5 Best Sustainable Restaurants in Manhattan, NYC

5 Best Sustainable Restaurants in Manhattan, NYC

What makes a restaurant sustainable? While there are so many elements to becoming more eco-friendly, this list focuses on restaurants that include farm-to-table and organic fare.

Regularly trying new “hotspots” is one of the best things about living in Manhattan. You’ll soon find that certain restaurants stand above the rest as far as taste, service and presentation. New Yorker’s love amazing dining experiences! Here’s your cheat-sheet list of spots to try on your next vacation, compiled by a local. If you care about sustainable agriculture and our planetary resources but still have a lust for delectable delights, read on to discover the best sustainable restaurants in Manhattan.

Below are the 5 best sustainable restaurants in Manhattan. Want to go with me?

1. ABC Kitchen in Union Square

ABC Kitchen is not your average furniture store. In fact, it has its own high-end restaurant! The furniture store has a wide selection of made-in-America and eco-friendly items. This sentiment is echoed in the restaurant, which is of course immaculately decorated. But what about the food? Using a seasonal menu of awe-inspiring entrees, ABC serves up delicious plates served on a locally-made table. As everyone knows, transparency is key! Written on the back of ABC’s menu you’ll find more information than you would ever want to know about where your food comes from. The crowd is Manhattan chic with the slight chance of running into a celeb. This is a top favorite of the best sustainable restaurants in Manhattan. There’s an even more sustainable vegan version of this same restaurant named ABCV!

2. Rosemary’s in West Village

Rosemary’s has a great after work crowd which can be a rarity in the West Village/West 4th area. Serving upscale Italian, this spacious restaurant is usually pretty full and doesn’t take reservations. While you wait for a table, try a glass of wine and some small plates at the communal standing tables. Unfortunately no cocktails, but Rosemary’s has a rooftop garden which when harvested is used as supplemental ingredients for the farm-to-table restaurant. The crowd is is lively for a restaurant and the food is fresh and delicious.

3. Blue Hill’s Family Meal in West Village

The original Blue Hill restaurant is located north of New York City on a working farm. So you can be assured the plates at Family Meal are ultra-local and fresh! This spot is both an experience as well as a restaurant. Family Meal is a menu-less pop-up located in the heart of downtown Manhattan. Casual yet upscale, this is a price-per-head family dining experience. A seasonal set menu of locally sourced delights! Rest assured, even with the set menu, they can accommodate the following dietary restrictions: Vegetarian, Vegan, Pescatarian, No Gluten, and No Nuts.

4. Hearth in East Village

Wild caught fish, locally sourced ingredients and freshly milled grains. Hearth values quality over expediency. In Hearth is a staple of the farm-to-table gastronomic scene in Manhattan. Featuring a simple but elevated menu of American/Italian cuisine, it’s not hard to find a dish for everyone. The crowd is “conscious” and definitely encapsulates what it means to eat at sustainable restaurants in Manhattan.

5. Atera in TriBeCa

Atera is a Basque word which translates in English, “To go out.” On the pricier side, this is a 2-star Michelin restaurant. Atera offers a seasonal, continuously evolving tasting menu. For those with dietary restrictions, you must call ahead. The menu features very creative small-portioned delights aimed at stimulating the senses. Many of the ingredients used come from their hidden garden in the Tribeca sub-basement. This Manhattan restaurant doesn’t cut corners and even produces it’s own butter. It’s fine-dining featuring fresh and seasonal ingredients. You can also add the wine tasting menu for the ultimate luxury dining experience.

As you can see, the primary concern when choosing a sustainable restaurant in Manhattan is typically the sourcing of ingredients. Of course, being truly sustainable goes well beyond simply using local or seasonal ingredients. It means having strategies to minimize food waste as well as focusing on energy efficient interior design. Can you think of any sustainable restaurants in Manhattan missing from this top 5 list? What’s your favorite spot in NYC?

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