Choosing a tasty restaurant with solid sustainable practices has gotten easier in the last few years, especially when it comes to Boulder. Now the city has two restaurants with Michelin Green Stars, which denotes the venues’ dedication to zero waste, local ingredients, energy efficiency, and other eco-conscience practices.
Even without that distinction, Boulder has a handful of other sustainably sound spots to check out. From eateries with personal farms and gardens to whole-animal butchery to kitchens using all the scraps, check out some places where the Earth and its bounty is celebrated every day of the year.
Nose-to-Tail at Blackbelly
When you start getting awards for both your food and sustainable practices, you know you’re doing something right. Such is the case with Blackbelly, which took home a Michelin Green Star in 2023 and 2024. Chef Hosea Rosenberg has long won the hearts and bellies of locals and tourists thanks to the solid new American fare, intricate meat program, and fresh foods served at his restaurant.
“We have very strong relationships with our ranchers and farmers,” said Rosenberg. “We know exactly where every animal comes from and we seek out locally raised, organic produce.”
The restaurant’s meat is brought in as whole animals, butchered in-house, dry-aged, and served with its origin story. In addition, the team at Blackbelly recycles, composts, ferments, reuses, and commits to leaving the smallest impact on the environment possible. It’s not just the food systems supported here, also find works by local artists lining the walls of the restaurant. 1606 Conestoga St., Suite 1, Boulder, blackbelly.com
Farm-to-Table at Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant
Three Leaf Farm is the partner farm for Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, and resides just 11 miles from the downtown Boulder restaurant. Lenny Martinelli, owner and executive chef of the restaurant group that owns Leaf, Three Leaf Concepts, sources all seasonal produce from here. In turn, the fields of the farm get nourished with compost made from food scraps.
Repurposing leftovers is also a big part of the zero-waste program. You’ll see this practice in goods such as pesto made with carrot greens and bright salsas. Because of the menu’s seasonality, it changes three times a year to reflect what’s fresh and available. Pair any of the small plates or entrees with a glass of sustainable wine for even more impact.
The restaurant group also runs The Chautauqua Dining Hall, Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder, and The Huckleberry and Zucca Italian Ristorante, both in Louisville. 1710 Pearl St., Boulder, leafvegetarianrestaurant.com
The Chef and Farmer at Bramble & Hare
Another restaurant to receive a Michelin Green Star the last two years is Bramble & Hare, owned by Eric and Jill Skokan. The food program is unlike any nearby thanks to the Skokan’s vast farm and ranch land. Dubbed Black Cat Organic Farm, the 500-acre organic farm resides in select plots around Boulder, Niwot, and Longmont.
Not only does Eric cook the food, but over the years he’s become a farmer too. Everything growing for the restaurant is thanks to his, and his teams’, hard work. The farm provides the grains that get milled into flour. It grows over 250 varieties of vegetables, grains, legumes, herbs, and flowers. And all the pork and lamb on the menu get raised right there. Overall, around 90% of the menu comes from the farm.
The farm also helps with food waste thanks to the resident pigs, who gobble up leftovers. In turn, the pigs help in the fields by eliminating weeds, turning over soil, and fertilizing. Later, said swine may make an appearance on the menu, and you will know it was fed well and lived a wholesome life before.
Bonus, Black Cat Farm hosts special dinners on the property with chef Eric cooking a feast. Each reservation gets its own greenhouse to dine in too, making is sustainably special. 1970 13th St., Boulder, brambleandhare.com
Diet- and Planet-Friendly Fare at Zeal
Zeal’s main motto is to, “serve food that is as kind to your body as it is to the planet,” which means you’ll find dishes both nourishing to eat and to the land as well. Wayde Jester founded the casual restaurant with the aim to source local, organic, and whole ingredients whenever possible. The menu includes plentiful options for folks who are gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian, while also still serving beef from nearby Buckner Family Farm. 3101 Pearl Pkwy., Boulder; zealfood.com
Lowering the Carbon Footprint at Stella’s Cucina
In 2023 Stella’s Cucina opened just off Pearl Street in downtown Boulder. The co-owners, Stella Spanu and Jason Fibel, ensure the restaurant sticks to Spanu’s Italian roots and aligns with the team’s drive for a sustainable culinary philosophy.
“We work with nearby farms as much as possible throughout the year to source fresh ingredients,” Fibel said, mentioning Esoterra Farms, Masa Seed Foundation, and Cure Organic Farm. “This lowers our carbon footprint, stimulates our local economy, and creates unique stories behind each dish.”
Chef Piersimone D’Anna uses scraps of veggies to make purees and coulis. Bones from proteins go in the pot to make stocks. Then, to stretch the season further, the chef pickles or ferments produce. Because of all this, Stella’s menu rotates with the season. Eventually Stella’s will be able to use its own veggies, too.
“We have an initiative to start growing much of our own produce,” Fibel said. “By utilizing hydroponic vertical growing towers, we plan on having the freshest ingredients possible grown right here.” 1123 Walnut St., Boulder, stellascucina.com
Grain-to-Pizza at Basta
The Michelin Bib Gourmand award-winner Basta is just one part of the eco-focused Id Est Hospitality group, which has six other establishments including the Michelin-starred The Wolf’s Tailor and Bruto in Denver. Dry Storage is the group’s other Boulder venture and works as a mill, bakery, and coffee shop.
“At Basta, and all of our Id Est concepts, sustainability is non-negotiable,” chef and owner Kelly Whitaker said. “We’ve always believed in a full-utilization, purposeful sourcing philosophy. One of the core elements of our kitchen is flour. Not just any flour, but the grains we get through Dry Storage, our own mill, and grain supply company here in Colorado.”
At Basta the small and fresh menu includes its signature wood-fired pizza, such as The OG Cart Pizza, with kale, pork sausage, chili flakes, mozzarella, and fennel pollen. We’re also a fan of the clam pizza. All of Basta’s crusts and pasta get made with flour milled at Dry Storage, which in turn receives grains from regenerative farmers across the region.
“We are supporting soil health, biodiversity, and local economies all at once,” Whitaker added. “It’s about stewardship of land, of culture, and of craft.” 3601 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, bastaboulder.com
