Just south of downtown Asheville lies South Slope, home to so many of Asheville’s breweries. There are so many breweries in South Slope that the area is often referred to as the brewery district.
While the craft brews undoubtedly take center stage, South Slope offers a delectable culinary scene with everything from mega pizza slices to a fish camp-inspired restaurant.
This guide to restaurants in South Slope goes beyond the hops, showcasing the diverse range of eateries that fuel South Slope’s energy. Dive into breweries boasting delicious food, unwind at a board game cafe with tasty treats, or indulge in heavenly donuts – the perfect pit stop between brewery visits.
Where To Eat In South Slope
Neighborhood maps are always helpful because you can see how close things are to each other. This is especially true for South Slope because it’s such a small area.
We combined this map of restaurants with local breweries– it’s a visual representation of why it’s Asheville’s brewery district!
Are you wondering why Buxton Hall BBQ isn’t on the list of South Slope restaurants? It closed in November 2023! Plans were announced to move Asheville Indian restaurant Chai Pani from downtown to the former Buxton Hall space. A second Asheville area Botiwalla will open where Chai Pani currently is.
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 opened in January 2024 and is one of Asheville’s newest restaurants. It’s counter-service and has a casual atmosphere.
The star of the show is their namesake Good Hot Fish Sandwich. It a cornmeal-encrusted fried catfish served on white bread. Don’t miss the buttermilk tartar sauce!
They also have fish sticks, a daily fish plate and a shrimp burger. And their trout bologna and cheese is a foodie favorite in town.
Good Hot Fish wasn’t born overnight. They honed their craft and built a loyal following through successful pop-up events throughout the area. Now, they’ve finally set down roots in their own permanent space, allowing them to share their unique take on Southern seafood with even more customers.
Pizza place in South Slope open late-night
If you are looking for a great slice of 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.
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.
Mother has a small wine market in their South Slope cafe, as well as in their original shop in the River Arts District. Their RAD location is just a retail shop for bread and wine. They don’t have a cafe menu there, though it still makes for a great stop. Get a slice of their chocolate babka!
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.
They used to just have a small food truck with limited outdoor seating, but now it feels like a whole complex. There’s plenty of seating and it’s a fun place to gather with friends.
Bear’s is definitely where we’d recommend if you were looking for where to eat during a bachelor party weekend in Asheville.
Trendy eatery with fun Sunday night dinner series
Cultura is a great restaurant in South Slope located next to Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium. It’s actually part of the Wicked Weed family.
Their menu features New American cuisine with a focus on culture-based foods.
They are only open a few days a week and have a pretty limited menu. It’s divided between small plates, medium plates and entrees. There are about 3 dishes in each category. They also have a few desserts available.
Cultura hosts its famous Cease and Desist dinners on Sunday nights. For these dinners, the team recreates the menu of chain restaurants but in an over-the-top, gourmet way. They have done Chick-fil-A, Outback, CookOut, McDonald’s and even Panda Express. The menu changes monthly and you can make reservations to secure a seat. Imagine a gourmet Bloomin’ Onion!
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 Tuesday to Saturday.
Table-service restaurant with elevated fare in a laidback spot
Storm Rhum is one of the few South Slope restaurants that isn’t located in the main area. But it’s not far either– just up the hill from Green Man Brewery. And once you are there, if you cross Hilliard Ave then you’ll be in the main downtown Asheville area.
Their menu features classic dishes with a unique twist. Think: crispy salmon skin with house pineapple ponzu and bok choy. Or a Wagyu meatloaf sandwich with fried mac & cheese.
Their classic smash burger is always an excellent choice. It comes with a house sauce and fries. The bison brisket tortellini is also a delicious option. House pasta stuffed with bison brisket and ricotta cheese, roasted baby carrots, caramelized pearl onions and bison broth.
Storm Rhum is an interesting concept because it’s open to all- they have everything from a kid’s menu and takeout to late-night fare for industry workers. Their late-night menu is available from 9:45 pm to 1 am and their bar is open to 2 am daily.
Brewery + pizza place in South Slope
Asheville Brewing is a local brewery with pizza in Asheville’s South Slope. You can either order 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.
Apart from pizza, you’ll find a ton of bar food appetizers, like wings, tater tots and a pretzel with cheese.
Asheville Brewing has both indoor and outdoor seating and tons of beer on tap.
Sour-heavy brewery with an in-house kitchen
Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium specializes in small-batch sours and funky beer. With 20 on tap, it’s a wonderworld for sour lovers.
They also have a selection of traditional beers on tap at the Funkatorium as well as signature flights.
Their food menu includes a few handhelds, like a burger, burrito and an Italian sausage sandwich. They also have several snacks that are great for sharing. Their pimento cheese is always a good place to start!
Apart from great beer and food, The Funkatorium also has really great outdoor seating. Their biergarten-style seating is such a treat, especially when paired with a funky sour.
Board game cafe with 700+ games and an all-day menu
Well Played is a board game cafe in Asheville’s South Slope neighborhood. It’s a great place to enjoy a meal and play one of over 700 games. They have a food menu as well as beer, wine and coffee.
The cafe opens daily at 8am and stays open the whole day. Their breakfast menu includes a croissant, bagel sandwich and french toast sticks. If you’re there later in the day, you can order off their small plates or sandwiches menu.
They also have a ton of desserts– cookies, brownies, ice cream, floats, an affogato…
The games are organized by category and difficulty level so you can select the best fit for your group. And if you can’t decide, ask for help! They are pros.
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.
What’s interesting about Vortex is that most of their donuts are vegan. They actually mark which ones aren’t— and that’s pretty much just the cream cheese one mentioned above. They also have a few gluten-sensitive donuts available.
Their coffee is also delicious– they brew 1000 Faces and also sell it by the bag.
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.
