This article highlights the best restaurants in Brevard, NC. It covers the entire city, various cuisines and a range of budgets.
These Brevard, NC restaurants are our most recommended eateries in the area. You’ll find that this list includes something for everyone, as well as details like ambiance and what to order.
What You’ll Find In This Article
This article highlights the best restaurants in Brevard, NC. Don’t miss our other Brevard guides, like things to do in Brevard, where to brunch and where to stay.
Where To Dine In Brevard, NC
Below is a map of the restaurants highlighted in our guide. As you’ll see, most of the restaurants are pretty close to one another. After all, Brevard is quite small!
You can also view our web story on Brevard restaurants for a quick glance at some of the top restaurants in the area.
Brevard’s Best Restaurants
Charming restaurant in Brevard with outdoor seating
The Square Root is one of the best restaurants in Brevard, NC. It’s tucked away downtown off Main Street and has a casual upscale feel. They serve the same menu from 11am to 9pm Tuesday-Saturday.
Square Root’s interior is charming, with brick walls and high ceilings. They also have covered outdoor seating along the side of the building. It’s great for both a date night and an outdoor lunch in Brevard.
While everything on their menu is delicious, our top pick at Square Root (and the crowd favorite!) is their NC Mountain Trout entree. The local crawfish-stuffed trout is topped with a lobster mornay sauce and served with pimento cheese grits and braised collards. It is as good as it sounds!
The mustard-marinated cedar plank salmon is also delicious! And if you aren’t in the mood for seafood, try their coriander-crusted hanger steak. For a great appetizer, try the wok-fried Brussels sprouts and the fried green tomatoes. They also typically have a surf and turf offering.
Authentic Mexican food with an upscale feel
Quixote Fine Cuisine is an upscale restaurant in Brevard, NC serving traditional Mexican fare. Their recipes are delicious, the ingredients are fresh and service is top-notch.
Start with the guacamole or salsa appetizer while you peruse the menu. If dining with a group, try both!
As far as entrees go, we love the molcajete (served in a hot stone bowl), the carnitas, and the chicken enchilada. They also have osso bucco on the menu.
If dining with younger ones, you’ll be happy to know that Quixote has a kids’ menu with everything from a quesadilla to a hamburger. The outdoor patio offers a great place to dine with kids because it offers ample opportunity for people-watching. Some of it is heated in the colder months, too.
Great breakfast + lunch spot with outdoor seating
As the name suggests, Morning Social is a great spot for brunch in Brevard. Their menu includes omelets, french toast, pancakes, egg sandwiches, a potato hash skillet and a delicious grits bowl.
In addition to breakfast, Morning Social also has a lunch menu. Their lunch offerings include a few burgers, a Reuben, grilled cheese and even salmon toast.
Morning Social has beer on tap (including a flight!) and a great list of breakfast cocktails.
Morning Social is located in the Lumber District, which is a small part of town with a few shops, restaurants and a music venue. It’s also home to two of Brevard’s breweries.
Speaking of the Lumber District, make sure to check out Underground Salvage Co. It’s an antique shop in Brevard with a great selection of architectural salvage. They also have a selection of used books, records, art and more. Perusing Underground Salvage Co is one of our favorite things to do in Brevard.
Pastries, sandwiches, wood-fired pizza in a casual setting
To say we enjoy Pisgah Bakehouse is an understatement. We are obsessed! It’s a sister spot to Flat Rock Village Bakery, so if you are familiar then you can already imagine how great it is.
Everything is made from scratch at Pisgah Bakehouse, including their morning pastries and the dough for the pizza.
Speaking of the pizza, their wood-fired pizza steals the show for both lunch and dinner. We recommend their wild mushroom pizza if you’re a fungi fan! Their classic margarita pizza is also great. Pisgah Bakehouse has gluten-free pizza dough available.
If you’re there for breakfast, grab a pastry and a cup of Cooperative Coffee or an espresso drink. There’s outdoor seating when the weather is nice and it’s not far from the Brevard Bike Trail.
Trendy new restaurant in downtown Brevard
Smokey Sunrise is downtown Brevard’s newest restaurant. They opened in March 2024 and filled a few needs– first, they have brunch! And as we know, there are only a few brunch restaurants in Brevard.
And second, they are in the former Mayberry’s location. It’s great to see new life in the space (we were so bummed when Mayberry’s closed!)
Smokey Sunrise has both brunch and lunch menus. Brunch service begins at 8 and includes an omelet, hash bowl, avocado toast, shrimp & grits and a chicken + waffle.
Their lunch menu has sandwiches, fish & chips, a Smashburger and even salmon picatta!
We love the vibe of the space– they painted the walls a bit darker and it makes the antique ceiling tiles really stand out. It has the same feel as Cup & Saucer, which is just down the road.
Dry-aged steaks in a cozy Brevard haunt
If you are looking for an awesome steak in Brevard, our top recommendation is Vescovo Neighborhood Eatery. Their menu includes an 8oz filet, a 14oz NY strip and a luxurious 12oz tuxedo-crusted prime Delmonico.
Don’t expect white tablecloths, though. It’s cozy and makes for the perfect date night restaurant in Brevard.
Vescovo is located on King Street in the lumber district of Brevard.
Other Brevard Food Articles You May Enjoy
Upscale farm-to-table cuisine in a charming setting
Wild Morel is a farm-to-table restaurant with seasonal fare in Brevard, NC. Though their menu changes seasonally, it is always inspired by French and Italian cuisine.
To give you an idea of what to expect, their winter menu includes sauteed PEI mussels, spaghetti pomodoro, braised lamb shank and a grilled t-bone. They also host a weekly Sunday Supper from 4 to 7:30 with a special menu.
Wild Morel’s atmosphere is cozy and charming. It’s in a small cottage and has an upscale yet laidback feel with a wood-fired oven and a stone fireplace. There’s also a covered porch and terrace seating when the weather allows.
Thai restaurant in downtown Brevard with takeout
Love Eat Thai Kitchen is an excellent spot for Thai food in Brevard, NC. It’s located just a couple of blocks from the main shopping area, but it’s a quick and easy walk.
They have all of the classic Thai dishes you’d expect, from curry dishes to pad thai. What’s interesting, though, is that they also have pho and even a few Japanese offerings like teriyaki chicken.
The chicken satay and pad thai are both delicious, as well as the massaman curry and green curry. You can pick your spice level when ordering– they have everything from mild to Thai hot. There’s a medium, hot and very hot between those two levels.
Love Eat Thai offers online ordering. What’s really nice is that you can order for ASAP pickup or schedule in advance. It’s our top pick for takeout in Brevard.
Charming coffee shop in downtown Brevard
Cup & Saucer is our top recommendation if you are looking for a coffee shop in downtown Brevard, NC. It’s the perfect coffee shop to meet with friends, work remotely, or just enjoy a great drink. We especially love their wallpaper!
They have a great selection of in-house pastries, as well as heartier options like quiche and biscuits. They also have lunch options.
You’ll find a separate mercantile shop located just behind the coffee shop. You can even bring your coffee and enjoy it there if the coffee shop is full.
Small bakery in downtown Brevard
Bracken Mountain Bakery is our top pick for pastries in Brevard. We can’t get enough of their danishes (especially any with cheese!)
Bracken Mountain brews local Brown Bean Coffee Roasters and also has a variety of espresso drinks available.
They have a few tables inside and a couple on the sidewalk in front of the bakery, but for the most part, it’s a pastry box to-go kind of place.
International cuisine in a cute house on Main Street
The Bohemian Restaurant in downtown Brevard, NC offers a culinary tour of the world. Start in Italy with their arancini appetizer and end up in Mumbai with a chicken tikka masala dish.
What we love about The Bohemian is that their dishes are just the perfect amount of extra— for example, the fried green tomatoes is topped with bourbon-grilled onions and goat cheese. It’s served with sriracha and creme fresh.
Featuring dishes from around the world is a pretty interesting concept. Their entrees are all named after destinations, like their Istanbul (ground lamb kebab) and their Naples (lasagna).
The Bohemian Restaurant is newer to the Brevard dining scene, having opened in 2023. It’s in an old house on Main Street– if you’re familiar with the area, The Hobnob used to be located here.
Counter service American fare with excellent outdoor seating
Jordan Street Cafe is a counter-service restaurant in Brevard serving everything from pasta to burgers.
They have several seafood options on the menu, including blackened mahi, a tuna tower, a salmon wrap, and even fish & chips.
You’ll love their patio in the back. It offers excellent outdoor dining complete with mountain views (and is unexpected when you enter the cafe!)
Cash-only drive-in with burgers, milkshakes and loads of nostalgia
Cardinal Drive-In in Brevard offers a step back in time as the area’s only 1950s-style drive-in. Their burgers are a crowd-favorite menu item. They also have hot dogs, chili dogs, fried chicken, and even Texas toast sandwiches.
You’ll want to order a milkshake or malt shake before you leave. We recommend getting it with your cheeseburger for the ultimate meal!
They have a dining room as well as places where you can order from your car. If you dine in, you order using a phone at your table. It’s an especially fun experience for kids!
Cardinal Drive-In is cash-only, so come prepared!
Counter-service eatery with great breakfast
The Sunrise Cafe is an excellent lunch and breakfast restaurant in Brevard. It’s close to Brevard College and is a casual, counter-service eatery. It’s always pretty busy but they are quick!
Their breakfast menu includes sandwiches, burritos, build-your-own omelets, pancakes, and even a vegan ‘bliss brunch’ with tofu and black beans.
They also have bagels and a variety of cream cheese flavors. We love their asiago bagel with sundried tomato cream cheese!
For lunch, The Sunrise Cafe offers a few salads, deli sandwiches, and (my personal favorite) a club bagel. The trio salad plate is a great menu item if you aren’t feeling a sandwich. It comes with a scoop of chicken salad served on a bed of lettuce alongside pasta salad and potato salad.
Sunrise Cafe also has a ton of daily specials, with everything from quiche to tacos, sandwiches and salads.
Hot dogs, BBQ, burgers, and fried mac & cheese at this old-school eatery
If hot dogs are the key to your heart, you’ll love Corky’s Dawg House!
Corky’s has more than just hot dogs, but we’ll start there. After all, there are 18 options on the menu (one of which is a build-your-own, so the sky is truly the limit!) A personal favorite is the Chicago Dog with a steamed poppy seed bun and a pickle spear. The Carolina Dog with chili, slaw, and onions is also excellent.
If you aren’t feeling a hot dog, try a sandwich or even some BBQ. Their sandwich menu ranges from fried bologna to Italian beef and everything in between. It can get overwhelming!
And if that’s not enough, they also have over 10 options for burgers, as well as salads, fries, onion rings, tater tots, pretzels, and even fried mac & cheese. Oh, and milkshakes! I stand by my statement that it’s overwhelming. BUT! It’s all delicious, so no need for analysis paralysis. Just pick something that sounds great to you and enjoy!
Corky’s Dawg House is an order-at-the-counter restaurant with seating both inside and out. It’s an especially fun place to dine with kids in Brevard and we are certain there’s something on the menu for everyone.
Local diner with all-day breakfast and Greek fare
Brevard Diner is a classic old-school diner located near Brevard College. It’s an especially good option for breakfast in Brevard because it’s served all day!
You’ll find everything from a Belgian waffle to a Mexican omelet, eggs benedict, and even a Monte Cristo on the breakfast menu. They also have lunch and dinner, including burgers, lasagna and steak!
The most noteworthy thing about Brevard Diner is the Greek section of their lunch/dinner menu. It’s just so unexpected! The moussaka and pastitsio are both great, as well as a classic lamb gyro.
Brevard Diner is a local go-to and the service is as friendly as you’d imagine.
