New Sustainable Yogurt Shop in Redmond

Goosebumps. You know. The feeling you get when you learn of something in theory, take a liking to it, and then see it being played out again, and then again! Just thrilling, exciting, moving into the more sustainable future, goosebumps. The theory here being, that composting option can be effectively added to restaurant dining areas.

While many restaurants on the Eastside with the help of the city recycling teams have effectively added kitchen scrap composting to their back-end operations, it has not really hit the dining areas until now.

Over the summer, the discovery of my neighborhood Pagliacci's was the first ahah, this is how they do it moment. They make sure everything you would use, plates, cups are compostable and just have one bin to collect it all in. Easy. As a patron cleaning up after a meal, I can handle this easy clean-up.

Today, this new "ahah" place was recently opened ZOËYOGURT!

Originally opening the first Zoëyogurt in Green Lake, husband and wife duo—Donna and Tom Hudson—have expanded to the Bella Bottega Redmond location. As empty nesters, they needed a new project and after a visit to California, they realized that there were not any of these self-serve yogurt places around here. At the time, the Green Lake Zoëyogurt was one of the first self-serves in Washington.

Why 100 percent compostable?

"It's the Northwest," Donna said. "People are more tuned in. If you can do it, why wouldn't (you)? Yes it's more expensive, but in the long run it's the better approach to take."

How does self-serve work? 

Yogurt is sold by the weight, and the customer tailors the yogurt dish to one's ounce-by-ounce desire.

What do they mean by "real" yogurt?

"The term yogurt is not regulated and could mean that it comes from a powdered product and tastes like yogurt," Donna said. "Zoëyogurt comes from the Portland-based company yocream and is true and live active cultured yogurt. It comes from cows that are not given the rBST hormone and it is not sweetened from high fructose corn syrup."

How did they come up with the name?  

Zoë the family dog, who was happy enough to come from his bed in the back for a quick snapshot, with the owner's daughter.

Upon departing Zoëyogurt, a view of the neighboring businesses left me with a feeling of gratitude. All my favorite places now in a row. Thai—Irish Pub—French Bakery, and now to top it off and trailblazing in the sustainable sphere—self-serve yogurt! Goosebumps and warm cozy feelings all in one!