Some meals are about more than what’s on the plate. These unique food and drink experiences in Winston-Salem come with a side of something extra, whether that’s a story, a show, or a dare!

October 26, 2026

Food Experiences

Fireweed Dinner with Native Root

Picture a long community table, a multi-course meal cooked over open flame, and new friends by dessert. Chef Jordan Rainbolt shares the story behind each of her dishes at Fireweed Dinner, featuring fusion cooking built on Indigenous ingredients and methods. Details: Held seasonally at local venues on select dates. Follow Native Root’s Eventbrite to get notified about future dates and to claim your spot.

Hellfire Challenge at Timmy’s Hot Chicken

Can you handle the heat? Finish a full order of Timmy’s Hellfire Wings in 10 minutes or less, with no drinks allowed, to earn a spot on the Wall of Winners.

Pizzakase at Mission Pizza Napoletana

Pizzakase is Chef Peyton Smith’s take on omakase, the Japanese tradition of leaving the menu up to the chef. Expect a chef’s-choice, multi-course lineup of globally inspired pies and snacks. Details: Reserve your seat for the full counter experience or opt for an abbreviated menu in the dining room.

Cookie Tour at Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookie Factory

Step back in time in Grandma’s Kitchen, complete with a wood stove and rolling pins, on this 90-minute bakery tour. Watch the “Artists in Aprons” hand-roll and hand-cut every cookie and sample all six flavors. Details: Book your tour online.

Dinner + a/movie at a/perture

Enjoy a multi-course meal at a local restaurant, with each course inspired by that night’s film. Then walk over to a/perture for the screening. Past pairings have included “The Menu” with dinner at The Downtown Grille and “Julie & Julia” with a French-inspired meal at Butcher & Bull. Details: Purchase your tickets online!

Beach Getaway at Full Moon Oyster Bar

Pull up a seat at the bar and watch your order get shucked right in front of you. With beachy decor all around, this spot feels like a vacation without the drive to the coast.

Cook Your Own Meal at KPOT

At all-you-can-eat KPOT, you’re the chef. Grill Korean BBQ at your table, or simmer ingredients in one of eight broths for hot pot.

Step Aboard at Shinjuku Station

The decor at this revolving sushi bar makes it feel like you’re on a bullet train! Plates of sushi glide by on a conveyor belt, robot servers zoom around the room, and custom orders zip to your table on train tracks.

Pairing Dinners in Downtown

The Downtown Grille and The Caviste host multi-course dinners with wine pairings. Prefer whiskey? The Trophy Room serves a monthly prime rib dinner with a whiskey flight. Details: Follow The Downtown Grille and The Caviste on social media to see their dinner date announcements; for The Trophy Room, check its Eventbrite.

Tableside Hibachi at Local Steakhouses

Chefs turn dinner into a show at Winston-Salem’s Japanese steakhouses, grilling your meal in front of you. Tokyo, Kanpai, Arigato, and UMI all offer the experience!

Drink Experiences

Talk Bar at easytalk

Roll the dice, pull a card, or consult the Magic 8 Ball to decide what goes in your glass. This game-driven menu lives on the “talk” side of easytalk, a West Salem cocktail bar with a separate “easy” side, opened by two UNCSA alums.

Tank Pours at Lesser-Known Beer Company

Get a pint poured straight from Lesser-Known’s horizontal lagering tanks for a fresher taste! It’s the only brewery in Winston-Salem that offers tank pours.

Grain-to-Glass Tour at Broad Branch Distillery

Discover how Broad Branch makes its bourbon, whiskey, and rum, then taste the results! Details: The first Saturday of each month at 2 PM. Reserve your spot online.

Gong Fu Tea at Chad’s Chai

Sip on gong fu tea, where a small amount of tea is steeped again and again, each round revealing new flavors. It’s as much about being present and connecting with others as it is about the drink. Details: Typically twice a month on Wednesdays, 7-9 PM. No reservations needed, just pay at the tea house.