Ecofficiency.Org loves food, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to seek out places from around OC that have made significant steps to help us eat positively. Eating local, seasonal, and organic food as often as possible is something we can all commit to doing. It is also an excellent step towards sustainable consumer behavior…one that will likely lead to more steps – which is our ultimate goal!
Orange County has a vibrant food scene, much of which has embraced the sustainability movement. Unfortunately, not enough people know where these places are. Until now. We recommend the following restaurants based on their actions to adopt sustainable practices…for food and beyond.
We thrive on feedback, so please, let us know what you think! We know there are many more restaurants that deserve mention here, so feel free to let us know who you think should be on this list, and what they are doing, so we can get them on board!
*Please see bottom of the page for our evaluation criteria.
Costa Mesa
118 Degrees
The Camp | 2981 Bristol St | Costa Mesa
714.754.0718 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
118 Degrees serves an entirely raw vegan menu. Raw food takes less energy to prepare, and every efforts is made to purchase local and seasonal produce. Energy efficiency measures have been built into the restaurant, and they have implemented a significant waste reduction plan.
AnQi
South Coast Plaza | 3333 Bristol | Costa Mesa
949.557.5679 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
An eclectic Asian fusion restaurant, Anqi sustainably blends the new with the old. Anqi sources as many ingredients as possible locally. They have instituted a comprehensive recylcing program, and have taken several measures to reduce their energy consumption.
Avanti Cafe
259 East 17th St | Costa Mesa
949.548.2224 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Avanti Cafe has been one of Orange County’s leading sustainable restaurants since 2004. They use local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible, and serve a purely vegetarian menu. They offer several organic wines, and they have been active in promoting sustainable food systems throughout the community.
Ecco
The Camp | 2937 Bristol St | Costa Mesa
714.444.3226 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Ecco is one of the new sustainable restaurant concepts at the Camp. Local, seasonal, and sustainable food is sourced whenever possible. They offer a variety of italian dishes that will appeal to everyone, and the atmosphere is relaxing and vibrant at the same time.
Native Foods
The Camp | 2937 Bristol St | Costa Mesa
714.751.2152 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
First of all, the Costa Mesa Native Foods is in a Yurt! Very energy efficient. Although they serve a completely vegan menu, you would be hard pressed to know it. Local, seasonal, and sustainable foods are sourced as often as possible, and they actively support a variety of sustainability programs.
Pizzeria Ortica
650 Anton Blvd | Costa Mesa
714.445.4900 | website | Profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Delicious Italian food prepared with traditional techniques (everything is hand-made) with fresh, local, and seasonal artisanal ingredients. Executive Chef Justin Miller personally shops at local farmers markets each week, selecting only the finest ingredients.
Taco Asylum
The Camp | 2937 S Bristol St | Costa Mesa
714.922.6010 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Taco Asylum uses all local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients whenever possible. They have incorporated several sustainability measures into the construction of their restaurant, and have implemented a comprehensive recycling and energy efficiency plan.
Taco Mesa
647 W 19th St | Costa Mesa
949.642.0629 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Taco Mesa’s food is amazing, but they have also replaced all of their styrofoam service products with sustainable options, and have installed CFL light bulbs on their patio to go along with other energy savings measures. Taco Mesa has always been a strong supporter of many community events and local charities.
Valhalla Table
The Camp | 2981 Bristol St | Costa Mesa
714.549.2960 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Not just for vegetarians! Valhalla Table uses organic chicken, beef, and pork in all of their meat dishes, and try to source local, and seasonal ingredients whenever possible. They have implemented a recycling program, and have taken several measures to reduce their energy usage.
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Corona Del Mar
The Crow Bar
2325 East Coast Highway | Corona del Mar
949.675.0070 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
The Crow Bar has made a wide ranging commitment to sustainability. Not only do they source as much local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients as possible, but they have implemented a significant energy efficiency and waste reduction program.
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Food Trucks
Seabirds
949.463.2473 | website
twitter | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
The Seabirds mission “is to promote a sustainable lifestyle by bringing convenience to high quality, healthful food.” They offer a 100% plant based menu, comprised of all “organic produce that’s as local as possible.” Seabirds makes a concerted effort to support and promote local farming.
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Fountain Valley
Xanh Bistro
16161 Brookhurst St | Fountain Valley
714.531.2030 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Executive Chef and owner, Haley Nguyen makes weekly visits to the farmer’s markets throughout Westminster’s Little Saigon to find the freshest and most flavorful organic ingredients possible. She is a fixture in the community, and has played an active role in bringing her Vietnamese culture to the rest of Orange County
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Huntington Beach
Duke’s
317 Pacific Coast Highway | Huntington Beach
714.374.6446 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Duke’s is an iconic restaurant in Huntington Beach, and as such, they really don’t need to do anything to attract customers. Still, Duke’s has been a leader in promoting and supporting sustainable seafood, local and seasonal produce, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.
Secret Spot
3801 Warner Ave | Huntington Beach
562.592.4494 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
The Secret Spot is laid-back, funky, and relaxing. They serve a wide variety of vegetarian food that even meat eaters will love, ranging from banana pancakes to curried vegetarian turkey. They serve locally sourced and seasonal organic vegetables as often as possible.
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Irvine
Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine
2607 Main St | Irvine
949.387.8887 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Andrei’s uses local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients whenever possible. This forms the base of their commitment to “Conscious Cuisine,” which includes recycling all oil and paper, and an energy redcuction plan. All profits benefit the Andrei Foundation to find cures for degenerative eye diseases.
Veggie Grill
University Center | 4213 Campus Drive | Irvine | 949.509.0003
Irvine Spectrum | 81 Fortune Dr | Irvine | 949.727.9900
website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
The Veggie Grill is an all vegan restaurant, that sources local, seasonal, and sustainable produce whenever possible. Their restaurants have incorporated a energy efficiency measures, as well as waste reduction plans.
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Laguna Beach
Sorrento Grill
370 Glenneyre | Laguna Beach
949.494.8686 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Inspired by the “farm to table” movement, local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients are sourced whenever possible. Sorrento Grill only serves seafood that has been approved as sustainable by the Aquarium of the Pacific’s “Seafood for the Future” program.
The Stand
238 Thalia St | Laguna Beach
949.494.8101 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
The Stand in Laguna Beach is literally a stand – very energy efficient – with one of the best patios in Laguna Beach. Their menu is completely vegetarian, with local, seasonal, and sustainable produce the norm, and they serve all items in eco-friendly containers.
Tabu Grill
2892 South Coast Highway | Laguna Beach
949.494.7743 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Tabu Grill changes their menu with the seasons, showcasing their commitment to fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients whenever possible. Their restaurant is small and intimate (which is very energy efficient), and it is packed with a variety of eclectic and reused furnishings.
Z Pizza
Multiple Orange County locations
30902 South Coast Highway | Laguna Beach
949.499.4949 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
The original Z Pizza is from Laguna Beach, and their overall mission is reflective of the community. Z Pizza makes all pizza with organic flour, pizza sauce, and all pizza boxes are made out of recycled cardboard. They even deliver pizzas on bikes!
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Newport Beach
Pita Pit
3305 Newport Blvd | Newport Beach
949.723.7482 | website | profile
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WHAT WE LIKE:
The Pita Pit in Newport Beach is committed to buying local and organic produce as often as possible. They have implemented a recycling program and energy reduction plan. Besides, eating a pitas require no silverware…err – plastic wear.
Sage
2531 Eastbluff Dr | Newport Beach
949.718.9650 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Sage has been an Orange County leader in using local and seasonal produce, meats, and seafoods. They have been a generous supporter of the Green Feast that is put on annually by the Ecology Center. They have also been instrumental in forming the Culinary Liberation Front as a way to promote sustainability.
Sharky’s Wood Fired Mexican Grill
21119 Newport Coast Drive | Newport Beach
949.729.1000 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
The mission at Sharky’s Wood Fired Mexican Grill “…comes down to three things: eating great healthy food; using fresh, natural and organic ingredients…and having fun doing it!” They use several eco-friendly service products, and all menu items can be made with grilled veggies or organic tofu.
Sol Cocina
251 E Pacific Coast Highway | Newport Beach
949.675.9800 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Sol Cocina uses local and seasonal foods whenever possible. They are also committed to using naturally raised meats, and sustainably caught seafood. They resolve to make sure that everything that can be recycled is recycled, and to reduce energy use whenever they can.
True Food Kitchen
Fashion Island | 451 Newport Ctr Dr | Newport Beach
949.644.2499 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
True Food Kitchen is committed to serving produce from local farms, hormone and anti-biotic free meats, and seafood that has been sustainably caught. Their menu is filled with several interesting vegetarian options. They have incorporated many energy efficiency measures, and recycle as much as is possible.
Z Pizza
3423 Via Lido | Newport Beach | 949.723.0707
2549 Eastbluff Dr | Newport Beach | 949.760.3100
website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Orange County based Z Pizza makes all of their pizza with organic flour and pizza sauce; and all pizza boxes are made out of recycled cardboard. Z Pizza is a great alternative to the traditional national chains.
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Orange
Haven Gastropub
190 S Glassell St | Orange
714.221.0680 | website | profile
WHAT WE LIKE:
Haven’s mission is to provide high quality, freshly prepared food at reasonable prices, maintaining purveyors of local or organic produce, sustainable seafood, and humanely raised meat and poultry as often as possible. Haven has also implemented an extensive recycling program.
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Evaluation Criteria
Our evaluation criteria and is based on the Ecofficiency Model for sustainability. The evaluative process and methodology was compiled with contributions from local food sustainability experts, and cross referenced with the two largest national restaurant certification systems.
We believe the national rating systems fail to adequately address the needs, or incorporate resources, at the local level; this is our way to actively promote local sustainable food systems.
Rather than using a points-based system, our evaluation process is qualitative, telling the individual story of what each restaurant is doing to promote sustainability. All restaurants are very different, and it isn’t always fair, fruitful, or even effective to require each individual restaurant to fit into the same quantitative equation.
Contributors:
Jesse Baker
PhD, Environmental Policy
Founder, Ecofficiency.Org
Gillian Poe
Founder and executive director of OC Food Access
Matt Perez
Executive chef at Duke’s in Huntington Beach
Founding member of the Culinary Liberation Front
Chrissy Gray
Co-founder, Ecofficiency.Org
Owner of Green Events
Morgan Greenwood
Program Director at the Ecology Center
Montgomery Norton
Paradigm Solutions Management
Kelsey Meagher
PhD student at UC Davis
Founding member of the UC Irvine Real Food Challenge
Sustainable Agrifood Systems Fellow, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, UC Santa Cruz
