About Us
A New York-style deli with an Asheville heart.
Zella’s was built on a simple idea: if you’re going to make deli food, do it right. We bake our own bread, roast our own meats and make our desserts in-house. Our sandwiches are piled high, our portions are generous and we don’t believe anyone should leave hungry.
At our East Asheville home on Tunnel Road, Zella’s has grown into much more than a lunch stop. We serve our classic deli sandwiches all day alongside hearty soups, fresh salads and a full dinner menu featuring pastas, comfort-food favorites and rotating weekly specials. Add local beer, house-made desserts and a welcoming dining room, and you’ve got a neighborhood restaurant built for just about any occasion.
Our former location was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. We could have walked away. Instead, we rebuilt. After nearly a year of work, Zella’s reopened at 611 Tunnel Road on September 12, 2025, and Asheville showed up for us all over again.
That experience is now part of who we are: resilient, grateful and proudly local. Zella’s is family-run, friendly and meant to feel like the kind of neighborhood place where first-time visitors quickly become regulars.
Stop in for lunch or dinner, order online, or let us handle your next gathering with full-service catering.
Come hungry. We’ll take care of the rest!
