Artisanal Restaurant – Banner Elk NC
Artisanal, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
At the risk of using the word “experience”, which I feel is nearing overuse, the Artisanal restaurant in Banner Elk, NC really is a culinary experience. The food is explosively delicious, the service is impeccable, and the ambiance is rustic elegance at its most sensational.
Truly.
And for me to say that is a big dang deal, because I normally don’t love frou-frou. Appreciate it? Yes, but love it? Nah, I’d much rather grab a burger and fries than ever get dressed up and sit through multiple dinner courses, no matter how good the food.
But Artisanal? I’d eat there again in a heartbeat.
Firstly, the decor is ooh-aah, y’all.
It manages to be modern and upscale while retaining a cozy warmth. Perhaps that’s why I liked it so much — it’s not snooty. Plus, it has a giant driftwood horse sculpture in the entrance. Ya gotta love that!
Outdoor dining with amazing view
private dining room next to wine cellar
Another perk to the decor — this guy. Not bad, huh? I’m talking about the door handle, of course. (wink, wink)
Artisanal is the foodie child of chef Bill Greene and wife Anita. Bill grew up in Banner Elk, attended the CIA and was enjoying a robust chef career in Charlotte when family circumstances called him home to Banner Elk. He and his wife Anita opened Artisanal, and the culinary gem now shines brightly in the North Carolina mountains.
Psst, if you live anywhere near Charlotte, Chef Greene is opening another restaurant there, and I’ll race ya through the front door!
But let’s get to the food at Artisanal, shall we? The creativity and innovation taken with each of the fresh and very unique ingredients will blow your mind and your taste buds. In a good way, of course.
The colors, flavors and textures surprise and delight, and since each bite is a little different than the one before, the culinary experience is never ending.
Are you drooling yet? Seriously phenomenal food, and the sommelier expertly paired each dish with a perfect wine. Although I tend to favor whites, I loved each and every one of the white and red selections.
I hope you’ll take the opportunity to visit the Artisanal restaurant in Banner Elk, NC. Locals are very proud of their culinary gem (an OpenTable Top 100 restaurant), but it’s a secret that begs to be shared with everyone who visits high country!
Visit the Artisanal website for menu and reservation details.
For more information on the Banner Elk area, visit www.bannerelk.com
Psst, keep an eye out for upcoming posts about my visit to Banner Elk!
This restaurant is stunning, especially for fall and winter. What a treat it would be to dine there.
That place looks super fancy, I bet the food is incredible
I love the interiors. It catches my soul. I would love to eat here!
Interesting dishes. Looks like a lot of fun just getting ready to eat them, new experience for the palette.
Oh wow this place looks so beautiful! The dishes look gorgeous and so delicious too!
The Artisanal restaurant sure has some fancy looking dishes. I’ve love to go there with my SO on a date.
Oh, yes !! I was drolling since I saw the first picture !! The decor looks so cosy and the food….yammi !! http://stylishconfidence.com/
I like the food and the server! What a wonderful restaurant! I’ll have to make a pit stop ASAP.
Omg, hope one day I will visit it! Restaurant and food looks amazing!!
The atmoshpere and food look wonderful. I’d certainly visist this restaurant if I were in NC.
This place is incredibly stunning! You are so lucky that you had that opportunity!
Love reading about culinary gems. And I just love the rustic feel of this restaurants. And the dessert shots were absolutely mouthwatering!
I heart everything about this place. The decor though. I wish my kitchen had that table!
Wow, the food looks great! The restaurant gives off a great vibe too – glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Looks like a fine restaurant to dine in. LOve the octupos dish, looks so yummy!
OMG These dishes look amazing!! I am obsessed with seafood and love Octopus. We live in NC so this is not far at all. Would make for a great family trip or an anniversary trip!
the place looks almost as good as the food! i always love your restaurant reviews, you’ve uncovered some fab places.
The Artisanal Restaurant looks absolutely fabulous and the look & feel of hotel is just mind blowing. The recipes looks creative & delicious as well to make it the best to eat anytime!
The ambiance is beautiful and the food looks really good!! I wanna eat there
Wow looks beautiful! The food looks amazing, too!
The food looks fabulous! I would love to dine here with my hubby, but we are nowhere close by. They need to open up a restaurant in Missouri!
Not only does the food look delicious but I love the decor!
Oh wow! Everything you got looks delicious! The decor of this restaurant is also amazing, I always enjoy when a restaurant has a particular style and sticks with it. Next time I’m in NC I need to visit.
What a pretty place – I love all the wood. All the food is so beautifully presented too!
Yum! I was getting hungrier and hungrier as I scrolled through the images. It looks like an amazing place.
oh wow – that place looks beautiful!!! Lucky girl!! the door handle especially 😉 haha! love the private room!
Sounds and looks like a really delicious place to eat. Love all the pictures of the food, the plate settings are beautiful!
My…this restaurant looks fancy! I really enjoy going to an upscale restaurant every now and again. I really love their décor.
wow, liz what an elegant place to eat at . i love the desserts and the plating. thanks so much for the chance.
woow this place looks and sounds amazing! I love the idea of outdoor dining, what a splendid place xx
WOW!!! I thought the restaurant looked great… and then I saw that food! Those pictures literally made me salivate at my screen. I would love to try the food there x
The presentation of the food is exceptional and so is that guy in your photo lol (wink, wink!)
That place definitely looks fantastic nad you can call it an experience! Beautiful interior and food looks super delicious and beautiful as well. I like it when chef has paid extra attention on portion displaying.
I love the decor! The food looks delicious. It basically looks like art how its served!
Felicia
The food looks delectable and the ambiance is amazing! I love the rustic look. One day we are going to get the family to NC and I’d love to try this restaurant out!
I love the place! I wish we can dine there someday, I am so sure the ambience is perfect!
The atmosphere is beautiful and the food looks like art on a plate.
This seems like a really nice place that I can drop by for a meal. I love the interiors of the restaurant and some of dishes looked quite tasty and amazing.
Wow, I love this atmosphere! It looks so home like and cozy! Would love to have a romantic dinner here! I agree about the burger, haha, but this place make me wish it’s already winter so I could get cozy there while watching the snow fall!
The Artisanal looks like a lovely place to dine! I love the rustic look – it just makes me want to eat! I love the photos of the food..I travel with my hubs a bit more…going to try and get to Banner Elk soon.. You really made me hungry
Indeed a gem. Love the interiors, the food and the people around
I like that it’s nice but not snooty. What a great place to now have on my radar. Love these hands-on inside looks, they always introduce me to new places to go. 🙂
Everything looks so yummy. And the restaurant looks laid back, rustic and so cool. I love it! 🙂
The decor looks so rustic and the food looks truly gourmet! I would love to take my family there to eat!
I love the whole rustic look! Reminds me of some of the places I have stayed at in the Rocky mountains.
The food looks elegant and nothing like I have seen here that’s for sure!
The restaurant looks fantastic and the food looks delicious. I would love to go visit.
What a lovely place! I’d love to pay a visit and taste their menu – it all looks great! 🙂
Food looks delicious and is presented so beautifully. I absolutely love the decor as well.
What a beautiful place to eat. The food looks amazing and like pieces of art!
Omg what a cool restarant!!! I’m loving how they decorated the place! I love restarants that go over the top with there decore. Adds to the experience!
Doing something fancy every once in a while is fun. I’m not much for the fancy either but this looked like fun!
I love the rustic decor, so cozy and inviting. The food looks amazing too! Will have to look up when we’re in NC
Totally want to go here! Love the decor and especially the food presentation. WOW!! Don’t think I’ve ever had food presented to me that nicely before. Looks like a food display that’s not to be touched 😉
Love the look of this! The food do look Delicious. xx
What a delicious food! I want to try them all. I want to go there
What an amazing restaurant! I really love Artisanal’s decor – it’s so inviting and warm. That octopus dish and the dessert look mouthwatering.
Wow – the food looks absolutely incredible! Yum yum!
The food looks so good! Is that squid? It looks delicious!
This looks like a restaurant that is so cozy and rustic. I want to eat there and taste the delicious food. I would go with my sister. We love eating at fancy restaurants!
This looks like an amazing place. I love the decor and the food looks so delicious.
What a wonderful resto! I love the whole concept and the foods look delicious!
Ohh it looks so yummy here! Delish!
Wow I can see why this is so highly rated! The décor is amazing and the food looks so wonderful! I’d love to try some of those dishes!
I love the look of this restaurant it looks like a great way to spend an evening night out. The food looks amazing!
This is soooo embarrassing, but when you said, are you drooling yet, my mouth was actually watering! Love the wooden decor and the food? Well my comment speaks for itself. Excellent photos, by the way.
Such an awesome foods! All of these are really impressive.
We go to Banner Elk every year to ski/snowboard/tube etc. I will definitely check this place out. Food looks amazing
Yes, I agree! The decors of this restaurant look fantastic! That’s actually one of the factors why I keep on coming back to my favorite restaurants! Amazing ambiance gives incredible experience!
Artisanal restaurant in Banner Elk, NC. sounds and looks like a fantastic place to dine. It looks rustic but yet elegant to me and the food looks just gorgeous along with delicious. Thanks for sharing this amazing place.
This place looks so rustic and unique!! It reminds me of my friend’s restaurant here in Sardinia…it truly is a gem! Check it out: http://www.tenutapilastru.it/en/
Wow, this is a very beautiful place! I wish I can dine in there.
What a nice concept for a restaurant. I want to go there too!
This place is just so breathtaking. I love that country feel, it’s so relaxing and comforting. I wouldn’t mind staying here for an entire day while catching up with family or friends. The food looks fantastic and so does the wine. The way they designed the restaurant just adds to the whole awesome experience of being there!
Such an incredible looking restaurant and the food looks amazing too.
I love rustic and this place fits that bill. The food looks simply amazing. Would love to have the opportunity to visit.
I love the cozy ambiance of the place! It is so relaxing and it seems to be the perfect place for quiet, perfect evenings. The food looks fantastic too! I wish I could be there.
What a gorgeous restaurant. It’s beautiful. And the food looks so delicious. I need to visit this place.
Oh wow. What a gorgeous restaurant. And the food looks AMAZING. And your pictures are just lovely!
Um, wow!!! LOVE the decor and atmosphere and the food looks devine!
Wow every meal looks so delicious! I always get so excited when I find a new restaurant that I love!
All of the food looks so delicious! I love the rustic decor too. I’ve always wanted a wooden table like that!
What a gorgeous place to dine. I lvoe all the old wood look and the lightening just really makes for a nice dining experience. Not to mention the food looks divine.
What a wonderful place to dine. The food looks so great. I am not too far from N.C. so I really should take a trip down there to dine. I love to try different restaurants and see what different chefs are creating.
Same sentiment, Cynthia. I live too far from NC. I can assume a trip there to get to see and dine in this place would be a culinary experience like no other.
What an outstanding experience. This place looks amazing! When I make it that way it will for sure be one of our stops.
Wow, this is a beautiful restaurant. I love the ambience. The food looks so delicious, too! If I’m ever in this area, I’d love to check this place out.
The lodge look is really nice and it looks like it would be comfortable. Those two desserts made me drool a little when I saw the pictures.
Wow the decor is pretty special and the food looks like great too x
Absolutely stunning! From the impeccable food to the amazing atmosphere and decor, this restaurant is now officially on my bucket list.
What an amazing place! I absolutely love the decor, and the food sounds fabulous.
Look at all that food. Those photos are just gorgeous, and making me hungry! Looks like a lovely restaurant. Looks comfortable and warm too. Like a great place to relax and eat!
I think it’s a great place, loving the decor, unlike anything around here. I would enjoy some of that food as well.
Not sure I like the decor. The food looks picture perfect though…and I’m sure tastes wonderful.
I have a very good friend who owns a cabin in NC. Not sure if this place is near her, but I will definitely be passing along the info. The atmosphere and cuisine look like they are worth the trip.
I love the wood decor of this restaurant. The food looks amazing and I love a place with a great selection of drinks as well!
Okay, this post realllly makes me want to go eat there!
This looks like such a cute place to eat and the food looks amazing!
The decor looks so beautiful and relaxing!! I love the presentation of the food and that dessert looks amazing!!!
I am absolutely in love with the rustic decor! Oh. My. Gah! I could eat here every day and still be in love!
I’m a burger and fries kind of girl too but appreciate frou frou once in a while 🙂 This place looks very nice, and the food looks delicious! Just look at the details on those dishes. Wow.
Wow! That looks like an amazing dining experience. I’m also in Raleigh and love finding amazing places to explore and visit. I will have to head to the mountains soon for a great dinner.
The decor looks very cozy and relaxing, I think it’s very nice. I love the presentation of the food and that dessert looks absolutely delightful!
That looks like such a great place to eat! If I’m ever in North Carolina I will have to stop here for lunch!
Oh wow that food looks absolutely amazing -the desserts look divine – I would love to try them! x
The decor looks amazing! The food looks great too i certainly would love to sit and relax and enjoy a meal here. I love the rustic look.
The decor of this place is AMAZING! Half the time I’m just as worried about the atmosphere as I am the food. The food looks a little exotic which I’m A LITTLE put off by, BUT I’d totally be willing to try it!
This looks like such a cool restaurant. The food looks great and I love the decor. That horse door handle is really neat.
What a terrific restaurant review! I’m putting this on my list of restaurants to eat at – the photography you included is really beautiful, and the review sums up the whole experience. Can’t wait to try it out!
I can just imagine having a romantic dinner with my husband at this place. It’s got such a wonderful ambiance.
Love the look of this artisanal restaurant. Now I love dressing up and going out and a multi-course meal. The eye-candy you found is not bad either (wink wink) Question what is the food with the tail, it looks like squid, yet it could be seahorse ..
I am loving the rustic appeal here and the food looks so beautiful. Almost too beautiful to eat. I certainly can see why you enjoyed this place so much!
wow, the place looks very cozy and unique! The food look phenomenal. Thanks for sharing!
I would love to try this restaurant. Those foods are all my type to try except the octopus one. Don’t know if I could make myself try that one!
I’ve enjoyed many meals with you, and I know you speak truth when you say burgers and fries are fine. My big question — did you eat the beef that was less than hockey puck well done???? If you say yes, then I’m driving to Banner Elk TODAY! 😉
Love the rustic decor! The plates look very decadent and tasty. If I ever get back to NC I will have to try this place, it looks like a great foodie event!
This looks like a place that is a feast for your tastebuds! I love getting an opportunity to eat food that is created with such care it feels like gifting myself with the gift of self care.
This looks less like a restaurant and more like a cabin in the woods owned by wealthy foody. I love it!
The food looks divine and I’m jumping for joy with the news that the chef is opening another restaurant in the Charlotte area. You’re right, the decor does not look snooty at all. And that door handle – wow! 🙂
Ill be visiting NYC in Nov, so putting this place on my list. Everything looked amazing!
All of this food looks amazing! And what a wonderful atmosphere inside. Great post 🙂
Everything looks delicious! Especially the octopus. I’ll have to make a trip to NC!
Awwww looks so rustic, and also edgy like a gentlemen’s club. The kind of place one would love spending an evening with dignified friends with…Hmmm Love it!
What a beautiful restaurant! I love the atmosphere and the food looks amazing 🙂
This looks like a good restaurant. I like the whole look of the place too x
You have me drooling with all the beautiful food pictures! Now I really have to try this place. Good to know that they know their ways with wine! I’m sure it’s a lovely experience to dine here!
Wow, that is a great place! I want to go there and indulge that restaurant.
Sounds like the perfect place to satisfy your craving for good food and perfect wine pairings! The decor is amazing and it definitely adds to the experience! I really think dining here is going to be great!
The decor is breathtaking…lol the door handle yes I looked twice as it wasn’t the first thing lol. The food is presented beautifully and it looks like a good experience.
Ok, wow! Now i just want to go there and eat and eat and eat! Everything looked perfect, and so well thought out. Thanks for sharing your dining experience.
The Artisanal restaurant looks amazing! I love the decor and your pictures of the food made me instantly hungry. I would definitely make time to try out this restaurant if I’m ever in the area.
I know, right? This looks like an amazing place to eat if I am ever in the area.
Looks like a fabulous place for dining.
Now i am so hungry. This food looks so delicious
WOW that place looks awesome! I would love to check it out! That food alone would hook me!
Banner Elk is such a beautiful place. My parents took me and my sister on a Spring Break vacation here once and I would love to go back.
Everything looks so scrumptious at this restaurant. And the decor… wow! Took my breath away and I only saw photos! I can only imagine what the experience was like!
Wow, looks very classy. I’ve never been to such a nice place.
Wow- all of this looks amazing! I’ve been working to plan our 10 year anniversary trip and think this will be added to the list! How stunning!
That is such a beautiful restaurant. I just love the whole look of it. All the food and drinks look amazing as well. So nice!
The dishes truly look like art. I wouldn’t want to eat them. I’ll have to check this place out the next time I’m visiting family in NC.
This looks like a great place to grab a bite at!! I love finding new places to eat.
The food looks amazing and the ambiance is gorgeous. I’m getting ready to head to NC, I need to stop by.
This looks so good!! I really want to there
This looks gorgeous, I love the comfortable atmosphere!! And the food looks amazing too, Id really enjoy that chocolate cake in the last food pic.
The place, the food, all that wood, everything looks on point!
That food is absolutely gorgeous! And so is the decor! If I ever make it to Banner Elk, NC, I’ll plan on dinner at Artisinal!
What a gorgeous place! I love the warm , cozy , rustic feel.
What a beautiful to dine and I am sure the food is as great as the building.
Oh my goodness, I LOVE the whole rustic look! I could sit back and really enjoy a meal! And that food? It looks amazing! thanks so much for sharing