Each month, I’m asked to find a new eco-restaurant to share with you. It’s pretty much a stellar “job,” and I’m happy for it. It’s my hope that my never-ending quest for good food turns you onto something new, tasty and green. When I chatted with Maria Hines, chef and owner of Tilth last year, she lamented that it was “easier than you think” to stay consciously rooted and run a green business. Trouble is, sometimes it is hard to determine what actually makes a restaurant green. Is building from sustainable and salvaged materials enough? Does all of the food need to be organic? Local? How about business practices — should a restaurant win brownie points for using biodegradable soap (in the kitchen and bathrooms)? In my book, it’s a combination of all of these things.
This month, we have included a roundup of some of the tastiest eco-friendly joints in town. Some are old and have already had their story told in CC; some are new and it’s only a matter of time before I go sit with the chef and bring their flavors and passion to these pages. My hope is that this is a tear-it-out-and-stick-it-on-the-fridge kind of article that provides a quick go-to for all things green next time you’re planning a night out on the town.
Tilth
I can’t stop thinking about the meal I had at Tilth last year. And how focused chef-owner Maria Hines is on leaving a small imprint on our earth. But I’d be lucky to snag a table here in the coming weeks since the New York Times listed it as one of the ten best restaurants in the country (in the country!). One of the absolute best picks for the greenest-of-green category, Maria practices what she preaches by using all eco-friendly products in both the kitchen and dining room. She offers her staff alternative health care and is committed to an all-organic menu that is certified by the stringent Oregon Tilth Association. As if that weren’t enough, Hines recently decided to open her doors every Monday evening to support local growers — calling them out by name. “I decided that I wanted it to be a day that is dedicated to paying homage to our local producers, so we Go Local with a four-course dinner and guests get a chance to get to know about a (single) producer from their region.” At $45 (with $20 wine pairings), it’s the best-kept secret in town. Er . . . it was.
1411 N 45th Street, Seattle
tilthblog.wordpress.com/
Stumbling Goat
Tucked up in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood, Stumbling Goat Bistro takes to heart the phrase “think globally, act locally.” Chef Seth Caswell is zealous about good food and is currently the head of the Seattle Chapter of Chefs Collaborative — a dedicated group of chefs and restaurant folk whose sole purpose is to connect with local food producers. This is evident on the menu Caswell creates, calling out producers such as Estrella Creamery, Oxbow Organic Farm and Seattle fishing vessel, St. Jude (dedicated solely to troll-caught albacore) among many others. Tuesday night is half-price wine night along with acoustic guitar sounds (Thursday for music, too).
6722 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle
www.stumblinggoatbistro.com
Trellis
I haven’t ventured out east to this new restaurant, but I have been doing my research. While practicing the 100-mile diet is de rigeur for some folks, chef Brian Scheehser has upped the anty with his Two Hour Salad — a plateful of ingredients served within hours of harvesting. Scheehser plucks fresh goodies from his three-acre plot at the South 47 Farm in Woodinville and is at the forefront of a potential chef-revolution (chefolution?) that has steadily gained momentum over the past several years — planting the food that is served in the restaurant. He started gardening a mere 6 years ago and now grows the majority of produce that he cooks each day. Still the new kid on the block in the restaurant world, Trellis has quickly gained the reputation as a restaurant worthy of the “trip” east.
220 Kirkland Avenue, Kirkland
www.trellisrestaurant.net
Café Flora
I can’t help but think of Café Flora as the granddaddy of them all when it comes to eating green, so it’s easy to be overlooked in a sea of new chefs and restaurants doing all the right things. Well ahead of the eco curve, in 1994 Café Flora was awarded the Distinguished Business in the Green award by Green Works. It continues to take extraordinary steps to adhere to sound environmental practices today and offers an all-vegetarian menu.
2901 East Madison Street, Seattle
www.cafeflora.com
Art of the Table
It’s a family affair over at the smallest of small hidden gems. This restaurant is nearly impossible to find, but when you do, you won’t be sorry. Taking turns chatting and describing the upcoming dish in between each course, owner Dustin Ronspies hosts a reservations-only dinner a mere three nights a week. For some, this storytelling may get a bit snoozey, but with Dustin, accompanied by his sous-chef brother, you can’t help but sit up straight and listen. The duo is very sincere about the story that food tells and their reverence comes across on the plate. “Suppers” are based on themed menus and are prix fixe with four courses. Seating is communal and chatting up your neighbor is encouraged. If you’re not up for socializing, you can head over on a Monday night sometime soon; starting at 5pm they offer a few small plates of nibbles…with a little storytelling on the side.
1054 N 39th Street, Seattle
www.artofthetable.net
TASTE at Seattle Art Museum
They say it best themselves — “At TASTE, we believe that we have the power and responsibility to make a true difference.” Trendy and chic, this little hot spot below SAM will fulfill all of your cravings before or after browsing in the museum or museum shop. Try their weekday afternoon happy hour and don’t miss the frites with rosemary and remoulade — they are a must.
Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Avenue, Seattle
www.tastesam.com
Brasa
Chef and owner Tamara Murphy is a big fan of the little pig. She has worked with local farm, Whistling Train, to raise her own pigs in order to appreciate and discover just where food comes from and chronicled the journey on her blog. Tamara continues to be active in the local food community participating in the annual Incredible Feast, raising money for breast cancer awareness and supporting the Good Farmer Fund, set up to financially help regional farmers with natural or personal hardships. Now, that’s sustainable indeed.
2107 Third Ave, Seattle
www.brasa.com
Bastyr Cafeteria
Bye, bye bland cafeteria food; hello delicious food with a conscious. Using veggies and herbs from their own university garden, Bastyr is dedicated to whole health and that starts with whole food. Open to the public, you may find yourself smack in the middle of a healthful bake sale or garden plant sale while you eat.
14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore
www.bastyr.edu/cafeteria
Agua Verde
Bringing new meaning to green transportation, at Agua Verde you can stop in for some delicious and healthful Mexican food, via your kayak. Need some goodies to go? Agua Verde serves it up in compostable take-out containers, which are biodegradable over time.
www.aguaverde.com
Amy Pennington is a very passionate eater with a very bad memory.