Uncommon Ground is the "Greenest" Restaurant in the United States

By Anthony Todd in Food on Dec 14, 2011 3:30PM

The Green Restaurant Association has named localvore pioneers Uncommon Ground the Greenest Restaurant in the United States. Among their hundreds of members (including 25 or so in Chicago), Uncommon Ground on Devon got the best score in seven different categories. Even more impressive? Their other location (in Lakeview) is the second greenest restaurant in America!

Uncommon Ground is one of those restaurants we keep going back to over and over again. Unlike a lot of "green" or localvore restaurants, Uncommon Ground isn't snobby, pretentious or super-expensive; they just want to be a great neighborhood restaurant with good music and tasty food. Owners Michael and Helen Cameron have shown that they are willing to put their money on the line for their values. Two years ago, they created the first organic rooftop garden in any restaurant in America, certainly a factor in their recognition.

The award comes after an extensive evaluation and certification. When a restaurant gets their initial endorsement from GRA, they have to go through a certification process that includes a whole laundry list of requirements. Each of these small categories, including energy efficient appliances, composting, solar panels, efficient printers, local food sourcing and more, go into the total score. If you're geeks like us, you might even read the whole list.

ABC7 did a segment on Uncommon Ground last night. Take a look.

Uncommon Ground is located at 1401 W. Devon Ave.