If there’s one thing Chad and Carrie Williams believe in, it’s second chances.

Two years ago, the husband-wife duo opened Winston’s Eatery in a turn-of-the-century train depot just south of downtown Winston-Salem. At first, the Williamses fashioned their café as a quaint sandwich shop, complete with a walk-up counter and deli case. “We wanted it to be a mix of Panera Bread and the Carving Board,” Carrie says. “Everything we served was healthy, organic food.”

But soon, the couple noticed that the restaurant’s restrictive, cold-cut menu was only pulling in a small niche of clientele — predominantly women and vegetarians.

On top of that, the ambience inside the eatery seemed to be lacking distinction and personality, despite its historical significance.

So, over the summer, the couple made a bold decision to break from their strictly deli-style approach and start fresh. They closed down shop for a week and went to work, hiring well-known chef Jesse Williams to help with the switch. With Jesse’s input, the couple made a move from deli foods to comfort foods, decreasing their food costs and the menu pricing in the process.

“It was all about establishing a different concept with different food and a different price range,” Chad says. “We really needed to find our place in the community.”

Winston’s dropped its order-at-the-counter approach and instead became a full-service, sit-down venue. It retained a few of its old deli standbys, but introduced a new round of Southern-slanted foods. Gone was the prominent deli case, which had been the restaurant’s focal point. In its place now sits a classic lunch counter/bar overlooking the eatery’s open-air kitchen.

To combat the restaurant’s dullness, a few endearing details were added. Fresh flowers, custom placemats, and miniature turquoise lunchboxes containing condiments were placed on each table. Side items started arriving in tin buckets, while the kid’s meals came prepared on nostalgic, school cafeteria-style trays.

The simple sentiments blended perfectly with Winston’s olive-green paint, rustic brick walls, and wooden floors to create an atmosphere that’s freshly familiar; one that’s alive with neighborly warmth and charm.
The expanded list of sandwiches — or “Sammiches” as they’re called — seems custom-fit for the Southern palate. Among them, the meatloaf sandwich, fried catfish sandwich, and fried-green tomato BLT. Then there’s the colossal WE burger — a half-pound of beef smothered with pimento cheese.

Popular side items include homemade tomato bisque, hand-cut fries, and baked mac and cheese made with aged Cheddar — an absolute must-try.

Along with its hearty additions, the restaurant still embraces the vegetarian crowd with a popular portabella burger and an egg-salad sandwich (Chad’s secret family recipe).

When dinner rolls around, Winston’s unveils several original entrees, each of which falls in the comfort-food category. The most popular of the dinnertime dishes is the restaurant’s crab cakes, which took home top honors at a recent Taste of the Town event. For steak lovers, the 16-ounce hand-cut ribeye won’t disappoint, especially considering its modest price. The eatery also features weekly pasta and “blue plate” specials, options that have become a hit with restaurant-goers.

“The best thing about this place is that they’re always adding new things to the menu,” says UNCSA student Daniel Marino, a Winston’s regular. “I can get something different every time I come, and it’s always good.”

Brunch has also become a big hit. Classic breakfast items — pancakes, omelets, and freshly made biscuits — complement several original creations, including Pecan French Toast and Eggs WE (poached eggs on a biscuit covered in sausage gravy). Although brunch items were initially offered only until mid-afternoon, their high demand forced the Williamses to start offering them throughout the day on the weekends.

As for drinks, Winston’s has quickly become an oasis for wine lovers because of its impressive selections and half-priced bottle nights (on Fridays). The eatery also offers five varieties of beer, the most popular being Asheville-brewed Highland Gaelic Ale. And to top things off, Winston’s features a variety of homemade desserts highlighted by fresh-baked cookies and Godiva brownies.

With its consistently delicious food, rustic decor, and comfort-meets-contemporary flair, Winston’s Eatery finally seems to have found its role in the downtown restaurant world. All it needed, it seems, was a second wind.

“We’re really proud of our humble little place,” Chad says. “It took some time, but I think we finally found our identity.”

Winston’s Eatery is at 300 S. Liberty St., next to the Children’s Museum. For more information, including hours of operation, call 336-245-2828 or go to http://www.winstonseatery.com.