26 Best Southern Restaurants near Arden

“Rocky’s came Highly recommended from Emma, at the tasting room Eda Ryne. The very best food we have eaten in a LONG time!! The fried green tomatoes with pepper jelly and goat. Cheese were the Best Ever, along with the Medium fried chicken! I'll be telling everyone I know that visits the Biltmore, to stop here for lunch/ dinner!“

“My mom and I stopped for lunch here on our way down to Savannah, GA and we had Lisa as our server. She was so lovely and very kind and it was such a pleasure to have her as our server! If I lived closer to Asheville I would come all the time just for her :)“

“I recently went to Asheville and tried several places. Rockys hit it out of the park. I tried Rockys hot and was warned about it before hand. it was hot but just right for me. it is a party in your mouth. so much flavor. just delicious. service was friendly,fast and amazing..top notch and now I'm sad I can't get it in Indiana where I live..“

“Thanks you so much #psychiczabaza“

“This local group of restaurants has been serving really good food with great service and a comfortable atmosphere since 2001. Chicken and waffles are there, of course, but loads of other stuff, including spinach/potato cakes with tomato gravy, one of my favorites. Highly recommended.“

“My girlfriend and I were in town to celebrate our one year. We decided to try out Tupelo Honey. The food was absolutely fantastic and the service was amazing. It has a great atmosphere with an outdoor seating option with a view of downtown. If you’re ever in Asheville I HIGHLY recommend you giving Tupelo Honey a chance!“

“We decided to eat in Asheville on the way home and we are so glad we did! Tupelo Honey delivered Big Time! From friendly service to great Jam’n Biscuits, Honey Chicken and the best grilled cheese sandwich anywhere we will be back for sure! If you’ve never had honey chicken you must try their special recipe. It’s delicious! PS The bacon green beans were out of this world!“

“What a great place to celebrate our birthdays. Two from KY and two from Augusta GA to enjoy celebrating all four of us having birthdays. Stuart who waited on us was EXCELLENT. We asked him about the damage to Asheville and we could hear it in his voice how hurt he was because others suffered so much. He was very gracious that we chose Asheville to celebrate our birthdays. I had the best shrimp and grits ever and I'm 73. Every meal the fried oysters, salads, Reuben Sandwich there is no negative experience. I hesitated to order the banana pudding but was intrigued by the description. So glad I did, it was so different than what I've ever had but the BEST I've ever had. Thank you to everyone working that day on 1/22 that wished us Happy Birthdays and made this such a wonderful memory for all 4 of us. Very welcoming, great personalities but above all GREAT FOOD.“

“My wife and I went for our 22 wedding anniversary and had a great experience. Amazing food, service, and atmosphere. The Steak was one of the best I have ever had along with the fried chicken. Highly recommend. Thank You.“

“Definitely one of the best, if not the best, in Asheville!“

“WOW! Very good food and service. We will be back to try other dishes from their menu.“

“The food was so good and the service was awesome. Everyone was so nice! We will definitely be back again!“

“My friends and I ate here during our visit to Asheville in August 2024 and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was so good! I cannot wait to have another opportunity to go back“

“We had a lovely visit here last evening while briefly in the area. They are doing alright after the terrible hurricane thankfully!!!!! Over the years this has been our favorite go to spot and yesterday was no different. Food very tasty, plentiful, feel is a positive price point. I personally can be a bit picky about barbecue, I really don’t care for excessive fat in my meat and I find the brisket is perfectly lean!! 2 employees who are new to us as we haven’t been back in two years, Ian and Sheryl were very pleasant, smiles on their faces, communicative, and remained diligent in providing great service. They have had some updates on their menu, not as many side choice selections but the ones we all chose were most appetizing! I do miss the pineapple casserole side and was told its available on the menu in the fall. Spouse also feels their beer selection is great. They were all out of the popular homemade banana and wafer pudding, but just gives us something to look forward to during our next visit as we will absolutely continue to eat here. Positive all around! Tasty, clean, and lovely folks all working inside thank you thank you!“

“If you really do want the best fried chicken, look no further! I got mine with the pimento cheese -YUM! My hubby is more a burger kind of guy, and he loves a good burger here. The potato salad, and the pickles add just the right balance. The food service gas station combo is a thing around here and we love exploring this unique set-up. This one is close to home, and when we take a break from farm chores, it just checks all the boxes.“

“Food and service were fantastic!“

“The veggie breakfast bowl was so delicious and amazing I think it was my favorite breakfast ever in my 19 years of life. Thank you very much it was delicious and very good service. I am visiting from Vermont.“

“We were a party of 8...in the summer...around lunchtime...so it was crowded but we were seated quickly..had biscuits right away and our food came out quickly...portions were huge..(.I think the meatloaf slice was a pound of beef by itself.)..Staff were courteous and helpful with our wheelchair and walkers.food was reasonably priced... our only "negative" comment would be that some desserts ran out :( but everything else was great!“

“Rico catered a meal for a pre wedding meal for a bunch of hungry groomsmen for my son’s wedding. He provided everything they needed and the food was fabulous. Highly recommend.“

“Chicken salad pita tasty. Garden salad sufficient. Line service queue quick. Plus $3.25 water bottle. Diet coke fountain. Portions could have been more for the price, had to satiate hunger elsewhere afterwards. Maybe that’s their grand plan.“

“The classic chicken sandwich is super delicious. Great light crispy breading, the pickles add a nice salty touch and the bun is a little sweet. And, Cheerwine bourbon slush! Need I say more?“

“I got their veggie breakfast bowl with suggested vegan modifications. This is my first time in the area and had low expectations for vegan options, so seeing clearly labeled vegan items was exciting! Options are limited but I enjoyed the meal I had! Updated from previous review on 2025-08-01“

“I am a 53 years old. Born and raised here. I have eaten here from time to time in my lifetime. But, I just read about how they treated some students. Took their money, then called the police on them. The witness said the students weren't causing trouble. Disgusting. One person cursed the students on the way out.“

“The food was delicious and the waiter was super nice. It was a very pleasant experience.“

“Oh I love me some Cheddars!!! So glad to see it back open. Free, warm, honey buttered croissants to start. Homemade chips n salsa, Onion rings and hand battered fish. I love their burgers, their steaks, and that pork chop, MMMMM! The pot pie is super good too! I haven't had anything i dont like. Every server ive ever had there has been exceptional as well.“

“Went here for Thanksgiving dinner. All of the staff did a fantastic job in taking care of the amount of people they had throughout the day. Can't say enough. Food was Great. Congratulations Golden Corral on a job well done by all staff.“