Yelp ranks Asheville restaurants on lists for top lasagna, falafel
ASHEVILLE - Yelp experts scouring for what diners are devouring discovered some of the nation’s favorite dishes are in Asheville.
The diner-driven review focused on Italian and Middle Eastern favorites, lasagna and falafel.
In May, Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian ranked No. 11 on a list of Yelp’s Top 20 spots for lasagna in the U.S.
In June, Baba Nahm ranked No. 38 on the review media company’s list of 50 spots to get a falafel fix.
The owners of the Asheville eateries shared the secret to the dishes’ success.
Love for Lasagna
Vinnie’s founder and chef Eric Scheffer said the lasagna is the bestseller at the restaurant, which has locations at 641 Merrimon Ave. and 1981 Hendersonville Road.
Scheffer said the recipe he created for Vinnie’s was inspired Mary Decillas, an Italian woman he knew in Long Island, New York. He said he spent time in the kitchen learning how to make her lasagna, which he said was his favorite.
Scheffer’s rendition calls for fresh ingredients and in-house specialties to create the twice-baked meat lasagna recipe. He said the same sausages used in the restaurant’s Sunday gravy ― an Italian thick, meaty sauce ― are removed from its casings and mixed with a high-quality 80/20 ground beef.
The ricotta cheese is sourced from a small Italian family business in Charlotte. Scheffer said he’s used the same lasagna sheets for the past 14 years, sourced from a New York supplier.
“We’re using the Sunday gravy sauce that we make in-house to top it at the end when we serve it to the customer,” he said.
The dish is finished with hand-grated parmesan cheese.
The twice-baked meat lasagna is $20 for an individual serving and $49 for a family-sized meal that feeds three people.
Falafel favorites
Baba Nahm specializes in Middle Eastern street food at its downtown restaurant at 1 Page Ave., Suite 139 in Grove Arcade.
Co-owner Brian Smith said the crispy Baba falafel is made traditionally and is one of the most popular menu items.
“We soak the chickpeas whole, grind them with a bunch of fresh herbs and spices, lots of garlic, lots of onion,” he said.
It’s topped with a signature avocado-tahini sauce that he said makes the dish “fun and healthy.”
Ahead of Baba Nahm's opening in 2017, Smith said he and his wife, Laura, researched falafels in New York City, stopping at 15 shops in less than two days.
“We got a lot of varieties. We figured out what we liked and didn’t like about certain falafel presentations,” he said. “We talked to a lot of people from that area ― Lebanon, Israel and Palestine ― and got how they make it authentically and we went from there.”
Baba Nahm’s falafel costs $7.95. Customers can add it to a dish, like stuffed in a pita or on a Lebanese platter.
Smith said his favorite way to eat the falafel is wrapped in fresh Laffah bread or on top of a Fattoush salad.
Yelp diners’ reviews
Yelp Elite Squad members ― a selected group of longstanding, engaging platform users ― determine the ranking standings based on factors like the total volume and ratings of reviews with only one to two businesses selected per state for geographic diversity.
Baba Nahm has a 4.5-star customer rating on Yelp with many customers praising the eatery for the falafel.
“Food is amazing!!! Falafel is the best ... many options and all are amazing. Generous portions and incredibly savory. Cost point is good for what you get. The staff are really friendly. It's one of our favorites in Asheville!!!” – Carl S.
“Sooo good! Falafel is sometimes a hit or miss for me but this was definitely a hit! You can tell everything is super fresh. Service is friendly and fast.” - Marina S.
Yelp Elites had glowing things to say about Vinnie’s lasagna, too. The restaurant has a 4.4-star customer rating for the Merrimon Avenue location and a 4.2-star rating for its South Asheville site.
“Wow I was blown away from this meal. ... My meal was the lasagna, best I've ever had!” – Ava G.
For Yelp's list of top lasagna, visit blog.yelp.com/community/top-20-spots-for-lasagna-in-the-u-s-and-canada/.
For Yelp's list of falafel favorites, visit blog.yelp.com/community/50-spots-to-get-your-falafel-fix-in-the-u-s-canada/.
Stories you may have missed:
New patios, cool rooftop bars to visit this summer in Asheville
National Geographic travel guide features Asheville as LGBTQIA+-friendly destination
2024 James Beard Award winner takes over Asheville in four-day tasting tour
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville restaurants rank on Yelp lists for best lasagna, falafel
