Highest-rated restaurants in Asheville by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Asheville, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Tall John's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 152 Montford Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#29. neng Jr 's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 701 Haywood Road Ste 102 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Filipino
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Jargon
- Rating: 4.5/5 (327 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 715 Haywood Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Duck Donuts
- Rating: 4.5/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 182 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Azalea Bar & Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 5 Caledonia Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Comfort Food, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Bebettes: A New Orleans Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (209 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 Page Ave. Unit 111 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Aloha Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 28 Battery Park Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Poke, Sandwiches, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Liberty House Coffee and Café
- Rating: 4.5/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 221 South Liberty St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Sunny Point Café
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2404 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 626 Haywood Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Breakfast & Brunch, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Andaaz
- Rating: 4.5/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 28 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Buffets, Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. The Odd
- Rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1045 Haywood Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Dive Bars, Music Venues, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Plant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (671 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 165 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Vegan, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Sweets and Seats
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 81 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Cafes, Furniture Stores, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Black Bear Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3094 Sweeten Creek Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Urban Orchard Cider - South Slope
- Rating: 4.5/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 24 Buxton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Bars, American, Cideries
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Tin Can Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Vivian
- Rating: 4.5/5 (139 reviews)
- Address: 348 Depot St. Ste 190 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: American, Modern European, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Abeja's House Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (359 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1550 Hendersonville Road Ste 116 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Root Down Food Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Cajun/Creole, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Andale Way Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 63 Southside Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Fahrenheit Pizza & Brewhouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (394 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 17 Lee St. South Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#9. A Taste of El Salvador
- Rating: 4.5/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1565 Patton Ave. Ste D Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Huli Sue's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (256 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 Page Ave. Ste 150 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Hawaiian, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Little Chango
- Rating: 4.5/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 134 Coxe Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Spanish, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Mehfil
- Rating: 5.0/5 (124 reviews)
- Address: 5 Biltmore Ave. Ste B Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Silverball Subs
- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 347 New Leicester Hwy unit c Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Arcades, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Sand Hill Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 491 Sardis Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bun Intended
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 56 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Thai, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#2. La Rumba Restaurant Latino
- Rating: 5.0/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 105 River Hills Road Ste C Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine, Latin American, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Pollen Coffee & Flowers
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45 South French Broad Ave. Ste 150 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Flowers & Gifts, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.