Evening Star Cafe's Rooftop Garden Up For Award

ALEXANDRIA, VA—If you're a regular at Evening Star Cafe, you probably know about its famous rooftop garden. At the very least, your taste buds will remember the delightful garden-to-table food. Now Evening Star is out to prove it has the "Best Chef Garden.

The Del Ray favorite is squaring off against DC's Garrison and Urbana restaurants in EdibleDC Magazine's contest. The magazine says the awards "spotlight farmers, chefs, gardeners, brewers, vintners and many more whose work benefits our community and environment."

According to the magazine, Chef Keith Cabot can sustain more than half of the menu with produce grown on the 1,360-square-foot rooftop garden during the peak season. He works with local gardener Jonathan Stark to have seeds planted off site and transferred to the rooftop garden once they germinate.

That results in a whopping 15 to 20 pounds of crops each week.

This approach brings fresh products directly to customers downstairs no matter the season. In the summer, offerings can include tomatoes, basil, eggplant, shishito peppers, shiso, purple long beans, Israeli cucumbers, and sour gherkins. The winter season sees an impressive herb collection of thyme, basil, rosemary and more. Throughout the year, the garden can sustain lavender and rosemary for cocktail syrups, thyme, thai basil, sorrel, cutting celery and hibiscus.

In addition, Del Ray Farmers Market's Together We Bake, a nonprofit offering job training for women facing adversity, is up for "Best Use of Surplus Food."

Del Ray residents can support their hometown favorites by voting through Oct. 1. The awards will be presented Oct. 16 at District Winery in DC's Yards Park.

See all the nominees and vote here.

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Image via R. Kennedy/Visit Alexandria