Kirkwood Cafe Gets Four Stars for 'Green Dining'

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The Magic House's Picnic Basket Café recently received certification as a four-star restaurant by the Green Dining Alliance for fully embracing sustainable practices and leading by example in the St. Louis region.

The Green Dining Alliance, an initiative of St. Louis Earth Day, is a program committed to working with St. Louis restaurants to reduce their environmental impact. The Picnic Basket Café is one of only two restaurants in St. Louis to receive four stars, which is the Green Dining Alliance's highest rating.

From the tables that are made of recycled plastic milk cartons to the use of vegetables from the museum's rooftop garden to the fun re-useable water bottles that diners can keep, The Picnic Basket Café is constantly looking for new ways to become more environmentally friendly.

Leftover food and trash are now all composted and all disposable products are either compostable or recyclable. The Picnic Basket Café also replaced old light bulbs with energy-saving LED lights and uses hand dryers in the bathroom to cut down on use of paper towels. Other green practices include green sanitizer and cleaning products, use of local vendors, native outdoor plants and even a hydroponic gardening system.

"We are really excited to be a part of the Green Dining Alliance as a four star member. As a restaurant in a children's museum, we want parents to feel good about the choices they are making for their families," says Café Manager Eric Pierre. "Knowing that they are eating in a restaurant that offers healthy food options and uses environmentally friendly practices is something they can be proud of."