4 Best Restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina

The lively crowds at this BBQ hot spot range from hippie potters to downtown suits—former president Barack Obama made 12 Bones his first stop on multiple trips to Asheville—who come for the ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, sweet vinegar slaw, and corn pudding. On a sunny day, grab a seat at the picnic tables outside and take in the murals that cover every wall in the vicinity.

Named after an early-maturing tomato variety, Early Girl Eatery is casually Southern, with a natural twist, as it partners with about two dozen local farms for its farm-to-table cuisine. Breakfast is served all day and includes stacks of multigrain pancakes with organic maple syrup, shrimp and grits, and sausage-and--sweet potato scramble. In 2018, the owners opened a second location at 444 Haywood Road in West Asheville.

This informal neighborhood spot in Montford serves what it bills as Jamaican food, although the not-too-spicy jerk dishes are served in bowls over linguine or basmati rice. Tofu can be substituted for any meat, and many of the ingredients are from local organic farms. (If you like more heat, ask for the Rasta Fyah hot sauce.) Wine, beer, organic coffees and teas, and Cheerwine, a North Carolina soft drink with a cherry flavor, are among beverage offerings. Nine Mile has a second location in West Asheville.

Sunny Point serves food that's simple, well prepared, and not too expensive. Herbs and some veggies come from the restaurant's organic garden next door. Don't pass up the shrimp and grits or meat loaf (regular or vegetarian) with buttermilk mashed potatoes and sautéed greens.