Cúrate — Spanish / Tapas, Asheville
Cúrate is the restaurant that made America take Asheville seriously. Chef Katie Button, who trained under Ferran Adrià at elBulli and José Andrés in D.C., opened this Spanish tapas bar in 2011 and has been accumulating James Beard nominations since. The kitchen serves Spanish food with the authority that comes from firsthand education in the source culture.
The jamón ibérico de bellota — sliced to order from the leg, served at room temperature with the fat still slightly translucent — is the room's opening statement. The pan con tomate (Catalan tomato bread, the simplest and most revealing preparation in Spanish cooking) follows.
The croquetas de jamón, the pimientos de padrón, and the rotating Spanish wine-focused menu represent the full Iberian small-plates tradition executed with the knowledge of someone who learned it in Spain.
The Spanish wine selection is the most serious in Asheville — a list curated with genuine knowledge of regional Spanish producers, chosen specifically to pair with the kitchen's preparations.
Best Occasion: Perfect for Proposals
The most celebrated restaurant in Asheville, a James Beard–nominated kitchen, Spanish jamón ibérico and wine, and the conviction that the Blue Ridge Mountains deserve the best. The proposal dinner that Asheville makes possible.
Best Occasion: Great for First Dates
The tapas format creates immediate sharing. The Spanish wine list creates exploration. The jamón ibérico creates the impression. First dates at Cúrate produce specific memories.