What’s the City’s Greenest Restaurant™?Self-described “vegetarian bistro” Counter, home of the iridium martini, has become a Certified Green Restaurant™ (we’re required to put a ™ after that, or they’ll force us to drink iridium). Becoming a truly green restaurant in the eyes of the Green Restaurant Association doesn’t happen overnight, but Counter has taken the initial steps by using nontoxic chemicals, energy-efficient lighting, recycling used fryer oil, and using occupancy-sensing lights. Not all green restaurants seek the GRA’s blessing (take what might be the greenest of them all, Birdbath), but for good measure we broke the certified restaurants down according to their current ratings.
Openings
Former Home of the Whopper Now City’s First Certified Organic Restaurant
What used to be a Burger King is now Gusto Organics, which claims to carry organic certification from the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and the USDA. The restaurant’s business practices differ from BK’s in obvious ways: It recycles all of its trash and composts its food, the furniture is handmade, and the cleaning methods are environmentally friendly. But owner Alberto Gonzalez sees the value of the chain and wants a network of shareholders and six to ten franchisees, he says. Things are looking good so far — the place was hopping on Saturday night.
