Best Asian Restaurants in Asheville, NC

You’re hungry and craving Asian food…maybe fried rice or ramen or sushi? We’ve got you covered with our post on the Best Asian Restaurants in Asheville, NC. You’re guaranteed to find a something on our list that’ll hit the spot. Ready to find and eat some of the best Asian food in Asheville? Let’s go!

Wild Ginger Noodle Bar | 1950 Hendersonville Road, Suite 12

A photo of half of a banh mi sandwich from Wild Ginger is held in Caroline Whatley's hand. A steering wheel and a to-go container is blurred out in the background. — Wild Ginger’s Banh Mi is one of the best things to eat in Asheville. Period.

When we are traveling and away from Asheville, there are a couple of restaurants that we crave. One of them is Wild Ginger. This is easily one of our favorite Asian restaurants in Asheville but also one of our favorite restaurants overall. We’ve had everything from their whole fish to their lemongrass beef satay to their steamed shrimp and pork dumplings and all of it is delicious. Our favorite things to eat there, however, are their chicken phở and their banh mi. The portions are generous, the food is always fresh, hot, and seasoned perfectly, and the owners and staff are really kind.

El Kimchi Food Truck | Locations Vary

Beef bibimbap is sitting in a container on top of a black table at New Belgium Brewing in Asheville, NC. A burrito is also on the table partially wrapped in foil. Bikes are in the background. — Beef Bibimbap and a chicken burrito from El Kimchi at New Belgium Brewing.

Okay, so El Kimchi isn’t a brick and mortar restaurant, but it still offers some of the best Asian food in Asheville. And though the location varies on where El Kimchi is parked, it’s easy to find them by hopping on their Facebook page. (They usually post where they’ll be at the beginning of the week.) And often they’re parked at one of the breweries which makes it a fun place to grab a meal and a beer. Their kimchi is awesome and can be added to anything you order. It can also be purchased in large containers if you want to take some home. Our personal favorites are their beef bibimbap and their burritos.

Highland Brewing Company | 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite 200

While also not a restaurant, Highland Brewing Company makes our list of the Best Asian Restaurants in Asheville because we wanted to support and recognize an Asian owned business in Asheville. We love their AVL IPA, Rising Haze IPA, and their Daycation IPA. If you haven’t been to their space, put it on the list. In addition to their taproom, they also have an awesome outdoor space with picnic tables, places to hang a hammock, volleyball courts, and even a trail. Oh and if you wanted to get some food while at Highland, no worries. There’s usually a food truck parked out in front, too in case you want some actual food.

Thai Pearl | 747 Haywood Road

Thai Pearl in West Asheville is one of the best places to eat in Asheville, NC.

Chef May opened Thai Pearl in March of 2020 on Haywood Road in West Asheville. It’s one of our favorite Asian restaurants in Asheville. Their fried rice is our go to but we also love their green papaya salad made with carrot, fresh garlic, tomato, crushed peanuts with Thai chili-lime-fish sauce, and sugar dressing. Their larb chicken salad is also amazing. Each of their hot dishes can be served up with different spice levels ranging from none to Thai hot (VERY hot)! If you’re in the mood for authentic Thai food and you’re on the west side of town, check out Thai Pearl.

Green Tea Sushi | 2 Regent Park Boulevard

There are a couple of really good sushi places in Asheville but in trying to pick the best one, Green Tea Sushi is at the top of our list. In addition to their delicious sushi, you can also order Pad Thai, Fried Rice, General Tso’s Chicken, etc. They’ve also got vegetarian options and a kids menu.

Red Ginger Dim Sum and Tapas | 82 Patton Avenue, Suite 100

If you’re craving some delicious Chinese food, head on over to Red Ginger Dim Sum and Tapas. It’s located in downtown Asheville and is known for it’s handmade dumplings. If you go, try the Shanghai dumplings aka the soup dumplings. The savory green beans and Gua Bao are also really tasty. Oh and when it’s cold out, the won ton soup can’t be beat. There is some outdoor seating available outdoors.

Little Bee Thai | 45 South French Broad Avenue, Suite 190

What started out as a food truck ended up as a brick and mortar in downtown Asheville. And it is sooo good. We like to choose whatever is on the Chef’s special but there’s also a special place in our hearts for the chicken with green curry. They have a large outdoor patio with sun sails and easy parking.

J Chong | Farmers Markets

No list of the best Asian Restaurants in Asheville would be complete without mentioning J Chong. J’s dumplings and homemade chili oil are for sale at a couple of the farmers markets around town. Pick up a dozen or more and then take them home and make your own Cantonese food. Trust us, this is hands-down some of the best food you can find in Asheville, NC.

Bun Intended | S & W Food Hall + Food Truck

a photo of Thai Fried Rice from Bun Intended is served on a brown paper plate which rests on top of red and white checked paper on top of a brown plastic tray. The tray is on top of a marble table and there are chopsticks and plastic cutlery to the left. A dish of Larb Gai is in the background and so is a glass of beer. — Craving Thai food in Asheville? Check out Bun Intended!

We recently stopped in at the newly remodeled S & W Food Hall in downtown Asheville and got some food from Bun Intended. Caroline chose the Larb Gai which is minced chicken salad with sticky rice, cucumbers, and cabbage leaves. I opted for the Thai Fried Rice and I added chicken as my protein. Both were delicious. The ingredients were fresh, the flavor was on-point, and it was ready within minutes. We also got a beer from Highland while we were there and ate out on the patio that looks out at Pritchard Park. If you’re craving Thai food while in Asheville, Bun Intended is a solid pick.

We are so lucky to have so many options for delicious Asian food in Asheville, NC. How many of these places have you been to? Leave a comment below or save and share for later. And if you go, we’d love to know which of these places were your favorites!

Still hungry but not in the mood for Asian food? How about tacos, coffee, beer, or breakfast?

Craving burgers in Asheville or pizza in Asheville? We’ve got stories on both!