Surfrider Awards Novo as an Ocean Certified Friendly Restaurant!

The Surfrider Ocean Friendly Restaurants program recognizes restaurants that are committed to making sustainable choices for our ocean so that people can dine with peace of mind.

We’ve recently been honored the award of Ocean Certified Friendly Restaurant by Surfrider! Plastic is a serious problem before it even reaches the beach so there’s an incredible opportunity for those in hospitality to be a positive change in this global problem. Being awarded as an ocean friendly restaurant is a wonderful acknowledgement of the commitment we have to our mission to provide an excellent experience while minimizing negative impact. Achieving this is no easy feat - restaurants must meet 7 mandatory criteria plus three other criteria in order to be considered Ocean Friendly.

The more Surfrider grows our network of Ocean Friendly leaders, the more mainstream the concept of plastic-free becomes.

Here’s the criteria we meet:

Mandatory Criteria (All 7 Required):

  1. Only reusable foodware is used for onsite dining.*

  2. Paper straws are provided only upon request.** 

  3. No expanded polystyrene use (aka Styrofoam). 

  4. No plastic bags are used for takeout or to-go orders. 

  5. Single-use utensils, straws, condiments, and other accessory items are provided only upon request.

  6. Beverages are not sold in plastic bottles.

  7. Proper recycling practices are followed.

Optional Criteria (Choose At Least 3):

  1. A discount is offered for customers with a reusable item (e.g. cup, container, bag).

  2. Vegetarian and vegan food options are offered on a regular basis.

  3. All seafood is ‘Best Choice’ or ‘Good Alternative’ as defined by Seafood Watch, or no seafood is served.*

  4. Water conservation and pollution mitigation efforts are implemented.**

  5. Energy efficiency efforts are in place.***

  6. Concessions and pre-packaged food items are not sold in plastic packaging.

  7. Composting efforts are in place for food waste.

  8. Neither single-use plastic nor bio-based plastic containers are used for takeout or to-go orders, reusable containers are preferred.

Cafe Fiero