Big Bowl recently stopped serving bottled water.
From offering free, filtered water to spotlighting organic wine, beer and spirits, Chicago restaurateurs are serving more and more green-friendly drinking options to eco-conscious diners.
Some restaurants are forgoing the easy money of bottled water because of its environmental impact: plastic water bottles are rarely recycled and are often trucked vast distances to boot. Big Bowl recently made a splash by taking bottled water off its menu; Keefer's has been offering free, filtered Chicago water in handblown turquoise glass bottles since it opened in 2001, and continues the policy at its new Millennium Park spot, Tavern at the Park.
Reports on the national trend have appeared recently in the New York Times and Chicago Tribune.
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Meanwhile, organic wine, beer and spirits are finally seeping into public awareness. It's not surprising to see organic pizzeria Crust leading the pack with its beer and wine selection (including Samuel Smith Organic Lager, Lakefront Organic ESB and Aspall Organic Cider), juicy Rain organic vodka martinis infused with seasonal flavors (e.g. Meyer lemon–lemongrass, cucumber-mint, honey-bergamot) and cocktails made with organic juices from watermelon to orange.
At NoMI, sommelier Fernando Beteta recently added a page to his wine list highlighting biodynamic (Old and New World) and organic (California) wineries, and on October 2nd, he will host a Biodynamic Wine Tasting. More than 50% of the wines poured at Osteria Via Stato are made by winemakers utilizing organic and/or biodynamic practices. Eno's extensive list offers myriad sustainable and biodynamic selections; its flight menu even features the organically focused "Treehugger." And places as diverse as Cafe Matou, Uncommon Ground, Funky Buddha Lounge and Butterfly Social Club are pouring a growing number of organic libations.
– Alice Van Housen