Just south of downtown, South Slope is Asheville’s bustling “brewery district,” packed with craft breweries. While great beer is the main draw, South Slope also boasts a diverse food scene, including award-winning Indian fare, a fish fry eatery and a charming cafe.
This guide details the many restaurants you’ll find in the area and includes details on menu items, seating and more.
Where To Eat In South Slope
Indian restaurant in a dazzlingly cool space
Chai Pani is an absolute must-visit restaurant in Asheville. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in Asheville, serving ‘mind-blowing’ Indian food in a hip South Slope space.
The Butter Chicken Thali is one of our go-to dishes at Chai Pani. It includes basmati rice, daal, raita, masala slaw and papadums.
Other crowd favorites are their Matchstick Okra Fries and Crispy Masala Fish Roll.
They originally opened in downtown Asheville but moved to the former Buxton Hall BBQ space in May 2024.
Unique brews, outdoor seating and excellent food
Burial Beer is typically the first brewery we recommend in Asheville. It’s hands down one of the breweries in Asheville with food. And also just one of the best in general!
Their various beers all have really interesting names, well, except for their West Coast-style IPA Surf Wax. But generally, their beer is along the lines of ‘Cognitive Indifference Toward Something More Fulfilling’ or ‘All We Are Is Slow Decay.’ The packages are moody, and what’s inside is like nothing you’ve ever had.
But we’re here to talk about the food! They have an in-house kitchen with a great double cheeseburger. You’ll also find salads and bar bites like chicken wings. They have great outdoor seating when the weather allows, including a few rooftop tables.
Counter-service fried fish in a cool South Slope space
Good Hot Fish is a fish fry eatery that reimagines the spirit of the beloved Southern fish camp. It’s counter-service and has a casual atmosphere.
The star of the show is their namesake Good Hot Fish Sandwich. It is a cornmeal-encrusted fried catfish served on white bread. Don’t miss the buttermilk tartar sauce!
Pulled pork, mac & cheese and outdoor seating
Bear’s Smokehouse in South Slope is known for having some of the best BBQ in Asheville. Choose from pulled pork, pulled chicken, Texas kielbasa, burnt ends and more.
They have so many sides and some interesting entrees– like their Bear Attack (cornbread topped with mac + cheese and choice of meat.)
Bear’s even has smoked portobellos, smoked tempeh and Impossible meatloaf if you are less into the BBQ side of things.
Don’t miss their excellent outdoor seating area! Truly one of the best in Asheville.
Arepas + other Latin American-inspired dishes at a casual eatery
Little Chango is a casual Hispanic kitchen cooking up mounted arepas and other Latin American-inspired dishes in the heart of Asheville’s South Slope.
There’s limited seating inside, but you can sit outside, take it to go or enjoy it at the next-door Twin Leaf Brewery.
They are located just across from The Funkatorium and are open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.
A charming eatery with brunch fare, sourdough bread and a small wine market
Mother Bakery & Cafe is a charming cafe, wine shop, and marketplace in South Slope.
We love it as much for their morning offerings, like a French omelet or quiche, as we do for dinner (try the braised short rib sandwich!) They often have specials, and if you’re lucky, they’ll have pizza.
Not only are their various entrees amazing, but they also sell their sourdough bread at the shop. Their sourdough is the source of their origin (and the inspiration for their name). Try any of their focaccias or classic sourdough.
South Slope’s sour beer haven with great food
If you are after a casual and enjoyable meal in South Slope, look no further than Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium.
As the East Coast’s first sour beer-dedicated taproom, it offers a unique experience with a fantastic biergarten and a diverse food menu featuring appetizers, sandwiches, and pizza.
Beyond their extensive sour beer selection, you can also find their regular drafts, including the popular Pernicious IPA.
Pizza place in South Slope open late-night
If you are looking for a great slice of late-night pizza in South Slope, head to Pie.Zaa. This is their original spot and they just opened their second location in Charlotte.
Pie.Zaa is known for outrageously large pizza slices and whole pizzas. We aren’t exaggerating when we say that the pizza boxes barely fit through the door! Whole pizzas are 28″ each, over $40 and feed 5-7 adults.
Pizza flavors include a few classics like cheese, pepperoni and garden, as well as a monthly special.
Brewery + pizza place in South Slope
Asheville Brewing is a local brewery with pizza in Asheville’s South Slope. You can order either a whole pizza or by the slice with 3 toppings.
They have several signature pizzas on the menu, like the crowd-favorite Vanderbilt with pepperoni, sausage, red onion, green pepper and banana peppers.
They also have a ham + pineapple combo with coconut crust. And several options for vegan and gluten-free pizza.
Donut shop in South Slope with 2 types of dough + amazing coffee
We absolutely could not leave Vortex Doughnuts off this list of South Slope restaurants. While a donut shop may not be top of mind when you think of where to eat, this one shouldn’t be missed.
They have over 10 daily flavors in both yeast and cake dough. A few of the flavors are always on the menu and others are weekly specials.
If you see an apple fritter, get it! And also anything with cream cheese.
Coffee shop in South Slope with outdoor seating
File this under not a restaurant but should still be included in the South Slope food guide. Farewell is the area’s only coffee shop (and they also have wine!)
It’s a darling shop with a ton of natural light. They even open the garage-style window when it’s nice out.
As far as food goes, they have pastries and a small snacks menu with olives, candied nuts and olive oil + bread.
