![[plant] cheese. at Plant in Asheville](https://images.happycow.net/venues/1024/27/94/hcmp27945_123367.jpeg)
Vegan
American
Organic
Beer/Wine
Fusion
Vegan restaurant featuring scratch-made, modern plant-based cuisine. The multi-cultural menu includes raw and gluten-free options, vegan cheeses and handmade desserts. All beer and wine are vegan. Sources local, seasonal, and organic ingredients. Open Wed-Thu 5:00pm-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 5:00pm-10:00pm, Sun 5:00pm-9:00pm. Closed Mon-Tue.
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165 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, North Carolina, USA, 28801
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 10 Nov 2024 by Guest
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Added by cringer on 19 Aug 2011
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284 Reviews
First Review by AnnieG
La_Doodle
Points +24
Such a treat! - Edit
As a vegan living in Virginia, I have really no dining options, so it was such a treat to be able to eat at an all vegan, gourmet restaurant such as Plant. The raw lasagna was amazing-- fresh veggies and a creamy macadamia nut cheese. The smashed avocado salad was also delicious. The desserts are out of this world. The ice cream is amazing (especially the mocha) and the blackout pie has a very rich chocolate flavor. Perhaps the carrot cake is my favorite of all! Fabulously fresh and little with a little slice of candied ginger. Obviously, I ate there more than once during my visit.
Read morePros: perfect portions, organic ingredients , made from scratch
Cons: none
Guest
JasonVegan
Points +18
Plant in Asheville, NC is amazing vegan fine food - Edit
I had heard about this restaurant from friends and had to make the 2 hour trip to give it a try. OMG it was soooo totally worth it. I have never had food explode with flavor like this, and the fact that it is completely vegan allowed me to order and dine without worrying about cross contamination. Loved it and I will revisit.
Read morePros: all vegan, large menu, amazing tastes
Guest
LoriPortka
Points +13
Favorite Veg restaurant ever - Edit
My husband and I travel a lot and research to find the vegetarian/vegan restaurants in the area. Plant is hands down our favorite vegan restaurant.
Read morePros: incredibly delicious, gorgeous presentation, moderate price
Guest
Rhiannon-vegan
Points +79
Wow, gourmet vegan at its finest - Edit
We took a trip up to Asheville and I was super excited as I had been wanting to try Plant for a while.
Read moreAfter seeing all of the interesting seasonal choices on the menu, we decided to treat ourselves and try a few different things.
To start, we got the cheese platter (not my favorite) and some delicious home cooked herby fries with mayo (and no, they do not have ketchup!).
For our mains, I got the mushroom risotto (wonderful and rich) and and my boyfriend got the raw lasagne - which was very beautiful and vibrant.
We loved the food and it was such a treat to try gourmet vegan dishes.
One point to note, I would recommend booking a lot in advance as they were really busy and we had to sit on the cold patio.
Also, save room for desserts! We got too many starters and were too full to try any...and they sounded so good!
Pros: Gourmet vegan
Guest
jimsclocks
Points +6
Asheville, NC 11-20-2014 - Edit
Though I am not a vegetarian by any means, I have enjoyed vegan gourmet cuisine before. But never (and I mean never) was it this good in both presentation and taste.
Read moreMy wife and I started with drinks; red wine “Tamas “Double Decker” Syrah” for her, and a bourbon hot toddy (a seasonal special) for me (make that two).
We ordered the “S Nuts” as an appetizer. A warm smoked assortment of nuts with herbs and spices. We now knew we were in for something special.
For the main course, I ordered the Applewood Smoked Porto’House, she chose the “Rosotto”. Again, the presentation and flavor was extraordinaire. The pictures really do not do it justice, read the Menu for the particulars.
For desert we shared the Live Key Lime Parfait with a cup of French pressed coffee.
No previously prepared food here. It is made while you enjoy your drinks and appetizer. The timing for the servings was just right for a leisurely meal.
The décor was very comfortable, pleasant and guest friendly. It helps to promote friendships with your fellow diners while enjoying your meal. The staff was helpful and attentive.
The topping for our evening was “Chef” Jason Sellers joined us for a quick introduction and a photo shoot.
Come to enjoy a gourmet meal you won’t forget.
My only wish is that “Plant” was a little closer than our 5 hour drive to Asheville, I would be dining there at least once a month.
Trivia: The “Plant”, is a converted gas station that was a backdrop for the 1958 movie Thunder Road, starring Robert Mitchum.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zol48r0deovpqn9/Thunder%20Road%201.jpg?dl=0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdwUpxkfSJw
Pros: Food, Service, Price
Cons: None
Guest
am22ssj
Points +80
AMAZING - Edit
I have been to a lot of vegan restaurants, and some that are just unbelievably amazing, like Candle 79 in NY. Plant is one of those. First, their entire drink list is vegan, so you don't have to ask or google if they have vegan wine, because it all is. I've been to all vegan restaurants that serve alcohol that it is not vegan, which is really strange. The Plant Cheese starter is delicious! House made cashew cheeses and bread with Pinot Grigio to start. Delicious! The Walnut Crusted Seitan with pureed cauliflower "mashed potatoes" and broccolini was unreal. I was so full, in a great way, so I ordered the Blackout Pie to go but opted for the cinnamon "coconut ice cream" instead of the banana monkey punch. This was amazing! I also tried bites of the brussell sprouts with hazelnuts and the the Risotto with mushrooms - YUM! Jesse, our waiter, was awesome as was the rest of the staff. I told Jesse to please open up Plant in Atlanta and start selling their "cheese" online or in stores. Small place with great atmosphere, open kitchen, simple clean decor... Perfect vegan dinner and dining experience.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Monday November 17, 2014
Updated from previous review on Monday November 17, 2014
Pros: ALL VEGAN (food and alcohol), Amazing food, Cool atmosphere/Staff
Guest
jenly
Points +241
four stars but should be five - Edit
While in Asheville in June, I desperately wanted to go to Plant. I had read all the wonderful reviews, but the problem was they are open only for dinner. Finding a good time to go became a problem, and towards the end of our trip we seized an opportunity to have an early dinner. (Of course we first called and asked if they could accommodate us.)
Read moreThe restaurant is located outside of the main downtown on a busy local road. It is small and unassuming. When we went inside to ask about seating, the hostess led us through a minimalist and half-empty dining space to an outdoor patio. The outdoor patio accommodates maybe six small tables. The only space available for two tables pushed together was in the blazing sun next to the parked cars. I asked to eat inside since so many tables were empty and was told those were being held for reservations. The patio was covered, but since we were right on the edge, there was no protection from the sun and it was quite hot. Also, it is not decorated in any way to make one think they are sitting somewhere other than next to a bunch of parked cars. If this were a burger joint or a pizza place, then okay, but it falls short of the standard for a fine dining establishment.
We ordered almost everything on the menu--the warm olives, the fried plantains, the roasted artichokes, the shishito peppers, the kale salad. For entrees we had a couple of plates of the walnut crusted seitan, as well as the red curry and the oyster mushroom apricot adobo. The most disappointing dish was the olives, which just tasted like olives after all, and the favorite was the seitan. The dishes were well-prepared but quite rich. Even though we enjoyed our meals, no one asked to return.
We could not stay for dessert since we had an appointment to keep. Even without dessert, the bill was high, as we had expected.
Having visited most of the other veg restaurants in Asheville on our vacation, I can see why Plant gets high reviews. This is fancy, special-occasion vegan food. Even though Asheville was incredibly veg friendly, Plant was unique in its level of intricate preparation. However, I live in a city with several restaurants specializing in fancy, special-occasion vegan food, and they offer more aspects of the "fine dining" experience. My personal view that is if Plant is going to charge expensive, "fine dining" prices, then they should make the entire experience more commensurate with the bill.
Guest
NatashaPopkin
Points +31
Birthday dinner - Edit
I enjoyed my birthday at this amazing restaurant. My meat eating family members were originally very hesitant to take a swing at any vegan food and I am so glad that they tried. The whole family had an amazing dining experience. Great food, service, and atmosphere.
Read moreI hope to come back to plant in the future and recommend it to many people!
Pros: all vegan, multiple kinds of menu items, not too many menu items
Guest
SkipStein
Points +152
Dinner at Plant - 5/18/2014 - Edit
Dinner at Plant – The restaurant is not far from the downtown area so easy to get to. Located in a pretty nondescript building (mostly gray) with a simple sign: PLANT. There is limited outdoor seating and not an over abundance inside. Make reservations!
Read moreWe were greeted pleasantly and the service was excellent. As I love plantains, I really was looking forward to their Fried Plantains. We also wanted to try some other appetizers so also ordered the Iron Skillet Olives and the Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes. Well the olives in a hot skillet were interesting, nothing to get worked up about; just olives. The Artichokes were good but not spectacular. Now the Plantains, Those WERE Spectacular. I could have just done a few orders of those for dinner but held off. While the main menu was lovely and the presentations on neighboring tables looked great, we both decided on the Applewood Smoked Porto'House for our main course. That was DELICIOUS!
For desert, I had the Blackout Pie of peanut butter fudge! YUM. Nancy had the Blondie which was also very good.
After this we were pretty stuffed and left with a quick goodbye and compliments to Jason Sellers the chef!
Pros: Delicious, Great Service, Nice Location
Cons: Little Pricey, Limited Reservations, No Walk-Ins
Guest
DaveMiami
Points +96
This a a fancy but amazing vegan restaurant! - Edit
It reminds me of "Millennium" in san francisco. At Plant I got the raw enchilada, wow it was so good. Their whole menu looked fantastic! But it is more pricey and fancy, which is fine by me! :)
Read morePros: Super quality, Menu, Taste, specialty
Guest
Vegangirlclark
Points +112
Plant rocks!!! - Edit
This is my second time dining at plant. It's so amazing and some of the best vegan food I've had. Tonight tried the risotto-amazing!!! So creamy and the mushroom and carrots are to dream about. Started with the cheese platter-a must and ended with the blackout pie-delicious!! Highly recommend plant!!!
Read moreGuest
Ckogge
Points +29
Fantastic Food - Edit
We were in town visiting the Biltmore Estate and saw Plant on Happy Cow and decided to give it a try. The food was wonderful. We started with the iron skillet olives then had the risotto and applewood smoked porto house. This was some of the best vegan food we have ever had. We also indulged in the Meyer lemon cheesecake and lemongrass ginger ice cream. It was truly delicious. The atmosphere was very relaxed and the servers didn't rush your meal. If you are planning to go on a weekend, reservations are recommended. We look forward to our next visit to Asheville and Plant.
Read morePros: Excellent food, Great service
Guest
meroe05
Points +822
Even My Omnivore Husband Liked It! - Edit
Plant offers a healthy yet delicious menu. I tasted 4 different dishes and was delighted by all of them. They were very accommodating to my daughter as she has a nut allergy AND is very picky about her veggies (despite being vegan). The fact that my hubby loved the food was an added bonus. I want to try everything!
Read morePros: Delicious, Unique, Friendly
Cons: Pricey, Small Menu
Guest
VEGvoyagers
Points +40
best vegan food ever - Edit
Eating at plant had to be one of the best meals we have ever had. The dining room set up is unique because its an open kitchen where you can see the chefs cooking. The presentation was beautiful and the food was fresh. The flavors were excellent along with service. We got a cheese plate and cauliflower soup as an app, wild bbq and farrotto as the main dishes and the brownie with ice cream for dessert. Everything was spectacular, i would highly recommend it. if going on a weekend night, calling ahead for reservations would be a good idea as it fills up fast.
Read morePros: great service, high quality, fun environment
Guest
CyneEnright
Points +161
Really good food - Edit
We really liked the food and the atmosphere. The price was commencerate with the service and quality. I would say it was close to Plum Bistro good.
Read morePros: Nice waitstaff, Good quality food, Clean
Guest
gwild
Points +1610
gourmet vegan - Edit
Everything we ate was outstanding. We tried the S'nuts and the "cheese" platter. The two types of "cheese" were made from cashews and were delicious.
Read moreWe also ordered the raw enchilada and the jerk tofu. My daughter had the portobello steaks over polenta with sautéed greens. The grilled polenta was amazing. The sauce on the portobellos was a bit strong but still very good. Our total bill was $84 with tip for 4 of us. This was a splurge for us but well worth the price.
Pros: delicious , raw options, friendly service
Cons: small dining room
Guest
earthmother30
Points +82
Happiness! - Edit
Stopped at Plant for dinner while visiting Asheville. It was a peaceful dining experience knowing that everything on the menu was vegan! Beautifully prepared food, everything tasted amazing. Between everyone at our table we had the nightly soup-a Thai tomato, hazelnut crusted seitan, red curry tofu, and jerk seitan. We all sampled each other's meals and they were all delicious.
Read morePros: amazing, VEGAN, did I say amazing?
Cons: ambiance is a bit lacking
Guest
jkirk
Points +52
YUMM!! - Edit
Plant was delicious!! I went with an omni friend, and even she liked it! Portion size was perfect, I even had a little left for leftovers. I don't know what they do to their hummus, but it was incredible, and I'm usually bored by hummus. Do NOT skip desert! They make their own ice cream, and it's amazing. It's very creamy, not like flavored ice.
Read morePros: Delicious, Fresh, Creative
Guest
wuthering
Points +72
Save up!! - Edit
Can't fault the food, it's good, really. But holy moly, is it expensive. Hubby and I shared a tiny vegan cheese appetizer ($11), a main course and we had three $4 beers. This came, with tax and tip, to $52. Now, I know they're going for fine dining, so sure, charge a lot. But, it keeps normal, veg*ns from going more often, and instead caters for the rich. Shame, because I'd like to eat there more often.
Read moreAs an example, we've eaten in loads of other restaurants in Asheville with a starter, main and drinks and our bill is around $20-25 including tax and generous tip.
I'd have given 4 cows if it wasn't so expensive - the food is worth 4, but they lose a cow on price.
Pros: Vegan done well
Cons: Very expensive, Must drive to it (not downtown), Most dishes concentrate on mushrooms
Guest
Carrie C. Reid
Points +47
Best Vegan Food Ever! - Edit
I am OBSESSED with this place! The place is a fine dining vegan restaurant, which is extremely rare in the vegan world. They have the best cannoli ever, taste like so authentic, my italian grandma would be proud. All of the food tastes fantastic here. The head chef is well trained, passionate about creating excellent meals, and executes well. The staff is friendly, and very knowledgeable about their vegan ingredients. The food is pretty and the choices are incredible. I go to Asheville (a four hour ride) just to go to this restaurant. It is not a great choice for children, which is nice as a romantic vegan option. LOVE IT!
Read morePros: Everything
Guest
TRaeCH
Points +384
Happy to Have Checked it Out - Edit
I ate at Plant while briefly in Asheville for a concert. Since it appeared to be the only (though not anymore) all-vegan restaurant in the city, I could not resist even if dining alone.
Read moreI sat at the bar in this semi-upscale locale where, once stepped foot inside, you can tell they place an importance on service. They feature a lovely open kitchen dining room with added bar stool seating, where I situated myself. The staff and cooks were very friendly, fraternizing with me when the opportunity arose. They offered complimentary raw spiced nuts to much on while a) trying to decide on an entree and b) waiting for my meal.
I ordered a local beer, the Asheville Brewing Shiva IPA which was strong and very good. I ordered the Jerk (grilled seitan · smashed sweet potatoes · sautéed collards · spicy serrano crudo · fried banana & celtic salt) as my entree. It was a bit spicier than I typically like my food, but you could tell - not only from the presentation - that all elements of the dish were top class.
It was so filling that I broke my own rule and did not order dessert. Their homemade ice cream gets rave reviews, I know! I told them I would save more room next time and I wasn't kidding; I certainly plan to return the next time I'm in the delightful confines of Asheville, NC.
Pros: Top Quality Food, Prices are moderate and fair, Great staff/service
Guest
practicetnr
Points +24
Can't go wrong here! - Edit
The food is delicious and beautiful. The atmosphere is elegant and relaxing. The service is exceptional. This place has spoiled me. Now, other restaurants just can't compare. I was passing through Charlotte. Finding Plant was serendipity!
Read morePros: Cruelty-free food that is delicious!, Relaxing atmosphere., Comfortable even for a party of one.
Cons: Limited parking., That's the only con I can come up with!
Guest
Kangarupe
Points +184
Hands down one of the best - Edit
I have been Vegan for 5 years and I make it a goal to hit every vegan restaurant I can whenever I go someplace new, so I like to think that I have a large internal database of vegan/vegetarian restaurants.
Read moreYou can bet money that at Plant you'll have one of the greatest Vegan meals you've ever had in your life. It is also a fantastic place to have a romantic dinner if you're lucky enough to have a vegan significant other such as myself!
Between my girlfriend and myself I have tasted the cheese plate, the wild forest, the mixed mushroom grill, the hazelnut crusted seitan, the pumpkin cheescake, the "my own" apple-cranberry pie and the cannolo. I honestly can't pinpoint my favorite entree because they were all absolutely fantastic.
Some may find Plant's prices high but their dishes are worth every penny. I do not hesitate spending $100 on my girlfriend and I when we go. Granted...we order 3 courses for each of us because we only go on special occasions.
Stop thinking about going and go! Like I said, it's one of the best and its my personal favorite Vegan restaurant in the world.
Pros: Designated parking lot
Cons: Small dining area
Guest
VegansArePeopleToo
Points +128
Best vegan meal I have ever had - Edit
They did bring us the wrong food, but it was a fortuitous mistake that ended with my wife and I have the best vegan meal we have ever had. This far eclipsed my experience at Candle 79 and anything in Atlanta that we have had to date. Our taste buds wished we lived closer, but our wallets - and waistlines, are not.
Read morePros: Everything
Cons: Nothing
Guest
PixieMel
Points +740
Oh, it's gooooood! - Edit
Plant has some of the best food I've ever had. You eat with your eyes first and all of the dishes deliver that aesthetically pleasing aspect. The next step: taste. Everything tastes so fresh and well-prepared. Every bite is an explosion of flavor! Some of the combinations sounded odd to me and ordering it was stepping a bit out of my comfort zone, but I'm so glad I did. I've been twice and each time I was pleased with the food. The servers are friendly and smiling. The restaurant is nice, clean, and open. I love the decor and the layout. It's bright and inviting.
Read morePros: Fresh, Flavorful, 100% vegan!
Cons: Expensive, Location (busy street)
Guest
jbail
Points +24
Amazing food - Edit
We dined at plant while visiting in Asheville. We loved the food. My favorite was the chickpea crepe that we ordered off the Sunday brunch menu. Plant is definately a place we will return to next time we are in Asheville.
Read morePros: Delicious food, Nice atmoshphere, All vegan
Guest
Miss_C
Points +39
Oh. Em. Gee. - Edit
The best. Plant is the only reason I need to drive 2 hours to Asheville. Every bite is amazing, and service is fantastic. It's great (and rare) to be able to order anything I want on a menu, including dessert. This isn't the most helpful review I suppose, completely lacking in any critical points, but really, it's THAT GREAT.
Read morePros: Everything!
Guest
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