Even in the city with an reputation for being obsessed with politics and more than a bit uptight, you can find quality organic food in eco-conscious restaurants. You just have to know where to look.

Here are our top picks for green restaurants in the U.S. capital.

Coppi’s Organic Restaurant (U Street)
How it’s green: The Green Pledge on this bicycle-themed restaurant’s website outlines the steps they take to be green, including: sustainedly sourced fish, local organic produce, grass fed/free range meats and poultry, a wood burning oven, wind power electricity, and low wattage light bulbs.
1414 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009
http://www.coppisorganic.com/
Metro: U Street / African America Civil War Memorial / Cardozo (green and yellow)
Hours:
Sun: 5:00-10:00 pm
Mon-Thurs: 6:00-11:00 pm
Fri-Sat: 5:00 pm-12:00 am

Java Green (downtown / K Street)
How it’s green: Java Green, which bills itself as an “organic eco cafe,” concocts its dishes with organic and fair trade ingredients, uses wind power, “uses real chinaware to reduce the use of disposable containers,” and also offers “biodegradable serving ware and carry-out bags made from corn, sugar cane fiber, and potato starch.”
1020 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
http://www.javagreen.net/
Metro: Farragut North (red) and Farragut West (blue and orange)
Hours:
Mon-Wed: 8:30am-8:30pm
Thurs-Fri: 8:30am-9:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am-6:00pm
Sun: Closed

Sonoma Restaurant + Wine Bar (Capitol Hill / Eastern Market)
How it’s green: Like other DC area green restaurants, Sonoma prepares its food with naturally-raised, seasonal, and local ingredients. Its website also mentions using renewable energy, though it doesn’t specify the sources.
223 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003
http://www.sonomadc.com
Metro: Capitol South (blue and orange)
Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 11:30 am-2:30 pm; 5:30-10:00 pm
Fri: 11:30 am-2:30 pm; 5:30 pm-11:00 pm
Sat: 5:30-11:00 pm
Sun:5:30-9:00 pm

Restaurant Nora (Dupont Circle)
How it’s green: Restaurant Nora was the first American restaurant become certified organic. According to Nora’s menu (which is printed on recycled paper with environmentally-friend dyes), Chef/owner Nora Pouillon concocts her dishes with ingredients “from certified organic farmers and products who do not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, or GMOS.” Even the water is from the tap, filtered by their “special system,” which eliminates the environmental impacts associated with bottled water.
2132 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
http://www.noras.com/
Metro: Dupont Circle (red)
Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 5:30-10:00 pm
Fri-Sat: 5:30-10:30 pm
Sun: Closed

SweetGreen (Georgetown)
How it’s green: As its website touts, “not all ingredients are organic, but a lot are.” And according to a January 16 Washington Post article, the walls are made of recycled wood, carry out containers and utensils are biodegradable, and they use energy-efficient wiring.
3333 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007
http://eatsweetgreen.com/
Metro: Rosslyn or Foggy Bottom-GWU (blue and orange)
Hours:
Mon-Fri:11:00 am-9:00 pm
Sat-Sun: 12:00-8:00 pm

Bonus you happen to work on the Hill, you’ve probably noticed that your dining options have recently gotten greener. According to the Washington Post, under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Green the Capitol project even Congress is greening its lunch offerings, which now include sustainable seafood and organic, locally grown produce in the House cafeterias. They’re even using compostable plates and cutlery. Wait… is this the same U.S. government that has slashed renewable energy funding, chosen nuclear energy over the environment, and admittedly put on an international climate change meeting just for show?