Last Updated on April 30, 2024
If you’re looking for fried chicken in Asheville that’s finger-licking good, don’t let the fast food chains fool you. There’s no better place than a local restaurant that knows its stuff. Many mountain restaurants keep their recipes close to the vest, releasing the savory comfort dish only as a weekly special or for weekend brunch. But when a fried chicken craving hits, there’s no time to cross check your calendar—you need your fix right away!
We’re sure this list of restaurant suggestions may ruffle some feathers. We’ve left off restaurants that don’t offer fried chicken as part of their daily menu. We’re also skipping spots that only offer boneless chicken in the form of fingers or salad toppings. We’re trying to cut down to the bone, readers, and present you with the real meat of the matter—classic Southern fried chicken in all its juicy glory!
This is our list of the best fried chicken in Asheville, NC. But we’d love to hear which restaurants get your mouth watering in the comments below.
Buxton Chicken Palace
When you walk into the S&W Market, you’ll feel like king of the roost! Buxton was instrumental in the recent rebirth of the S&W Market, a craft food hall in a century-old Art Deco icon in the heart of downtown. As one restaurant within the food hall, Buxton has kept their menu relatively simple—but that’s only given them the opportunity to perfect each of their five available fried chicken sandwiches. We think you’ll find The Bee’s Knees…well, you know. It’s served with hot honey, applewood smoked bacon, dill aioli, and sliced red onion on a brioche roll. Enjoy it with a side of waffle fries and pimento cheese.
56 Patton Avenue, Asheville | (828) 630-7800
Early Girl Eatery
Early Girl bills themselves as a farm-to-table Southern comfort food experience, and they do not disappoint! Since 2001, downtown restaurant goers have been clucking about the breakfast all day, “meat and two” lunch and dinner options, and scratch-made daily desserts. Their gluten-free buttermilk fried chicken is available as an entree with two sides and your choice of gravy. Or you can cheat and order it atop the fried chicken BLTA salad. Not into the downtown crowds? Now you can enjoy Early Girl in West Asheville and South Asheville, too.
8 Wall Street, Asheville | (828) 259-9292 ext.1
444 Haywood Road #101, Asheville | (828) 259-9292 ext.2
1378 Hendersonville Road, Suite A, Asheville | (828) 259-9292 ext.3
Haywood Common
There’s no reason to think of rustic, Appalachian-grown comfort food as anything but delectable, and Haywood Common proves that every day. They source their lunch, brunch, and dinner menus from small local farms and change available options with the seasons. But one option that tends to stick around is their chicken and waffles. Right now, your fried, boneless chicken thigh from Joyce Farms (Winston-Salem, NC) is served with Thai buffalo sauce, pickled slaw, and avocado ranch on top of a garam masala waffle. Yum!
507 Haywood Road, Asheville | (828) 575-2542
HomeGrown
It’s the age-old question: Why did the diners brave the road? For years, HomeGrown has been slowing down traffic on Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville simply because of their commitment to living up to their name. The restaurant uses fresh, local ingredients every day, sourcing many from farms within a tight radius. In addition to denoting the freshness of their fare, what that means is that you need to get there early to enjoy their buttermilk fried chicken with mushroom gravy—it can run out! You can also enjoy their chicken on a biscuit for breakfast, or on a “sammich” at lunch. We recommend the Pimpin’ Fried Chicken with lettuce, pickled onions, pickles, horseradish honey mustard, and pimento cheese.
371 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville | (828) 232-4340
Moose Cafe
The Moose Cafe is a long-time Asheville staple for traditional Southern eatin’. You’ll want to do more than peck at their bone-in Southern fried buttermilk chicken, served with two farm-fresh famous fixin’s or as half of the Blue Ridge Sampler. Or dive straight into their buttermilk fried chicken, the Asheville favorite. This juicy chicken breast is soaked in buttermilk, tossed in a Southern-style breading, and fried to perfection. Enjoy it in a sampler with the country fried steak or on its own with white peppered gravy.
570 Brevard Road, Asheville | (828) 255-0920
Pack’s Tavern
Located on Pack Square at the heart of downtown, Pack’s Tavern has been an Asheville staple for nearly 15 years. The locally owned and operated restaurant and bar serves an eclectic menu of delicious, fresh items in a family atmosphere. And chicken plays an important role on their menu. You can’t go wrong with their blackened chicken pasta, but that’s not why you’re reading this post today. For the best of the fried variety, try their Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sandwich. They source their smokin’ hot honey locally from Asheville Bee Charmer and serve it all on a brioche bun. Watching your carbs? The Southern Fried Cobb Salad is everything you love about a Cobb, topped with their popular fried chicken tenders.
20 S Spruce Street, Asheville | (828) 225-6944
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack
Photo from Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack
Everyone is crowing about Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack! They’re masters of the “Tennessee-style” hot chicken, but Rocky’s has quickly become one of North Carolina’s top restaurants. Their dry-rub style is different from the typical battered chicken, but you certainly won’t complain once you savor its juicy taste. Make it as spicy as you want—their scale goes from plain traditional to extra hot (think: ghost peppers!). Got a vegetarian in your party? No problem! Rocky’s also serves “Not Chick” (Quorn) fried cutlets that everyone will enjoy.
1455 Patton Avenue, Asheville | (828) 575-2260
3749 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville | (828) 676-3222
Sand Hill Kitchen
Looking for great food in an unexpected location? Sand Hill Kitchen is the spring chicken among restaurants in Enka. Located in the Roadrunner/BP Market, at the base of Sand Hill Road, this location serves everything from scratch, in creative combinations. Best of all, you can get your Asheville fried chicken in different forms over the course of the day. Come in before 11:00 AM for a fried chicken biscuit (or on toast). Or come by for lunch or dinner and enjoy the award-winning fried chicken sandwich! Sand Hill Kitchen’s buttermilk soaked, crispy fried chicken is served with homemade dilly pickles, cheddar cheese, and herbed Duke’s mayo.
491 Sardis Road, Asheville | (828) 633-6868
Tupelo Honey
Once a small-time hotspot among downtown Asheville eateries, Tupelo Honey has expanded their flock in recent years to two dozen (and counting!) locations as far away as Boise, Idaho. Their scratch-made Southern food fills bellies at breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner throughout the week. Many people go just for their biscuits, but you can’t miss their buttermilk fried chicken served two ways: honey-dusted or sweet and spicy. Don’t forget to save room for one of their delicious desserts!
12 College Street, Asheville | (828) 255-4863
1829 Hendersonville Road, Asheville | (828) 505-7676
Find what feels like home in Asheville, NC!
With a population of 90,000+, Asheville is the largest city in both Buncombe County and Western North Carolina. Asheville serves as the area’s economic and cultural nerve center in many ways, including as a hub for education, healthcare, local arts and crafts, entertainment, and innovative takes on traditional food and drink. The four-season temperate climate with average snowfall of only 13 inches makes year-round living easy, and the broad range of elevations and corresponding climates and plant growth (both in town and around the area) make it one of the most biodiverse in the United States and the world.
Does that sound like the perfect lifestyle for you? Find what feels like home in Asheville, NC.
