Our Favorite Date Night Restaurants in Asheville

The perfect restaurant for an intimate date night in West Asheville

Jargon is our ideal destination for a date night in Asheville because it’s cozy with picture-perfect decor and delicious food. You can opt to sit inside or, when the weather allows, outside at their outdoor courtyard with bistro lights overhead.

Jargon’s menu is seasonal and ever-changing, but you can always count on excellent food and presentation. Their steaks are always exceptional and we love their various salads and small plates.

They have a great cocktail menu— we especially love their Eat a Peach (thyme-infused Tito’s Vodka, St. Germain, peach shrub, lemon, bubbles) and the Ice Breaker (Knob Creek Bonded Bourbon, Tawny Port, demerara, orange bitters that comes *inside* a smoked ice ball).

Jargon would be a fun spot for a first date in Asheville if you are looking to wow someone. Especially if you plan ahead and reserve a spot at the “Chef’s Counter” where you can watch all of the action.

Speaking of great date night restaurants in West Asheville…

The Admiral is such a treat! We absolutely love their outdoor tables with bistro lights overhead. It’s a great spot because the vibe is casual but the food is elevated.

You’ll find a small menu of French-inspired cuisine with a few options to share, pasta and around 5 main dishes. The menu changes but the steaks are always great! They also have a beef tartare on the menu with horseradish cheddar that’s a crowd favorite.

Be sure to make reservations if you are planning to dine at The Admiral.

Upscale Mexican spot with a delightful menu

Limones in downtown Asheville is definitely a top recommendation of ours. Their food is excellent, the menu is inventive, the location is great and the drinks + dessert are downright fantastic.

Make reservations in advance to secure a table or you can try to grab a seat at the bar. We recommend splitting a few plates like the lobster nachos, street corn, the three cheese relleno and the short ribs barbacoa gordita. They have larger dishes as well but we can’t get enough of the appetizers!

Whatever you do, make sure to finish off your dinner at Limones with their churros and sipping hot chocolate.

Charming cottage with delicious fare by the Omni Grove Park Inn

North of downtown Asheville in the Grovewood Village area by the Grove Park Inn you’ll find the charming ELDR. It’s new-ish to the Asheville dining scene, having opened in 2022.

You’ll find new American cuisine, natural wine, craft coffee and cocktails at ELDR. The focaccia by local baker Mother AVL with strawberry butter is an excellent place to start your date night out. They also have a few pasta options on the menu, as well as fish, duck and their ELDR burger with 24-day aged beef.

The restaurant itself is very cozy and charming. From the outside, you’ll get a Snow White and the 7 Dwarves feel but the inside feels modern. Make sure to admire their wood-fired oven!

ELDR offers lunch, dinner and a weekend brunch. You can make a reservation in advance here.

Charming restaurant in the River Arts District

Vivian is an upscale European-influenced restaurant located in the River Arts District. They get everything right, from the food to the ambiance to the service.

The menu features dishes like beef tartare, Nordic deviled eggs with smoked fish, potato, and cornichon, and smoked oysters with miso shrimp butter. As far as entrees go, the steak dinner is superb. It’s a 14oz ribeye loin that comes with mashed potatoes and their famous steak sauce. We recommend getting a few appetizers and splitting the steak entrée if your date is up for it.

They have an extensive wine list and several cocktails to choose from, as well as local beer. They also offer a delicious Sunday brunch that is worth checking out.

Be sure to make a reservation at Vivian in advance!

Looking for something else to do before dinner? Head to Anoche for pre-dinner drinks! It’s an agave spirits and espresso bar located just a few minutes from Vivian in the River Arts District.

Steak dinner in the less crowded North Asheville

Bone and Broth is an excellent destination for a nicer date night out if you don’t want to deal with going downtown. It’s located just north of downtown on Charlotte Street.

They have a southern-inspired menu that features premium dry-aged steaks. Bone and Broth has six steak sauces to choose from, with everything from tallow butter to chimichurri.

Their baked goods are sourced from local Asheville bakeries and they use meat from their butcher neighbor Chop Shop and local farmer Joyce Farms. They also have a Beyond Meats veggie burger on the menu for any vegetarian diners.

As far as appetizers go, we love their crispy brussels, beef and blue frites and the 5 pepper pimento cheese. And the steaks are as delicious as you’d expect.

Make reservations in advance to avoid a wait.

Intimate space for French comfort food and a romantic night

Bouchon in downtown Asheville is such a gem. It’s a charming spot with exposed brick walls, a cozy dining room and excellent French fare. It’s the perfect restaurant for special occasions, like celebrating an anniversary in Asheville.

Their menu features traditional French dishes like escargot, steak frites, and moules frites. It’s the perfect place to linger over a delicious meal.

Don’t forget to make reservations in advance if you are planning to eat at Bouchon. You can choose from the dining room, the bar or the patio located in the alleyway.

Tapas in a really cool space in downtown Asheville

Zambra is a great spot for a date night in Asheville because the space is really cool and the food is even better! It’s a Tapas-style restaurant, so you can try several dishes with your date.

All of their tapas are amazing! We especially love the patatas bravas, the mixed sauteed mushrooms, the fried chickpeas and the tortilla Espanola with smoked goat cheese. Make sure to get OWL Bakery bread with vinegar and olive oil.

Several of the tapas are meat-free, so it’s a good option if you are looking for a vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Asheville.

Zambra has great ambiance inside, though we prefer sitting in the breezeway when the weather allows. It’s so romantic!

Farm-to-table fare and creative dishes

Rhubarb is a farm-to-table restaurant in downtown Asheville with an ever-changing menu. The atmosphere is rustic but refined, with both small 2-top tables and larger group tables.

Every single dish at Rhubarb is sure to impress, from the creative combination of flavors, the beautiful presentation or the freshness of the ingredients. Whether you’re indulging in a perfectly seared steak or savoring a vibrant vegetarian creation, each plate is a work of art.

Be sure to make reservations for Rhubarb before your next date night.

Share tapas at an award-winning spot

We can’t have a list about great date night restaurants without mentioning one of Asheville’s crown jewels. Cúrate gets it right every time, as you may imagine since they won the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Hospitality.

Their menu includes Spanish tapas, excellent wine options and decadent desserts. As far as tapas go, we have loved everything we have tried. The chistorra & chips is a great place to start while you check out the menu. The sauteed mushrooms are also fantastic, as well as the piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese.

Cúrate is a fun date night restaurant because you can spend the entire meal reviewing and discussing the menu. You know, in case you realize you don’t have anything else to talk about.

You’ll definitely want to make a reservation in advance to secure a table at Cúrate.

Authentic Appalachian soul food in an upscale space

Benne on Eagle is an upscale restaurant in downtown Asheville that offers breakfast and dinner as well as Sunday brunch. It’s located at the Foundry Hotel, which is an excellent hotel in downtown Asheville.

Their menu includes a few salads and small plates in addition to several entrees. The fare at Benne on Eagle is best described as Appalachian Soul Food. Though the menu changes, you’ll can expect dishes like an elevated fried chicken with mac & cheese + yam puree with a hot honey drizzle. Their Catfish Florentine is also divine.

Benne on Eagle is owned by seven-time James Beard nominee John Fleer. He is a renowned Southern chef and also the owner of Rhubarb and The Rhu.

What’s interesting about Benne on Eagle, though, is that it sits in the once flourishing African-American community in Asheville known as the “the Block.” Benne on Eagle was created to celebrate the rich history of the area and Black cuisine. Accordingly, Chef Fleer hired Asheville native Hanan Shabazz to be a mentor to keep the culinary traditions alive.

Make a reservation for Benne on Eagle to experience a wonderful evening at a unique restaurant in Asheville.