Winston Salem Visitor Guide - 2020 - 29

V

irginia Hardesty knows good
seafood. A native of the coastal
town of Beaufort, N.C., Hardesty and
her late husband Charlie grew up with
seafood as a part of everyday life.
After moving to Winston-Salem in
the mid-'70s for school and work, the
couple longed for that fresh fish and
shellfish they enjoyed on the coast.
Their solution, Forsyth Seafood Market
and Café, is now a local staple. From its
home in East Winston-Salem, just blocks
from downtown and Winston-Salem State
University, Forsyth Seafood is famous
for its freshly prepared Eastern North
Carolina style seafood, hush puppies,
and house-made slaw.
"In 35 years, the changes have been
plentiful and great," says Hardesty.
"We started with just a fresh fish
market with wild caught seafood from
the Outer Banks and have grown to
have a 100-seater, fast-casual restaurant.
We are better able to serve our

customers, but through it all, our
commitment to supplying fresh and
quality products remained consistent."
Hardesty passed that commitment
along to her daughter, Ashley Hardesty
Armstrong, who co-owns Forsyth
Seafood and is the head chef. "Ashley
and I share a vision for Forsyth Seafood
Market and Cafe's sustainability and
growth," says Hardesty.
Before joining the family business,
Armstrong earned her B.S. in Fashion
Textile and Brand Management at
NC State University, became a certified
nutritional coach, and completed
her degree in the culinary arts. She
is also the founder and chef behind
The Table Experience, a farm-to-table
dinner party series featuring ingredients
sourced from local farmers, artisans,
and makers, and offering a side of
wellness education.
Armstrong is utilizing her expertise
and experience to implement some

changes that will carry Forsyth Seafood
into the future.
"My goal is to expose our customers
to new flavors and local ingredients,"
says Armstrong. "We have added chefinspired seasonal items to our menu
in the restaurant to give our loyal
customers different options."
In addition, the mother-daughter
duo is expanding their event catering
services - both in-house and on location
- and the opening of a second location
for Forsyth Seafood is on the horizon.
We're excited to roll out the Forsyth
Seafood Truck for community, private,
and professional events," says Armstrong.
The two women at the heart of the
business are committed to helping the
Winston-Salem community as proud
employers of local residents and college
students and supporters of various
local efforts. And their special bond
helps makes Forsyth Seafood a
Winston-Salem favorite.

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This page photo by: J&A Photography

BEST SELLER

The secret ingredient in Forsyth Seafood's
famous shrimp burger? A heaping scoop
of house-made sweet, creamy coleslaw - the
perfect complement to crispy fried shrimp.

Opposite Page: Fresh NC Blue Crab
This Page: Ashley Hardestry Armstrong
and her mother, Virginia Hardesty

VISITWINSTONSALEM.COM | 29
Winston Salem Visitor Guide - 2020

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