10 sushi superlatives in Asheville, NC

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The Rice Crispy small plate from The Madness. | Photo by @wncfoodie

We’ve been fishing around and AVL is swimming in sushi. From trendy menus to laidback atmospheres, we’ve rounded up some top spots to score sushi.

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Wasabi is coming in hot with some cold fish. | Photo by @ladieswearblack

🍣 Date night dining

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, 19 Broadway St.

Wasabi is a great spot to take your date when you want to make it o-fish-al. This downtown spot offers a mix of both traditional and new age sushi rolls as well as teriyaki, hibachi, and noodle entreés. Pro tip: Enjoy the Sweetheart roll featuring fresh crawfish, tuna, avocado, mango + tobiko with your sweetie.

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Can’t decide between a burger or sushi? Have both at The Madness. | Photo by @ashevillenoms

🍣 Impress the foodies

The Madness Sushi, Burger & Bar, 275 Smokey Park Hwy. + 1020 Merrimon Ave.

The Madness has premier sushi + with an innovative menu that incorporates American classics like the cheeseburger + fried chicken sandwich. Order a bento box for the chance to try a little bit of everything — a burger slider + 4-piece roll of your choice, edamame, fries, gyoza, and ginger salad.

🍣 Grocery store greats

Publix, 1830 Hendersonville Rd.

Convenience stores + grocers are the best places to score impulse sushi. Publix has delicious takeaway sushi for on-the-go eaters. Plus, the store on Wednesdays for $5 selection sushi rolls.

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Green Tea is located in the Regent Park Center off of Patton Avenue. | Photo by @ashevilletravelguide

🍣 Celebrate with sushi

Green Tea Japanese Restaurant, 2 Regent Park Blvd.

Green Tea is the perfect place to maki the moment special. With plenty of parking + a vast sushi and hibachi menu, it’s the perfect place for a gathering with all your friends and family. Pro tip: If you like a little heat, try the Fire Island roll featuring jalapeno, spicy tuna, and chili sauce.

🍣 Bang for your buck

Zen Sushi, 640 Merrimon Ave.
Who says sushi has to be expensive? Check out Zen Sushi’s sushi lunch combos. The eatery offers two-roll lunch combos that are less than $10. Plus, each combo comes with your choice of miso soup or salad.

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Asheville Sushi & Hibachi can feed the entire family. | Photo by @drunkkandddhungryyyy

🍣 Tako-bout takeout

Asheville Sushi & Hibachi, 1636 Hendersonville Rd.

Stay in with your sashimi and try Asheville Sushi & Hibachi. This South Asheville fixture is located in the Forest Ridge Shopping Center + offers online ordering with speedy preparation. Honorable mention goes to Mr. Sushi with locations in North and South Asheville.

🍣 All you can eat

Shogun Buffet, 1000 Brevard Rd.

What’s better than sushi? More sushi. Get your fill with Shogun Buffet. The potpourri of Asian delights includes a sushi bar, hibachi grill + eight buffet bars.

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Holy Water has great outdoor patio seating. | Photo by @wncfoodie

🍣 Drink up

Holy Water Brew Pub, 20 Gala Dr.

An underrated element of the sushi experience? The booze. Holy Water Brew Pub keeps the drinks flowing with its award-winning hard seltzers. That’s right, this unique sushi bar offers small batch, hand-crafted hard seltzers in flavors like lavender and lemon + pomegranate, hibiscus, and ginger. Pro tip: Visit Holy Water on Wednesdays for its $15 Seltzer Roll Deal featuring a roll + seltzer pairing.

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Heiwa’s plant-based rolls feature ingredients like avocado, sweet potato, and asparagus. | Photo by @where_youre_planted

🍣 Go fish-less

Heiwa Shoduko, 87 N. Lexington Ave.
It sounds like a contradiction, but vegan sushi is delicious. (Technically the name “sushi” just refers to the rice part.) Try out Heiwa’s Spicy Tempeh roll, Dragon fly roll, and Sweetie Pie roll, just to name a few.

🍣 Bonus: branch out

Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, 2 Hendersonville Rd.

Or maybe you’re looking to get out of your sushi-rut and try other kinds of Japanese cuisine. In that case, you must dine at Ichiban. This teppanyaki-style restaurant offers a live hibachi grill experience in addition to a great selection of sushi and sashimi.

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