Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Blue Ridge Mountains

"HOURS: Sun, Tue, Wed & Thu 5pm to 9pm; Fri-Sat 5pm to 10pm; Closed Mondays. Born and raised in a carniverous North Georgia family, I would have never imagined loving vegan food. Opened in 2011 by Leslie Armstrong, Alan Berger, and chef Jason Sellers, Plant was the restaurant that changed my mind, emerging as one of our favorite places to eat in Asheville."

"Our absolute favorite dedicated vegan restaurant in Asheville, Plant serves up entrees, tapas, appetizers, desserts, and delicious cocktails. Plant marks their menu for where you can make gluten-free substitutions. Reservations are recommended via phone."

"I didn’t like this place much when I was like 10, but having grown up a little more, I ..."

"Named after an Indonesian legend extolling the seeds of a plant that supposedly promotes divine conversation and physical satiation, this cafe has been a city mainstay for decades. Dedicated to local, organic ingredients and a global food sensibility, it puts folks at ease as it caters to their myriad tastes. As such, it presents salads, sandwiches, roll-ups, empanadas, pastas, and dishes like pad Thai and a rosemary cider-braised seitan steak."

"We met up with some friends for dinner at Laughing Seed Cafe, which is a bit more of an upscale restaurant and their dishes reflect this. Everything was bursting with flavor and had an overall wholesome, healthy, vibe. The menu features an array of salads, bowls, sandwiches, and amazing raw entrees like the spinach pesto manicotti stuffed with cashew ricotta."

"If you’re looking for farm-to-table, internationally influenced cuisine, look no further. The Laughing Seed Cafe serves up a delicious range of recipes that are prepared thoughtfully and thoroughly. Start off with the jalapeño onion fries."

"Farm-to-table cuisine didn’t come any fresher than Farm 255, the Athens GA-based restaurant run by the Full Moon Farms and Moonshine Meats collectives. Though that influential eatery shut its doors for good in 2013, its legacy lives on in sister restaurant Farm Burger. The fast casual concept was launched in 2008 by Farm 255’s Jason Mann (an organic farmer & rancher) and restaurant industry vet George Frangos."

"Farm Burger, located in a great location in downtown Asheville, may be a tad more pricey than the other restaurants mentioned. The burgers are in the $7-10 range, but it’s the beer that gets you. Nothing is tastier than a cool local brew alongside your burger and fries!"

"Near Curve Studios sits the century-old Wedge Studios building, which basically serves as a mini-version of the best of the River Arts District and Asheville in general. Here, painters, filmmakers and textile artists create by day and can often be found sipping beers after work in Wedge Brewery’s funky courtyard. Wedge Studios, 129 Roberts St, Asheville, NC, USA"

"There are two Wedge Brewing Co. locations and we love them both but we chose the one at the Foundation for our best outdoor brewery and bar list in Asheville because it has a ton of seating as well as a walk-up beer window. There’s always a food truck on-site in case you get hungry and there’s usually a few corn hole boards laying around. Beer to try: Iron Rail IPA"

"Proof that Asheville’s beverage scene goes far beyond beer, Ben’s Tune Up is the city’s first sake brewery, using 100 percent American rice and mountain water to create its creamy elixirs. Staying on brand with Asheville’s penchant for garage spaces, Ben’s is inside a former auto shop, with an abundant beer garden and on-site takeout window slinging sake-friendly snacks like dumplings, egg rolls, and kimchi brats. Unpasteurized sake is served cold on draft, including fruit-infused versions like pineapple-jalapeno and blueberry-lime."

"From the outside it’s hard to tell that Ben’s Tune Up even has an outdoor area. But do yourself a favor and check it out because you’ll discover a sort of outdoor/indoor space with a bunch of different places to hang out and listen to live music, talk with your friends, people watch, etc. It makes our list as one of the best outdoor spots in Asheville to grab a drink because the staff is super friendly, they often have live music and well, there’s a roof if you want one and tons of spots without one if you don’t."

"Located in nearby Brevard, NC, Oskar Blues is a brewery based in Colorado that chose to grow some roots in North Carolina. With free brewery tours, food trucks, and tasty beers, you will love a visit to this fun and entertaining spot!"