Ambrozia Bar & Bistro

I don’t write reviews, really, ever.
I just downloaded this app so I could.
This place is kickin’! We ordered almost all the starters, we should’ve got them all.
The service was top notch, timely as a freakin Seiko. Great drinks.
Critique–
Deviled eggs– f’n A!
Charc & cheese boards– both could win a bar fight on their own. (HEART PASTRAMI)
Scotch olives– order two, actually order three and share one order with the friends.
Trout nachos– great taste, too big. Awkward to get in one bite without borrowing a hand.
Carpaccio– winner winner
Butter salad– kind of a snoozer
Drunken Irish Tarte– super dense tarte awesome plate
Bring on brunch! Thanks Y’all!

Fantastic meal and exceptional waitstaff. Karl took very good care of us. We ate beautiful, tasty food and got full for less than $ 15 per person. We’ll be back very soon and very often.

Ended up at Ambrozia after Sam, the Chef, was in the Fire on the Rock competition over at Biltmore. He didn’t end up winning (at least in 14), but his food is so cool and oh so delicious. I was in college at the time and happily, I came with a boyfriend and his father, who picked up the check.
We had the Trout nachos purely out of curiosity, and were thrilled with the delicious creation lay down in front of us. They’ve definitely changed the menu since I’ve been there — we also had some delicious, more traditional zucchini fries, which, like everything happening there, was perfection. I also had a bistro burger, which at the time I think had a fried egg on top. And of course fries, also wonderful as fries often are.
It’s also kind of my favorite that if you watch them on Facebook, they’ll tell you when they went to the farmer’s market, what they bought, and what they’re making that day with their fresh foods. Love it. Ultimately, everything I had was totally on point, and I’m certain all the things I haven’t tried are equally great. I’m dying to go back for brunch. It looks delightful. Not sure whom I can get to pick up my tab this time, though…

thursday night is quite the neighborhood night! staff makes a point of recognizing and knowing people. the deviled eggs with bacon jam are to die for and weekly beer selections are great!

fresh food right down to the herbs cit fresh from the trays the show in the kitchen outside window! The quail and dumplings the mac and cheese w truffle oil and New England Clam Chowder are out of this world not to mention the Earl Gray Crum brulee mmmmm love this place!!!

I’ve been to Ambrozia two times and both were great. They’ve got a creative menu and they pull it off well. Don’t be turned off that this restaurant is housed in a strip mall. It’s good enough for downtown fare, and you won’t have to fight for parking. I do recommend reservations because the restaurant itself is on the smaller side.
Try the specials. Each one we’ve tried has been a winner. My favorite was a cauliflower bisque with 3 fried goat cheese? (some sort of fried cheesy goodness) balls. I loved the presentation! The waitress came over with the bowl and poured the bisque in. It’s not a super fancy restaurant, so this was just an added touch. They also give you some Ambrosia salad to cleanse the palate.
As for regulars on the menu, the trout nachos were fantastic. Not fishy at all. You get about 5 nachos, but they’re large. The flat iron steak and frites were also great. As a condiment queen, I loved the aioli that came with fries.
This is a must-​try place if you’re in Asheville. I intend to eat here whenever I find myself back in Asheville.

Overpriced for what it is. The concept of a 3 course brunch is delightful, but the actual brunch foods were mediocre. My friend’s Huevos Rancheros arrived cold, the brunchies (scone, mini muffin, etc.) were very bland. The waiter seemed confused about the amount of caffeine in the dessert mousse, saying ‘it cooks out’, which is… wrong. If the price was more reasonable none of this would be a big deal, but it is pretty pricey for some bland food. Wait staff was smiley and polite.

What a treat to have a wonderful dining experience without the need to troll for parking downtown. Convenient and cordial, Ambrosia has an amazing staff and wonderful chef. Never had even a remotely questionable meal. Always first class! We keep coming back.

The staff at Ambrozia are many things, genuinely friendly, executing great customer service, while being well versed in an extensive wine menu! They want you to enjoy your experience.
Everywhere can attempt an exciting menu, but every time indulging at Ambrozia is always well rounded and inviting for any pallet. Don’t be shy. Thats all you need my friends.

I have mixed feelings about this place. The food is really great and unique, but it’s a bit pricey for what you get. They do have a great brunch special. There’s a pick four items for 20 bucks and 5 dollar mimosas or bloody marys for brunch (only after noon on Sundays). The service was efficient, but I noticed that the waitresses all seemed to have resting bitch face. I’m not the type of person who expects employees to grovel by any means, but when I’m paying good money for a hopefully enjoyable experience, I would want the waiters to be a little more friendly, or at least polite. Honestly, they acted so arrogantly that I don’t think I’ll be returning, good food or no. Their attitudes bordered on outright rudeness. There are other places to go where the people are friendly and the food is just as good.

New American. They are on Facebook and Twitter. We all enjoyed the various entrees. I had the elk bolognese. Really tasty. Popover appetizer also good. Wine is pricey but good selection. Excellent service. Try it.

Had a disapointing experience tonight.
When customers order «no extra salt»… that means no extra salt. Everything is wayyyyyyy too salty and that ruins the food flavoring. (salt does indeed enhance the flavor but overly salted foods do not) Perhaps that’s how the chef covers things up???
I was charged $ 2 for splitting a salad??? Are you kidding me??? We ask to share a salad prior to entrees and they charged extra to split an $ 11 salad! Perhaps they should at least mention it when we order?
Advertising misleads that the restaurant is physically located on the «scenic Beaver Lake»… problem is… location is not on the lake.
Shame on the management for not even coming over to address my issues! I made it perfectly clear to my server (and host) about the problems, but they did nothing. I even warned of a poor review coming on Unilocal and they just looked at me with blank faces.
Oh well; What a waste of an evening and calories.

This review is for brunch. I haven’t been there for dinner yet.
They do a great 4 course prix fixe brunch for 20.00 per person.
The first course is a little bread sampler. with a popover, a chocolate muffin, a mini croissant and a scone. This was probably the best scone I’ve ever had.
The second course, I chose little rice balls with lamb sausage. This was absolutely rich and delicious. the gravy had little bits of lamb as well, and was beautifully presented.
For the third course, we picked the pork benedict and the huevos rancheros. Again, both were really well presented. I liked the benedict better. The beans on the rancheros had too much cumin and that masked the bean flavor to me.
The dessert was beignets with coffee mousse. The mousse was light and airy with a nice coffee flavor. The beignets were a little too dense. but came out piping hot and were a nice ending to a great meal.
The service was attentive and friendly.
Ambrozia is located on a «strip mall» and you don’t think much of it from the outside appearance. But the décor inside has clean line with a modern-​rustic touch with a pleasant ambiance.
We got a table through Open Table which is always a plus.
Plenty of parking right in front.
Can’t wait to try their dinner menu.

Absolute perfection. We went in with a small appetite and stuck with small plates. Started off with their stuffed dates which blew our taste buds away. Their beet salad was as refreshing balance of sweets and spice. Tasted more like a dessert than a «salad». Also, we had their lobster chorizo pot pie which I’d drive hours to enjoy again.

Have eaten here a half-​dozen times. Consistently good food. They have reasonably priced entrées amidst some higher-​end ones. The $ 12 pimento bacon hamburger with a heaping plate of bbq fries would fill a troglodyte. Or your teenager. From the Trout Nachos to the flamed Marshmallows there is an obvious attention to making sure everything is locally sourced and made from scratch. Some of my family members complain that the staff is too friendly and the music is usually too loud but it has never bothered me. I find that the waitstaff is extremely knowledgeable and in the rare instance where they didn’t know exactly what they were serving «head cheese,» the head waiter came over and read the definition from a massive book he kept behind the counter. If this were a restaurant in Paris or San Francisco it would stay in business and get a lot of attention from locals.

This is Asheville Food Week so the choices for a prix fixe meal were many. After perusing the menus online we chose Ambrozia.
From the Trout Nachos, pimento cheese pop-​overs thru to the bacon cinnamon roll bread pudding with dulce de Leche (yes, it’s true) one of the most memorable food evenings we have had. All the way home, I kept saying, «I will never forget that meal».
Our dinner mates had flat iron steak and perfectly prepared scallops with short ribs. Divine all the way around and compliments to the chef/​owner are in order with lovely
service and preparation. Just what you want in an evening out.

One of the best meals we’ve had in AVL and we eat out a lot. My wife’s steak frite was perfect and my seafood grits were to die for. If you go, please leave us a few more ’06 Brento Lorinan «Reserva» bottles to enjoy. Great stuff. Can’t wait to get back there again.

Karen… the bartender… I heart thee… you are engaging… helpful…and introduce yourself by name and continue with that theme for my stay…

Over the last 3 – 4 months, Ambrozia has become the go to spot for my wife and I when we want a meal that is borderline upscale on a whim. The staff are some of the friendliest, attentive and personable staff in this town and the food is outstanding. We’ve yet to have anything close to an average meal here.
The chef and kitchen staff are also very creative in their specials — our favorite so far being a dish of three wildly different local mushroom concoctions (one of which was a chicken of the wood potpie).

My favorite brunch in NC. Yep, I said it. I rarely make bold statements like this, but there it is. They try and get out of there around 3pm on Sundays, so keep that in mind.
This place is quite hidden in a strip mall on the outskirts of town. I assume they have a strong local following though, because every time I’ve been there were people there. The décor is classy but approachable. The basic idea for brunch Is 3 courses for $ 20. Mimosa’s, Bloody Mary’s, and local pints are on special as well.
Everything seems to be a play on a well known dish. It changes from time to time so don’t hope to get my exact meal. I ordered some amazing deviled eggs for my first course. With a bacon jam and fried sage. While I waited for that lovely dish I devoured their great selection of breads. My counterpart ordered the grilled cheese and tomato soup. Which was grilled brie and a bisque. Perfect for a cold rainy Sunday.
For my second course, I had to see what everybody else was getting first. I wanted to try the steak and eggs, and I had to try the chicken and waffles. Once I found out others were ordering these things, I went for the crab cakes and grits. My dish was superb. Perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The steak and eggs were good, but the eggs looked a little over-​poached compared to the couple sitting next to us. Then the chicken and waffles. Bourbon syrup flavored chicken with sweet potato waffles and a pepper sauce. It could be amazing, but it just wasn’t. Something didn’t quite click. The chicken was hard to get into and had to many bones maybe? Doesn’t matter, still better than anywhere else. On to desert.
Yet again, I had to see what everybody else was getting first. I wanted the Crème Brulee with Grand Marnier, but wasn’t going to get it unless I could try the Gorgonzola flan. Luckily someone ordered the flan. I gave it a 7, but everyone else seemed to love it. My crème Brulee was AWESOME. The subtle orange flavor just brightened it up. Yogurt with fruit or a hot chocolate were also an option.
This place is fantastic. Would love to try them for diner sometime.