Where to Eat in North Asheville—A Local’s Perspective
Carrying on from my previous article: north Asheville. This area's frequently overlooked in favor of the many (admittedly) great restaurants downtown, and that’s a shame. North Asheville is host to some of the most iconic local restaurants, interspersed throughout historic Montford Park and the Grove Park Inn.
So without further ado, why don’t we continue our culinary tour of my hometown, and take on some of the best places to eat in north Asheville.
The original, the OG. Even though they opened up a second location closer to my neck of the woods a few years back, from time to time I still like to make a pilgrimage up to this classic Italian joint, just off Merimmon Avenue on one of north Asheville’s main drags.
Like the south Asheville Vinnie’s, I often find myself at their first location for special occasions. Birthdays, Wednesdays, and the like. Good service, great atmosphere, and platter upon platter of irresistible pasta.
Typically, I’m a baked ziti kind of guy. If I’m feeling the call of high-efficiency proteins, then you’ll find me with a plate of the chicken marsala. But no matter what you order, I always find it best to share. Family style, baby.
The secret’s certainly out on this one, so I recommend saving a dinner here for a weeknight, to avoid their busier weekend hours. Perhaps you too will see why they’ve repeatedly been voted “Best Italian in Asheville.”
Hours: 4:30pm to 9pm. Open until 9:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Closes at 8:30pm on Wednesdays.
Here we have one of the more unique restaurants in Asheville, blending Caribbean dishes with sophisticated ingredients and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. This combination’s proven to be a hit with locals and visitors alike, so over the years, as Asheville’s grown, Nine Mile has grown with it, opening locations in the west and south.
Like Vinnie’s, sometimes I like to mix up my schedule by paying homage to the original. My order, however, typically stays the same. The Back-A-Yard bowl with grilled jerk chicken, black beans, grilled zucchini, and fried plantains, all over a bed of rice.
Nine Mile’s menu is chock full of dishes like these: nutritious, heart-warming, sure to put some energy back in you after a long day of exploring Asheville.
Hours: 4pm to 9pm, daily.
Featured way back on my tour of the best tacos in Asheville, the Taco Temple off Charlotte Street, just five minutes north of downtown, remains a true local favorite, serving best-in-class tacos morning and night.
Authentically served on handmade corn tortillas, here they pride themselves on no-fuss service at a fast pace, even serving their famed breakfast tacos via drive-thru.
My go-to’s are the al pastor and toluca, but truth be told, I’m often tempted by their tortas. In my opinion, the humble torta is one of the most criminally underrated representatives of Mexican cuisine, and here at the Taco Temple they do it right: crisp bread, mouth-watering filling, and a healthy supply of savory chipotle mayo.
Hours: 9am to 9pm, Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays.
This Latin bistro is one of north Asheville’s true hidden gems, little known outside of local circles. Located off Merrimon Avenue amidst a strip-mall parking lot, many of the uninitiated may just drive on past, and so miss a lovely oasis of cultured fare, charming décor, and a fusion of sophistication and folk-meals the likes of which you seldom find anywhere else.
Where else, I ask you, can you find salad nicoise side-by-side with Catalan sausage, outstanding crepes, and chicken-mole tamales? This is a rhetorical question: in Asheville at least, there’s nowhere else.
At Cecilia's, you've got yourself both some of the best French food, and best Latin food in Asheville. And if that alone doesn’t lure you in, I don’t know what will.
Hours: 11am to 3pm, and 5pm to 8:30pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Open from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Closed Mondays.
And now, to cap off our list, I’d like to serve yet another suggestion for one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Asheville. Zen has long been my first pick for raw fish, and the stakes being what they are, you must understand that I fully trust them with my life, limb, and taste buds.
A quiet dinner starting with green tea, perhaps an appetizer, two rolls (chosen at random), and I am more than satisfied. Yet another restaurant perfect for special occasions, Zen’s soothing atmosphere and inventive specialty rolls have long ago cemented this place as one of my favorite spots not just in north Asheville, but in Asheville as a whole.
For dessert, I typically like to pay a visit just downstairs at the Hop, where you’ll find some truly memorable local ice cream, serving every flavor you can think of, and then some.
Hours: 11am to 3:15pm and 4:30pm to 10pm, daily.
Businesses Mentioned
Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian
(828)-253-1077
641 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
Nine Mile
(828)-505-3121
233 Montford Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Taco Temple
(828)-255-8098
132 Charlotte St, Asheville, NC 28801
Cecilia's Kitchen
(888)-434-7810
870 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
Zen Sushi
(828)-225-6033
640 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
