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Salt and Forge
Link to past project
Client Description
Salt & Forge was a beloved fast-casual restaurant located in Richmond, VA’s vibrant Jackson Ward neighborhood. The eatery opened its doors in the spring of 2018 at 312 N. Second Street, quickly becoming a premier destination for high-quality breakfast and lunch, particularly popular with downtown businesses and VCU/MCV students.
The restaurant's concept focused on offering a refined, yet no-frills menu, with a strong emphasis on scratch-made ingredients and artisanal local partnerships. Specialties included flaky buttermilk biscuits—served with house-made jams or as breakfast sandwiches—and hand-crafted sandwiches and salads for lunch. The menu highlighted inventive items like the Blackberry Turkey sandwich, featuring blackberry-serrano jam and Brie, and a variety of house-brined and roasted meats. All breads were sourced from local, small-batch bakers like Idle Hands Bread Company.
After four years of successful operation, Salt & Forge closed on its own terms on February 13, 2022. The closure was not due to financial reasons, but rather the owner's decision to pursue law school and devote time to political activism and policy-making. This context makes the project a distinctive portfolio piece, representing a successful, locally-focused business that concluded its run on a high note.
The restaurant's concept focused on offering a refined, yet no-frills menu, with a strong emphasis on scratch-made ingredients and artisanal local partnerships. Specialties included flaky buttermilk biscuits—served with house-made jams or as breakfast sandwiches—and hand-crafted sandwiches and salads for lunch. The menu highlighted inventive items like the Blackberry Turkey sandwich, featuring blackberry-serrano jam and Brie, and a variety of house-brined and roasted meats. All breads were sourced from local, small-batch bakers like Idle Hands Bread Company.
After four years of successful operation, Salt & Forge closed on its own terms on February 13, 2022. The closure was not due to financial reasons, but rather the owner's decision to pursue law school and devote time to political activism and policy-making. This context makes the project a distinctive portfolio piece, representing a successful, locally-focused business that concluded its run on a high note.