Café Phipps Earns Prestigious 3-Star Rating as a Certified Green Restaurant
For Immediate Release: Mon., Aug. 9
Contact: Joe Reed | Director of Marketing and Communications
412-622-6915, ext. 3801 | jreed@phipps.conservatory.org
Café Phipps Earns Prestigious 3-Star Rating as a Certified Green Restaurant
Green Restaurant Association honors Pittsburgh’s premier public garden for sustainable food service.
Pittsburgh, Pa.— Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is pleased to announce that Café Phipps was re-certified as a 3-star Certified Green Restaurant® by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national nonprofit devoted to helping restaurants become environmentally responsible. GRA works with restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in Energy, Water, Waste, Food, Chemicals Disposables and Building. Café Phipps serves the Pittsburgh community by offering fresh, sustainable and inventive cuisine that is healthy for people and the planet.
As a longtime advocate for green building, restorative gardening and environmental outreach, Phipps raises the bar among cultural institutions when it comes to sustainability. Among its progressive practices, Café Phipps eliminated plastic disposables in 2005 and bottled water in 2009; grows produce in a green rooftop garden; emphasizes antibiotic, pesticide and GMO free, as well as local, fair trade and organic ingredients; provides vegan and vegetarian options; has an extensive recycling program; and composts all pre- and post-consumer food waste.
Going hand in hand with Café Phipps’ green operations is the establishment’s dedication to offering wholesome fare for guests of all ages. The public garden is especially concerned about safeguarding the health of young visitors, offering a children's menu that features whole grains, organic fruits and vegetables, and ingredients that are minimally processed, low fat and low salt with no added sugar. Additionally, Phipps eliminated junk food and sugary beverages, including soda, from the café in 2011.
“We believe it is important to walk the talk and be consistent with our values across all of our efforts,” says Phipps President and CEO Richard V. Piacentini. “Fortunately, we have a great partnership with our café partner Sodexo that enables us to implement the highest standards, and the rave reviews we get as a result prove that it is possible to be responsible while being successful. We couldn’t be more pleased with this accomplishment.”
Café Phipps is open daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. for dine-in and take out. Find the menu at phipps.conservatory.org/Cafe.
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About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a globally recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts more than half a million visitors annually from around the world. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.
Watch TEDx: What We Can Learn From an Old Glasshouse: A look at the evolving way we connect people to nature at Phipps, demonstrate how human and environmental health are inextricably connected, and show that to age gracefully, we must continually reinvent ourselves to evolve with the rest of the world.
