River Cottage

River Cottage is one of the most sustainable place to eat in the UK, according a recent report by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA).

River Cottage HQ, run by Head Chef Gill Meller at Park Farm, scored a hugely impressive 87% while counterpart Tim Maddams and his team at the Axminster Canteen notched 84% in the SRA’s comprehensive sustainability star rating.

Both sites achieved Three Star Sustainability Champion status – with room to spare, demonstrating especially good credentials in local and seasonal produce, healthy eating, waste management and responsible marketing - scoring 90-100% in each category.

Restaurants must provide answers and evidence to 70 questions under three main headings: sourcing, environment and society, covering everything from the provenance of their produce to how they manage their waste and energy, as well as how they treat their staff and engage with the local community.

“River Cottage doesn’t just talk about sustainability, it practices it too and its very high score reflects this," said George Clark, account manager at the SRA.

"We were particularly impressed with their steadfast commitment to sourcing produce locally and also their dedication to reduce the environmental impact of both sites," he added.

The SRA’s Star Rating system is becoming the industry standard and will be included in a number of restaurant guides from later this year. Already The Times restaurant critic Giles Coren includes an SRA rating as part of his reviews. 

The Sundays Times recently dubbed it the “Michelin Stars of Sustainability”.

The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) is a national not-for-profit membership association, providing restaurants with advice and support to help them navigate the whole spectrum of sustainability. We aim to make UK restaurants global leaders in sustainability.

The best are rated as One, Two or Three Star Sustainability Champions.

Visit River Cottage HQ | Visit Axminster Canteen and Deli