5 Must Try Restaurants in Old Town (delicious AND sustainable)
Two of the main things Fort Collins is known for and loved for are the cultural emphasis on sustainability as well as the city’s impressive number of restaurants. As one may expect, Fort Collins is a unique hub to find restaurants that prioritize sustainably sourced and local ingredients.
As a college student, I know that decision fatigue often impairs my ability to research environmentally conscious restaurants to eat at, and I often end up at the usual, easy chain restaurants. If that sounds familiar, and you are looking to branch out of your normal routine as well as want to make more eco-friendly choices, you’re in luck! Here is a quick list of 5 delicious and sustainable restaurants located near campus. Maybe you’ll even add them into your own restaurant rotation.
The Colorado Room
Located at the corner of Campus, on College and right off of Laurel, the Colorado Room provides many options of sandwiches, with gluten free and vegan options, as well as a variety of sides. The Colorado Room is full of comfort food that will give you a taste of what the Rocky Mountain State is all about.
The restaurant brings the mountains to you with their recycled beetle kill wood tables and friendly staff. Every dish is locally sourced in order to embrace and take care of Colorado.
Jax Fish House
Jax Fish House’s motto, “Bringing the Coasts to the Coastless”, gives you a general idea of what this restaurant aims to do. What most customers may not know is how harmful fisheries can be to the ecosystem and how Jax does everything in their power to counteract this. According to their website, Jax Fishhouse follows the Seafood Watch online program launched by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. They also have developed their own oyster to benefit the Chesapeake bay ecosystem as well as partnered with many sustainable organizations to make sure their practices are top of the line.
CSU student, Casey Terral, expressed that “being from California, the seafood withdrawal is real, but Jax helps with that so much. I love that I can go there and feel like I am back at home by the beach, and also feel good about what I am eating.”
Tasty Harmony
Whether you’re craving mexican, soul-food, thai, or a piece of cake, the organic plant-based restaurant, Tasty Harmony, provides a wonderful experience.
Started in Santa Barbara, California, the restaurant has always revolved around bringing healthy, vegan and vegetarian options to the local community. Being mostly plant-based gives the restaurant a head start in the realm of sustainability, but they go one step farther than that and make efforts to source their ingredients from local growers.
If plant-based food is a deterrent for you, trust Tommy Nelson, CSU Student, when he says that, “Tasty Harmony has some of the best vegan food I have ever tried. I could eat the jackfruit nachos every day of the week because it tastes just like pulled pork, but it doesn’t harm the environment!”
Authentic American Tacos
Tucked in an alleyway off of Laurel, the hidden gem, Authentic American Tacos serves delectable tacos, burritos, and burrito bowls. Their website says that they are proud to be a partner of Gold Climate Wise, and use sustainable practices in their kitchen and in sourcing their food. Authentic American Taco’s employee, Eric, said that they “use a ton of local ingredients that are all farmed within 100 miles of DGT.” Eric expressed that this is important because it limits the carbon emissions from transporting food long distances. He added that they also use compostable to-go containers, further limiting the footprint of Authentic American Tacos. From classic carne asada to flavorful Thai tofu, this taco joint doesn’t disappoint.
Restaurant 415
Determined to work with local farms, take care of their employees and customers, and stay involved in the community, Restaurant 415 is a bustling lunch and dinner spot. They believe in hand-chopping, fresh cooking and no short cuts. This classy eatery serves some of the highest quality comfort food in Fort Collins.
Supporting restaurants that are local and dedicated to the preservation of the environment is an easy task to move society in a more eco-friendly direction. By using your money wisely (and eating fresh, delicious food) you can reduce carbon emissions greatly and invest in a sustainable future of food.