Best UK ethical restaurant or cafe 2010: Riverford Farm, Buckfastleigh, Devon

Riverford Farm gets the readers' vote for quality and sustainability
  
  


WINNER

The Field Kitchen, Riverford Farm

"A bloody good restaurant," said OFM's Jay Rayner when he visited Riverford earlier this year. It's now literally a moveable feast, with a mobile spin-off, based in a yurt, having toured the UK this summer. At £17.50 for lunch and £22.50 for dinner, with family-friendly discounts for children, it's also proof that ethical need not mean pricey.

The Field Kitchen, Riverford Farm, Buckfastleigh, Devon 01803 762 074, riverford.co.uk

RUNNERS UP

LONDON

Acorn House

With a relatively new head chef, Acorn House is going from strength to strength. It sets the benchmark for sustainable restaurants, does catering for the Terence Higgins Trust and trains local people in the kitchens.

69 Swinton St, WC1X 9NT, 020 7812 1842, acornhouserestaurant.com

Clerkenwell Kitchen

Straightforward homely cooking, served by alumni of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage in Dorset and La Fromagerie in London. Ingredients are sourced from an impressive range of thoughtful suppliers.

The Clerkenwell Workshops, 27-31 Clerkenwell Close, London, EC1R 0AT, 0207 101 9959, theclerkenwellkitchen.co.uk

Franklins East Dulwich

Charming restaurant which uses very local produce – all vegetables are from Kent, mutton from Berkshire, and fish is hand-caught from British waters. They also have a lovely farmshop next door.

157 Lordship Lane, SE22 8HX, 020 8299 9598, franklinsrestaurant.com

SOUTH

Bordeaux Quay Bristol

A fabulously swish restaurant which just happens to be highly sustainable as well. Try for a table overlooking the docks.

V-Shed, Canons Way, BS1 5UH, 0117 943 1200, bordeaux-quay.co.uk

Food Dreckly, Tavistock

Whenever ingredients can't be found locally and have to come from overseas, this enterprising cafe, food stall and caterers makes sure that they're Fairtrade. They also work hard to provide a space for local artists to display their work.

Whitchurch Road, Tavistock PL19, 07789789745, fooddreckly.com

Folk House Cafe, Bristol

Lovely cafe where almost all ingredients are organically certified, and a certain amount are particularly local, having been grown in the garden outside. a pretty courtyard is open when the weather's up to it.

40A Park Street BS1 5JG, 0117 908 5035, folkhousecafe.co.uk

NORTH

Vinehouse Cafe Helmsley Walled Garden

Wonderful vegetarian cafe in the beautiful restored 18th-century gardens of Helmsley, using many of the fruits of those gardens as ingredients. Anything else that is needed is Fairtrade or organic.

Cleveland Way, Helmsley, N Yorks, YO62 5AH, 01439 771 427, helmsleywalledgarden.org.uk

Eighth Day Co-op, Manchester

Environmentally friendly vegetarian cafe and shop – all takeaway packaging and cutlery biodegrades – run as a worker cooperative for the last 40 years.

111 Oxford Rd, M1 7DU, 0161 273 1850, eighth-day.co.uk

Egg Cafe Liverpool

Light and airy vegetarian cafe, popular with an arty crowd, which also hosts open-mic poetry nights and has an attached gallery space for new talent to exhibit in. BYO.

Top Floor, 16 -18 Newington Buildings, Newington, L1 4ED, 0151 707 2755, eggcafe.co.uk

MIDLANDS

Alley Cafe Nottingham

Another arty meat-free cafe, this place is well-known for its epic vegetarian breakfasts.

Cannon Court, Longrow West, NG1 6JE, alleycafe.co.uk

WALES

The Tree House Aberystwyth

Flexible, mostly organic restaurant which aims to cater to most diets. They also have a food deli and a grocery.

14 Baker Street, SY23 2BJ, 01970 615791, treehousewales.co.uk

SCOTLAND

Urban Angel, Edinburgh

Trendy, unintimidating pair of cafes working hard to be conscientious about what they pay their suppliers, but also what they charge their customers, believing good wholesome, seasonal goodies should be available to everyone.

121 Hanover Street, EH2 1DJ, 0131 225 6215; 1 Forth Street, EH1 2JS, 0131 556 6323, urban-angel.co.uk

Bakehouse Cafe and Bakery Findhorn

Set in a beautiful village close to Findhorn Bay, this cafe serves bread and baked treats cooked next door in their organic bakery. Most produce comes from Moray.

91-92 Findhorn, Forres, IV36 3YG, 01309 691826, bakehousecafe.co.uk

N. IRELAND

Camphill Cafe Holywood

Part of the Camphill Community, a group which aims to help those with special needs, this organic cafe, bakery and food shop is a very friendly place for anything from a cup of tea to a hearty lunch.

8 Shore Road, Holywood BT18 9HX, 028 9042 3203, camphillholywood.co.uk

 

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