dinner / movie
Take part in the #takeoutpledgews, order from one of these local restaurants and stay in for the perfect winter movie pairing!
Participants can fulfill this pledge by:
- Shopping at a local Winston-Salem business twice a week.
- Purchase food from a restaurant, a drink from a bar, merchandise from a retail shop, or some other service.
- Tip extra if possible!
- And then share about it on social media using the #takeoutpledgews and if it’s a downtown restaurant add #dtws.
The Coffee Shed—available for takeout
What to watch: The Snowman (1982)
Where to stream: Tubi, Vudu, & Amazon Prime
While Santa does make an appearance in this classic animated adaptation of the well-loved children’s book, The Snowman is best viewed just after the holidays. After all, it’s a story about how the holidays eventually fade into the longer winter, the falling and melting of snow, the fleetingness of youth… And if you need some thawing from this snowy existentialism, swing by The Coffee Shed and warm up with a cup of cheer!
Ise Japanese Restaurant—available for takeout
What to watch: Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Where to stream: Crackle (free)
When an aging alcoholic, a teenage runaway, and a former drag queen discover a baby in the trash in the streets of Tokyo, they follow a thin trail of clues to reunite her with her family. This acclaimed animated tale from cult favorite Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Millennium Actress) starts out as a Christmas movie, but ends up being a movie for the new year and new beginnings. Watch it with some fresh sushi or your favorite noodle dish from Ise!
Incendiary Brewing & Cugino Forno—available for takeout
What to watch: Sunshine (2007)
Where to stream: Available on Hulu
A small crew travels into space to revive Earth’s dying sun in this under-appreciated sci-fi gem from Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Trainspotting) and Alex Garland (Ex Machina). Maybe not your go-to winter movie, but it definitely fits, especially in the winter after 2020. And it fits even better with some to-go beer from Incendiary Brewing and fresh takeout from the ovens of Cugino Forno.
Cin Cin Burger Bar—available for takeout
What to watch: I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Where to stream: Netflix
Slow, surreal, and cerebral, this movie might not be for everyone, but it’s a must-see for fans of Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). In some ways, it’s a perfect movie to watch during the winter—in other ways, it might be the perfect movie to watch in a pandemic. Either way, it’ll make you crave a milkshake, so why not grab one of Cin Cin’s gourmet creations?
Monstercade & Slappy’s Chicken—available for takeout
What to watch: Starfish (2018)
Where to stream: Amazon Prime
Part Stranger Things, part Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and something entirely its own, Starfish is about navigating grief during the end of the world. Monsters, mixtapes, mystery—and snow, of course—what more could you want? And since nothing pairs better with monster movies than Monstercade, grab your wolfskin parka and swing by their to-go window to stock up on beer while you pick-up takeout from Slappy’s Chicken right next door. Then head on back to the bunker and hunker down to enjoy this movie
The Katharine Brasserie & Bar – available for takeout
What to watch: Fargo (1996)
Where to stream: Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Prime
This snowy Coen Brothers classic is great to revisit anytime, but especially during the winter. And in honor of the baffling hotel restaurant scene with Marge and Mike Yanagita, why not order some pickup from The Katharine? It’s better than the Fargo Radisson!
Bootleg Ramen—available for delivery
What to watch: Tampopo (1985)
Where to stream: HBO Max & Criterion Channel
Tampopo may not be a winter movie, necessarily, but it’s sure to warm you up as the temperature drops. This comedic Japanese classic about a restaurant owner’s quest to cook better ramen will also inspire you to develop your own culinary skills. Order your own ramen kit from Bootleg Ramen and it’ll be delivered right to your door with all the fresh, locally-sourced ingredients you need to create your own noodle masterpiece.
River Birch Lodge—available for takeout
What to watch: Force Majeure (2014)
Where to stream: Vudu & Hulu
If you saw last year’s Downhill starring Will Ferrell and Julia Louis Dreyfus, well this is the original Swedish version. After “surviving” what appears to be an impending avalanche at a ski resort, a family must come to terms with a father’s selfish instinct to save himself rather than his wife and children. While we may not have gorgeous slopes in Winston-Salem, you can at least order some food from River Birch Lodge that’ll make you feel like you’re in the mountains!
The Carving Board—available for takeout
What to watch: The Ascent (1977)
Where to stream: The Criterion Channel
Arguably one of the greatest war dramas, this stark, harrowing journey will make you shiver. In Larisa Shepitko’s final film before her death, The Ascent follows two Soviet partisans on a mission to gather food and contend with the winter cold, the occupying Germans, and their own psyches. You’ll probably need to warm up with a bowl of soup, so why not stop by The Carving Board for one of their daily specials?
Mr. Lu’s—available for takeout
What to watch: The Lodge (2019)
Where to stream: Hulu
A soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé’s two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place. A creepy movie paired with takeout on a cold night, what more could you want? Order your favorite dish from Mr. Lu’s and settle in!
Dinner/Movie selections below were curated by Quentin Norris, a graduate of UNCSA School of Filmmaking. He writes short fiction and essays about movies here.
BYGood Coffee – Available for Take-Out and Pick-Up
Film: Bell Book & Candle
Where To Stream: The Criterion Channel
If you’re looking for a cool alternative screening to the classics this holiday season, then look no further than this smooth, stylish, and fully charming supernatural romantic comedy starring James Stewart as a hapless publisher, and Kim Novak as the hip witch who uses her magic to have him fall in love with her during Christmastime. A Red Velvet Latte from BYGood pairs very nicely with the snowy NYC set film with its hip cats and jazzy underground nightclubs.
Camino Bakery – Available for Take-Out and Pickup
Film: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Where To Stream: Stream on Indieflix or buy on iTunes
While it may not strictly be a “movie,” Rankin & Bass’ record-breaking animated television special has influenced plenty of cinematic followers, from The Nightmare Before Christmas to Wes Anderson’s animated output. When the climactic number “Holly Jolly Christmas” starts, you’ll want to make sure you have a Cup of Cheer from Camino Bakery to go with it.
Foothills – Available for Takeout & Delivery
Film: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Where To Stream: Disney+
The Nightmare Before Christmas can be seen as a holiday double-whammy: perfect for both Halloween and Christmas viewings, but let’s be honest, it’s got more Christmas spirit than Halloween spirit. This holiday cult classic pairs perfectly with Foothills’ seasonal Frostbite Black IPA. Not too light, but not too dark either, with a healthy amount of bite.
Krankies – Available for Delivery or Takeout
Film: Holiday Affair
Where to Stream: HBOMax
While the name Krankies might not sound like the most reliable or friendly restaurant, it’s a staple of Winston-Salem, and one of the best place to go for great meals and coffee. Similarly to Krankies, Robert Mitchum doesn’t seem like the kind of star you’d see appear in a holiday romantic comedy, but that’s exactly what he did when he paired up with Janet Leigh for 1949’s Holiday Affair.
Bobby Boy Bakeshop – Available for Pickup or Delivery
Film: Miracle on 34th Street
Where to Stream: Available to rent or buy on Amazon or Apple
Miracle on 34th Street is a film so infused with Holiday spirit, it’ll make even the most hardened nonbeliever start to think that Santa Claus might be real. The same thing will happen once you see some of the holiday-themed cupcakes that Bobby Boy Bakery is concocting this month.
Acadia Foods – Available for Takeout & Delivery
Film: It Happened on 5th Avenue
Where to Stream: HBOMax
The Holiday Season is the season for comfort food, both physically and metaphorically, so why not pair the two together? Dig into a special grilled cheese with spinach spread, tomato basil soup combo while snuggling up with 1947’s role-switching class comedy, It Happened on 5th Avenue, starring Charles Ruggles.
Finnigan’s Wake – Available for Takeout and Delivery
Film: In Bruges
Where to Stream: Available to Rent or Buy From Amazon or Apple
Sometimes even during the holidays, you need to settle down with a darker, more difficult watch. Scratch that itch with Martin McDonagh’s winter-set existential black comedy that takes place in the middle of a town where it always feels like it’s Christmas. The only place to get authentic Irish cuisine (and drink) is Finnegan’s Wake.
Dewey’s – Available for Pickup
Film: Happiest Season
Where to Stream: Hulu
Tis the season for holiday parties, and Dewey’s has the perfect holiday party in a box that includes shortbread cookies and a Moravian Sugar Cake. It’ll ensure you’ll avoid any screwball comedy antics that take place during the parties in Clea Duvall’s charming and heartwarming holiday romantic comedy.
Wise Man Brewery – Available for In Store Pickup
Film: A Christmas Carol
Where to Stream: HBOMax
Wise Man Brewery’s Merry World Breakfast Stout will undoubtedly bring peace on earth and goodwill toward men. Its the cure for any Scrooge, even Reginald Owen in 1938’s adaptation of the Charles Dickens masterpiece.
Fiddlin Fish – Available for In-Store Pickup
Film: The Santa Clause
Where to Stream: Disney+
The brewers at Fiddlin’ Fish teamed up with their friends at Black Mountain Chocolate and Old Nick Williams Farm & Distillery to create a new take on the tried and true chocolate stout, just like the family holiday classic
In this special edition of Dinner / Movie, we wanted to celebrate Black films, filmmakers, and local Black businesses. These are just a few of our favorites.
Zesto Burgers & Ice Cream
Film: Body and Soul
Where To Stream: The Criterion Channel
Zesto Burgers & Ice Cream was founded by inventors and dreamers with a vision and has been going strong since 1945. Just like the visionaries who started Zesto, Oscar Micheaux was an innovator who paved the way for Black filmmakers to come. His early silent work is both phenomenal and under-watched. While biting into a famous Zesto burger, pair it with one of Micheaux’s most important works, Body and Soul, starring Paul Robeson as a malevolent minister who hides behind a facade of righteousness while exploiting a small town that depends on him.
Ackingna’s Place
Film: Losing Ground
Where To Stream: The Criterion Channel
In 1982, Kathleen Collins wrote and directed this semiautobiographical film starring Seret Scott, Bill Gunn (The director of Ganja & Hess), and Duane Jones (The star of Night of the Living Dead) about a college professor coming to a crossroad in her life while her marriage to a recently successful painter begins to deteriorate. The film won first prize at the Figueroa International Film Festival but was never given a theatrical release and was only discovered after Collins passed in 2015. Like Losing Ground, Ackingna’s Place is a small, undiscovered gem of Winston-Salem, just waiting to be discovered by new patrons.
Mary Jay’s Southern Soul Eatery
Film: Eve’s Bayou
Where To Stream: HBOMax
The atmosphere of Kasi Lemmons’ directorial debut is so powerful that the sights, sounds, and smells of the Creole-American town of Eve’s Bayou will feel absolutely real and you’ll think you’re really there. You’ll want to tuck into some of Mary Jay’s Southern Soul food while experiencing this masterpiece of heartfelt, southern gothic melodrama.
Hot Dog City
Film: Hollywood Shuffle
Where To Stream: Amazon Prime & The Criterion Channel
In this 1987 hilarious and scathing satire of Hollywood’s double standards toward black actors and filmmakers, Robert Townsend plays a struggling actor who has to balance his time auditioning with his day job at Winky Dinky Dogs. The scenes at Winky Dinky Dogs are going to give you a craving for a great hot dog, so why not pair your screening with the best in town from Hot Dog City?
Meta’s Restaurant
Film: Malcolm X
Where To Stream: Netflix
Spike Lee’s passionate, moving biopic of the larger-than-life figure of Malcolm X portrayed by Denzel Washington in a jaw-dropping performance excels at fitting an entire lifetime of incredible life experience into three and a half hours without feeling rushed or crammed in. That being said, this is still a film of epic proportions, and you’ll definitely need a full three-course meal while watching, so make sure you’re prepared with a delicious feast from Meta’s Restaurant.
Simply Soul Restaurant
Film: Dave Chappelle’s Block Party
Where To Stream: Peacock
It’s undeniable that the menu at Simply Soul is so good it’s going to make you want to dance. The soundtrack to that dancing can be none other than the music of “The Party of the Decade.” This concert film is an incredible time capsule of early 00s hip hop and a beautiful portrait of a community coming together, lovingly captured by Chappelle and director Michel Gondry.
Yeh Mon Caribbean
Film: Babylon
Where To Stream: The Criterion Channel
Yeh Mon Caribbean has the best Jamaican cuisine in town. Such a unique meal deserves to be paired up with an equally important and unique film. Babylon is a 1980 British music film that was originally deemed “too controversial and likely to incite racial tension” at the New York Film Festival. It’s only now available to watch in the United States for the first time.
Mo’s Chicken & Grocery 2 Go
Film: To Sleep with Anger
Where To Stream: Showtime
The chicken farm of the central family of To Sleep With Anger is sure to awaken a craving for chicken in you, and Mo’s Chicken and Grocery can provide the cure for that itch. You’ll certainly need something to bite into while watching this tense family drama unfold as Danny Glover turns in a powerhouse performance as a mysterious, chaotic force that tries to drive the family he supposedly cares for apart.
Skrimp Shack
Film: Daughters of the Dust
Where To Stream: The Criterion Channel
Daughters of the Dust is a landmark of not only independent filmmaking, but of American film history, as it was the first theatrically released film that was written and directed by a Black woman. The incredibly powerful story of three generations of Gullah women is made even more emotionally moving through the gorgeous Saint Helena Island landscape and beaches. Complete the experience with the seafood cuisine of Skrimp Shack while getting swept away in this magical film.
Munch Box
Film: School Daze
Where To Stream: Netflix
In Spike Lee’s highly personal second film, he not only captures the daily coming-of-age struggles of college life but also creates a fascinating portrait of division inside the American Black community through classism, racism, and other prejudices, all while adding his signature visual and cinematic flair through documentary montages and full-fledged musical numbers. When Laurence Fishburne and his friends all pile into a small car together to drive into town for burgers, you’ll want to return to the days of college. Recreate that experience with Munch Box and their incredible burgers and hot dogs.
The Peanut House
Film: Fear of a Black Hat
Where To Stream: Peacock
This film is the This Is Spinal Tap for the hardcore 90s rap world. Rusty Cundieff’s hilarious mockumentary is a joke-a-minute as Nina Blackburn (Kasi Lemmons) documents the daily life and actions of the rap group known as N.W.H (Think N.W.A but with hats). Fear of a Black Hat is the perfect popcorn movie, but this time, instead of popcorn, why not chow down on some homecooked peanuts, pistachios, and cashews from Winston’s own Peanut House?
Prime Tyme Soul Cafe
Film: Something New
Where To Stream: Peacock
If you’re looking for something new for your tastebuds, then you’re in luck with Prime Tyme Cafe and their authentic menu of soul food that will warm your heart. The same goes for if you’re looking for something new from the romantic comedy genre. Something New is a romantic comedy written, directed by, and starring black women, something revolutionary at the time, and still something that still doesn’t happen enough. So mix it up for both your tastebuds and your funny bone with this pairing.