More of the Best Barbecue in Asheville—A Local’s Perspective
- Ian Wasserman
- May 5
- 5 min read
With summer on the horizon, I find I’m in the mood for nothing more than a fine meal under that vast Blue Ridge sky. A little sunshine, a bit of a breeze, and platterful of top-rate nutrition, that’s what I’m looking for.
And when I have my druthers, you know I’m always springing for a little local BBQ. Once I covered this topic long ago, touring all the best barbecue joints in Asheville. Now, years past, some new competition has entered the game.
This time around, I’d like to focus not only on new barbecue restaurants, but on places that combine the best of this signature Southern cuisine with a little something extra. A new spin, if you will, whether that’s a mashup of different traditions, or just a new way of seeing what has got to be my favorite kind of food on this dear planet Earth.
So read on, and discover five more of the best barbecue restaurants in Asheville.
Since their opening almost five years ago , Huli Sue’s has been one of my favorite stops to eat in downtown’s historic Grove Arcade. The kind of place I always like to try something new at, confident that I’m in for a finger-licking good time.
Long story short: Texas barbecue meets Hawaii. That means brisket, barbecue pork, and St. Louis ribs, paired with sauces both from across the Pacific (paniolo and crackseed) as well as from right here in the mountains (that undeniable Carolina gold-style mustard).
All that said, I’d be lying if I said their pork katsu isn’t the first thing on my mind. It may not be NC-style barbecue, but dadgummit, if it isn’t what I need to soothe my heart and soul.
As an added bonus, Huli Sue’s also has some of the best poke and fish tacos in town, making it a great place to eat if you’re in search of a compromise between surf and turf. And of course, all of the above is best enjoyed with a slice of banana cream pie, and perhaps one of their sensational tropical cocktails.
Hours: Noon to 8pm, Thursday through Monday. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Here at Bear’s Smokehouse, they’ve got some good old downhome classic barbecue, the kind of stuff that got me writing “best BBQ in Asheville” articles in the first place. Not only that, but I recently found out they’re the official barbecue-partner of the UNCA Bulldogs, my sister’s alma-mater. Local favorite indeed.
Y’all already know what’s going on here: pulled pork, chopped brisket, burnt ends, kielbasa, Texas sausage and even “impossible meatloaf,” sold by the half-pound. And for the house specialty: we're talking “moink balls” and “bear balls,” deep-fried delights filled with bacon-meatballs and pulled pork respectively. What will they think of next?
Both Bear’s downtown and south Asheville locations got plentiful seating, both inside and out, making this the perfect place for some al-fresco dining with a larger group, accompanied by brews, bear balls, and some of the very best barbecue in Asheville.
Hours: Downtown: 11:30am to 9pm. Open until 10pm Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays. South Asheville: 11:30am to 8pm. Noon to 7pm Sundays. Closed Mondays.
Now that’s a musical name if I ever heard one. More on the “musical” part later.
What I want to talk about first is mac n' cheese, that unfailing ally of barbecue since time immemorial. Here at Daddy Mac’s, they had the daring to go and make the mac’ the star of the show, dazzling diners with skillets full of mac n’ cheese topped with burnt ends and Cheerwine sauce, chili and frito’s, or buffalo chicken with blue cheese.
If you can’t tell, this barbecue joint in Asheville takes pride in celebrating Southern comfort food at its finest, and it doesn’t stop at the mac. Pimento cheese, fried pickles, bacon-cheeseburgers and catfish po’ boys round out the rest of their menu, not to mention the “bar-b-cue-terie” boards, serving brisket and pulled pork family-style, with plenty of downhome sides.
Back to the music: Daddy Mac’s is just down the street from downtown’s famous Orange Peel music hall, making this the perfect spot to get some dinner before the show.
Hours: 11am to midnight. Open until 1am Fridays and Saturdays.
Here we have something of a hidden gem, the kind of barbecue restaurant I don’t reckon you’ll find without a little local lore. Hidden up towards Woodfin, about five minutes north of downtown, Iron and Oak partners with Riverside Rhapsody brewing to serve just what their names suggest: brisket and brews.
Fact is, many locals swear this brisket is number-one in the game. And you got to remember: here in Asheville, that’s some stiff competition.
If you do get a chance to go on up north, I advise you get there early, ideally on a Thursday or Friday, because that brisket can sell out fast.
If you do find yourself in Woodfin over the weekend though, then you’re still in luck. Just the right opportunity to try their exclusive baby-back ribs, Saturdays and Sundays only.
Hours: 3pm to 7pm Wednesdays and Thursdays (limited menu Wednesdays). 2pm to 7pm Fridays. Noon to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
And finally, we get to one of the most unique barbecue restaurants in Asheville, an upscale eatery founded by a trio of James-Beard nominated chefs, currently killing the game both in Japanese, and in all-American BBQ.
They’ve got a one-of-a-kind menu, serving smoked pork shoulder and Carolina brisket on one page, and salmon sashimi on the next. A truer celebration of life’s finest proteins you can find nowhere else.
On into their char-grilled skewers, things get truly extraordinary. Porky belly in a fuji apple glaze, tiger prawns, hokkaido scallops, and even wagyu beef.
All told, like Huli Sue’s, it's a prime spot for both seafood and land-food, both barbecued straight to perfection. And like, Daddy Mac’s it's just down the street from the Orange Peel, making this barbecue restaurant in Asheville truly a one-of-a-kind.
Hours: 5pm to 9pm Sunday through Thursday. Open until 9:30pm Fridays. 11am to 9:30pm on Saturdays.
Businesses Mentioned
Huli Sue's
(828)-505-0397
1 Page Ave Suite 150, Asheville, NC 28801
Bear's Smokehouse (Downtown)
(828)-505-7088
135 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Bear's Smokehouse (South)
(828)-412-3453
1127 Sweeten Creek Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
Daddy Mac's Down Home Dive
(828)-505-2988
161 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Iron and Oak Brisket Co.
(828)-216-5707
995 Riverside Dr, Woodfin, NC 28804
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse
(828)-470-7480
121 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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