Guidebook for Leicester
Food Scene
Legendary breakfast! Get there early or you'll wait a while to get a seat. Second location downtown.
472 locals recommend
Biscuit Head
733 Haywood RdLegendary breakfast! Get there early or you'll wait a while to get a seat. Second location downtown.
outdoor patio; best people watching in Asheville. Pretty good pizza (not New York good, but then...) very fun atmosphere!
81 locals recommend
Mellow Mushroom
50 Broadway Stoutdoor patio; best people watching in Asheville. Pretty good pizza (not New York good, but then...) very fun atmosphere!
Best place in town to get a 'New York pie'. Brian says, "A slice of home" (pun intended). They deliver. (in every way!) O.K., I'll stop.
13 locals recommend
Favilla's New York Pizza
5 Regent Park BoulevardBest place in town to get a 'New York pie'. Brian says, "A slice of home" (pun intended). They deliver. (in every way!) O.K., I'll stop.
A little bit of a drive (45 minutes) on The Blue Ridge Parkway, but gorgeous scenery. Best view of surrounding mountains! Good food, moderately priced.
22 locals recommend
Pisgah Inn Observation Deck
A little bit of a drive (45 minutes) on The Blue Ridge Parkway, but gorgeous scenery. Best view of surrounding mountains! Good food, moderately priced.
One of our favorite high end places. Probably need a reservation. Pretty pricey, but fabulous food. Nice 'Special Occasion' place. Not a place for kids.
149 locals recommend
Chestnut
48 Biltmore AveOne of our favorite high end places. Probably need a reservation. Pretty pricey, but fabulous food. Nice 'Special Occasion' place. Not a place for kids.
According to Finn (an aficionado), best barbecue in town. Good place to watch the big game. Good size game room with pool tables in the side room.
26 locals recommend
Bonfire BBQ & Catering
1056 Patton AveAccording to Finn (an aficionado), best barbecue in town. Good place to watch the big game. Good size game room with pool tables in the side room.
Closest dine out spot to us; five minutes away. Great family spot; very casual; one of the local Leicester favorites. Greek/Italian. Large plates, good food, modest prices.
12 locals recommend
Papa's Pizza
429 New Leicester HwyClosest dine out spot to us; five minutes away. Great family spot; very casual; one of the local Leicester favorites. Greek/Italian. Large plates, good food, modest prices.
Finn's 2nd favorite barbecue place. A little fancier/ pricier than Bonfire. Carolina style barbecue. Long, shared tables. On the South Lope, adjacent to Catawba Brewery. Very popular.
144 locals recommend
Buxton Hall Barbecue
32 Banks AveFinn's 2nd favorite barbecue place. A little fancier/ pricier than Bonfire. Carolina style barbecue. Long, shared tables. On the South Lope, adjacent to Catawba Brewery. Very popular.
The Mahoneys' favorite breakfast spot. Just reopened after big remodel. Very popular. Get there early or you'll. Good sized portions. They do lunch and dinner too!
22 locals recommend
Cornerstone
102 Tunnel RdThe Mahoneys' favorite breakfast spot. Just reopened after big remodel. Very popular. Get there early or you'll. Good sized portions. They do lunch and dinner too!
One of our favorite downtown places. Upscale, but not overly fancy. Wide variety of menu choices, reasonably priced. Split level, lots of T.V.s for game watching. Full bar, so good place for cocktails, too.
70 locals recommend
Pack's Tavern
20 S Spruce StOne of our favorite downtown places. Upscale, but not overly fancy. Wide variety of menu choices, reasonably priced. Split level, lots of T.V.s for game watching. Full bar, so good place for cocktails, too.
Asian Wok
328 New Leicester HwyQuality Asian takeout.
Great food nearby. Lots of menu choices for everyone. Mostly Greek/Italian.
6 locals recommend
Twisted Laurel West
Great food nearby. Lots of menu choices for everyone. Mostly Greek/Italian.
Drinks & Nightlife
Nice outdoor seating, pretty cool inside, too. The place 'to be seen' in Asheville. (Can get crowded on Fri, Sat nights)
478 locals recommend
Wicked Weed Brewing Pub
91 Biltmore AveNice outdoor seating, pretty cool inside, too. The place 'to be seen' in Asheville. (Can get crowded on Fri, Sat nights)
Many, many, many taps! Decent pizza. Big open room, high ceiling with tables, old timey feel; great atmosphere, big game room upstairs
49 locals recommend
Barley's Taproom
42 Biltmore AveMany, many, many taps! Decent pizza. Big open room, high ceiling with tables, old timey feel; great atmosphere, big game room upstairs
Most iconic/legendary bar in town. Celtic themed. Serve Greenman Brewary brews. Dark, woodsy, 'chill'. Local favorite.
122 locals recommend
Jack of the Wood
95 Patton AveMost iconic/legendary bar in town. Celtic themed. Serve Greenman Brewary brews. Dark, woodsy, 'chill'. Local favorite.
Sightseeing
Best place to have an after or before dinner drink; best view of downtown Asheville. Very impressive, historic building/grounds. A little pricey, but worth it.
573 locals recommend
The Omni Grove Park Inn Spa
290 Macon AveBest place to have an after or before dinner drink; best view of downtown Asheville. Very impressive, historic building/grounds. A little pricey, but worth it.
Even if you don’t enjoy looking at big, old mansions, the grounds are beautiful, the winery is lovely, and the restaurants are awesome!
1485 locals recommend
Biltmore
1 Lodge StEven if you don’t enjoy looking at big, old mansions, the grounds are beautiful, the winery is lovely, and the restaurants are awesome!
Entertainment & Activities
Our minor league baseball team. A historic (Babe Ruth played here!) yet modern ballpark, a fun place to see a game. Thirsty Thursdays are a blast. Good, clean, cheap fun!
74 locals recommend
Asheville Detours
85 W Walnut StOur minor league baseball team. A historic (Babe Ruth played here!) yet modern ballpark, a fun place to see a game. Thirsty Thursdays are a blast. Good, clean, cheap fun!
Shopping
Maybe the 2nd most visited place after Biltmore. Something for everybody. Old timey, fun, touristy stuff, and some really nice, high quality clothes. Very serious camping/ hiking/ outdoors center on lower level. Don't leave town with out checking it out.
72 locals recommend
Mast General Store
15 Biltmore AveMaybe the 2nd most visited place after Biltmore. Something for everybody. Old timey, fun, touristy stuff, and some really nice, high quality clothes. Very serious camping/ hiking/ outdoors center on lower level. Don't leave town with out checking it out.
Amazing artistry by local craftspersons. But don't go to the store- go to the museum store on the Blue Ridge Parkway (not far). Most of us can't afford to buy anything, but the browsing will blow your mind!
23 locals recommend
Southern Highland Craft Guild in Biltmore Village
26 Lodge StAmazing artistry by local craftspersons. But don't go to the store- go to the museum store on the Blue Ridge Parkway (not far). Most of us can't afford to buy anything, but the browsing will blow your mind!
Asheville Outlets
800 Brevard RdLots of stores (but not necessarily “outlet prices”).
Biltmore Village
Nice, upscale shopping, great dining spots, and galleries.
Parks & Nature
Take a tube or raft ride down the French Broad River; one of the very best things to do while in Asheville!
164 locals recommend
Zen Tubing
608 Riverside DrTake a tube or raft ride down the French Broad River; one of the very best things to do while in Asheville!
Our favorite family nature outing! Admission is charged per car. A lovely, managed bit of forest with easy walking trails along Bent Creek. Also inside exhibits, gardens, and a very cool bonsai center! A special place for us.
582 locals recommend
The North Carolina Arboretum
100 Frederick Law Olmsted WayOur favorite family nature outing! Admission is charged per car. A lovely, managed bit of forest with easy walking trails along Bent Creek. Also inside exhibits, gardens, and a very cool bonsai center! A special place for us.
See Asheville from the French Broad River the flows through town. Rent kayaks, rafts for yourself or your group. Go it alone, or book a guided tour.
43 locals recommend
Asheville Outdoor Center
521 Amboy RdSee Asheville from the French Broad River the flows through town. Rent kayaks, rafts for yourself or your group. Go it alone, or book a guided tour.
DuPont State Recreational Forest Visitor Center
89 Buck Forest RdGreat hikes! Beautiful scenery!
Gorges State Park
976 Grassy Ridge RdMore great hikes and awesome scenery.
Arts & Culture
Several walking blocks of amazing artists in their studios producing beautiful pieces for sale.
700 locals recommend
River Arts District
3 River Arts PlSeveral walking blocks of amazing artists in their studios producing beautiful pieces for sale.