Don’t be surprised if you feel a bit apprehensive the first time you take a ride up to the Flow Lexus Club Level of Deacon Tower. You won’t be the first to briefly wonder whether you need to know a secret password.

Certainly one of the city’s more unique dining experiences, Deacon Tower Grille opened in January on the fourth floor of the Deacon Tower. When the elevator doors part, you’ll know you’re somewhere special. A stroll around the perimeter offers a stunning view of BB&T Field, sure to draw goose bumps from any Demon Deacon fan.

But despite its exclusive first impression, the restaurant is a pleasantly approachable lunchtime destination that is open to the public throughout the week. Owners Jack and Pam Welker will tell you that’s the point.

“We developed the restaurant to show off the tower — to make a traditionally off-limits place accessible to the public,” Jack explains of the space, which is otherwise open only to club-level patrons on game days.

Deacon Tower Grille is a division of Catered Affairs WF — formerly Rumac Catering — which the Welkers purchased 20 years ago. Having previously catered for a number of Wake Forest Athletics events, the couple was eager to get involved with the Deacon Tower project when plans were first announced. After a two-year nationwide search, Wake Forest selected Catered Affairs to be the exclusive caterers to Deacon Tower and the athletics department, “in many ways, because they knew they could get us on our cell phones any hour of the day,” quips Jack, a 1977 alumnus.

When the facility opened, the Welkers moved their catering operation into Deacon Tower, increased their staff to 100, and brought in Jared Lee from Noble’s Grill to be their “young, innovative chef.”

Lee developed and executes a refined lunch menu that includes options like sophisticated salads and southern sammies. Appetizers range from fresh bruschetta and baked jumbo lump crab dip with pepperjack cheese, to black bean cakes and a delightful soup of the day. You can’t go wrong with blackened chicken — both the wrap and the salad are popular choices. The BLTA is a fun twist on a traditional sandwich, adding avocado and pesto mayo to a typical BLT. And then there’s the colorful California cobb, which is dressed in a chipotle barbecue vinaigrette. Other favorites include 8-inch pizzas, such as the steak & onion and caprese, as well as a creative chocolate sushi dessert.

Patrons can choose to dine indoors, or on one of the two outdoor patios: one with a view of downtown Winston-Salem and Wait Chapel, the other overlooking the pristine football field — guaranteed to be a popular choice this fall.

“Deacon Tower shows the university’s commitment to sports,” notes Nicole Miller, associate director of development for Wake Forest Athletics, “and Deacon Tower Grille gives us the chance to showcase this commitment to donors, recruits, and guests in an interesting and special way. I believe we’ve established a model for other schools who want to embark on this kind of project.”

The Welkers have considered adding dinner to their operation hours, but for now the restaurant offers special-events dinners, such as for tournaments and holidays, while also feeding the football team and staff on Fridays before home games.

“Essentially, the tower was built for use just six or seven days per year,” Miller continues, “but the Grille allows the community to use it year-round.”

And use it they do. Pam says customers frequently ask her and the staff for tours of the tower. They happily oblige, leading diners to the elevator to view the impressive upper levels. “We love coming to work here,” Pam adds. “We feel proud. We feel energized. We feel like fans.”

Deacon Tower Grille is at 475 Deacon Blvd. on the Flow Lexus Club Level (Fourth Floor) of the Deacon Tower at BB&T Field. The restaurant is open to the public Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call 336-896-8624.