News and Reviews: Relish Magazine

10 Green Restaurants That Care About Our Earth

It's Earth Day every day at these eateries where "Eco-conscious" and "delicious" are the themes.

Going green. It's an admirable endeavor—though sometimes easier said than done. Particularly if you're the proprietor of a busy restaurant, tasked with serving hundreds of patrons each and every day. But eco-consciousness is more than just a PR ploy for many restaurateurs. Just in time for Earth Day, we spoke with the eco-conscious masterminds behind 10 Green Restaurants That Care About Our Earth to get to the bottom of their commendable commitment to the planet.

Sam's Chowder House

Location: Half Moon Bay, CA
Website:Sam's Chowder House
If the amazing waterfront locale and acclaimed menu of fresh seafood weren't enough to entice you to Sam's Chowder House, how about the fact that the restaurant's owners go out of their way to ensure they're operating at the highest levels of eco-consciousness? "At Sam's, we try to meet the needs of our guests today, but not compromise the environment for future generations, so we use rooftop solar electricity, biodegradable and compostable packaging, sustainable seafood practices and we even recycle the rice-based vegetable oil from our fryers (about 300 gallons a week)," says co-owner Julie Shenkman.

At-Home Tip: "Here are five simple, doable tips from our Executive Chef and Partner Lewis Rossman on how you can reduce your carbon footprint at home," offers Shenkman: "Buy organic and local whenever possible—check out your local farmer's market; buy products with the least amount of packaging possible, and with packaging that is compostable and recyclable; even better—grow your own food! Start with a small, portable herb garden; try and choose wild seafood whenever possible, and use the Monterey Bay Aquarium's watch list to help guide your choices (they also publish a great consumer guide); replace plastic containers with glass."