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Trying to pin down words like frugal, value, and deal can be exasperating because different people have different ideas of cost savings. For 10Best, the range is broad - we include impossibly cheap eateries with amazing menus, and we share really nice restaurants that have perks like an impressive wine list with no corkage fee or a terrifically affordable prix fixe menu. If you're looking for Best Value restaurants in Asheville, let us introduce you to a few of our favorites, starting with Burgermeister's and Salsa's. They're low in expenditures and high in appeal.
At first glance, this restaurant/brew pub/movie theater never fails to attract attention. It boasts a metallic, oddly curved exterior and an enormous, purple gorilla, and first-time patrons often wonder just what to expect. Inside, the sparse, gently used decor is a perfect backdrop for the restaurant's extensive selection of locally crafted microbrews and its eclectic menu. Diners can choose from a variety of salads, quesadillas, sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas, each named after movie and television icons. The local favorite is Popeye's Spinach burger, a savory spinach patty with grilled onions, mushrooms, and cheese. There are also gourmet pizza selections as well as a create-your-own pizza option and a wide variety of crusts and sauces from which to choose. Two movies play nightly on the big screen, and selections change weekly.
Dark wood floors, muted yellow walls, bistro tables topped with flowers and additional sidewalk seating give this eatery upscale appeal. The kitchen serves tantalizing breakfasts such as New Orleans-style French toast, sweet potato pancakes and omelets with complimentary hot biscuits all day. Dinner options include shrimp and grits, nutty fried chicken with mashed sweet potatoes, and a veggie plate that might include organic honey-glazed carrots, marinated grilled tofu or candied ginger cornbread with peanut butter.
Whether you're in the mood for just drinks or for a full dinner, Charlotte Street Grill and Pub is your place. The reasonably priced, traditional American menu includes pastas, burgers, steaks and seafood. Some say the atmosphere in the dining room alone is the reason to come here. The room boasts dark wood walls and features deep, red velvet booths.
This tiny, local success story is just the sort of place you want to frequent when the weather's chilly and spring seems far away. It turns out amazing Latin-Caribbean fare, lavishing freshness and flavor on its menu with abandon and attracting a strong, loyal clientele in the process. While the interior is subdued, the food absolutely sings. Lush soups, lively, savory fish burritos, exemplary margaritas, a wonderful pork plate, shrimp empanadas and fresh, zesty salsas are among the delicious options. The menu changes to feature seasonal ingredients, and the place even sells its own hot sauce.
Colorful, exotic decor sets the tone for this fun tapas bar and restaurant, which features a lounge with a curved, stone-topped bar and cozy floor pillows. From traditional, seafood, and vegetarian paellas to pan-fried trout and almond- and herb-crusted rack of lamb, the kitchen's Spanish- and North African-influenced fare receives rave reviews. A tempting selection of wines and over ten varieties of martinis vie for your palate — tough but very rewarding choices, to be sure.
Rich colors adorn the dining room of this Middle Eastern restaurant, and a back room, known as "the tent," features low tables with pillow seating and exotic chandeliers. On Saturday nights, belly dancers entertain guests and a special menu is served in the tent Thursday-Saturday nights. Reasonable, tasty fare and inexpensive drinks add to the café's popularity.
