Everything was absolutely amazing. We came to celebrate my birthday and I didn't expect all the special touches and birthday gifts. We had some time to kill before our reservation so we went down to the speakeasy for a few and then up to the rooftop. Each area had different drinks so of course I had to order one from each. I was drinking mocktails btw. Not sure if the alcoholic options were different. My most favorite was the corn silk. It's seasonal though. We finally made it to our table and I was welcomed with a card signed by everyone and fresh flowers on the table. Since we did wait past our reservation time, we received complementary bread service which was homemade focaccia with marigold butter. Definitely recommend; it was amazing. I also received a birthday gift of veggies - okra and shishito peppers, I believe. I LOVE veggies so this was special to me. But then I also got the most amazing soft serve of corn and peppers with a tomato jam. Aside from it being my birthday and all the special things we got, the food was also amazing. We got the bone marrow tots to share, then I got the campanelle pasta. I forgot what my husband got but everything was just so so so sooooo amazing!! Our server was also amazing too. It's like everyone we met was just so happy we were there. And it was a genuine happy too. I felt so welcome there and we loved it so much we came back the next night too. I had to try the chanterelle mushroom gelato, but was too full the first night so I got it the second night along with more corn silk. The gelato was amazing btw. I don't think I've ever had chanterelle mushrooms, but now I can wait to eat them. We're home now but we are already planning our next trip back and would like to stay at the hotel next time. Definitely our new favorite place ever! read more

Luminosa - Us enjoying the rooftop - Italian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I almost ruined my friends' wedding weekend because I decided that walking half a mile to dinner immediately after a tornado warning was somehow a better idea than calling an Uber. So we walked into Luminosa underdressed, absolutely soaking wet, and looking like we had just been rescued from a shipwreck. This is a really nice restaurant, so at this point I was pretty convinced either we weren't getting seated or my friends were going to spend the rest of their marriage talking about the dinner I ruined. I explained the situation to the staff and they could not have handled it better. No judgment, no making us feel out of place, nothing but an insane level of hospitality from the second we walked in. They even sent out a few dishes on the house. Our server Riley was phenomenal. Riley knew the menu inside and out, gave us all the information we needed without overexplaining everything, and never steered us wrong once. We basically put our dinner in Riley's hands, and that was probably the biggest reason the meal turned out as well as it did. And the food was fucking incredible. Not "we're drunk on a wedding weekend and everything tastes good" incredible. Every single one of us said it was one of the best meals we've ever had. And I don't say that because my culinary experience is limited to Applebee's and the Cheesecake Factory. I went to probably half the restaurants on the Michelin Guide while I was in Asheville, live in Atlanta where I've eaten at plenty of Michelin-recognized restaurants, and have been fortunate enough to eat at Michelin restaurants outside the US. Luminosa was still one of the best meals I've had anywhere. I walked in thinking I had completely screwed up dinner and walked out looking like a genius for picking the restaurant. I will be taking full credit for that and giving none to the tornado or Riley. read more

Really good meal. For starters we had the carpaccio and the bread service. Loved the garlic knots in there! For the main, we had the chef cut (Denver steak), charred cabbage and pasta. I can't remember what type of pasta it was but I really enjoyed the flavors, however that and the steak came out cold. The cabbage was absolutely the highlight. I still dream of this dish - I can't believe how delicious it was! For dessert we had the panna cotta and pistachio gelato. The panna cotta was FANTASTIC, I could eat 2 by myself. The pistachio gelato was interesting... the texture was great but it was incredibly savory which I wasn't expecting. The service was phenomenal. I do think that instead of bringing everything out at once, the dishes should come out when they're done so that the temperature doesn't change as it's waiting for other dishes. Would come back! read more

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I ordered the Margherita pizza and tiramisu. Both were delicious. On my next visit I will definitely dine in. The staff was very nice. Great customer service from the time I placed my order to when I left with my order. I believe there are working garages near by but I was able to find a spot near the restaurant on the street. read more

Luminosa - Margherita pizza - Italian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Our server, Anni, was amazing and made our dining experience even more enjoyable. The focaccia from the bread service was outstanding--the two-day fermentation gave it incredible flavor and texture. The Little Gem salad was a bit small, but the flavor was excellent. The tri-tip was cooked perfectly and was a real highlight, especially since you don't often find this cut of meat on the East Coast. We also loved the campanelle--it was absolutely delicious. Our dessert was served a little too frozen. Overall, we had a great experience and would definitely return for both Anni's excellent service and the delicious food. We also really enjoyed the classic décor, which added to the restaurant's welcoming atmosphere. read more

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The service is top-notch. Rob, our server, explained very item on the menu to assist us in our selections. We started with the peach pizza and had the smoked red beets on the side. The crust was charred and chewy the way it should be, and the balance of the sweet peach slices and spicy Italian sausage was the perfect compliment. We also had the charred little gem salad with housemade dressing. Bright and smoky! For dinner, I opted for the pork cannelloni with the au jus they pour over table side. Everyone enjoyed their selections - bucatini and rigatoni. Rob brought us a carbonated spruce after to cleanse our palates. When my friend asked about the bread service, but didn't order, Rob presented us with mile high focaccia bread with coarse salt and butter on top. Chewy, warm and so good. I had to stop myself from eating too much, because I already had the pizza. We all opted to forgo dessert, but Rob, wouldn't allow it. He surprised us with house-made soft serve strawberry rhubarb ice cream with chocolate flake. Do yourself a favor and order this! Plus, he brought out the lemon ricotta crumb cheesecake. We almost finished that, too. Everything about Luminosa makes you understand why it's Michelin-rated. Excellent! read more

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Most amazing start to my birthday week! Celebrated at Luminosa at one of their chef tables. Our waiter Ace was top notch and we had the best time. Food, wow wow wow. I can't even explain how amazing it was but we definitely would recommend it ALL! read more

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Food was great. Ambiance and service was very nice. Good place for special celebrations

This is an absolute must for date night or to celebrate. The service was absolutely phenomenal. From the start they greeted us well and even gave us a nice letter for our honeymoon. Our server Ace, was a full on rockstar. He knew the menu front to back, gave us a full run down of everything, and you could easily tell he loves what he does. He treated us so well and went above and beyond to ensure that our experience was 5 , someone give this man a raise! We had the kc steak, the gnocchi, and the potatoes. Oh mah gah. The steak had me throwing my head back. Delicious! Paired with the potatoes was perfect. The gnocchi was amazing and had the perfect amount of cheesy taste without the heaviness. We finished the night with tiramisu and some espresso. WOW. If you are wanting a great dinner night, come through. Also, thank you Ace for making this a great night! read more

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Our server Ani, was amazing! Probably the most pleasant and knowledgeable server I've had in all of Asheville this year. She made the experience spectacular! The food was cooked perfectly and was delicious. Each dish had a standout flavor. read more

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We went to Luminosa for dinner on a Monday to celebrate my husband's birthday. The hosts were very welcoming and pleasant and gave us a very nice booth table facing the outdoor patio. The flower arrangement and the birthday card was a nice touch and appreciated! Our server did an outstanding job going over the menu and helping us pick out a bottle of wine after we explained we wanted a red blend. What stood out for me was the ramp salad, pizza with peach and sausage, and lions mane mushroom dish. I thought the tator tots tasted like deep fried mashed potatoes, the texture was not like a tator tot really at all. I wish it was served with more pickled red onion and capers. We thought the steak was very good, but nothing amazing. We did go long periods without seeing our server which was a bit disappointing. If we knew dessert would take another 20 plus minutes we would have closed out and gotten dessert elsewhere in Asheville. read more

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Let's start with a mystery. Our server showed us to the table where we found flowers and a card in recognition of our wedding anniversary. This is a nice touch, not uncommon for fine dining establishments. Except, while our anniversary HAD been a couple days earlier, we never told Luminosa of the event. How did they know? My wife thought they may have pulled it from her reservation system profile, except that she later looked and couldn't find it. So maybe this was a dumb luck error and the flowers were actually meant for someone else. Or, maybe the Luminosa staff "has its ways". It wouldn't be the first restaurant that does advance research on its guests. Dinner Highlights Bone Marrow Tater Tots - I loved these! Like a rich and decadent fast-food treat, they brought out the spoiled 6 year-old in me. I'd like more, please. Evan's Cress - My wife was not so impressed with the tots but loved the light and lemony salad Missed Highlight Bread Service- We saw the tables around us having this and the multiple breads and butter looked incredible. However, we decided that if we ordered this we wouldn't save room for anything else. A missed opportunity. Oh well, next time. Lowlight Agnolotti - Massively overfilled, our pasta order was instead a ham hock entree. Disappointing. Highlight, and also a Lowlight While reviewing the menu my wife talked about the Spinach course. She said she'd order it except that we had already decided on the kohlrabi. Lo and behold, soon after our other courses were placed the server brought us a plate of spinach. He said it was gratis from the chef who thought it would pair well with our entrees. A nice gesture, our server must've been listening while my wife talked about the dish. But, and also, we never received the kohlrabi we had ordered. We were quite full, it didn't appear on our bill, and we had the spinach. so we didn't make an issue. Still, I haven't had kohlrabi since I was a child. It would've been nice to try. All in all a very good restaurant, especially for special occasions. read more

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Holy moly is this place amazing. Birthday dinner while we were up visiting my niece and this was the perfect spot. For starters, Jamie, our server was fantastic. Knowledgeable, charming and just fun. He did not steer us wrong. If you do nothing else GET THE LEMON PIZZA. You will happy you did. Very happy. As a New Yorker it's hard to blow me away pizza wise. The chef at Luminosa nailed the crust. I haven't had pizza this good in a long minute. Best dirty martini Ive ever had. The gnocchi was creamy, rich and delicious. The Chef's Cut (Denver Steak) was raved about as was the pork chop and the rigatoni. True farm to table, working with local farms for most of their offerings. This is a must if you are visiting Asheville. Ask for Jamie, he will lead the way to an unforgettable meal. read more

Luminosa - Trio of desserts - Italian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Our first Michelin star restaurant and this place deserves every bit of it! From the decor to the impeccable service, hands down a treasure of Asheville. I have never seen wait staff move so efficiently and in sync with each other. Their timing and service is impeccable. Make reservations because it gets busy. And the food...no words to describe the flavors. Each dish is very unique and prepared perfectly. The beef carpaccio was delicious and I don't even like anchovies. The bread plate is big, which is a plus, so plan to share. You definitely get good portions. The steak was cooked adequately. I don't like that they slice it for you. I know that's part of the presentation but it allows it to get too cold too quickly. Drinks are well made and well balanced. I had the caramelle which was delightful and full of flavor. For dessert, the pistachio affogato is a must. My husband ordered the rice pudding. It had a good flavor but does come warm. I would like to go back to try the tiramisu. Hands down a restaurant you should visit in Asheville. I can't wait to go back. Thank you Luminosa for a great meal! read more

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Service is a large part of our dining experience and the staff last night was amazing. Our hostess Amy was super friendly, offering our reserved bar seats or a nice table by the window, which we accepted. Our server Dan was possibly one of the best in Asheville exhibiting a mix of friendliness with professionalism and his knowledge of the menu items. Everyone else including the runners and water pourers only enhanced the experience. All food items ordered were fresh, flavorful and perfectly spiced. We started with a pizza and salad, rigatoni and pork chop for entrees, and finished with the paw paw dessert (and soft-serve ice cream as a belated anniversary treat). It was nice to see them have a full house. This was our first time back since the soft opening and we look forward to returning again soon. read more

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My wife & I celebrated our anniversary at Luminosa, because we had heard a lot of positive things. Everything we had heard was accurate! The service, food (variety & flavor) was outstanding. Being foodies, we tend to have somewhat of a critical eye...not that we look for flaws. We tried several of the dishes on the menu and 95% were exceptional. What really impressed me was the way in which flavors were built from the bottom up on each dish. As an example, their lemon pizza was truly unique. From the first bite you tasted the delicate yeast flavor of the dough followed by the aged cheese to the zest of the Meyer lemons. WOW! We will definitely visit Luminosa! read more

Stopped in for a date night last week and had a great meal - the hostess was lovely and warm, guiding us to our table and getting us settled. The wine list was great and we opted for by the glass. We started with the cress salad which was missing its advertised lemon but good nonetheless. I had the trout (amazing!) and my husband had the steak. The fish was outstanding and I could eat it again and again. Steak went down fast, but the potatoes really didn't shine at all. Dry, a little too scorched and little sauce - I'd go with the polenta next time. Dessert was a lemon ricotta cake - very nice and tiramisu as payment for nana who babysat - she devoured it with no tasting offered. Top spot for fine mountain dining! read more

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First Dave, our server, was amazing. Very thorough, informative and attentive. Their menu adapts to fresh ingredients available. Had to try their popular lemon ricotta pizza as an appetizer and it did not disappoint. Such a unique combination! You must like lemon and luckily we do. The wood fired crust was perfect. Absolutely everything was so delicious. All pasta is house made. The Gorgonzola Gnocchi was light and not pungent. The peas were a perfect pairing. The Lion's Mane Mushroom was tender and moist inside with a crispy wood fired texture on the outside. Bucatini was cooked perfectly with a light ricotta sauce to compliment and topped with chili crisps. Agnoloti had a sweet corn cream sauce that was addicting. Campanelle with smoked eggplant was perfect for our vegetarian guest. The chefs know exactly how to treat the ingredients. Dave told us they butcher their meat in house. My husband dropped a fork and 2 seconds later another server said they heard it and she handed him a new one, WOW! The manager spoke with us at close of our meal and gave us a complimentary tiramisu to take away. A true dining experience. We'll return again every time we visit Asheville. read more

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We made midweek reservations and on a tip from our Eat Asheville tour guide, we booked one of their two "Chef's Tables". We were escorted to our table whereupon we were introduced to our server. She explained our options and we decided to go the full experience with the Chef's Menu. We were asked about any allergies or strong dislikes and given an idea of what to expect. We received a salad and an appetizer then two pasta dishes, a trout and chef's cut beef along with kohlrabi, and polenta. Every dish was a work of art visually and to the tastebuds. The price was $85 per person and the table is RIGHT at the semi open kitchen. Not a quiet little spot, but an immensely enjoyable one to people watch professional servers perform wonderfully. read more

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This was a birthday dinner that greatly surpassed my expectations. They began with a specially prepared table that had a colorful birthday bouquet and a card signed by the staff. From there, my server made me feel like an honored guest of the evening. She answered questions I had about the dishes (even brought out small versions of things she felt I must try like the salad with watermelon radish), have wine pairing suggestions, and she read the moment well. Sometimes, the attendant can be overly attentive or pushy, but my waitress timed herself just right. I loved my night. read more

Fantastic Service and great ambiance. Food on this night very uneven/disappointing. The Cress Salad had a nice bright Lemon Vinaigrette, but the Cress itself was so "Stemmy" almost no leaves/greens and all stems!? Margherita Pizza was nice (awesome dough/crust) Gnocchi was also really good, the Risotto arrived and was less than room temperature. Sent back for a redo. The Broccoli Rabe was inedible...was supposed to have been charred and what arrived was a nearly ran (tough and hard to even cut through) and was also less than room temperature (which I was told was how it was supposed to have been served) Tiramisu was really great. Overall, a very up and down meal. The service throughout was top notch. read more

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We had the most amazing dinner at Luminosa! We were given a complimentary glass of Prosecco while our table was being prepared. Every employee we encountered was extremely friendly and personable. The restaurant has a sexy, swanky vibe. The food was outstanding. We ordered the Bread Service, Evan's Fiolaro, Caramelle, Sunburst Trout, Tiramisu, and Olive Oil Cake. Every single dish was incredible! Our very kind waiter also brought us some of the Gnocchi and Seasonal Soft Serve to try, and both were delicious. The espresso martini is a must with dessert. Everything was exceptional, and I can't wait to go back! read more

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Located inside the Flat Iron hotel, we started our brunch tour at Luminosa. They are very farm to table geared, and try to source locally as much as possible. We had some truly fantastic grilled tomatoes on toast. The tomatoes were sliced thick and were so juicy, and the greens on top were an extra treat. We also tried their little beignet balls, which were also good! They weren't super soft, which is to be expected as they were shaped into compact balls, but they were still great nonetheless. The esthetic of Luminosa is clean and classy. The windows let a ton of sun in; the warmth of the sun paired with the great food really made our experience a great one! read more

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No reservations so we sat at the bar. Great bar tender. Orders a pizza and eggplant canoloni. Also had Evan's cucumbers. All was delicious. Great speakeasy down stairs too. read more

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Great restaurant we sat at the bar. Excellent service really went out of their way to make sure we had a great experience. read more

Luminosa - Italian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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David was our waiter. He helped us to decide what to order. Beef carpaccio, eggplant, pasta and a chicken dish. All were so delicious. He was spot on. We had a wonderful time and look forward to returning. read more

Trout is FULL of scales. How does this place call itself fine dining and serve a main course that's FULL OF SCALES. Everything is ok. Whatever. Hats off to the green MICHELLIN STAR RESTAURANT. mad respect read more

Fabulous dinner in Asheville! Our service was a complete pro. The food was delicious-so many great options. The ambiance was elite. Best meal of our trip. Bravo read more

Incredible birthday experience at Luminosa in late October. Truly an experience... the service was on point... the food was beautifully plated and delicious. They truly made my birthday meal enjoyable & memorable. This restaurant deserves all the recent praise they've received. read more

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I came for dinner with a reservation. Our waiter, Porter, was very attentive, checking on us throughout the night and had good knowledge of the menu and made some recommendations since it was my first time. For appetizers we had the bone marrow tater tots and beef carpaccio which taste very good. The tater tots were bigger than typical tater tots size and the bone marrow adds a nice flavor to them. We also had the mortadella pizza which had a delicate flavor profile with nice thin crispy crust. For my main course I had the rigatoni which was highly recommended by Porter. The pasta is perfectly al dente with nicely seasoned sausage. The sauce is very flavorful but I thought it was a tad too salty for me. Overall I really enjoyed my meal. read more

Luminosa - Menu - Italian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Outstanding menu, presented by some of the most knowledgeable staff you'll find, with a few endearing quirks. The charcuterie board we ordered (both salumi and cheese) was a great balance of tastes and textures, and our server provided a great overview of what to expect from each piece. Our rigatoni was meaty with fresh sausage, and you could really taste and feel the difference fresh pasta makes. Our pizza was fun in that the kitchen apparently ran out of some of the menu-specified herbs, so they just substituted whatever they thought would work. (It did.) We committed the faux pas of asking for port with dessert, only to be told that the bartender said "Port is from Portugal and this is an Italian restaurant." Our immediate reply was, "Whiskey, vodka and rum aren't from Italy either, but he's making those drinks." We settled on amaretto. Really though, our server was able to answer any questions we had, and to provide intelligent recommendations, despite a very busy night. Luminosa deserves all its accolades, and your business. read more

The location is convenient to downtown, and the decor is elegant but inviting. Street parking in Asheville is free on the weekends. The service was friendly and helpful. The food was spectacular. We started with the bread plate which consisted of three different yummy options. Then, we went famiky style. We opted for the lemon pizza - bright and garlicy. The bucatini had a unique mix of chilis, butter and greens. Small dish but very good. And last was the grilled baby zucchini with a sweet chili sauce and a little kick. Finally, dessert was a trio of tiramisu, dark chocolate "pudding" and a soft serve with strawberries. I loved the dark chocolate .. tasted like the homemade pudding my Mom made when I was a kid .. rich, thick and covered with marshmallow and graham crackers. Note: As explained to me by staff, they print the menus every night. Items change based on availability of ingredients. read more

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We were excited to try this restaurant but unfortunately the food simply did not excel in my opinion. The prices were high - out the door was $350 for four including tip. Here's the good and the bad: The good: Great ambiance in a wood toned room with nice lighting Great service with an excellent waiter The not so good: Overall the actual food was disappointing. Specifically: @The $15 bread and butter did not taste fresh and was hard to split four ways. @The large tater tot were filled with mashed potato instead of grated. Send somebody out to the Midwest to learn how to make these. @The weed salad was fine but no different than any other Asheville restaurant. @The recipe with agnolotti pasta stuffed with ham was a good idea but the ham was like a paste inside it. I'm sure it was fresh but tasted canned. @Gnocchi was gummy. We had a few other things too. So it pains me to be critical of a new place but this is a honest review. Ironically the waiter recommended the bread and agnolotti as the best in the restaurant. read more

Celebrated our wedding anniversary here and had the best time. Ordered the tots which were delicious and plated so beautifully. I ordered the spicy sausage rigatoni, and my husband got a steak with the grilled green onions and polenta. Excellent and attentive service, and we love that they source their ingredients locally. read more

Luminosa - Bone marrow tots - Italian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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My wife had the gluten free and I had margherita pizzas. They were flavorful and delicious. Also, the location is convenient if you want to walk around and do some shopping. read more

The experience was exquisite. The server was friendly and very knowledgeable which helped a lot because the menu is unique. Each item had so many layers, a collection of ingredients that astounded. We had the Bread Service which included three kinds of bread on a bed of finely shaved Parmesan and a flavored butter. The figs were done two different ways on the same plate in a swirl of sauce. The roasted peppers were dusted with toasted seeds. The pillowy gnocchi came with a delicious sauce. The broccolini had several flavors added with bits of sauce and sprinkles. And the desserts! The olive oil cake was moist and flavorful; the panna cotta smooth and delicious. Looking around, the seating and tables were unique and attractive, comfortable, but made you appreciate their beauty. What a lovely dinner! read more

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I was in Asheville over Christmas, and wanted to have a nice place to eat on Christmas Day. I chose Luminosa. As a single diner, I often feel unwelcome, since I'm taking up a table for two, especially on a busy holiday. I made a ln advance reservation, showed up on time, the host could not have been kinder. I was seated at a lovely table with views of all of this beautiful historic building had to offer. The menu was pretty special. The chef takes great care to leverage local farmers and seasonal products in the menu. He uses Local foragers for veggies and Local-sourced protein as well. I walked in with the intention of getting a simple protein and some vegetables, but after seeing and smelling, and realizing all the things that were homemade I went a very different direction. I started by selecting a Sicilian wine (last Christmas I was fortunate to be in Sicily). Seeing the wine on their list brought me back to those incredibly wonderful memories, so I had to select Sicilian wine. BTW, their wine menu is incredible! The wine Somalia stopped by my table because she was a little surprised someone on their own would select that wine. So we had a lovely chat about my perspective why selected it and then we talked about what food would go best with it. So the wine totally changed my plans for dinner. Having those wonderful memories from Sicily, and then realizing they made their pizzas Sicilian style I had to go with that. The food was incredible! The service was fantastic. I was never made to feel "less than" because I was dining alone. Savannah was my server. She was knowledgeable, attentive and kind. Thank you very much Savannah!! Laura, another server also helped- wonderful! The Host was like a well-skilled traffic cop, always attentive, aware of what was open next, queuing Up the next party, and keeping account. He was energetic, kind and effective. The building and restaurant History is notable - be sure to ask. This was a fabulous experience- I can't wait to go back. PS the gelato was gratis too! read more

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The reimagining of this space is great, the vibe definitely harkens back to days of yore and whatnot. The reimagining of Italian food fused with Appalachian flavors and local ingredients is creative and in most cases that we tried, worked well. The dishes harken to the Nonnas and Memaws of the oldie times. I've now used a variation of harken two more times than I have maybe in my lifetime. The bucatini and summer squash - great. The gnocchi - delish. The trout with corn pudding - absolutely tasty - perfectly cooked whole fish with the collar on the side. The service was friendly, but spotty. We went long stretches without seeing our server. There were a couple of minor mistakes that won't impact me having dinner there again, but it was disappointing given the fine dining environment with a premium price point (for Asheville). I'll hope they tighten the service up. If you need a nice restaurant to celebrate a birthday or show your first date how fancy you are or woo your partner on date night, Luminosa is a great choice. read more

Great Food, nice flavor on everything. Staff was good, that seemed to care about the quality of food, and service that was provided. Nice atmosphere read more

Highly recommend Luminosa. My wife and I went one of the 5 nights we stayed in Asheville. It was the best service I have ever received at a restaurant. The server (Parker I think) was fantastic. Not only was he perfectly attentive, but he wasn't "robotic" and had great conversation and jokes. We had bread service, charcuterie, pizza, and pasta and it was all great. The cocktail "Midnight in Rome" was excellent. Would 100% return if I ever find myself in Asheville again. read more