Curate

Curate is one of Asheville, North Carolina's most celebrated restaurants, a Spanish tapas bar opened in 2011 by chef Katie Button and her husband Felix Meana. Button trained under legendary chef Ferran Adrià at the groundbreaking elBulli restaurant in Spain, bringing a deep command of Iberian cuisine to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant occupies a handsome space at 11 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville, outfitted in warm wood tones, black-and-white tile, and an easy elegance that encourages long, convivial meals. The menu reads as a love letter to Spain, organized around cold and hot tapas that shift seasonally while preserving the kitchen's signature preparations. Croquetas de jamón — golden, béchamel-filled ham croquettes — are a perennial anchor, as is pan con tomate: thick grilled bread rubbed with ripe tomato and finished with good olive oil. Gambas al ajillo arrives sizzling in a clay cazuela, the garlic-and-olive-oil sauce insisting on extra bread. Burrata toast bridges Spanish and Italian sensibilities with rotating seasonal accompaniments. The kitchen's commitment to importing cured meats, cheeses, and pantry staples directly from Spain elevates each plate with genuine provenance. The wine and sherry program is among the strongest in western North Carolina, organized to lead guests through the breadth of Spain's wine regions, from Galician albariños to Rioja crianzas. Reservations are highly recommended and should be secured several weeks ahead for weekend seatings, particularly during Asheville's busy fall foliage and summer festival seasons. A Friday–Saturday lunch service offers the same kitchen at a slightly more relaxed pace.