Did yesterday’s traffic and icy roads send you into a fender bender? @JavaTrain wants to make you feel better with a free beverage, @LocalDlish reschedules their new gluten-free bread delivery,@MSPmagEats recommends Lindey’s Prime for steak and hashbrowns, @CameoApples does the math on their apple yield per acre, and butter gains a new feline audience — the NY Post suggests feeding cats a pat of @Organic_Valley butter to prevent hairballs.
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.
Working with the advice of Danny Schwartzman of Common Roots, veterinarian Will Winter of Thousand Hills Cattle company, and Jane Rosemarin from Minnesota Slow Food, we developed a brief but wide-ranging questionnaire that local food-focused businesses could complete.
What you see below is a work in progress. We’ll be soliciting more restaurants to participate (and welcome your suggestions), and improving our answers as we obtain new information.
The grid that follows briefly shows which businesses have replied to our questionnaire. A Y indicates an affirmatively answered question; a ? is 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.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anodyne Coffee | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | ? | ? | ? | Y | Y | ||
| Barbette | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Be’wiched | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||
| Birchwood | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Brasa | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Bryant Lake Bowl | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Butter Bakery | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||
| Chef Shack | Y | 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 |
| Fire Lake | Y | ? | ? | ? | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | ? | Y | ||
| Fireroast Mtn | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||
| France 44 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | ||||
| Galactic Pizza | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | ? | Y | Y | ||||
| Heartland | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Linden Hills Co-op | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Local D’lish | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | |||
| Moose & Sadie’s | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | ? | Y | Y | ||||
| Red Stag | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Seward Co-op | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tastebud | Y | Y | Y | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Trotter’s | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
If you’d like to have your business included in the Atlas, complete a questionnaire.
Credits
Carlye Burd — Development
Ian Davis — Coding
Tod Foley — Design
Yvonne Wagner — Implementation
Completed Surveys
Anodyne Coffee House
4301 Nicollet Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55409
612.824.4300
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?)
we do not carry any seafood.
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
yes but also 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
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 — we get all of our meats from hidden stream farms. sausage, bacon , ham, beef, chicken, and any other exta’s for specials.
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?
we use all recyclable to go containers including coffee cups lids and plastic wear. most of the plastic items are made from corn. most of our cleaning products are very green. also we wash all dishes by hand to reduce water waste.
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 to 80%
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
We have many preveyors we go through just for this reason. co-op partners usually can help us out but if not we go to bix produce.
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 farms
southeast minnesota food network
tangle town gardens
whole grain milling
co-op partners
all summer long we go across the street to the farmers market for most of our produce.
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
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 around 90% 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“)
All employees are paid more than $10/hour
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes. Currently we always have at least one Vegan Sandwich (out of our five sandwiches). Tofu Scrambler & Vegan Granola for breakfast. Soups and Salads etc… We can also alter many of our items to make them began.
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?)
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 Coastal Seafoods and we trust them 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.
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 — thanks to Pat Ebnet at Wild Acres Farms
9. Are the dairy products you choose organic and/or hormone/antibiotic free?
Yes — we use hormone free local dairy from the Hope 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.)
b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
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?
We use natural cleaning products where possible. We recycle or compost most of our waste and minimize our non-recyclable plastic and metal use. We are taking part in Eureka’s Pilot restaurant composting program to show that industrial restaurant composting is practical and financially viable. We source local meat and produce which minimizes travel and holding costs. We use smart programmable thermostats. We use low power consuming rechargeable LED candles instead of paraffin fuel candles. We promote biking and offer bike racks for our customers. We support organic, local, fair trade and sustainable products and methods whenever 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.
60%-80% depending on the season
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
When something is not available local – we look for a suitable organic/fair trade alternatives from our vendors. We serve sustainable (organic, biodynamic and some fair trade) wine.
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.
Riverbend Farms
Featherstone Farm
Whole Grain Milling
Peace Coffee
Dragsmith Farms
Six Rivers Cooperative
Fischer Farms
Garden Farme
Hope Creamery
1000 Hills Cattle Co.
Donnay Dairy
Bullfrog Fish Farms
Shepherd’s Way Farm
SE MN Food Network
Surly Brewing
Lift Bridge Brewery
Flat Earth Brewery
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?
Yes – through Randy’s Sanitation and Hennepin County’s Organic Recycling/Compost program
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 baristas do not, but often through tip collection can come close.
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 vegan almond cookie, some of our sweet breads fit this category also, we serve a tempeh sandwich/ tofu sandwich that has vegan options.
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.
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?
Unfortunately, no. But the information could be found – and is available on request.
8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)
We do not serve poultry at this time.
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, we have organic milk available as a retail take out option – from Organic Valley.
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.)
Little/Unknown. We’re just working with Hormel / John Morrell meats. We’re trying to seek out a local rancher to connect with for this portion of our menu.
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?
We use only biodegradable / compostable to go containers and to go service ware. We use CFC’s whereever possible, 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”: 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 go almost completely local in the growing season – then about 20% outside of the season, fruits are primarily outside of the local area — overall — (and I’d like to work out something exact…) about 60 – 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 for many other specialty items relying on their mission to provide a high level of sustainability. I don’t currently seek out organic fruits – but at times we do choose to go that route.
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, Swenson family farm eggs (Hastings), Swany Mills, Eichtens Cheese, Blasers Cheese, Grasslands Cheese, May Farm (Big River Farms) Community Supported Agriculture, Turnip Rock Farm Community Supported Agriculture, Havlicek’s Happy Hills Orchard, Bushel Boy Tomatoes (Owatanna), Franklin Street Bakery breads, Westby yogurt
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“)
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
yes, very happy to cater to veg & vegans
4. Is the coffee served at your restaurant fair trade certified? (Please cite your supplier)
yes, when we serve 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
6. Does your restaurant use sustainable alternatives instead of bottled water — i.e. purified or straight tap water?
yes, purified 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, 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?
c. Hormone/antibiotic free?
85%
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….
Common Roots
2558 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
612.871.2360
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 — 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. we are currently looking for a better source of lox which is the only fish we use that doesn’t meet those standards.
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 work with a few poultry suppliers including Larry Schultz, Wild Acres, and Kadejan.
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 an on-demand 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 at http://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.
51.9% of all our food and beverage purchases in our first two years (July 2007 through June 2009), and 57% of all our food purchases (excluding beer, wine, and coffee). More details are online at http://commonrootscafe.com/TheFood.htm
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. 83% of all our food purchases since opening were local, certified organic, certified fair-trade, or sustainable seafood. More details are online at http://commonrootscafe.com/TheFood.htm
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. A map and profiles of a few of our farmers are online at http://commonrootscafe.com/ourfarmers.htm
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.
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)
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.
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.
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
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 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
Seward Co-op
2111 E Franklin Ave
Minneapolis, MN
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“)
Yes (full-time staff who have worked here at least one year earn $11.21/hour)
3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)
Yes (In addition to several 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 (Peace Coffee, Kickapoo 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
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, 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 Callister 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.)
100% grass-fed: 30%
90% grass-fed: 70%
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 new store is a candidate for gold certification in LEED. 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’ve 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 are made from recycled materials.
10% of construction materials are regional.
Indoor Environmental Quality:
Low volatile organic compound- (VOC) 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 have 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 has purchased a Green-power supplemental credit (35% is standard; Seward is purchasing an additional 35%, for a total of 70%).
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.
Meat: 100% of fresh meat is local (and 50% of lunch meat is)
Overall: in FY2008, 30.2% of total food sales were from local products.
4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?
Research is done to make certain providers share the same business philosophies we have. Last year, our board of directors created our Ends Statement, which guides day-to-day practices. It reads:
Seward Co-op will sustain a healthy community that has
- Equitable economic relationships
- Positive environmental impacts
- Inclusive, socially responsible practices
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.
Seward Co-op: Local Producers
(Note: this list is not comprehensive. It does give some 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
Hill & Vale
Callister Farm
Produce
Driftless Organics
Featherstone Fruits & Vegetables
Gardens of Eagan
Harmony Valley
Hoch Orchards
Jack & The Green Sprouts
Keewaydin Farm
Riverbend
Rock Spring Farm
Wisconsin Growers Co-op
Labore Farms
Living Waters Gardens
Barnard Orchard
Win-de Farms
Wellness
Wyndmere Naturals
SunLeaf Naturals
Bryn Mawf Soap Company
Therabiotics, Inc.
Lusa
4 Elements
Veriditas
Aurora Naturally
Enzymatic Therapy
Ames Farm
Claro Cones
Superior Herbals
Organic Grooming
Historical Remedies
Ionic Silverworks
Dairy
Co-op Partners Warehouse
Harmony Organics
Pastureland
Cedar Summit
Angelica’s Garden
Schroeder Milk
Hope Creamery
Westby Dairy
Callister Farm
Bulk
Whole Grain Milling
Positively 3rd St Bakery (granola)
Seward Café (granola)
Bread
Solomon’s bakery
Rustica
New French
Toast to Bread
St. Agnes
St. Paul Bagelry and Deli
Katar River Bakery
Frozen
Snowpac
Sonny’s Ice Cream
Castlerock Dairy
General Merch
Wood from the Hood (Cindy/Rick)
Mill City Music (john colstad)
John Coy (books)
Marie Olofdotter (books)
Parkway Pottery
Bright Sun Candles
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
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.
[20 Comments]
Loading ...
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.
[...] its launch yesterday, the Heavy Table’s Atlas of Ethical Eating has picked up three new participating businesses: the Linden Hills Co-op, Chef Shack, and Moose [...]
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.
[...] interview with this site’s editor on Simple, Good, and Tasty (featuring the backstory of our Atlas of Ethical Eating), plus my pick for grub at a last supper. var addthis_pub = "heavytable"; var addthis_options = [...]
[...] Heavy Table launches its Minneapolis-St. Paul Atlas of Ethical Eating, a detailed if noncomprehensive look at the steps local businesses are taking to serve up [...]