Ocean Friendly Restaurants campaign
Since 2020, Ocean Friendly Restaurants enables restaurants to be more sustainable. Thanks to 7 mandatory criterias and 15 optional ones, the restaurants signing this chart get a support to reduce their impact.
Using less plastic, avoiding some fish species, reducing water consumption… all of these criterias aiming at keeping our ocean clean and enjoyable for surfers and swimmers.
Most of the OFRs are located along the coast because that’s where our volunteer chapters are most active. It’s also where restaurants are most sensitive to water pollution issues.
Collab with I love the Seaside
This summer, during a roadtrip to Portugal, we followed the advice of I Love the Seaside, a surf and travel guide. We were so convinced by their good addresses that we contacted them for a collab.
Let us tell you a bit more about them. I Love the Seaside creates surf and travel guides that guide you along surfable shores and around the backyards beyond, connecting you with local people in the loveliest places.
Whether you’re a recurrent surfer or you just enjoy the ocean, you’ll find the best spots (restaurants, hotels, shops, surfspots) all around Europe.
If you want to discover their guides, you can check their website.
Our selection of restaurants
We’ve made a short selection of sustainable restaurants for you. Some already signed the chart, others are in the I Love The Seaside Guide and will sign it soon. We hope you’ll enjoy it. Bon appétit.
If your favourite place isn’t yet listed, and you think they fit the bill, do contact your country’s Surfrider Chapter to endorse them!
Denmark
Starting off in one of our most treasured surfing towns in Denmark, Nørre Vorupør. The tiny seaside village just south of Klitmøller, better known as Cold Hawaii, carries its own nickname ‘Nørre Vegas’. The Break Café offers coffee, smoothies, freshly baked bread and sweet treats, vegetarian and vegan food, cocktails, craft beers and organic wines. Find work of local artist on their walls too. Besides the mandatory criteria they reduce the packaging of food, starting at the provider’s chain and offer local and ecological dishes where possible, amongst other practices.
Holland
The Spot in Zandvoort is where the local waterpeople hang out. A perfect mix of watersport centre and beach bar, organizing and hosting events, such as Surfrider events and beach clean-ups. Their menu is varied, healthy and offers lots of organic and vegetarian options.
The Shore in Scheveningen and PLSTK Café in Hoek van Holland are both ditching fast food production and pre-cooked food, are completely (single use) plastic free and trying to source goods that aren’t wrapped in plastic from their suppliers. Chilled out spots if ever there were, The Shore’s right at the beach and has a surf school too, PLSTK Café sits in a unique location overlooking dunes and the sea right behind. The Shore hosts surf, music and community gatherings as well as Surfrider events.
Bula Op Het Strand is a breezy (kite) surf friendly beach club in Ouddorp, in the south of Holland. Expect a laidback atmosphere, tasty snacks and good vibes. They’ve their waste management and recycling sorted, no endangered species on the menu, organize Surfrider events, have free tap water on offer and lots more. The perfect hangout for a sunset beer.
France
Big fans of Brittany, microbrewery and brasserie Poèm in Brest, and La Carlotta Food Caravan in Penmarc’h obviously deserve a mention in this list. The latter has incredibly tasty vegetarian food, homemade with the use of biological and locally sourced ingredients. That, their outdoor setting, and a zero-waste management, make them a great value for the community and visitors alike. Poèm produces artisanal beer, sold throughout France, and serves delightful side bites with their beer tastings at the brewery. They recently started using a glass deposit system.
Code O in Lorient is another zero-waste gem in Brittany. They’ve speciality coffee and sweet treats on offer, brunch, and after work drinks. No plastic to be found, but a warm welcome and animal friendly options aplenty. Great spot for a late petit dejeuner in town after a surf at the nearby beaches.
Right at the beach in Mimizan, cantina and bar JÜNE stands out with their summery vibes and delightful sweet and savoury dishes. From vegan smoothies to falafel, and from not using any plastic packaging to using energy-saving systems, they tick all the boxes on our favourites list. This summer you were able to encounter a Surfrider volunteer who worked there for the summer.
Find food made with love, and clean planet proof practices at Maâbanana in Moliet-et-Maâ. This lovely spot near the ocean serves vegetarian and vegan dishes mostly made with local and seasonal ecological ingredients in the tastiest of manners. A go-to spot for early breakfast with a good brew, smoothies, juices, brunch, lunch or afternoon sweet treats.
The French Basque Country has waves aplenty, outdoor options galore and a dizzying choice of eateries, restaurants and bars. Maybe start off at Xuxu in Biarritz or L’Oeuf Poché in Bidart? Xuxu serves homemade vegan delicacies – special mention for their cheesecakes – and L’Oeuf Poché pours a delicious speciality cuppa and has a menu of cakes, breakfast and lunch. Both have more than the 8 mandatory recommendations sorted and do all in their power towards a zero-waste management.
While well aware this list is just an indication and there are many more out there that we could recommend. Don’t hesitate to check the other Ocean Friendly Restaurants on our website. We also have them on the Mapstr app on mobile.
And the Big Goal here is to encourage more and more restaurants to be Ocean Friendly, so if you have any suggestions, please endorse them!
Support Ocean Friendly Restaurants’ campaign
If you’d like to contribute to the OFR campaign, why not become a volunteer and join one of our chapters in Europe.
Do you know a restaurateur who might be interested? Contact us by e-mail:
