localflavor Magnolia Bistro says go green or go home

Author: Tamara Hilmes

If having a tree as its namesake was not quite hint enough, you need not look further than the Magnolia Bistro's 100-percent-recycled menu to realize that this cozy little cafe is dedicated to the "green" effort.

The Magnolia Bistro, located at 1 Lawson Lane in Burlington, is the only establishment in Vermont to be certified by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non-profit organization that is dedicated, according to its Web site, "to creat[ing] an ecologically sustainable restaurant industry." Magnolia Bistro has not only adhered to the 12 environmental guidelines laid out on the GRA's Web site, but has managed to complete 32 of the organizations "environment steps." These steps include everything from using energy-efficient lighting and "Recycled, Tree-Free, Biodegradable & Organic" take-out containers to serving up dishes made from "sustainable" locally-grown options.

"From the 100-percent recycled paper the business plan was printed on," the bistro tells visitors to their Web site, "to the biodegradable paint stripper used during renovations, to the use of LEED certified carpet and everything else you can see or touch in the restaurant, we keep the environment in mind first and foremost."

The restaurant's fierce devotion to the environment becomes immediately apparent when you first step foot into the exposed-brick interior that is covered in botanical-themed artwork, including a large mural of a magnolia tree. The fresh flowers that sit in the vases littering the cafe also infuse the space with an aura of Mother Nature that is difficult to ignore.

Once seated at one of the small and sleek wooden tables or at the bar, your attention is sure to be drawn away from the fresh decor, but certainly not from the bistro's green tendencies. The menu, even without the recycled paper symbol in the corner, reaks of the Co-op with such offerings as their Cinnamon Raisin Bread French Toast, described as "hand swirled organic cinnamon raisin bread in our own french toast wash" and their Homemade Granola.

Open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the week and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends, the bistro specializes in sumptuous breakfast as well as lunchtime fare - and their midday offerings are no less organically inclined. From the Tarragon Chicken Sandwich made from "free range chicken" to the "locally-marinated" Open Faced Steak Sandwich, the bistro serves up true Vermont specialties from morning til afternoon.

The bistro also caters especially to vegetarian and vegan patrons by marking animal-product-free items and by making accomadations for those that are unmarked.

Now, most Middlebury students know that being environmentally conscious certainly does not come cheap, but the Magnolia Bistro manages to keep their prices surprisingly low despite their use of alternative and organic products. A dish off of the breakfast menu will only cost you between about $6-$8, while all of the sandwiches stay around the $8.50 price range.

The Magnolia Bistro manages to stay true to its green roots while still providing a relatively affordable meal in a beautiful atmosphere - a task not accomplished by many. So the next time you are wandering down Church Street or waiting for a flight to arrive, you might want to make the extra effort and walk a couple blocks over to the Magnolia Bistro where you will be sure to find local fare at its finest.