Modern Forage: Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem MSA covers two distinct foodways: Lexington-Style BBQ from Davidson County (chopped pork, ketchup-vinegar 'dip', red slaw) and the Moravian baking traditions that founded Old Salem in 1753 (paper-thin Moravian cookies, chicken pie, sugar cake).
Winston-Salem MSA covers two distinct heritage foodways: Lexington-Style BBQ from Davidson County (the Piedmont NC chopped-pork-and-ketchup-vinegar tradition, in perpetual civil war with Eastern NC’s whole-hog vinegar style) and the Moravian baking traditions that founded Old Salem in 1753.
This list is almost certainly incomplete; the Winston-Salem MSA holds further hyper-local dishes that have not yet surfaced in the survey.
A note on the Where-to-eat blocks. Every entry below carries a list of restaurants and, where available, star ratings as of the date this post was published. These are a snapshot. Verify hours and addresses before driving anywhere.
Lexington-Style BBQ “Dip” and Red Slaw — Piedmont NC
The Piedmont NC BBQ tradition centered on Lexington (self-proclaimed “BBQ Capital of the World”) uses a specific ketchup-vinegar sauce called “dip” (not “sauce”) applied to chopped (not pulled) pork shoulder. Each restaurant has a secret “dip” recipe. The coleslaw is “red slaw,” finely diced cabbage in ketchup-vinegar dressing, distinct from mayo-based slaw. This preparation complex (dip, red slaw, chopped pork, hushpuppies) is geographically contained to the Piedmont. Eastern NC uses whole-hog with vinegar-only sauce and white slaw. The two NC BBQ traditions are in perpetual civil war.
Sources: Visit Winston-Salem (2025); Leisure Group Travel (2023); Barbecue Bros (2017); Carolina Sauce Company blog (2013); Cook Clean Repeat (2025). Five+ sources.
Where to eat: Lexington Barbecue, 100 Smokehouse Ln, Lexington (consensus original). The Honey Monk’s Restaurant, Lexington. Stamey’s Barbecue, Greensboro (Warner Stamey lineage; Lexington-style pioneer outside the town).
Moravian Traditions — Winston-Salem, NC
A complete culinary tradition from the Moravian settlers who founded Salem in 1753. Moravian cookies: paper-thin, intensely spiced (ginger, cinnamon, cloves), called “the world’s thinnest cookie.” Dewey’s Bakery produces over a million pounds annually. Winkler Bakery in Old Salem uses the original 1800 wood-fired dome oven. Moravian chicken pie: specifically NOT a “pot pie.” Chicken in rich broth under flaky crust, a church fundraiser staple. Moravian sugar cake: yeasty, buttery, slightly sweet. Winston-Salem maintains a formal Moravian Culinary Trail connecting bakeries and restaurants.
Sources: Visit Winston-Salem (2025, Moravian Culinary Trail); Cook Clean Repeat (2025). Cross-confirmed.
Where to eat: Winkler Bakery, Old Salem (the 1800 wood-fired dome oven, still in use). Dewey’s Bakery (Moravian cookies citywide). Mrs. Hanes’ Hand-Made Moravian Cookies, Clemmons.
More from the series
Browse the rest of the Modern Forage survey.
Research & primary sources
Methodology, validation logs, and the entries that didn’t make this post are in the modern_forage/ on GitHub. Every entry here passed a 2+ independent-source check; the citations under each dish list them.