The Michelin Guide is often considered the most prestigious restaurant award in the world. The reviewers at the Michelin Guide are famously mysterious, but traditionally, Michelin has centered on fine-dining concentrated in major urban areas. In recent years, the guide has expanded in both types of cuisine and regions. In 2025, the Michelin Guide entered the American South, featuring Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee (Atlanta was the only area covered previously).
With a total of one Michelin star, seven Bib Gourmand awards, and 39 recommended restaurants, North Carolina was one of the most awarded states in the American South. To sample these restaurants firsthand, I was taken on a guided culinary tour courtesy of Visit North Carolina. The tour centered on four of the major cities in North Carolina: Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham. We visited more places than featured on this list, but I chose to curate some of the most interesting restaurants that impressed me. Needless to say, there was plenty of eating.
Asheville
Good Hot Fish
A counter service restaurant inspired by Southern fish camps, Good Hot Fish is all about fried seafood. Here, you can find an excellent rendition of the classic fried fish sandwich (served with sliced white bread), along with classic Southern sides like hush puppies, collard greens, and boiled peanuts. But the menu also features some fun creations, such as the Japanese okonomiyaki-inspired sweet potato cabbage pancake and the shrimp burger that tastes very similar to the ebi filet-o at McDonald’s Japan. Deeply umami and one-of-a-kind, the trout bologna sandwich is also a must-try, along with the bloomin’ onion, quite similar to the infamous Outback Steakhouse version.
Luminosa
Located in the iconic Flatiron Hotel in downtown Asheville, Luminosa is an Italian restaurant with a focus on sustainability, zero waste, and local Appalachian ingredients. This emphasis on sourcing earned Chef Graham House a Michelin 2025 Green Star (awarded to restaurants with a focus on sustainability, although it does appear the Michelin Guide might be slowly phasing out this award) and a Bib Gourmand. The dining room here is beautiful, accompanied by the vibrant and elegant Italian dishes, all helmed by a wood-fired oven in the open kitchen — a dinner and a show…