When it comes to vegetarian meccas, Asheville, North Carolina, probably isn't the first place to come to mind, or even the last. But in this dreamy mountain town, that label is well-deserved: You'll be hard-pressed to find to find a restaurant that doesn't place tofu alongside buttermilk-fried pork chops on its menu.

Indeed, Asheville was actually named the No. 1 vegetarian-friendly small city in America by PETA's GoVeg.com, and offers something unique for veggie-seekers--mouth-watering options with a Southern twist. With the Four Points by Sheraton Asheville Downtown as your base, you can spend the weekend hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains and balancing out the calorie burn with some serious eating:

For a meat-free dinner that'll stick to your bones, head to Rosetta's Kitchen, which dishes farm-fresh vegan soul food like the Family Favorite, a smorgasbord of its famed baked tofu smothered in a smoky peanut butter BBQ sauce, smashed potatoes and gravy, and sautéed kale. Side it was a cornbread or corn-n-tater fritters for a belly-busting serving of comfort-food heaven.

Any Southern town worth its salt is sure to have an endless number of bacon-laden brunch places: Early Girl Eatery is no exception. Serving eggs and grits with local sausage or baked tempeh, the restaurant goes both ways--but all diners should try the Early Girl Benny, grit cakes topped with tomato, spinach, poached eggs, tomato gravy, and avocado. Be sure to order a serving of pumpkin ginger bread for the table.

And whatever your culinary predilection, a trip to Asheville isn't complete without a stop at the globally-minded, award-winning Laughing Seed Café: Go sweet and satisfying with an order of Caribbean Empanadas, a whole-wheat tortilla filled with curried butternut squash, spinach, and fire-roasted tomato mojo topped with organic black beans and vegan cilantro sour cream.

[image via Early Girl Eatery]