Top Restaurants in Banner Elk, United States

Food: Definitely tasty shrimp&grits. The po’boy was enjoyed
Service: Our server was nice and
Atmosphere: Modern touch for a mountain getaway. I loved the fireplace very cozy and inviting space. The patio is nice.

Fantastic experience, from the moment we arrived. We could not speak high enough of Artisinal. The menu is beautifully curated and the staff took care of us so well. We will definitely be returning

Came here for my husband‘s birthday while staying at Beech Mountain and absolutely loved it! Highly recommend. Very fun and modern atmosphere with kind and attentive staff. Vibrant cocktails and an impressive wine selection. We got the crab cake as an appetizer, my husband got the bison meatloaf with mac & cheese and broccolini, I got the Campanella pasta. If you are looking for a fun date night spot in Banner Elk try LP on Main!

We loved LP on Main. Was actually recommended by Google map. I love that there is a 'no modifications' rule.. (Makes my picky husband try new things. ;) )

Thank you for your recommendations Sophia! Great food, great service.

Simply amazing start to finish. Everything about Artisanal from the food to the staff to the ambience is the top of the mark.

They offer a 3 course prix-fixe menu with six options per course utilizing local ingredients. All the dishes we ordered were perfectly executed in both flavor and presentation.

The entire staff from the valets, the hostesses, the bartenders, the servers, to the chef’s were well trained, knowledgeable, attentive, professional and pleasant. Top-notch all the way.

If you enjoy amazing food, in a beautiful setting, then artisanal is a must whenever you find yourself in the high country.

This is one of the best dining experiences we have had in sometime. Though we didn’t have a reservation, they were able to seat us and even took our drink orders while we waited in the entryway. The food was truly fabulous and the service was great. We split the tartare, Caesar, salmon and the peanut butter chocolate sandwich and had amazing cocktails.

I would love to give LP on Main a 5 Star rating, but I just can’t. 3 stars is the best I can do. It is not because of the service. The servers at fantastic. They are attentive and work hard to ensure everything is perfect. That being said, their hands are tied by the owners. The have a no modifications or substitutions policy. They don’t care if the customer has food allergies or just really does not like something. For this reason I can not in good faith recommend this restaurant. I would be happy to update my rating of this restaurant once they change their policy.

Beautiful setting in BE town square with excellent food. We love Sorrento's.On our second visit for this stay we enjoyed the Mussels marinara appy and then the Salmon and Shrimp. Irving was our server and was charming and watchful for all our dining needs. While it is apparent the Villages train their staff well, Irving has been trained by familia influences as well. His personality is so comfortable and added to our enjoyment of our dining experience.

This is the best restaurant in the High Country. Always such a delightful experience with the most friendly and welcoming owners and staff. The food is always amazing. The shrimp and grits are my the best I have had away from the coast, the crab cake and the sticky toffee pudding are perfect. The atmosphere is so unique with a personal touch on each table. I’d recommend LP to everyone!

We went second time just now and it was amazing and delicious both times!
If you are looking for an amazing treat or a beautiful dinner - that’s the place to go !

We failed to read about their dress code prior to arrival. The hostess was very nice and accommodating. We apologized and offered to leave but they seated us anyway. I was impressed how well they handled what was our fault.

The important part is the food. Outstanding. I had the lamb. It was perfect. My wife got the beef and she loved it.

Our server was fabulous. Very highly recommend.

This meal was possibly one of the best meals I've ever had in the United States. From the crispy Brussels sprouts appetizer to the grilled ceaser salad the entree's the wine the pork was tremendous the crispy duck was tremendous the pasta with mushroom sauce delicious we had extra shrimp added amazing the flaming dessert the wine everything was reasonably priced that music was charning - I cannot recommend it more strongly.

In a word, “underwhelming.” Our primary home is in Asheville where there are a multitude of fantastic restaurants, so maybe our expectations are high. We bought a second home at Beech Mountain a couple of months ago, and we’re trying restaurants in the Beech Mountain/Banner Elk area looking for one that really stands out. We thought LP on Main might be it … but it wasn’t.

On the plus side, they have a nice porch that accommodates dogs. We were seated right on time … and then no one came back to the table for 20 minutes to see if we wanted anything. They gave us food menus, but no drink menus, so when the server finally asked if we wanted drinks we ordered blind rather than risking another long wait.

I had the short rib and my wife had the salmon. Both were good, but if you’re hungry you’ll still be hungry after you eat. My wife asked if we could order some bread … and there’s no bread. We would have had another round of drinks during dinner, but no one asked if we wanted anything from the time our meals arrived until the server cleared the table and asked if we wanted dessert. The highlight was the sticky toffee pudding … quite good.

LP on Main has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, tonight it was underwhelming.

Had a lovely experience here celebrating a dear sister. The staff here were all really friendly! Everything we ordered from the starters (fried oysters, crab cakes, octopus, soup) to the entrees (scallops, salmon, beef short ribs), and even the dessert were excellent! They even have a long list of wines to select from.

We would definitely recommend anyone to visit for a delightful meal!

We have visited “ The Village” Multiple times over the last few years. We love the pizza and delicious pasta dishes from Sorrento’s. The atmosphere is great just to sit at the bar and have some drinks as well.

We especially love Chef’s Table! We very much enjoy the ambience and the phenomenal entertainment. Drinks are always wonderful and the food is always top-notch. The food is fresh and always prepared perfectly. They have a very unique dessert and coffee experience that is a must try. You can’t go wrong with any of the dining options in The Village.

Hubby and son #2 went here without me. They talked about it for days!! It sounded amazing. The garlic bread is made fresh daily by the chef. Our normal concern about overdone pork was not an issue here. Upon ordering, the server told them exactly what they needed to hear. "We don't ever overcook the pork." Hubby said the photo doesn't do it justice, but that's all I've got to go on. We will return.

This is an excellent choice for a lovely dinner in the mountains. The filet might be the best I've ever had - and I mean that with my whole heart... It's the PERFECT medium. Try the deviled eggs... And, the salad bar! Will definitely be back!

I highly recommend this restaurant and our waiter Alex. We came into town and tried other restaurants and this one far exceeded the others in flavors and service, and we are discerning "foodies" for sure. We will definitely make coming here a tradition during our visits. I highly recommend making reservations because we were seated right away. 😊

This was our first time coming here and everything we had was delicious. The restaurant was full but not too loud, and we loved the ambiance. The staff helped me with my proposal, she said yes, and they were awesome. Our waitress Amy was especially great, she was very cheerful and helpful, her suggestion for my drink was the Half Blood Prince which I'll definitely be getting again when we come back. We will for sure ask for Amy again as well, thank you all for a perfect night.

Great restaurant, there is food for all ages that have a good pallet. We had a group of 7 and their service was great. I would recommend the Angus New York Strip ($55) and the prime rib. We did make reservations and then asked us if we wanted the upstairs or downstairs and even though we wanted the down stairs they gave us the upstairs which looked like a wedding reception and not the rest of the restaurant. The salad bar was expensive but worth it. I would 10/10 recommend especially if you just came back from a long day of skiing.

Amazing restaurant with rustic decor out in the mountains in banner elk. The menu is pre-fixe for a set price with no exceptions so unless you don't have kids that are picky eaters, I recommend leaving them at home. They offer seasonal cocktails and have an extensive menu of spirits and bottles of wine for additional cost. Their dress code is business casual but more on the casual side but you will see people there for special occasions dressed up. The food was amazing and the dishes vary with the spring, summer, and fall seasons. They close for winter and open up late spring. The restaurant offers valet and is accessible from the paved driveway to the front door with no stairs along with tables that someone in a wheelchair could comfortably roll up to. Definitely try this spot for a lovely dinner experience. We've gone multiple times and it has not disappointed!

We came here on a Sunday night. We made reservations the day before. The restaurant was clean and up to date. The service was wonderful. The food was top notch. I really enjoyed my NY strip. They have plenty of non-steak options if you are in the mood for something else. I recommend the grilled asparagus. We did not try any of the deserts, but from what I saw they looked delicious.

The food was good. I like my food super hot, and it wasn't. It was still very good. The service was good, our waitress kept our drinks full, and made sure we had everything we needed. The atmosphere was casual. We made reservations for 5, and we were seated quickly. The restaurant soon filled up. Reservations aren't needed, but I would recommend it. Overall this was a great dinner spot for a nice evening out.

We were so grateful to be fit into the last evening of the season for dinner. The food was incredible (to say the very least) as was the environment. The changing scenery around the grounds in late October was breathtaking. Our server, Hope, was so kind and lovely. We can’t wait to return again next year! Thank you for a wonderful experience, Artisanal.

Angela P was our server, at Sorrento's and I cannot say enough about the excellent service Angela gave my son and I, last week. She was one of the best servers that I have ever had anywhere! Sorrento's food was delicious and well-priced for the quality of the food. I will definitely dine here again and highly recommend Sorrento's and Angela to all of my friends!

Stonewall

Highly rated and recommended we stopped into this nice restaurant found on Yelp with high ratings. We started with their fresh bread, warm to the table. We did not have reservations, and they were completely booked for days. They have an outdoor patio with a fire pit going and music inside tonight at the bar. We were told a 2 hour wait, so we sat outside as the bar was not an option as they reserve the spots in the bar. Completely booked, we were given a table on the outdoor covered and closed patio with heaters. It was quite comfortable and sad we could not hear the music. If they had a little piped in music, it would have been better. However, our server Brenna made up for the lack of music. Funny and informative, we went with The  Onion soup, perfectly made at the perfect temperature, and the cool thing is they give you a pair of mini scissors to cut the cheese and bread. Delicious and hearty! Then I went with the salad bar over 50 items to choose from, and it was enough to fill me up. We also had The Ribeye steak with I had a piece of and the Special of the day, Pistachio crusted trout. Oh, so delicious!

We followed with the homemade cinnamon roll bread pudding.  Which was flavorful but a little too stiff for my liking. It had a bourbon sauce, which could have used more for my liking.

All in all the meal was terrific, wonderful atmosphere and great service!

Decided to try Primo since it use to be Barra (sports bar). So glad we did. We loved our meal & evening here. Drinks were amazing. Our waiter was attentive & friendly. Loved the chandeliers. The salad we shared was a great size & delicious. The garlic knots are addictive! Our meals were delicious. Even had dessert - tiramisu was perfect. We are thinking that we will dine here way more often than when it was Barra.

There are two restaurants I've dined with that were so incredible and so unique that I the experience stuck with me for days after. The first is a lovely Michelin star bistro in Paris called Benoit. The other is Artisanal. I went to celebrate my engagement and it was an absolutely incredible experience. The location is lovely - tucked into the mountains in a charming, rustic, and warm corner of the mountains with a lovely trickling stream in the back. Should you arrive early, they have a lovely spot on the patio near the fire to enjoy yourself. The food itself is world-class. If Artisanal were in any major city, I have no doubt it, too, would have one (or more!) Michelin stars. The croquets were a lovely start - and the calamari was absolutely incredible - perhaps the best I've had. The soup was killer - and even the rolls were among the best I've had - served fresh in a cast iron skillet. Our meals were exquisite - the ribs alone, a simple and common dish, were done to protection and melted. In addition, and I can't stress this enough, the staff were lovely - even going so far as to bring complimentary champagne for our celebration. The desserts, of which we'd taken the unusual step of choosing two - both of which were undeniably lovely.

The bottom line is if you're looking for a world class meal (and don't mind it running a bit pricey) you can not find a better spot to dine for at least one hundred miles - but not with a better location!

One of the best meals I have ever had. Cocktails are definitely on pint. Hope to go again soon!

Beautiful and relaxed ambience while sitting outside next to the creek. The tuna tartare was an amazing 1st course as well as the St. Louis ribs. My wife enjoyed the lamb as a main course, and I devoured the halibut. Highly recommend the Doc Holiday cocktail if you enjoy an old fashioned.

Had dinner here for my birthday. The food was fantastic and service was impeccable! Great views from outside!

Beautiful location, excellent service and delicious menu options from the cocktails to desserts. We tried the beet salad and lasagna for apps, along with the sea bass and elk for main and desserts. Great location for special occasions. Wonderful experience!

Outstanding service, first class dining and culinary experience. Cannot say enough about the great evening my family and I had at The Artisanal. For those of you who enjoy craft cocktails with a flair, the Doc Holiday is the first smoked cocktail I’ve had where the flavor profile is carried from the first sip to the last.

Awesome food, great service and huge portions! My wife and I went to Sorrento's this evening for part of our 20th Anniversary Weekend. They were able to get us a table much quicker than expected. The location was very busy but in spite of that the Food, Quality and Service was on point. My wife and I started off with the Fried Mozzarella which was wonderful and then she had Fettuccine Alfredo w/ Fried Chicken and I had the Tortellini w/ Grilled Chicken and it was awesome. Our waitress Tessa was great, she was on it and took great care of us in spite of the restaurant being beyond super busy. Great evening overall!

We arrived in Banner Elk late and in the middle of snow coming down in April. Every place was pretty much closed except the bar part of this restaurant. The manager on duty was very accommodating and opened up a spot in the closed dining section, after we realized the bar was playing really loud (but good music). We love music but after a long day of driving we were just tired and wanted to relax. Definitely sounded like a fun place if you were wanting to go hang out at night.
The whole place was decorated really nice with beautiful paintings, especially the dining area. I felt bad that they opened up a table just for us but the staff never once made us feel like we were a bother. Our waitress, Jordan Y., was excellent and very personable. She was younger but very professional and a joy to talk with while we enjoyed our delicious meal. My husband had the Veal Parm and I enjoyed the crab cakes. Both were great and we were so thankful for being able to eat a wonderful meal so last minute and late. Would highly recommend!

Sorrents, Prime 21, Primo, and Chef's table located in Downtown Banner Elk are all phenomenal restaurants and a place to meet good people. My wife and I absolutely love the restaurants. Try it, you'll love it!!!

Don’t believe what they tell you on the phone! Terrible management style, seriously!! I spoke to the restaurant twice several days before coming to confirm that they could prepare the Beef Wellington without pork. I understand how this dish is prepared and as it is a fixed menu, I was limited in my choices. I literally told the woman I spoke with that with their fixed menu, if they couldn’t do the Wellington without pork no problem, I’d cancel. They had me wait on the phone and came back and said no problem, they could do it :) We got here and after ordering we’re told that no, they couldn’t. The manager came over and told me that “I” must have not communicated well enough. It’s one thing to make a mistake but another to BLAME the customer. What a disappointing experience :(

The food was plated beautifully, each and every dish meticulously prepared.

The compressed watermelon amuse bouche was perfect. First course, a 15 layer lasagne with marcona almonds fell flat.

We ordered the pimento scones and they were remarkable. Fluffy and crispy, savory with sweet pepper jelly - it was perfectly balanced.

The lamb was chewy but good. The snap peas were fresh and delicious.

Beef was perfectly prepared.

Cheese plate for dessert was absolutely amazing. The gentleman who explained the cheeses to us was remarkably knowledgeable. Such a pleasure to interact with him.

They charge a 16% fee which is not gratuity according to our server.

Beautiful atmosphere!

April from Tennessee is a wonderful server and very knowledgeable, our server not so much.

I’ve been here many times in the past 12 years or so and each time it’s been amazing. This time was no less amazing however, due to the fact that we don’t eat pork or shellfish our choices were somewhat limited and as such I was sad not to have the Wellington. Just a little whine with the delicious cheese we were served. You should try this place if you have opportunity.