Mela Indian Restaurant
Downtown Asheville, Asheville
Restaurant in Asheville, United States
The Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Mela Indian Restaurant is a practical downtown Asheville pick when the group wants Indian food without a high-ceremony booking. Use it for a flexible lunch or casual dinner; choose Capella on 9 or Bargello instead if atmosphere or a more polished special-occasion setup matters more.
About Mela Indian Restaurant
For a repeat Asheville diner, the case for Mela Indian Restaurant should be framed around the verified basics: it is in Asheville, the dress code is casual, the posted schedule includes both midday and evening hours every day. Beyond that, the available confirmed details are limited, so it is better not to build the plan around unverified claims about format, menu structure, awards, pricing, or service style.
The smarter move is to use the restaurant as a flexible Asheville option when its hours fit your day. It is open from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM daily, then again in the evening: 5 to 9 PM Sunday through Thursday, 5 to 9:30 PM on Friday and Saturday. Because the verified details do not establish a tasting menu, chef-counter setup, private-room program, or other specialized format, set expectations around a casual restaurant visit rather than a high-ceremony meal.
Go for a casual Asheville meal, not a high-ceremony night
The recommendation is direct: consider Mela Indian Restaurant when you want a casual Asheville restaurant with both midday and evening hours. It is less useful to oversell it as an awards-driven destination, a rare-format dining room, or a venue with a confirmed special-occasion program, because those details are not part of the verified record here. If your plans call for a different kind of outing, Capella on 9 and Bargello are useful comparison points to consider.
For someone deciding whether to return, the most reliable planning factor is timing. Midday hours run daily from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, while evening hours are listed every day, with Friday and Saturday extending to 9:30 PM. Keep the plan simple, dress casually, confirm any current operational details directly with the restaurant before making a tight itinerary.
Who should choose it over other options
Choose Mela Indian Restaurant when its Asheville location, casual dress code, daily midday-and-evening schedule fit the occasion. If the night is mainly about a different kind of stop, Crow & Quill, Early Girl Eatery, Twisted Laurel Downtown, Capella on 9, or Bargello may be useful comparison points depending on the plan.
The main caution is expectation-setting. This is a practical Asheville listing based on a small set of confirmed facts, not a venue to present with unverified details about chef pedigree, awards, pricing, seating, dietary accommodations, takeout, delivery, or a rare dining format. That still makes it useful for planning: the verified hours and casual dress code give diners enough to decide when it might fit into an Asheville day or evening.
Planning details
- Location
- 70 N Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- melaasheville.com
- Phone
- +18282258880
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Mela reads as a distinctive outpost of South Asian cooking in Asheville’s Arts District. It sits on a low-rise, walkable strip of galleries and independent eateries, giving it a grounded, small‑city feel: ground-floor dining rooms, steady foot traffic on weekend evenings and a blend of visitors and regulars. Because Indian restaurants are comparatively scarce in this market, Mela carries a kind of neighborhood importance — familiar to locals who seek variety and an unexpected stop for visitors mapping a broader culinary itinerary through Lexington Avenue.
Best For
Mela is best approached as an evening destination on a downtown outing. The location is convenient for hotel guests and for patrons making a night of the Arts District, so it works well for family dinners, group meals and visitors on business trips who want straightforward South Asian cooking close to downtown. Its presence on a pedestrian street also makes it an easy pairing with nearby casual stops or gallery visits, which is useful when planning a multi-stop evening in the neighborhood.
Ordering Tips
Stick with the menu’s named standouts: the restaurant highlights Butter Chicken, Saag Paneer and Tandoori Chicken as signature items. Those dishes represent familiar touchstones of Indian cuisine and are good anchors for a first visit; order a mix of meat and vegetarian classics if you’re bringing a group. Given the neighborhood’s walkability, consider combining Mela with other nearby spots for dessert or drinks to round out an evening in the Arts District.
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Crow & Quill, Notable alternative
- Capella on 9, Notable alternative
- Bargello, Notable alternative
- Early Girl Eatery, Notable alternative
- Twisted Laurel Downtown, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
How It Compares
Crow & Quill is the better choice when the night is bar-led and atmosphere matters more than a full Indian meal. Mela Indian Restaurant is the more useful pick for a seated lunch or dinner where the food decision comes first and the group wants an easier downtown restaurant format.
Capella on 9 has the stronger occasion profile if rooftop ambiance is the point, while Bargello is the better cross-shop for a more polished restaurant night. Choose Mela when value and ease matter more than a room built for lingering over drinks.
Early Girl Eatery and Twisted Laurel Downtown are safer for groups that want broader American or Mediterranean-leaning options. Mela is the clearer call when everyone is aligned on Indian food and wants a straightforward downtown meal.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Mela Indian Restaurant guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Mela Indian Restaurant
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Mela Indian Restaurant | Asheville | No published awards |
| Crow & Quill | Asheville | 2025 Esquire Best Martinis in America |
| Capella on 9 | Asheville | No published awards |
| Bargello | Asheville | No published awards |
| Early Girl Eatery | Asheville | No published awards |
| Twisted Laurel Downtown | Asheville | No published awards |
How Mela Indian Restaurant Asheville compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear to Mela Indian Restaurant?
Keep it casual for Mela Indian Restaurant in Asheville. The verified dress code is casual, so there is no need to plan around formal attire. If you want to compare the feel of the evening with other options, Bargello or Capella on 9 may be worth considering.
Is Mela Indian Restaurant good for solo dining?
It may be a practical solo option if the hours fit your schedule, but the verified details do not establish a specific solo-dining setup such as counter seating. Mela Indian Restaurant is open daily from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and again in the evening, which gives solo diners several possible timing windows. Twisted Laurel Downtown is another venue to compare if you are choosing between options.
What are alternatives to Mela Indian Restaurant in Asheville?
Comparison options include Early Girl Eatery, Twisted Laurel Downtown, Capella on 9, Bargello, Crow & Quill. Choose among them based on the kind of outing and timing you want, use Mela Indian Restaurant when its casual dress code and daily midday-and-evening hours match your plan.
Is lunch or dinner better at Mela Indian Restaurant?
That depends on your schedule. Mela Indian Restaurant is open every day from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, then again from 5 to 9 PM Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 9:30 PM on Friday and Saturday. The verified details do not establish a separate midday value, menu format, or evening format, so choose based on timing.
