When you look for restaurants that offer sustainable dining use the St. Louis MO areas as a guide. They have more restaurants that practice sustainable dining than most states in the US. In this article we will discuss what sustainable dining means.
Photo Source: Wix Media
Several restaurants in the St. Louis MO region practice sustainable dining. These restaurants belong to the Green Dining Alliance an organization that certificates restaurants for reducing food waste, use local organic products, have a recycling, program, and practicing social sustainability.
Social sustainability is buying produce and food from local and organic farmers, purchasing products from vendors that practice sustainable agriculture, and cutting back on plastic where possible. Sustainable restaurants provide customers with healthy food, reduce food waste, and energy consumption, and use food waste in productive ways.
5 Star Sustainable Restaurants in St. Louis MO Region
St. Louis, MO, Source: Commons
Wikimedia
Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar
Pickled Vegetable Photo Source: Pxhere
This restaurants sources chicken from local farms and makes homemade duck sausage in house. They pickle leftover vegetables and fruits and serve pickled dishes as part of their menu. This reduces food waste. The restaurant has an electric kitchen and this reduces energy the energy bill. Their dishes are monitored to cut back on food waste and portion size.
They serve a pickled vegetables, marinated mushrooms, and meat and cheese boards to go with their local beer and wine list. They use compostable straws and reusable tasting spoons.
The Danforth Plant Science Center Cafe
Composting: Image Source Giphy
The cafe composts about 82% of kitchen and customer food waste. They have reusable plates and cutlery and use paper bags for takeout food. They portion size servings to reduce waste and prep food daily instead of ahead.
Vegetables are used to make soup stock. In the cafe they serve a 60 % vegetarian menu and 40% meat. The dining area has wall to ceiling thermals windows a way to use natural light.
The cafe is designed for workers and visitors to the science center. The plant science center is dedicated to science and the use of plants for feeding people and improving their health.
Fiddlehead Fern Restaurant
Vegetarian Food Photo Source: Foto Wuestengiel
This is a woman owned and operated restaurant and located in a renovated gas station. The menu is completely vegetarian. The make their food from scratch and have a unique beverage program. The use leftover foods like carrot pulp to make carrot cake muffins and vegan tzatziki sauce from leftover cucumber pulp. Leftover coffee grounds are offered to the public for fertilizers for gardens.
They offer reusable thermos for their coffee program. They recycle some storage containers to store pickled vegetable in and glass bottles to hold syrups and beverages. The restaurants sources fruits and vegetables from local vendors. They compost food waste using a local farm.
The Peacock Loop Diner
Peacock Image Source: Public Domain Pictures
The diner is located in University City in the Lofts of Washington University. It was voted most sustainable diner in the US. Solar panels provide the diner with 25% of the hot water, and the roof has solar reflective materials that reduces heat and air conditioning costs. Centrally located the diner is close to alternative transportation. Their rain garden takes care of excess water efficiently.
The restaurant menu has several kinds of chili, sandwiches, and sweet and savory breakfast items. It has retro 1950s decor with booths and counter with stool. They serve shakes, desserts, coffee, beverages, beer and wine. The have stools, a counter, comfortable booths, diner memorabilia, skeet ball, and bubble hockey. It is open 24 hours a day.
SqWires
Butcher Block Table Photo Source Crafting Goodies
This restaurants dining room uses butcher block tables made from repurposed wood, church pews, and wine bottles for vases. It is located in a former wire factory and wood from the building rafters was used to construct the bar top. The windows are large, and natural light enters the interior.
Food to go is served in empty wine boxes, and that use boxes that are compostable. Sometimes they use old menus as coasters. The restaurant composts all food waste and carefully monitors the menu. They buy produce from local farms and grow their own herbs in a garden. SqWires sources chicken, turkey, and dairy from local farms too. They have reduced food waste with aerators on the faucet's, tankless toilets, and a rain garden
Their menu has appetizers like wild mushrooms and goat cheese, mussels, shrimp, and fries, and homemade hummus. They have soup, salad sandwiches, vegetable lasagna, chicken pot pie, salmon, beef tenderloin, and pork chops. The restaurant has brunch and catering too.
Animation Source: Giphy
References:
Green Dining Alliance in Minnesota
Green Restaurant Association Boston MA
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