Where to Eat in Highlands, NC: Coffee to Fine Dining

Highlands has more good restaurants than a town of its size should, and most of them sit within a short walk of Main Street. From Fairview House you can walk to nearly everything in this guide. The exceptions are a few spots out on Franklin Road and Dillard Road, which are a three- to five-minute drive.

Two things to know before you plan meals. First, the high season runs roughly May through October, and the best tables book up on summer and fall weekends. Second, some places trim their hours or close for part of the winter. Check current hours before you go, especially from November through March.

Coffee & breakfast

• Calders Coffee Cafe (384 Main Street). Espresso drinks made with organic Café Campesino beans, loose-leaf teas and matcha, New York-style bagels, breakfast sandwiches on English muffins or croissants, and a case of scones, muffins and cinnamon rolls. It also takes bulk to-go orders, which is the easy way to bring coffee and bagels back for a full house.
• Blue Bike Cafe (Creekside Village, 423 N. 4th Street). All-day breakfast, including biscuits and gravy, pancakes and omelets, plus lunch. Indoor and outdoor seating. Open Monday through Saturday from early morning until mid-afternoon.
• Edelweiss Pastry Boutique (892 N. 4th Street). Mornings bring warm almond croissants and cinnamon buns with coffee on the porch. More on the pastry case under Sweets below.
• Mountain Fresh Grocery (521 E. Main Street). A market with a coffee bar and bakery that serves breakfast until 11 a.m. Picnic tables outside make it an easy stop before a hike.
• Black Bear Cafe (Wright Square, 137 Main Street). Breakfast and lunch with some Mexican dishes on the menu.

Weekend brunch: The Stubborn Bull serves brunch Saturday and Sunday with tapas alongside the eggs. The Ruffed Grouse Tavern at Highlander Mountain House does Sunday brunch overlooking Main Street. Oak Steakhouse at Skyline Lodge serves a weekend brunch with mountain views. Brunch days and times shift by season, so confirm before you go.

Casual lunch

• Highlands Burrito (226 S. 4th Street). Build-your-own burritos, bowls and tacos with house-made sauces, plus margaritas. It serves lunch most days, stays open into the evening on Fridays and Saturdays, and is closed Sundays. It also caters.
• Highlands Pizza Place (365 Main Street). A family-run Main Street fixture since the 1980s. Pizza, subs and a meatball sub that regulars order by name. Call ahead with a big pizza order for the house.
• Highlands Smokehouse (595 Franklin Road). Pit-cooked ribs, brisket, chopped pork and chicken, with sides like mac and cheese, collards and banana pudding. It has counter service, a full bar and a big outdoor deck that works well for families. Lunch and dinner most days. It is closed one weekday, so check the hours.
• Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar (465 Main Street, at Old Edwards Inn). Wood-fired pizzas, cast-iron sandwiches and salads, served all day, indoors or on the seasonal terrace. It is open to the public with first-come, first-served seating.
• The Ugly Dog Public House (294 S. 4th Street). A family-owned pub with craft beer and cocktails, a patio and daily specials. It is walk-in only and serves late on weekends. It is closed Mondays.
• Rosewood Market (117 Franklin Road) and Bryson’s Food Store deli (Highlands Plaza). These are good for picnic lunches to carry to a waterfall. See our groceries and catering guide.

Dinner

• The Stubborn Bull (445 N. 4th Street). Spanish-inspired tapas, craft cocktails and a curated wine list, overlooking Mill Creek. Small plates for sharing make it a natural fit for a group. Dinner nightly in season. Its daytime spot, Bodega by the Bull, keeps shorter hours.
• Ruffed Grouse Tavern (270 Main Street, Highlander Mountain House). Regional food from Blue Ridge farms, craft beer on tap and a wine list focused on organic and biodynamic producers. Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.
• Wild Thyme Gourmet (343-D Main Street, Town Square). In Town Square since 1995. American cooking with Asian influences, Western North Carolina trout and a wine list that has won Wine Spectator awards.
• On the Verandah (1536 Franklin Road). Dinner overlooking Lake Sequoyah, about five minutes from downtown. Seafood, international dishes and a long wine list. It has been open for 45 years.
• Lakeside Restaurant (531 Smallwood Avenue). Seafood-focused dinners just off Main Street, with views of Harris Lake.

Fine dining

• Ristorante Paoletti (440 Main Street). Classic Italian built on Paoletti family recipes. It is the dinner reservation people plan a trip around. Seating runs nightly through the evening. Book through the restaurant’s website, and book early for summer and October.
• Madison’s Restaurant (445 Main Street, Old Edwards Inn). Locally sourced meats and fish and an extensive wine list. It serves lunch and dinner to the public, and dinner reservations are recommended. Breakfast is for inn guests only.
• Oak Steakhouse (Skyline Lodge, 470 Skyline Lodge Road). Steaks and ingredients from nearby farms, with a terrace and long mountain views. It is about ten minutes up the mountain from town.

Wine & cocktails

• High Country Wine & Provisions (621 Franklin Road). This is the mountain tasting room for Davis Family Vineyards of Sonoma. You can order wine by the taste, glass or bottle, with focaccia and charcuterie boards. Reservations are recommended and walk-ins are welcome. It is closed Tuesdays.
• Highlands Wine Shoppe (269 Oak Street). A downtown wine shop with a curated international selection, outdoor fire pits and regular tastings.
• Hummingbird Lounge (Old Edwards Inn). A fireside lounge with handcrafted cocktails, light bites and live music. It is open to the public.
• The Wine Garden and the Rooftop Terrace (Old Edwards Inn). These are open-air spots for a glass of wine or a cocktail on Main Street. Both are seasonal and close for the winter in early November.
• The Vineyard at High Holly (Scaly Mountain, about 15 minutes away). A 30-acre property with wine tastings, a dahlia garden and walking paths.

Grocery stores in town also carry wine and beer. The Highlands ABC store at 322 Oak Street sells liquor Monday through Saturday. North Carolina ABC stores are closed on Sundays, so stock the bar before the weekend ends.

Sweets

• Edelweiss Pastry Boutique (892 N. 4th Street). Pastry artist and chocolatier Oksana Shchelgachova opened her shop in a white house on 4th Street in 2023. Her best seller is the chocolate mushroom petit gâteau. The case also holds tarts, éclairs and entremets, and she makes custom cakes. Order a celebration cake here.
• Kilwins (341 Main Street). Fudge made in the store, caramel apples, chocolates and ice cream by the scoop or in sundaes and shakes. It is open daily into the evening, which makes it the default after-dinner walk.
• The Baked Bunny (177 Main Street) and Summit Sweet Ice Cream (Wright Square) round out the Main Street options.

Eating out with a group of 12 to 20

Most Highlands dining rooms are small. A table for 18 on a Saturday in October is not a walk-in request. Here is what works.

• Book a private event, not a reservation. The Stubborn Bull hosts private events for groups of all sizes, including rehearsal dinners, welcome parties and luncheons, and has a courtyard for cocktail hours. Highlander Mountain House, home of the Ruffed Grouse Tavern, takes event inquiries through its website. Old Edwards Inn handles group dining for Madison’s and its other venues through central reservations at 866-526-8008. Highlands Smokehouse takes event requests too.
• Skip the walk-in-only places for the whole group. The Ugly Dog and Four65 seat first come, first served. They are great for four to six people, not twenty.
• Split up, then regroup. One easy pattern is to send the grandparents and young kids to an early pizza or barbecue dinner while the adults take a later reservation. Then everyone meets at Kilwins.
• Bring dinner home. For one or two nights, barbecue or burrito catering at the house is easier than any restaurant. See the catering and private chef guide.

Staying at Fairview House puts Main Street four blocks away, so nobody has to be the designated driver for dinner downtown. For more ideas, see things to do in Highlands or plan your group’s weekend with our guide to group trips.