Welcome to Purple Onion
OUR STORY at Purple Onion in Saluda, NC is one of exceptional culinary delight. This women-owned establishment offers a fusion of Mediterranean and New American cuisine in a charming, bustling atmosphere. The menu boasts fresh, thoughtfully prepared dishes like Tumeric Chickpea Soup, Salmon with Spaghetti Squash, and a delectable Pork Chop. The ambiance, live music, and attentive service make for a truly memorable dining experience. With a diverse menu, large portions, and delightful desserts like Warm Blackberry Cobbler, Purple Onion is a must-visit for food enthusiasts seeking a unique and satisfying dining experience.
- 16 Main St Saluda, NC 28773 Hotline: (828) 749-1179
Welcome to Purple Onion, a charming music venue and restaurant located in Saluda, NC. With a focus on Mediterranean and New American cuisine, Purple Onion offers a unique dining experience that caters to a variety of tastes.
From taking reservations to offering delivery and wheelchair accessibility, Purple Onion provides a range of utilities to ensure a comfortable dining experience for all patrons. The restaurant is women-owned and prides itself on using compostable containers and plastic-free packaging, showcasing its commitment to sustainability.
The ambiance at Purple Onion is described as welcoming and cozy, with indoor and outdoor seating options available. The menu features a diverse selection of dishes, with highlights such as the Tumeric Chickpea Soup, salmon with spaghetti squash, and the juicy pork chop. Customers have praised the thoughtfully prepared meals, attentive service, and lively atmosphere.
Whether you're looking for a casual lunch spot or a place to enjoy live music on the weekends, Purple Onion has something for everyone. Don't miss out on their happy hour specials, gender-neutral restrooms, and private dining options. Visit Purple Onion to experience phenomenal food, great service, and a welcoming atmosphere that will leave you coming back for more.

We had a delicious and thoughtfully prepared meal ...Tumeric Chickpea Soup start followed by the perfect fall preparation of salmon with spaghetti squash and the juiciest, tastiest pork chop. Service was kind and attentive and atmosphere charming . We will be back

Stopped in here for lunch a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the dish I had (it was a special that day), but I do remember it was fresh and thoughtfully put together. Sneaking peeks at other diner's meals, I feel safe saying fresh, tasty and well put together is standard here. Ambiance was friendly and since it was lunchtime, quite lively and bustling, but not in an off putting way. Our server was well informed, efficient and friendly. I look forward to a return trip, as their menu is varied and sure to satisfy many different palettes.

Haven't been back to Saluda for a while. My partner and I were looking forward to a beet arugula salad and mushroom arugula pie. Celia is a pleasant and knowledgeable server was fun as well. The covered patio protected us from unpredictable weather. From the pizza crust to the toppings we enjoyed our main course. Bought the larger pie and had a couple slices to bring home. Did take a picture but disappeared!

On the way home from a job in the Carolinas we stopped for fuel in Saluda and decided to have lunch. The Purple Onion came up as open and rated well. Downtown was bustling but we found a parking spot in front of the police station which is next door. The restaurant is in an old storefront in a historic Main Street area. They did a very nice conversion to the dining room with a bar. We were greeted promptly and seated with the Sunday Brunch menu. Be prepared to make some tough decisions because there is an enormous variety and choosing one is a chore, in a good way. Our server was very helpful with answers and recommendations to narrow the delectable selections to a manageable size. We started with the cheese and local honey appetizer which was very tasty with delightfully contrasting flavors and textures. My pork belly and grits were a great choice with flavors that worked well together. The egg was cooked to medium and the hollandaise sauce was just right. The half salad/half sandwich my wife enjoyed looked great. Portions were large for being "half" so I was able to enjoy some of the salad and it was as fresh and flavorful as it looked. Saluda looks very interesting and we may just plan a day there when we're traveling through.

Lovely little place in the downtown area of quaint, little Saluda. The tabbouleh with chicken was very good. It was a good size portion served on mixed greens. I got a warm blackberry cobbler with ice cream that was excellent.

Food is Phenomenal, service is great. The Ambiance is like dining in someone's home. We so enjoy taking our Florida friends here because we know that it will be a wonderful experience. I am a chef and my friends are true foodies.There are few restaurants here in this part of NC that I love. This is one of them. Great chef and wonderful people who serve with a smile and see to your every need. THE BEST.

food was pretty yum. we started with the ciabatta baguette and it comes with "garlic her dipping mix" that's mostly olive oil. it was still good though ($5 worth? that's up to your discretion)! we shared the mediterranean platter which was well dressed and a good amount of food. we also shared the green goddess pizza which had great flavor but the crust was a tad hard. service was fine. she was very nice but i think they are short on staff so we waited around a little bit. the ambiance is like a cute cafe with outdoor seating. i would go back :)

My parents and I dropped by dinner after a day of kayaking on labor day. The ambiance is great for a casual or nice dinner - cute set up inside. We decided to eat outside and it is such a simple and comforting feel. We ordered the Mediterranean plate, Sicilian pizza, and the cast iron rib eye. Dad enjoyed his rib eye but found it to be on the thinner side - tasted good nonetheless. Mom and I shared the Mediterannean plate and Sicilian pizza. Both are greatly portioned for sharing. The plate is so refreshing and perfectly balanced with the pizza. The pepperonis on this are top tier. A little too much feta for my liking but the banana peppers helped to cut through some of it. The desserts were both delicious!! I liked the bread pudding a bit more. It was the right amount of sweetness without being overwhelming. I don't have too big of a sweet tooth but I think I could eat the whole thing on my own. Great place to visit if nearby.

I made a reservation for 6 online the night before Father's Day. Incredibly, there was no problem getting a table at 12:15. We were seated on a platform with just our table there. We ordered beverages (cans of Coke products) and looked over the menu. The menu is pretty small. It isn't a bad thing but be aware. We got three apps. A board with smoked trout and tzatziki sauce, a small pizza, and a baguette. All really good. I got a beet salad for my entree. Delicious! Everyone enjoyed their meal. We're certainly going to go back to the Purple Onion.

We came to Saluda to try a different cafe, but walked by this one and went here instead. So glad we did! My husband had their chicken sandwich special and said it was the best chicken Sando he's had. My kids shared a gluten free pizza (didn't look appealing to me but they ate it lol) and I had a Reuben. Everything was delicious. We ended with the Nutella pot de crème and blackberry cobbler. Both were delicious. Server was very nice and attentive. Came on a Sunday at lunch time with no reso and only had to wait 15 min.