Importante Bodega Bar brings Spanish tapas and wine to Carytown

“We have a habit in Spain of going out to a bar and having a drink and a small plate,” Latorre said. “Or having a whole meal of different small plates ... instead of going out to dinner and experiencing one or two plates, you can experience 12, each with different tastes and different textures.”

Then, COVID-19 forced restaurants to shutter, and they put the idea on hold. Fast-forward to 2023, when restaurants began picking up momentum again, and they brought their idea to their friend Emilio Peiro.

Peiro owned several Emilio’s tapas restaurant locations in the early 2000s and was interested. He added another friend Jesus Marquez who was working as the bar manager at Lolita’s, and they decided to go for it.

They found the former home of Rocket Fizz at 3031 W. Cary St. in the middle of Carytown last March and jumped on it, applying for permits and converting the two-story building into a bar and restaurant. They planned to open in August but, as the process often goes, Importante Bodega Bar officially opened its doors on Dec. 31.

With a focus on ingredients imported from Spain, the menu features a full selection of Spanish cheese and charcuterie spanning chorizo, lomo and different jamons ($8.95-$19.95) going all the way up to the coveted top-label Jamon Iberico Pata Negra ($34.95). Made from pure-bred pigs fed only on acorns for part of the year, this special cured meat is sought out for its distinctively nutty flavor and silky texture.

You’ll also find classic pintxos — or small bites — like toasted bread with tomato spread and Serrano ham or bacalao dried cod that has been marinated with garlic and roasted red peppers. Heavier tapas include Pulpo a la Gallega con Cachelos ($19.95), a classic dish from the Gallega part of Spain featuring boiled octopus with potatoes, olive oil, paprika and sea salt. Latorre recommends enjoying it with a glass of Lagar de Costa Albariño white wine that comes from the same region.

Patatas a la Riojana ($6.95) from the Rioja region is another special dish featuring potatoes simmered in a paprika stew with slices of meaty spiced chorizo. Many of Importante’s dishes are offered in whole or half sizes to allow for more sampling. There’s also a selection of conservas.

“Bodega” was intentionally added as part of Importante’s title to indicate an additional focus on Spanish wine. Every day from 4 to 7 p.m., guests can order a wine tasting with the server bringing four wines, one at a time, and telling you about them.

“It’s not just to try different wines, it’s to learn a little about them as well,” Latorre said. Importante is still waiting on its liquor license, so for now there’s a menu of creative wine-based cocktails that will expand to include liquor as well.

The restaurant is two stories with a cozy restaurant upstairs and a downstairs designed for a more bustling atmosphere. A tiny room with a water heater and air conditioning on the first floor has been transformed into the kitchen. The building also features a small rooftop that the owners are hoping to build out eventually.

With so many of the foods and wines coming directly from Spain, Importante also offers wines, conservas, cheese and charcuterie to take home. Online ordering is being finalized, and there will also be a wine club coming soon.

For Valentine’s Day, Importante will be serving a special prix fixe menu that comes with one tapa, one salad, chicken and pork or vegetarian paella, a half bottle of wine, and dessert with a glass of semi-sweet wine for $75 per person. Make reservations online at importanterva.com. Starting in March, Importante will also be hosting paella nights on the last Sunday of every month.

Importante’s hours are 4 p.m. to midnight Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.