6 SoCal Restaurants Leading the Way in Sustainable Dining

With concerns around climate change growing rapidly, sustainability has begun to—finally—take up more space in the thoughts of both consumers and producers across the culinary industry. Though greenwashing has become all too common in hospitality, SoCal is home to a handful of pioneering restaurants who pride themselves on being eco-conscious, despite the added costs that come with running a business while prioritizing the planet.

In addition to seasonal and local sourcing, which are two of the most important aspects of sustainably-focused dining, some restaurants have gone so far as to build their own gardens and beehives, allowing them to serve herbs, veggies, produce and honey straight from their backyard. While plant-based dining has an inherently low carbon footprint due to producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions, methods like wild-caught fishing and rotational, grass-fed grazing help reduce the negative impacts traditionally caused by animal agriculture.

In the past, fine dining has garnered a reputation for being unsustainable; however, top chefs like Michael Cimarusti, Nancy Silverton and Jordan Kahn are on a mission to change that. Michelin has even launched a Green Star, an accolade given to the most eco-responsible restaurants that demonstrate a variety of sustainably-driven practices and systems. From one of Montecito’s most celebrated beachfront establishments to a 100 percent plant-based eatery in Oceanside, enjoy conscious indulgence at SoCal’s most sustainable restaurants.