Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Organic
Mexican
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Offers a separate vegan menu, and the food is cooked in separate kitchen area to avoid cross contamination. Owner is the chef. Confirmed closed, Nov 2020.
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10 N Market St, Asheville, North Carolina, USA, 28801
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Last update on 20 Mar 2021 by ad11
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19 Reviews
First Review by Jeffblack3
kenny.cakes
Points +1583
4 stars - Edit
Had so many delicious vegan options, a great atmosphere, and strong drinks.
Read moreGuest
Renegar
Points +58
Amazing vegan options! - Edit
Amazing! Will go back!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Food is amazing!
Guest
Paigeyt3
Points +16
Must Try! - Edit
Polanco was an unexpected surprise, can’t believe I haven’t been before!! Not only do they have plenty of delicious vegan options to choose from, but the chef and owner Ricardo is very sensitive to any other dietary restrictions you may have. I am mostly on a raw fruitarian diet right now to heal health issues. Occasionally I like to share a good meal out. My boyfriend and I went out for his birthday. He was very satisfied with his vegan meal and Ricardo worked with me to come up with something tasty, simple and that wouldn’t inflame me. I love that they offer simple sautéed vegetables as a side dish! Ricardo’s love and creativity for flavorful, vegan cooking and sensitivity for people with dietary restrictions comes through! I’d love to see homemade cassava tortillas on the menu someday! I’d give this restaurant a 5 star if I could!
Read morePros: Sensitive to dietary restrictions., Super friendly/helpful owner/chef, Comfortable ambiance
Cons: TV over bar
Guest
Veganaconganas
Points +28
Their vegan mole was exceptional! But their zucchini boats were ok - Edit
On our weekend trip to Asheville we decided to visit Polancos to try out their stuffed vegan poblanos, we started off with salsa/guacamole and chips which were pretty good and zucchini boats which were ok. When the entrees came out I was informed by the waitress that they had run out of the poblanos but the chef sent out a plate of their vegan mole chicken taco, sautéd mushroom, fried cauliflower and guacamole so I could eat with everyone and asked if their was anything else I would want, (which was super nice of them to do). I was a little bummed that I didn’t get what I had come for but the mole was absolutely exceptional. Almost as good as my mom and that’s saying a lot as I am Mexican. Even with this mishap I still plan on coming back to try out the rest of their vegan dishes
Read moreGuest
AmandaDomian
Points +34
Awesome experience/food! - Edit
All of our food was amazing! It just happened to be taco Tuesday when we went there ($10 for 3 tacos- mix and match, with rice and beans). They have 2 menus. One with meat, and one vegan. Ricardo (chef and owner) came out and talked to us. He was super nice and you can tell her cared a lot about his food and guests. I’d give 5 stars if I could. My husband ate off the meat menu and said it was probably the best Mexican food he’s ever had. I can hands down agree with the vegan menu.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Friendly staff, Delicious food
Guest
SamAnthony
Points +1701
Simply amazing vegan food - Edit
Great Mexican restaurant with a separate vegan menu! The food was phenomenal, friendly and helpful servers, and the ambiance is nice. Not too fancy (not my preference) but classy and cozy.
Read moreIt's not a cheap place but I felt like the prices were reasonable for the quality, care, and attention that goes into making this food. For example, the mole sauce has over 20 ingredients! I've tasted a lot of Mexican food on my travels and this ranks up there with the best. They use local vegan products like No Evil Foods chickn.
The margarita was super tasty as well.
Pros: Separate vegan menu, Amazing food, Nice atmosphere
Cons: A bit on the pricier side
Guest
jkarel98
Points +16
Food was wonderful and service was great! - Edit
They asked if we were vegan even before seating us. They gave us the vegan/ vegetarian only menu and we were pleasantly surprised by the number of options we had. Food came out quickly and everything was great! The servers were friendly and made sure that we were well taken care of. My boyfriend and I highly recommend this place!
Read morePros: Lots of options, Separate vegan/ vegetarian menu, Asked if we were vegan even before seating us
Guest
PlantbasedRex
Points +16
Vegan Cheezy Mexican! - Edit
I first tried Polanco when the restaurant first opened a little over a year ago, and it has quickly become a favorite in a city full of vegan-friendly restaurants! They have a separate vegan/vegetarian menu, where everything is available with the vegan cheese alternative. And this isn't a skimpy menu either! It is about the same size as the omni menu. I was able to order a vegan quesadilla- I haven't seen a vegan quesadilla on a menu in the 3 years I have been vegan! Plus I have been craving one, so I ordered it. Was amazing! ooey-gooey "cheese" with yummy filling! They also have several different veggie-meat options, including a chickpea textured protient "shredded chicken" and beyond meat chorizo!
Read moreFair pricing, large portions, delicious food, wonderful staff/owners that treat you like family. An absolute must!
Pros: large menu, friendly staff, yummy drinks (if you like alcohol)
Guest
turtleveg
Points +1650
best vegan mexican food - Edit
We visited Polanco in late December 2018. The food was fantastic! The service was not so great. They seem to be having staffing issues, and we waited quite a while, and didn't receive much attention throughout our stay.
Read moreThe chef did come out a couple of times and was wonderful. He also shared some vegan items with us that we didn't order so we could try them. Chef Ricardo seems to be enthusiastic about creating delicious vegan options, and it shows. The food was some of the best vegan mexican food we've ever had. The empanadas were filled with a creamy melty vegan cheese, and fried just right. For entrees we tried the vegan enchiladas topped with v. chorizo, and the vegan chile en nogada. Delicious! And the margaritas are also great. Definitely will go back next time we visit Asheville. Hopefully by then they will have worked out their staffing issues.
Pros: fantastic vegan options, the vegan cheese and "meats" are so good
Cons: need to improve the front of house staffing
Guest
erinpfrazier
Points +16
Great experience! - Edit
A great restaurant with an extensive vegan menu! We were thoroughly impressed with all of the incredible flavors created by Chef Ricardo. He is very thoughtful in his vegan adaptations of traditional regional Mexican food. He sources many foods locally and has a lot of passion for what he does. Asheville is lucky to have him! We can’t wait to go back. I would have given it 5 stars if Happy Cow would allow it.
Read moreGuest
TSM319
Points +28
Not a Vegan Option - Edit
Absolutely the worst in AVL
Read morePros: There are not words to describe this place, There are no pros they don’t even try., Worst in AVL
Cons: The vegan option were very oily and gross , The portabella torta was canned Mushrooms , Save your money there are good options in AVL
Guest
iangrout1
Points +54
Mixed Bag - Edit
Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten in 16 years in Asheville has been at Polanco (chilaquiles with No Evil Foods chorizo), but I’ve had some pretty lackluster meals here, too. They keep changing their menu, with varying results, and the dinner prices are incredibly high ($25 for mole, $15 for three tacos). With that being said, some of the food is incredible. The chips and salsa/guacamole are some of the best I’ve had, and the cauliflower tacos are outstanding. Apparently they just started a lunch buffet that I’m really eager to try. The space is very cool looking inside, but we’re often the only table occupied at normal mealtimes. I really hope these guys make it. Their food is very good, but they don’t seem to have quite figured it out.
Read moreGuest
PixieMel
Points +740
Best chips ever. - Edit
Their tortilla chips are delicious. The restaurant is a fun and funky place. I enjoyed the atmosphere. There are quite a few vegan options. While it's tasty, it's also quite expensive. Check the menu before going.
Read morePros: Plenty of vegan food, Good service
Cons: Expensive , No iced tea
Guest
ChloeElrod
Points +61
Good vegan options - Edit
LOVE the cauliflower taco and the service is super friendly! Empanadas are pretty good too.
Read moreCons: The mojo taco is a bit strange for my taste.
Guest
LPardue
Points +16
I love Polanco - Edit
Polanco has the most extensive vegan menu of any non-vegan Mexican place I've ever been to. Everything is tasty, and there are some unique choices, like the wonderful vegan empanadas. Polanco has been very accommodating to the large groups of folks I've brought there from my vegan Meetup group. We will be back often!
Read morePros: great vegan choices
Guest
SebastianCarter
Points +107
loved it - Edit
The menu was awesome, so many options, you have to try the empanadas, they are killer, service was awesome
Read morePros: plenty of options , tasty, service
Guest
WNCVeggie
Points +531
Mixed Review - Edit
I really admire the effort this restaurant has put into offering a lot of vegan options on their menu and the dishes I've had there have all been great. It is sort of upscale but more modern and not traditional Mexican food (obviously since they have a vegan menu). While the folks working there are very friendly (especially the chef who came out and spoke with us to see how the food was) there is an unprofessional vibe to the place. They were out of the wines we wanted to order as well as the dishes we wanted to order and we were there pretty early so not sure why they would already be out of things. They did try to make it up to us which was nice but it just wasn't the smoothest dining experience the few times we have been there. Hopefully they will get the kinks worked out with time as the place has potential to be great.
Read morePros: Many vegan menu options, Good food
Cons: Out of things on the menu, Service can be slow / inconsistent
Guest
Dawngle5
Points +33
Horrible - Edit
We recently traveled to Asheville to see a concert. We were very excited to try this restaurant that boasts a separate Vegan menu. Hostess was very warm and inviting as was the atmosphere. Our server was also very nice but as we inquired about what types of beer he had he pretty much said they were out of everything but PBR. So, fine no problem. I had a Margarita and my husband a PBR. He took forever to bring our drinks. Anyway, all down hill from there. We waited at least 30 minutes for our food. We specifically asked for vegan and I know he served my husband pork. The food was mediocre at best and our bill was $96.00. I hate to give a bad review but I would not recommend this place to a Vegan famly or anyone for that matter.
Read morePros: The have good Margaritas
Guest
Jeffblack3
Points +16
This place is fantastic and warm - Edit
Polanco is one of the best restaurants we have experienced. We tried last year to swing by but weren’t able. Finally, this trip we easily got a table. The chef himself sat us (unbeknownst to us at the time) and our waiter was with us right away. They immediately ask if you would like to see the vegan/vegetarian menu which is extensive. We ordered several plates to share which were all mind blowing. The empanadas, mole rojo, cauliflower and Father of nachos OH MAN. The chef was very friendly and spoke to each table regularly. He was very passionate about providing vegan options to people and creating new dishes based on his upbringing and background. The whole experience was awesome but the food... I, hands down, dream about this place now. I’d give 5 stars but as it isn’t fully vegan, happycow restricts me from doing so.
Read morePros: Delicious, Friendly , Extensive vegan options
Guest
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