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Zambra Restaurant
Zambra Restaurant

Zambra Restaurant Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.zambratapas.com
  • Phone: (828) 232-1060
  • Hours of Operation: Open for Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:30pm, Friday - Saturday: 5:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Tapas / Small Plates
  • Executive Chef: Adam Bannasch
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking Area, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Entertainment: Live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays beginning at 8PM.

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Haywood Street
  • Parking: Public Lot
  • Parking Details: We do not have our own lot but there are parking garages close by...
A word from Zambra Restaurant
Zambra is a gypsy dance of celebration, Arabic for 'flute', a wild bird, flamenco danced at a family gathering, a Moorish festival. Zambra is a group of talented people in Asheville, NC creating a feast for the senses. We create contemporary twists on the food of Spain and North Africa, and serve… hundreds of wines from the land of the sun, the Iberian peninsula and all over the world. Zambra is a tapas bar and restaurant in downtown Asheville!Continued
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerNotable Wine List
  • Diners' Choice WinnerRomantic
  • Diners' Choice WinnerMost Booked
Diner Reviews
  • "If you love food you've got to eat here. Four of us ordered 7 tapas and ALL were delicious. Especially loved the trout and lamb. Waitress was great, atmosphere is good. It is dark inside though so I'd recommend that the restaurant supply little lights at the table for reading the menu. Can't wait to visit Asheville again and return."
    Dined on 7/25/2014
  • "Went for dinner. Was really slow to get in the door, even with a reservation. Seemed short staffed. Once we got to a table, had good service, and food was good, but probably wouldn't say it was great. Had eggplant, mushrooms with too much viniagrette on it, and delicious scallops with a corn/tomatillo cream garnish. Their red sangria was too nutmeggy for me (for some reason they seemed to put nutmeg instead of cinnamon in it) but the summer sangria, with peach and watermelon was quite good. Waitress was very accommodating about letting us taste the sangria. Good, but none of it "wowed" me."
    Dined on 7/25/2014
  • "Our cocktail was a delicious blackberry-chipotle margarita. I recommend it! It was very tasty and a great way to start the meal. We ordered 3 tapas: baby arugula salad, pomegranate braised pork spring rolls, and grilled scallops. Dessert consisted of rich, pecan crusted bread pudding with caramel sauce. The food was skillfully prepared and the portions perfect for 2 people. The spacious dining room had a separate area for large parties, and seating was such that we could enjoy conversation. Romantic for couples, and very reasonably priced. One drawback- the street in front of the restaurant was rather dark and on a less traveled side street."
    Dined on 7/23/2014
  • "The food had great variety, and our waitress was extremely helpful in picking out dishes to try. The menu is extensive, with several unusual items, so it was very important to have a knowledgeable server. This was our first experience with Tapas -- I recommend this place to anyone looking for a wide array of choices."
    Dined on 7/22/2014
  • "While we were in Asheville we tried 2 different Tapas restaurants. Both were very good but Zambra won our vote for the best. Extensive list of varied choices to meet everyone in our parties tastes, wonderful Spanish wines and incredible ambiance. Even though it was a lovely night, we chose to sit inside after a full day of travel and I am glad we did because the decor was so wonderful. We will be back in Asheville many times over the next few years and will definitely come back!"
    Dined on 7/21/2014
  • "My husband and I always bring out of town guests here as it is a unique experience. We always love everything we order. Have always had a great experience here!"
    Dined on 7/19/2014
  • "Zambra never disappoints amazing food & drinks, great ambiance, superb service. Highly recommend this to anyone."
    Dined on 7/18/2014
  • "Definitely a place to go! Food was outstanding. Small plates so two of us ordered six total items and were super happy with everything. Our server Rachel was just excellent. Was there when we needed her but was gone when we didn't. Excellent evening and excellent restaurant. Will be back!"
    Dined on 7/17/2014
  • "Our server Lynn was attentive and really knew the menu. Started with the mixed green salad that had a mix of candied nuts and apples, the cheese made sure it wasn't too sweet. The pork spring rolls were crispy on the outside with a side sauce that highlighted the pork. The blackened scallops were our favorite! We also tried the shrimp with green fried tomatoes. While the flavors blended well, we were surprised the shrimp portion was not warm. No complaints,just surprised. The lamb with olives and lentils was also a must for any olive lover. Great unexpected pairings of flavors and textures. The room has a nice Turkish/Moraccan vibe. If lighting is an issue for your, request a table near the door."
    Dined on 7/17/2014
  • "IF WE ARE HELPING YOU OUT, WHY DO YOU REQUIRE 50 CHARACTERS?"
    Dined on 7/16/2014
  • "Seated at a table jammed up next to a support pillar; screaming infant a couple of tables away; so dark I couldn't read the menu; tiny portions and a very big price. Wine was good, server was lovely."
    Dined on 7/14/2014
  • "I've eaten at Zambra at least 4 times, and never had anything I didn't love! My partner and I shared sautéed chick peas. Braised pork cheeks, shrimp remoulade over fried green tomatoes, and house made chorizo, all of which were excellent. Our only complaint has always been that you need a flashlight to read the menu! A restaurant that is so dark always makes me wonder what they're hiding!"
    Dined on 7/14/2014
  • "Food and service as expected on our second visit. Unhappy with table."
    Dined on 7/13/2014
  • "Our dining experience past weekend was amazing. When we called the restaurant on the way, we thought we would be about 10 minutes later than our reservation--we were told it was no problem. We arrived and were still seated promptly. The hostess mentioned that she moved some things around so that we didn't feel rushed. Our server greeted us, made several wine and cocktail recommendations and was very helpful any time we had questions. We took every suggestion she made and they were all incredible. Food, service, and atmosphere were beyond what I could have hoped for. We will be back."
    Dined on 7/12/2014
  • "Unique place, great tapas, good wine and bar, all the food was very good, a little pricey if you are hungry since portions are small but good way to try many things"
    Dined on 7/12/2014
  • "We enjoyed sharing our tapas choices. We shared 6 and NEVER had a bad choice. The menu changes constantly making it a good choice for frequent visits. Sharing was fun for conversation too."
    Dined on 7/11/2014
  • "Exactly the type of dining experience I enjoy. The food was fresh, original, flavorful and skillfully prepared. We tried 7 different plates and found every one to be wonderful....a couple were just plain exciting. I am looking forward to my next visit."
    Dined on 7/8/2014
  • "I would expect that arriving in heaven, one would be seated at an exact replica of Zambras. Why wait until then when you can enjoy heaven on earth now."
    Dined on 7/8/2014
  • "Even on a busy holiday eveving, our service was prompt and excellent. The food was delicious, as always."
    Dined on 7/4/2014
  • "After living in Asheville for the past 18 months, I am a little disappointed that we just now discovered Zambra's. We will definitely put them on our go-to short list. Everything we ate was prepared and seasoned perfectly. (we love restaurants that do not provide salt and pepper on the table) Plate presentation was very appealing and the home-made Sangria was worth going in for seconds."
    Dined on 7/4/2014
  • "Light jazz playing, back corner table with extra cushions, extensive menu with more great choices than we had room for. Overall - excellent!"
    Dined on 6/28/2014
  • "Awesome place for a great romantic meal. The food is outstanding. I've always been impressed with the serive, food selection and attention to even the smallets of details. Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed- ever!"
    Dined on 6/28/2014
  • "I had to occasion to visit Zambra while I was in Ashville North Carolina. Zambra's is a great restaurant with many choices for Tapas. We ordered several items from the Tapas menu very pleased with each selection. This restaurant is definitely not to be missed if you find yourself in the Ashville area."
    Dined on 6/28/2014
  • "Zambra is solid at everything, but not exceptional at anything. It is a large restaurant so I imagine it can get noisy though when we went (6:30 on a Friday) it was fairly quiet. There are a number of vegan options including chickpeas and tofu, though several required modification of the menu items. Our server knew the menu well. There were no significant delays. As expected with a tapas restaurant, dishes came out at their own pace."
    Dined on 6/27/2014
  • "Excellent food with excellent service. We will return!"
    Dined on 6/27/2014
  • "How long had each little plate been sitting around?"
    Dined on 6/25/2014
  • "Consistently great food. Always have great specials"
    Dined on 6/23/2014
  • "We have been regulars to Asheville for over a decade and this was our first visit to Zambra. The food was extraordinary and the tappas style means that you can sample variety of different (delicious) dishes without getting filled up on just one plate. We highly recommend this outstanding restaurant."
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "Never eaten at Tapas type restaurant before but this was great. Like trying all of the appetizers you want. Prices very reasonable, incredible variety, and impossible to not find something you really liked. My wife and I were sharing each dish and we each picked three. Even the things I don't particularly like were great."
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "This is such a cozy spot for tapas and romance. Great feel and great menu."
    Dined on 6/14/2014
  • "Great small plates! A little dark though - you have to use your phone's flashlight to see. Or, they can bring you a light."
    Dined on 6/13/2014
  • "It's difficult to go wrong at Zambra--a lovely place with an imaginative menu. I'd suggest starting with the Pataras Bravas and both the baby arugula salad and mixed greens salad; these will take the edge off your hunger and allow you to savor the other small plates afterwards. The mixed sauteed mushrooms are always good, as are the pork spring rolls and the sesame crusted scallops. We've also always enjoyed any of the calamari dishes which might be on the ever-changing daily menu. Zambra's special cocktails are wonderful, but they always seem to be delivered several minutes after you've started eating."
    Dined on 6/8/2014
  • "We always go to Zambra when we get to Asheville. This time took friends from New Jersey who'd never been. Enjoyed the meal as always, but with a couple of disappointments. First, we all agreed that the "grilled" calamari was not good. It was cold, cut too big, and chewy - more like octopus. The greatest disappointment is that every dish seems to have three of the item... and we were a party of four. Since two couples would be a typical number, there should be four items to a dish (since we all share everything to get a taste of each). "
    Dined on 6/6/2014
  • "It's nice to have so many choices on the menu. The drink specials are always interesting. "
    Dined on 6/6/2014
  • "You all are fabulous. Our waiter was knowledgeable about your menu and made some great recommendations. Our hostess was also awesome!! Very friendly and kind. Thank you all for the great birthday memories :D"
    Dined on 6/3/2014
  • "We took our house guest to dinner on Sunday evening. We chose Zambra because of their varied and creative menu. We're never disappointed with choices. There's always a good wine list, creative, fresh salads; small plates as well as full dinners are offered. I enjoyed a small dish of scallops with grits. Our houseguest tried the calamari and said it was excellent!"
    Dined on 6/1/2014
  • "Zambra once with friends... awesome! Zambra 2nd time with family... awesomer! Great assortment of food and drink with nothing short of tasty!"
    Dined on 5/31/2014
  • "My daughter had recommended Zambra to me and was happy that she did! I was in town, participating in a senior tennis tournament ! I was pleasantly surprised with Zambra and will definitely return!"
    Dined on 5/30/2014
  • "My friend and I went there two days a go for dinner. Host was really nice we where late they hold the table for us. Food was good, the place is pretty very old Spanish decorations. Service very good aswell. "
    Dined on 5/29/2014
  • "We've eaten here several times and it has been just delish each time....the food is really, really good with many unusual tastes among the more traditional fare."
    Dined on 5/28/2014
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Diners' Choice Awards
  • Asheville / W. North Carolina Winners
  • Romantic
  • Asheville Winners
  • Notable Wine List
  • Romantic
  • Most Booked
Learn more ›