The Old Fourth Street Filling Station

The Old Fourth Street Filling Station is a contemporary American restaurant in the historic West End of Winston-Salem, NC — a former gas station converted into one of the city’s longer-running neighborhood dining spots, in operation for nearly 20 years. The kitchen turns out elevated Southern and American cooking, with award-winning shrimp and grits and some of the best crab cakes in the area among the signatures.

The setting is the draw as much as the food. A tree-canopied courtyard patio strung with lights makes for one of the better al fresco dining spots in Winston-Salem, and an indoor fireplace carries the same warmth inside. It’s a full-service restaurant with a bar and a comprehensive wine list, casual enough for a weekday lunch but comfortable for a special occasion.

Be sure to check out the pictures below to get a feel for The Old Fourth Street Filling Station before you go — or to relive the visit after.

A Filling Station in the Historic West End

The restaurant’s name is literal — the building was a filling station before it became a restaurant, and the conversion kept enough of that character to give the place its identity. Vintage gas-station touches and local art on the walls set the tone inside, while the exterior retains the genteel look of the historic West End, one of Winston-Salem’s oldest and most walkable residential neighborhoods.

The Filling Station has been a West End fixture for close to two decades — long enough to become a genuine neighborhood institution rather than a trend. It sits among a cluster of well-regarded Fourth Street restaurants in the West End, a corridor that has become one of the city’s strongest dining stretches, and it holds its own as a place that works equally well for a quick lunch, a Sunday brunch, or a meaningful dinner out.

The courtyard is what regulars mention first. Tree-canopied, lit with strings of lights, and set back from the street, the patio has an old-style, unhurried feel that pairs well with the modern, upscale cooking coming out of the kitchen. Inside, the fireplace anchors a warm, casual room that can get lively on a busy night.

The Food

The kitchen works in contemporary American and elevated Southern territory, with a menu broad enough to satisfy a mixed table. The shrimp and grits is the award-winning signature, and the dish to order if it’s your first visit, and the crab cakes have a reputation as some of the best in the area, served in portions that outsize what most comparable restaurants offer.

Sunday brunch is a particular strength — the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict is a standout — served late morning into the afternoon. The rest of the week runs lunch and dinner, with gourmet burgers, farm-to-table plates, salads, homemade pies, and a rotating list of specials and chef’s creations. A full bar and a comprehensive wine list round out the offering.

The restaurant is family-friendly and wheelchair accessible, with a covered patio and indoor seating. It’s a comfortable fit for birthday groups and multigenerational gatherings, though there’s no dedicated private dining room, so larger parties should call ahead about seating.

Good to Know

• Location: 871 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 (historic West End)
• Phone: 336-724-7600
• Hours: Lunch and dinner Monday–Saturday; Sunday brunch late morning into the afternoon — check the restaurant’s website for current hours
• The building: A former filling station, converted with vintage gas-station character and local art throughout
• The setting: A tree-canopied, string-lit courtyard patio plus an indoor fireplace; nearly 20 years in operation
• Signature dishes: Award-winning shrimp and grits, crab cakes, and the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict at brunch
• Also on the menu: Gourmet burgers, farm-to-table plates, salads, homemade pies, and rotating specials
• To drink: Full bar and a comprehensive wine list
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible with ample handicap parking; family-friendly
• Seating: Covered patio and indoor dining; no dedicated private room, so call ahead for large groups
• Best for: Brunch, patio dining, special occasions, families, and anyone exploring the West End dining corridor
• Pair with: The full Winston-Salem food and beverage cluster; Foothills Brewpub nearby on West Fourth Street; Twisted Pine elsewhere downtown; or Small Batch Beer Co. a few blocks over for a beer before or after dinner

A Winston-Salem Highlight

Some restaurants earn their place by lasting. The Old Fourth Street Filling Station has been serving the West End for close to twenty years, which in a city with a fast-moving dining scene is its own kind of endorsement — a former gas station that quietly became a neighborhood institution.

The courtyard is the thing people remember. Set back from Fourth Street, canopied by trees, and strung with lights, it’s one of the more pleasant places to eat outdoors in Winston-Salem, and it pairs nicely with a kitchen that’s more ambitious than the casual setting suggests. The shrimp and grits are the award-winner, the crab cakes are among the best around, and the portions run generous.

Come for Sunday brunch if you can — the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict is the move — and settle onto the patio if the weather cooperates. It’s the kind of unhurried, well-run neighborhood restaurant that rewards a return visit, and it anchors the West End’s stretch of Fourth Street dining as well as anything on the block.

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Resources

The Old Fourth Street Filling Station Website

The Old Fourth Street Filling Station Facebook

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