ASHEVILLE - On the evening of Oct. 21, the Michelin Guide will announce its newest inductees in the American South, potentially changing Asheville's restaurant scene.
Recognition of outstanding and recommended restaurants by the prestigious awards program could attract more diners to the city and its establishments, further elevating the area's reputation as a food destination.
The 2026 Michelin awards season is the second for the American South. Last year, the program, known for its coveted Michelin Stars at restaurants and Michelin Keys at hotels, expanded its coverage to include U.S. Southern states, including the Carolinas.
The inaugural awards ceremony was hosted in Greenville, South Carolina, in 2025. This year, Nashville will host the American
South ceremony.
The Asheville Citizen Times will report live from the event, announcing whether any new restaurants in Asheville and the greater Western North Carolina area will receive awards or be added to the Michelin Guide, which directs diners to must-try cuisine and dining experiences.
Here's a recap of the local restaurants and chefs honored by Michelin in 2025.
Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants in Asheville
Three local restaurants earned Bib Gourmand status, an award for restaurants offering the best value for the money, typically a three-course meal at a reasonable price given the area's cost of living.:
- Little Chango. A Latin American kitchen at 134 Coxe Ave. in downtown's South Slope neighborhood. littlechango.com
- Luminosa. An Appalachian-Italian farm-to-table restaurant at 20 Battery Park, on the first floor of the Flat Iron Hotel, in the historic downtown building. luminosaavl.com
- Mother. A bakery, café and bottle shop at 244 Short Coxe Ave. in the South Slope district downtown. motheravl.com
Asheville's Green Star restaurant
Luminosa, led by Executive Chef Graham House, received Michelin's Green Star award for sustainability and its visionary commitment to the future of gastronomy.
Asheville's Michelin Guide-recommended restaurants
These 12 restaurants earned a place on the Michelin Guide's recommended list.:
- Addissae Ethiopian Restaurant. addissae.com
- All Day Darling. alldaydarlingavl.com
- Cúrate Bar de Tapas. curatetapasbar.com
- Golden Hour. goldenhouravl.com
- Good Hot Fish. goodhotfish.com
- Leo's House of Thirst. leosavl.com
- Soprana Rooftop Cucina. sopranarooftop.com
- Sunny Point Café. sunnypointcafe.com
- Table. tableasheville.com
- Tall John's. talljohns.com
- The Admiral. theadmiralasheville.com
- Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse. ukiahrestaurant.com
For more about the Michelin Guide and its award winners, visit guide.michelin.com.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Co., covering the food and beverage industry, including the James Beard Awards, Michelin Awards, restaurant openings, closings and other hospitality industry news and events. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram. Sign up for AVL Bites and Brews, our weekly food and drink newsletter here.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: What Asheville restaurants earned Michelin nods? A recap of 2025
