Kentucky Proud Restaurants! :)

I'm ready to pack up my guitar and move to Berea, my friends. Berea embodies all that I hope to have in Williamsburg someday-- community events, culture, sustainable practices, and LOCAL restaurant cuisine!

When I started this challenge, I had just accepted that I wouldn't be eating in a restaurant for 30 days. Until I read about the Boone Tavern in Berea. At first I was suspicious--sure, they say they use local products...but does that just mean tomatoes? Or tomatoes and corn? Or all veggies but not meat?

How's a girl to know what's really local?

I figured its worth a shot, plus I really wanted to meet up with my parents somewhere for the holiday...so I packed my back-up lunch of homecooked local food and went on my way.

The restaurant is a pure eco-friendly, locavore heaven! I grilled the wait staff on where the veggies came from, where the beef came from, where the chicken--all of it! So here's the lowdown:

All produce and fruit that can possibly grow in our area is local--except the asparagus.
The chicken is not local, but the beef and pork is.

And for your coffee drinkers? The coffee is as local as it can possibly get--its fair trade, organic, and shipped to Kentucky while the seeds are still green, and roasted Kentucky Proud especially for Boone Tavern.

I decided to go with the wedge salad:

...and it was fantastic. Doubly so because I didn't have to prepare it myself! :)

My adventure in looking for local restaurants turned up these places:

Lexington:

http://www.doodlesrestaurant.com/ -can't wait to try here!

http://stellaskentuckydeli.com/ - non-locavores rave about this place, but its closed on weekends so I haven't been there yet :(

http://www.goodfoods.coop/ - this is also a co-op market--can't wait to visit there!

Berea:

http://www.boonetavernhotel.com/

http://www.blackfeathercafe.com/

London:

...I've been told that "Reva's" uses local products, but I haven't been able to find anything online that says so...here's their address anyways:

http://www.menupix.com/kentucky/restaurants/1706189/Revas-Breakfast-and-Lunch-Co-London-KY

...and since I'll be in Cincinnati this weekend, here's my source for Cincinnati locavore info:

http://cincinnatilocavore.blogspot.com/

As I find more info, I'll letcha know! :)

~Mel