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    Banner Elk Cafe

    3.4 (693 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Banner Elk Cafe Photos

    BANNER ELK CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    French dip with pasta salad
    Stephanie W.

    We stopped at Banner Elk Cafe & Tavern after being up on Beech Mountain. The location is perfect -- right at the base of the mountain -- and the atmosphere is calm, cozy, and relaxed with a rustic mountain charm. I ordered the French dip with pasta salad, and it was genuinely excellent. The bread was real, fresh bread, and the sandwich tasted high quality and freshly made. My husband got the ham and cheese croissant with fries, and the fries were clearly made from real, fresh potatoes. On top of the great food, the staff were all incredibly friendly and welcoming. We'll definitely be back next time we're in the area and would highly recommend stopping here if you're visiting Beech Mountain.

    Cayenne D.

    This place was a perfect spot after a sunrise hike on Grandfather Mountain. The number one thing you look for when traveling with you dogs is is it friendly for Fido. This place truly is! They have a wonderful out door heated patio for our dog. They went out of their way to make sure it was nice and toasty for us and pup... much needed when the weather was in the teens. The food was awesome and came out FAST! Eggs Benedict was over the top and the eggs were cooked perfectly! The hot chocolate was the size of one of the Great Lakes. The full stack of pancakes was ridiculous! In the best way possible! Might have higher than the trail we climbed this morning. Had a wonderful chat with the owner who was actually from our hometown. Small world. Do not miss this place!

    $32 for crap!

    Monday night. 3/3/36 OMG... I've been there plenty of times. It's never been above average, but tonight it just sucked! I mean sucked! The wait staff can only serve what is given to them. I don't blame them. $32.00 for a ribeye that was a POS cut. No wander they want to cover it with Garlic butter. So they can cover up the nasty sub par meat. The black eyed peas were even worse. Sour. I don't think they drained the can before they heated them up. Im sure you guys will continue to serve this crap, tourist will buy it... but really, have some self respect. To the owners, do better. This really sucked!

    Black Jack Chicken Wrap
    Stephanie Michelle P.

    Not what you expect from a "Cafe". It's so much better!! This place literally has a little bit of everything from burgers to pizza. The bruschetta was probably one of the best I've ever had! It's not your usual bread topped off. It comes with all the good in a bowl to self serve and it was the perfect ratio especially with the amount of cheese. I modified a chicken sandwich into a wrap and it was so good! Fresh and delicious. The wrap itself wasn't your basic wrap bread, it was the kind they serve with gyros, which is softer and fluffier. Yum! The staff were so nice and the service was great! Great for a quick bite!

    Burger and fries
    Dan M.

    Have you ever been to a place that has four menus? What about a coffee shop, a tavern, and a restaurant as three different sections? What about a one-person restroom? I shouldn't have brought that up? Doesn't mix with food talk? Okay.... My bad! Have you ever heard of a bomblette? If you answered yes to all those questions, then you might have been to Banner Elk Cafe. Banner Elk has a population of 1800, and I would guess at least 1,789 are not living in poverty. It's an interesting place and pretty laidback. As far as the Banner Elk Cafe itself... The seating options are excellent: Inside, outside, inside/outside, bar. The atmosphere is an easy W. And while the salad was good, and the burger and bomblette were reportedly good, it's not really a place to order Chicken Parm. It was decent as was the pasta but the bread might have been worst I ever tasted. I love bread! But I could only do half a bite, which I secretly spit out. There was an army of servers. Some were polite and friendly, others were not. Imo, it's not that hard to say hi or hey or nod. That said, it's probably not their fault due to dealing with some rude customers, which then makes them think you might be the same way (not the case). The prices here are excellent, especially for Banner Elk. Side Note: You can bring your dog. I was forced to do this for the first time ever because my son and I were heading home after lunch and it was on the way. It was awkward but Lulu (big black female lab that loves everyone) laid down and chilled the whole time. I think she just liked the sound of people. Cool for a one-time thing but I'm not a bring-your-dog-to-restaurant guy. Banner Elk Cafe is for the atmosphere and vibe more than anything. As for food, it's probably in the middle of the pack. Then again, I have limited experience at Banner Elk dining.

    French dip sandwich

    The service was good - took a little bit to get seated but once we did our server was great! The food was also really good! No complaints!

    View from Outside of building
    Victoria Z.

    Such a cute location. We had just entered town after traveling a few hours and so glad we did. They have a sweet fireplace along with awesome food of course. What was not pictured was the balsamic glazed cheese flatbread with diced tomato's on top... SO GOOD... Service was great as well! We will be back ! :)

    Turkey croissant with fruit. Big ass coffee cup!

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    8 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Good spot. Nice service and nice beers & burgers. Also have an Italian menu as it's 2 kitchens.

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    26 days ago

    The food is great and the staff are the best! Great prices and atmosphere. Trivia night on Tuesday is a must!

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    3 months ago

    A sweet young man named Tony served us and was so engaging and helpful and sweet. I recommend the mussels in marinara sauce. Delicious!

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Great country breakfast - you will not be disappointed! Also amazing burgers & fries. Fun place to gather. Always reliable.

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    2 years ago

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    2 months ago

    Kat was very attentive and patient. I had frozen my credit card and had trouble getting it unfrozen and she was very patient.

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    3 months ago

    Tony was our server and he was wonderful. You should order the red sauce mussels. We will be back and we'll request Tony again.

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Landon was great. Great service. After a long day of hiking group of 10 came in and was served quickly and was great.

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    8 months ago

    Love this place! We go here frequently when in the mo mountains. The food is good the variety is good the atmosphere is great.

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    3 months ago

    sarah Joe was outstanding and what a great experience we had! We are spoiled and expect good service and that is exactly what we got.

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Amber and Emily are fantastic! Super friendly and incredibly welcoming. Its my first time in Banner Elk and Ill be back for sure!

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    Page 1 of 18

    Ask the Community - Banner Elk Cafe

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    Stonewalls

    Stonewalls

    4.3
    (796 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$$

    Fine dining in the mountains, and some of the best dishes and food at this elevation!…read more This place hits on all levels if you're in the mood for a great evening out. Elegant inside and out, friendly service and top notch food. We sat at the bar and our bartender took care of us all evening. Had one of the best old fashioned's in the area. He knows his stuff! The food was fine dining at its best. A garlic buttered escargot with puff pastry just melts in your mouth. Lobster bisque full of flavor and full of, well, lobster, and a ton of it. I have to say, the extra touch to the tasty French onion soup was a talking point all evening...it came with dedicated scissors so you could cut the cheese. What an amazing touch. And they sure did help lol. The center cut medium rare filet mignon paired with some frites was definitely the showstopper this evening. Thick, tender and juicy...one of the best steaks on all levels. Whenever we're in town and want an elegant evening out, this is the spot!

    Stonewalls Restaurant was one of the more pleasant surprises during my time in Banner Elk. It's a…read morebeautiful restaurant, and I had been looking forward to dining there for quite some time. From the moment we arrived, the staff was warm, welcoming, and attentive. The atmosphere, however, felt a little mixed. The restaurant seemed to have two distinct personalities. The newer side, where the bar is located, felt polished and cohesive, while the older dining room--where we were seated because it had more availability--felt like it hadn't quite received the same attention. The lighting on that side of the restaurant was particularly harsh, which made the dining room feel less intimate than it could have been. Since it's also the larger and busier dining space, I think small touches like candles on the tables or softer lighting would go a long way toward creating a warmer, more personal atmosphere. I also noticed an interesting contrast between the beautiful leather-bound menus and some of the furniture and wall décor, which felt more reminiscent of a hotel dining room than the upscale mountain restaurant the food suggested. Thankfully, the meal more than made up for those observations. I ordered the wild mushroom pasta with lobster, and it was the standout dish of the evening. The pasta was rich without feeling heavy, the mushrooms added wonderful depth, and the lobster was cooked beautifully. It's a dish I'd gladly order again. My boyfriend ordered a steak, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We also started with the escargot and the crab cakes. The escargot, while not quite on the level of some traditional French restaurants I've visited, was still very well prepared and enjoyable. The crab cakes were outstanding--full of crab, nicely seasoned, and easily one of the best appetizers of the meal. Our only complaint was that there was only one crab cake on the plate; we both found ourselves wishing there had been another. Overall, Stonewalls Restaurant delivered an excellent meal with genuinely welcoming service. While I'd love to see the older dining room updated to better match the quality of the cuisine, the food alone makes it well worth a visit if you're in Banner Elk.

    Photos
    Bar area (August 2026)
    Bar area (August 2026)
    Halibut special with grilled asparagus, and the mushroom pasta dish with shrimp added.
    Halibut special with grilled asparagus, and the mushroom pasta dish with shrimp added.
    Nice outdoor waiting area

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    Nice outdoor waiting area
    Town Tavern

    Town Tavern

    3.9
    (52 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Great bar and grill in the heart of downtown Banner Elk. TVs all over, a menu with variety,…read morefriendly staff and tasty drinks. Went on a Monday which is their wing day and it was packed. Plenty of seating inside and out, with a really nice outdoor covered patio. Ordered some wings, an enormous fish n chips plate, and a few cold ones to wash it all down with. The wings were a bit underwhelming. I ordered them first and they came out 30 seconds later. They were most likely sitting there in the kitchen instead of made to order especially on a wing night. It showed since they were a bit chewy and not hot and fresh. Everything else was amazing. The fish n chips knocked it out of the park! I wasn't planning on ordering it, but after the 3rd plate of it went by I couldn't resist. 2 huge fresh, hot and crispy fish on top of their homemade chips. The fish was outstanding. Perfectly fried with that outer crisp and inner tenderness. I will have a hard time ordering anything else here. If you haven't had it here, get it for sure. With a fresh and made to order wings dish, this place is a 5 star review with no hesitation!

    Great! We sat at the bar and had a great experience all…read moreevening watching a football game. The bartenders were all super attentive and the food while several mistakes were made they promptly fixed them and all was fine. Would definitely enjoy another night out there.

    Photos
    Full bar
    Full bar
    Chicken wings
    Chicken wings
    Pomegranate martini

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    Pomegranate martini
    Bella's Breakfast & Lunch

    Bella's Breakfast & Lunch

    3.3
    (191 reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    While staying in a campground just outside of Boone we decided to start our day in the Banner Elk…read morearea. After looking at our choices of restaurants for breakfast we chose Bella's, our wait was as long as it took to wipe down a table across from the side entrance. The hostess was very outgoing and struck up a conversation while leading us to our table, our server continued the hospitality as she took our drink order and made a few recommendations. The restaurant was busy being it was nearly filled but it appeared like us no one waited on anything the service here was outstanding. We both order different versions of the egg plate one with two eggs over medium, link sausage, creamy grits and an over-size biscuit, the other one egg scrambled, fresh made home fries, country ham and a biscuit. The food was outstanding and delivered to our table hot from the kitchen just waiting for a fresh pat of real butter for the grits and biscuits. I'm sure there are lots of breakfast options in the area but we loved our choice. This is definitely a restaurant I'd visit again when in the area...

    This was my second time visiting Bella's Breakfast & Lunch. We were able to seat our selves, and…read morethere was no wait. Autumn was our server. She was nice. The other server called out that morning, so Autumn was responsible for everyone there. It looked like the cook was also the food runner. Service was very slow as a result, which we did not blame on Autumn. She was working non-stop. I wonder if management could have helped them out. The food was decent. I would try it again.

    Photos
    Mural with seating area.
    Mural with seating area.
    Steak and eggs
    Steak and eggs
    Bella's Breakfast & Lunch

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    Artisanal Restaurant

    Artisanal Restaurant

    4.6
    (143 reviews)
    1.8 mi
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    Always the extraordinary experience from the minute you walk in the restaurant. Stunning setting…read more Excellent service and incredible food. Couldn't be better.

    An extraordinary and singular culinary experience. Every course was imaginative, layered, and…read moremeticulously composed--at once inventive and deeply satisfying. The Venue The experience begins long before the first bite. A winding drive through a ranch-like entrance sets a tone of quiet anticipation, leading to a stunning property that feels both secluded and intentional. Valet parking is seamless, and from that first interaction, the service establishes a standard of excellence that carries throughout the evening. The Food The prix fixe menu is a true celebration of farm-to-table cuisine. Each dish is thoughtful, seasonal, and executed with remarkable precision. No two plates felt repetitive; instead, each course revealed a new perspective, a new technique, a new flavor story. We were told the menu evolves constantly with the seasons--aside from the bread, which thankfully remains a constant. And rightly so: it is nothing short of spectacular. While every course impressed, one dish remains unforgettable--the chocolate wasabi ice cream. Initially, we hesitated. Wasabi in a dessert seemed implausible, even risky. Yet our server confidently assured us it was exceptional--and his personal favorite. Trusting his expertise proved rewarding. The result was revelatory: balanced, nuanced, and utterly addictive. So much so that after finishing both desserts, we wished we had ordered a second serving of the chocolate wasabi alone. It was a moment of culinary brilliance we will not soon forget. The Service If the service could be described in one word, it would be excellence. Attentive without intrusion, knowledgeable without pretense. One gentleman, distinguished by his accent and effortless professionalism, stood out as a true asset to the establishment. Service of this caliber elevates the entire experience. Final Thoughts Living five hours away is almost unfortunate--but also an invitation. This meal alone is reason enough to return to the Appalachian Mountains more often. We are grateful to have experienced such a memorable and inspired expression of modern cuisine. Thank you for an evening we will long remember.

    Photos
    The interior was breathtaking
    The interior was breathtaking
    Artisanal Restaurant
    The interior was breathtaking

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    The interior was breathtaking
    Holloway Corner Kitchen

    Holloway Corner Kitchen

    4.8
    (23 reviews)
    5.6 mi

    Comfort food at its finest!…read more This is a place you just get the "feel good" vibes from start to finish. Is it fine dining? No. Do they have a Michelin Star chef? Absolutely not. What they do have is the vibes, comfort food and amazingly friendly hospitality. A no frills spot where whatever you order you're leaving satisfied and a little extra pep in your step. A local joint that takes care of you, whether you're in for a full meal, you're doing a quick pit stop between the workday, or you're dropping in before they day begins and picking up fresh and ready made food to go so you can hit the road without hassle. The breakfast special was perfect. Gooey and cheesy eggs, tasty fried green tomatoes, perfect consistency and flavorful grits, with a hot and fresh biscuit. My belly was doing the happy dance before during and after. And my wife's chorizo burrito was perfect as well. And you can get it in two sizes depending on how hungry you are. Whenever we're up here, we will stop in for the feel good vibes and comfort food every single time.

    Enjoy very casual dining for breakfast and lunch--they serve fried green tomatoes! they are one of…read moremy favorite dishes and this restaurant does them well. Also enjoy espresso--another delight of mine. We have been back twice and plan to make it a Saturday habit. I agree with the other positive reviews. Good food, friendly people and folksy atmosphere. Ree S.

    Photos
    Interior (August 2026)
    Interior (August 2026)
    The Hollar Burger
    The Hollar Burger
    Po-Boys!

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    Po-Boys!

    Banner Elk Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated August 2026

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