This article shares the list of new restaurants in Asheville and those coming soon.
If you are looking for a running list of comings and goings, make sure to check our roundup of restaurant openings and closings in Asheville.
What You’ll Find In This Article
The Newest Restaurants In Asheville (2025)
Vortex Doughnuts reopened in February 2025. They closed following Hurricane Helene and had a change in ownership before reopening.
Flour Sandwich Shop opened in the former Bun Intended space in S&W Market in January 2025.
The Malvern reopened under new ownership ( the guys behind DayTrip!) in December 2024. The famous corn dog tower is on the menu!
Potential New Boyfriend opened in West Asheville in December 2024. It’s a dessert and listening bar open Wednesday through Sunday.
Mattie Lou’s Bakery opened in the former Geraldine’s Bakery space in November 2024.
*DayTrip was removed from this list after suffering catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene. The owners have since reopened the longtime West Asheville favorite The Malvern.
Botiwalla (Downtown) opened October 2024
Botiwalla is a counter-service Indian restaurant in downtown Asheville. It’s part of the Spicewalla portfolio along with crowd-favorite Chai Pani. In fact, this Botiwalla location is in the original Chai Pani space. Chai Pani outgrew the small downtown shop and relocated to South Slope in early 2024.
Botiwalla’s menu includes easy-to-eat bites like okra fries, vada pad and an Indo-Chinese cauliflower appetizer. Part of their menu is focused on flatbread rolls like a chicken tikka roll, paneer tikka roll and a lamb kofta roll.
You’ll also find a lamb burger on the menu. Grab a mango lassi or raspberry gin rickey slushie and enjoy the cool + casual atmosphere.
Botiwalla has a second location in West Asheville (and another in Charlotte!)
Boy Howdy opened August 2024
Boy Howdy is a burger spot coming soon to downtown Asheville’s DSSOLVR brewery. It was previously located in West Asheville’s DayTrip, but that location received catastrophic flood damage from Hurricane Helene.
Flour opened May 2024
Flour is a bakery and coffee shop in downtown Asheville’s S&W Market. They open at 7am and have an excellent menu of scratch-made biscuits. Try the bacon egg and cheese made with local Hickory Nut Gap bacon and Fontina cheese!
Flour has a full espresso menu and a darling brand! If you are visiting and want a souvenir, we recommend buying a Flour tote bag or hat.
Like all S&W vendors, Flour is counter service. One thing to note is that the main area is typically roped off in the mornings until the other vendors open. There are seats available right up front, though. Outdoor seating is also available on Patton Avenue.
All other S&W vendors are closed until 11:30 am, but Flour opens at 7 am every day (except Tuesdays.) Mikasa Criolla is the only exception, but they only offer weekend breakfast.
Luminosa opened May 2024
Luminosa is a modern Italian restaurant in Asheville. It’s located downtown in the historic Flat Iron Hotel. Their menu features housemade pasta, wood-fired pizzas, steaks, and vegetable-forward small plates.
What truly sets Luminosa apart is its focus on “hyperlocal” Italian cuisine with an Appalachian spin, highlighting local produce and meat. You’ll find Italian classics like rigatoni and beef carpaccio alongside unique creations like lemon pizza, weed salad, and country ham campanelle.
If you’re in the mood for a drink, Luminosa offers a wonderful selection of wines, local beer, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. The drinks continue after dinner with an impressive amaro list, plus elegant desserts like chocolate semifreddo and lemon olive-oil soft serve.
With a warm yet sophisticated atmosphere and central location, Luminosa is the perfect spot for a celebratory dinner or a casual date night in downtown Asheville.
Terra Nova Beer Co opened May 2024
Terra Nova Beer Co. is a brewery in Asheville with a taproom. It’s located in downtown Asheville’s South Slope District near The Orange Peel and Rabbit Rabbit (Terra Nova also operates a taproom in Swannanoa).
Terra Nova South Slope offers a fantastic beer selection with 19 beers on tap. You’ll find classic IPAs and lagers alongside unique options like Mango Moonbeam fruit beer.
Food is available from Mission Pizza, with a menu featuring Neapolitan-inspired pizza, Italian small plates, and desserts.
With plentiful outdoor seating, abundant potted plants, and unique moss walls, Terranova South Slope lives up to its slogan: “drink in nature.” It’s a great spot to grab a beer and a slice and enjoy the relaxing vibes in Asheville’s South Slope District.
Mission Pizza opened May 2024
Mission Pizza is a pizza restaurant in Asheville. It’s located inside of Terra Nova Beer Co. in downtown Asheville’s South Slope District. They offer Neapolitan-inspired pizza, Italian small plates, and desserts.
Mission Pizza’s menu is short and sweet, but doesn’t compromise on quality. The puffy-crusted wood-fired pies feature authentic Italian toppings like soppressata, marinara, and smoked olive oil. They also offer an excellent selection of small plates such as pork meatballs and Italian chopped salad.
Feeling indecisive? Leave your worries behind and order a Pizzaiolo’s Choice. Just let them know your sauce preference and they’ll take it from there!
Mission Pizza is the sister restaurant of Mission Pizza Napoletana in Winston-Salem, which is owned by James-Beard nominated chef Peyton Smith. They’ve partnered with Terra Nova to create this unique in-brewery location, so you’ll definitely want to grab a pint to go with your pie.
Cooperative Coffee Shop opened May 2024
Cooperative Coffee Shop is a coffee shop in Asheville by locally-loved Cooperative Coffee Roasters. It’s located in West Asheville near Hole Donuts, Taco Billy and Short Street Cakes.
Cooperative Coffee sells their whole beans in the shop and have a variety of drinks available daily, as well as provisions from Newstock Pantry.
The best part of their West Asheville coffee shop is the outdoor seating! They have two levels, one with several cafe tables and another with picnic tables and even a few hammocks.
Chai Pani moved to their new location in May 2024
Though it’s not new to Asheville, it’s worth calling out that Chai Pani recently moved from downtown to South Slope.
Their grand opening was on May 21, 2024.
Soprana Rooftop Cucina opened March 2024
Soprana Rooftop Cucina is a rooftop restaurant Asheville. It’s located downtown on the 7th floor of the Embassy Suites. Their menu offers wood-fired pizzas, fresh salads, and Italian-inspired snacks featuring local ingredients.
With crowd-pleasing pizzas like The Asheville (featuring local pepperoni and hot honey) alongside sophisticated snacks like castelvetrano olives with Meyer lemon and rosemary, you’re sure to find something for everyone.
Soprana offers an extensive beverage menu including local beer, wine, and zero-proof selections, but the true star of the show is their Italian-inspired cocktails. You’ll find classics like the negroni sbagliato and Hugo spritz alongside unique creations like the tiramisu martini
The best part of Soprana is the stunning mountain views. That’s not a knock on the food and drink — the views are just that good.
With gorgeous views, tasty pizza, elegant cocktails, and a casual yet chic vibe, Soprana is an ideal spot to enjoy the sunset in Asheville.
Good Hot Fish opened January 2024
Good Hot Fish is a counter service fish fry eatery in Asheville’s South Slope. This unique restaurant reimagines the spirit of the beloved Southern fish camp, honoring the region’s deep-rooted fishing traditions. Locally-sourced seafood takes center stage, sustainably caught by Carolina’s skilled fisherfolk.
The menu includes their signature good hot fish sandwich with NC catfish topped with a buttermilk tartar sauce and a trout bologna and cheese. You’ll also find classic fish sticks on the menu and a daily fish plate.
The Smokin’ Onion opened January 2024
The Smokin’ Onion is a vegan restaurant in Asheville that has absolutely amazing food. They are open for breakfast and lunch with a menu that is shockingly all plant-based.
Their breakfast menu includes a sweet potato waffle with buttermilk fried chick’n patty (with smoked brown butter + maple syrup!), a breakfast plate with an herbed scallion biscuit, a chicken biscuit and even a biscuit with oyster mushroom breakfast gravy.
For lunch, you’ll find burgers, a chicken sandwich, a gyro and a fried chick’n wrap. They also have amazing fried green tomatoes.
The Smokin’ Onion was first a food truck in Asheville. They took over The Trashy Vegan’s space in West Asheville in early 2024. You can also find them every Tuesday at New Belgium.
Bridge & Tunnel Coffee Cafe opened January 2024
Bridge & Tunnel Coffee is a coffee shop and roaster in Asheville, NC. Their coffee shop cafe is actually located on AB Tech’s campus, though it’s publicly accessible. You’ll find plenty of seating, a full espresso menu, nitro, smoothies and a plant-centric breakfast and lunch menu.
Bridge & Tunnel is known for their craft nitro cold brews. The have unique seasonal flavors and flake ice. It’s an experience!
Prior to opening their brick & mortar location, Bridge & Tunnel operated two food trucks around town. They continue to do so today and you can always find them at various markets and events.
Other New Asheville Restaurants
Below are a few spots that opened toward the end of 2023. They are still very new so we wanted to include them in this roundup of the latest Asheville restaurants.
Note: Rebel Burger first opened at the end of August 2023 out of a shared kitchen in East Asheville. They became the permanent food truck at Hi-Wire Biltmore Village in November 2023.
Rebel Burger opened August 2023
Rebel Burger is a permanent food truck at the Biltmore Village Hi-Wire Brewery. They have burgers, a cabbage-based abundance bowl and beef tallow fries on the menu. Their signature Rebel Burger is amazingly unique— imagine a classic American smash burger but with Adjika-spiced pickles, confit green onions and a Lahore spice blend. It’s so wildly good and different than anything else in town.
Bad Manners Coffee opened December 2023
Bad Manners Coffee is one of the newer coffee shops in Asheville. Their pink-walled brick & mortar shop opened in December 2023, though they previously operated as a coffee cart inside West Asheville’s Provisions Mercantile.
Permanently closed September 2024
Kota Kai opened December 2023
Kota Kai is a coffee shop in West Asheville, NC. It’s a charming shop with a few seats by the windows up front and additional seating in the back. You have to go through old telephone booth doors to get back there! This is also where the restrooms are located.
Note: Finch changed ownership in 2023 and reopened in November 2023 as “Finch Grocery.” The new shop has the same feel and several of the same products as the former Finch.
Finch Grocery opened November 2023
Finch is a local marketplace and lunch eatery in Biltmore Village. It’s a darling shop to stock up on wine, fancy packaged goods, gifts and more. They also have excellent homemade soups, salads, sandwiches and baked goods.
The Roof opened October 2023
The Roof is a rooftop bar located at The Radical hotel in the River Arts District. It’s the newest rooftop bar in Asheville and offers views over the French Broad River.
Asheville Restaurants Coming Soon (2024)
- Local baker Beth Kellerhals announced plans to open a biscuit shop in the River Arts District. Stay tuned to the Butter Punk Instagram for details on timing and the exact location.
- A new West Asheville dessert shop is in the works. The concept– called Potential New Boyfriend— is by the creative genius behind Gospel Ice Cream.
- Dripolator opened a fourth coffee shop in Asheville. Their other coffee shops are located in Black Mountain, Candler and South Asheville. The newest is in East Asheville on Tunnel Road.
- Wondering what will happen to the former Chai Pani location? Botiwalla is moving in! This will be the fourth Botiwalla location in the region. They have a location in Charlotte, another in Atlanta and their West Asheville shop opened in 2023. Botiwalla and Chai Pani are both in the Spicewalla portfolio.
- Haywood Famous, an authentic Cuban coffee shop, will open in spring 2024. It will be a late-night coffee shop catering to those seeking a sober nightlife.
- Gourmand is opening a brick and mortar in River Arts District.
- Black Cat Sandwich Company is opening a 20-24 seat restaurant at 375 Depot Street in River Arts District.
- Maguro sushi restaurant will open in downtown Asheville this fall.
Looking for more restaurant news? Make sure to check our roundup of Asheville restaurant openings and closings for the latest.
