YOU WILL come across something unique and special on the square in downtown Winchester. Filo’s Tavern is a made-from-scratch kitchen that uses the best locally sourced ingredients, even partnering with Huntland High School’s agricultural department for its daily vegetables. Keeping your ingredients local ensures fresher meals and supports other local small businesses. Having high school students grow the ingredients helps teach the next generation of farmers. Filo’s Tavern is an upscale experience, no matter the age. You will see the classy bar with high-end bourbons, various wines, and bartenders making upscale cocktails when you step inside. The elegant decor consists of books that decorate shelves and windows, showing original bricks from the neighboring building. The tables are all hand-crafted from trees the owners lost in a storm in 2019 on their farm.
Since the weather was hot outside, I wanted something light and fresh to eat. I went with the “Southerner” Cobb salad. Instead of crispy chicken, I asked for grilled chicken. The salad also came with diced tomatoes, smokehouse bacon, diced avocado, and local cheddar cheese. The rustic croutons that topped off the salad were made on-site and were so airy and melted in my mouth. I asked for my dressing on the side. For my drink, I ordered the Espresso Martini. In addition to the salad, I also ordered the “Gangster” BLT sandwich made with crispy pork belly, heirloom tomatoes, field greens, and club mayonnaise, which was also made on-site.
My first sip of the Espresso Martini was so rich and flavorful that I could’ve drunk quite a few. The chicken in the Cobb salad was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The bacon had a perfect smokey flavor. The lettuce was crunchy, and the avocado was perfectly ripe. When I bit into the crispy pork belly sandwich, it was thick, juicy, and flavorful inside and out. It paired perfectly with the creaminess of the club mayonnaise. Both the portion sizes on the salad and sandwich were enough to take home for later. GN
