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Zen Sushi

Some of Asheville's Best Sushi, Convienently Located 2 mi North of Downtown

Address: 640 Merrimon Av.
Asheville, NC 28804 - Map
Located 2 mile(s) North of Asheville.
Contact Info: 828-225-6033
Zen Sushi

Daily Menu

Lunch Specials

Beverage Menu


Zen Sushi is located in Asheville, a diverse and artsy town that is nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina. It is an authentic Sushi restaurant specializing in Japanese cuisine and fresh sushi. This cozy restaurant welcomes you with its relaxed atmosphere while providing efficient and friendly service. Zen Sushi offers fresh sushi that is skillfully prepared, drawing sushi lovers from near and far with its elegance, simplicity, and mystique. Zen Sushi is well-known for its outstanding sushi and sashimi creations. The dishes are creatively prepared using unique combinations of fillings, toppings and other ingredients that are artistically arranged to visually delight the diner. In addition, Japanese beer, tea and sake are available to complement your food. Zen Sushi offers daily lunch and dinner specials that are easy on the wallet. Carryout and party trays also are offered.

Shashimi Bowl

Plate of Sushi

The roots of Sushi can be traced back to the 4th century BC in Southeast Asia. Originally it started as the practice of preserving fish, which was a principle source of protein. The cleaned fish was covered in rice so that the natural fermentation of the rice would help preserve the fish, sometimes for months. When the time came for consumption, only the fish was eaten while the rice was discarded. Gaining in popularity, this process soon spread throughout China, and centuries later it was introduced into Japan. The Japanese began making sushi with rice vinegar, and not only fish but also with vegetables and other dried, preserved foods. This accentuated the flavor of the dish and the vinegar improved its life span, permitting the fermentation process to be reduced and eventually abandoned.

In this way, sushi became more of a cuisine rather than a way to preserve food. Today, as a matter of great pride, each region of Japan still preserves its own unique, local tastes and flavors. These methods have been passed down through the generations.

In modern restaurants, sushi dishes are prepared using a variety of ingredients, however, there is always a common ingredient across all the different kinds of sushi and that is the sushi rice. For the layman, there are two main types of sushi, Maki and Sashimi. Maki refers to what we traditionally think of as sushi, rice surrounding our ingredients. Sashimi is fresh fish that is served raw, chilled, sliced, and elegantly arranged. Japanese food is famous for using exotic variety of ingredients in sushi dishes. In the Asheville area, restaurants like Zen Sushi are meeting the ever-growing interest and appeal of sushi by Westerners with an array of delectable and visually appealing sushi creations.

Plate of Shashimi

Operating hours: Monday - Sunday 11:30am - 10:30pm, casual dress.

In the near future, this family owned and operated establishment will be opening a more upscale Sushi and Hibachi restaurant in downtown Asheville called Kubo's.

Daily Menu

Lunch Specials

Beverage Menu



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Zen Sushi - Japanese Directory