Happy Earth week!! Today I’d like to feature what I personally consider to be the Best of the Best Green Restaurants for their efforts in bringing healthy organic vegetarian/vegan food to their customers and doing their part to tread lightly on the planet. I prefer to support restaurants who use local produce, offer seasonal specials, and use biodegradable to-go packaging whenever possible.
For me everyday is Earth Day. I do as many little things as possible in my every day life to create less waste. For instance, I will bring my own containers, utensils, and napkin to restaurants so I don’t have to create any waste at all. There are great companies out there that make handy utensil sets, like To-Go Ware, that you can carry with you. And I love these small napkins from People Towels. Give it a try and check out these green restaurants hopefully near you!
My Personal Top 5 Green Restaurants (in no particular order)
1. Great Sage: Organic Green Cuisine
809 Clarksville Square Drive
Clarksville, MD 21029
443.535.9400
You wouldn’t think that the small town of Clarksville, Maryland would have one of the most beautiful and green restaurants in the US. Great Sage focuses on using sustainable, organic, local produce while making gourmet vegan food that spotlights the fresh flavors of each season while showing how beautiful clean food can be.
They have happy hour, live music on Thursdays, brunch on Sundays, gluten-free and raw options. The restaurant is housed in a green shopping center called Conscious Corner, which includes Bark, a eco pet store; Roots Market, a natural food store; and Nest, earth-friendly clothes and gifts. Sounds like heaven to me!
2. The Green Light Cafe
18 N Lexington Ave
Asheville North Carolina 28711
828-250-3800
Asheville is becoming quite the hip place to live these days and vegetarian restaurants are popping up all over. The Green Light Cafe is one of the most green using produce from local farmers, using compostable to-go containers, composting scraps, and offering green catering services with their food trailer pulled with a biodiesel truck. Green Light has a wide variety of menu items at affordable prices.
3. VG Burgers
1650 Broadway St (at /next to Whole Foods)
Boulder, Colorado 80302
303-440-2400
Colorado is one lucky place to have an all vegan, 100% organic, sustainable fast food joint. VG Burgers supports local farmer’s and companies, has all compostable to-go ware, serves all non-gmo, organic, and local food, is powered by wind energy, and all the kitchen waste goes to a local animal sanctuary. It can not get any more green than that!!
4. Garden Cafe on the Green
6 Old Forge Rd (at Route 212, Hudson Valley)
Woodstock New York 12498
845-679-3600
Photo by michaelxvx
Garden Cafe uses organic local produce and fair-trade products, does not use a microwave, and has a strong commitment on treading lightly on the planet. You’ll find no preservatives or GMO foods in their meals. There’s an emphasis on clean food and natural flavors, which I really appreciate.
5. Papa G’s Deli
2314 SE Division St (at 23rd)
Portland Oregon 97202
503-235-0244
Photo by suecag
You wouldn’t think a deli would make my list of top green restaurants but Papa G’s is like no other deli. Everything is totally vegan and organic, using local produce when possible. They even make their own tofu. The salad bar is bursting with greens, veggies, and tasty salads like curry penne pasta and hummus. Also available are hot entrees (tempeh burger, curry with brown rice, and mac and cheeze to name a few) and changing soups like 3 bean chili and curry dahl. It’s impossible to not leave Papa G’s feeling warm, satisfied and full-filled. Service is unparalleled.
Hope you have a wonderful Earth Day, but I hope you continue to support your local green restaurants throughout the whole year!
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