With farmers, chefs, restaurateurs and communities uniting around the country to push the sustainable food movement forward, it’s only right that we do our part by taking a seat at an environmentally-responsible establishment. As Ami Shadle of Hartford’s Gmonkey Food Truck says, “It used to be that you had to seek out a farm, sustainable or vegetarian restaurant in a little back alley or in a town you don’t live by. We’re breaking those stereotypes.”
Most recently, Manhattan got Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery, but there are plenty of places in the outer boroughs and beyond that are worth the trip for that delicious bite of sustainability. Check out these seven new restaurants, cafes, food trucks and bakeries near NYC.
1. Tarry Lodge Enoteca Pizzeria | 30 Charles St. | New Haven, CT
1. The Connecticut counterpart to Mario Batali’s Tarry Lodge eatery in Port Chester offers up classic Italian dishes comprised of locally-sourced ingredients. “Using Connecticut’s own ingredients from farms and farmers markets is our first priority,” says general manager Michael Cirrillo. Such is the inspiration behind the rock hen al matone, a dish spotlighting the state’s native guinea hens. Grab a seat in the dining room or at the intimate pizza bar to catch some front-row, brick oven action. Cirrillo identifies the extravagant goat cheese with pistachios and truffle honey pizza as the most popular meal since opening.
How to get there: Take the Metro-North New Haven line to New Haven.
2. Artisan at the Delamar Hotel | 275 Old Post Road | Southport, CT
For Chef Frederic Kieffer, producing sustainable meals at the one-month-old Southport, CT Artisan restaurant wasn’t a discussion: it was a definite. “It is a simple role to play, to showcase local ingredients in our dishes,” said Chef Kieffer. “Not only is it healthier, but if we don’t, the farming industry will disappear.” Kieffer has accomplished this goal in his flavorful and popular offerings of tuna credo, homemade salmon gravlax and more. While Artisan is revered for its fresh, wild seafood, Kieffer also visits local farms to acquire dairy and produce for salads, pasta and more.
How to get there: Take the Metro North New Haven line to Southport. Walk 7 minutes to the Delamar Hotel.
3. Roots | 51 Wales St. | Rutland, VT
3. Since putting down roots in Vermont, this farm-to-table restaurant has been providing innovative, farm-to-table food to the residents of Rutland. Combining different, intriguing elements and flavors to create dishes like raspberry scallops and salmon with strawberry butter, Roots utilizes the wealth of sustainable farms around Vermont, such as the Radical Roots Farm and Boardman Hill Farm, to craft unique, eco-friendly food. Bite into Roots’ emu and pork sausage in a toasted roll. Or for one of Roots’ distinctive vegetarian options, give the stuffed squash with vegetables, spinach, and tofu a try.
How to get there: Take the Ethan Allen Express route on Amtrak to Rutland.
4. Gmonkey Food Truck | Hartford, CT
Not only do husband and wife duo Ami and Mark Shadle live on a solar-powered farm, grow and produce their own meals and keep their own bees, they are also the originators of the first ever vegan and vegetarian eco-conscious food truck, named Gmonkey. Running on biodiesel that they have self-produced from vegetable grease, naturally, the Shadles navigate Hartford, Connecticut providing locally-produced, sustainable meals, like the popular Grilled G cheese with pesto or Downward Dog burrito. “We sell superfoods, raw smoothies, juice cleanses, my cookbook,” said Ami, laughing. “We like to think of ourselves as a traveling medicine show.” Follow Gmonkey on twitter for updates on their location and daily menus.
How to get there: Take Amtrak to Hartford. Consult Gmonkey for daily location of food truck.
5. The Farm and Fisherman | 1120 Pine St. | Philadelphia, PA
Josh Lawler, an alumni of the cult favorite farm to table restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns, has returned to his home state of Pennsylvania to bring sustainable, local food to Philadelphia with the help of his wife, and fellow chef, Colleen. The seasonal menu puts Pennsylvania and New Jersey’s many nearby farms to use, resulting in delicious, locally-sourced dishes including the New Jersey fluke with heirloom tomatoes and grass fed hanger steak with pine nuts. With offerings constantly changing, in connection with the season and farm availability, visit the intimate, 30-seat BYOB restaurant frequently for a fresh, unique dining experience.
How to get there: Take Amtrak or Acela to the Philadelphia 30th Street Station. Take the Market-Frankford line to 11th Street.
6. All Good Bakers |160 Quail St. | Albany, NY
6. While Britin and Nick Foster’s decision to open the All Good Bakery was spontaneous, the logic behind it made perfect sense. “Last summer we started a community shared bakery. People responded well to it, and our intention wasn’t to immediately open a retail space, but we found a great spot and said, why not?” said Nick. Since opening this spring, All Good Bakers has stayed busy, with the couple producing everything sold in their store. Nick handles the savory, like the grilled vegetarian sandwich, and Britin the sweet, such as the popular vegan cinnamon buns. The bakery is open on weekends with weekdays spent planning the week’s menu and shopping at farmers markets.
How to get there:Take the Empire Service Amtrak to the Rensselaer station in Albany. Walk 10 minutes.
7. Kickstand’s bike brewery | Brooklyn, NY |
Sustainably-produced coffee transported to consumers via bicycles, could Kickstand get any greener? The one-year-old Brooklyn-based brewery on wheels that has been slinging cups throughout Brooklyn is now a cold-brew delivery service. Kickstand’s newest innovation, launched this summer, is a delivery service distributing a coffee concentrate throughout Brooklyn and in Manhattan between Canal Street and 34th Street. A 16-ounce bottle of concentrate will run customers $11, plus a $3 bottle deposit fee and $4 delivery fee. Additionally, Kickstand will retrieve used bottles. For sustainable, co-op produced coffee brewed right in the city, Kickstand is the bicycle brewery to beat.
How to get there: Contact Kickstand for home delivery, or visit 61 Local in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, accessible off the F or G, to purchase a cup.
Looking for sustainable options within NYC? See our Top Green Restaurants in Brooklyn and Queens, and The Best Vegan Restaurants in NYC and Beyond.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram