Little D's

It feels like it’s time to review Little D’s. This is our fave neighborhood haunt. We have been several times. I’m always a little worried when I write a review that others will discover what a secret gem this place is, but I will write one nonetheless because Little Ds Deserves recognition. So what is to love? 1. The bartenders! We always sit at the bar. The bartenders are excellent, and I enjoy the vibe of the bar. It is lit perfectly and we can talk to the bartenders about our favorite potions and tonics and they are quick to make a beautiful drink. In the winter time, I enjoyed a wonderful winter daiquiri, and now that it is spring, there’s a daiquiri called “Torrents of Summer“ that is similar but also distinct from the winter version. So many other creative cocktails to enjoy. Including one recently that had Matcha in it. These are true mixologists! 2. The focaccia! This is unlike any focaccia we’ve ever had. Throw away all your notions of focaccia, except for the soft inside. This has a wonderful flavor and the softness of a traditional focaccia, but boasts a surprising crunch on the outside. This is the best focaccia I’ve ever had. And we make a lot of bread at home as well. That is high praise indeed. 3. We always order the shareable plates. The beef tartare is enough for a meal. Pair it with the focaccia, and you actually have some bread to take home. Other favorite shareable plates include seasonal gnocchi and beets; there is also usually some sort of shrimp or scallop offering. At one point, they had a foam that was on the scallops that was amazing. The menu changes seasonally, and there’s always something new to try. 4. The portions are usually generous. Something like a shareable scallop dish would certainly have fewer scallops than a main course, but again, paired with the focaccia or a salad, and you have a full meal. 5. They have gender neutral bathrooms! Yay. As someone who works a great deal with the trans and non-binary community, you have no idea how important this is. Thank you!

Following an authentically warm welcome from the host I was seated and took in my surroundings, which I’ll attempt to chronicle as eclectic upscale casual with scattered diner features. Ask me tomorrow and I’d likely describe it differently but the main thing was, it felt inviting and warm and cozy and worth the trip to the far side of Merrimon. - Service was flawless and effortlessly gracious; many thanks, Nicole. - The salad of charred beets and apples was a masterpiece of texture, taste and presentation. - The focaccia, from Asheville Proper, was decadently satisfying. Its dip tasted a bit off to me - perhaps too much sage? But hey, silly me, it’s described as a “sage dipping oil,” after all. - The accoutrements to the gnocchi were nice, but the dumplings themselves were unforgettable - pillowy morsels of otherworldly deliciousness with wonderfully crispy edges, oh my! - My apple tart was served with a “fall-spiced” ice cream that brought tears to my eyes - after a fall of unparalleled suffering and loss in Western North Carolina, its familiar, comforting flavors lifted my spirits with the promise of better autumns to come.

We have waited a long time to try Little D though it’s in our neighborhood and we shop at Fresh Market several times a week. Till we came across Little D at Heritage Fire last year and had a chance to experience its food, we knew little about the place. It is a nice and unique little place in the hood with creative food and charming decor. Place is small so reservations highly recommended. It was a busy night and diners look sophisticated. Our server was friendly though a tad over the top and not so authentic for a sophisticated place. It was super noisy and our aged neighbors had a hard time hearing. Food was beautifully and creatively presented. Shareable were small portions and fairly pricey if a group were to order many to share. Food was good but not a wow and totally over salted We had requested low salt due to a dietary need for our aged neighbors and our food came loaded with salt! I hope Little D chefs pay attention to this as I saw that others have mentioned this too in their reviews. We are sitting on the fence on Little D at the moment. We feel it deserves another visit. We are not getting a clear idea its positioning yet and we hope it finds its groove. It can really be a nice go to place for a nice dinner in the neighborhood.

We live here. We eat at a new place every weekend. This is THE BEST food and drink we have found. A must!!!! The kitchen is a master artist of flavors. Wow! Thank you and see you soon!

I’ll be honest, Little D’s was not on my top 5 list of places I haven’t tried yet in Asheville that I wanted to try. It’s in a nondescript shopping center with a grocery store, a nail salon, and a pet store, and had never caught my attention. A friend ate there and liked it, and suggested it one night when we were going out to dinner. I’m glad he did. We tried it … and we liked it so much that we went back again a week later. Little D’s is not very large. There are several tables and a few seats at the bar. The service is excellent … friendly, helpful, and attentive. The menu is fairly small with maybe 12 to 15 appetizers/shareables and 5 or 6 main courses plus a couple of daily specials. I’d never had an old fashioned … not sure why because I’m a bourbon guy. Bartender Andrew made me one and now I’m an old fashioned guy. We started with the roasted butternut squash focaccia and fried oysters, and both were delicious. For main courses, my wife and I both ordered the stuffed butternut squash (see photo). It’s a butternut squash cut in half and stuffed with kale, white beans, onions, walnuts, goat cheese, and a fig balsamic topping. My wife is pescatarian (or is it presbyterian?), so it was a logical pick for her. I’m not pescatarian, but I saw it delivered to another table and it looked really good, so I decided to try it too. How good was it, you ask? So good that when we went back a week later we ordered it again. Friends that were with us ordered the lamb special and the mahi mahi, and they both gave their entrees a thumbs up as well. In my view, the food is outstanding. If you’re looking for a place to eat in North Asheville, you should definitely consider Little D’s … who knows, we might see you there.

Great find!!! We live in Mills River and were recommended to try Little Ds out. We are foodies and love to sit at the bar. The staff was inviting and made suggestions for us newbies. From the foccacia, to the cauliflower and the tartare, all was delicious. Then the steak and grouper were spot on. We had the creme brulee for dessert. Amazing! We will be back.

I took my parents and grandparents here for dinner. We all agreed it was one of the best meals we have ever had. We had the winter menu featuring mushroom ragout, pork tenderloin, beef tartare, and focaccia. Can’t wait to come back for spring shareables.

Little D's has become our favorite local spot. The food never disappoints. As a family of vegetarians, we always have several delicious options to choose from. The chef continually updates the menu based on seasonal and local ingredients, ensuring there's always something fresh and exciting. Yet, some tried-and-true items remain consistently available, often with slight adjustments that elevate them based on the season and weekly ingredients. The quality of the food is evident, and the way the chefs celebrate single ingredients, like peaches or zucchini, showcases their talent and passion. The staff strikes the perfect balance between being friendly and attentive without being intrusive. The intimate and well-decorated space creates a wonderful atmosphere. Would absolutely recommend Little D's!

Following an authentically warm welcome from the host I was seated and took in my surroundings, which I'll attempt to chronicle as eclectic upscale casual with scattered diner features. Ask me tomorrow and I'd likely describe it differently but the main thing was, it felt inviting and warm and cozy and worth the trip to the far side of Merrimon. - Service was flawless and effortlessly gracious; many thanks, Nicole. - The salad of charred beets and apples was a masterpiece of texture, taste and presentation. - The focaccia, from Asheville Proper, was decadently satisfying. Its dip tasted a bit off to me - perhaps too much sage? But hey, silly me, it's described as a "sage dipping oil," after all. - The accoutrements to the gnocchi were nice, but the dumplings themselves were unforgettable - pillowy morsels of otherworldly deliciousness with wonderfully crispy edges, oh my! - My apple tart was served with a "fall-spiced" ice cream which brought tears to my eyes - after a fall of unparalleled suffering and loss in Western North Carolina, its familiar, comforting flavors lifted my spirits with the promise of better autumns to come.

Another stunning meal at Little D's by Chef Faith Michael Patrick Hall! Sharables: the focaccia with maple crust was exquisite against the Maldon salt. Best bread I've ever had, and that says a lot coming from a carb addict. The beets were on par with every beet dish we've ever had at Little D's - a rejoicing of sweet and savory. The butternut soup was beautiful and made me reconsider my skirting of squash on most occasions. Main: our filet was gracefully prepared, and the sauce was a fun addition but certainly not necessary for such a well curated steak. As always, highly recommended for locals wishing to avoid the tourist areas, and for anyone wishing to have an intimate date with impeccable food to discuss. Cheers, Chef, and Nichole, our server! Thank you!

Finally got to check this place out. Service was outstanding. Top notch. From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, we were well taken care of. Food was really good. Nicely executed dishes. We started with the beets and ended with the Mahi. I'm excited to have this little gem in our neighborhood.

We really enjoyed little D's. It is in a great spot and has a very cozy interior. They have plenty of shareable dishes that were very good. A great little spot for a romantic date or two friends to catch up.

I can not rave enough about our outstanding meal last night. I am so tired of paying to go out for a nice meal to feel like I could have made better st home. Little D's did not disappoint ! We split a 12 ounce ribeye with broccolini and smashed potatoes. Then we split an order of sweet potato gnocchi. The a Ambience is nice . The place is small and it was a great dining experience !! Can't say enough about the entire experience.

Excellent experience! We tried a little of everything (focaccia, heirloom tomatoes, lemon ricotta gnocchi, the bistro steak, and strawberry cake), and devoured every bite! Each plate was creative in its layered flavors and beautifully presented, causing us pause to admire it before diving in. The gnocchi was beyond any we have ever had, and worth a second plate for sure. I have never said "I love mushrooms," but the local shiitakes that encircled the bistro steak were definitely crave-worthy. This is not a downtown tourist trap, so we were grateful for manicured ambience and stellar service from our server, Abigail. Dress ranged from jeans and Guns 'n Roses t-shirts to summer linen pants and sundresses. The owners definitely did it right by taking Asheville Proper's wonderful offerings and bringing them back to the locals. Cheers!

The food was exceptional! The seared scallops with mushroom risotto was so delicious it will keep you wanting more! The lemon ricotta gnocchi and halibut and eggplant were also spectacular! All the ingredients were so fresh and the combination of flavors were perfectly balanced. Will definitely return next time I'm in Asheville!

Wonderful dining experience! We did not have reservations so we sat at the bar and our server/bartender was awesome. He recommended excellent food and non alcoholic beverage options. We had several small plates and each was a perfectly balanced combination of complex flavors. The pinnacle of the night was the crème brûlée dessert. I don't usually like crème brûlée but I couldn't resist this! Double yum!

Impeccable. This is a hidden gem, excellent execution all around. The service, the chef, the experience. Don't hesitate! Two words: Parmesan Foam.

Out-freakin-standing! Excellent food! Cocktails were good but...one GIANT ice cube leads to a small amount of actual cocktail! That kinda sucked! Excellent service and atmosphere. Overall, I'd recommend!

I would like to give a 4.5. The food was excellent and an absolute 5/5! We had 5-6 shareables which were all terrific-smoked pork ribs, grilled beets, scallops with risotto, focaccia, and grilled cauliflower! I also had a non alcoholic gin and tonic which was surprisingly good. The service was pretty good, but seemed disorganized at first. I think maybe they were just maxed out. I would really recommend getting a reservation.

Wow! We finally have a wonderful new restaurant in N Asheville. Service and food are outstanding! Interesting, local menu, well-stocked bar. We will be back!

I am not that easy to impress, especially in a shopping center, but from the moment we walked in Little D's was a winner. The waiter was welcoming, just a total nice guy who knew his menu and knew exactly what he could do to make everyone happy. The grilled octopus and the duck made my evening. In our house the comment after going to a restaurant for the first time is did it make the list. Little D's made the list.

Interesting that one of Asheville's best restaurants is a couple of miles from the downtown restaurant area in a shopping center. Menu is innovative and changes often.

Love it. By far the best neighborhood restaurant we've had. Apparently I need to write more to post this.

Very nice steak and excellent pork belly. I ate there with my brother and son. Every one loved their food. Such a symphony of flavors.

Do not waste your time with this overpriced, poor quality, poorly managed restaurant. It's truly sad to say but this place is really awful.

Had a wonderful anniversary dinner here with my wife. Chill atmosphere. Great service. Exquisite and delicious food. We had a ton of the small plates and every one of them was fantastic.

Absolutely fantastic dinner and drinks. Lots of veggie options. We split 4 shareable and loved every one of them. And awesome service.

We went there partly because it was close to home and they have parking, but it was an amazing dinner. We just shared small plates but every single dish was worthy of being on a 5-star downtown restaurant. Flavors were perfect and the presentation beautiful. A Restaurant worthy of Asheville's foodie reputation. Service was fantastic!

Very good healthy appetizers. The Beat salad is to die for! The bread appetizer also delicious! Ambiance great! Hostess and owner great! Super local place with great food!

Lovely little addition to the North Asheville scene. Creative cuisine and friendly service in an intimate setting.