Asheville eats and drinks well, and it doesn't have to cost a lot. This guide collects the weekly food and drink specials, happy hours, local discounts and free things to do that we can confirm, organized by day so you can find something good tonight.
Specials change, so we pull these from what local businesses post on Dig Local and check them often. Prices can shift and some deals are dine-in only, so tap through to the business before you head out. For more on the local music scene, see our guide to Asheville's music scene.
Salt Face Mule Brewing Co.
Woodfin, 450 Weaverville Hwy
Salt Face Mule pairs a brewery and kitchen with 36 holes of outdoor mini golf, and it runs a deal almost every day. Monday is a double smash burger, fries and a house beer for $18, plus a $12 Industry Night pour of Fernet with the gold-medal Mosey on Over Pilsner. Tuesday brings $10 margaritas and eight smoked wings with a beer for $16. Wednesday takes $2 off glasses and $8 off bottles of wine, and Thursday is $1 off house pints with $10 martinis. Weekday deals run 11 AM to 8:30 PM. Sunday brunch runs 10 AM to 3 PM.
Tip: Add a round of mini golf to any of the meal deals for $5 more.
Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack
West Asheville, 1455 Patton Avenue, and Arden, 3749 Sweeten Creek Road
Rocky's has been frying Nashville-style hot chicken in Asheville since 2009, and both shops run the same special every day of the week. Monday is a fried hand pie for $7.25, or $13 with two sides. Tuesday is 10% off with a tattoo or a teacher ID. Wednesday is a three-wing plate with two sides for $15, with $5 glasses of wine. Thursday brings $5 boozy slushies, $2 PBR pints and $7 pitchers. Friday is the Thighday plate for $13.50, Saturday is the Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Plate for $20, and Sunday brunch starts at 11.
Tip: Chicken starts plain and gets spiced from mild to extra hot, so ask for your heat level when you order.
District 42
Downtown Asheville, 7 Patton Avenue
District 42 is a lounge and bar on Pack Square with small plates, cocktails and a patio, and its weeknights have a deal for each night. Monday brings $39 steak frites, $12 glasses of Italian wine and $10 martinis. Tuesday is Not a Taco Tuesday, with $15 pizzas, a $15 burger and fries, and $5 drafts. Wednesday is Whiskey Wednesday, with half-off featured whiskey, $10 wings and $10 bison cigars, the kitchen's Carolina bison sausage fried in crispy wontons. The bar opens at 4 PM.
Tip: On Whiskey Wednesday, ask which whiskey is featured before you order, since it changes.
Wicked Weed Brewing
Downtown Asheville, 91 Biltmore Avenue
The Wicked Weed Brew Pub is the brewery's original home, with a restaurant upstairs and a taproom and beer garden downstairs. Tuesday is Family Night: after 5 PM, every adult meal comes with a free kids' meal for children 12 and under. Wednesday takes half off glasses and bottles of VIDL wine. Thursday pours the week's new releases for $4 a pint. Sunday is Stein Sunday, with $10 steins of draft beer under 8% ABV. Sours aren't included.
Tip: The Brew Pub doesn't take reservations, so get there early on Family Night.
Hotel Eve Jazz
Downtown Asheville, 56 N Lexington Ave
Hotel Eve is a speakeasy-style jazz and cocktail lounge with a hidden courtyard off Lexington Avenue. The courtyard has no cover charge and is open for cocktails during operating hours. Sunday evenings have brought drop-in Sunday Jazz Sessions hosted by Mr. Jimmy (Jim "Ang" Anderson), a longtime Chicago musician, in the courtyard. Check the Hotel Eve calendar before you go, since Sunday hours are set by event.
Tip: Look for the courtyard entrance off Lexington Avenue, not a front door on the street.
Monday to Thursday specials
Monday specials in Asheville
- The Funkatorium, 147 Coxe Avenue. A cheese or pepperoni pizza with any draft beer for $14.
- RendezVous, 184 New Haw Creek Road. The French Burger with pommes frites for $15, and half-price local drafts.
- Pack's Tavern, 20 South Spruce St. Every bottle of wine is half price.
- Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian, 641 Merrimon Avenue. Half off bottles of wine Monday night.
- Foggy Mountain Brewpub, 12 Church Street. A smash burger and a beer for $15.
- White Labs Kitchen & Tap, 172 S Charlotte Street. A pizza and a full pour of beer for $16.
- Hillman Beer, 25 Sweeten Creek Road. A featured beer for $3 all day.
- The Madness Sushi and Burger Bar, 1020 Merrimon Ave. $2 off burgers.
- Ben's Tune Up, 195 Hilliard Avenue. Karaoke with a $9 draft and well shot.
Tuesday specials in Asheville
Wednesday specials in Asheville
Thursday specials in Asheville
Friday to Sunday specials
Friday specials in Asheville
- Oak and Grist Distilling Company, 1556 Grovestone Rd, Black Mountain. $2 off the featured cocktail, boilermakers and wine by the glass, 1 to 9 PM.
- Hi-Wire Brewing, 197 Hilliard Avenue. A hot dog, chips and a flagship pint for $8 at the South Slope taproom.
- Botanist and Barrel, 32 Broadway St. A $10 wine tasting from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, free when you buy a bottle.
- Pack's Tavern, 20 South Spruce St. $5 Orange Crush and frosé.
- Ben's Tune Up, 195 Hilliard Avenue. A DJ and $5 Fireball.
Saturday specials in Asheville
Sunday specials in Asheville
- Twisted Laurel, 10-A South Main Street, Weaverville. Shrimp and grits, with brunch until 3.
- Pack's Tavern, 20 South Spruce St. $10 Bloody Marys and Mason Jar mimosas.
- Gan Shan West, 285 Haywood Road. Half-price sake.
- Tall John's, 152 Montford Avenue. 25% off bottles of wine.
Happy hour and every-day specials
- Tall John's, 152 Montford Avenue. Half off medium plates every day from 4 to 5 PM. A 5% kitchen service charge applies to each check.
- Twisted Laurel, 10-A South Main Street, Weaverville. A different special every day, from a French Dip on Monday to Prime Rib at Friday dinner. Both patios are dog friendly.
Local discounts worth knowing
- LaZoom Comedy Tours, 76 Biltmore Avenue. Locals get 15% off tours, including the Ghosted comedy ghost tour.
- Biltmore Estate Winery, Antler Hill Village. Your Biltmore ticket includes a tasting at the Winery.
- Asheville Cryotherapy and Recovery, 50 N. Merrimon Ave. Your first whole body cryotherapy session is free, with no membership or purchase required.
- Smokey Mountain Hemp Co., Coxe Avenue. A different 25% off category each weekday: edibles Monday, vapes and carts Tuesday, flower Wednesday, concentrates Thursday. 21 and up.
- Arete Hemp, local delivery. First-time local delivery orders come with free pre-rolls. 21 and up.
Free things to do in Asheville
Free live music
- Little Jumbo, 241 Broadway St in Five Points. The cocktail bar hosts free live music on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Free outdoors and craft
- Folk Art Center, Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 382. Galleries of Southern Highland Craft Guild work, open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM with free admission and parking (Southern Highland Craft Guild).
- Blue Ridge Parkway. There's no entrance fee to drive the Parkway (National Park Service).
Free for families
- Buncombe County Public Libraries, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. Free Baby Story Time on Monday mornings, Toddler Story Time on Tuesday mornings and LEGO Club on Tuesday afternoons.
- Wicked Weed Brewing, 91 Biltmore Avenue. A free kids' meal with every adult meal on Tuesdays after 5 PM.
- Bear's Smokehouse BBQ, 135 Coxe Ave. The Jeopardy Bar League is free to play on Thursdays from 7 to 9 PM.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find happy hour in Asheville?
Tall John's in Montford takes half off medium plates every day from 4 to 5 PM. Many breweries and bars run a deal for each weeknight instead of a set happy hour, so check the day lists above.
What are the best food specials in Asheville by day?
Monday and Tuesday are big burger nights, Wednesday leans toward wings, dumplings and wine, and Thursday is cheap pints. Each day's list above shows the current specials.
What can I do for free in Asheville?
Browse the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, drive the Parkway itself, which has no entrance fee (National Park Service), or bring the kids to free story time at Pack Memorial Library.
Is there free live music in Asheville?
Little Jumbo in Five Points has free live music on Monday and Tuesday nights, and Hotel Eve's hidden courtyard downtown has no cover charge. For more venues and shows, see our guide to Asheville's music scene.
Do kids eat free anywhere in Asheville?
The Wicked Weed Brew Pub on Biltmore Avenue offers a free kids' meal for children 12 and under with each adult meal on Tuesdays after 5 PM.
