Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Asheville by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Asheville using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. Laughing Seed Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (901 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 40 Wall St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Jerusalem Garden Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (588 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 78 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Rosetta's Kitchen & The Buchi Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (572 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 68 North Lexington Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Vegan, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#27. White Duck Taco Shop
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2306 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 388 Riverside Drive Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1058 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1455 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Soul Food, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Cucina 24
- Rating: 4.1/5 (458 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 24 Wall St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Bull And Beggar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (361 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 37 Paynes Way Ste 007 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Shanghai Dumpling House
- Rating: 4.1/5 (281 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 37 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Shanghainese, Dim Sum
- Read more on Yelp
#22. The Market Place
- Rating: 4.1/5 (627 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 20 Wall St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. 131 Main Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (391 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 308 Thetford St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Asheville Proper
- Rating: 4.2/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1 Page Ave. Ste 151 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Bone and Broth
- Rating: 4.2/5 (258 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 94 Charlotte St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Gastropubs, Steakhouses, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Woodfire Bar & Grille
- Rating: 4.2/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1450 Tunnel Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: American, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#17. The Lobster Trap
- Rating: 4.2/5 (699 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 35 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Zambra Wine Tapas & Cuisine
- Rating: 4.2/5 (661 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 85 West Walnut St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Tapas Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Brasilia Churrasco Steakhouse - Asheville
- Rating: 4.2/5 (256 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 26 East Walnut St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Steakhouses, Brazilian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian - South Asheville
- Rating: 4.3/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1981 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Addissae
- Rating: 4.3/5 (169 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 48 Commerce St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Ethiopian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Red Ginger Dimsum And Tapas
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1415 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 82 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Dim Sum, Tapas Bars, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Admiral
- Rating: 4.3/5 (893 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 400 Haywood Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Posana
- Rating: 4.3/5 (699 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#9. HomeGrown
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1314 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 371 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Salad, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian
- Rating: 4.4/5 (860 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 641 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Fig
- Rating: 4.4/5 (327 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 18 Brook St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: French, Seafood, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Nine Mile
- Rating: 4.4/5 (865 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 233 Montford Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Caribbean, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Chestnut
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1423 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 48 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Cúrate
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2493 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 13 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Spanish, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Copper Crown
- Rating: 4.5/5 (431 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1011 Tunnel Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Jargon
- Rating: 4.5/5 (354 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 715 Haywood Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Plant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (703 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 165 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Vegan, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
