#asheville

#asheville

During the day, the space glows with a riot of pop art and sunlight shining on a mishmash of couches and midcentury chairs. Visits kick off with amuse-bouches, yet the wine list, plotted on a New York magazine-style matrix of flavors, skews casual. The food menu, dreamed up by owner Disco and chef Dana Amromin, mostly consists of desserts, like earthy tahini cheesecake or masala chai ice cream sundaes, but the bar only serves customers at least 21 years old.

Curate, a Spanish tapas restaurant and one of the best-known eateries in Asheville, North Carolina, sat empty for two days after Hurricane Helene last September. Then co-owner Katie Button reopened it alongside World Central Kitchen to provide meals for many community members who were without electricity and running water. To do so, Curate installed a tank and brought in clean water at the cost of $1,000 a day, racking up $30,000 in water, tank rental and delivery fees.

Asheville has already submitted all of the documentation necessary for HUD and is awaiting certification. Once certified, HUD will distribute a grant agreement.