La Bodega by Cúrate
Spanish restaurant · Asheville
32 S Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Highlights
Authentic Spanish tapas, pastries, market, coffee, wine bar
Authentic Spanish tapas, pastries, market, coffee, wine bar
"When chef Katie Button opened Cúrate in 2011, she set a high bar for Asheville’s then-nascent restaurant scene. Now with a 2022 James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality under its belt, the Spanish tapas concept still charms adoring crowds in its friendly, yet refined, historic downtown space with shareable classics like jamon Iberico, Galician-style octopus, and goat cheese-stuffed piquillo peppers. The bar stocks an impressive list of Spanish and Basque vermouths, sherries, and wines." - Gina Smith
"A leisurely Spanish lunch at Cúrate’s sister cafe La Bodega by Cúrate can be followed by a fresh pastry and coffee from Lexington Avenue neighbor the Rhu." - Gina Smith
"The more casual iteration of Katie Button and Felix Meana’s Curate, La Bodega operates multiple concepts over two floors. The first-floor cafe begins counter service at 9 a.m. but upstairs is where guests belly up to the zinc bar and dive deep into authentic Spanish pintxos and larger plates like the tortilla vaga (lazy omelet), tortilla Espanola (egg, potato and onion) and the intriguing croissant bikini." - Kay West
"I regularly met friends at La Bodega de Curate in downtown Asheville." - Erin Perkins
"Chef Katie Button, and husband Felix Méana, were nominated in two categories for their reservation-only, Spanish concept, Cúrate: Best Chef Southeast and Outstanding Hospitality. Button is one of the Susan Luccis of the Beard awards, so it will be interesting to see if she brings the medal home to Asheville. Fried eggplant drizzled with local honey (berenjenas con miel) pairs well with shrimp sauteed with garlic and bay (gambas al ajillo)." - Stephanie Burnette
