Best Restaurants in Winston Salem

For being a small city, Winston-Salem, NC has some great dining! I’ve lived in Winston for nearly 14 years and the food scene has definitely improved over the years. (And there is a lot more to do in Winston-Salem now too!) A blog post to round up my favorite restaurants in Winston Salem is long overdue, so that’s what I’m sharing today! Be sure to follow me on Instagram (@terilynadams) too for more of my adventures around town!

The Best Restaurants in Winston Salem

Without further adieu..??the best Winston-Salem restaurants!

BLL Rotisserie 

BLL has the best rotisserie chicken ever. Seriously. It is unreal. We typically get that and the house made chips. The rest of their side dishes are meh so we pass on that and just roast broccoli or cauliflower at home. We also like their lunch salads.

Village Juice 

Herb and Pumpkin Seed salad is my go-to at Village Juice. My husband loves the Cobb Salad.

Blackhart Bread Co 

This isn’t a restaurant per se, but Blackhart Bread Co is the best bread in Winston Salem. You order it by direct messaging Logan on Instagram and he’ll let you know where the pick-up location is each week. I usually get 3-4 loaves… seriously. But hey, I eat a lot of carbs!  ** Aug 2022 Update: I think he’s stopped making bread! SO SAD! **

West End Cafe

Tommy and I are HUGE West End fans. It’s a little bit like a cozy diner (since it has so many options and kind people) but it’s not greasy or anything like typical diners. We love their sandwiches, and I’m obsessed with their chopped salad with blackened salmon. 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 sweet potatoes fries are amazing too.  They don’t take reservations so plan on a wait or order takeout (which is what we do most often). This is one of our all time favorites.

Mozelle’s 

Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro is a perfect date-night spot and a great place to take out of town guests for fantastic Southern Cuisine like Tomato Pie. We love their outdoor seating when it’s nice. The menu stays pretty consistent, but it’s great every time. I feel like Mozelle’s bridges the gap of classy and comfort food just perfectly. Get the fried pickles, every time, no matter what. Make sure to try their fried chicken too– SO good. For sides, be sure to try the spicy collard greens + bacon, mac and cheese or cheese grits.

You won’t miss it on W 4th st. with seating outdoors and green walls across from The Old Fourth Street Filling Station.

Kitchen Roselli 

Kitchen Roselli is a bit of a drive from Winston Salem (it’s in East Bend) but WELL worth the trip. They have the best environment and food. It’s truly such a fun dining experience. Make sure you reserve a cream puff when you get there for dessert since they go fast. Hannah loves the Kitchen Chicken and Chicken Bianco.

See that little table through the window? Fun fact: Hannah requests it every time she makes a reservation with her husband– they’ve eaten at that table for almost every date!

Cugino Forno 

Cugino Forno has the best pizza in Winston Salem, hands down. The Lecce salad pairs perfectly with it. You can get a pizza and eat outside and grab one of the craft beers from Incendiary Brewing next door. If you like sweet cider instead of beer, try their Shacksberry Cider, it’s great!

Acadia

I get the cauliflower melt at Acadia. They also have fantastic brunch specials and lots of vegan and vegetarian options.

The Bagel Station

Our Sunday tradition is always Bagel Station! The best bagels EVER. They also do lunch sandwiches on bagels. Bagel Station has two locations — one near Thruway/Ardmore, and one near Mt. Tabor high school. The Ardmore location is much smaller than Mt. Tabor’s location, so if you plan to eat inside, I’d go to the Mt. Tabor location.

Village Tavern

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Village Tavern but Hannah’s picks are the Baja Fish tacos and the ten spiced glazed salmon. If you’re near the Reynolda Village location, that’s my favorite one. You can also find Village Tavern near Hanes Mall.

River Birch Lodge

Tommy and I went on our first *official* date at River Birch! I didn’t say yes to our real first date, so this is what I call our first date. 🙂 We love their entrees AND sides. The portions are pretty good here, so don’t order too much on accident. 😉 The dining room is decorated like a hunting or fishing lodge, and guys tend to love the atmosphere just as much as the gals.

Yamas

Yamas is a great place for a casual lunch. It’s Mediterranean and a build-your-own bowl restaurant in the heart of downtown. You’ll see lots of people here for lunch.

Alma Mexicana

Alma’s tacos and ceviche are phenomenal. Make sure to try their cocktails and mocktails too!

The Katharine Brasserie

The Katharine is a fun spot in downtown Winston-Salem located in the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel. Make sure to grab their truffle fries and ceasar salad. They have a great wine list and patio outside! It feels like a little taste of Italy outside (even though the food is french inspired haha). It’s named after Katharine Reynolds, who’s husband was Richard J Reynolds of Reynolds Tobacco — fun fact!

Lil Dipper Ice Cream

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

Quanto Basta

I love the beef short ribs barbaresco at Quanto Basta. So delicious! This is a fun atmosphere downtown too. If you stopping here for dinner, walk over to Joyners for a drink before or afterwards.

Di Lisio’s Italian Restaurant 

My go-to order at Di Lisios is the Shrimp Veggie Pasta or Gnocchi arugula. Tommy gets the lasagna, every time. I’m always impressed with their seafood pasta and the rest of their Italian cuisine! This is our favorite Italian spot in town. And another thing to note about Di Lisios is that their chefs are the BEST at being really careful to follow my dietary restrictions (most dairy wrecks me). If you have a restriction, just tell their staff on the phone during your take out order or tell your server. They’ve always been great at doing this for me.

If you’re trying to do takeout on the weekend, make sure you call before 5:30. They stop doing to-go orders once the restaurant gets too busy.

Hops Burger Bar

** Aug 2022 Update: This closed. ** Hannah says the North Carolinian at Hops is a must-try. It has friend green tomatoes, pimiento cheese, and a fried egg. They also have fantastic vegan burgers and a variety of fries.

Ryan’s Steakhouse

This may sound strange, but Ryan’s has the best baked potato I’ve ever had. You also can’t go wrong with their steak or fish. And make sure to get the arugula salad and crab cakes too. Ryans is a great fine dining experience and a perfect birthday dinner spot.

A Noble Grill

I typically get the fish special or the flank steak at Noble’s. It’s one of our favorite date night spots.

Bernardins

The Salmon and scallops are great at Bernardins. I haven’t been in a long time, but all of my friends really like it. Hannah loves it too!

1703

1703 is a small restaurant with a rotating menu based on what’s in season. And it’s delicious every single time. I usually get their fish special, but their crispy duck is amazing too. And if you call ahead, they’re happy to work around dietary restrictions. They also do fantastic catering (they catered my bridal shower!).

Diamondback Grill

I love the tacos at Diamondback and Hannah loves the shrimp and grits. Diamondback Grill’s menu features lots of farm-to-table options, which is a bonus for me! Diamondback Grill is located in the heart of Buena Vista and College Village. If you live nearby and the weather is nice, walking to dinner is always a treat!

Six Hundred Degrees

I haven’t tried Six Hundred Degrees yet, but I keep hearing RAVE reviews! From the looks of their menu, I need to get over there STAT.

Don Express 

My neighbor (another fellow foodie) is obsessed with this new spot! It used to be a food truck and now they have a dedicated store front in Knollwood Plaza. It’s on my must-try list!

Taco Mama

Taco Mama is a chain that started in Birmingham, AL and opened in Winston Salem in 2020. I’m THRILLED they are now here! They have the best tacos ever, and you cannot beat their skinny marg. They’re out by Hanes Mall and right beside Academy Sports. The fun thing about Taco Mama is that ALL of their toppings are free. I load up my tacos and burrito bowls to the brim every time.

Bakeries and Coffee Shops

Deweys Bakery

Deweys has been around since 1930 and they make the best desserts ever. Make sure to grab a Moravian Sugar cake for later. Their pumpkin cake squares in the fall are especially amazing. On Mondays, they offer free cake squares for every visitor. This is a super fun treat for the kids on your weekly Trader Joe’s haul (they’re both in Thruway shopping center).

Bobby Boy Bakeshop

Bobby Boy has the city’s best cappuccino, UNREAL ham and cheese croissants, and their bread is amazing too.

Louie and Honey’s Kitchen

There’s NOTHING like the stuff at Louie and Honey’s Kitchen. I love the key lime pie, all of their cookies, and OMG the salted butter rice krispy treats. They sell out of their cinnamon rolls almost every single day, so make sure you snag one of those if they’re still available when you’re arriving. If you’re into flavors in your coffee, make sure to try the Lavender and Honey Latte. They have a great new space but expect a wait and getting a spot to sit can be a challenge on the weekends! Get it to go and enjoy a picnic at Hanes Park, just down the road. While they are not a full service restaurant (no entrees for lunch), their menu is pretty extensive!

Sayso Coffee

Sayso is a great spot to bring kids. They have a fun outdoor backyard and great coffee.

Krankies Coffee 

** Aug 2022 Update: Krankies is known for their chicken sandwich, but I will not support this restaurant or coffee shop anymore. I will not buy coffee anywhere that brews and sells their coffee. This past Independence Day, they posted on IG that they were closed on July 4 to celebrate Mental Health Monday instead of the 4th of July since they don’t like our country. They have since deleted the post given the backlash they deservedly got. Our country isn’t perfect. But we should be so incredibly grateful for our country and NEVER take it for granted. I’m sickened by their stance.**

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts 

Krispy Kreme is iconic in Winston Salem because it started here! You have to get your doughnuts when the hot sign is on. And while we’re at it, did you know Texas Pete started in Winston Salem too?

Are there any family favorites of yours in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that didn’t make my list? Let me know in the comments!

Shop my favorite outfits for dinner out