To many people’s surprise, Winston-Salem has a thriving and extremely underrated restaurant scene. From sandwiches to fried chicken to Tex-Mex cuisine, Winston-Salem provides a variety of places for fine dining and even brunch. Whether you want to take a trip downtown or just quickly hit Reynolda Village, good food is easy to come by. For some guidance, here are just a few of some of the great restaurants Winston-Salem has to offer.

Crafted

This restaurant created a gourmet spin on everyone’s favorite food — tacos. Crafted made having tacos for dinner a nice meal. They have created a street-food, gourmet fusion that absolutely everyone loves. With crowd-pleasers like the “Big Truck,” a taco with pulled pork and mac and cheese, and “Dirty South Nachos,” they are one of the most popular restaurants in Winston-Salem. Don’t worry if you’re not crazy about tacos. Though Crafted’s motto is “We are not a Mexican restaurant; we are a taco joint,” they serve burgers and nachos that are equally as delicious as their unique tacos!

Mooney’s Mediterranean Cafe

If you love hummus and quick service, there is no better spot to hit in Winston-Salem than Mooney’s. With a range of platters and starters of pita, falafel and baba ghanouj, this Mediterranean cafe will fulfill all your cravings. One of Mooney’s most popular food items is their falafel. Both crunchy and delicious, the falafel platter is just one of many reasons to stop by Mooney’s. Also, who isn’t always in the mood for pita and hummus for dinner?

Mission Pizza

As “North Carolina’s First Napoletana Pizzeria,” Mission Pizza offers some of the best pizza in Winston-Salem. Between their “Pizze Rossa” and “Pizze Bianca,” you can’t go wrong. With an overflow of mozzarella on many of their pizzas, Mission’s filling crust and cheesy layers make them famous with everyone in Winston-Salem. Even if you are not a die-hard pizza fan, their salads, shrimp dishes and even their cauliflower appetizers are loved by everyone who has ever dined there.

Silo Bistro

Just located in the Reynolda Village, Silo has a sandwich for everyone. Whether you like the classic Caprese sandwich or want to try something new like the “Old Bay Shrimp Roll,” they offer both. Their range of sandwiches is infinite with meals like the “Bada Bing,” which loads on the meats, and then a completely different type, like the “Brie, Sliced Granny Smith Apple and Fig” sandwich. What this place does best is to speak to all sorts of sandwich lovers. At Silo, there really is something good for everyone to eat.

Famous Toastery

As brunch has become one of the biggest trends among young people in the past few years, Winston-Salem, too, has caught on, and it’s good. There is no better place to go to brunch with a group of your friends than the Famous Toastery. Between the breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict, French toast and breakfast burritos, this menu will leave you indecisive and only wanting more. With lines flooding out of the restaurant for seats, it’s obvious that Famous Toastery is a gem for the Winston-Salem restaurant scene.

Sweet Potatoes

For classic Southern cuisine, the best place to go is Sweet Potatoes. Everyone’s dream of eating fried chicken and waffles for dinner can really come true by stepping into Sweet Potatoes. People all around the area make their way downtown to try some “Camel City Poutine” and “BBQ Shrimp and Grits.” Serving classic comfort food, like macaroni and cheese, this restaurant keeps everyone happy. Your meal at Sweet Potatoes will most likely leave you with a food coma, but it will definitely keep you dreaming about going back.

Ryan’s

One of the best restaurants for seafood and steak is Ryan’s, hands down. They serve mostly everything, from scallops and salmon to filets and lobster tail. Though it is definitely on the fancier side, Ryan’s is the classy restaurant you are dying to go to. With so few places to get seafood in Winston-Salem, not only is Ryan’s a nice change of pace from chain restaurants, but their food is exceptional. In just trying their “Pan-Seared Salmon,” you will be ready to give your compliments to the chef.

Mi Pueblo

Guacamole, quesadillas and salsa are just a few of the reasons to immediately go to Mi Pueblo. To start off, their range of appetizers of chips and dip can make anyone hungry. When it comes to the main meal, their assortment and combination of different flavors in their burritos and rice bowls are truly delectable. Not to mention, their fajitas are simply mouthwatering. Again, this is definitely a restaurant with lines consistently out the door for a table, but it’s definitely worth the effort. If Mexican cuisine is your go-to for lunch or dinner, Mi Pueblo will satisfy all your needs.

No matter where you like to eat, Winston-Salem has tons of amazing options, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. However, if you haven’t checked out these restaurants you should definitely try them.