Brevard is a mountain town, a hub for outdoor recreation, and the home of the “Land of Waterfalls.” But one thing most visitors don’t realize until they’ve arrived is that Brevard is a foodie town. Seafood, burgers, pizza, and desserts – if you want it, there is most likely a restaurant in town that has it.
Many restaurants have outdoor seating on spacious patios to take advantage of the cool climate most of the year. But when rain or the bitter winter temperatures descend into the mountains, the indoor seating is comfortable – and some restaurants are gorgeously decorated.
Trained chefs, passionate locals, and franchise owners bring their personal touches to dishes, creating savory and satisfying meals.
Use this travel guide to the best restaurants in Brevard to find the right place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.
Table of Contents
- Pisgah Fish Camp
- Hawg Wild Smokehouse
- Pisgah Bakehouse
- Corky’s Dawg House
- Oskar Blues Brewery
- Brevard Diner
- The Sunrise Café
- Morning Social
- Wild Morel
- The Bohemian Restaurant
- Blue Ridge Bakery
- Kilwins
- Jordan Street Café
- The Square Root
- Bracken Mountain Bakery
- Quixote Fine Cuisine
- The Falls Landing Restaurant
- Wine Down on Main
- Sully’s Steamers
- Big Mike’s
- The Blind Mule Brevard
- Cedar Mountain Café
Map of Best Restaurants in Brevard
How to use this map | Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the (very faint) star at the end of the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
No. 1
Pisgah Fish Camp
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Seafood and chicken
Pisgah Fish Camp is one of Brevard’s oldest restaurants. Dan and Fran Hawkins opened the restaurant in 1968. The location at U.S. Highways 267 and 64 intersection in Pisgah Forest was perfect – it caught the attention of anyone heading into the national forest or Brevard.
Currently owned by two of the founder’s children, Dana and Jeanne Hawkins, the restaurant is a family-friendly casual atmosphere for great food. Seafood is prominent on the menu, but you can also find chicken entrées and sandwiches for the landlubbers.
But my favorite meal at the restaurant isn’t seafood or chicken – it’s the pan-fried catfish that melts in my mouth. Along with their homemade onion rings and mac-n-cheese, it’s a meal I’ve gone back to countless times.
Info | 663 Deavor Rd, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 | 828-877-3129 | http://pisgahfishcamp.com/
No. 2
Hawg Wild Smokehouse
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Barbecue
I was leaving Looking Glass Falls one evening when a full-size van pulled into a parking spot behind me. The adults and children of two families sauntered out of the van, patting their full bellies with a satisfying grin. I overheard them commenting about the wonderful meal and asked where they went.
Twenty minutes later, I sat at Hawg Wild Smokehouse and ate one of the best barbecue meals ever.
Don and Sandy Brown opened the restaurant in 1997. In 2023, they sold their life’s work to locals Alex and Crystal Ingle. They changed the name slightly but kept the menu with the same barbecue plates.
The menu includes barbecue dinners made with tomato- or vinegar-based sauces, ribs, and brisket sandwiches. The sides are homemade daily.
Info | 91 Pisgah Hwy, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 | 828-877-4404 | https://www.hawgwild-bbq.com/
National Park Week 2024
Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.
No. 3
Pisgah Bakehouse
- Meals | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Foods | Bagels, scones, salads, brick oven pizza, cold and hot sandwiches
Pisgah Bakehouse is one of Brevard’s newest restaurants. The outdoor seating on a covered patio is a wonderful excuse to experience the fresh air of the mountains, although it’s located beside the buzzing main highway through town.
The restaurant serves a mild breakfast with locally roasted coffee beans, scones, and bagels. The lunch menu includes various brick oven pizzas and hot and cold sandwiches. The brick oven pizza takes center stage on the dinner menu. Fresh-baked bread is a part of all the menus.
Info | 1980 Asheville Hwy, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-966-8139 | https://pisgahbakehouse.com/
No. 4
Corky’s Dawg House
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and milkshakes
Corky’s Dawg House is a quirky blast from the past. Gourmet hot dogs made from 100% beef wieners are their signature dish. But you’ll also find burgers, sandwiches, and salads on the expansive menu.
After dinner, you must try one of their specialty milkshakes. These interesting, sweet concoctions feature a handcrafted milkshake topped with additional sweets. It’s like the dessert variety of a Bloody Mary.
Sit inside the cozy restaurant with black and white checked tablecloths. Meals are served on retro plastic baskets stuffed with red and white checked paper. It’s almost like a 60s retro diner, only with western North Carolina mountain décor.
Info | 1910 Asheville Hwy, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-966-7081 | http://corkysdawghouse.com/
No. 5
Oskar Blues Brewery
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Burgers from an on-site food truck
Dale Katechis opened Oskar Blues Original Grill in 1997 in Lyons, Colorado. Two years later, he began brewing beer in the small restaurant. In 2002, Dale’s Pale Ale was one of the first craft beers available in cans.
In 2013, a second location was opened in Brevard.
The small-batch brewery has an enormous, covered patio with long picnic tables. Live music typically fills the air on Friday and Saturday nights. Visitors can take a guided tour of the brewery before ordering food.
The “CHUBwagon” is the brewery’s exclusive food truck parked at the brewery daily. Burgers are the most common item on the small menu. The CHUBurger is my favorite – 100% Angus beef, cheddar cheese, and house dressing. Other burgers are made with black beans, Pacific salmon filet, and ground Berkshire pork.
And everyone must order the Truck-Fried Fries.
Info | 342 Mountain Industrial Dr, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-883-2337 | https://oskarblues.com/location/brevard/
No. 6
Brevard Diner
- Meals | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Foods | Eggs, pancakes, waffles, steak, chicken, pasta, burgers, sandwiches
There’s always that one place in every destination that all locals visit. In Brevard, it’s the tiny Brevard Diner. It’s probably the smallest restaurant in town, but you won’t think about square footage when you taste their delicious food.
Breakfast is the best meal of the day served at the diner. Farm-fresh eggs will delight your taste buds. Biscuits and gravy are made from scratch. My favorite breakfast meal here is the Pancakes 2-2-2: pancakes, eggs, and your choice of bacon or sausage, two of each.
If you thought the breakfast menu was big, you won’t know what to do with the lunch and dinner menu. True to old-fashioned diners, Brevard Diner is a menagerie of every kind of American food. Burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and chicken entrees populate the menu. And there are a few Italian specialties.
Brevard Diner is most popular on Saturday mornings and Sunday early afternoons.
Info | 42 Asheville Hwy, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-966-3552 | http://brevarddiner.com/
No. 7
The Sunrise Café
- Meals | Breakfast and lunch
- Foods | Bagels, omelets, quiche, sandwiches, salads
The Sunrise Café is a small chain of restaurants throughout western North Carolina and the South Carolina Upcountry. For six days each week – the restaurant is closed on Sundays – patrons can order anything from the breakfast and lunch menu any time of day.
Bagels are a big part of the breakfast menu. Order one of the half-dozen flavors with cream cheese or peanut butter. Or, order a bagel breakfast sandwich. Other breakfast items include omelets, burritos, and specialty dishes.
The lunch menu features deli-style sandwiches, salads, and veggie options.
Info | 273 N Broad St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-884-3331 | https://thesunrisecafebrevard.com/
No. 8
Morning Social
- Meals | Breakfast and lunch
- Foods | Omelets, pancakes, biscuits & gravy, skillets, burgers, burritos
In 2022, Morning Social replaced a restaurant where I once had a fantastic pan-fried catfish. It’s a former warehouse converted into a gorgeous restaurant with concrete floors, high ceilings, and comfortable seating. A small, covered patio offers outdoor seating on comfortable days.
The breakfast menu features omelets, biscuits & gravy, and oatmeal with seasonal fruit. My favorite breakfast here is the Farmhouse Skillet: potatoes, pimento cheese, spinach, bacon, cheddar cheese, eggs, and jalapeno sauce – I ask them to hold the avocado. The coffee bar offers espresso drinks and brunch cocktails.
An intriguing breakfast item I haven’t tried is the Breakfast Burger: a chorizo patty topped with fried eggs, spicy onions, and roasted poblano mayonnaise on an English muffin.
The restaurant closes at 2 p.m. daily. But before they close their doors, they offer a small lunch menu, beer, and wine.
Info | 170 King St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-877-3773 | http://www.morningsocialbrevard.com/
No. 9
Wild Morel
- Meals | Dinner
- Foods | Farm-to-table French and Italian cuisine
After attending the Johnson and Wales Culinary Institute in Charleston, Chef Tony Pope traveled the country working for renowned chefs. He brought 25 years of experience to Brevard and opened Wild Morel, a casual upscale restaurant.
The farm-to-table menu changes frequently throughout the year – and sometimes changes weekly. Options include antipasti, entrees, and wood fired pizzettes. Menu selections are few, but that’s because he puts extra effort and fresh, local ingredients into every dish.
The restaurant is in a renovated house within walking distance of downtown Brevard. Outdoor seating on the stone patio beneath umbrellas is comfortable in the summer and gorgeous in the autumn. The large living room with dining tables makes you feel at home while enjoying the delicious meals.
Info | 204 W Main St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-883-4841 | https://wildmorelrestaurant.com/
No. 10
The Bohemian Restaurant
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Tapas, chicken, schnitzel, fish, pasta, steak
The Bohemian Restaurant is an opportunity to try savory foods from around the world in a casual, upscale environment. Meals like German schnitzel, Caribbean pan-fried shrimp, and Mediterranean grilled chicken are served at budget-friendly prices.
Browse the wine and cocktail menu to find something that pairs well with your meal.
Take your time reading the detailed menus that list all the ingredients in every meal. First-time diners may want to visit during lunch to try the smaller lunch plates. But I’m certain you’ll want to return for dinner during your trip.
Sit inside or on the covered patio outside.
Info | 192 W Main St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-884-8402 | https://www.thebohemian-restaurant.com/
National Park Week 2024
Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.
No. 11
Blue Ridge Bakery
- Meals | Lunch and dessert
- Foods | Sandwiches, gyros, cupcakes, and cookies
In 2004, Katina and John Hansen sold their Charlotte restaurant and moved to Brevard, opening the town’s first bakery for custom cakes. They’ve since added lunch to the menu at Blue Ridge Bakery, giving visitors a reason to stop by the delicious-smelling restaurant.
The small lunch menu includes cold sandwiches, Mediterranean specialties, like gyros, and salads. But while you’re there, browse the freshly baked cupcakes and cookies.
Info | 86 W Main St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-883-8444 | https://www.blueridgebakery.com/
No. 12
Kilwins
- Meals | Dessert
- Foods | Chocolates, fudge, ice cream
Don and Katy Kilwin opened their first dessert shop in 1947 in Petoskey, a small lake town in northern Michigan. Their skillful crafting of high-quality chocolate and original recipes for ice cream quickly put them on the map for dessert lovers. The brand soon spread across the United States when the original company offered franchise opportunities.
John Matthieu brought the delicious aromas and savory sweets to Brevard in 2021. The Main Street location is convenient for exploring the shops around the small downtown area.
Kilwins is best known for delicious chocolate sweets, fresh fudge, and homemade ice cream. But it will be difficult to choose just one after stepping into the small dessert shop with glass display cases filled with sweets.
It’s standing room only inside. You’ll have to take whatever you buy to go. Fortunately, the sidewalks in Brevard are wide, clean, and easily walkable.
Info | 52 W Main St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-966-5924 | http://kilwins.com/brevard
No. 13
Jordan Street Café
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Wraps, sandwiches, burgers, desserts
Michael and Susan Nemeth opened Jordan Street Café in 1997. The restaurant has grown from a single-room café into a large restaurant with a full-service bar and outdoor patio seating.
Michael works behind the scenes in the kitchen, carefully crafting the menu items, like wraps, sandwiches, and burgers. The Pimento Burger is my favorite: a patty topped with homemade pimento cheese and bacon and smothered in barbecue sauce.
Susan works in the front of the restaurant and bakes the delicious desserts. The options vary but typically include cheesecake, tarts, and chocolate mousse.
Indoor seating is available. But if the weather is nice, the patio is my favorite place to sit.
Info | 48 W Jordan St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-883-2558 | http://www.thejordanstreetcafe.com/
No. 14
The Square Root
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Entrees, salads, and sandwiches
Going to The Square Root feels like getting into a speakeasy during Prohibition because you must walk down a narrow alleyway to find the restaurant. The restaurant is in a gorgeous brick building with hardwood floors and eclectic décor.
Because it’s on a quiet alley, I prefer sitting outside on the covered patio. The cushioned metal chairs are perfect for spending an hour savoring the food.
Entrees include trout, Chilean sea bass, rabbit gumbo, roasted duck, and chicken marsala. Careful attention is given to every dish. The signature cocktail menu features interesting vodka, tequila, and bourbon concoctions. The wine and craft beer menu has more alcohol selections, so you’re certain to find something to go with your meal.
Info | 33 Times Arcade Aly, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-884-6171 | https://www.squarerootrestaurant.com/
No. 15
Bracken Mountain Bakery
- Meals | Lunch
- Foods | Flatbreads and desserts
You’ll likely smell Bracken Mountain Bakery before you see it. The little bake shop in downtown Brevard produces fresh bread and pastries daily. After getting lunch, you’re almost certain to take something else home.
The small lunch menu includes a variety of flatbreads. These are perfect to-go lunches since the indoor seating is limited. Orders are taken at the counter, where you can also browse the selection of freshly baked bread and desserts.
The desserts include croissants, Danish, scones, turnovers, muffins, and cookies. The apple turnover made with local North Carolina apples in the autumn is my favorite dessert in Brevard.
Info | 42 S Broad St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-883-4034 | http://brackenmountainbakery.weebly.com/
No. 16
Quixote Fine Cuisine
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Mexican
Quixote Fine Cuisine has one of the most beautiful dining rooms of any restaurant in Brevard. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the restaurant with daylight, allowing diners to watch the people and traffic trudging along Broad Street. The patio is the largest outdoor seating area for a restaurant in a town that is frequently comfortable for sitting outside.
The menu is more than just Mexican food. It’s Mexican-inspired fine cuisine. Appetizers like Queso Fundido, made with chorizo sausage and chihuahua cheese, are perfect examples. House specialties include entrees made from beef, pork, steak, and chicken.
It’s a long menu. So, get comfortable and expect to spend about 15 minutes deciding what to order.
Info | 43 S Broad St Str 101, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-966-4554 | http://quixotebrevard.com/
No. 17
The Falls Landing Restaurant
- Meals | Lunch and dinner on Thursday and Friday; Dinner only on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Foods | Seafood, burgers, and steak
When Mike Young moved his family to Brevard from the U.S. Virgin Islands, he opened The Falls Landing Restaurant, which is dedicated to bringing savory seafood to the mountains.
Seafood is the heart of the menu, but not the only option. The menu also includes fish, steak, and burgers. Many of the menu items use local ingredients when seasonally available.
The lunch menu features fried oysters and sandwiches, like the Po’ Boy and Crab Cake Sandwich. The dinner menu has more options and larger portions. Entrees include filets, pasta, steak, and lamb.
Info | 18 E Main St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-884-2835 | http://www.thefallslanding.com/
No. 18
Wine Down on Main
- Meals | Dinner
- Foods | Flatbreads, paninis, boards, and desserts
If you enjoy wine, beer, or hard ciders with finger food, then you’ll want to visit the European-style Wine Down on Main. The small Main Street restaurant has an impressive wine selection, with all choices available by the glass or bottle.
For food, start with one of their customizable boards. The Charcuterie Board includes 3 meats and 3 cheeses of your choice, or you can order just the meats or cheeses. The menu consists of a selection of flatbreads and panini sandwiches. The Grown Up Grilled Cheese is a meal I’ll never forget – cheddar, mozzarella, and fontina cheese with bacon.
Info | 28 E Main St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-883-9463 | http://winedownbrevard.com/
No. 19
Sully’s Steamers
- Meals | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Foods | Steamed bagel sandwiches
In 2013, Robert Sullivan opened a restaurant in Greenville, South Carolina, that did something no one else had done yet – created delicious sandwiches between two halves of a steamed bagel. The company quickly expanded with locations and franchises throughout the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Georgia.
The menu features quirky names, like The Griswold, The Hulk, and McSteamy. My favorite is the El Camino – egg, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, and jalapeno cream cheese. Served on steamed bagels, the sandwiches melt in your mouth.
The menu has a variety of sandwiches suitable for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and children.
Info | 33 E Main St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-966-3378 | https://www.sullyssteamers.com/
No. 20
Big Mike’s
- Meals | Lunch and dinner
- Foods | Wings, subs, and pizza
Brevard is a mountain town with an eclectic variety of eateries. But there’s only one traditional pizza joint. Big Mike’s.
The menu features the usual fare for a pizza restaurant, like subs, wings, and pizza. But everything is a step above the usual. The subs are stone-baked for a savory, gooey eating experience. The wings are prepared mild, medium, or hot with various sauces.
The stone-baked pizza has a thick crust, delicious sauce, and is piled high with toppings. You can choose from one of the designed pizzas or build your own from scratch. My favorite things to eat at Big Mike’s are insanely priced garlic knots – 6 for $5.
It’s a small restaurant with limited indoor seating. But the chairs are comfortable, and the laminated tables are big enough to hold all the wonderful food.
Info | 12 Gaston St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-884-3663 | http://www.bigmikesnc.com/
No. 21
The Blind Mule Brevard
- Meals | Dinner
- Foods | Appetizers, entrees, and a wine list
Chef James has worked at Michelin Star restaurants around the world. In 2016, James and Carole Hargis opened The Blind Mule in Brevard. There’s an interesting story behind the name linked to nearby Lake Toxaway. But it’s a story best learned after you make a reservation for dinner.
The menu includes tapas, small plates, and entrees. The farm-to-table restaurant sources as many ingredients from local farms as possible, like the North Carolina trout in one of the delicious entrees.
The restaurant also features a wine list, a selection of beers, and typically keeps a few local craft beers on tap.
Reservations are recommended at the modern chic restaurant. Upholstered dining chairs, muted grays, and stone tile floors create a romantic ambiance for a date night while visiting Brevard.
Info | 14 Gaston St, Brevard, NC 28712 | 828-553-8978 | https://www.blindmulerestaurant.com/
No. 22
Cedar Mountain Café
- Meals | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays; Breakfast and lunch only on the other days
- Foods | Omelets, pancakes, French toast, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, steak, and chicken.
Cedar Mountain Café is about 15 minutes from downtown Brevard. It’s worth the scenic drive for weekend dinner, and it’s perfect after spending a day exploring the waterfalls in DuPont State Recreational Forest.
Local ingredients are used whenever possible for the various meals, including bread from Bracken Mountain Bakery and coffee beans from The Brown Coffee Roaster in Bevard. When it can’t come from local farms, the staff reaches out to vendors for things like Mississippi catfish and Gulf shrimp.
The breakfast menu includes sandwiches, omelets, pancakes, and French toast. For lunch, the menu shifts to burgers, sandwiches, and wraps. Dinner entrees include steak, North Carolina trout, pan-fried catfish, and chicken parmesan.
After visiting Hooker Falls one day, I went to Cedar Mountain Café for dinner. I had the Spicy Billy Burger – half pound free-range beef patty topped with goat cheese, pickled red onions, and sauteed jalapenos on a brioche bun. It was one of my favorite burgers ever.
Info | 10667 Greenville Hwy, Cedar Mountain, NC 28718 | 828-884-5272 | http://www.cedarmountaincafe.com/
