Best Asian Restaurants in Asheville, NC: Thai, Indian, Sushi and More
The best Asian food in Asheville, NC: Thai curries, Indian street food, sushi, ramen, Vietnamese, dim sum and Filipino cooking.
Asheville's Asian food runs deeper than most people expect. You can eat Northern Thai khao soi in West Asheville, Indian street snacks downtown, Vietnamese family recipes on Patton Avenue and Filipino food in an 18-seat room on Haywood Road.
We've grouped this by cuisine. Andaaz and JAZMIN take reservations online; most of the rest are walk-in.
Chai Pani
South Slope, 32 Banks Ave
Chai Pani is chef Meherwan Irani's take on Indian street food. After winning the 2022 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant, it moved in 2024 from its small downtown space to a much bigger home on the South Slope (Eater Carolinas). Order the kale pakoras and the lime-kissed matchstick okra fries, then add a thali plate, a kebab or a pav sandwich. Time Out's pick is the grilled paneer, which arrives sizzling like fajitas (Time Out). This year Meherwan and Molly Irani were in the running for the James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur award (Asheville Citizen-Times).
Tip: There are no reservations. On weekends you can wait for your table at the upstairs cocktail and pani puri bar.
Neng Jr's
West Asheville, 701 Haywood Rd
Neng Jr.'s is chef-owner Silver Iocovozzi's small Filipino restaurant, entered through a back door off a West Asheville side street (Eater Carolinas). The menu rotates, with dishes like adobo oyster with cured quail egg yolk and sea grapes, crab fried rice, sinigang smoked wings and a longanisa sausage pithivier. Save room for the cheese ice cream. The staff explains each dish, so you don't need to know the menu going in. Eater, The Infatuation and Time Out all put it among Asheville's best.
Tip: Seats are few and reservations are hard to get, so book as early as you can (Time Out).
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse
Downtown, 121 Biltmore Ave
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse pairs Japanese flavors with American barbecue and wood-fired cooking, and it's the only Asian restaurant on the 2026 Michelin Guide's Asheville list, as a Recommended pick (Asheville Citizen-Times). The menu runs from raw dishes and ramen to smoked meats, seafood, small plates and vegan plates, and a tasting menu brings a run of dishes to the table. Ukiah started in Asheville and has since opened a second location in Fort Lauderdale.
Tip: Book ahead for weekend nights, or take a seat at the bar for the full menu. The tasting menu has to be ordered by the whole table.
Thai Pearl
West Asheville, 747 Haywood Rd
Thai Pearl is a family-owned Thai restaurant on Haywood Road where Northern Thai influences meet local ingredients. Owner and executive chef May trained and cooked at The Royal Palace in Bangkok and later worked alongside a Michelin-star chef in Queensland, Australia (Thai Pearl). The menu covers pad thai, khao soi and curries made to order, and it bills itself as a Thai food and oyster restaurant. There are vegan options and a kids' menu, so it works for a family dinner. It opened in Asheville in March 2020, after BoonChoo Thai Express opened in Flat Rock in 2017.
Tip: Order the khao soi, the Northern Thai curry noodle soup that's harder to find around here.
Japanese and sushi
- Heiwa Shokudo, 87 N Lexington Ave. Japanese-owned and Asheville's oldest sushi restaurant.
- Itto Ramen Bar & Tapas, 630 Haywood Rd. Miso, curry and seafood ramen.
- Zen Sushi, 640 Merrimon Ave and S&W Market. Rolls made to order.
- Wasabi, 19 Broadway. Quick downtown sushi lunch.
- Sushi Kingdom, 48 Westgate Pkwy. All-you-can-eat sushi and hibachi, opened October 2026.
Pan-Asian, Chinese and Filipino
- JAZMIN, 22 College St. Dishes from across Asia, from the Andaaz and Laila team. Book on the listing.
- Gan Shan West, 285 Haywood Rd. Pan-Asian comfort food and a patio.
- Red Ginger Dimsum & Tapas, 82 Patton Ave. Dim sum and Chinese small plates.
FAQ
Where is the best Thai food in Asheville?
Thai Pearl in West Asheville for Northern Thai dishes like khao soi, Suwana's downtown and Ocha Thai in Candler.
Where is the best sushi in Asheville?
Heiwa Shokudo is the city's oldest sushi restaurant. Zen Sushi and Wasabi are the quick picks, and Sushi Kingdom does all-you-can-eat.
Where can I get Indian food in Asheville?
Chai Pani for street food, Andaaz for a sit-down dinner you can book, plus Laila and Saffron.
Is there Vietnamese food in Asheville?
Yes. Sen Vietnamese Street Food opened on Patton Avenue in December 2025.
