Farm-to-table fare, or as your great-grandparents used to call it, “food,” is by definition rooted in the area it is produced, processed and consumed. Simple enough, but powerful stuff when compared against the scale of industrialized global brands.
While an increased focus on “going green” has caused some chains to angle for the farm-to-table crowd, including a number of hotel chains across the world betting on farm-to-hotel room programs that may or may not be perceived as a mere schtick, there are plenty of chefs who are honoring — and even improving upon — the ideals of the movement.
In order to showcase the States’ brightest F-to-T stars, the folks at Travel+Leisure consulted with experts and bloggers and ate their way across the country to find the best eco-friendly restaurant in every state.
Here’s a look at four of our favorites:
Hoq, Iowa
With a motto that proclaims “Local food, global flavor,” this Des Moines eatery’s menu gets 90 percent of its ingredients come from local farms. While that means the kitchen is making some dishes made with corn and soybeans, it also means grass-fed steaks are getting served up daily.
Snow City Café, Alaska
Known for serving up the best brunch in Anchorage for more than a decade, Snow City uses local ingredients to create sustainably-minded meals like salmon and crab Eggs Benedict or the tundra scramble. Good enough for President Obama, good enough for us.
SoLo Farm & Table, Vermont
Located in a former inn and farmhouse on a three-acre property that includes vegetable gardens, this family-run restaurant only buys whole animals and butchers them themselves to ensure nothing goes to waste. They also bake their own bread and churn their own butter.
The Kitchen, Colorado
With outposts in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins, The Kitchen has set the standard when it comes to sustainability and each of its locations employs eco-friendly practices like composting, and harnessing wind power. A nonprofit that teaches kids about healthy eating is a nice touch.
Via Travel+Leisure
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