Eat Out Ethically in Sydney

A post in my friend’s online journal yesterday got me thinking. So many of us buy free-range eggs and chicken nowadays, and even visit the farmers markets in efforts to eat more ethically. But how many of us ask safe staff where their eggs come from when we buy a cake with our coffee? And who knows where their chicken comes from when they order the coq au vin at our favourite restaurant?

I know most of us want support ethical farming practices, but it’s hard to know what you’re eating when you’re enjoying a night out. So I set about compiling my top ten of ethical dining options in Sydney. They take away the guesswork, leaving you to enjoy your food without the guilt!

Sole Espresso (13/330 King St, Newtown)
Sole stands for Sustainable Organic Local Ethical. This Newtown café uses coffee beans from sustainable farms, milk and yoghurt from a family farm in Picton, and a range of fresh local and organic produce. They serve breakfast and lunch daily, and tapas from Thursdays to Sundays.

Red Lantern (545 Crown Street, Surry Hills)
This award-winning Vietnamese restaurant is committed to ethical eating. It uses the freshest local sustainable and organic dishes to create contemporary Vietnamese cuisine, with the aim of leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible. Red Lanterns opens for lunch Tuesdays to Fridays and dinner daily.

Billy Kwong (355 Crown Street, Surry Hills)
Another Surry Hills institution, this restaurant owned by celebrity chef Kylie Kwong is as committed to ethical eating as it is to Chinese traditions. All signature dishes use organic and biodynamic produce. Billy Kwong is open from 6 pm for dinner daily.

Danks Street Depot (1/2 Danks Street, Waterloo)
Danks Street Depot is a proud follower of the Slow Food movement. It sources raw ingredients and adopts sustainable and ethical principles to create dishes that are not just nutritious, but delicious. The restaurant supports local producers and always serves up the freshest seasonal meals. Open for breakfast and lunch daily, and dinner on Thursdays to Saturdays.

Kawa (348a Crown Street, Surry Hills)
Kawa has a distinctly hippie vibe, from the long communal timber tables to its homemade specialties packed with organic ingredients. The organic chicken meatball sandwich keeps regulars coming back time and time again. Kawa is open for breakfast and lunch daily.

Etch by Becasse (62 Bridge Street, Sydney)
Last year’s SMH Good Food Guide Chef of the Year Justin North delivers affordable contemporary European cuisine with a focus on ethical dining. Most ingredients are sourced from local farmers who use only organic, ethical, and sustainable practices. Etch by Becasse is open for lunch and dinner on weekdays and Saturdays for dinner.

Organic Café (487 Crown Street, Surry Hills)
As the name suggests, this eatery is organic all the way. Those with dietary requirements are also catered for, with plenty of gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options. You can also top up your pantry here with organic breads, milk, eggs, coffee and more sold on site. It’s open for breakfast and lunch every day but Sundays.

Bird Cow Fish (Shops 4 & 5, 500 Crown Street, Surry Hills)
This bistro and espresso bar in cosmopolitan Surry Hills has earned Sydney Morning Herald hats for the last four years. Its award-winning cuisine is driven in equal measures by head chef Alex Herbert’s passion for cooking and the seasonal and sustainable produce sourced from local producers and suppliers. The espresso bar is open daily for breakfast and brunch, while the bistro serves lunch daily and dinner from Mondays to Saturdays.

Agape Organic Restaurant & Bar (1385-1387 Botany Road, Botany)
Sydney’s only organic spelt pizza restaurant and bar brings something different to Botany. It promises a completely organic and environmentally sustainable dining experience, which extends to the bar’s organic beverages. The restaurant is open for lunch Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and for dinner on Tuesdays to Saturdays.

Le Pain Quotidien (Bondi Junction, Leichardt, Surry Hills)
Le Pain Quotidien is a bakery chain which takes the environment seriously. It doesn’t just use organic ingredients whenever possible. It also uses reclaimed wood and recycled Gypsum for its eateries, you dine by energy-efficient lamps, and the stores are cleaned with environmentally-friendly supplies. The communal tables are a lovely touch.

Image source: Andrea Kratzenberg @ Stock.xchng