They don鈥檛 call it Locals for nothing, as the popular culinary destination boasts one of the top local menus Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF) has ever certified.

Locals, dubbed Vancouver Island鈥檚 premiere food destination, earned Level 2 recognition for its extensive efforts to provide local quality ingredients and incorporate sustainability at every turn.

鈥淲e recognize that the best quality ingredients are those that are fresh,鈥� says chef Ronald St. Pierre. 鈥淭herefore, we source as much of our menu items as we can from local growers and producers.鈥�

And they do a good job too.

Everything from bison and rabbit to venison and duck grace the menu, along with a variety of vegetarian and seasonal favourites, all sourced within 100 kilometres whenever possible.

The building itself incorporates reused materials throughout, including a wine glass rack made from an old bunk bed and flooring made from recycled tires.

Beyond the art of making fine food, employees鈥� artwork is featured under energy efficient lighting, along with furniture sourced from a home nearby.

Creativity goes even further in terms of dealing with waste: a local pig farmer picks up compost daily from the restaurant.

鈥淎fter certifying environmentally responsible restaurants across Canada, it is an honour to return to my hometown to certify Locals,鈥� says LEAF president Janine Bolton. 鈥淟ocals goes beyond standard practices of most LEAF-certified restaurants by not carrying bottled water and serving OceanWise seafood, to really integrating community and planet-friendly initiatives in all it does.鈥�