23 Best Southern Restaurants in Asheville

“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..“

“Great food, great atmosphere, friendly staff. If you dont like spice in your gravy, go with the "house gravy" The biscuits are INCREDIBLE and I love the pics of the kitties on the table numbers!! Glad we came here!!“

“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.“

“Spectacular destination. The staff, the food, the history . . . It all comes together for a perfect experience!“

“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 had a great dinner and an awesome server! Thank you so much!!“

“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.“

“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.“

“Outstanding! Amazing Farm to table breakfast! French Press coffee! Generous portions! Those Biscuits!“

“My wife and I happened upon this magical gem tonight. We had spent the day in Asheville and were actually looking for a Mexican restaurant. My wife saw this and said that we hadn't had BBQ in a good while. So, we changed our plans. We walked in and noticed the awards on the walls and the Pride shirt. Every minute inside was amazing! The front of the house staff were all so friendly. The food was absolutely wonderful! When one of the ladies that works the dining room came to the table, she was warm, sweet, and spunky! We cannot thank you enough for such an amazing experience! We will definitely be returning and bringing our kids next time! 🤟🏻❤️ Thank you Punky Brewster! 😉“

“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.“

“Went in with high expectations - my pancakes were not warm and a bit too sweet Coffee was ok - egg meal was large and my kids liked it I thought it was pricey compared to other meals I had in Asheville“

“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!“

“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?“

“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.“

“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.“

“I like being able to use the online website to place an order, pay for it and stop by for pick-up when I'm in a hurry. Cracker Barrel is one of my favorite places to eat.“

“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.“