Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Asheville / Western North Carolina

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Asheville / Western North Carolina? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Appalachia at The Lodge

5.0

5 (471)

$31 to $50

American

Lake Lure

About the restaurant

Appalachia Restaurant brings an upscale-casual experience to an intimate setting. With stunning views and a cuisine that offers an Appalachian flair, you will be immersed with the true spirit of Lake Lure.
Dinner at the restaurant begins at 4:30pm.
We bring the Appalachian heritage from the outdoors in while dining in front of the stunning 525 million year old mountains. Inside, outside, or bar room dining, you will have a gorgeous view of Lake Lure and the Appalachian mountains. Boats Slips are first come, first serve. Due to the small volume of tables, we cannot accept preferred table/view requests.
Dress Code: No swimwear or coverups, must have shoes.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 5 days ago

Excellent menu combined with a great view and cocktails.

Artisanal Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (1803)

$50 and over

American

Banner Elk

About the restaurant

Artisanal Restaurant is open seasonally from May-October end. Contemporary American Fine Dining in a rustic yet elegant environment. Innovative and progressive thinking in a farm to table approach, only working with the highest quality ingredients. This warm environment offers the best food and wine with excellent service. Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Private dining room adjacent to the wine cellar available for events. The only available menu is a pre-fix style, with 5-6 choices per course, $105/ guest plus a service fee. We do not offer a kids menu however kids prepared to order off our pre-fix menu are welcome. Our Dress Code is Business Casual. Collared shirts are required, jackets are preferred but not required for men. No shorts, distressed jeans, hoodies, hats, or sandals/flip flops. Please dress comfortably for the weather for outside seating. For our Allergy policy and menu choices, please go to artisanalnc.com

Top review

John

Dined 3 days ago

Always fantastic! We reserve every time we’re in Banner Elk

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Popular dish

Yellowfin Tuna Tartare

4.9

4.9 (3475)

$50 and over

American

Boone

About the restaurant

You haven't fully experienced the Blowing Rock, NC region until you've dined at The Gamekeeper. It's a true gourmet restaurant with an engaging blend of upscale elegance and mountain charm.

Famous for an evolving menu that blends the traditional with the exotic, The Gamekeeper features a selection of perfectly prepared game plus a range of continental and American entrees.

Acclaimed chef and owner Ken Gordon brings tremendous warmth and skill to the table treating you more as friends than guests. You'll experience a meal to remember that includes fine wines, decadent desserts, and a generous serving of personal attention. You'll leave happy and impressed with a desire to return soon!

Top review

becky

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Very nice meal and Tonya was great. We will go back!

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Daingerfields Dining Room at Westglow

4.9

4.9 (39)

$50 and over

American

Blowing Rock

About the restaurant

The elegant dining experience in the Manor at Westglow. Our dining room features original paintings by Elliott Daingerfield and a spectacular view of Grandfather Mountain. Enjoy a drink before your reservation in Elliott’s Bar, a fun piano lounge experience featuring our ever-growing wine collection.

Top review

Dan

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

A well-cooked and presented meal, a well-stocked bar and attentive service made for a special evening.

Oak Steakhouse - Highlands

4.9

4.9 (1817)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Highlands / Sapphire

About the restaurant

Skyline Lodge features Indigo Road Hospitality Group's Oak Steakhouse, a contemporary steakhouse restaurant. Oak's menu includes steakhouse classics with a modern flair, utilizing Certified Angus Beef and local ingredients. The steakhouse, designed by Skyline's interior design team, Mey & Co, seats up to 80 guests in an intimate and inviting dining room lined with luxurious leather banquettes, a custom floor-to-ceiling wine display, and three original working native granite stone fireplaces. Oak Steakhouse Highlands is sure to become a go-to for both Skyline Lodge guests and locals.

Top review

DawnaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Our dining experience was fantastic, from the meal selections, to the service, to the atmosphere. It was a bit loud for us, but we would definitely return multiple times if we lived in the area. We highly recommend Oak Steakhouse.

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Popular dish

Brussels Sprouts

Popular dish

Southern Caramel Cake

Popular dish

Venison Wellington

Luminosa

4.9

4.9 (530)

$30 and under

Italian

Asheville

About the restaurant

Where modern-Appalachian meets Italian-inspiration, Luminosa is bringing a hyperlocal lens to Italian cuisine, utilizing regional purveyors and local team member expertise to shape and curate the ever-evolving, seasonally driven offerings. Nestled within The Flat Iron Hotel, a historic boutique hotel in Asheville, North Carolina, Luminosa's carefully designed space radiates a welcoming tavern ambiance. Our culinary heart is a wood-burning oven, infusing a "touch of fire" into handmade pizzas, house-made pastas, and locally sourced vegetables. In homage to Asheville's renowned brewery scene, Luminosa's beverage program features local brews, including an exclusive collaboration, alongside a diverse selection of cocktails and wines.

Top review

VickiVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Haley was our server and she was really outstanding! The gnocchi and mortadella pizza was truly fantastic…..the local ingredients come through loudly. Such a gem in Asheville!

Ukiah

4.8

4.8 (1876)

$31 to $50

Asian

Asheville

About the restaurant

Welcome to Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse, where Japanese Soul Food meets American BBQ by James Beard Nominated Chef Michael Lewis. “Japanese Smokehouse” is defined as merging Japanese ingredients and flavors with American BBQ techniques, and everything in between.

Menu highlights include light and refreshing dishes such as Wagyu Tataki with house kimchee, yuzu kosho and savory soy or Tuna Takaki with fire roasted peppers + ponzu, to bolder flavors such as Smoked Pastrami Short Rib with toasted rye, fire roasted kimchi + yuzu pickles. We are currently open 7 days a week.

Please note, our dining room consists of booths, regular tables and high-tops. We will try our best to accommodate you at your prefer location, but sometimes it is not possible due to party size. Our outdoor tables can be requested but not guaranteed when booking on open table.

Top review

David

Dined 2 days ago

Great meal once again and great service from Mat and Jeremy at the bar

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Popular dish

Coconut Cake

Popular dish

Pork + Shitake Mushroom Gyoza

Popular dish

Japanese Sweet Potato

Rendezvous

4.8

4.8 (259)

$31 to $50

French

Asheville

About the restaurant

Dining at Rendezvous is a special experience. The quaint farmhouse feel, the upscale yet casual elegance, and the comfort of our thyme-honored French cuisine, are just a part of our appeal. You can find owner, Michel Baudouin, playing the age old game of Pétanque on our expansive outdoor courts, also available for your use if desired. And Chef Benjamin Anderson has perfected our famous Duck a L'Orange. Please join us for a warm and comfort-filled evening; choose Rendezvous for your next rendezvous!

Top review

bud

Dined 2 days ago

awesome, as always - food was delicious - and Carly was an excellent server. Rendezvous is our FAV restaurant, so we will be back soon.

The Restaurant at the Embers

4.7

4.7 (236)

$31 to $50

American

Blowing Rock

About the restaurant

Executive Chef Matthew Betlach inspired menu. Locally sourced farm to table experience keeping in mind seasonal options when at all possible. Served in the heart of the "Embers Hotel" fireside. Outdoor Terrace dining available seasonally.

Top review

Michael

Dined 6 days ago

Incredible restaurant, had dinner there twice and never disappointed. Everything was top notch and cordial. Awesome restaurant. I love it

The Silo Cookhouse at The Horse Shoe Farm

4.9

4.9 (553)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Hendersonville

About the restaurant

Farm to table food & drink on the majestic grounds of The Horse Shoe Farm! We believe in communal dining and intentional hospitality. Open 7 days a week! Breakfast 8-10a | Lunch 11:30-2:30pm | Dinner 5-8:30pm.

The Silo Bar is open Sunday to Wednesday from 12-9pm and Thursday to Saturday from 12-10pm. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a beverage, game room, bonfire and sweeping Mt. Pisgah views! Please make your reservation time at the time you would like to be seated for dinner. **GF/V/Kids Menu Options available upon request.

Top review

CathyVIP

Dined 2 days ago

The setting of Silo’s Cookhouse was delightful. Tables set under a canopy overlooking the white fences and lush hills of the farm with the Blue Ridge mountains as a backdrop. The staff were very friendly and attentive and our salads were fantastic! We would highly recommend this restaurant to family and friends!

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