Azalea Bistro 40 East Main Street, Saluda, NC 28773

"A French restaurant owned by a 4x James beard nominated chef in a small mountain town of 700 piqued my interest enough to walk from the truck stop into town and treat myself to a nice dinner. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a French restaurant before tonight. I opted for the 4 course meal. After failing to order a Diet Coke, my server graciously offered to make me a mocktail and started making suggestions. I asked him to surprise me and he made me a really nice old fashioned without the alcohol. It was great. First, I was fully prepared to eat my meal and head to the bar and grill next door if I left with more of an appetite. If you leave here hungry, see a doctor immediately. You may be feeding an unknown child, parasite or worm. I came in hungry and left stuffed as a tick. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, but similar to popular bbq, things will sell out. With help from the service team, we made it work, and I’m glad I ultimately went with what they suggested. I think the coolest thing about the experience was to learn that the main courses change weekly, likely with a different twist on the main protein choices. The presentation speaks for itself, and I’ve included pictures of everything put in front of me. The food was extremely rich in both flavor and satiety. The dessert was one of the best I’ve had. It’s an easy place to recommend trying at least once. I have a feeling for most of you, if you aren’t returning it’s simply because this little tucked away restaurant isn’t in your normal path of travel. My waitress, full of southern charm, didn’t let me leave empty handed and sent me home with a full container of the leftover sweet tea. It was a very nice finishing touch and made for an enjoyable walk back to the truck sipping on sweet tea and listening to the bugs in the trees. Until a few days ago, I hadn’t heard of Saluda, North Carolina, but it has a certain charm to it that certainly makes it special."

"Hands down the best restaurant in the area!! We’ve eaten here several times and each time we say it’s the best meal we’ve ever had!! Garret and his team are top notch!! Hailey and Alex, front of the house are wonderful, and provide excellent service. The food is unique, and the flavors are amazing! The menu changes weekly, Chef Garrett takes so much pride in every ingredient and sources from local farms! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! 10 ⭐️’s"

"Absolutely fantastic French restaurant. Charming, homemade, excellent ingredients that you can't find everywhere. Order the caviar and crab cake. Caviar Crepes also a must. Unique desserts. Seasonal menus. Make Reservations ask for Alex."

"We came here in October for our anniversary and then again for my husbands birthday. The food is perfection! The Chef certainly knows what he's doing and it shows in every course. The staff is freindly and helpful with recommendations. This is my happy place. You definitely get what you pay for and more. We'll be back in July for my birthday. Absolutely worth the 3 hour drive to dine here!"