Vienna Serves Up Virginia's Green Restaurant of the Year

PHOTO: Michael Amouri, owner of Caffe Amouri, Virginia’s Green Restaurant of the Year; photo courtesy of Town of Vienna

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VIENNA, VA -- Virginia’s 2015 Green Restaurant of the Year sits along the Town of Vienna’s Church Street.

Caffe Amouri, a small-batch coffee destination, was recognized last month through the Virginia Green Travel Stars Awards program, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, according to a news release from the Town of Vienna.

The annual Virginia Green awards program recognizes tourism-industry businesses that promote environmentally friendly practices.

“It’s important for local businesses to step up and do our part for the environment,” says Michael Amouri, owner of Virginia’s Green Restaurant of the Year. “I feel responsible as an individual, a father, and a business owner.”

Across the state, more than 1,000 restaurants, wineries and breweries, lodging facilities, and attractions participate in the self-certification program that establishes minimum practices for reducing environmental impacts of the tourism industry and raising environmental awareness.

A Virginia Green Restaurant abides by specific guidelines to ensure that its environmental footprint is minimally impactful. These restaurants reduce use of disposable food service products by using bio-based or renewable resources. In order to receive Green Restaurant certification, a restaurant must have a water-efficiency plan to minimize its waste as well as a plan to reduce overall energy consumption across operations. Certified restaurants also handle grease in an environment-friendly manner.

Other Town of Vienna businesses that have achieved certification through the Virginia Green Restaurant program are Caboose Brewery and Maple Avenue Restaurant, according to the Town of Vienna.