#162 of 109 Asheville Restaurants

Zen Hen

Zen Hen Café – Fresh Food That Invigorates Your Mind and Body
Written by: Vicky Reddish
Local Expert's Rating:
4.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

When you want real food that promises to revitalize your mind, body, and spirit, you simply have to stop by the Zen Hen Café in Hendersonville, North Carolina. You can trust that they only use the highest quality ingredients in all their dishes plus cooking techniques that preserve the nutrients. At each visit to their quaint eatery, you’re sure to walk away with the energy needed to tackle the rest of the day.  

- The SmokyMountains.com Local Expert Team

When your energy is sapped and you’re looking for a quick way to rejuvenate your mind and body, Zen Hen Café is the place to go in Hendersonville, North Carolina. They specialize in serving up fresh, whole foods cooked to perfection using healthy techniques and plenty of delicious spices. As a result, their tasty rotisserie meals and bowls bring people in from far and wide, ready to restore their energy and get on with their day.  Although their quaint café is anything but swanky, it’s an excellent spot to enjoy a filling lunch, dinner, or even a small snack. The staff instantly makes you feel at home upon walking through the doors as they invite you to try their latest creations. When you catch a whiff of the rotisserie meat cooking in the kitchen, you’ll find your stomach rumbling, ready for a taste.

Before you can settle down at a table with your meal, you’ll have to pick from the many amazing things on the menu. They have premade creations of all kinds, including their popular vegan and soy-free Garden Bowl, and build your own meals to remember. They also have gluten-free fare by the boatload.

If you build your own bowl, you can choose up to two base items, one protein, and four toppings. Then, they let you pick a sauce to top it all off and create your perfect flavor combination. No matter what you order, all their entrees have generous portions and come with a free drink.

Their menu includes awesome items like:

Seafood Buddha Bowl
For their Seafood Buddha Bowl, you get your choice of either Sesame Ahi Tuna or Blackened Scottish Salmon. You can also add two base items, like broccoli slaw, chili roasted cauliflower, or white rice. On top of that, you get four topping options, which include bacon, blueberries, julienned egg, and radishes. A sauce of your choice, like chimichurri or spicy lemon cashew, finishes it all off.

Half Chicken Rotisserie Dinner
The Half Chicken Rotisserie Dinner will have you coming back for more on the daily. With your chicken, you get two bases, like brown rice, mixed greens, or herb-roasted new potatoes. They also let you choose one sauce to go on your chicken or enjoy alongside for dipping.

Paleo-So-Good Bowl
When you just want something quick and easy, go with the Paleo-So-Good Bowl. This dish starts with a bed of chili roasted cauliflower and rotisserie cabbage. Blackened Scottish salmon goes over the bases, and then gets a topping of cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, julienned egg, and bacon. A spicy lemon cashew sauce is added last to heighten all the fresh flavors even more.

Family Meals
In addition to their single-serving dishes, they have family meals of all kinds. You can pick up a whole bird rotisserie dinner or get a full array of family bowls with your ingredients of choice. Just make sure to give them a little extra time to prepare the meals, especially if getting them to go.

Once you’re done with your meal, you can choose to indulge a little with the sweet treats on their menu. They have pineapple, macaroons, and chocolate-banana blondies available to help satisfy your sweet tooth. If you want something a little lighter, you can sip on their complimentary fruit water or blueberry ginger lemonade instead.

Insider Tips:
 – If you want to skip the wait, you can order your meal ahead of time through their website.
– Want to share your love for their Buddha Bowls and other delicious meals? Get a gift card for your friends, family, and coworkers.