May 6, 2010:
Boulder Restaurants Buy Close to Home
With films such as Food Inc. making the public more aware of where their food is actually coming from, consumers are making it a point to eat foods that are grown closer to home. These days, farmer’s markets are becoming one of the major sources for people to buy produce and other goods. Just take a stroll down the aisle of the Boulder County Farmer’s Market on any given Saturday morning and you can see just how popular it is to buy food close to home.
Committing to buying locally used to mean eating at restaurants was a no-go. However, an increasing number of Boulder-area establishments are seeing the benefit in offering food grown within the county’s limits. Some restaurants, such as the famous breakfast spot, Lucile’s, has taken it even one step further by planting their own extensive garden in Niwot. While this home-grown produce is only available seasonally, long-time Chef Mickey Samuels says customers really notice the difference. “What better local stuff can you get than growing it yourself?” he says. By taking advantage of a surplus of beets or a bumper crop of beefsteak tomatoes, Samuels is able to let his creativity run wild, resulting in some truly delectable dishes. One caveat: take advantage of them when they grace the menu as you never know what will be coming in the following week.
While some restaurants jump on the local bandwagon later on, places such as Sun Rose Café in Longmont, VG Burgers, and Modmarket in Boulder have made the decision from the get-go. While it is not always feasible to get 100% local produce throughout the year, due to Colorado’s limited growing season, businesses are doing what they can to support other local companies as well. Steven Carlson, who owns Sun Rose Café along with his wife Susan, mentions that they are only able to get about 30% of their produce from local sources in the winter, but this shoots up to almost 90% in the summer months. They also make it a point to support not just farmers, but also other businesses, artists, and artisans in the area. Carrying handmade cards, displaying artwork from the area’s artists, and selling gluten-free baked goods from nåeighboring Sweet Escape Pastries, it is clear that eating locally can expand far beyond the boundaries of the farm.
VG Burgers, a Boulder-based fast-food restaurant featuring innovative veggie burgers, has found a way to use a majority of local ingredients year-round. With the use of canning and a bit of strategic storage, owner Tim Garguilo has been able to stay true to his original vision. With regular visits to various farms, including Munson and Abbondanza, VG Burgers makes it a point to spread the wealth around as much as possible, even choosing to serve Oogave soda, an agave-sweetned beverage originally created right here in Boulder. This philanthropic attitude is also reflected in Garguilo’s decision to use all compostable products and to run solely on wind-power.
For these restaurants, buying locally while thinking globally is not just lip-service. Anthony Pigliacampo and Rob McColgan, the masterminds behind Boulder’s healthy, gourmet-style pizza eatery Modmarket, have had plenty of debates over carrying strictly 100% organic, local produce and having a slightly more expensive menu versus offering whole, healthy foods at more reasonable prices. Their compromise is to use local and organic when available while keeping costs down with wholesome, but no less healthy food that might come from a little farther away. “In the end, the planet is much better off by eating more fruits and veggies,” says Pigliacampo.
Whether wanting to reduce their carbon footprint or else as a means to create a more self-sustaining local economy, many restaurants in the Boulder area are favoring farmers’ markets instead of food flown in from all over the globe. After all, what tastes better than a juicy, red tomato fresh from the farm making its way straight to your plate?
Support these restaurants that support local…and feel good about your meal!
Agave Mexican Bistro and Tequila House, 2845 28th St., 303-444-2922
Ají, 1601 Pearl St., 303-442-3464
Antica Roma, 1308 Pearl St., 303-449-1787
Boulder Dushanbe Tea House, 1770 13th St., 303-442-4993
Boulder Organic Pizzeria, 1175 Walnut St., 303-999-3833
Brasserie Ten Ten, 1011 Walnut St., 303-998-1010
The Greenbriar Inn, 8735 N. Foothills Highway, 303-440-7979
Laudisio Restaurant, 1710 29th St., Suite 1076, 303-442-1300
Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, 2010 16th St., 303-442-1485
Lucile’s, 2124 14th St., Boulder; 303-442-4742 and 518 Kimbark St., Longmont; 303-774-9814
The Mediterranean, 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335
Modmarket, 1600 28th St. #1212, Boulder; 720-663-9440
Q’s Restaurant, 2115 13th St., in the Hotel Boulderado, 303-442-4880
Redstone Meadery, 4700 Pearl St., Unit 2A, 720-406-1215
Restaurant 4580, N. Broadway, Suite D1, 303-448-1500
Sugarbeet, 101 Pratt St., Longmont, 303-651-3330
Sun Rose Café, 379 Main St. Longmont; 303-651-3533
Tandoori Grill, 619 S. Broadway, 303-543-7339
Thyme on the Creek, 1345 28th St., in the Millennium Harvest Host, 303-998-3835
VG Burgers, 1650 Broadway St., Boulder; 303-440-2400
