates from the main menu.

Luminosa ★ 4.8

Italian, wood-fired$$$downtown

Luminosa inside the Flat Iron Hotel in Asheville earned both a Michelin Green Star and a Bib Gourmand in the 2025 Michelin Guide American South, one of three.

Signature: Wood-fired pizzas, House-made pastas, Wood-grilled fish

Order: Whatever the wood-fired oven is running, plus a hand-cut pasta and the day's whole fish.

Tip: Book on OpenTable through the Indigo Road site. The bar takes walk-ins and serves the full menu.

Rhubarb ★ 4.6

Modern American, wood-fired Southern$$$downtown

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.

Signature: Wood-fired flatbreads, Whole roasted fish, Sunday Supper

Order: Whatever the wood oven is running, plus the Sunday Supper family-style menu when offered.

Tip: Book on the restaurant's reservation page. Dinner runs Thursday through Monday from 17:00.

Full downtown food guide →

More restaurants in Asheville

Buxton Chicken Palace ★ 4.3

Fried chicken, Southern$$downtown

Buxton Chicken Palace inside the S and W Market in Asheville is the Elliott Moss and Meherwan Irani spinoff dedicated to the Bon Appetit-anointed Buxton Hall.

Signature: Buxton fried chicken, Hot honey biscuit, Chicken sandwich

Order: The hot honey chicken sandwich with a side of slaw.

Tip: Counter service inside S and W Market. Grab a seat upstairs at the bar or take it to go.

Cúrate ★ 4.9

Spanish tapas$$$downtown

Katie Button and Felix Meana's Cúrate in Asheville opened on Biltmore Avenue in 2011 and won the 2022 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding.

Signature: Jamón ibérico, Paella Valenciana, Patatas bravas

Order: The jamón ibérico with pan con tomate, plus the paella Valenciana for the table.

Tip: Book on Resy 30 days ahead. Bar seats and the chef's counter take walk-ins from 17:00; arrive at opening.

The Market Place ★ 4.8

Modern Appalachian, farm-to-table$$$$downtown

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.

Signature: Sunburst trout, Heritage pork chop, Foraged mushroom risotto

Order: The Sunburst Trout Farm trout from Canton, plus the seasonal foraged mushroom plate.

Tip: Book on the restaurant's own reservation page. The walk-up bar pours small plates from the main menu.

Chai Pani ★ 4.7

Indian street food$$south-slope

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.

Luminosa ★ 4.8

Italian, wood-fired$$$downtown

Luminosa inside the Flat Iron Hotel in Asheville earned both a Michelin Green Star and a Bib Gourmand in the 2025 Michelin Guide American South, one of three.

Signature: Wood-fired pizzas, House-made pastas, Wood-grilled fish

Order: Whatever the wood-fired oven is running, plus a hand-cut pasta and the day's whole fish.

Tip: Book on OpenTable through the Indigo Road site. The bar takes walk-ins and serves the full menu.

Rhubarb ★ 4.6

Modern American, wood-fired Southern$$$downtown

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.

Signature: Wood-fired flatbreads, Whole roasted fish, Sunday Supper

Order: Whatever the wood oven is running, plus the Sunday Supper family-style menu when offered.

Tip: Book on the restaurant's reservation page. Dinner runs Thursday through Monday from 17:00.

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