Best of the Best in Asheville, NC

Best of the Best in Asheville, NC

Gab Bonfiglio
Use this guide to eat and drink like a local while avoiding tourist traps. As always, use the map feature to see what spots are nearby one another!
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Coffee Shops

Farewell
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Doubles as a wine and cocktail bar at night.
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Rowan Coffee
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This new kid in town is not joking around!! Coffee snobs rejoice.
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Grind AVL
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A cafe I admire for its commitment to support Black businesses in AVL
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BattleCat Coffee Bar
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Perfectly grungy.
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Bad Manners Coffee
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Bakeries

Hole Doughnuts
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Say hi to Laurie for me! You’ll know who she is.
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OWL Bakery
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Voted best in Western North Carolina and nominated for a James beard— get ready to wait in line!
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Whisk Avl
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This drive through only gem is worth the 12 min drive west of the city. Hit this on your way to a hike off the Blue Ridge Parkway! Just be warned, they’re closed on Sundays.
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Brunch Spots

HomeGrown
@gabdrinksbeer
Just note that this cozy, casual spot opens at 11!
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Taco Billy
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True Austin style breakfast tacos. Order the migas!!
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Vivian
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This James Beard award nominated spot throws down for weekend brunch.
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Tall John's
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Everything at Tall John’s is reliably delicious.
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Breweries

I have a whole guide built around my favorite spots! Linked here:

Quick Bites

Good Hot Fish
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Baba Nahm - Middle Eastern Street Food
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Baby Bull
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Unanimously regarded as the best burger in town. A great casual option.
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Dinner Spots

Casual

Mehfil
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We love an Indian-owned and run Indian restaurant. Skip the line at Chai Pani for this spot, or for the more casual sister restaurant next store, Dilbar.
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Nine Mile
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An Asheville institution with incredible Caribbean food. Go early because they don’t take reservations. You can grab a drink at tall John’s down the street if you have to wait for a table.
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White Labs Brewing Co - Asheville Kitchen & Tap
@gabdrinksbeer
White Labs is one of the world’s leading producers of brewers’ yeasts. And Asheville houses one of their three brick and mortar locations! At this one, they make delicious pizzas using their own yeast in the crust.
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Nicer and Worth It

Jettie Rae's Oyster House
@gabdrinksbeer
I doubted that seafood could be good in the mountains until I tried Jetti Rae’s.
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Cocktail Bars

The Bar at Table
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The Golden Pineapple
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A whimsical cocktail list with delicious and creative bar snacks to match.
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Little Jumbo
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Unbelievable cocktails, dance parties every Saturday and jazz on Mondays and Tuesdays.
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Crucible
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If they ask if you’re a member, don’t be alarmed. You can sign up for $1! Catch me here at least once a week drinking a Negroni with mezcal. Or a high life.
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Anoche Asheville
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A vibey yet education mezcal bar with delicious house cocktails.
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Imperiál
@gabdrinksbeer
Asheville’s older mezcal bar, with a dj every night :)
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As always, thanks for reading, and please do leave a tip if you found this helpful! For further recommendations, check out my complete Asheville shop page.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gab Bonfiglio
đź“ŤAsheville, NC Your certified beer expert specializing in culinary, road trip, and budget travel. Beer, coffee, mezcal, and natural wine guides to come! Follow me on IG for photos of my latest adventures. Click the website icon to book a virtual beer class with me!
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