Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Asheville by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Asheville by diners
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world, according to a 2023 study by The Picky Eater that tallied up Instagram tags. It's no wonder why so many people love it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering—even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually Italian American creations more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce—think frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.
Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feels. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant—complete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread—brings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.
Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Asheville based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#24. Leos Italian Social - Asheville
- Rating: 3.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 264 Thetford St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.0/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 121 Tunnel Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Bellagio Bistro
- Rating: 3.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 133 Weaverville Hwy Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Greek, American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Carrabba's Italian Grill
- Rating: 3.5/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10 Buckstone Place Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Apollo Flame Bistro - Hendersonville
- Rating: 3.5/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 485 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Ciao Y'all
- Rating: 3.5/5 (10 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 219 Amboy Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Southern, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#18. J & S Cafeteria
- Rating: 3.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 800 Fairview Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Desserts, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Modesto
- Rating: 3.5/5 (333 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1 Page Ave. Ste 138 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Pomodoros Greek & Italian Cafe
- Rating: 3.5/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1070 Tunnel Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Zella's Deli
- Rating: 4.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 48 College St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Delis, Italian, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Del Vecchios
- Rating: 4.0/5 (215 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 333 Merrimon Ave. Ste B Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Twisted Laurel Downtown
- Rating: 4.0/5 (499 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 130 College St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Bars, New American, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Strada Italiano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (867 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 27 Broadway St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Gluten-Free, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Apollo Flame Bistro - Brevard Rd
- Rating: 4.0/5 (278 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1025 Brevard Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Manicomio Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (273 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 27 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Cucina 24
- Rating: 4.0/5 (438 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 24 Wall St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Gemelli Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 70 Westgate Pkwy Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Piazza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4 Olde Eastwood Village Blvd. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Del Vecchios - Asheville
- Rating: 4.5/5 (13 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1854 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian - South Asheville
- Rating: 4.5/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1981 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. 828 Family Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (195 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 946 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bargello
- Rating: 4.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Address: 7 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian
- Rating: 4.5/5 (811 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 641 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Contrada
- Rating: 5.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 28 Wall St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Italian, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 312 metros.
