For a quick baby moon/getaway, as well as to experience a little fall, Robin and I took a 4 day trip to Asheville, North Carolina! It was a 10 hour drive from Tampa, Florida but soo worth it to see the fall leaves, experience cooler temperatures and hike in the mountains. Since we were mostly outdoors we brought along Copper, our 3 year old siberian husky! Asheville, North Carolina has a strong foodie scene and luckily for us many of the restaurants are dog friendly.
For each restaurant I will describe what they serve as well as what I got, what my husband, Robin, got and what we thought of it! I hope you like to eat and try unique combinations of food because there are so many diverse flavors to try in Asheville.
This post may contain some affiliate links. This means I make a small profit from your purchase but at no increased cost to you. Thank you!
COVID-19 Effects on Asheville
I do want to mention that we traveled to Asheville during October of 2020 which was during the coronavirus pandemic. Asheville took the coronavirus very seriously which meant that it did affect our travels and experience.
All our food was in disposable packaging whether we ate at the restaurant or took it to go, which you will see from the photos. We also ate a lot of our food in our hotel room for convenience sake even though a lot of places had outdoor seating we could have used.
No worries though everything still tasted the same (delicious in most cases) and we enjoyed supporting so many small business restaurants when we know most small businesses are struggling.
Biscuit Head
For a hearty and scrumptious breakfast or brunch I highly recommend Biscuit Head. It is open daily from 8am-2pm. Biscuit Head features a menu of unique breakfast sandwiches (all on biscuits), biscuits and gravy plus coffees and breakfast sides.
In addition to the breakfast sandwiches they also provide a wide array of jams and hot sauces to try on your biscuit. Some are really unique, I definitely recommend trying a few.
The outdoor patio was large and entirely dog friendly! They even had treats for the dogs when you were placing your order. Definitely a great dog friendly restaurants in Asheville to support.
Favorites: I got the biscuit with chicken gravy which had chunks of fried chicken in the gravy! I also tried the classic strawberry jam and it was so GOOD. Robin got “the filthy animal” which was basically the breakfast sandwich version of my breakfast. It had egg, bacon, chicken and gravy inside and was huge! He tried a few of the hot sauces on his. Overall we loved everything we ate and would definitely eat here again!
Address: Multiple Locations
// Website & Menu //
Old World Levian (OWL) Bakery
This quaint bakery caught my eye on social media and screamed european bakery and elegance. Unfortunately due to COVID we couldn’t go inside, we could only order from the to-go window. At OWL Bakery they specialize in bread and pastries. We went for breakfast but next time I would love to purchase a loaf of bread or baguette for a picnic lunch.
The bakery has (or is next to) a large outdoor area filled with tables and chairs that are all dog friendly to eat at. However, when the bakery opens fully again, know the inside is not dog friendly.
Favorites: Robin got a ham and cheese croissant that was absolutely delicious! Definitely worth trying. I got a lemon tart that was to die for good however it was definitely more of a dessert than a breakfast food. My bad, I have a huge sweet tooth and couldn’t resist trying it!
Address: 295 Haywood Rd #4545, Asheville, NC 28806
// Website & Menu //
Gan Shan West
If you like asian food then I can’t imagine you wouldn’t like Gan Shan West! This asian fusion restaurant was probably my favorite meal of the whole trip, and as you can see we had a lot of good food.
Gan Shan West happens to be right next to OWL Bakery and shares the same outdoor seating area (the bakery is closed in the evenings). The area is dog friendly and lit by fun string lighting after dark.
Favorites: I tried the daily special of “Phat Si Ew” which had skirt steak, asparagus, rice noodles and sauce. It was SO GOOD! It had a unique flavor that didn’t taste to heavy or oily. Robin got the “spicy beef ramen” which he also loved.
Address: 285 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
// Website & Menu //
More Helpful Asheville Posts:
- 5 Dog Friendly Hikes Off Blue Ridge Parkway Near Asheville
- Dog Friendly Lake Watauga Day Trip from Asheville, NC
White Duck Taco
Located in the heart of downtown Asheville is White Duck Taco. They are extremely affordable, which is nice because all these meals out add up so quickly! The menu features several unique twists of flavor on regular tacos.
They have a large outdoor seating area that is entirely dog friendly, spacious and really nice. Despite being downtown the outdoor seating is off the street and sidewalk so it is nice and quiet.
Favorites: I stuck to more classic flavors like the steak and cheese and the BBQ carnitas which had pork, coleslaw and beans on it. I really enjoyed both. Robin got the Thai peanut, Bangkok shrimp and the spicy buffalo. Each one was really unique and tasted so good.
Address: Multiple Locations
// Website & Menu //
The Noodle Shop
Down the street from the downtown location of White Duck Taco is a popular Chinese restaurant called The Noodle Shop. It looks simple and unassuming, especially next to some of the fancier restaurants downtown but the taste of the food was great!
They do have 2-3 tables that are dog friendly outside their patio area, however it isn’t a lot so it could fill up fast.
Favorites: I had the chicken pad thai and fried spring rolls. The pad thai was good (although not the best I’ve ever had) but I really enjoyed the fried spring rolls! Robin got the Korean seafood noodle soup and he really enjoyed it. It is listed as spicy but it was only about a medium spice level that most people can probably handle easily.
Address: 3 SW Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801
// Website & Menu //
Taco Billy
We went to Taco Billy to try their breakfast tacos but they are open all day long. This is another affordable food option with each taco starting at only $3.50!
Currently due to COVID they are only offering to-go but normally they have front and back porch outdoor seating that is dog friendly!
Favorites: I had the the “billy holiday” taco and added avocado, I also tried it with their green salsa. It was amazing, super filling and the sausage inside had great flavor! This was another favorite of mine from the whole trip. Robin had one of the billy holiday’s as well as the “migas” taco which is supposed to be an Asheville favorite. We both agreed that the other taco was better!
Address: 201 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
// Website & Menu //
Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian
After a full day of hiking a hearty, filling meal of pasta sounds amazing! Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian was just the spot to go and boy was it popular! It had quite the line out the door. Despite the wait this classic Italian food was really good.
This dog friendly restaurant in Asheville has a large outdoor patio space that everyone can sit at to enjoy the food, including pups. The patio is covered which is nice for windy or slightly chilly days.
Favorites: I got the garlic chicken and broccoli pasta. It was classic and simple and I really enjoyed it however I did feel that it needed more of a sauce than it came with. It was a good healthy option but I think I would get something else next time. Robin got the “Linguini Pescatore” with a white sauce. It had tons of seafood on it and he loved it. We also shared an order of “arancini” which is fried mozzarella and rice balls with a tomato sauce. We loved them in Italy and although they didn’t taste identical they were absolutely delicious!!
Address: 641 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
// Website & Menu //
Old Europe Pastries
Last up is another European style bakery. We came to Old Europe Pastries for breakfast. The breakfast pastries were fine and they sell coffee that I’m sure was great. However, if I were to go again I would go for dessert, which is why I am listing it. Their display case was full of mouth watering desserts like cake and canolis that I would have loved to try.
They had no seating available at all, I am not sure if this was due to COVID or an all the time thing. I say it is dog friendly restaurant though because they offered Copper a treat while we ordered, which he gobbled up no problem. When you head out onto the square there are several benches to sit at where you can eat. The whole square is dog friendly of course so you can definitely bring your pup along!
Favorites: I had the banana bread which was moist and delicious, however I did not feel that it was anything special or beyond what I could make myself. Robin had a cheese danish which was flaky and yummy. Like I said, I think we would have preferred going for dessert!
Address: 13 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
// Website & Menu //
Practical Information for Asheville, NC
Find accommodation, sign up for a local tour, or buy your North Carolina Travel Guide.
Dog Friendly Restaurants in Asheville
I hope you and your pup have so much fun eating your way through Asheville! There are so many fun places to try that we saw just driving around, I am sure you can find something to your liking if none of these sounded good to you. And there are so many dog friendly restaurants in Asheville that it will be easy to bring your pup along.
If you need help planning what you are going to do in Asheville when you aren’t eating this 4 day itinerary (coming soon) will help! It is entirely dog friendly and full of outdoor fun!
If you’re looking for other fun U.S. destinations to visit a few of my favorites are New Orleans, LA. They have the best culture and foods to try. New York City is a classic that offers a lot of history and “big city life”! Finally, if you head out west then I suggest seeing Utah and going to one of its 5 National Parks! Arches National Park is one of a kind and probably my favorite, although Zions has so many unique hikes worth going on.
Happy Traveling!
