Neng’s is a queer-owned restaurant that packs in a ton of bright colors and tenderness—think emerald-tiled walls, a Christmas-red countertop bar, and a massive painting of the chef’s mother—into its stylish 17-seat dining room. The menu features heartfelt notes from the chef, whose food often blurs the lines between Filipinx and Southern cuisine, fine dining, and home cooking. A few staples include the adobo oyster, monkfish laing, and the funky, unforgettable queso ice cream.

This cozy wine bar delivers food that tastes as beautiful as it looks, with vegetable-centric small plates and housemade pasta dishes that arrive topped with edible flowers, fresh herbs, and pollen. Other, meatier menu hits include the smoked honey and bacon deviled eggs, steak tartare, and a cubano that comes on a baguette. Located in an artfully-renovated, historic cinderblock building, Leo’s also has a covered patio and garden lined with twinkly lights and wooden walls of ivy.

You’ll find moon-like orbs hanging from the ceiling and edible mushrooms growing on the walls at this New American restaurant. Once you peel your eyes away from the plants and stunning interior—where, yes, you can eat inside a giant wine barrel—you’ll find an excellent menu. Try to come on a Friday or Saturday for the six-course chef’s tasting menu, which is heavy on ferments, as well as dishes inspired by local chefs.

If Julia Child cooked like a Southern belle, the result would be something like Vivian. In practice, that means rich dishes like the Nordic deviled eggs, smoked oysters, crab dip, and scallop quenelle, making this cerulean-blue dining room the perfect bet for a romantic dinner. There are also less buttery options. Local produce and Carolina-caught seafood really shine in the salade de saison, the seasonal crudo dish, and the seared tilefish that’s always on the menu.

High-end tapas spot Cúrate was one of the restaurants that put Asheville’s food scene on the map when it opened in 2011. This retrofitted 1920s bus depot has a magnificent marble bar and open kitchen where you can watch dishes like gambas al ajillo, fried eggplant, and rossejat get prepared in real-time. If you can’t manage a reservation (they’re notoriously difficult) or are dining with a larger group, head around the corner to La Bodega, Cúrate’s new all-day pintxo and wine bar.

Retro lighting, a long beer and wine selection, and a relaxed, minimalist atmosphere make All Souls the perfect place to come with a group or for a casual dinner date after spending the day floating down the French Broad River. Even if you’re one of those people who regularly toss aside their crust—which we’ll never understand—we bet you’ll end up devouring every edge of this springy sourdough, which gets its tang from heirloom wheat that’s milled into flour on-site.

If you’re somebody who binge-watched Stanley Tucci trot around Italy, there’s a high probability you’ll love this spot. The dining room feels romantic, with warm orange lights, exposed brick walls, and intimate seating options. The menu focuses on multi-regional Italian food with Appalachian ingredients, combining Sicilian, anchovy-punched pasta dishes and heartier platters of roasted meats and ragu. Cucina’s real star is the wood-fired oven, which churns out whole branzino and roast chicken.

This dive bar-meets-fine-dining establishment feels like it’s run by a pirate who's seen every episode of Bar Rescue. The menu toes the line between one you might find at a white tablecloth steakhouse and a New American spot. They nail classics like beef tartare and seared scallops, but it’s the dishes like the pork belly funnel cake, bonito sake mussels, and off-the-wall salads that really make the restaurant fun.

The lines at this brunch spot are absurd, but Sunny Point’s garden courtyard and picnic tables turn the wait into an event of its own. You should occupy yourself with generously-poured mimosas and baked goods like scones, biscuits, and muffins. By the time you’re seated, we can’t promise you’ll be the same person you were when you arrived, but Southern farm-to-table staples like the fried chicken biscuit, carrot hotcakes, and pecan-crusted fried green tomato sandwich will make you new again.

These tacos, which get stuffed with everything from chipotle-stewed tinga to ground beef, always hit the mark. That’s especially true if you visited one too many breweries the night before and need something to help ease the pain. As far as breakfast goes, the jalapeño and fried tortilla-spiked migas are a hit, and you can never go wrong with the Mama’s Favorite: a sausage, egg, spinach, sweet potato, and goat cheese option wrapped in a plantain tortilla.

This Asheville classic has dished out enormous cathead biscuits for nearly a decade and has two other locations in town. For a classic Southern joint that mainly serves biscuits, gravy, and breakfast sides like grits and fried green tomatoes, the many vegan and gluten-free options also hold their own. There are five different gravies including fried chicken and sweet potato coconut, plus a seasonally-inspired jam and butter bar that may be the most thrilling part of the meal.

This super casual, walk-up joint has just six entrees, an “all or nothing” substitution rule, and a spare rotation of specials. Really, though, just order the cheeseburger and fries. The burger, held together by a potato bun, is the perfect combination of grease, melted cheese, and tangy sauce, and the fries come with a delicious aioli. If you must deviate from our instructions, the lobster roll and vada pav are both stellar options.

The baby back ribs from 12 Bones check all the boxes—they’re tender, crispy, and caramelized—but they also add something new to the mix: wildly creative flavors. Rather than sticking to the typical vinegar-based Eastern barbecue sauce or tomato-based Lexington style, 12 Bones instead chooses a third option: sauces made with blueberry-chipotle, Cheerwine, and pineapple habanero. While ribs are the star dish, you can also get beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey, and chicken.

As you make your way out to Sand Hill Kitchen, the road becomes abruptly rural, with rolling farmland, winding roads, and the Blue Ridge Mountains emerging every now and then. Eventually, you’ll hit a BP gas station on the outskirts of West Asheville, which is exactly where you’ll find Sand Hill Kitchen and the best fried chicken in town. As spiritual as the crispy, buttermilk-soaked chicken sandwich tastes, it’s certainly not this breakfast and lunch spot’s only claim to fame.

Since 2002, this vegan soul food restaurant has been a cornerstone of the independent storefronts found on downtown Asheville’s Lexington Avenue. Its patio, framed with a floor-length curtain of macrame plant holders, is the perfect spot to catch live music and street performances from the wild cast of singer-songwriters and street performers who hang out downtown. A few standouts of the menu are the cast-iron cornbread served with gravy-smothered kale and the peanut-butter-baked tofu.