Enter to Win A 2-Night Stay + Spa Treatments at Omni Grove Park Inn

Enter to Win

Downtown Asheville is a food-lover’s paradise filled with some of the best restaurants in the region. Choose from award-winning Asheville restaurants with James Beard Award-nominated chefs or opt for more casual dining options, including classic American cuisine, global bites, Southern comfort food, and more, with vegan and gluten-free options. Asheville is known for its wealth of independent restaurants, serving up fresh, seasonal, scratch-made fare with top-notch hospitality. Feature image: Strada Italiano

Chestnut Asheville
Small plates being served at Chestnut

Come hungry and arrive early to get a good seat! Better yet, call ahead to see if you can make a reservation. Downtown Asheville's a great place to walk around, with many things to do. See our Downtown Asheville Top 30 for ideas. Start the day right with a delicious breakfast and a mimosa at one of our diners and restaurants. See our top picks for Breakfast & Brunch. Want a quick start to the day? Grab some freshly brewed coffee and a bagel from a variety of coffee shops and bakeries in town. See our Coffee & Tea guide to find that perfect espresso or earl grey.

Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro
Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro

Our “foodie destination” status creates quite the competition in town and deciding on what eatery to try for lunch or dinner can be tough. From international cuisine to old school Southern fare with grits and fried green tomatoes, downtown Asheville restaurants really have it all. Indulge in a wide variety of international delights like Spanish tapas, Indian street food and hot curries, wood fired pizza and more. If a burger and beer is more your style, see our Best Burgers guide or check out Asheville’s lively food truck scene. See our Top 10 Food Trucks in Asheville. 

End the day with a nightcap and watch the sun go down from a rooftop bar patio or savor a sweet bite from a local confectioner, bakery, or coffee shop.

Top Downtown Asheville Restaurants

Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours

See the city’s scenic beauty and historic landmarks atop some of Asheville’s highly acclaimed rooftop bars! This fun guided tour in the heart of the city offers fascinating stories and photos from… read more

Sonora

This casual cantina in downtown Asheville offers Mexican soul food in a friendly atmosphere. Taco menu includes shrimp, fish, steak, pork belly and avocado. In addition to your tacos, try the… read more

Bouchon

A longtime French bistro with comfort food using local ingredients. A romantic, intimate and charming setting. Enjoy fresh mussels prepared multiple ways, Escargot, Burgundy’s signature stew Boeuf… read more

Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro

Find a warm, cozy atmosphere where the food and service will delight your senses. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails, ample wine offerings, a selection of local draft beer, an extensive rhum list, and of… read more

Bear's Smokehouse Asheville

This smokehouse in Asheville’s South Slope offers award-winning K.C. Style BBQ with signature items like brisket burnt ends, smoked sausage, loaded baked potatoes, and more. They also offer vegan… read more

Tupelo Honey Cafe

Longtime favorite for both locals and visitors! This is where Tupelo began in 2000 as a destination for scratch-made Southern food rooted in the Carolina Mountains. Breakfast, lunch and dinner… read more

Chestnut

Located in the heart of Downtown Asheville, Chestnut offers a unique take on hand-crafted food and cocktails. The palette is best described as Southern American with a variety of ethnic twists.… read more

Carmels

With a prime corner location in the beautiful Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville, find superior local and organic produce and meats for a bounty of fresh flavors with contemporary style. Lunch… read more

Rhubarb

In the heart of Asheville in Pack Square is this comfortable place for friends, families and strangers to simply lean in and enjoy each other's company. A place where food and drink is at its… read more

Jerusalem Garden

Transport your senses to faraway lands with authentic made-from-scratch Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. On Friday and Saturday nights, enjoy belly dancing and live music. Lunch and dinner… read more

Isa's French Bistro

Executive Chef Peter Crockett brings culinary finesse to the table, preparing innovative, seasonally-inspired French cuisine with a local twist. Menu favorites include Escargot & Bone Marrow,… read more

Parking in Downtown Asheville

Parking Garages

The easiest solution to parking is using one of the five city & county parking decks. It's free for the first hour, then $1.50/hour. Get real time updates on spaces available in each deck!

  • Civic Center Parking Deck is entered from Haywood or Rankin (550 spaces) 
  • Rankin Avenue Parking Deck is entered from Walnut or Rankin (262 spaces) 
  • Wall Street Parking Deck (adjacent to Grove Arcade) is entered from Otis Street near Patton Avenue (232 spaces) - usually the busiest
  • Biltmore Public Parking Deck is at 51 Biltmore Avenue (412 spaces) 
  • Buncombe County Parking Deck at 164 College Street across from Pack Square Park (650 spaces)
  • Sears Alley Public Parking Deck at 40 Coxe Avenue with 664 spots- great for after 5 PM M-F and all weekend (near South Slope). Enter from Sears Alley. 

There are a couple of privately owned parking garages in Asheville downtown that are usually more expensive, but very convenient.

On-Street Parking - Free after 6 PM & Sundays

There are more than 700 on-street, metered spaces in downtown Asheville. All meters are for short term parking (two hours or less, as marked) at a cost of $1.50 per hour. All meters accept coins only or pay via the Passport Parking App. The metered spaces are enforced from 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Saturday. Parking is FREE each Sunday and city holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas (3 days). So don't "feed the meters" on these days.

See more Restaurants by Category

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