Sip, Saunter, Repeat
The leisurely spirit of the Spanish tapas bar reverberates through the southeast
by Angela Hansberger
There is a reason the spanish don’t rush dinner. The tradition of tapas, those unhurried, shareable small plates that arrive without ceremony and invite conversation over the formality of a coursed meal, was never about the food alone. It was always about the table—the slow accumulation of small dishes, the glass that gets refilled without asking. What is striking, and quietly thrilling, is how naturally that philosophy has taken root across the South. A handful of restaurants recognize this sort of kinship and have built something lasting from it—places where the porrón flows, and the charcuterie board arrives with Jamón Ibérico.
At Estadio, a briny cocktail may accompany a plate of clams in garlic chile butter; photography courtesy of Estadio.
Estadio » Charleston, SC
On Charleston’s Spring Street, Estadio occupies the ground floor of a modern building. Against a palette of deep maroon, floor-to-ceiling windows throw light across the marble bar guarded by a charging bull. Here, they share the same ethos of dining as one would in Madrid—a reverence for local ingredients and an ease with grazing. The best seat in the house is the one facing the open kitchen, where Executive Chef Jeremy Gozlan tends to a wedge of chicory, finishing it with sherry vinegar and slicing charcuterie in full view. Begin with the briny gilda, an anchovy skewered along with olives and peppers, and a glass of Albariño with bright acidity, which will also pair well with clams in garlic chile butter. The porrón circulates at a table of celebrants courtesy of owner and sommelier Max Kuller, who also grows vegetables that inspire the menu. The pacing, loose and relaxed, is the point. This is Spanish dining done with Southern ease in a place that makes you feel like a regular the first time you visit. estadio-chs.com
From a tortilla Espagñola to escalivada, Cúrate’s menu offers a traditional taste of Spain; photograph courtesy of Cúrate.
Cúrate » Asheville, NC
When Chef Katie Button and Félix Meana opened Cúrate in 2011, they brought the flavors and hospitality of Spain to Asheville while leaning into seasonal Appalachian ingredients. Fifteen years later, the restaurant has earned its standing with the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Hospitality Award in 2022 and recognition in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide. Button, a five-time James Beard nominee and Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2015, trained at elBulli in Roses, Spain, alongside Meana, whose background in front-of-house service at the world’s most celebrated restaurant (now closed) is apparent in every interaction. Begin with pan con tamate on toasty bread and crunchy-creamy croquetas (I’d order two), then perhaps settle into the rotating paella—or let go of all decision-making and order the Cúrate Experience, where your meal is chef-selected and coursed for the table. The marble bar, the memorable flavors, the open kitchen—all of it is in service of something harder to name: the feeling, specific to Spain and somehow also specific to the best Southern tables, that the people serving you are genuinely glad you came. curatetapasbar.com
Diners flock to tiny Michelin-starred Malagón for the changing menu of authentic Spanish tapas; photograph by Andrew Cebulka.
Malagón » Charleston, SC
Just off King Street, Malagón is a petite space with appealing old-world ambience, where shelves are stocked with wines and imported produce and an open kitchen offers a peek at the goings-on. Legs of jamón hang above the cold case. Antique oil paintings lean against moody black walls. The restaurant is a collaboration between Patrick and Fanny Panella—the restaurateurs behind Bin 152 and Chez Nous—and Chef Juan Cassalett, whose family is originally from Spain and for whose grandfather the restaurant is named. The boquerones are clean and bright, and the charcuterie arrives with intention. Begin with almond-stuffed dates, a Valdeon cheese, and the gambas a la plancha. The all-Spanish wine list rewards curiosity. In November 2025, Malagón became one of just three Michelin-starred restaurants in Charleston, a distinction earned not through formality but through the kind of consistency and precision that makes you want to return before you’ve finished your last plate. malagonchs.com
A steak sizzles on the asador at Cooks & Soldiers, which offers refreshing cocktails featuring gin and tequila; photography by Andrew Thomas Lee.
cooks and soldiers » Atlanta, GA
Atlanta’s entry into this conversation comes by way of the Basque Country, that fiercely independent stretch of northern Spain where pintxos (small snacks) reign. The Castellucci Hospitality Group has faithfully translated that spirit to the Westside. The pintxo bar represents the casual, convivial aspect of Basque dining. It’s loud, vibrant, and built on companionship over formality. You can see the jamón slicer while bartenders shake drinks like Golden Hour with whiskey, Amontillado sherry, and Spanish cider. The wood-burning grill (the asador) anchors everything, lending a smokiness that feels primal and right. Shareable pintxos arrive in waves. Txakolina, a crisp, slightly effervescent Basque white wine, pairs as well with a starter Bikini sandwich of Jamón Ibérico, black truffle, and cheese as it does with branzino in a mojo rojo sauce and patatas bravas. The restaurant earned a 2024 James Beard Foundation semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Hospitality. The South has always known how to gather around a fire; Cooks & Soldiers just gave it a Spanish accent. cooksandsoldiers.com
