Taking the Pledge: Patronizing downtown Winston restaurants

[ncbrian 0]

There has been quite a few restaurants that have come and gone in the downtown area, notably Auction House and Kababs recently. The restaurant business is a notoriously fickle business with a failure rate of 80% in five years if I recall one recent statistic correctly. That still has not stop brave entrepreneurs of trying to bring something different downtown and while many of us applaud their appearance, we fail to support them with our wallets. Some restaurants do deserve to fail given their poor preparation and menu choice but they must be given a chance.

In the upcoming months, a few new restaurants will be opening up like Fourth and Cherry and Mellow Mushroom to join recent restaurants like Dudleys and Camel Cafe. The restaurants along Stratford Rd and Hanes Mall Blvd will do well in any event but if we want to downtown dining to succeed, then we, as devotees of downtown living must support these up and coming restuarants.

So I pledge that at least once a month when I go out to eat for dinner, it will be a downtown establishment like the previously mentioned restaurants or established ones like Sweet Potatoes or even out of the way ones like Opies.

[Hotlanta 0]

See most of these places like Sweet Potatoes are very expensive. But, they do serve fantastic food that I have yet to see anyone beat.

[intcvlcphlga 1]

See most of these places like Sweet Potatoes are very expensive. But, they do serve fantastic food that I have yet to see anyone beat.

Whenever I am in town, I would pledge to only patronize downtown restaurants. We should make a list of the restaurants.

Bistro 420

Burke Street Pizza

Camel City Cafe

Christopher's New Global Cuisine

Foothill's Brewery

Dudley's

4th Street Filling Station

Fourth and Cherry

Kebabs

Mellow Mushroom

Opie's

Sweet Potatoes

WS Prime

Zevely House

That's a pretty good variety. Any others that I missed?

[ncbrian 0]

Whenever I am in town, I would pledge to only patronize downtown restaurants. We should make a list of the restaurants.

Bistro 420

Burke Street Pizza

Camel City Cafe

Christopher's New Global Cuisine

Foothill's Brewery

Dudley's

4th Street Filling Station

Fourth and Cherry

Kebabs

Mellow Mushroom

Opie's

Sweet Potatoes

WS Prime

Zevely House

That's a pretty good variety. Any others that I missed?

Kababs is no more.

Others include:

Cat's Cafe

Center City Grille

6th and Vine

West End Cafe

Downtown Thai

[Hotlanta 0]

Well you have Chelsee's incase some of you feel like going by and getting a smoothie or some EXCELLENT cake! That place is really warm in winter with the fireplace and all. You do have some restaurants that are off of Brookstown near the new condo tower, like Mary's of Course and South by Southwest.

[intcvlcphlga 1]

So, it seems like the "Pledge" could be extended beyond just restaurants as there are plenty of good cafes - Chelsea's, Sin, Ollie's Bakery, the cafe at The Werehouse, etc - and bars/clubs as well. The list could include Silver Moon Saloon, The Garage, The Werehouse, 6th & Vine, Foothills Brewery, The Black Bear, Gatsby's, etc.

[Hotlanta 0]

Just think of the impact if we Winston forumers ate in downtown at least once a month! Let's try the 4th street district becuase that's really the most struggling area right now. Seems most restaurants seem to have better success on the edges of downtown. I wonder why?

[yadkinv 0]

Twin City Chop should be on the list. We definitely try to dine downtown whenever in W-S, which unfortunately is rare. After three years away, we spent 5 days in mid-December, a quiet time because of the Holidays, but we managed to visit Twin City Chop House (a favorite of my wife's), Downtown Thai (really good), and Sweet Potatoes (truly outstanding food, service, ambiance, location, everything - they're also excited about ISP moving across the street with their open, street studio).

[intcvlcphlga 1]

Just think of the impact if we Winston forumers ate in downtown at least once a month! Let's try the 4th street district becuase that's really the most struggling area right now. Seems most restaurants seem to have better success on the edges of downtown. I wonder why?

I think we should think of downtown as more than just 4th Street. The restaurants in other parts of downtown like Christopher's New Global Cuisine and Sweet Potatoes are the more pioneering because they didn't benefit from low-interest loans from the city, but rather had to go it alone. There's also the space in the Sawtooth Center (home to Auction House) which always seems to struggle. So, please remember to patronize all of downtown's restaurants b/c they all deserve our support.

And, more Urban Planet forumers should take the pledge - there are only 4 of us on this thread. Besides, places like Christopher's, Sweet Potatoes, Bistro, Camel City, etc are better than any chain restaurant you can find in other parts of the city and the money you spend at them stays in the local economy.

[quazi 0]

I think the sawtooth space struggles in part because most of them have stuck with the plain ol american food concept. I doubt they can beat village tavern and lucy 32 at their own game. In my eyes to succed you either need to pitch it toward the higher end(ingredients, preparation) like christophers or a ecletic(cat's corner sweet potatoes) I think this is also why the space across from the business center on marshal has struggled.

I will definitely take the pledge.

I think we should think of downtown as more than just 4th Street. The restaurants in other parts of downtown like Christopher's New Global Cuisine and Sweet Potatoes are the more pioneering because they didn't benefit from low-interest loans from the city, but rather had to go it alone. There's also the space in the Sawtooth Center (home to Auction House) which always seems to struggle. So, please remember to patronize all of downtown's restaurants b/c they all deserve our support.

And, more Urban Planet forumers should take the pledge - there are only 4 of us on this thread. Besides, places like Christopher's, Sweet Potatoes, Bistro, Camel City, etc are better than any chain restaurant you can find in other parts of the city and the money you spend at them stays in the local economy.

[SouthJersey7 0]

I'll do it as much as possible, which may be just once or twice a month but I'll try to get there as much as I can.

[ncbrian 0]

Well, this weekend, I'm taking the family either to Opies or Foothills Brewery. Haven't been to the latter but the feedback I am getting back is positive.

[Hotlanta 0]

I will try to support my local restaurants as hard as I can and as often I can get down there.

[intcvlcphlga 1]

Well, this weekend, I'm taking the family either to Opies or Foothills Brewery. Haven't been to the latter but the feedback I am getting back is positive.

I've never eaten there (only drank there) but I've heard the food is typical bar food. The beer, however, is pretty good.

[sax184 1]

Tried to eat at Mellow Mushroom last night circa 7:45 PM. Table for 2 was a 35-minute wait, and we had tix to the Wake game at 9.

We bailed and went to Burke St Pizza.

[Hotlanta 0]

What's the deal with 420 Bistro? I have gone by there and the place hasn't been open for days now! Did they close? I hope not!

[intcvlcphlga 1]

What's the deal with 420 Bistro? I have gone by there and the place hasn't been open for days now! Did they close? I hope not!

I think they're only open Wednesday through Saturday.