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Hi everyone, thanks for all these reviews, we are headed to Asheville this weekend and are looking for affordabe but good places to eat in dowtown only, we want to be able to walk to places in downtown Asheville without using the car. We took a trip last year and LOVED the area, we had breakfast at Tupelo Honey Cafe and dinner at the Flying Frog Cafe, we would like to try other restaurants and not do the same thing...We did the Blue Ridge Parkway and Looking Glass Rock trail last year...we had an awesome time!!!! We recently visited Biltmore this past Labor Day Weekend (2008)to attend a Wedding, and we found ourselves back at Tupelo Honey Cafe for breakfast the morning after the wedding and before our 11:00 am tour of Biltmore, so if anyone can recommend good food at a decent price it would be much appreciated. We spent a fortune on dinner for 2 at Flying Frog Cafe last year, overall we had a good experience there, but would like to try something different as a dinner option this Friday night. We like mexican, chinese, italian, and american meat/potatoes dishes, even seafood. Okay, enough rambling, thanks in advance...
For Southern cooking (breakfast and dinner), the Early Girl Eatery is very nice. Similar in feel and menu to Tupelo Honey, but with a much better dining room (sunnier - Tupelo Honey is too dark for my taste). It's one block north of Tupelo Honey on Wall Street.
I personally think the best value in town for dinner (if you like Indian food) is Mela on Lexington Avenue. Affordable, delicious, and very nice ambience. I'd have to say it is my favorite place downtown.
I've heard good things about Sugo which is across the park from Tupelo Honey. It isn't necessarily cheap, though. You can download $25 gift certificates for their restaurant at Restaurant.com - Deals on neighborhood restaurants. $25 Restaurant Certificates for only $10! for $10. They often have coupon codes that bring the price down to $4 or $5 (google it and you'll probably find one).
I ate at Flying Frog when I first moved here 5 years ago and wasn't that impressed. Maybe it's still not this way, but it used to be this weird mix of German and Indian food (Germindian? Inderman?). Haven;t been back since.
I'm sure people will suggest others, but those are my thoughts on restaurants downtown. Good luck!
I agree about Early Girl - it's our favorite breakfast place ever - great quality of food!
Downtown we also like Bouchon on Lexington - it's "French comfort food" and it's tasty at a good price - they have specials about every night. We have also enjoyed the Lobster Trap, and Magnolia's, however Magnolia's is kind of hit and miss - beautiful place though.
Salsa's is great and innovative.
Lobster Trap is also very good for seafood.
I agree on Bouchon, one of my favorites.
Zambra's is very different. It is a tapas restaurant though and can be pricey. A great place for drinks.
I enjoy a good pizza now and again so Mellow Mushroom is good for that, and in the heart of downtown.
Lobster Trap is great but a little pricey.
Chophouse is also very very good.
I hate to be redundent but, I gotta say, that Early Girl is by far my favorite restaurant in Asheville. I highly recommend it and take all my out of town visitors there. I drive over from Hendersonville on occasion just to specifically eat there.
I've heard good things about Bouchon too although don't know from experience. I wasn't too impressed by Zambra's and ate brunch once at Table but, thought it was way overpriced and the food was only moderate.
Carmel's and Chorizo are both at the Grove Arcade and very good. Chorizo is owned by the same guy that owns Salsas. I believe Salsas is open for Sunday brunch. If you like wine, stop in at Sante which is a wine bar on the opposite corner of the Grove Arcade.
All the recommendations others have made are very good. Early Girl is one of our favorites, too. Doc Chey's is always good. Limones is also very good, but in the $$$ range.
Early Girl is great. Also we LOVE Jeruselum Cafe. It is across the street from Tupelo Honey, rarely has a wait for tables, and I can't get enough of it. We love the eggplant entre'.
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