Hi friends! This is the first of hopefully many restaurant guides for Asheville. First up will be our favorite places, the ones we go to the most. Asheville has a ton of vegan friendly restaurants, but these are the ones that are consistently good and easy to recommend. If someone asks us where to eat, this is the list we send them.
Plant
Plant is still the top vegan restaurant in Asheville and one of the best anywhere. The menu stays pretty stable, which we like because the dishes they have are already excellent. The cheese plate is amazing. The raviolis are technically an appetizer, but we almost always order them as an entree. The crispy mushroom mole is rich and satisfying. The “actually crispy” potatoes really are actually crispy. If you are going with someone else, ordering the raviolis and the cheese plate and sharing both is the perfect combo. If you want a great dinner, this is the place.
Gypsy Queen Cuisine
Gypsy Queen is Lebanese comfort food and one of our long-time favorites with many vegan options. The vegan not lamb shawarma is a regular order for us and the vegan kafta plate is another really good one. The half cauliflower and half Brussels sprouts plate is delicious. If you want to try a little of everything, the mezze plates are perfect. They also make a house made vegan baklava, and if you see it, get it because it sells out. Sometimes they have vegan cookies or cake from Back Porch Bakery too.
The Smokin’ Onion
Smokin’ Onion started as a food truck and now has a permanent spot in West Asheville. They are open Friday through Monday from 12 to 8. It is one of the best 100% vegan comfort food spots in town. The breakfast plate is legit. The pancakes and French toast are the kind of thing you think about later in the day. They also make one of our favorite sandwiches in Asheville, the Town Gyro. You can get it at the restaurant or on Tuesdays when the food truck is at New Belgium Brewing, which is a fun place to hang out and a great way to enjoy the gyro.
White Labs Brewing Co.
White Labs is not a vegan restaurant, but their vegan pizza is genuinely great. The crust is excellent because they make it with the same ingredients they use for brewing beer, so it has that perfect crisp and chew. They also make their own vegan sausage for the pizza and that really puts it over the top. If you like a crisp crust, asking for it well done makes it even better. They also have a delicious white mushroom pizza (the “Funghi”) that they can veganize and the vegan Caesar salad is excellent too. Good beer and great pizza is an easy combination.
Mountain Juicery
Mountain Juicery is our go-to spot for vegan smoothies in South Asheville. (They also have a location up North too.) Everything tastes fresh and clean. Our favorites are the Cinna Bun and the Almond Butter Crunch. If you are heading to the airport or coming back from a hike in Pisgah, this is an easy stop and always hits the spot.
Pulp + Sprout
Pulp + Sprout is in North Asheville and they are owned by the same people who own Plant and you can feel that same attention to quality. Their mushroom banh mi is excellent and they usually have a few good vegan desserts in the case. They also have great fresh juices. If you want something sweet, check the dessert case first because the good ones go fast. Great smoothies and great 100% vegan food all around.
Chai Pani
Chai Pani is one of the most popular restaurants in Asheville. The food is creative and full of flavor. They do not take reservations, so unless you go at an off peak time, be prepared to wait. They have a number of vegan dishes, such as matchstick okra fries (our favorite), the bhel puri, and the vada tater tots. The atmosphere is lively and fun and they have won national awards, so it is definitely worth a visit. Going right when they open is the easiest way to avoid the line.
Nine Mile
Nine Mile is a Caribbean-inspired Asheville classic with several great vegan options. They have three locations in North, South, and West Asheville, so you are never too far from one. Our favorite dishes are the house salad with His Majesty’s dressing, the Irie Ites with tofu and the vegan pesto sauce, and the Meshach. The natty bread is vegan, and you should absolutely get it! They do not take reservations, so plan ahead if you are going during a busy time. Ordering extra natty bread is never a bad idea.
If you are visiting Asheville
If you are here for the first time, start with Smokin’ Onion for breakfast, Gypsy Queen for lunch, and Plant for dinner. If you want something quick and healthy, Mountain Juicery or Pulp + Sprout are always solid choices. If you want something lively and fun, Chai Pani is a great pick. If you want something comforting and filling, Nine Mile is perfect. Come back to veganAVL.com for more restaurant and food guides in the weeks and months ahead! Also, if you’re looking for more vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants, check out the veganAVL Food directory.
Restaurant map for our favorite AVL places
Here’s a map with all the restaurants from this list so you can plan your meals around town.
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