Best Restaurants in Winston Salem: A Foodie Gets Fit (2023)

For a small town, Winston-Salem, NC has great restaurants. I've lived in Winston for almost 14 years and the food scene has definitely improved over the years. 🇧🇷And now there's so much more to do!) A blog post to sum up my favorite Winston Salem restaurants from a long time ago, so I'm sharing it today! make sureFollow me on Instagram(@terilynadams) also for more of my adventures around town!

The best restaurants in Winston Salem

Without further ado... the best restaurants in Winston-Salem!

BLL-Grill

BLLIt has the best fried chicken ever. Serious. it's unreal We usually get that and the home fries. The rest of the side dishes are meh, so we'll skip that and just roast broccoli or cauliflower at home. We also like their lunch salads.

village juice

The Pumpkin Seed and Herb Salad is my go-to option atvillage juice.My husband loves the Cobb Salad.

Blackhart Bread Co.

This is not a restaurant per se, but Blackhart Bread Co makes the best bread in Winston Salem. You ask about this via direct message to Logan atInstagramand he will tell you where the pickup location is every week. I usually get 3-4 loaves...seriously. but well, Ieat a lot of carbs🇧🇷 **Aug 2022 Update: I think he stopped baking bread! VERY SAD! 🇧🇷

Café West End

Tommy and I are HUGEwest endfans. It's a bit like a cozy diner (as it has lots of options and nice people), but it's not greasy or anything like typical diners. We love their sandwiches and I'm obsessed with the Chopped Blackened Salmon Salad. Tommy always gets the sirloin steak sandwich. They also have great chili and a solid Caesar salad. It's hard to go wrong. Oh and the fries are great too. They don't take reservations, so plan on waiting or ordering takeout (which is what we do most often). This is one of our absolute favorites.

by Mozella

by MozellaThe Fresh Southern Bistro is a perfect date night spot and a great place to bring out of town guests to enjoy some amazing Southern fare like tomato pie. We love the outdoor seating when the weather is nice. The menu remains pretty consistent, but it's consistently excellent. I feel that Mozelle perfectly bridges the gap between fine dining and comfort food. Get the fried pickles, always, no matter what. Be sure to try the fried chicken too, VERY good. As a side dish, be sure to try the spicy kale + bacon, macaroni and cheese, or hominy.

You won't miss it on W 4th st. with outdoor seating and green walls overlooking the Old Fourth Street gas station.

roselli kitchen

roselli kitchenIt's a little way out of Winston Salem (it's in East Bend), but it's worth the trip. They have the best atmosphere and food. It really is a fun dining experience. Be sure to reserve a custard puff if you arrive for dessert, as they sell out quickly. Hannah loves Kitchen Chicken and Chicken Bianco.

Do you see the little table through the window? Fun fact: Hannah demands this every time she makes a reservation with her husband. They ate at this table almost every time!

first oven

first ovenIt's the best pizza in Winston Salem. The Lecce salad accompanies perfectly. You can grab a pizza and eat outside and enjoy one of the microbreweriesarsonNext. If you like sweet cider instead of beer, try the Shacksberry Cider, it's great!

Academia

I melted the cauliflowerAcademia🇧🇷 They also have great brunch specials and lots of vegan and vegetarian options.

die Bagelstation

Our Sunday tradition is alwaysBagel Station🇧🇷 The best bagels ever. They also make lunch sandwiches on top of bagels. Bagel Station has two locations: one near Thruway/Ardmore and another near Mt. Tabor High School. The Ardmore location is much smaller than the Mt Tabor location so if you want to eat inside I would choose the Mt Tabor location.

Dorf Taverne

It's been a while since I've been insideDorf TaverneBut Hannah's favorites are the Baja Fish Tacos and Ten Spice Glazed Salmon. If you are near Reynolda Village this is my favorite place. You can also find the Village Tavern near the Hanes Mall.

River Birch Lodge

Tommy and I had our first *official* dateriver birch🇧🇷 I didn't say yesour real first dateSo this is what I call our first date. 🙂 We love their appetizers AND side dishes. The portions are really good here, so don't accidentally order too much. 😉 The dining room is set up as a hunting or fishing lodge and the boys love the environment as much as the girls.

Yamas

YamasIt's a great place for a casual lunch. It's Mediterranean and a buildable Bowls restaurant in the heart of downtown. You will see many people here for lunch.

mexican soul

by AppleTacos and ceviche are great. Make sure you try their cocktails and mocktails too!

The Catherine Brewery

la katherineis a fun spot in downtown Winston-Salem at the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel. Be sure to get the truffle fries and the Caesar salad. They have a great wine list and an outside patio! It looks like a taste of Italy out there (although the food is French inspired haha). It is named after Katharine Reynolds, whose husband was Richard J. Reynolds of Reynolds Tobacco, fun fact!

small pot of ice cream

Lil Dipper is such a fun place to get ice cream downtown. You can customize all your toppings. They also have vegan ice cream.

just enough

I love Barbaresco Beef RibsJust enough.Very tasty! This is also a fun downtown vibe. If you stop here for dinner, head to Joyners for a drink before or after.

Italian restaurant Di Lisio´s

My direct orderin LyserIt's vegetarian pasta with shrimp gnocchi or arugula. Tommy always gets the lasagna. I never fail to be impressed by seafood pasta and the rest of Italian cuisine! This is our favorite Italian place in town. And another thing to note about Di Lisios is that their chefs are the BEST at being very careful about following my dietary restrictions (most dairy products ruin me). If you have a restriction, let your staff know during ordering or takeout server. You've always been so good to me.

If you are trying to do weekend delivery, please call before 5:30am. They stop taking orders as soon as the restaurant is fully booked.

dom

domsIt's new to Winston and they have AMAZING vegan food. (It's run by the owner of Mozzarella Fellas, which has now closed and been renamed with a different menu.) Hannah loves the nachos and the lemon basil gemelli.

Hoppy Burger Bar

**Aug 2022 Update: It has been closed. ** Hannah says that the one from North Carolina inTo jumpIt's a must. It has green tomatoes, chili cheese and a fried egg. They also have fantastic vegan burgers and a variety of fries.

Ryan's Asador

This may sound strange thoughder RyanIt has the best baked potato I've ever had. You also can't go wrong with the steak or the fish. And be sure to order the arugula salad and crab cake, too. Ryans is an excellent dining experience and a perfect place for a birthday dinner.

a noble grill

I usually order the fish special or the skirt steaknobles🇧🇷 It's one of our favorite places to go on a date.

Bernhardiner

Salmon and scallops are a great accompaniment.Bernhardiner🇧🇷 I haven't been there for a long time, but all my friends really like it. Hanna loves it too!

1703

1703It's a small restaurant with a variable menu depending on the season. And it's delicious every time. I usually get the fish special but the crispy duck is amazing too. And if you call ahead, they're happy to work around any dietary restrictions. They also do a fantastic catering service (they servedmy bachelor party!).

Diamant-Back-Grill

i love tacos indiamond backand Hannah loves shrimp and grits. The Diamondback Grill menu has many farm to fork options which is a plus for me! Diamondback Grill is located in the heart of Buena Vista and College Village. If you live nearby and the weather is nice, going out for dinner is always a treat!

sechshundert Grad

I did not trysechshundert Gradyet, but I keep hearing RARE reviews! From the looks of the menu, I need to get there STAT.

express gift

My neighbor (another foodie) is obsessed withthis new place!It used to be a food truck and now they have their own store in Knollwood Plaza. It's on my must-have list!

Taco-Mama

Taco-Mamais a chain founded in Birmingham, AL and opened in Winston Salem in 2020. I am thrilled that you are here now! They have the best clubs ever and you can't beat their skinny edge. They are located at Hanes Mall and next to Academy Sports. The beauty of Taco Mama is that ALL ingredients are free. I always bring my bowls of tacos and burritos to the brim.

bakeries and cafes

Dewey Bakery

DeweysThey've been around since the 1930's and make the best desserts ever. Be sure to grab a Moravian sugar cake for later. Their Autumn Pumpkin Pie Squares are particularly amazing. On Mondays they offer free cake squares to all visitors. This is super fun for the kids with their weekly run at Trader Joe's (both located in the Thruway Mall).

Bobby Boy Bowling

chico bobbyIt has the best cappuccino in town, UNREAL ham and cheese croissants, and the bread is fantastic too.

Louie and Honey's Kitchen

There is NOTHING like the things inLouie and Honey's Kitchen🇧🇷 I love the key lime pie, all the cookies, and omg the crispy goodies with salted butter rice. They sell out their cinnamon rolls most days so be sure to grab one if it's still available when you arrive. If you like flavors in your coffee, be sure to try the Honey Lavender Latte. They have great new seating but expect a wait and getting a seat can be a challenge on weekends. Take it to go and enjoy a picnic at Hanes Park just down the street. While they're not a full-service restaurant (no lunch specials), their menu is quite extensive!

Sayso Coffee

harassmentIt's a great place to take kids. They have a fun outdoor garden and great coffee.

Cafe Krankies

**Aug 2022 Update: Krankies is known for their chicken sandwich, but I will no longer be endorsing this restaurant or cafe. I will not buy coffee from a place that makes and sells coffee. Last Independence Day they posted on IG that they closed on the 4th of July to celebrate Mental Health Monday instead of the 4th of July because they don't like our country. They have since removed the post due to the backlash they rightfully received. Our country is not perfect. But we must be extremely grateful to our country and NEVER take it for granted. I am disgusted with his attitude. 🇧🇷

Krispy Kreme Rosquilla

Krispy KremeIt's iconic in Winston Salem because it started here! You must get your donuts when the hot shield is on. And while we're at it, did you know that Texas Pete also started out in Winston Salem?

Is there a family favorite in Winston-Salem, NC that isn't on my list? Let me know in the comments!

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