100 Ocean Friendly Restaurants in Hawaii
The only toes-in-the-sand dining on Kauai is at Lava Lava Beach Club. Daniel Lave photo.
In less than nine months, the Surfrider Foundation and its coalition of partners have certified more than 100 Ocean Friendly Restaurants in Hawaii. This statewide program, which kicked off on Earth Day 2016, recognizes restaurants leading the way in environmental protection by operating without foam and plastic.
To celebrate this milestone, Koko Head Café, one of Hawaii’s first certified ocean friendly restaurants, is hosting a fundraiser party on Thursday, Jan. 19 from 5:30-8 p.m. Acclaimed chef Lee Anne Wong will create sustainable seafood and vegan pupu, to be accompanied by Lanikai Brewing Company beer. Tickets are $20 and available in limited quantities at:
Ethan Page behind the counter at Little Fish Coffee. Daniel Lane photo.
“We are excited to honor those restaurants that are doing the right thing as leaders across the state, and soon, the nation,” said Stuart H. Coleman, Hawaiian Islands Manager for Surfrider Foundation. “With the success of our program in Hawaii and Southern California, the Surfrider Foundation will launch the Ocean Friendly Restaurants program on a national level in the Spring.”
Examples of restaurants certified in the program are 12th Avenue Grill, Mud Hen Water, Mahina & Sun’s, Bevy, The Nook, Blue Tree Cafe, and Kona Brewing Company’s Koko Marina Pub on Oahu; Tin Roof Maui, Maui Brewing Company, Honolua Farms Cafe, Maui Fresh Streatery, Market Fresh Bistro, and Choice Health Bar on Maui; Kona Brewing Company, Village Burger, Fish & Hog Market Cafe, and Sweet Cane Café on Island of Hawaii; and Merriman’s Gourmet Pizza, Little Fish Coffee, Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company, and Lava Lava Beach Club on Kauai.
Executive chef Mark Arriola of Merriman’s Fish House Kauai. Daniel Lane photo.
Restaurants participating in the OFR Campaign MUST follow these three criteria:
- No EPS foam (“styrofoam”) use; take-out food containers are recyclable (in your area) or compostable
- Only reusable tableware is provided for onsite dining inside restaurants*
- Proper recycling practices are followed throughout the restaurant
*Food trucks and take-out restaurants with no significant on-site dining are exempt from requirement #2.
And choose a minimum of three of these criteria as well:
- Plastic straws are provided only upon request or are replaced with compostable straws
- All take-out beverage containers are recyclable (in your area) or compostable
- Takeout bags are not made of plastic and are provided only upon request.
- Only compostable utensils are provided for take-out, upon request
- No beverages sold in plastic bottles.
For more information on the Ocean Friendly Restaurants program and its coalition of partners, the full list of 100 certified restaurants, and how to get certified, go to: www.oceanfriendlyrestaurantshawaii.org.
About Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots non-profit dedicated to the protection of our ocean, waves, beaches, and coastal resources through an engaged public activist network. Surfrider is fueled by a large group of volunteers who serve to work on issues of beach health, water quality, beach access, and responsible development. Surfrider’s Hawaii Chapters are proud to be working with the Maui Huliau Foundation, Kokua Hawaii Foundation and the Rise Above Plastics Coalition on Hawaii’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program.