Looking for the next new restaurant hitting 828's food scene? Check out these buzzy places to eat and drink in Asheville — plus, some spots coming soon. Keep tabs on this list to stay ahead of the culinary curve. And don't forget to bookmark it.

The Miyagi team poses after their first week of service. | Photo by Miyagi

September openings

Miyagi, 1435 Merrimon Ave. | Japanese

The team behind Murasaki and Maguro, two of our most upper-tier sushi joints, has opened a third restaurant on Merrimon.

Guajiro, 122 Riverside Drive, Studio 11 | Cuban

Guajiro has risen triumphant after endless hurricane-based hardship. They’ve opened the doors to their new brick + mortar at Cotton Mill Studios, and we are so lucky to have them. | Editor’s Pick — I love this place; even the beans have a depth of flavor that you won’t anywhere else.

High Five Coffee, 2000 Riverside Dr. | Coffee

More river resilience: High Five Coffee made it through Helene, and then a fire, to arrive here. Their new coffee trailer is open on Riverside and ready to serve.

A plate of spaghetti or long noodle pasta white sauce — The recipes at Nana's are inspired by founder Mike Bean's grandmother's recipes. | Photo by Carol Spagnuola

Nana's Neighborhood Italian at Finest, 794 Haywood Rd.

Finest is rolling up the daytime deli vibes for a Friday + Saturday dinner service, serving recipes inspired by founder/co-owner Mike Bean's grandmother. Head in there for a thoughtful wine program and red-sauce-joint classics like homemade Italian sausage, spaghetti, and chicken cacciatore.

Q-Hall, 81 Coxe Ave. | Sports Bar

Asheville’s first women’s sports bar has opened in the former Boomer’s Cigar Bar space downtown. Expect lots of screens + an upper outside deck.

Sisu Bread, 1463 Smokey Park Hwy. | Bakery

An artisanal Finnish-style bakery has opened its doors, selling sourdough loafs, Finnish pulla, cardamom buns, and more.

A homemade biscuit breakfast sandwich with broccolini, egg, and cheese, on a plate. — Flour's biscuit sandwiches are terrific, especially the broccolini, egg, and cheese. | Photo by AVLtoday

August openings

Flour, 40 Wall St. | Brunch

Flour has relocated from the S&W Building to a permanent space on Wall Street with an expanded menu. | Editor’s Pick — The biscuits here are amongst the best in Asheville.

Slava Cafe, 37 Wall St. | Ukrainian

Cabbage rolls + honey cakes and more are made from family recipes at this Ukrainian cafe/bakery.

Thunder Burgerz, 521 Haywood Road | Burgers

Thunder Burgerz has opened a second location in the former Taco Boy space in West Asheville.

Sunlight streams through the windows of a quiet wine bar with Greek art and tables and chairs. — Ontos Wine Bar is the perfect place for an afternoon drink. | Photo by Mackenzie Crosson

Ontos, 16 Allen St. | Wine
A Greek-style wine bar has opened in a cozy brick building in West Asheville. Order all the snacks they have.

July openings

LKN Cheesecakery, 6 Boston Way | Desserts
The Lake Norman-based bakery has expanded to Biltmore Village, bringing dozens of flavors of cheesecake, creme brule, cakes, and cannolis with them.

Ritrovo, 70 Westgate Pkwy. | Italian
The folks behind Gemelli have opened a double-fermented pizza concept in their former Westgate Shopping Center space.

Daymakers Slider Bar, 204 Whitson Ave. | American

Chef-driven sliders, wings, and bar snacks are available at the new bar in Swannanoa.

Momento House Cafe, 145 Charlotte Hwy Suite 60 | Coffee

This new Fairview hang is serving up coffee, tea, bagels, and sandwiches.

June openings

Affogato, 28 Hendersonville Rd. | Italian
The sister cafe to Gemelli is right next door to its new location, serving espresso, baked goods, gelato, and breakfast bites.

Nara Japanese Kitchen, 25 Fletcher Commercial Dr. | Japanese
The Japanese food truck is much needed around these parts, with izakaya grub like onigiri, tamagoyaki + karaage chicken.

A table filled with chinese food dishes and two arms reaching out to pick up food with chopsticks. — The housemade dumplings should be a must-order. | Photo by Brook Lyn White for Scheffer Group

May openings

Joyful Noise Listening Lounge & Kitchen, 37 Paynes Way | Small plates

Chef Josiah McGaughey, a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast 2023 and former co-owner of Vivian, is leading the culinary operation with a menu of European and Asian-inspired small plates.

Baba Nahm, 56 Patton Ave. | Mediterranean

Expect pita wraps, mezze, and hummus bowls from the newest vendor at the S&W Market.

The Majestic, 321 Merrimon Ave. | Chinese
The Scheffer Group (Jettie Rae’s Oyster House, Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, Gan Shan) has opened up a New York-style Chinese takeout spot. | Editor's Pick — The egg rolls are a must.

Sugar & Snow Gelato, 146 Roberts Ave. | Frozen treats

The gelato shop has returned to the RAD, this time inside The Wyre apartments.

The pho at PhoReal was indeed the real deal. | Photo by AVLtoday

Pho Real, 640 Merrimon Ave. | Vietnamese

Pho Real brings Vietnamese classics to North Asheville, like phở, bánh mì + fried rice.

El Tesoro, 24 Wall St. | Mexican

A big, warm Mexican spot has opened in the former Cucina24 space. You’re here for huge margaritas and some of the only fried fish tacos in Asheville.

April openings

Summit Coffee, 37 Paynes Way | Coffee

The coffee shop is back after its Foundy cafe was torn down by Helene. The new shop is located inside Joyful Noise and operates during the day.

A roast chicken in a bright yellow sauce with a charred lemon wedge — Roast chicken from Palmar with bright, vibrant saucework. | Photo by AVLtoday

Palmar Latin Kitchen, 5 Biltmore Ave. | Latin

Once daytime dining winds down at Brü, Palmar's Chef Carlos Torres gets to work on a small menu of contemporary, shareable South American dishes, like short rib empanadas, Peruvian white fish ceviche, and pandebonos.

Gemelli, 28 Hendersonville Rd. | Italian

The Italian restaurant moved from the Westgate shopping center to Biltmore Village, serving up freshly made pasta in a cozy new setting.

March openings

Earthling Coffee, 1110 Patton Ave. | Coffee

The space-themed coffee shop just touched down on Patton, bringing craft coffee, matcha, and energy drinks. Bonus: There's a drive-thru.

The Arbor Eatery, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way | Cafe

The NC Arboretum's cafe got a refresh, under new management by the founders of My Food Experience and French Broad Pastry, serving coffee and grab-and-go fare.

Wise Eatz, 144 Biltmore Ave. | Cafe

The health food cafe covers breakfast and lunch with smoothies, quiches, wraps, and soups.

February openings

Rhubarb, 7 SW Pack Sq. | Farm-to-table

Following founder and former chef John Fleer's retirement, former employees reopened the renowned Appalachian farm-to-table restaurant.

Le Parisien, 62 N. Lexington Ave. | French
Snag a reservation to dine on classic French dishes like tartiflette, steak au poivre, and rich chocolate mousse.

January openings

Ocha Thai, 1007 Smokey Park Hwy., Candler | Thai
Expect traditional dishes from this casual spot and a hearty $13 lunch special.

Sen Vietnamese Street Food, 89 Patton Ave. | Vietnamese
Warm up with a big bowl of pho, filled with rich broth, or opt for rice noodle bowls topped with grilled meats and fresh veggies.

December '25 openings

Bev's Steak, 117 Cherry St., Black Mountain | Steakhouse
This cozy, upscale spot is putting a creative Japanese twist on steakhouse classics.

Chorizo, 1 Page Ave. Suite 139 | Tapas
The longtime local favorite, which closed in 2016, is back to its old digs at Grove Arcade. Expect a fresh take on Spanish tapas and an array of Latin dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Hotel Eve, 56 N. Lexington Ave. | Cocktail bar
The speakeasy and jazz club is serving up standards and stiff cocktails, Wednesday-Saturday.

Scratch Ankle Fillin' Station, 811 Smokey Park Hwy., Candler | Pub
Grab a drink or pick up some beer and wine to-go at the casual pub across from the proposed Costco.

November '25 openings

MochaBox, 1050 Haywood Rd. | Coffee shop
The West Asheville shop specializes in Yemeni and other Middle Eastern coffee beverages. There's also a large food menu + late-night hours. We recommend the Turkish coffee, chai, and pistachio lattes.

Eggs Rancheros Kitchen, 224 Biltmore Ave. | Mexican-American
Dine on Mexican-inspired flavors for breakfast and lunch from the South Slope spot near McCormick Field.

XICO, 175 Biltmore Ave. | Upscale Mexican
Chef Scott Linquist has opened an upscale Mexican restaurant in South Slope.

Georgie's Bunker, 1141 Patton Ave. | Sports bar
"Sports bar" is very literal here — the main draw is the golf simulators, but this new spot also has a full bar and signature cocktail menu.

October '25 openings

Easy Tiger, 125 S. Lexington Ave. | Sports bar
The crew behind S&W Market’s Flour Cafe is raising the bar for game day. Just in time for football season, the team opened a classic sports bar with elevated pub grub (think fried chicken sandwiches, chopped salads, and fried shrooms) in the former Storm Rhum Bar space.

Jersey South Bagel Co., 5 Regent Park Blvd. | Bagels
Friday-Monday, you can pick up the fresh-baked and highly sought-after crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside bagels from a brick-and-mortar.

Posana, 264 Thetford Sq. | Contemporary America
You can find delicious gluten-free fare at the elevated neighborhood spot in Biltmore Park Town Square. It's the second location, joining the downtown restaurant.

La Pizza Party, 39 Banks Ave. | Pizza
The team behind some of Asheville's most popular Mexican restaurants is getting a slice of the action on the South Slope. The pizza and nightlife spot will celebrate its grand opening with a costume party on Halloween.

JAZMIN, 22 College St. | Pan-Asian
The latest restaurant from the owner of popular Indian restaurants Andaaz and Laila is now open in the former Mayfel's location. Flavors span Indonesia to Thailand, offering Tom Yum soup, Roti Canai, and Phuket-style noodles.

Mountain Madre, 791 Merrimon Ave. | Mexican
The Mexican kitchen added a new North Asheville location, serving up hearty dinners and Sunday brunch.

Saffron India Barrel House, 1459 Merrimon Ave. | Indian
Once a Woodfin dive, The Barrelhouse was taken over by new owners and is now a scrumptious Indian spot.

A chicken sandwich made with wood-fired bread on a plate with chips. — The chicken sandwich from Piccolina is garlicky and perfect. | Photo by AVLtoday

September '25 openings

Piccolina, 375 Depot St. | Italian
Located inside the Aura Arts building in the RAD, this New York Italian eatery has begun serving sandwiches, Neopolitan pizza, Italian ice, and more baked goods.

Sistas on Montford, 231 Montford Ave. | Soul food
Inside the Montford Convenience store, you'll find hearty dishes like barbecue beef ribs, turkey wings with dressing, and oxtail with gravy — plus, classic comforting sides like mac and cheese and collard greens. Check Facebook for weekly specials.

Periscope, 56 Patton Ave. | Cocktails, wine + pie
The new bar has taken over the upper level of the S&W Market. Another concept from The Times Bar owner, Periscope serves craft draft cocktails, natural + organic wines, and pie from New Stock Pantry.

Finest Deli, 794 Haywood Rd. | Breakfast + lunch
Order up. The new deli opened in the former home of Asheville Sandwich Company, focusing on affordable breakfast + lunch items. You can hit up the outdoor counter for bodega sandwiches and coffee early in the A.M.

Zella's Deli, 611 Tunnel Rd. | Sandwiches
Zella’s has made its comeback after the storm, moving in next to the Play It Again Sports on Tunnel Road. Check out the menu of stellar sandwiches, including 10 options under $10.

The Crowbar, 92 Patton Ave. | Casual bar
"Asheville's best flocking bar" took over the Thirsty Monk space, offering games, live music, and karaoke.

Coming Soon

The patio of the upcoming Gourmand restaurant, still under construction — Gourmand will open a rotisserie chicken restaurant with a focus on wine and spirits. | Photo by Gourmand

Gourmand, 425 Broadway St. | French

Big plates of chicken and crisp, cold glasses of wine are in our future when the French rotisserie's North Asheville location opens near the Reed Creek Greenway. | Editor’s Pick — I have been following Gourmand’s journey for years now and I’m just so excited for them to finally get here.

HopFly Brewing Co., 101 S Lexington Ave. | Brewery

The Charlotte-based brewery is aiming for a fall opening in the former Terra Nova Beer Co. spot on South Lexington Avenue.

piebird, 115 Hendersonville Rd. | American classics

Asheville will be one of the first places to welcome this new comfort food spot by DoubleTree by Hilton. Think chicken pot pie, biscuits and gravy, and of course, seasonal dessert pies.

Village Wayside Bar & Grille, 111 Grovewood Rd. | American

After Helene damaged the Biltmore Village restaurant, the team will make the move to the Grove Park neighborhood in late 2026.

Penny Black by Chemist Spirits, Biltmore Village | Cocktail bar

The South Slope staple will expand into Biltmore Village with a second location.

All Day Darling, 567 Fairview Rd. | Brunch

Montford’s immensely popular cafe by Jacob Sessoms of Table + Golden Hour will open a second location in Oakley.

London Road Pub, 3 London Rd. | Hockey Bar

Olde London Road is opening a sister bar devoted to Hockey, and will share the building with Anoche’s upcoming sister bar.

DiAnoche, 3 London Rd. | Coffee + Agave Bar

Agave paradise Anoche is opening a sister bar with coffee for the daytime in Biltmore Village, and will share the space with London Road Pub.

The Sassy Rose Tea Parlor, 62 Haywood St. | Tea

A new tea lounge will open downtown in the former Twisted Crepe space. Expect pastries + tea.

The Glendale Market, 24 Glendale Ave. | Food Hall

A massive food hall is planned for Glendale Ave, and will feature a commissary kitchen, a bar, a fresh market, and multiple vendors.

Abuela’s Little Kitchen, 1341 Patton Ave. | Mexican

Abuela’s Little Kitchen is expanding from Arden to West Asheville in the home of the former Barbecue Inn.

Sushi Kingdom, 48 Westgate Pkwy. | Sushi

An A-Y-C-E sushi bar is planned for the Westgate Shopping Center.

Sip & Brick, 81 Broadway St. | Coffee Shop + Bar

A bar and cafe where you can build LEGO is opening on Broadway downtown. Wilder here: This sounds like the best idea I’ve ever heard.

Paperhouse Pizza, 30 Lodge St. | Pizza

Sourdough pizza specialists Paperhouse Pizza are opening their first brick + mortar location, something owners Brittany Kroeyr-Brown and Matt Brown have long wanted.

Did we miss a hot new spot? Let us know so we can add it to this running list.