Even the grease is friendly
By KARA BASKIN | November 6, 2007
Rob Gregory |
REDBONES, despite the name, is one of the greenest restaurants in the city. The Davis Square barbecue joint, managed by long-time owner Rob Gregory, sets the standard for environmentally friendly restaurant practices. First, there are the bikes: Redbones boasts a bicycle valet, and according to Gregory, it's the first restaurant of its kind to do so. Instead of flipping your keys to the attendant and leaving a hefty tip, riders hand over their bikes and helmets — for free. The restaurant offers a locked storage facility across the street, specifically for bikers. Plus, everyone is welcome to use the valet, even if they're eating elsewhere. Gregory hopes to promote more bike traffic in the neighborhood, reducing exhaust and gridlock.Redbones was also one of the first local restaurants to make deliveries via bike. Should you choose to ravage your ribs in privacy, chances are your food will arrive via the "Rib Rider," a specially designed cargo bicycle, built by Holliston-based Alternative Needs Transportation. The bike was developed specifically for commuters, complete with lights and a roomy delivery basket.
And if those ribs are a bit greasy? Never fear. According to the Green Grease Monkeys, a group specializing in vegetable-fueled vehicle systems, Redbones's grease is the finest in town. They use Redbones's grease to convert diesel vehicles to run on waste vegetable oil, and Gregory hopes Redbones's catering fleet will convert to veggie vehicles by the spring. "I have a four-and-a-half-year-old and a two-and-a-half-year-old, and I want the planet not to get any worse," he says. Oh yeah, Redbones recycles all its cardboard, too.
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Topics:
Lifestyle Features
, Rob Gregory
