The quest to eat ethically is not a simple one. Many conflicting and complementary ideas need to be considered — the welfare of animals, the environmental impact of food production, and the welfare of workers are just three broad starting points.
In 2009, working with the advice of Danny Schwartzman of Common Roots, veterinarian Will Winter of Thousand Hills Cattle company, and Jane Rosemarin from Slow Food Minnesota, we developed a brief but wide-ranging questionnaire that local food-focused businesses could complete. In 2014-15, supported by generous underwriting from Peace Coffee and Birchwood Cafe, we refreshed our existing listings and reached out to nearly 30 other businesses.
ABOUT OUR PARTNERS: Peace Coffee is on a mission to craft a delicious coffee experience in collaboration with communities around the globe. They’ve been proudly roasting, pedaling, and brewing outstanding fair-trade and organic coffee in the heart of south Minneapolis since 1996. More at: peacecoffee.com. The Birchwood Cafe serves “Good Real Food” made from scratch with fresh, local, sustainable, and organic ingredients grown by their farmer friends in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Although the cafe is located in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, people drive from miles around to feel right at home. The Birchwood offers “something for everyone” on their seasonal, eclectic, and healthy menu.
What you see below is a work in progress. We’ll be asking more restaurants to participate — we welcome your suggestions — and improving our answers as we obtain new information. If you have questions, comments, or suggested edits, please email editor@heavytable.com. And you can visit our Foursquare map of featured businesses here.
The grid that follows shows which businesses have replied to our questionnaire. A Y indicates an affirmative answer; a question mark indicates a partially answered or partially affirmative answer.
Click on a business name to read the full version of their response. Read our questionnaire in full to understand the basis for each of the 14 questions we asked.
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| Bachelor Farmer, The | ? | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | ? | ? | ? | ? | N |
| Barbette | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Be’wiched | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | ||||
| Birchwood Cafe | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Black Dog Cafe | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | ? | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Brasa | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Bryant Lake Bowl | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Butter Bakery | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | ||
| Chef Shack | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Chowgirls | Y | Y | ? | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Common Roots | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Fire Lake | Y | ? | ? | ? | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | ? | Y | N | ||
| Fireroast Mtn | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | N | ||
| Foxy Falafel | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | ? | Y | ? | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| France 44 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | N | ||||
| French Meadow | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Galactic Pizza | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | ||||
| Gastrotruck | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Golden Fig | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Green Bee Juicery | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||
| GYST Fermentation Bar | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||
| Harriet Brasserie, The | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | ? | ? | Y | Y | N | Y | N |
| Heartland | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Kenwood, The | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N |
| Linden Hills Co-op | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Local D’lish | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | N | |||
| Lowbrow, The | N | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Mill City Cafe | ? | Y | Y | ? | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Mill Valley Kitchen | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Moose & Sadie’s | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | ? | Y | Y | N | ||||
| The Nicollet | Y | Y | ? | ? | Y | N | ? | ? | ? | N | ? | ? | ? | N | |
| Peace Coffee | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||
| Peoples Organic | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Pizzeria Lola | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | N | |
| Red Stag | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Sea Change | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Seward Co-op | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Spoonriver | N | Y | ? | ? | Y | Y | Y | ? | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Strip Club Meat & Fish | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Tao Natural Foods | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | ||
| Tastebud | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Third Bird | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Tongue In Cheek | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | N |
| Trotter’s | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Truce | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||
| W.A. Frost & Company | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Wise Acre Eatery | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| ZULA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
If you’d like to have your business included in the Atlas, complete a questionnaire.
Revised Atlas Credits (2015)
Tod Foley — Design
James Norton — Implementation
Peter Sieve — Reporting
Original Credits
Carlye Burd — Development
Ian Davis — Coding
Tod Foley — Design
Yvonne Wagner — Implementation
Completed Surveys
The Bachelor Farmer
50 2nd Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.206.3920
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No, but we contract with a hog farmer who picks up all of our organics to use in feed.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
We always have vegetarian options on our menu, including at least one entree. Often, we will have vegan options. We work hard to deliver a tailored, unique experience to each individual diner, every night. Part of that is listening to our guests and meeting them where they are. Vegetables are a major source of creativity in our kitchen, so we really do enjoy cooking, in some cases off the menu, for guests with diverse dietary interests.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
We are conscientious of the need to source seafood responsibly. In doing so, we work with our purveyors to make the most informed choices that we can. We often use rating systems like that of Monterey Bay Aquarium to help inform those decisions. These systems are tailored to be relevant to a very large audience. Therefore, they don’t always have the ability to take into account small, sustainable fisheries that interact with overfished populations. These fishermen and women often keep up traditional, sustainable practices as caretakers of best practices.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
We use filtered tap water for our tables, unless guests request otherwise.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
We work very hard to educate our entire staff on where our food comes from. That creates a richer environment for everyone involved: the chefs and cooks, servers, and guests. I think our servers are quite well-educated in our sources, though we always have room to learn and educate more.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
“All of our ducks and pheasants have access to pasture.
We are currently working with Pork and Plants Farm in Altura, MN to raise really delicious pasture-raised chickens, that arrive here fresh. They are some of the best chickens that I have tasted.
Unfortunately, we are very limited in this regard here in Minnesota. Our region has a deficit here. Our current system lacks demand-side pressure for fresh, pasture-raised poultry. Hopefully, we will see changes in this in the near future.”
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
I’ll try to get back to you soon on this.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
We don’t use a lot of beef, but roughly 95% is grass-fed AND grass-finished. 1000 Hills and Grass Run Farms.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
Barbette
1600 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612.827.5710
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes – Tofu couscous, Peanut Noodle Salad, Green Salads, and several vegetarian dishes that can be served vegan.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes — Fair Trade Organic, from B&W Coffee
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes – all seafood is sustainable
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes, we serve purified tap water
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes, Shultz Farm
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
90% – Moonstone Farms, Fischer Farm, Hidden Stream, Creekstone
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes – All
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Composting food waste, recycling, re-usable to go containers. Maximizing yield on produce, using energystar bulbs, using local, seasonal produce, buying local to minimize gas usage.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
70-80%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Attend farmers markets, open table conventions, support independent sellers.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Great Ciao
Classic Provisions
1000 Hills Farms
Moonstone Beef
The Lamb Shoppe
Dragsmith
Hidden Streams
Shepherd’s Way
Stickney Hill
Sylvan Hills
Flat Earth
Be’Wiched
800 Washington Ave. North
Minneapolis, MN
612.767.4330
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes. Our staff brings home coffee grounds/vegetable scraps to compost.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes. Our vegetable burger (organic grains, mushrooms, & roasted beets) is vegan when served on ciabatta.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. MorningStar Coffee.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Although we do sell bottled water, most customers opt to use the Minneapolis tap water available at our beverage station.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
We train all counter staff about the origins of our products.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Gerber’s Poultry.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes. Valley View Farms. Hastings Co-Op Creamery.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Meyer Natural Angus. Creekstone Farms. (100% including grains/legumes/corn)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
Yes (beef/pork/chicken)
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We recycle bottles/cans/paper/cardboard, we buy recycled (“green”) paper products from our supplier, we use compact fluorescent lightbulbs, energy-efficient ventilation (PSP/HWD) and our cleaning products are citrus based, no harsh chemicals.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
“hand rolled cous-cous”
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Prairie Farm Garden
Nature Farms
Brau Brothers
Summit
Flat Earth
Surly
Hope Creamery
Cheese Board of Wisconsin
Black Dog Cafe
308 Prince St # 100
St. Paul, MN
651.228.9274
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes. Hummus plates and salads.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. B and W Coffee.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Tap water and purified system.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Hormone/antibiotic free
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Beer 100%. Veggies in season 90%. Coffee Roasted locally. Cheese 50%. fruit in season 70%. bread/bakery 100%”.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
When we do buy from other parts of the country Organic is our preferred choice. We carry many organic and bio diverse wines. Coffee is organic as well as tea.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
B and W Coffee
Lift Bridge
Summit
Lake Superior
Minnesota Food Association CSA
Mhonpajs Garden CSA
Shepard’s Way Farm
Birchwood Cafe
3311 E 25th St
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612.722.4474
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes — With Eureka Recycling, we divert an average of 91% of our waste to be recycled or composted from the landfill or incinerator.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes — All employees (front and back of house) are paid a minimum of $11/hour.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes — We always have at least one vegan Breakfast entree, at least one (often two) vegan Sandwiches (out of our five sandwiches), and at least one (often two) vegan Dinner entree. One Soup is always vegan. We bake fresh, gluten-free and vegan Donuts each day, and our seasonal Crisp is vegan and gluten-free. We can also alter most of our dishes to make them vegan.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes — Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown and Bike Delivered via our good friends at Peace Coffee!
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes — Most of our fish falls under their best standards. MBA’s Seafood Watch is a very broad guide and sometimes we’ve offered a fish that is certified sustainable but isn’t on the MBA list. We purchase all our fish through Bullfrog Fish Farm, Coastal Seafoods, The Fish Guys, and Urban Organics and we trust them all to keep a watchful eye on the sustainability of their product.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes — We offer filtered municipal water in the cafe, instead of bottled water. We offer both sparkling and still water on tap.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes!
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes — We source locally raised, free-range poultry from Kadejan and Ferndale Market.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes — We source all of our dairy products from Castle Rock Organic Farms, Donnay Dairy, Kalona SuperNatural, and Organic Valley.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100% of our meat is grass/hay fed, pasture-raised, and hormone/antibiotic-free. In addition to Kadejan and Ferndale Market for chicken and turkey, we source beef and pork from Fischer Family Farms Pork, Hidden Stream Farm, Peterson Limousin Beef, and Red Table Meat Co.
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
The Birchwood Cafe is a trailblazer in the Twin Cities local food and sustainability movements. As one of the first five restaurants to pilot Eureka Recycling’s organics composting program, we educate our staff and guests how to “make dirt, not waste.” All to-go packaging at the cafe is made with compostable materials. We use natural cleaning products wherever possible. We source local meat and produce, which minimizes travel and storage costs. We conserve energy throughout the cafe with programmable thermostats and energy efficient appliances.
The Birchwood is also dedicated to spreading the positive power of bike riding through sponsorship of its bike team and the hosting of a Nice Ride bike-sharing station on site. The cafe was also the first business in our area to install an on-street bike parking stall. These community partnerships allow the Birchwood to literally “be the change” we want to see in our world and lead our industry toward more sustainable practices.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
85% depending on the season. We source locally as much as we possibly can, for every ingredient we serve.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
When something is not available locally, we look for a suitable organic/fair trade alternatives from our vendors. We serve sustainable (organic, biodynamic and some fair trade) wine. One of the suppliers we work with is Co-op Partners Warehouse, certified as an organic distributor by the USDA-accredited certification agency MOSA (Midwest Organic Services Association).
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
A complete list of our sources is here: http://birchwoodcafe.com/community/producers
Brasa
600 E. Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-379-3030
777 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN. 55105
651.224.1302 info / private parties
651.224.1628 take out
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes in Minneapolis. St. Paul, No. Composting services are not available in Ramsey county. Food waste collection for Pigs is available. However, I believe it produces inferior quality meat do not participate in these programs.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes. All employees make over $10.50 per hour. I also provide medical benefits at locations over 1 year old. For all employees working over 32 hours.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes. At Brasa we have Yellow Rice, Black beans, Yuca, Plantains, Roasted Yams and few other dishes that animal products can be omitted to order.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. Peace Coffee. We also purchase Equal Exchange Teas.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Nearly 100% of the time. We favor them for Pacific Seafood. Some of the East Coast fisheries and watch programs differ in opinion so we generally go with the average ( since we are only chefs and not scientists) For Example, North Atlantic Swordfish can be a hot topic. The Biomass has returned to historical healthy volumes in large areas and many feel that harpooned fish are a good sustainable option. After a bit of investigation we agree, although not all watch programs do.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes. We filter all drinking and cooking water at all restaurants ( Alma, Brasa Mpls, Brasa St, Paul) through double carbon filters.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes. They are trained to be familiar with the products being served.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Kadejan Farms. Wild Acres.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes. We serve Cedar Summit dairy and Organic Valley. We only serve conventional when our normal supply is out of stock or unavailable.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Hard to caclulate. Maybe 33%. Most Pork and poultry we source are on primarily grain based diets. We are working with our producer to improve feed quality. We serve 1000 hills cattle beef, Northstar Bison and lamb and they are both 100% Grass /pasture/ hay.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
33% — I listed 33% to represent our purchases from 1000 Cattle & Lucky Pig. While both Kadejan poultry and Heritage Berkshire pork are free roam operations that allow the animals to forage, the bulk of their diets come from whole grain rations. They are not 100% pasture raised and I cannot list them as such. In fact, I know of no suppliers in the State of MN that raise consistent, superior eating quality poultry or pork strictly on pasture that can provide the volume of product we need on a weekly basis (1500 -2000 lbs pork, 1800 – 2500 lbs chicken) We do support a couple small producers who are attempting this endeavor, but it only provides us meat of a supplemental volume. We will certainly be first in line when a 100% pasture pork and poultry operation can provide fresh meat on a twice-weekly basis.
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
All of our beef is Grass Fed from 1,000 Hills Cattle Co. So it is 100% pastured (weather permitting), gras/hay fed and hormone/antibiotic free.
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
All the above (recycled materials, energy-efficient lighting, heating, ventilation, etc., conserving water, chlorine-free paper products, recycling) except for LEED-CI certification.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
It varies from season to season. 50-60% Winter / Spring and then 60-65 % Summer / Fall.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We will only purchase local products if the quality and flavor is adequate. For example, no domestic cheese comes close to Parmigiano Reggiano in flavor or quality. Wisconsin Stravecchio is a horrible substitute. We will continue to use a few exceptional exported ingredients. We do not have the goal of being 100% local. Yet a very high percentage of local ingredients will always be our norm.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Produce / Grains / Wild edibles:
Otter Creek Growers
Riverbend Farm
Dry Weather Creek
Lost View Farm
Foot Joy Farm
Six Rivers Coop
Forager Mike Jermu
Meat & Eggs:
1000 Hills Cattle
North Star Bison & Lamb
Wild Acres Poultry
Kadejan Poultry
Heritage Berkshire Pork
Lucky Pig Pork
Larry Schultz Eggs
Dairy & Cheese:
Cedar Summit Dairy
Hope Creamery
Pastureland dairy
Widmer Cheese
Beer:
Surly Brewing
Flat Earth Brewing
Summit Brewing
Rush River Brewing
Wholesalers featuring Local products:
Coop Partners
Bix Produce
Bryant Lake Bowl
810 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN
612.825.3737
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, rice and vegetables and burritos, also some of our salads and phad thai.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, B&W
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
In most cases Yes. Sometimes special product comes in they may not be sure about, but I try to include this info in our specials descriptions at all times.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes, Larry Schultz Organic Farm
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
We use Kemps, which is not organic, but is hormone/antibiotic free
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
90% overall. Moonstone Farms, Pastures-A-Plenty, Larry Schultz, Silver Bison Ranch.
I am uncertain as to the percentages of the diets coming from grass/hay, but all of those vendors grass-feed whenever possible or relevant.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90% is pasture raised/free range. Turkey is cage-free, does this qualify? If so, then 100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
BLB composts, recycles all paper, glass, and cans. We also use energy efficient lighting when possible, utilizing methods to save water as well, as much seasonal prep as possible. We may seek LEED in future depending on capabilities of building.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
65-70% and striving for more. More local sources for produce available in summer.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
As much as possible, I speak to all my reps regarding sustainable and local product to encourage them to carry it and tell me when they get it in. I push them by letting them know when I buy product elsewhere on that basis so they will try to compete by carrying it.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Moonstone Farms, Pastures-A-Plenty, Rainbow Springs Trout, Larry Schultz organic Farms, Silver Bison Ranch, Albert’s organics, Dragsmith Farms coopertative, Bix (local product varies), Thousand Hills Cattle Co., local cheeses from Classic Provisions, Alexis Baily vinyards.
Butter Bakery and Cafe
3544 Grand Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612.521.7401
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
We are now composting through Aspen Waste service…and have been recognized by Hennepin County as a leader!
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Full time employees are paid a living wage. Part-time employees receive a living wage rates through wage and tip collection.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes – we offer vegan soups, a tofu scramble w/potatoes, a couple vegan treats, and some of our sweet breads fit this category also
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, we use Peace Coffee, Roastery 7, and TrueStone Coffee Roasters – choosing selectively to offer Fair Trade coffees. This also relates to most of our teas, through Tea Source.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
We do not serve seafood at this time.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
We provide straight tap water with filtered ice. Recently became a member of the TAPIT network.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
The information is available on request. Most menu items are clearly identified by their sources and are learned by our staff.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
We work with Ferndale Farms to serve turkey – roasted here – that is free range. We offer chicken through a family farm – Hidden Stream – where free range methods are used.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
While we do not use organic milk and butter in our kitchen, all are hormone/antibiotic free.
Cheeses have a wide range of quality at this time – from organic to conventional. All are hormone/antibiotic free as far as I’m aware.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
All — We work with Hidden Stream Farm for pork sausage, bacon, ham and beef. They pride themselves on using a grass based system.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
All, see above
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
see above
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We use only biodegradable / compostable to go containers and to go service ware. We use CFC’s and LED lighting entirely. We focus on Community Supported Agriculture and Farmer’s Markets during the growing season to reduce shipped produce, we recycle and collect for a variety of re-use purposes, seek chlorine-free paper products, nearly all staff can walk, bike or bus to work easily.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Of the “main ingredients” in our bakery — butter, dairy, eggs, flour are all local — so most menu items run 80 to 90% local.
Cafe — butter, eggs, cheeses, meats are all local, veggies are almost completely local in the growing season – then about 20% outside of the season, fruits are primarily outside of the local area — overall about 70%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We use an organic canola oil and work with Albert’s Organics and the Co-Op Partners Warehouse for many other specialty items relying on their missions to provide a high level of sustainability. We participate in an organic fruit share in the summer months. We work with local chocolatier BT McElreth, local tea master Timothy Otte of Tea Source, and work with Frontier Co-Op for spices.
We are a part of the Heartland Food Network and are committed to increase our use of sustainable sources.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Hope Butter, Valley View Farms Milk, Forsman family farm eggs, Hidden Stream Farm, Swany Mills, Whole Grain Milling, Blasers Cheese, Grasslands Cheese, Big River Farms, Turnip Rock Farm, Sleepy Root Farm, A Place At the Table Farm, Bushel Boy Tomatoes (Owatanna), local tortilla maker – Los Maizales Tortilleria, Rochdale yogurt, Wescott Orchards, Havlicek’s Happy Hills Orchard, Wild Country maple syrup, sodas from Whistler, Joia, Buddy’s, and Spring Grove, Honey House honey.
Chef Shack
info@chefshack.org
Twitter: @chefshack1
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
yes, as a matter of fact…MCFM is the first market in the twin cities to go zero waste.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes, our employees are well above the $10 range.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, all of our lettuce salads are vegan.
yes, very happy to cater to veg & vegans
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
yes, our coffee is from Blu Caf roaster from Pepin, WI
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
yes always.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
yes, purified water & Culligan
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
yes, we coach continuously on sourcing.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
yes, Kadejan Farms.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100%. Thousand Hills Cattle Company.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
95%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
100% effort. compostable, bio-degradeable, conservation always, minimal waste and packaging.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
90-100%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
every effort possible
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
1000 Hills , fischer farm, kadejan, eichten acres, brachners farm, schultz farm, ames farm, swede hollow farm, nistler farm, poplar hill farm, larry schultz farm, hope farm creamery, gardens of eagan, redkers farm, clean water works, alberts organics, harolds herbs, coastal seafoods, farmer bob and so many others
Chowgirls Catering
Chowgirls Catering
1222 Second Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612.203.0786
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes – Schultz
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Thousand Hills Cattle Co. 100%
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
seasonal preparation, certified Master Recyclers/Composters on staff, source local ingredients, all disposable ware is compostable, offer sustainable delivery (with no disposable ware), support fair trade businesses.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
70%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Staff receives regular training and updates on sustainable sources. Brands and sources are evaluated annually. Research brands.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Shepherd’s Way
Thousand Hills
Peterson
Ferndale
Kadejan
Pasture’s A Plenty
eQuality
Turnip Rock
Garden Farme
Cultivate Northeast
Burning River
Northeast Farmers Market
Ames Honey
Fulton Indeed
45th Parallel Vodka
Dangerous Man
Red Table Meat
Hope Creamery
Valley View
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
Most of our staff live within walking distance of our kitchen.
Common Roots
2558 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
612.871.2360
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes. We have been composting since the day we opened in 2007. Since
opening we have composted over 420,000 pounds of what would have been
waste.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes — regularly changing options including deli salads, soups, baked goods, and dinner specials
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Peace Coffee
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes — we strive to use only best or good fish.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes — we use only filtered tap water and no bottled water
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
We are happy to let people know where the food comes from — we keep track of all food purchases and print our percentage local, organic, and fair-trade on our menus and on our website. Our service staff is happy to check on sourcing of individual ingredients.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. We purchase Larry Schultz organic chicken and Ferndale Farm
free-range turkey.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes, all our milk is certified organic, as is much of our cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.) Producer: Grass Run Farm
0%
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100% — Thousand Hills Cattle
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We source as much local produce as possible and compost virtually all
of what would regularly be wasted. We designed our kitchen to be
energy efficient including a high-efficiency water heater, an EMS hood
(it senses heat and speeds up or down based on how much cooking is
being done), and using fluorescent lighting. We used many
recycled/salvaged materials in the build out including recycled
plastic walls in the kitchen, recycled cardboard countertop, sunflower
boards tables, remilled barn wood flooring, salvaged wood table tops,
salvaged lighting, and more. Details are on our website
athttp://commonrootscafe.com/environment.htm
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
We track every purchase we make by dollar spent local, organic, or
fair-trade. In the most recent month (September 2014), 67% of all our
purchases were local. More details about our sourcing, updated
monthly are online at http://commonrootscafe.com/our-values/
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We use certified organic sources whenever possible. Over 90% of our
purchases are organic, local, or fair-trade in a typical month. Check
out last month’s numbers at http://commonrootscafe.com/our-values/
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
We work with many local producers. We have 10 tap beers and they are
always all local, featuring an array of local brewers.
Some of the producers we regularly utilize ingredients from are:
Riverbend Farm
Featherstone Farm
Gardens of Eagan
Harmony Valley
Hope Creamery
Castle Rock Dairy
Native Harvest
Whole Grain Milling
Fire Lake Restaurant
31 7th St S
Minneapolis, MN
612.216.3473
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator”
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes – We serve tap water but continue to sell bottled water
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes – The staff is trained on the menu ingredients
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Pheasant, Duck, and Turkey – Wild Acres
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Hormone/ Antibiotic Free
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
40% — Doraisamy Elk, Eichten’s Farms Buffalo
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
Elk, Lamb, Buffalo
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
All Meats are hormone and antibiotic free
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint? (Seeking LEED-CI certification, using recycled materials in the building or in daily use, using energy-efficient lighting heating ventiliation etc., conserving water, seasonal preparation, using chlorine-free paper products, recycling)
All packaging has been switched to biodegradable/ compostable/ recyclable
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Average of 80%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Eichten Farms
Bushel Boy
Franklin Street Bakery
Pepin Heights
Stickney Hill Dairy
Doraisamy Farm
Anderson’s Maple
Faribult Dairy
Star Prairie Trout
Summit Brewing
Morgan Creek Winery
Duroc Pork
James Page Brewing
Shells Brewing
Crispin Cider
Fireroast Mountain Cafe
3800 37th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
612.724.9895
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes. We use Eureka Recycling and our own compost container for overflow. We also have a rotating schedule of gardeners who pick up our coffee grounds.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Our employees make $8 to $11/hr and get tips which brings them usually to the $10/hr wage at a minimum.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
We carry burritos, salads, chips and either guac or salsa, and brownies. We also frequently carry vegan soups.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
The bulk of what we sell is fair trade certified and organic. We also have others certified by other designations.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
We only serve tuna fish sandwiches and the tuna is labeled “dolphin safe.”
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes. We have a water jug and glasses available.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Tough question and not sure what response you’re looking for. For the items that are made out of farmers market produce, I never track which farmer I buy veggies from. Eggs and butter are from the farmer and are a consistent purchase. Staples such as flour, sugar, oats, etc. are all organic and from one source that the servers know. I can elaborate more fully if you need.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Nope. Have tried, but cost puts us out of the running for our small, affordable cafe.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes. Organic Valley.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
We don’t sell a lot of meat, but the chorizo we get is made by a local, independent Latino butcher down the road. Don’t know his supplier.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We:
opted for either a local and/or organic supply of inventory
purchase wind power
use compostable cups and soup to go containers
use ceramic mugs in our cafe which are washed with an environmentally friendly dish soap.
We use environmentally friendly lighting.
Cook seasonally as much as we can and preserve as much as we can for the winter months.
In addition to composting for the cafe, we are working with our surrounding food vendors at the farmers market to compost as much of their materials as possible for market days.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Just local suppliers would bring us to about 50%. Also a tough question because we sell so much coffee which is roasted down the street, but originally comes from elsewhere. There have also been choices made about purchasing organic vs. local with each of our items.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
If we cannot purchase locally, we try to purchase organically (which I will classify as sustainable for this question). Between local and/or organic food supplies, I would say we are at about 70-80%.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Foxy Falafel
791 Raymond Ave.
St. Paul, MN
651.888.2255
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100%
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
recycling, composting, fry oil is made into biodiesel
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
70%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We try to source as much local, organic, and sustainable as possible.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Kadejan
Sunshine harvest
Wild acres
Whole grain milling
Gardens of Eagan
Blackbrook farm
Seed to seed
Stones throw
Hungry turtle coop
Coop partners warehouse
Larry Schultz
Lorentz
Fischer Farms
Hope creamery
Shepherds song
Bang brewery
Fulton brewery
Burning brothers
Bad weather
Prohibition Kombucha
Verdant tea
Tea source
Tree fort
Round table coffee
Cafe Palmera
Holyland bakery
Many more
France 44 Cheese and Saint Paul Cheese Shop
4351 France Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55410
612.278.4422
1573 Grand Ave
St Paul, MN 55105
612.986.3075
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes. We have a hummus, pickle, and greens sandwich or a honeycrisp apple and honey comb sandwich (some vegans eat honey, right?)
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
No coffee.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
No seafood.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
N/A
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Wild Acres for our ground turkey and turkey breast. Schultz Farm for our chicken.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes hormone/antibiotic free.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
The beef we use comes from Grass Run farms in Minnesota. As far as I know they are 100% grass fed.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
All of the beef so far as I know.
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%.
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We recycle, use CFL lighting, chlorine free paper products, do not give bags or napkins or receipts unless asked for.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
30% of sandwich menu items would be local
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We inquire about the pedigree of all the products entering our shops. Our pork products not acquired locally are from heirloom varieties.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Hidden Stream, Wild Acres, Schultz Farm, Grass Run Farm, Fischer Farm, Thousand Hills, Ames farm (for honey and apples)
French Meadow Bakery and Cafe
2610 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612870.7855
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, vegan pastries and desserts, vegan scramble for breakfast, vegan wraps and entrees at lunch, and vegan entrees at dinner, we also have a vegan special nightly.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic from Peoples Organic
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes, and we offer bottled water for purchase.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Larry Schultz, Wild Acres, Ferndale Farms
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
All of our meat is grass fed. Bison from Eichtens and Limosin; Beef from Grass Run Farms
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We currently us ONLY recyclable chlorine-free materials for all of our paper products and to-go containers (some are corn based recyclable containers).
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
50-70%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We do our best to utilize a number of vendors who source locally so that we always have options of where we can acquire our food.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Helen Shultz – eggs (we have gotten our eggs from her for 25 years)
Wild Acres – poultry
Eichtens – bison and cheese
Chad Forsberg – produce
Co-op Partners Warehouse
Featherstone Farms
Finally Farms
Fischer Family Farms – pork
Garden Farme
Grass Run Farms – beef
Highland Valley Farm – berries
Indian Harvest
Whole Grain Milling
Keeywaydin Organics
Riverbend Farm
1000 Hills Cattle Co
Dragsmith Farms
Prairie Farm
Galactic Pizza
2917 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612.824.9100
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
All do, except for the entry level kitchen workers.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, most of our pizzas can be made vegan. We also offer vegan cheesecake, cheese bread, and salads.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. Peace Coffee.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
We don’t offer seafood.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
We do offer bottled water because we deliver.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Some probably could, others probably could not.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. We just switched to Kadejan from Larry Schultz.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Some are organic, all are hormone/antibiotic free.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
25%
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
25%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
25%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
— wind power credits
— 100 percent electric delivery vehicles
— major recycling program
— composting
— recycled pizza boxes
— recyclable/compostable packaging
— hemp paper
— energy efficient lighting
— local food when possible
— etc.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Hard to say exactly. Maybe 50%?
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We try to buy as much organic as we feel we can while still keeping our prices affordable for our customers.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Burnett Dairy, Brunkow Cheese Co-op, Kadejan, Larry Schultz, Donnay Dairy, Buffalo Gal, Harmony Valley Farm, Dakoba Growers, River City Root Beer, Summit, Organic Valley, Schells, The Honey House, etc.
Gastrotruck
2400 University Ave NE – Commercial Kitchen
763.607.6055
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes, they recieve wages $11/hr or more and all hourly employees share tips, making their wages even higher.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, we always offer a vegetarian/vegan option, and ways to modify additional items on our menu to make them vegan. Some of our current vegan menu items include:
Black Bean Burger with Smoked Apple Jalapeno Relish
Beet Burger with Smoked Mushrooms
Red Lentil Brown Rice Burger with Curry (vegan) Aioli
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Morningstar Coffee is used as is Equal Exchange/Tazo Tea
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes, we work with our supplier, The Fish Guys or Costal Seafoods to make sure our seafood, when used, is sustainably sourced from the green list.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes, in catering operations we are 100% filtered tap water, and we are working on a filtration system for the trucks – which will be available this upcoming season.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Without a doubt. And how it was made.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes, we currently use Ferndale Market and Wild Acres for our poultry.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Hormone/Antibiotic free, yes. We are always seeking new suppliers that are certified organic.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Thousand Hills Cattle Co, 100% (Beef)
Shepards Song, 100% (Goat/Lamb)
Other animals would not qualify as their diet is not grass/hay? Sorry, let me know if I am misreading this question.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
Beef, 100%
Pig, has shelter but allowed to roam 100%
Goat/Lamb 100%
Chickens/Turkeys – are in birthing houses for about 30 days, then allowed to roam free, weather permitting. Average life cycle for poultry is a few months so 85%?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
A few actually:
– We are working with Mississippi Management Watershed Organization to install various rain water conservation and filtering strategies.
– we have a composting agreement with Eureka, all waste from our operation and events are composted
– zero waste practices – we utilize everything! We make stock out of veggie scraps/bones, we use scraps to make dog food, special staff meals are made to ensure products are not wasted, compost is our last resort.
– we have a full recycling program in place
– our menu changes with the season
– energy efficient lighting
– chlorine-free paper products are used daily on the food truck
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
90%
The items that are not local are things like
– sugar
– olive oil
– salt/pepper/dried spices
– flour
– beans/lentils (although we just found a local source for some!)
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We seek out organic products at the coop or market.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Thousand Hills Cattle Co
Fischer Farms Family Pork
Shepard Song
Wild Acres
New French Bakery
Indeed / Fulton / Bauhaus – we feed their staff, then get free beer to use in our braising/cooking/etc
Joia Sodas
Dragsmith Farm
Uproot Farm
Hidden Stream Farm
New this year: Hungry Turtle Farm
Mississippi Mushrooms
Skinny Jakes Honey
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
No delivery services at this time
Golden Fig Fine Foods
790 Grand Avenue
St Paul, MN 55105
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
The coffee we sell is all fair trade certified.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
n/a
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Callister Farms.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Callister Farms for chicken & eggs, all milk products are organic from Castle Rock Farm. Most if not all of the cheeses we offer are hormone/antibiotic free.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
All our beef comes from Thousand Hills.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
All items are locally sourced, we use all energy efficient lighting, etc
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
100%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
100%
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Ugh! We buy from over 300 local bakeries, farmers, cheesemakers, grain growers, maple syrup producers etc weekly… Callister Farms, Fisher Family Farms,
Thousand Hills, Castle Rock Dairy, Holland Family Farms, Eichtens, Maytag Dairy,
Hope Creamery, Hazelwood Creek Farm, Otis Family Farm, Prairie Pride Farm,
Shepherds Way Farm, etc :)
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
We do not offer bike delivery, however we do deliver in 100% electric vehicles.
GYST Fermentation Bar
25 East 26th Street
612.758.0113″
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Compost will begin this spring in collaboration with California Street Farm in Northeast Minneapolis. All biomass will be composted.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes, all employees make $10 or more. All tips are shared among all employees..
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Kale salad, daikon radish, carrot, house red wine vinegar and seeds
warm marinated olives, pickled and fermented plate
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Dark Matter Coffee has close relationships with the growers.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Currently we do not serve fish, however we are considering bringing on Star Prairie Trout Farm’s smoked trout in the near future.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
tap water.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes, our employees are required to learn everything on the food and beverage menu. One of our employees grows some of our vegetables, and will grow all of them during the upcoming growing season.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
We currently do not serve poultry.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
All of our dairy products come from transparent producers. Due to the prohibitive cost of certification, all might not be certified organic, however, the quality of cheese we seek can only be produced from the milk of happy, well-taken care of sheep, cows, and goats.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
We only serve cured meat from Red Table Meat Co and Olympic provisions.
Red Table Meat Co. works with Littlefoot Farm in Afton, MN, Elmbrink Farm in Young America, MN, Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin, MN, Pork and Plants in Altura, MN, Yker Acres in Wrenshall, MN, and Moo, Oink, Cluck in Somerset, WI.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Reusable hand towels. Energy efficient lighting. Chlorine free paper products. Only cruelty free hand soaps. Unfortunately the City of MInneapolis requires the use of EcoLab products, however, when legally acceptable, we only use biodegradable soaps.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Currently 50% approximately. We will be working with California Street Farms this spring to grow all our our vegetables.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
All effort is made to know the producers and their practices. Our cheeses are from sustainable producers exclusively. Many of the wines we serve are naturally produced, meaning they do not use sulfites or other chemical additives. Almost all of our wines are either organically or bio-dynamically produced.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
California Street Farm (NE Minneapolis)
Stone’s Throw Agricultural Cooperative (Minneapolis)
Hammerheart Brewery (Lino Lakes, MN)
Urban Growler Brewery (St Paul, MN)
Harriet Brewery (Minneapolis, MN)
Bent River Creamery, Mankato, MN
Buffalo Creek Creamery, Plato, MN
Fulton Brewery, Minneapolis MN
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
No delivery available.
Green Bee Juicery
Green Bee Juicery
3722 Chicago Ave S
Minneapolis Mn 55407
612-875-0436
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes- we offer only Vegan options.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
I believe so. We purchase our produce from small local farms in season and CPW during the winter.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We use re-usable glass jars for our packaging. We accept bottle returns.
We purchase as local as possible. Our glass is made in the USA.
We offer bicycle delivery. We use only compostable products for sampling.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
in season 95%
in the winter 20-30%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
we go direct to farmers when possible and purchase organics. We have a partnership with an organic farm in Hawaii to supply our turmeric root.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Hungry Turtle Farmers Co-op
Bootstrap Urban Farm
Stone’s Throw urban farm
Farm school
Worker b
Horner’s corner
elm tree orchard
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
Yes, bike delivery and hybrid vehicle.
GYST Fermentation Bar
25 East 26th Street
612.758.0113″
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Compost will begin this spring in collaboration with California Street Farm in Northeast Minneapolis. All biomass will be composted.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes, all employees make $10 or more. All tips are shared among all employees..
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Kale salad, daikon radish, carrot, house red wine vinegar and seeds
warm marinated olives, pickled and fermented plate
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Dark Matter Coffee has close relationships with the growers.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Currently we do not serve fish, however we are considering bringing on Star Prairie Trout Farm’s smoked trout in the near future.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
tap water.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes, our employees are required to learn everything on the food and beverage menu. One of our employees grows some of our vegetables, and will grow all of them during the upcoming growing season.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
We currently do not serve poultry.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
All of our dairy products come from transparent producers. Due to the prohibitive cost of certification, all might not be certified organic, however, the quality of cheese we seek can only be produced from the milk of happy, well-taken care of sheep, cows, and goats.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
We only serve cured meat from Red Table Meat Co and Olympic provisions.
Red Table Meat Co. works with Littlefoot Farm in Afton, MN, Elmbrink Farm in Young America, MN, Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin, MN, Pork and Plants in Altura, MN, Yker Acres in Wrenshall, MN, and Moo, Oink, Cluck in Somerset, WI.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Reusable hand towels. Energy efficient lighting. Chlorine free paper products. Only cruelty free hand soaps. Unfortunately the City of MInneapolis requires the use of EcoLab products, however, when legally acceptable, we only use biodegradable soaps.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Currently 50% approximately. We will be working with California Street Farms this spring to grow all our our vegetables.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
All effort is made to know the producers and their practices. Our cheeses are from sustainable producers exclusively. Many of the wines we serve are naturally produced, meaning they do not use sulfites or other chemical additives. Almost all of our wines are either organically or bio-dynamically produced.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
California Street Farm (NE Minneapolis)
Stone’s Throw Agricultural Cooperative (Minneapolis)
Hammerheart Brewery (Lino Lakes, MN)
Urban Growler Brewery (St Paul, MN)
Harriet Brewery (Minneapolis, MN)
Bent River Creamery, Mankato, MN
Buffalo Creek Creamery, Plato, MN
Fulton Brewery, Minneapolis MN
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
No delivery available.
The Harriet Brassiere
2724 W 43rd St., Minneapolis, MN
612.354.2197
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
yes – we also have some that can be made vegan with a few modifications Tostadas, Chickpea Ragout
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes when we can
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Most of our meat is grass feed
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
Most of our meat is hormone / antibiotic free
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
we used recycled togo containers, energy-efficient lights,
We recycle as much of our paper, glass and plastic as possible.
We use seasonal local ingredients to help cut down on shipping and fuel costs.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
appox. 85%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Wild Acres
Bull Run Coffee
Verdant Tea
Food Joy
Peterson Beef
New French Bakery
Pierce Occhiato Purveyors
Harriet Brewing
Fulton Brewing
Burning Brothers Brewing
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
we don’t deliver but many of our staff Bike to work.
Heartland
1806 St. Clair Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
651.699.3536
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No, we do not meet city code for having sufficient easement for composting.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes, our minimum wage is currently $11/HR due to go to $13/HR in 2010.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, we customize our vegetarian fixed price menus for vegans.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. Equal Exchange is our current coffee provider.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes, we only offer fish that is sustainably harvested or farmed.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes, we purify all of our tap water.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes, and since we change the menu daily, provenance is often listed on the menu itself.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. We use Wild Acres, Kadejan, Au Bon Canard and LTD Farm.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes. We use Hope Creamery, Cedar Summit Farm and Castle Rock Organic Dairy.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100%
Beef from Peterson Farm and Thousand Hills Cattle Company. Veal from Meadow’s Pride and Cedar Summit. Elk and bison from North Star Farm. Lambs and goats from Hill & Vale Farm and Shepherd’s Song.
Pork and wild boar, while not grass fed, meet the remaining above criteria and are from Hidden Stream Farm and Money Creek Ranch respectively. Rabbits are from Singerhouse Farm.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
see above
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
see above
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Energy efficient lighting, ventilation, cooling and hot water. Chlorine free recycled paper products and quat and citric based cleaners and sanitizers. All of the food is seasonal. Full mixed use recycling. Environmentally friendly ice melt in winter. In house recycling of old menus for future use as scrap paper. Recycling of all laser print cartridges. Our floors are cleaned and washed with vinegar and water.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
80% to 90% depending upon the time of year.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We only buy sustainably produced products if they are available as a choice to us including items such as coffee and chocolate. Many of our beverages including wine and beer are also certified organic or sustainably produced.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
We have 50 to 60 farmers and artisans in the mix at all times so listing all of them is too time consuming. We do a great deal of work with Six Rivers Cooperative, the Hidden Stream Farm network of farms and producers and Southeast Minnesota Food Network; but we have so many more that are not part of these networks. Those three are our primary sources for a great deal of our produce, meat and fish; but it still typically takes me five to six hours to contact everyone and place our Monday orders for the coming week. An equal amount of time is spent spread out over the course of the remaining days of the week.
The Kenwood
2115 W 21st St., Minneapolis, MN
612.377.3695
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Not all. However, we use recycle our food waste to pig farmers (Barthold)
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Many vegetarian. Rarely a vegan dish on the menu. However, we always modify dishes to accomodate vegan diets.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. Dogwood
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
We have tap water but do offer bottled.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Wild Acres. Bell and Evans.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Not all.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
“Mostly. We use these two for beef…
Niman Ranch (all vegetarian diet)
Grass Run Farms (grass-fed)”
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
Not sure
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
All
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
“We recycle cardboard, paper, aluminium, glass and food.
Our to go containers are made from recycled materials.
Our tables were made from recycled wood.”
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
75%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Dragsmith Farms, Riverbend Farms, Wild Acres, Fisher Farms, Harmony Valley, Hungry Turtle Co-op, Bauhaus Brewery, Fulton Brewery, Summit, Dogwood Coffee, TeaSource, Cider Boys, Alemar Cheese, Upland Farms Cheese, Joia Soda.
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
Linden Hills Coop
2813 W 43rd St
Minneapolis, MN 55410
612.922.1159
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes. We have been for at least seven years.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes; we offer vegan baked goods and many vegan options in our deli, including pasta salads, tofu steaks, raw, vegan and sugar-free cheesecake, and eggless “egg salad” to name a few.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
We only serve coffee from Equal Exchange and Peace Coffee, and all the coffee we sell in bulk and bags is Fair Trade.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
We are removing all bottled water in plastic containers of less than a gallon, as of November 1.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Our chicken supplier is Kadejan Farms.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes; all the dairy products we offer are free of rGBH, and organic whenever possible.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
I’d have to guess (not being the meat manager and not having access to sales figures) that approximately 40% of our total meat sales is grass-fed beef from Thousand Hills Cattle Company.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
Again, not the meat manager, so I’m not as well-versed in each supplier’s methods as he is.
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We have solar panels on our roof: http://www.lindenhills.coop/store/tour We compost all our food waste. Whenever we replace equipment or fixtures, we choose the most energy-efficient we can.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
26% of all the food we sell is local, as you define it.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Our buyers follow these purchasing guidelines: http://www.lindenhills.coop/store/selection
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Here’s a list of our 300 local farmers and suppliers. Unfortunately, I can’t sort it by purchase amount. http://www.lindenhills.coop/node/2113
Local D’lish
208 1st St N
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.886.3047
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
not yet….too small…but very soon.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
yes…I am a grocery store so I have many vegan options….also the premade meals that are brought in have Vegan choices.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
yes and farm direct: Cafe Palmira and Peace Coffee
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
NA
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
NA
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
We know where the majority of the food in the store comes from. I have visited many of the farms myself….as well as several customers. The entire concept behind the store is to know where our food is grown/made. Most of the vendors also source local products to make their foods.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
yes, Callister Farms
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes, Castle Rock Dairy, Cultural Revolution, Hope Butter, Patureland Butter, many cheeses
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100% Beef: Braucher Sunshine Harvest Farm, Chicken: Callister Farms, Pork: MN Valley Organics Donner Family Farm, Lamb: Azariah Farms, Bison: Ed Eichten I believe the majority is grass/hay fed…but I don’t know actual percentages.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
I have tried to be as efficient and environmentally sound as possible here in the store. I use energy efficient lighting, many of my tables and equipment have been used, I order small amounts of food to cut down on waste….any food that doesn’t sell is donated, composted or given to a local urban chicken farmer.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Close to 95% (and most of my vendors use local ingredients in their products as well)
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
I purchase from Co-op Partners and trust their requirements. I purchase farm direct for virtually all of my produce and meat but when I use a distributor it is Co-op Partners.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
The farms I work with are: Sun Barn Farm, Clinton Falls Farm, Callister Farms, Brauchers Sunshine Harvest Farm, Eichtens, Azariah Farms, MN Valley Organics, Dragsmith Farms, SE MN food network, Ames Farms, Ferndale Farms, Castle Rock Dairy, Hope Creamery, Pastureland, Valley View Farms, Appleberry Farms
The Lowbrow
4244 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
612.208.0720
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, we have appetizers: SOUTHERN FRIED TOFU – Organic tofu sticks seasoned and fried, served with homemade BBQ sauce; also TOFU TACOS – Seasoned, fried tofu with spinach and scallions, topped with salsa and guacamole and served on corn tortillas; served with house-made tortilla chips and salsa
PINTO AND QUINOA VEGGIE BURGER -The Lowbrow’s own veggie bean burger, served with lettuce, tomato and guacamole
FRIED TOFU SANDWICH -Seasoned, fried tofu, pickled jalapenos, shredded cabbage, and homemade BBQ sauce on a vegan bun
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Peace Coffee
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
We get our fish from Coastal seafood. Our cod is wild caught alaskan cod.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
We use purified tap water
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
All our servers know all of our farmers: Stonebridge grass fed beef, Fischer Farms pork, Larry Schultz eggs and chicken, and Eichten’s Bison
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes, Larry Shultz
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Stonebridge beef: 100% grass and hay fed
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
90%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We recycle, use all energy efficient lighting, use seasonal products in all our rotating specials, and have had our business evaluated for energy efficiency.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
100% of our meat and eggs, 85% of our produce in the growing months
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Stonebridge Beef, Fischer Farms pork, Larry Schultz eggs and chicken, Eichten’s Bison and cheese, Riverbend Farms
100% of our tap beer is local: Fulton Brewing, Surly Brewing, Lift Bridge Brewing, Summit Brewing, Grainbelt Brewing and many more
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
We don’t deliver
Mill City Cafe
2205 California St. NE #102
Minneapolis, MN 55418
612.788.6188
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
We use all of our coffee grounds in a community garden compost
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, many soups are vegan and a few menu items can be made vegan on request.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
No seafood on the menu currently.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes, and is served in ‘green’ to go containers
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes. Our chicken is free range from Larry Schultz Farms
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes some are.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Our beef is 100% grass-fed from 1000 Hills Farms
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
75%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
75%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We use many recycled/biodegradable products for take out orders; We recycle all paper, glass, plastic, metal
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
50%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We work with vendors who have knowledge of the producers and the origins and production process of our specialty products.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
1000 Hills Cattle
Franklin St. Bakery
B & W Coffee
Compart Farms
Classic Provisions
Our garden, community gardens
La Perla
Mill Valley Kitchen
3906 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis
952.358.2000
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes
Sesame carrots
Coconut sweet potatoes
Hummus
Cabbage and fennel slaw
Veggie burger
Grain bowl
Chia parfait
Shiitake quinoa
Etc…
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes – B&W
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes – Purified on site
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes – Kadejan
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes – Castle Rock Creamery
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100% – Grass Run Farms, Iowa
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Recycled and or biodegradable paper products.
Seasonal menu.
Locally sourced ingredients.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
100% of meat
80% of produce during growing season
25% of produce in winter
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Organic whenever possible
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Dragsmith farms
Grass run farms
Kadejan
Turtle bread
Wild acres
Seed to seed farms
Foot joe farms
Compart Duroc farms
Steel toe brewery
Fulton brewery
Indeed brewery
Enki brewery
Excelsior brewery
6. Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
Bitesquad – No in house delivery service
Moose and Sadie’s Cafe
212 N 3rd Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.371.0464
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
yes
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. [Peace Coffee followed up via email: They brew 100% Fair Trade & Organic Peace Coffee]
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
yes
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
85%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
90%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
during growing season 80%, during winter 40%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Greg Reynolds, Larry Schultze, Tim Fischer, local cheeses from Great Ciao and Albert’s Organics
The Nicollet
1931 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612.874.9125
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
y
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
y
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
y
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
y
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
n/a
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
y
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
n
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
n
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
y
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
50
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
35
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
50
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
none
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
25
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
75
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Farmers Market
Restaurant Depot
Natures Prime Organics
Peace Coffee
Multiple locations
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes. We partner with Eureka Recycling for this.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
We pay all staff a living wage We offer staff competitive, supportive benefits including
Health insurance
Dental insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
401(k) retirement plans
Other benefits include:
We make it possible to participate in your community with regular paid holidays
All staff accrue paid vacation time to allow them to see the world or laze in the garden
Paid sick time is available for those miserable, snuffly times of year
Educational opportunities, including coffee classes in our Brew Lab
And, last but not least, a free pound of coffee every week!
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes. Any of our coffee drinks can be made using non-dairy alternatives and many of our rotating soups are vegan. These are provided for us by Bewitched.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Sure is. Always 100% fair trade, organic, and shade grown.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
N/A We don’t offer any seafood.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
We have a tap water spigot on the edge of our coffee bar so customers can fill up reusable cups or their own water bottles/drinking vessel.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes. We do a lot of training with our staff and have notebooks full of sourcing information so we can answer any customers questions.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
We work with all of our food suppliers like Common Roots, Patisserie 46, Bewitched and Coop Partners to ensure all of the ingredients meat or otherwise is sustainably produced.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes. All of our dairy comes from Autumnwood Farms.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
NA
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
NA
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
NA
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint? (Seeking LEED-CI certification, using recycled materials in the building or in daily use, using energy-efficient lighting heating ventiliation etc., conserving water, seasonal preparation, using chlorine-free paper products, recycling)
Our roastery is located in the heart of Minneapolis’ Phillips neighborhood just off the Midtown Greenway, our local bike super-highway. The building we share with numerous sustainability-minded businesses and non-profits was built as an community-led alternative to the garbage transfer station originally slated for the site.
Today our building boasts numerous features that have become standard in green buildings from rooftop gardens to geothermal heating and tons of natural light.
In this sunshiny space, we roast coffee fresh 5 days/week and run our operations. Please contact us if you are interested in a tour.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
We make sure all of our products local or otherwise are sustainable and ethically produced.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We make sure all of our products local or otherwise are sustainable and ethically produced.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Peoples Organic
3545 Galleria
Edina, Mn 55435
952.426.1856
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
No
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, Tofu Scramble, Asian Ginger broth, Cashew Veggie Burger
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
We are in the “green”
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100% thousand hills. Tim Fischer Farms, Schultz Family farm
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We used recycled paper products, energy-efficient lighting and recycle all recyclable products
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
92%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Of the 8% that is not local about 6% comes from sustainable sources.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Alberts Organic, Tim Fischer Farms, Schultz Family Farm, Thousand hills, Eichtens, Johnson’s Buffalo, Upper midwest gourmet, Surly, Coop Partners, and more ….
Pizzeria Lola
5557 Xerxes Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612.424.8338
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes!
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes: Marinara Pizza, roasted cauliflower.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Dogwood coffee.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
We do not use / have seafood on the regular menu. If we ever use or feature, we use Coastal Seafoods as our purveyor, and yes.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Indeed! Tap water baby. Minneapolis’ finest.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Absolutely.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
We don’t use poultry – except eggs, from Larry Schultz. Love his eggs. They are hormone/antibiotic free.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
We use very little beef, and what we use is local and good.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Hmmmm… good question. We use LaQuercia, Berkshire, and Hidden Streams for our pork. All highest quality and pasture raised.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90 – 100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Restaurant design using mostly reused or recycled materials. Energy efficient lighting. Recycled paper products.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
65-70%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Effort bent towards sustainable, quality sources.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Hope butter
Larry Schultz eggs
LaQuercia pork
Berkshire pork
Hidden streams pork
Minneapolis farmers market produce
The Red Stag
509 1st Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN
612.767.7766
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes — vegan pasta, many salad options.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes – Shade grown, from Nicaragua; Roasted by B & W
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes – Wild Acres, Larry Shultz
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
75% 1000 hills
25% Dakota farms natural beef (grass fed, and then finished on corn for the last 90 days)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint? (Seeking LEED-CI certification, using recycled materials in the building or in daily use, using energy-efficient lighting heating ventiliation etc., conserving water, seasonal preparation, using chlorine-free paper products, recycling)
LEED Certification
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
75%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We make a special effort to only use fish that is in season, and sustainable.
We communicate with our distributors / vendors to ensure that we are purchasing from sustainable sources.
We have a Forager (working for all 3 restaurants) who helps source proper ingredients for us.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Dakota Farms natural beef
Fischer Farms Pork
Thousand Hills Cattle Company
Footjoy Farms
Dragsmith Farms
Wild Acres
Larry Shultz
Pastures A Plenty
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Sea Change
806 South 2nd St.
Minneapolis, MN, 55415
612.225.6499
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, Crispy Fried Tofu, Beet Salad
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Peace Coffee
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes, green rating
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes, purified, AquaHealth
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes (Swanson)
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Partial, i.e. Castle Rock Creamery
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
0% all grass/hay; natural, Creekstone Farms
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
0%, seafood restaurant
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
85%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
All to-go items recyclable/bio-plus, Purified water, Recycle bottles, cans, cardboard, Seasonal, local items
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
25%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
All seafood from 100% sustainable sources, fisheries
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Fulton
Summit
Surly
Prairie
Far North
Creekstone
Dragsmith
Bleu Mont Dairy
Castle Rock Creamery
Swany Flour
Compart Duroc
Seward Co-op
2823 E Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN
55406
612.338.2465
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
We employ a living wage model based on the City of Minneapolis’ living wage ($12.61 an hour as of Feb. 2015 — adjusted annually). An employee qualifies for the living wage after they have worked 2,000 hours at the co-op.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes. In addition to packaged and frozen grocery options, we also offer an extensive selection of vegan items in our bakery and on our deli hot bar & salad bar. We also have a large produce department and many of our bulk items are vegan.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes. We stock Peace Coffee, Kickapoo Coffee, Just Coffee and Equal Exchange.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes, this is our goal, along with the trust of Coastal Seafoods, and the support of local farms like Star Prairie.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes, although we don’t have servers, all staff are familiar with their department products’ origins.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes (Kadejan and Larry Schultz).
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
40% of sales – Grass Run Farms, 100% grass fed
60% of sales – Blooming Prairie Natural Beef, all pastured and grain finished (75% pasture, 25% grain)”
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Seward Co-op’s current store is a LEED gold certified building. Sustainable feature and practices include, but are not limited to:
Sustainable Site:
We have rejuvenated “brownfield” or dilapidated site.
The site is designed to capture and retain at least 90% of storm water.
We added 25% more green space to the site than zoning requires.
White roofing material has been installed to minimize heat island effects.
Energy & Atmosphere:
The building’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) and electric systems are designed to improve efficiency 17.5% above code requirements.
The co-op purchased “green power certificates,” allowing us to use renewable power, replacing 70% of the power drawn from the local grid.
Materials & Resources:
More than 95% of construction waste from the site was diverted from landfills.
20% of construction materials were made from recycled materials.
10% of construction materials were regional.
Indoor Environmental Quality:
Low volatile organic compound-emitting paints, coatings, carpets, adhesives and sealants were used in the building.
The building design allows for daylight to penetrate 75% of regularly inhabited spaces.
Automated lighting controls are sensitive to daylight penetration.
For the comfort and well-being of workers and occupants, high air quality was maintained throughout construction, and continues to be maintained.
All windows in work areas are operable allowing for fresh air intake.
Innovation & Design Process:
We initiated a “Green Cleaning” protocol, including the use of nontoxic cleaners such as anolyte and catholyte, to protect well-being of employees.
The co-op purchased a green-power supplemental credit (35% is standard; Seward purchased an additional 35%, for a total of 70%).
Additional data about Seward Co-op’s environmental impact can be found online: http://seward.coop/coop/scorecard/environment
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
In fiscal year 2014, 39% ($11,863,573) of total co-op sales were local.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We rely heavily on our P6 program in sourcing high quality products made by small-scale farmers/producers and cooperatives. The goal is to increase market access for small farmers and co-ops, build cooperative supply chains, and ultimately change the food system for the better.
More detailed information available: http://seward.coop/resources/p6
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
“(This list is not comprehensive. It does give an idea of the extent to which Seward Co-op strives to develop relationships with local producers store wide.)
Meat & Seafood
Grass Run Farm
Pasture’s-A-Plenty
Kadejan
Blooming Prairie Natural Beef
Produce
Featherstone Fruits & Vegetables
Gardens of Eagan
Hoch Orchards
Jack & The Green Sprouts
Riverbend
Wisconsin Growers Co-op
Living Waters Gardens
Barnard Orchard
Wellness
Wyndmere Nautrals
Bryn Mawr Soap Company
4 Elements
Rare Essence
Purple Prairie
Therabiotics, Inc
Growing Blue Flowers
Worker Bee
Dairy
Schroeder Milk
Hope Creamery
Westby Dairy
Castle Rock Dairy
Living the Dream Farm
Francisco’s
Bulk
Whole Grain Milling
Positively 3rd St. Bakery
Bread
Solomon’s Bakery
Rustica
New French
St. Agnes
St. Paul Bagelry and Deli
East African Bakery
Frozen
Snowpac
Sonny’s Ice Cream
Mr. Bean Pies
Down in the Valley
Home and Gifts
Wood from the Hood
Chrys Carroll Pottery
Velvet Bear Mosaics
Tru Mélange
Hatch Factory”
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
No.
Spoonriver
750 S 2nd St.
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.436.2236
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Not yet
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
All – Beef Lamb Ham, Sunshine Farms – Lamb, The Lamb Shoppe
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
All
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
All
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Recycle
energy efficient
conserving water
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
large part
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Over 30 years this has been my commitment, we have successfully found numerous good sources.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Sandra Jeans Organic Farm, past 25 years she has grown for us
Loon Organic Farm
Stones Throw Farm
Seed to Seed Farm
Burning River Farm
Brachers Sunshine Meat
Lamb Shoppe
Kadejan
Hope Dairy
Main St. Dairy
Local Cheese
Local Wild Rice
Whole Grain Milling
Coop Partners
Local Breweries for all beer
Strip Club Meat and Fish
378 Maria Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55106
651.793.6247
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
No
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes – The Nibbler (olives, almonds, fruit), Green Beans, Zucchini, Moroccan olives, mint, garlic”
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
No
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program)?
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes – Wild Acres, Pequot Lakes, MN; Hidden Streams, Elgin, MN
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
Grassfed beef only, supplied by Thousand Hills Cattle Company and Grassrun Farms
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
All
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
All
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
recycling, seasonal preparations, locally sourced ingredients
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
roughly 75%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Tremendous amount. Ethical production practices are imperative to our food preparation.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
612 brewery
Summit brewing
Flat Earth Brewing
Prairie Vodka
Marchant Brie Cheese (MI)
Hook’s Bleu Cheese (Mineral Point, WI)
Uncle Pete’s Mustard (Silver Lake, MN)
Tao Natural Foods
2200 Hennepin Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55405
612.377.4630
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
N/A but we would if we weren’t mostly a vegetarian cafe
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100% because we do not serve any!
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100% because we do not serve any!
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100% because we do not serve any!
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
All except seeking LEED-CI. We even used bpa free register paper.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources — please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Depends on the season – we buy direct from local farmers and other use Coop Partners – so our guess on average may be 50%????
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Every effort is put into seeking out what is the most sustainable way and has been for over 40 years!
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Harmony Valley, Gardens of Eagan, Hidden Streams, Jack & Bean Sprout, Riverbend, Larry Schultz Organic Farm, Living Waters Garden, Tiny Planet
Tastebud catering
920 E Lake St Suite 126
Minneapolis, MN 55407
651.470.1056
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes! We use compostable packaging for our boxed lunches, and use re-usable platters + dishes for our catered events. Our food scraps currently go to a pig farm for food.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes! We pay $15/hr for all kitchen help, more for on-site events.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes! We cater events for vegan, vegetarian + meat-eaters alike. All of our corporate boxed lunch offerings have a vegan + vegetarian option.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes! We only serve coffee at catered events, and it is fair-trade certified.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes! To the best of our ability, and client preferences. We do try to steer clients in a more sustainable direction.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes! When we cater on-site events, we use tap or purified water. We do offer bottled water with our boxed lunches, but purchase water in recycled bottles from local Clean Water Works, which uses tap water that has been purified thru a reverse osmosis system.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes! Our menus change frequently, but are all source specific.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes! We use Kadejan or Schultz poultry.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes! And we try to buy local when at all possible.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100% Thousand Hills Cattle Co.
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100% Prairie Pride Pork, Lucky Pig Pork
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%. we will not purchase meat that has hormones or antibiotics.
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We use a shared kitchen space at the Midtown Global Market to pool resources and reduce our impact. All of our packaging is recyclable, compostable or reusable. For delivery, we use Green Light Transfer when possible. They deliver by bike for reasonable distances, and by hybrid vehicle for longer distances/inclement weather. We also try to group deliveries to reduce impact.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources — please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
80-90%. We try really hard to use seasonal, local items on our menu. We also buy from local vendors, such as Produce Exchange, Co-Op Partners, Grass Roots Gourmet, Thousand Hills, etc.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We try very hard to purchase from sustainable sources, and work with our vendors to source products that they are knowledgeable about.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
SE Minnesota Food Network, Prairie Hollow Cheese, Kadejan (poultry), Schultz Farms (eggs, poultry), Shepherds Way Farms, Thousand Hills Beef
The Third Bird
The Third Bird
1612 Harmon Place
Minneapolis, MN 55403
612.767.9495
askus@thethirdbirdmpls.com
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
We have vegan menu items, and others can be made vegan upon request.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes – B&W Coffee
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes – we also adhere to seafood guidelines for Minnesota Fish Smart
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Hopefully!
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
All is. Suppliers are Shultz, Wild Acres, Hidden Stream Farm
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Local and hormone/antibiotic free
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
90%
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
90%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
All weather – have or are seeking LEED Certification
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources — please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
A majority, but we are not yet tracking percentages
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
There are many – please see the lists on our website
Tongue in Cheek
989 Payne Ave
St. Paul, MN 55130
651.868.6148
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
No
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yee
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes, the Vegetarian Delight
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes, Morning Star
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes, Bell and Evans
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes, Castle Rock Creamery
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
100% Grass Run Farms
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
We recycle all glass and cardboard. We use led and cf bulbs. Our outdoor lights are on a timer. All menus are 100% recycled paper.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources — please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
60-70%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Plenty of research and networking.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
See above
Trotter’s Cafe
232 N Cleveland Ave
St. Paul, MN 55104
651.645.8950
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
We wish! Eureka assures us we will be first on the list when they offer service in St. Paul. Personally, we do!
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes — all our full-time employees.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes — many. Also gluten free. Soups, sandwiches, specials, desserts.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
Yes — we use Peace Coffee. We also use Dunn Bros. on Grand Ave., the original store we’ve used since 1989.
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
Yes. (We use Coastal for fresh.)
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes — we have filtered tap water.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes — also, we have a board with some of our local suppliers.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
Yes — Emmanuel Byler — farmer. Or Whole Farm Cooop. Callister Farms — West concord.
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes.
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
Buffalo, 100%, other 65-75%.
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
95-100%. Chicken — Emmanuel — Amish farmer from Long Prairie. Pork — Beeler’s — Iowa.
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Coffee filters are chlorine free, as are brown bags. Energy efficient light bulbs. Used furniture and equipment — recycled wood floors, used fixtures. Always conserve water. Reduced or waste-free catering since 1989. Recycle all we can. Local suppliers. We offer 5% discount if you bring your own container since 1989. Donate all left over food to Peace House and Food Shelf.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
70-80%, depending on the season.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
As much as we can determine about the source we use organic and natural — we used United Natural Goods for dry goods.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Also: other Trotter’s events and commitments include:
Hosting community and neighborhood events.
Local art rotates monthly on the walls.
Locals night every Saturday, with live music and discounts.
Promote biking and walking to Trotter’s and elsewhere.
Employes donate over half tips to area (mostly) organizations.
Truce
1428 W. 32nd St. Minneapolis, MN
612.825.1684
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes – our entire menu is 100% vegan, raw & gluten free (fresh juices, salads, snacks, smoothies, & acai bowls).
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
n/a
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
n/a
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
straight tap water
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
n/a
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
n/a
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
n/a
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
n/a
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
n/a
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
All of our cleaning products are organic. All of our packaging is made from recycled plastic and/or is compostable. All of our food waste is composted. We highlight seasonal ingredients.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
The percentage changes seasonally – ranging from 20%-80%.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
All of our produce is 100% organic and GMO free and comes from Co-Op Partners Warehouse or J&J Distributing, both are committed to sustainable sourcing.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Gardens of Egan
6. Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
Yes, we offer bike delivery to downtown and uptown Minneapolis.
W.A. Frost & Company
374 Selby Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102
651.224.5715
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
All but some tipped
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
YES
Torchio Pasta
roasted pumpkin, mushrooms, spicy pumpkin seeds,
sage cream sauce, SarVecchio
Roasted Mushroom Flatbread
caramelized onions, crème Fraiche, SarVecchio, herbs
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
YES – Morning Star
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
YES – Fish smart partner
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
YES
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
YES
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
YES – Wild Acres
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
NO
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
40% – Peterson’s Beef
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
75%
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
75%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
recycling, 100% compostable to go containers, low energy lighting, local sources, planted our own organic garden,
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
80%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Apply same ethical standards
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Dragsmith Farms / Wild Acres / Hidden Stream Farm / Garden Farme / Fischer Farm / Love Tree Farmstead / North Star Gardens / Riverbend Farm / Footjoy Farm / Northern Lights / Upland Farm’s
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
Not Applicable
Wise Acre Eatery
5401 Nicollet Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55419
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes; all items can be adjusted per customers dietary needs. ex: beet hummus, veg sandwich, hash, etc.”
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
No. Kopplins
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
no seafood served
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
yes; we have a farm that owns our restaurant where all of our proteins are raised free range
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
All! Tangletown farms. 100% grassfed
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
100% year round
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
100%
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
all compostable products used in house, water conservation, seasonal preparation, recycling, energy efficient products used
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
94%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
All products that are not local must be organic/sustainable, or the product is not ordered
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
Tangletown farms
Fairbault cheese caves
Buffalo creek cheese
Red barn cheddar
Castle rock creamery
All local brews on tap
Harmony valley
Taylor butchery
AND MANY MORE!
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
no delivery available
ZULA
7171 France Avenue South
Edina, MN 55435 (Inside Byerly’s)
1. Does your establishment compost its biodegradable waste?
Yes.
2. Do all your employees receive a living wage? (Roughly $10/hour, as per the “Living Wage Calculator“)
Yes.
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes – all items are currently 100% vegan.
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
n/a (no coffee)
5. Does your restaurant adhere to sustainable seafood guidelines (green “best” or yellow “good alternative” ratings via the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program?)
n/a
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
Yes.
7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?
Yes.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
n/a
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
no dairy
Subjective Questions
1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:
a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)
n/a
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
n/a
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
n/a
2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?
Chlorine-free products, source as much local (everything) as possible, seasonal juice flavors and we recycle. We used to donate our pulp/fiber to a local fish farmer and we’re currently seeking other ways to make use of the scraps. All of our sampling cups are biodegradable.
3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.
70% in the summer/fall and only 10% in the winter months.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We only purchase 100% organic produce/nuts and we work with Co-op Partners Warehouse.
5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.
None currently as we source all produce from Co-op Partners Warehouse in the winter. They source from local. Last year we purchased from local organic farmers – many of whom are present at Mill City Farmers Market and/or Linden Hills Farmer’s Market. We haven’t determined which local farms we will source from this summer.
Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?
No.
Really love this idea and the very comprehensive questionnaire — great way to evaluate restaurants anywhere.
Awesome, awesome, awesome. So… when does it become an iPhone app or a microsite or special Heavy Table page or something so I can check on the go?
agree w/ Erica – where’s the app? fantastic info – can’t wait for other establishments to add their info
Yeah, I agree that this is a really neat idea – although I think that including all the surveys on one page will quickly get unwieldy with addition of more restaurants.
I’m still confused about the significance of the “?” and blank space on the grid. Tell me if this correct:
? – some people might consider it to answer the question; some might not
blank space – the restaurant choose not to answer the question
Thanks for the comments, everyone. Love the microsite/iPhone idea, Erica, I’ll chat with our site’s producer about it.
Christian, to answer your question — a blank spot is either a negative response or an unanswered question. Not everyone (obviously) can say yes to all the questions, so this lets us do a bit of comparison.
The ? is for questions that have been half answered affirmatively, or not thoroughly supported by evidence. Again, not every restaurant can thoroughly document or completely satisfy every question’s requirements, and that’s fine.
This Atlas is a starting point — for consideration, discussion, and further research — and with Y / N / ?, we are trying to quickly render a summary without overwhelming people with data, letting the full questionnaires answer stuff in more detail.
Hopefully we can continue to build upon it and improve it as we go. Thanks to everyone for the comments and queries. Keep ’em coming.
James Norton
Editor
The Heavy Table
Please be sure to include Brassa and Alma!
Ryan,
This is an entirely self-reported project — mention the Atlas to the folks at Brasa and Alma, and hopefully they’ll enjoy it and then fill out our questionnaire.
Best Regards,
James Norton
I’ll add that, while developing an iPhone app is probably resource intensive, especially for the short term, I think it could be similar to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium’s safe seafood app.
But I’ll take a microsite or mobile-friendly Heavy Table special page in the mean time. ;-)
And seriously, let me reiterate, I LOVE that you guys did this.
I can tell you why Linden Hills Co-op has a “?” in the Ethical Meat column–I’m the member services manager, not the meat manager, so I don’t know which of our meats are pasture-raised, which are grass-finished or grass-fed, and which,if any, are finished on corn. I was so excited about being included to wait until I could get the details from Tom, the meat guy.
Rather than say something that *might* not be correct, I didn’t answer the question completely. All our meat and poultry is locally-raised and free-range. Some is pasture-raised and/or grass-fed, and some is certified organic. None of it comes from CAFOs–that I am certain of. It might take me a few days to list which farms are which, as the question asks.
Many thanks to Heavy Table for doing this! At the co-op, we get lots of requests for restaurant recommendations, so this is a great help.
Jeanne,
I think you answered your own question here — shoot me an email when you’ve got a more detailed sense of the status of your various meat offerings, and I’ll be happy to update your questionnaire and the corresponding mark in the grid. Thanks!
James Norton
I’d also like to see the survey’s on a different page.
AWESOME! Is this for all of MN? Can we include southeastern MN? If I send this link to places down here and they participate, will they be posted? Pleeeeaaaase say yes! Can there be a “Greater Minnesota” section?????
Kendra, sure, go for it. If it’s drivable from the Twin Cities, it’s relevant. Thanks for your enthusiasm!
James Norton
As a person who’s interested in sustainable agriculture, I appreciate this effort.
It brings to mind the Minneapolis-based Green Routes project (a project of Renewing the Countryside).
Here’s a bit more about their project:
“Green Routes will help you discover small, unique businesses that are rooted in their communities; places to eat where the food is not only fresh from a family farm, but where you might bump into the farmers who grew it; places to have fun while helping to ensure that our natural and cultural resources will be around for many generations to come. Green Routes gives you a way to incorporate your values into your travels. It makes it easy to find fun and rich experiences and places.” – http://journeys.greenroutes.org/about.php
I am surprised by these answers… Having eaten, worked at or delivered product to all the places on this list it is frustrating to see the lack of honesty in some these answers. I fear that more and more the idea of local, sustainable and environmentally conscious food production is becoming a marketing tool rather than a matter of ethical business practice.
I’ve got to say, I’m not fond of the word “ethical” being used in this context.
Is it more ethical to eat at Common Roots, or at some immigrant-run place on Lake Street that might not have the resources for LEED certification or the money to pay a living wage, but still provides employment for new Minnesotans who might not yet have the English skills to work elsewhere?
Alternately, is it more ethical to spend $25 at Barbette or spend $5 at McDonalds and donate the remaining $20 to feed the needy? There are many ways to eat “ethically”, if that’s something one chooses to be concerned about.
In the way you’re using it, “ethical” seems to be an attempt to valorize the consumer choices of an largely affluent, educated demographic group. Not only do “ethical eaters” have better taste, you imply, they also have better values.
You have to try the coffee directly from my family farm, this is better than fair trade, shade grown. We are in mill city farmers market,kingfield, shoreview and st. paul winter farmers market. See the website.
Cafe Palmira http://www.cafepalmira .com Cafe de guatemala. DRINK DIRECT.
Please add Black Sheep coal fired pizza to the list of interviewees. Last time I visited their meat suppliers were not local but were small farm sources; they were very honest in answering all my questions.
Oh and Kevin M. Chill out and go eat at McDonalds.
John, since this questionnaire was completed, we have indeed found a local source for chicken and pork – through Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin, MN and we source free range turkey from Ferndale Farm in Cannon Falls. We continue to find ways to move more locally – more easily these days – perhaps thanks to the efforts of the food community to keep pushing for more!
The table hasn’t been updated since february??? I just started the whole Ethical Omnivore lifestyle, and it’d be nice to have a source that was a bit more up to date…
Totally fair point, Tyler. Part of the problem is that we hit a plateau of buy-in from the obvious local businesses, and we now have to go into enterprise mode to pry surveys out of people we don’t know about or who aren’t as interested in participating. But we’ll work on it.
I just sent the link for the survey to my favorite restaurant a couple weeks ago. I hope to send out more in the next month! This is a great resource and we need to let restaurants know it is important to us to have this info!
I LOVE this post!! Super interesting & helpful, and of course I REALLY appreciate you inquiring about vegan offerings. :)