Asheville

Rock a few plates of tapas and don't forget to pull back an Eclipse de Luna - a moonshine-based cocktail - and a few slices of jamon iberico — Afar Magazine

A dive bar (there's even a neon-sign reading "dive" in one corner) with an unexpectedly inventive menu, the Admiral has morphed into a destination restaurant over the years. — Frommer's

Since the food is all based on meals that are whipped up on the street corners of India in minutes, service is super-speedy. — Frommer's

Hello, darlin'! This is the place for down-home Southern cooking with an uptown twist. — Fodor's

What it does have is the smokiest baby-back ribs you've ever tasted (a full rack of 12 with sides is around $21), pulled pork, turkey, beef brisket, chicken BBQ plates, and delicious sides. — Fodor's

The voluptuous Moorish colors, dim lighting, a cavelike atmosphere, and live jazz are all appealing. — Fodor's

Rhubarb brings a dose of creative cuisine and local sourcing to a prime location. At dinner, for starters think about the kale chips, local cheeses plate, rabbit-leek rillettes, or a lobster corn dog. — Fodor's

The Corner Kitchen serves a very affordable breakfast and dinner, and also delivers a delicious a la carte Sunday brunch. — Frommer's

Want a great breakfast or brunch? Then make sure to give yourself plenty of time to visit Sunny Point Cafe in West Asheville — Afar Magazine

Organic red cabbage, sweet carrots, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and fresh sprouts topped with beet pate, an avocado, a side of sauerkraut and lemon-tahini dressing. — Afar Magazine

The menu leans old-school French—dishes could include steak tartare with pommes pont neuf, crepinette of suckling pig—while maintaining a playful streak. — Tasting Table

Organic, heirloom raw materials lead to standout pizzas at this River Arts District spot. — Gayot

Main courses include French mussels steamed in white wine, shallots, garlic, tomato, and thyme, served with delicious pommes frites. — Frommer's

Table is almost fanatically dedicated to local sourcing and the local farm-to-table movement. — Fodor's

White Duck Taco stays true to its name with a roast duck taco, but it also has other fusion tacos, including Thai peanut chicken, lamb gyro, Koreaan beef bulgogi, and Vietnamese banh mi tofu. — Fodor's

Buxton Hall serves traditional whole-hog, slow-pit-cooked barbecue in the Eastern North Carolina style, infused with chef Elliott Moss's family vinegar mop recipe. — Fodor's

Jael and Dan Rattigan started French Broad Chocolates out of their Asheville home before opening this downtown retail space and chocolate factory — Tasting Table

In the mountains of North Carolina, you can sip good coffee and munch on great dessert while sitting in a double decker bus, Brit-style — Afar Magazine

While the downstairs tasting room with more than 20 drafts is certainly reason enough to stop in...the 200-plus-seat restaurant on the main level pumps out some seriously delicious pub grub. — Tasting Table

Named after an early-maturing tomato variety, Early Girl Eatery is casually Southern, with a cheerfully natural twist. — Fodor's