See where to get the best lunch in Asheville, including our local favorites like Haywood Common, La Rumba, Taqueria Munoz, Mother Ocean, and Wild Ginger.
Because of our work hours, Tom and I eat out for lunch more than any other meal in Asheville. No complaints here: there are so many delicious spots for Pho, sushi, tacos, sandwiches, Thai food, burgers, and salads. In fact, I struggled to narrow down this list.
📸 As Asheville residents since 2019, all photos are our own of what we order and enjoy. Don’t miss our best of Asheville eats foodie guide, too. Dinner is only hours away. 💙 Christine of Uncorked Asheville
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Haywood Common – Best Outdoor Seating With Tater Tots Galore
The West Asheville restaurants promise a delicious variety of lunch options, including The Smokin’ Onion, Botiwalla, and Sunny Point Cafe.
Tom and I especially enjoy and recommend Haywood Common for their sandwiches, poke bowls, burgers, and salads. We order far too many tater tots…but can never stop. Haywood Common also makes the best craft cocktails and coffee drinks.
Sit on the shared patio with The Whale. The Whale has a unique selection of beers, wine, meads, and cider.
Of all the restaurants showcased on this list, Haywood Common is a healthy, local, and fast choice.
Plan Your Magical Adventure: Our Free Asheville Guide + Bucket List
La Rumba Restaurant Latino – Delicious Mexican Cuisine Everyone Loves
If you find yourself near the Asheville Mall, you cannot go wrong with lunch at La Rumba. Think the best Southern Mexican food with the nicest staff, featuring tasty margaritas, grilled chicken, steak, nachos, ceviche, platters, tortas, toastados, fish dishes, and burritos.
La Rumba starts your meal with complimentary Mexican street corn, and uniquely, they have a large vegan menu. We love their tacos and taco salads with plantains and yucca. Give me anything with carnitas, please. This is also a great Asheville lunch restaurant for meet-ups with larger groups.
Grab Lunch With Us Around Asheville
🍔 Tom and I love going out for lunch after a morning hike or stroll around a gorgeous Western North Carolina lake. OK, and maybe after the gym, too… Watch our latest video showcasing more of our favorite lunch restaurants, including Zella’s Deli, Hail Mary, White Labs, Baby Bull, Typhoon Noodle, Murasaki, Rye Knot, and Mizu. 🥗
Wild Ginger Noodle Bar – Best Vietnamese Food & Pho
The best Vietnamese restaurant in Asheville, Wild Ginger Noodle Bar is a must for Pho and noodles. We’ve been eating here even before becoming NC residents.
Located in an unassuming strip mall in South Asheville, we appreciate their large portions, best Pho in town (I’m a meatball and/or brisket girl), bubble tea, and Banh Mi. We also recommend Wild Ginger’s rice vermicelli, spring rolls, and gluten-free pork chops with rice.
This is a casual dining experience with a large but busy parking lot.
See where else you can get soup, Pho, and ramen in Asheville, including Pho Real, Maguro, and Pulp & Sprout. We also have a complete guide to the best Asian food across the city.
Mother Ocean Seafood Market – Freshest Seafood Baskets & Sandwiches
If you love all things fried fish, Mother Ocean is it. They are all the rage in the foodie groups. Who doesn’t love MOM? Find anything from shrimp and oyster fish baskets to Po Boy sandwiches and lobster rolls.
While Tom and I order their fresh seafood to cook at home—scallops, salmon, and cod, to name a few—Mother Ocean Seafood Market quickly became one of our favorite North Asheville lunch spots for fish tacos (Tom) and fish and chips (me).
🍦 Afterwards, grab ice cream or bubble tea for dessert next door at The Hop or Pop Bubble Tea.
More great North Asheville restaurants for lunch include Zen Sushi, Rye Knot, Green Sage Cafe, Luella’s Bar-B-Que, Del Vecchios, and 828 Family Pizzeria.
Taqueria Munoz – Kitschy Delicious Tacos & Burritos
Hendersonville Road’s Taqueria Munoz (the street address matters) is an absolute gem for authentic Mexican cuisine. Order at the counter and grab a seat at this no-frills, simple, and kitschy cafe.
Tom and I crave their burritos and tacos, but they also serve quesadillas, tamales, tortas, and sopes. Go here for a quick and budget-friendly lunch in Asheville.
🌮 If tacos are your jam, I also recommend Ay Caramba, Taco Temple, and Papa’s & Beer. It’s impossible to choose.
Zella’s Deli – East Asheville’s NY-Style Deli For Mouthwatering Pastrami
This Italian-American New Englander has a favorite sandwich spot in Asheville: Zella’s Deli.
Located on the edge of Haw Creek—another terrific neighborhood that houses Filo Pastries, an extremely cool PennyCup location, and The Whale Outpost—Zella’s is a jam-packed restaurant for both lunch and dinner sure to make you (and your belly) smile.
I cannot say “no” to red booths and vintage posters paired with the friendliest service. I recommend their pastrami sandwich—it seems like the AVL Reddit threads agree—and Tom cannot resist Zella’s sausage and peppers. Their in-house baked goods are also a must, including the sweet vegan/GF macaroons.
🥪 Come Eat At Zella’s Deli With Us
There is only one way to show you how delicious Zella’s is… Look at Tom’s sausage and pepper sandwich. Insider Tip: Even though Zella’s is bustling at peak lunch hours, they have plentiful indoor and outdoor seating, plus a large shared parking lot.
All Day Darling – Montford Gem With A Quaint Patio
Open seven days a week, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner in lovely historic Montford with a great patio, All Day Darling is budget-friendly and extremely local with quick service. Order at the counter, and grab a seat inside or out.
Their lunch menu boasts anything from burgers and classic sandwiches—a Reuben or chicken salad—to warm kale and rice bowls, salads, and toast with spreads. For kid-friendly restaurants, they offer grilled cheese, burgers, rice and beans, or a chicken sandwich.
Gluten-Free & Vegan/Veggie Asheville:
🥖 All Day Darling has a dedicated gluten-free fryer and makes gluten-free bread, which our half-Celiac household appreciates. Discover more great GF restaurants. We also have a guide for vegan/vegetarian Asheville dining.
Wicked Weed BrewPub – Famous Asheville Craft Beer & Comfy Pub Grub
For first-time visitors, the best lunch in Asheville must involve the city’s famous craft beer scene. Wicked Weed Brewing is a “tourist attraction,” but we go often as locals and bring all of our visitors here.
I prefer anything like hummus with veggies, sandwiches, and juicy burgers. Larger seasonal entrees typically include steak, fish, and pork chops.
Along with their massive beer selection—they make one of my favorite seasonal Oktoberfests—select from cocktails and wine. This is one of my favorite spots to sit outside and people-watch. It’s also perfectly located if you are staying Downtown or are boutique shopping.
Apollo Flame Bistro – Our Casual Greek Go-To For Subs Before Or After That Hike
Apollo Flame is one of those places you love or, like just a few of our Uncorked Travelers, don’t. You know I love them so much; sorry, not sorry.
Our go-to for tuna and Italian subs, huge salads, pizza, and grape leaves, this Greek bistro is perfect for an NC Arboretum picnic or Blue Ridge Parkway hike (Brevard Rd. location).
Apollo Flame also has a sister restaurant, Bellagio Bistro, on the edge of North Asheville, Woodfin, and Weaverville, with the same menu and friendly service.
Both Bellagio Bistro and Apollo Flame are delicious casual Asheville lunch restaurants for budget-conscious diners looking for large portions or for family and meet-up small groups.
Hoping to bypass the crowds? Nearby Weaverville is filled with locals, fun things to do, and more delicious restaurants like Stoney Knob Cafe, Maggie B’s, Twisted Laurel, and Soba Sushi.
Chai Pani – Award-Winning Indian Street Food In A Beautiful Space
Chai Pani is one of the best Indian restaurants in Asheville, winning the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant. Samantha Brown dropped in to grab a bite to eat and chat with Chef Meherwan Irani for her PBS series, Places to Love.
We annihilate Chai Pani dishes like okra fries, corn bhel, and bhel puri. Their Downtown Asheville/South Slope location promises unforgettable eye candy. Try the Chef Series turmeric rice lager or a spicy AF cocktail for something unique to drink.
They also opened numerous Indian street grill-like cafes, Botiwalla, which are slightly more casual, usually less crowded, and great for a meal on the run.
Siam Thai Restaurant – Lesser-Known Thai Restaurant With Great Lunch Specials
I honestly went back and forth over which delicious Thai restaurant to showcase for this list. You cannot go wrong with Bee Thai Kitchen, Suwana’s, or Pad Thai Asheville.
Siam Thai Restaurant is a lesser-known, hidden gem in the North Asheville and Woodfin area. With the friendliest service and great lunch specials, go for classics like Pad Thai and Pad See Ew paired with spring and fresh rolls, soups, chicken satay, fried rice, and curry dishes. Look for their tip jar… I love it!
Guajiro Cuban Comfort Food – Authentic Cuban Food
You cannot go wrong with Guajiro Cuban Comfort Food. As of September 2026, they have rebuilt their Cotton Mill Studios brick-and-mortar restaurant, which Helene flooded—and noted that they will officially be leaving Hi-Wire Biltmore Village (as of Sept. 9, 2026).
Head here for all things authentic Cuban cuisine. Think Cuban sandwiches, roasted pork, fried plantains, yucca fries, and classic Cuban sodas. Tell them Uncorked Asheville says “hi!”
More Great Lunch Restaurants In Asheville
Every time I update this article, it is a basic “rewrite” because Tom and I have SO many favorite spots—and they are always changing. Just a few more great lunch restaurants around Asheville include:
- Red Ginger Dimsum & Tapas (Downtown) – Get the dumplings
- Jerusalem Garden Cafe (Downtown) – Falafels and grape leaves are my favorite in a colorful space
- Huli Sue’s BBQ (Downtown) – A delicious poke bowl and drink for me
- Bee Thai Kitchen (Downtown) – Love their budget-friendly lunch specials and Pad See Ew
- Pad Thai Asheville (Southwest Asheville/Asheville Outlets) – Kitschy local spot with delicious noodles and classic Pad Thai
- White Labs Brewing Co. (Downtown/North Asheville) – Love their craft beer and a salad topped with grilled chicken, pizza, or burgers
- Liberty House Cafe (North Asheville) – Local coffee shop and cafe in Asheville’s wellness district with casual bites and terrific outdoor seating
- Ultra Coffeebar (River Arts District) – Another local spot with healthy wraps and delicious coffee
- Pupuseria Patty (West Asheville) – Don’t let the location turn you off; delicious Salvadoran cuisine
- Corner Kitchen (Biltmore Village) – Brunch or lunch in a historic building near Biltmore Estate
- Stoney Knob Cafe (Weaverville) – With its eye-candy interior, devour lettuce wraps, burgers, grilled octopus, unique tacos, and more
- Maggie B’s (Weaverville) – My go-to wine bar for simple and healthy sandwiches
- 12 Bones Smokehouse (South Asheville/Arden) – One of the best BBQ joints in Asheville, and they serve craft beer
- Post 25 Kitchen & Lounge (South Asheville/Arden) – Lesser-known with tourists, these guys are great for sandwiches and all things low-key tavern
- Murasaki Asheville (South Asheville/Arden) – One of my top sushi restaurants in the city
- Hail Mary (River Arts District) – A retro West Asheville burger bar that showcases what this hipster city is all about
- Typhoon Noodle (South Asheville) – Szechuan cuisine with delicious rice, noodles, and my favorite: bubble tea