25 Best Restaurants in The North Carolina Mountains, North Carolina

Cocktails and burgers achieve sublimity at this temple of ground meat, be it locally raised bison, the game of the month, or a 50/50 blend of emu and chorizo. Infusions like beet vodka and bacon fat bourbon ensure that the creations from behind the bar rival those from the kitchen. A log cabin interior packed with curios (and classic Pac-Man on the back porch) sets a friendly tone that's matched by the good-humored service. 

Singletree boldly proclaims their guiding principles, from integrity in sourcing to sustainability, and those values are conveyed in beautifully presented plates and, most importantly, in flavor. Seared duck breast and Parisian gnocchi with collards shine at dinner, but it's sandwiches like the Brasstown Melt—sliced steak on ciabatta with horseradish, provolone, arugula, and caramelized onions—that keep the midday shift bustling.

Built in a former speakeasy and now adorned with photos of the dogs and horses of hundreds of faithful customers, the wood-fired oven at this trusted favorite works for fancy nights out—ribeye with blue cheese butter or a lamb loin with chimichurri—or a more casual family pizza dinner (opt for the signature pie with local prosciutto and manchego). Appetizer options speak to the breadth of the menu, from mussels in green curry to Thai spring rolls to roasted figs, but all are sourced and prepared with passion and integrity.

Coffee shop in the front, grab-and-go sandwich-and-salad counter in the back, this downtown staple serves vegetarian-friendly grub and is a popular community hub.

Family-owned and friendly, this no-frills lunch buffet is the place for soul food in the Asheville area. Load your plate with fried chicken, catfish, and pork chops, but leave room for classics like collards and mac and cheese.

For an unparalleled experience that will leave you stuffed with Southern goodness, brave the line outside this throwback restaurant (open since 1959 in a former hospital building surrounded by a picket fence and flowers) serving fried chicken, country-fried steak, country ham biscuits, mashed potatoes, green beans, and banana pudding. Platters are delivered to your table family-style, and it's all-you-can-eat for the price of admission.

This downtown destination is more than a restaurant; it's a nonprofit organization that provides job training and other resources to those at risk of domestic abuse. Open for weekday lunch only, the ingredients are local, fresh, and delicious, with an emphasis on hearty Southern sandwiches like grilled pimento cheese and, in season, tomato pie.

The hands-on owner has made this downtown mainstay one of the most recommended dining spots in Brevard. The menu skews to seafood, with standouts including fish-and-chips, mountain trout, and haddock, but the pork chops and filet mignon are excellent, too. There's a full bar in the brick-walled dining room.

This little sandwich shop is known for pressed Cubans, roast beef hoagies, and corned beef on rye, or you can opt for a bowl of chili. While you're waiting, explore the old service station memorabilia. There's a small dining room, or take it to-go. 

Lulu's feels old-school—there are old-timey quilts hanging from the walls—but the food is decidedly forward-thinking, from the Thai chicken soup to the savory meatloaf Manhattan. Vegetarians also feel right at home, thanks to options like a marinated tempeh sandwich with kimchi and Szechuan sauce at lunchtime. 

In the Old Edwards Inn, Madison's is Highlands' most upscale restaurant. The dining room is gorgeous, light, and sunny, with stone floors and windows overlooking Highlands' Main Street. The restaurant adheres to a farm-to-table philosophy as much as possible, with sausage-stuffed pork chops, sunburst trout, short rib pasta and other dishes from area providers. The inn's Wine Garden adjoining Madison's is the spot for a more casual alfresco lunch.

This newcomer to Cherokee's dining options was an immediate hit, with entrées like roasted blackberry chicken and peanut-crusted trout with shrimp Florentine sauce that go beyond much of the basic fare available in town. They outsource their Native Brews label, but it's the place to find a craft IPA or stout in a place that only legalized alcohol sales in 2021. 

Don't let the strip mall location fool you—the husband-and-wife team behind this upscale butcher and seafood market produces the best lunch in the area, from grouper or jumbo lump crab sliders to tempura tilefish, all sourced directly from fishermen and farmers.

Order a platter of pulled pork with slaw, baked beans, or mac and cheese to enjoy while a bluegrass band plays mountain music on the rustic stage at this classic roadside barbecue joint. Bands play both the lunch and dinner shift, and local folk artists display their work in the gift shop and at the museum-like 87 Ruffin Street Gallery next door.

Set in a charming 1861 farmhouse just "over yonder" from Mast General, this approachable restaurant serves inspired takes on Appalachian food like tomato cobbler, grilled meatloaf, and pan-fried rainbow trout with sweet potatoes. Sit inside the historic rooms or on the wraparound porch.

Pancake houses are big in Cherokee, and Peter's is at the top of the stack. Many locals are regulars here, and you'll see why when you try the blueberry pancakes with country ham in the dining room with wide windows overlooking the Oconaluftee River.

Downtown Hendersonville's best restaurant occupies a former bank, with soaring ceilings and a wine cellar in the former vault. The chef-owned kitchen offers an approachable menu of braised pork shanks and seared scallops, with a sharing menu spanning from spaghetti squash hush puppies to pate with ginger and local honey.

This kitschy but fun version of an old-fashioned soda shop—an institution in Brevard since 1941—has burgers, hot dogs, and a wide range of ice cream creations. The tuna salad sandwich is a local favorite.

Chef-owned and globally inspired, this approachable mainstay serves creative regional entrées like local trout with grits and lobster sauce alongside rabbit-and-crawfish gumbo and chicken curry. Sit on the covered patio fronting a quiet alley or inside the soaring brick-walled dining room.

This casual restaurant serves delicious Southern comfort food like country fried steak, shrimp and grits, and blackberry barbecue short ribs. Business bustles at lunchtime for favorites like the pimento cheese fried chicken club.

With its gingham curtains and checkered tablecloths, this popular downtown lunch spot serves food that is both unpretentious and tasty. The soups are the best thing on the menu (the Hungarian mushroom soup is a longtime favorite), and the sandwiches are winners, too.

Thin-crust pizzas made from organic flour are the specialty at this lively eatery that also serves a range of creative pasta and entrees like a roasted root bowl. Try out eclectic pizza toppings like roasted salmon, butternut squash, and sweet onion marmalade. The open-air patio is especially popular.

This bustling bistro transforms from a coffee shop into a cocktail bar after hours. Stop in for a to-go cappuccino, or stay awhile amidst the calming greenery for smashed avocado toast topped with a farm egg. 

Although the menu ranges from garam masala curry to sweet potato enchiladas to meatloaf with mashed potatoes, Wild Craft's common denominators are responsible, local sourcing and creativity in the kitchen. Much of the menu accommodates vegans and gluten-free diners, but every dish remains flavor-forward. Sit inside the small dining room or on the covered patio out front. 

Robbinsville's best restaurant is a chef-owned gem serving specialties like local mountain trout with lemon-caper butter sauce and a grilled ribeye. Seating is inside and on the porch of a historic home.