Stable Cafe

Experience the Elegance of the Biltmore Estate in a Casual Environment at The Stable Cafe-Asheville
Written by: The SmokyMountains.com Local Experts Team
Local Expert's Rating:
4.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Step back in time when you enter the historic estate of the Vanderbilt's, known as the Biltmore House and Estate. Before or after visiting the nearby home, be sure to stop in at The Stable Cafe for some casual yet immensely satisfying experience. Imagine what the space would have looked like decades ago when horses were calling it home. Take in all the woodwork and the craftsmanship that is displayed all over the cafe, where even the smallest detail is perfected.   

- The SmokyMountains.com Local Expert Team

Situated adjacent to the sprawling French Renaissance-inspired mansion which remains the largest single-family dwelling The Biltmore House is the Stable Cafe-Asheville. This must-visit location while on the Biltmore Estate is award-winning, earning accolades like being named the Open Table Diner’s Choice Awards as well as being awarded a 2020 Open Table Diner’s Choice Award for being a “Great for Lunch” location.

The Stable Cafe is open daily from 11:00 to 3:00, but the hours are subject to change. The fare offered is casual in nature with house-smoked meats, rotisserie roasted chicken and turkey, southern barbeque, house-made charcuterie, delicious salads, grilled hamburgers, and other southern favorites all available. While The Stable Cafe is primarily a lunch destination, they do offer a Candlelight Evening Dinner option sometimes throughout the year. This is served nightly from Nov 5 to Jan 8 and correlates with the Biltmore House candlelight tour.

Although the menu items are noteworthy as are the incredibly fresh ingredients which are provided from the Biltmore Estate working farm, the ambiance of the cafe is perhaps even more impressive. Decades ago, when the Vanderbilt family called Biltmore home, the location of the present-day cafe was actually a horse barn with large, impressive wooden stalls complete with handcrafted ironwork.

While you might think of a dirty, dusty stable when picturing this in your mind, this stable was nothing like that. Instead, the ground was paved with handmade bricks and the doors were all large, impressive offerings with intricate woodwork perfected by skilled craftsmen. In other words, this stable was nicer than most houses. Therefore, it made perfect sense to turn this location into a place to eat for guests visiting the nearby Biltmore house.

With the cafe, the bricks remain as do the impressive doors that allow you to enter and exit. The stalls that once housed impressive horses ridden and enjoyed by the Vanderbilt family and their many guests each feature a long booth-style table with natural dividers between. There are also smaller tables available in the open part of the cafe and there is an upstairs loft area as well with additional open seating options.

The Stable Cafe-Asheville’s Executive Chef Jeffry Stanford was born in the Delta north of New Orleans. Consequently, he grew up perfecting traditional southern and Creole cuisine. He enjoyed a variety of placements after earning a Culinary Arts and Restaurants Management degree from Florida State University, before coming to the Stable Cafe and Biltmore Estate in 2020.

Keeping in mind that all the food is grown on the estate, or locally sourced, guests can be sure that any dish they choose will be fresh and delicious. Add to this Chef Stanford’s experience and a standard of excellence can always be expected at the Cafe.

While there are several great options to try when you visit The Stable Cafe-Asheville for lunch, most guests recommend the following dishes…

Field to Table Entree Salad
There is nothing like a fresh salad with lots of flavorful toppings to go along with a day of fun. There are several salad options to choose from at The Stable Cafe including the Estate Raised Cobb Salad, the Spinach and Apple Salad, and the Smoked Chicken Salad. Guests can add pulled chicken, seared salmon, or sauteed shrimp to any salad.

Signature Sandwiches
Choose from an assortment of signature sandwiches at The Stable Cafe including the Classic Burger made with estate-raised Black Angus Beef, the Bison Short Rib Grilled Cheese with North Carolina bison, the Biltmore BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, the Smoked Turkey and Brie, The Smoked Pork Barbeque, or the Smoke Chicken Salad Croissant.

Desserts
Finish off your lunch with a special treat of either Old Fashioned Pecan Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte, Pumpkin Creme Brulee (gluten-free), Apple Stack Cake, or the Irish Red Velvet Cake.

Insider Tips:
-Reservations are recommended as The Stable Cafe does tend to fill up around popular meal times. The Cafe uses OpenTable to select and confirm online reservations.
-Guests must either be touring the Biltmore House or Estate or be a guest of one of the Estate Hotels in order to dine at The Stable Cafe.
-The Stable Cafe also includes a kid’s menu with fun options for those whose pallets might be less adventurous.
-Within the stable groups there are many interesting stores to look at, perhaps while waiting for your table to open up. These include a Christmas-themed store as well as a store with lots of Biltmore souvenirs.