Open Space Brewing sits on Burke Street in the Ardmore neighborhood, and the first thing you notice when you pull up is that it looks almost too quiet from the outside — a converted space with none of the neon-sign theatrics you might expect from a brewery trying to get your attention.
That expectation — that a craft brewery worth visiting has to announce itself loudly — is exactly what Open Space keeps overturning. I’ve taken a handful of people there for the first time, and every single one of them walked in a little skeptical and left asking when we could come back.
The taproom is airy and genuinely comfortable. There’s a long bar, a few communal tables, and some seating that spills out toward the back. It doesn’t feel designed so much as it feels considered — like the people who put it together actually drink beer and wanted a room they’d want to sit in for a couple of hours. The lighting is warm without being dim. The noise level lets you have a real conversation. These things matter more than I used to think they did.
The beer is the honest reason to go. Open Space brews with a lot of restraint, which I mean as a compliment. Their lagers are clean and precise in the way that takes more skill than throwing hops at something. I’ve had their Pilsner on multiple visits and it holds up — crisp, slightly floral, not a thing out of place. They also do a rotating slate of IPAs and seasonal offerings, and the quality stays consistent even when the style changes. If you like sours, check the board on any given visit; they show up periodically and tend to be more measured than face-puckering, which suits me fine.
Prices are in line with what you’d pay at any serious craft taproom — most pints land in the $6–$8 range, and flights are available if you want to sample around before committing. They don’t do a full food menu, but they’ve typically had some snack-style options, and they’re comfortable with you bringing food in or ordering delivery if you’re planning to stay a while. I’ve seen people do exactly that on a Friday evening and nobody batted an eye.
The crowd on a weekend skews 30s and 40s, mostly locals from Ardmore and the surrounding neighborhoods, a few people who made the drive from other parts of the city. It’s not a scene in the performative sense — people come to drink good beer and talk to each other. That’s a harder thing to pull off than it sounds.
Go on a weekday evening if you want more breathing room, or lean into the weekend energy if you’re bringing a group. Parking along Burke Street is usually manageable, and the walk from the closest residential blocks is short. If the weather’s decent, ask about any outdoor seating they have going.
What I keep coming back to is how un-showy the whole operation is. Open Space doesn’t try to be the loudest room in Winston-Salem’s craft beer conversation. It just keeps making good beer and keeping the lights on at a reasonable hour. For a neighborhood brewery, that consistency is worth a lot more than a flashy concept.
