24 upscale places in Asheville, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Asheville: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Asheville food.
Cúrate ★ 4.9
downtown · 13 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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.
Tip: Book on Resy 30 days ahead. Bar seats and the chef's counter take walk-ins from 17:00; arrive at opening.
Luminosa ★ 4.8
downtown · 20 Battery Park Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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.
Tip: Book on OpenTable through the Indigo Road site. The bar takes walk-ins and serves the full menu.
Sovereign Remedies ★ 4.8
downtown · 29 N Market St, Asheville, NC 28801
Sovereign Remedies on North Market Street is the multilevel apothecary-themed cocktail bar in a historic downtown building. Bar opened 2014, kitchen runs.
Tip: Reserve a table on Resy. The downstairs bar takes walk-ins for the cocktail menu. Closed Tuesdays.
Antidote at Chemist Spirits ★ 4.7
south-slope · 151 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Antidote at Chemist Spirits on Coxe Avenue runs three floors of 1920s apothecary-styled cocktail bar above the Chemist gin and rum distillery.
Tip: Top-floor bar takes the views. Tours of the distillery downstairs run weekends; book ahead.
Leo's House of Thirst ★ 4.7
west-asheville · 1055 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Drew Wallace's Leo's House of Thirst on Haywood Road in West Asheville was a 2025 James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
Tip: Open from 09:00 for espresso and breakfast; the wine list opens midday. Closed Mondays.
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.
Tip: Book on the restaurant's reservation page. Dinner runs Thursday through Monday from 17:00.
The Bull and Beggar ★ 4.6
river-arts-district · 37 Paynes Way Ste 007, Asheville, NC 28801
The Bull and Beggar at Wedge Studios in the River Arts District has run a French-American kitchen with raw bar since 2013. Tuesday burger night is the local.
Tip: Book Tuesday burger night three weeks ahead on the operator site. Walk-in raw bar seats open at 17:00.
Burial Beer Co Taproom ★ 4.6
south-slope · 40 Collier Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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.
Tip: Outdoor courtyard takes the overflow. The Forestry Camp on Shelburne Road is the sister destination for the barrel program.
Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar ★ 4.6
downtown · 1 Page Ave Ste 101, Asheville, NC 28801
Battery Park Book Exchange in the Grove Arcade pairs a champagne bar with a used-book store. Literary cocktails and grower champagne on rare-book shelves.
Tip: Walk-in only. The cellar-room champagne flights take the literary cocktail crowd on weekends.
Crusco ★ 4.5
river-arts-district · 348 Depot St, Asheville, NC 28801
Crusco in the River Arts District opened in summer 2025 from Kat Kearney and former Cucina 24 staff.
Tip: Book on the restaurant's site. Dinner runs Wednesday through Sunday from 17:00. Bar walk-ins for cocktails.
Limones ★ 4.5
the-block · 13 Eagle St, Asheville, NC 28801
Hugo Ramirez's Limones on Eagle Street in Asheville opened in 2004 as a Mexican and Californian-inflected room.
Tip: Book on OpenTable; bar seats first-come from 17:00. Closed Mondays.
Posana ★ 4.5
downtown · 1 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Posana on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville opened in 2009 as a dedicated gluten-free kitchen.
Tip: Book on the restaurant page. A South Asheville Biltmore Park location at 264 Thetford Street is a separate kitchen.
Plant ★ 4.5
north-asheville · 165 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Plant on Merrimon Avenue has run innovative organic plant-based cuisine in Asheville since 2011.
Tip: Book on OpenTable. Wednesday and Sunday are the easiest nights. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Sovereign Remedies ★ 4.5
downtown · 29 N Market St, Asheville, NC 28801
Sovereign Remedies on North Market Street in Asheville pairs craft cocktails with modern American cooking in a multilevel historic building.
Tip: Book a table on Resy. The downstairs bar takes walk-ins for the cocktail menu.
Limones ★ 4.5
the-block · 13 Eagle St, Asheville, NC 28801
Hugo Ramirez's Limones on Eagle Street in Asheville opened in 2004 as a Mexican and Californian-inflected room.
Tip: Book on OpenTable; bar seats first-come from 17:00. Closed Mondays.
The Crow and Quill ★ 4.5
downtown · 106 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
The Crow and Quill on North Lexington Avenue is the hidden Asheville speakeasy with 800 whiskeys and 1,000 spirits behind an unmarked door. Edgar Allan Poe.
Tip: Look for the 106 and the lanterns; the door is unmarked. Membership-style with a small cover for non-members.
Leo's House of Thirst ★ 4.5
west-asheville · 1055 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Leo's House of Thirst on Haywood Road in West Asheville is a wine bar by night and a neighbourhood cafe by day, pouring sustainable low-intervention bottles.
Tip: Sunny garden seating, brunch from Saturday morning, weeknight wine flights from 4pm.
5 Walnut Wine Bar ★ 4.4
downtown · 5 W Walnut St, Asheville, NC 28801
5 Walnut Wine Bar on West Walnut Street in downtown Asheville has been the city's live-music wine bar since 2008. TableJourney editor pick for the year.
Tip: Walk-in. The live-music calendar runs nightly; brass and Afrobeat on weekend evenings.
Botanist and Barrel Tasting Bar ★ 4.4
downtown · 32 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
Botanist and Barrel's Asheville tasting bar on Broadway Street pours the women-owned cidery and natural-wine producer's lineup.
Tip: Cider flights are the easiest entry; the orange wine flight rotates monthly.
DSSOLVR ★ 4.3
downtown · 63 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
DSSOLVR on North Lexington Avenue in the historic Tyler Building runs beer alongside cider, mead, wine and non-alcoholic options. Art-leaning labels.
Tip: Upstairs lounge takes the late crowd. Open until midnight Sat, 22:00 Sun-Thu.
WALLS Wine Bar ★ 4.3
downtown · 38 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
WALLS Wine Bar at the Benjamin Walls Gallery on Broadway Street pairs Walls' large-format wildlife and landscape photography with self-pour wine cards.
Tip: Self-pour wine card system; pre-load and walk the gallery between tastings. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
The Times Bar at S and W Market ★ 4.2
downtown · 56 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
The Times Bar inside the historic S and W Cafeteria (now the S and W Market food hall) on Patton Avenue runs as a coffee shop by day and craft cocktail bar.
Tip: Coffee until 16:00, cocktails after. Food from the surrounding S and W Market counters (Buxton Chicken, Hi-Wire, Highland).
Wicked Weed Brewpub ★ 4.1
downtown · 91 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Wicked Weed's downtown Brewpub on Biltmore Avenue opened in 2012. Hop-forward IPAs and lagers, full-service restaurant, large patio. The original Wicked Weed.
Tip: The downstairs cellar offers private booths. The Funkatorium on Coxe Avenue runs the sour beer program.
The Social Lounge at Strada ★ 4.0
downtown · 29 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
The Social Lounge above Strada Italiano on Broadway Street is Asheville's original rooftop cocktail bar, with a covered rooftop patio and Italian-leaning.
Tip: Walk-up. Rooftop seats fill first on warm evenings; covered patio works in rain or shoulder season.