More Holiday Dining in Asheville—A Local’s Perspective
As the years go by, I gain a greater and greater appreciation for just how much work goes into preparing a Christmas meal. Birds, hams, roasts, scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, and so on. Always a lot of commotion in the kitchen. I think what’s been tuning me into the grandiosity of this undertaking is that people keep on giving me more responsibility.
First, you start at the potato-peeling station. Work your way up to casserole-prep, maybe desserts. Before you know it you’re fifty-seven years old, hacking a honeyed ham apart with a carving knife for the nourishment of your wife, in-laws, and eight kids. Life comes at you fast.
I’m not complaining. I thrive in a kitchen. It's where the food comes from, and I truly appreciate some good food. But many people travel far away from their kitchens for the holidays, and many more, I’m sure, are looking for an easy solution to this famed matter of the holiday meal. So once again I’d like to suggest some of my favorite restaurants in Asheville that are going to be open this Christmas, perfect for celebration, good cheer, and family gatherings.
Recently featured on my list of top local hangouts in Asheville, this nonstop barbecue joint will be open for lunch this Christmas, serving up their famous platters of good ol’ fashioned Carolina BBQ.
I hope you can read my enthusiasm on the page, folks. Growing up eating at 12 Bones has given me a lifelong hunger for smoked meats that few restaurants can satiate. My go-to here is a platter of pulled pork with mac and pickled okra. If North Carolina had a state dish, I think it would be this.
But if you’re after something truly celebratory here, something big and bold for the Christmas season, I say you go for a full rack of ribs. Tender, flavorful, perfect for sharing, and frankly, a whole lot of work if you were going to make it at home.
This holiday season, let 12 Bones show you the barbecue way.
If you’re headed downtown this holiday season, to do some truly last-minute gift-shopping perhaps, or simply to catch up with some local friends, then Pack’s Tavern is the place for you.
This historic tavern sits on the southeastern corner of downtown’s eponymous Pack Square, smack-dab in the middle of the city, making it a perfect rendezvous point if you want to explore downtown.
Inside, you’ll find a warm atmosphere, local craft beers, and a kitchen serving not only hearty pub-fare, but wood-fired subs, fortifying pizzas, and even some dishes well-suited to a bona-fide Christmas meal.
Ribeyes, pot-roasts, bison meatloaf, grilled salmon, even chicken marsala. It's a cut above what you’d expect at your typical local bar, and that’s because Pack’s Tavern is so much more. They even provide gluten-free versions of most of the items on their menu.
This Christmas, Pack’s will be open until 9pm. If you like what you see here, come on back for a return visit for their New Year’s Eve dance party.
There’s something about the richness of a good Italian meal that pairs so exquisitely with the chill of the holiday season. You got the pasta, you got the garlic bread, all things meant to be shared, to be enjoyed with family. And then you got your wine pairing. That kicks it up a notch. Now you’re really in for a meal.
By all accounts, the number one spot in all of Asheville to get your Italian fix is Vinnie’s. Not only have they been voted best-in-the-game locally, but they have placed sixth in the entire country for Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award.
Now with all this clout, of course, comes a lot of hungry customers, and Vinnie’s doesn’t take reservations. They’re going to be open for dinner this Christmas from 4pm to 9pm. My advice: get there early and expect a wait.
But once you are set down, you’ll be treated to menu sheer-bursting with all your Italian favorites. Enough pasta to feed an army, or to carry one soul through the long cold of winter. That’s how I feel about it at least.
I think the real hot tip here though is to keep in mind their catering service. Not only does this give you more control over your Christmas meal, but it lets you host in the comfort of your own home. Or Airbnb. Or wherever you’re staying this holiday season.
Back on down to downtown Asheville, I’m keeping Huli Sue’s in mind this holiday season for two prime reasons. One, their location in the historic Grove Arcade situates them perfectly for an afternoon stroll through downtown’s finest indoor shopping center. And two, I just love some Hawaiian barbecue.
Pork katsu’s my favorite, of course, but I’ve been known to dabble in their poke bowls and Hawaiian-style chicken on occasion. Throw in maitai and you’ve got yourself a downright tropical getaway, which may seem a little unexpected in the depths of the holiday season, but I welcome it as a breath of fresh air.
This Christmas, they’ll be open from noon to 8pm, offering lunch and dinner. As my final suggestion, I recommend winding down your vacation-within-a-vacation here with a slice of their pineapple upside-down cake, or banana cream pie.
Chai Pani’s long been one of Asheville’s most outstanding restaurants, even winning a James Beard Award in 2022. Ever since they moved to their new-and-improved South Slope location, things out here have only been getting better and better.
This holiday season, you can bet they’re going to be busy for lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve. And for dang good reason.
Their festive décor makes for a uniquely celebratory ambience, and in all my time coming here the service has been supreme. And as of my last visit, they were serving a hot bar lunch, and they were considering keeping it a permanent fixture.
I sure hope they do. All you-can-eat Indian food, cooked up by one of the best Indian restaurants in the southeast, all at a fair price? That's a killer holiday dining experience if I ever heard of one.
Round out your meal with a cup of hot chai, and I imagine your visit here in Asheville this holiday season will be one for the books.
Like many of Asheville’s hottest restaurants, they’re first-come, first-serve, no reservations. Get here early folks.
Businesses Mentioned
12 Bones (South)
(828)-687-1395
2350 Hendersonville Rd, Arden, NC 28704
Pack's Tavern
(828)-225-6944
20 S Spruce St, Asheville, NC 28801
Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian (North)
(828)-253-1077
641 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian (South)
(828)-630-8100
1981 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
Huli Sue's BBQ and Grill
(828)-505-0397
1 Page Ave Suite 150, Asheville, NC 28801
Chai Pani
(828)-254-4003
32 Banks Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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