By Alexina Cather, MPH
The average fruit or vegetable travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate, consuming energy, increasing pollution, and contributing to global warming and poor air quality. Sourcing, purchasing, and consuming local food can positively affect the environment by decreasing emissions and bolstering local economies. Farm-to-table restaurants who source food from local farms increase local economies by supporting local farmers while reducing food miles, thereby ensuring fresher food for customers.
The New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College reached out to the following restaurants to learn more about how they source their food and how they are contributing to a more sustainable food system. Here is our exciting list of farm-to-table restaurants in New York City in alphabetical order, where diners can enjoy a delicious meal knowing that they are contributing to their local economy, encouraging sustainability, and helping the environment.
If you have or know of a restaurant that you would like to be included in feature farm-to-table restaurants by the NYC Food Policy Center please fill out the form at the bottom of this article.
Date opened: March 25th, 2010
Type of Food Served: Seasonal, Farm-to-table American cuisine
Best Known Dishes: Crab toast with lemon aioli; roast carrot and avocado salad, crunchy seeds, sour cream, and citrus; mushrooms, parmesan, oregano, and farm egg pizza; salted caramel ice cream sundae with candied peanuts, popcorn, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce.
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? 90 percent
Opinion on the Good Food Movement: Committed to offering a good food wage and sourcing local food.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: We have a committed focus to local, sustainable and seasonal produce that does not use pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides or GMOs. Our meat, fish, and dairy are locally sourced when possible, from humanely treated, pasture-fed animals free of antibiotics and hormones. All of our materials used in the restaurant including, plateware, furniture, and artwork in our dining room are consciously sourced using local, artisan, hand-made, and reclaimed materials.
Date opened: November 2011
Type of Food Served: Mediterranean
Best Known Dishes: Chicken, broccoli, pasta
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? 60-75 percent
Opinion on the Good Food Movement: Amali is committed to its mission statement.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: We pay maternity and paternity leave, paid vacation, health benefits, and a living wage in addition to sourcing sustainable food.
Date opened: 2012
Type of Food Served: Seasonal farm-based cuisine, American and European fare
Best Known Dishes: Grass-fed beef, whether it be house ground burgers or dry-aged steak, house smoked pork for pulled pork sandwiches.
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? During the growing season, 70 percent is locally sourced.
Opinion on the Good Food Movement: The good food movement continues to grow and spread offering more people healthier options and more local farmers the opportunity to make a living growing food and selling directly to eaters, the end users.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: We have spawned countless restaurants opened by former employees who carry these messages and food values further into the world, including Franny’s, Rosewater, Saltie, and Crossroads in Hillsdale NY, to name a few.
Bell, Book and Candle (BB&C)
Date opened: December 2009
Type of Food Served: Contemporary American
Best Known Dishes: Lobster Taco, Patty Melt Burger, “Gin & Tonic” Salmon
Own Farm: Yes, aeroponic garden system on the roof
Percentage of food sourced locally? As much as possible, in the growing season can be up to 100 percent from our roof.
Opinion on the Good Food Movement: N/A
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: The menu at BB&C is based on local, organic, seasonal, and sustainable principles.
Date opened: Lower East Side: June 2013, Williamsburg: November 2015
Type of Food Served: New/Urban American
Best Known Dishes: Pig Sandwich, Bao, Tacos
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? 100 percent
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: It needs to be more policed. People should not call themselves farm-to-table if they are only buying 10 percent of food from local markets.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: We are installing paneling on our roofs so we can produce our energy in our all-electric kitchen.
Date opened: 2000
Type of Food Served: New American
Best Known Dishes: Menu changes daily
Own Farm: Yes, Blue Hill Farm in the Berkshires
Percentage of food sourced locally? Most
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: I think we need to do more as cooks and eaters to move it forward and create a culture around the right kind of farming. In other words, how can we adapt our diets to meet the needs of nature? That’s going to involve some radical changes in how we eat, including moving away the protein-centric plate of food and instead allowing grains, legumes, and vegetables to take center stage. But I think we’re moving in the right direction, especially now that more chefs are celebrating those ingredients on their menus.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: The hope is that we’re going beyond simply buying local ingredients; we’re trying to create a model of eating that supports the entirety of the Hudson Valley landscape. That’s not really a new idea. The greatest cuisines in the world evolved to suit specific environments.
Date opened: Summer 2006
Type of Food Served: Seasonal American
Best Known Dishes: From our current menu: our steak-of-the-day (part of our whole animal butchery program), the Pan Roasted Striped Bass with smoked fennel, shishitos, fried mint, and, of course, our Farm Burger with French Fries and curry mayo.
Own Farm: We don’t, no, but we have long-standing relationships with several local farms.
Percentage of food sourced locally? As much as possible. Of course, this is harder in the winter months. Come summer though, pretty much everything.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: We believe locally grown and responsibly produced food enhances the economic and environmental health of our community.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: N/A
Date opened: 2010
Type of Food Served: British
Best Known Dishes: Oysters, rillettes, peekytoe gratin, Scotch egg; celery-root pie, cheeseburger, duck, scallops.
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? As much as possible
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: N/A
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: Local farms from New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts grace the list of purveyors at the Silkstone catering team’s seasonal British restaurant.
Date opened: 2012
Type of Food Served: New American
Best Known Dishes: Porchetta
Own Farm: Yes, in Columbia County, New York
Percentage of food sourced locally? Produce seasonally adjusts: In-season, 90% out of season 20%. All meats and fish locally sourced except for Organic salmon.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: It’s good for rural economies and our health.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: The open kitchen restaurant in Chelsea is an offshoot of Foragers Market in DUMBO, Brooklyn. All of our businesses have always had a mission to source locally first and out of area second. We have put millions back into rural growing areas in the region through our purchases.
Date opened: 1994
Type of Food Served: Contemporary American
Best Known Dishes: Smoked trout, roast rack of pork and braised belly or braised lamb shoulder, warm chocolate bread pudding.
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? Food is sourced locally whenever possible.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: N/A
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: Executive Chef Michael Anthony is dedicated to preparing seasonal dishes from ingredients purchased from local farms and purveyors.
Date opened: Opened as a small wine bar in March 2003, and expanded to the current 50-seat restaurant in September 2010.
Type of Food Served: Farm-to-table, seasonal cuisine.
Best Known Dishes: Chicken Pot Pie, Mushroom Pot Pie, Grilled Cheese, and our wonderful daily specials.
Own Farm: Yes, Green Table Farm in Washington County, New York.
Percentage of food sourced locally? 80-90 percent.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: It is vital to the health of people, our planet, and our local economy. Mary Cleaver, our owner and chief forager, has been a leader on these issues in NYC for many decades.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: We believe true sustainability in the catering and restaurant world is not only about where our food comes from – it’s about the whole food cycle from farm to post-plate. Our sustainability practices include:
- Composting and recycling in our kitchen and at every event
- Use of china and glassware whenever possible, and compostable serve ware when it’s not (no plastics or disposables are used)
- Recycling of cooking oils
- Use of environmentally-friendly cleaning products and recycled paper products
- We serve New York City tap water—one of our finest natural resources! We use an in-house purifying/carbonation system and eliminated shipped bottled water from our operation.
Date opened: November 2014
Type of Food Served: New American
Best Known Dishes: Beetroot tartare, Brussels sprouts, black-kale ravioli, roast duck, Frozen Lemon Fluff Honey.
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? As much as possible
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: N/A
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: The Tribeca eatery is known for its organic vegetables, free-range poultry, grass-fed meats, sustainable fish, and heirloom grains from local farmers, ranchers, anglers, and foragers.
Date opened: September 2013
Type of Food Served: Wood Oven American Cuisine
Best Known Dishes: Stuffed Meatloaf, Sweet Potato and Kale au Gratin, Brussels Sprout Salad, Veal Meatballs
Own Farm: My parents have a farm and I grew up in their locally sourced restaurant on their farm. It is in Washington, however, so we source from tens of local farms in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and Pennsylvania.
Percentage of food sourced locally? Over 90 percent.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: Fresh, well cared for ingredients not only taste better–they are proven to have higher nutrient content and lower incidence of possible pathogens. Additionally, as the world grows smaller, many companies are using it as an excuse to cut corners with product quality and traceability. I believe that one has the right to know where their food is coming from. I also believe in keeping money in the local community. My local farmers support local workers and their families, this in turn benefits everyone in our area. I look at local eating as “productivism” rather than as protectionism.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: The Marshal not only sources local food ingredients–our entire wine list is sourced from NY State wineries, our spirits are all from the Northeast (Not Kettle 1 or Grey Goose here). We also buy wind power from the grid for our electricity needs and we burn wood (not dinosaurs) to cook. Wood from local cherry and apple orchards that is replanted. Let’s just say that as the chef/owner of The Marshal, I can sleep at night.
Date opened: February 15th, 2010
Type of Food Served: Regional American
Best Known Dishes: Goat Cheese Gnocchi, Cauliflower, Speck, Nettles, and Parmesan; Raven and Boar Pork Chop, Grilled Torpedo Cabbage, Apples, Hazelnuts, Port Reduction.
Own Farm: We do not have our own farm but we do have a rooftop garden where we grow herbs.
Percentage of food sourced locally? On the food side, 80 percent is purchased locally, exceptions on things like sugar, coffee, citrus, etc.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: Our opinion of the good food movement is that it is good and growing and creating consumer awareness and overall healthier eating in America.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: We partner with several organizations outside of the restaurant to engage and participate in various areas of food and environmental justice, including Just Food, Wellness in the Schools, TedX Manhattan (now recently changed to Change Food Conference), and Morning Salon (Industry Leader Sustainability Conference).
Date opened: September 28th, 2012
Type of Food Served: New American
Best Known Dishes: Green Circle Chicken (French breed raised organic by D’artagnan) with Carrot Red Curry.
Own Farm: No, but we source from farms in Brooklyn when possible.
Percentage of food sourced locally? As much as possible, but it often is not given we are in the Northeast and there is limited availability of local products in the colder months.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: We run our restaurant with this always in mind. We want to serve the best, and that almost always means purchasing ingredients that are grown or raised properly. Anyone who cares about quality should be focused on these practices.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: Our menu is globally influenced but locally sourced whenever possible.
Date opened: August 2011
Type of Food Served: Innovative, inspired Chinese cuisine with a Greenmarket sensibility.
Best Known Dishes: Pac-Man Dumplings, Katz’s Pastrami Egg Rolls, Spicy Crispy Beef.
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? N/A
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: N/A
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: N/A
Date opened: 2008
Type of Food Served: New America
Best Known Dishes: The Bee Sting, The Millennium Falco, Sticky Buns
Own Farm: We have two rooftop hoops that are maintained by our gardener, and provide some of the ingredients used in the restaurant.
Percentage of food sourced locally? We try to purchase local whenever possible.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: N/A
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: The pizzeria in Bushwick, Brooklyn grows much of the herbs and vegetables featured on its pies in its garden, which is also home to beehives.
Telepan**
Date opened: December 2005
Type of Food Served: New American
Best Known Dishes: House-Smoked Brook Trout with buckwheat-potato blini and black radish sour cream; Lobster Bolognese Spaghetti with light herbs and shallot-garlic-tomato broth and Coconut Cake with vanilla ice cream.
Own Farm: No
Percentage of food sourced locally? 20-30 percent in the winter and 80-85 percent the rest of the year.
Opinions on the Good Food Movement: The food system as a whole needs fixing: from subsidizing factory farms to processed food in our schools. I would like to see a shift in subsidies to small and medium-sized farmers so they can grow diverse products, pay their workers better, and keep the land they grow on. I’ve realized throughout my career that if you start off with a quality product, you have a better shot at producing a quality product. Let’s better support the people that make this happen.
Interesting fact about how the restaurant contributes to environmental health, sustainability, and the food system: We started implementing Meatless Mondays at Telepan as a way to showcase seasonal produce in the area and to encourage people to have variety in their diet. It is just one day out of the week, it helps us be more creative in the kitchen, and most importantly, it gives people a chance to really think about what they’re eating and make healthier choices.
**Note: As of May, 2016 Telepan closed its doors after 10 years of service.
1 comment
What about Craft? I always thought they were at the forefront of that movement when they opened in 2001.