Readers' Favorite Green Restaurants: Le Pain Quotidien

Le Pain Quotidien

Worldwide locations

U.S. locations include New York, California, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. 

Submitted by:  Reena Kazmann, Eco-Artware, Washington, DC

Even though this bakery/restaurant has world-wide locations, including my home of Washington, DC, I had never heard of it.  Reena says, "They use local veggies, bake nice bread (pricey but delicious, whole grain and it has a firm crust), and always have a vegan option." Their bread is made with organic stone-ground flour, salt, and water and is kneaded and shaped by hand and baked in a hearth.  Any leftover bread, which is of course baked daily, is shared with local schools, charities and nonprofit organizations. In addition to the fresh bread, the menu includes lots of pastries, organic yogurt and granola,soups and sides, quiche, tartines (open face Belgian sandwiches), and sharing platters with cheeses and Mediterranean dips.  Some locations also serve beer and wine.  Ahhhhh.  There is nothing better than some fresh bread, great cheese and a glass of wine...  I'm there already... 

When you visit them, you’ll notice the communal table where friends and strangers alike come together to break bread and linger for a while.  What better way to build community?!  Better yet, like all of their furniture, the communal table is made from reclaimed wood, which means no trees were sacrificed.  I LOVE places like this!  Their green-ness touches all apsects of their business!  

By the way, if you are perplexed about how to pronounce the name of this eco eatery, it is luh paN koh-ti-dyaN, which means "the daily bread."  It's a Belgian name and you'll get the hang of it soon enough.