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    Aloha Cafe

    4.6 (60 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated a few days ago

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    Recommended Reviews - Aloha Cafe

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    Menu as of September 2024
    Rich M.

    A very small place however it can crank out some outstanding poke. Portion size is decent and you're not paying for simply rice with toppings. The woman who works there is super sweet and very friendly. The inside has a Hawaiian vibe and gets you in the mood for poke. Prices are very reasonable so you won't break the budget to eat here. We would come back

    Chicken banh mi
    Tony S.

    If you aren't paying careful attention, you might just walk right past this place, because as others have noted, it is very tiny. Given very limited seating and not great atmosphere, it's definitely more of a takeout kind of place. We grew fond of banh mi from several years of living near Little Saigon in SoCal, and having been looking for a great place to get it here in Asheville, especially made with chicken instead of the traditional pork. Just tried the chicken banh mi here and would rate it good, but not great. First, the many good things it has going for it: great crusty baguette, very tasty sauce, good pickles, peppers, carrot and fresh herbs layered nicely. What's missing then? The chicken itself was just so-so. Not sure if it was baked or boiled, but it didn't seem to be seasoned in any way and was pretty tasteless (note: it didn't taste bad in any way -- just very plain). With a sandwich little this, you don't want the chicken to come on too strong, as the other ingredients as noted above should also come through. But it would be nice if the chicken had some sort of flavor or seasoning of its own to complement the other elements. With the best banh mi we grew accustomed to in Little Saigon, that was always the case. The prices are very reasonable and this seems like a nice little family run business trying to make a go of it by offering poke and banh mi in downtown Asheville. Based on that, we would consider going back, but we hope they do work on improving the chicken (maybe the pork version is better, but if they are going to offer a chicken alternative, it should be equally as good).

    BYOB
    Annie M.

    Aloha Cafe is a fantastic addition to downtown Asheville! Aloha is a teeny tiny little cafe located right downtown. There is enough seating inside for about 8 people and outside for another 8 people. It is super cute and definitely would be a great place to order from and take to go. If I worked downtown, this would be dangerous as I would need to go here a few times a week for lunch. Aloha specializes in Poke bowls and also offers spring rolls and Bahn Mi. They have a menu of house Poke bowls but you can also build your own. I based my choice on the Yelp photos and as I thought the Volcano bowl looked most delicious, I ordered that and subbed tuna for the fish. I'll admit that I should have read the description first because it was very spicy! I had a hard time eating it at times but it was ridiculously delicious anyway. The fish was super fresh and the bowl had the perfect combination of textures and flavors. It was large and a very filling meal. I also ate some of my husband's BYOB which was very different than mine and his was also delicious. Our friends that we were dining with loved their meals too. The staff here was super friendly. When we arrived, they gleefully greeted us and helped us move some tables together to fit us all. They brought waters out for us right away. When we ordered, they helped us make decisions and gave recommendations. I love some good customer service. It can really make an experience special. I am looking forward to going back and trying some spring rolls and building my own bowl sometime very soon. They should start delivering....

    a bottle of coke
    Mari K.

    I'm Asian, lived in Japan for a year as an adult, and born and raised in Southern California... doesn't make me an expert but it does mean I've had a lot of access to poke and sashimi. I'm not sure why there are 5 stars here. I ordered the dragon bowl--it's About 2 cups of white rice, half a cup of carrots and radish, 1/2 cup salmon, "dragon" sauce, some sesame seed, seaweed, and chopped avocado. Also ordered the teriyaki spring rolls--iceberg lettuce, what tasted like fried onion, and chicken. And a Diet Coke. As for the bowel, pardon, bowl, the dicon radish was pickled and overpowering. The sauce was heavy and completely drowned out the flavor of the salmon. The best part of poke, for me, is the raw sashimi, how it blends with the rest of the flavors. This all tasted like vinegar and dragon sauce. When I bit into the spring roll, I had to do a double take. It tasted like chicken but looked like canned tuna. I am 99% sure it was canned chicken. Finally, my Diet Coke was expired by almost a year. Why didn't I say something while I was there? We ordered it to go! I would say a hard pass.

    Poke Doke Bowl $10.99 so good!
    Monica L.

    Poke Doke Bowl $10.99 This bowl is so good! All fresh vegetables! I will definitely come back here!

    Banh mi
    Chrissy T.

    Banh mi was 100% the best I've had in awhile. It was fresh made and super delicious. Would recommend if you are around to stop by. The staff was very friendly and the service is fast!

    Boba taro milk tea
    Katrina A.

    While in Asheville walking around I suggest to stop here for a refreshing boba or tea drink! Also grab a snack! Honestly prices are great wish I had time to order the whole menu! Easy to find it right in the middle of downtown Asheville. The staff was nice and kind.

    The Store Front
    Kipper S.

    Oh my god. Yes. Yes. And more yes. How long have I been to waiting for a banh mi downtown? 10 years. When Aloha Cafe's sign went up advertising Poke Banh Mi and Spring Rolls many months ago, my mouth started watering in eager anticipation. This week, they finally opened their doors, and I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant come out swinging with such gusto. Aloha does 3 things, Poke Bowls, Banh Mi Sandwiches, and Fresh Spring Rolls, and they do them all well! There are different varieties of each, but they aren't wasting time on random silliness. My wife and I chose the classic spring rolls, the aloha banh mi, and the dragon bowl z poke bowl. It was love at first bite. The spring rolls are sooo fresh, with large plump shrimp cooked to perfection. No rubbery dumb times here. The banh mi was a dream come true. It's the right price. It's the right texture, and the flavor is just what I've been missing. I can't wait to buy one for my sister. The pâté is officially banging. My wife and I tried the poke bowl after the first two items and inadvertently saved the best for last. I was excited by the banh mi. I was floored by the poke bowl. I was afraid it would be a bowl that's almost right. Just enough to get you excited but let you down in the end. There was no disappointment. This. Is. It. The amount of expletives my wife and I dropped after each bite would make even the most seasoned sailors blush. Every bite was a joy. The rice, the tuna, the avocado. Boom. Boom. Boom. Get to Aloha now before the line starts stretching out the door.

    Volcano bowl
    Morgan O.

    SO delicious. Affordable, with good service. It's a tiny little space, but we still ate in for lunch and it wasn't too busy that we felt crowded. Best poke in Asheville! The volcano bowl is killer. My husband got the dragon bowl Z which was also really good, but could've benefited from some more add-ins.

    a salad and a drink on a table

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    4 months ago

    Absolutely love the Bahn Mi. This is the perfect quick lunch for a day strolling downtown!!!

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    16 days ago

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    1 year ago

    Incredibly fresh and excellent flavor! Perfectly portioned bowls. Lady working was super friendly.

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The spring rolls were a little loosely wrapped, but it was a great appetizer while waiting in line at Chai Pani.

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Their classic banh mi was amazing!! I haven't been able to find a good banh mi in asheville and this is def the best spot locally for it

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Chicken pho, spring rolls with a great peanut sauce, Boba teas rich and full, wonderful customer service small venue easy take out

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    5 years ago

    Simple but delicious. Small little hole in the wall, no wait, easy seating, and tasty!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Aloha Cafe

    The Gourmet Chip Company

    The Gourmet Chip Company

    4.2
    (317 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Sandwiches (Italiano) are panini style and were awesome as well as their kettle chips!! My husband…read morehad the Nori flavored sweet potato chips with a spicy sauce. Met his expectations on the spice level

    This place is so good!! We came in with 12 of us girls. We basically took over the whole place, as…read moreit's on the smaller side, but there were still a few two-tops for others. I think everything is made in house and it tastes like it. As their name states, they make gourmet potato chips with varying, over-the-top flavors ranging from salt and balsamic vinegar to ones topped with brown sugar, bacon and chocolate. Between the 12 of us we tried Salt & Vinegar, The Corsica, Southern BBQ and The Italiano. I had the Italiano Panini and The Nori chips. Both were totally delicious. The panini came out hot and gooey. The bread tasted great and the chips were so unique and surprising. I will say that they drizzled a little too much red chili aioli sauce. It was very thick and flavorful. However, after a few bites it was too much so I wiped off some of the sauce. But it was really good, and inventive. Everything is fresh and made to order so it did take us a while to get all of our food, given that we were a large group. They told us before we even sat and we still wanted to try it, so that no big deal. And I will say this. Our table was the last to get served and the food was amazing. Sometimes at restaurants the standards fall when they get busy and that DID NOT happen here. They served great dish after great dish. Bags of chips are available for purchase as well. I'm totally kicking myself that I didn't get some to take home. Gourmet Chip is an Asheville gem!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    The Parisian sandwich with Napa chips
    The Parisian sandwich with Napa chips
    Truffle Turkey Panini (w/Belgium Chips & Caramel)

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    Truffle Turkey Panini (w/Belgium Chips & Caramel)
    Flour

    Flour

    4.8
    (102 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I wanted a good brunch spot before exploring Asheville. I found Flour and read the reviews…read more According to the reviews, the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit was a must-try because of how delicious and crispy the biscuit was. I wanted to see for myself how delicious this biscuit was, and I agree with the reviews. This biscuit combo was delicious! I loved how the top of the biscuit was crispy while the inside was fluffy and tasty. The biscuit wasn't dry, and the bacon was delicious with the melted cheese and egg. The potatoes were also delicious and crispy, especially with the aioli. The staff was friendly and accommodating. I received my order quickly, within 5 minutes. I will definitely come back to Flour when I visit Asheville again!

    Based on the number of positive reviews, I bookmarked this place and made it a point to stop by. I…read moream glad I did because the reviews are well deserved. I don't think I have ever had a breakfast sandwich on a biscuit that tasted this good. The biscuit itself was excellent, and the whole sandwich really stood out. The guy taking my order was very nice. It was a slow morning, so there was plenty of seating both inside and outside. Overall, the place had a relaxed, chill vibe. I could easily see myself hanging out for a while, catching up on work while drinking coffee. I was also impressed when the chef who delivered the food later came back out to ask if everything was okay. I really appreciated that it did not come off as a routine question, but rather a genuine one. Overall, this was a great stop, and I am glad I made the effort to check it out.

    Photos
    Sandwich with spritzer
    Sandwich with spritzer
    Beets cucumbers and yogurt on homemade focaccia.
    Beets cucumbers and yogurt on homemade focaccia.
    Same

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    Aloha Cafe - poke - Updated June 2026

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