What's New in Asheville for a 2026 Bachelor Party

Why Asheville, and Why Now

Asheville is still the best beer town in the Southeast, but the food scene has moved fast lately with a run of new openings that give your group real reasons to book a table between breweries.

Here is what has opened recently and how to work each spot into a bachelor weekend.

The New Openings

Xico

Best for: A loud, shareable group dinner | Price: $30 to $55 per person

One of the most talked-about Asheville openings of the last year, Xico is a wood-fired Mexican kitchen built around a custom Josper charcoal oven and a grill that runs near 1,000 degrees. The smoke and char make everything taste like a party, and the plates are made to pass.

Order this: The wood-fired meats and a round of mezcal for the table.

Le Parisien

Best for: The one nice dinner of the trip | Price: $40 to $65 per person

Opened in early 2026 on North Lexington downtown, Le Parisien brings upscale French cooking with dishes like lamb chop a la menthe and a sea bass Wellington, plus a real cocktail and wine program. Save it for the night the group cleans up.

Order this: The lamb chops and a bottle off the French list.

Rhubarb

Best for: A farm-to-table dinner on Pack Square | Price: $35 to $60 per person

Rhubarb reopened in 2026 under new ownership right on Pack Square downtown, with a seasonal, wood-roasted menu including whole trout and a black trumpet mushroom cassoulet. Central location makes it an easy launch point for the night.

Order this: The wood-roasted Sunburst trout and the fried gnudi to start.

Birdie's

Best for: A cheap, great late-day slice stop | Price: $5 to $15 per person

Birdie's opened on Biltmore Avenue as a neighborhood slice shop from two Culinary Institute of America grads who spent years dialing in the dough. It is the perfect refuel between breweries when nobody wants a full sit-down meal.

Order this: A couple of pies for the group and a soda or a beer.

Antidote by Chemist Spirits

Best for: A proper cocktail stop in a beer city | Price: $14 to $18 cocktails

Chemist Spirits is expanding its Antidote cocktail bar into Biltmore Village, giving the group a spot for real craft cocktails when everyone needs a break from IPAs. Good change of pace mid-crawl.

Order this: A gin cocktail made with the house-distilled spirit.

Planning Tips

• New spots draw crowds, so book Xico, Le Parisien, and Rhubarb ahead for any group over six.
• Build the day around the South Slope brewery district, then break for one of these new dinner spots downtown.
• Use Birdie's as your between-breweries refuel so the group paces itself.
• Openings and hours shift fast in Asheville, so confirm the reservation and the hours the week of your trip.