Of all the changes that the pandemic wrought, not all of them were negative. For Chef Katie Button and her husband, Félix Meana, owners of Cúrate in Asheville, being shut down by COVID-19 forced them to think outside the restaurant kitchen.
“COVID was the light at the end of the tunnel,” says Félix. After the pandemic hit and they had to close their restaurants, the couple pondered a bodega concept—an idea Félix had had in mind for some time. Thanks to feedback he received on his series of curated food and wine journeys to Spain called Cúrate Trips, Félix, the company’s “chief experience officer,” realized there was a market for his concept in Asheville.
La Bodega by Cúrate opened in 2020 in the bottom of the two-story space left empty by the closing of Button’s Bagels, offering curbside pickup of signature Cúrate dishes, and, eventually, wine, Spanish pantry items, and a light menu of sandwiches, salads, and soups. Prior to the pandemic, the upstairs room had been used for events, but when those ground to a halt, Félix saw it as the ideal space for a wine bar. “When you come to La Bodega, you can come for a takeout order, you can come for a pastry and coffee, you can come shop, and now, you can come upstairs and have full service and access to the wine bar,” says Félix. “It’s a complete experience.”
And what an experience it is. A collage of vintage wine posters and paintings by Félix’s father adorn the brick walls in the natural-light-filled space at the top of the stairs, where friends sip sherry at the bar and gather at communal marble-topped tables. There, they are transported to Spain through an authentic menu of pintxos—finger food served in bars in Spain’s Basque region—conservas (premium tinned fish), charcuterie, and larger plates (including a changing dish of the day) expertly executed by Chef de Cuisine Matt Brown, all paired with sherry and new world wines from Spain.
Evolving over the past two years, the concept for La Bodega has come full circle. The no-reservations policy upstairs fosters a relaxed atmosphere where no one feels rushed. “After 11 years of Cúrate, I want locals to feel part of what we’re doing again,” Félix shares. “I want people to have that laid-back feeling of a neighborhood wine bar where you can stay for hours and enjoy bites of food.”
La Bodega by Cúrate
32 S Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC
(828) 630-0330, labodegabycurate.com
Wine bar: Wed–Sun, 11am–3pm & 4:30–10pm; market opens at 8am
Go to La Bodega Dishes
Go to La Bodega DishesAnchoa Mantequilla
Even if you think you don’t like anchovies, the combination of creamy, sweet, regionally sourced butter with the salty and umami flavors of an anchovy on a slice of toasted house baguette is bound to win you over.
Espárragos Verde
Spring is the season to savor local asparagus, here drizzled with sorrel oil and torn sorrel leaves. A scattering of marcona almonds and a small wedge of cow’s-milk cheese from the Asturias region of Spain make a perfect bite.
Secreto
Juicy Berkshire pork and grilled leeks couple deliciously with the layers of flavor in an outstanding gremolata made from charred ramp tops, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, and arbequina olive oil.
Behind the Scenes
Customers at La Bodega may not have occasion to see the two hidden talents behind the restaurant’s food and beverage programs. Chef de Cuisine Matt Brown manages all the moving parts for both the downstairs and upstairs operations. His impressive culinary chops include time behind the stoves at Michelin three-star restaurants Eleven Madison Park in New York City and Alinea in Chicago. One of the original members of the Cúrate team, Jessica Salyer has moved up through the ranks and now directs Cúrate’s beverage program. For La Bodega’s wine bar, she favors varietals from the northwest region of Spain, such as a beautiful, light garnacha from Madrid or a Barbosa Negro blend from the Canary Islands.
Photography by Whitney Anderson
