Snail of Approval Winners
The Snail of Approval is a designation given to food growers, makers and producers, restaurants, and bars that are committed to bringing good, clean, and fair food and beverages to their communities.
Check out the listings below to learn about the amazing businesses in our community!
You can access our Snail of Approval Winner Map here.
District of Columbia Snail of Approval Winners
2 Amys is a bustling wood-oven pizzeria serving innovative Neapolitan-style pies, bistro dishes, and Italian wine by the glass.
Ama is a mission-driven, all-day dining destination dedicated to the nourishment of its guests, its community and its planet. Led by wife-and-husband duo Johanna Hellrigl & Micah Wilder, Ama becomes an energetic aperitivo bar over the course of the afternoon and convivial ristorante by night. The result is a warm and transportive community anchor celebrating the joyful simplicities of Italian culture meant for every mood and moment.
Al Tiramisu serves classic Italian cuisine, sourcing the best seasonal ingredients available to produce the most authentic Italian fare possible.
ANXO Cider (pronounced Ahn-Cho) is a Washington, DC based craft cidery inspired by centuries of American and European cider making culture.
BannerBee is a third generation beekeeping company that produces small batch artisan honeys from our apiaries in the region. Our commitment is to quality over quantity, respecting the terroir that our bees forage and nourishing the minds + bodies of our community.
Big Bear Cafe is a new American restaurant with a casual interior and patio serving breakfast, lunch, and candlelit dinners.
Creative preparations of sustainable seafood served in an upscale tavern with take-out fish market.
Blue Duck Tavern captures the region’s natural bounty and culinary traditions with a market-based menu featuring local farms and purveyors.
Bold Fork Books is Washington DC's only culinary bookshop, featuring new and vintage cookbooks and elevated kitchen wares.
Buck's Fishing & Camping is a rustic camping-themed restaurant serving a seasonal menu of upscale, seasonal American fare.
Busboys and Poets is a cultural hub where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted. Full-service restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and bookstore with events spaces. Locations in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland.
Centrolina offers seasonal Italian fare, such as handmade pastas served in sleek, bright digs with an on-site market.
Chaia Tacos is an unconventional taco shop serving insanely delicious tacos made entirely with vegetables. Locations in Georgetown and Chinatown.
Chinese Street Market makes traditional Chinese grocery items, including noodles, sauces, dumplings, and frozen meal kits under their brand Dan Dan Boy, and sells freshly made regional Chinese dishes at their Union Market stall with the same name.
City-State makes beer that celebrates DC’s history and culture. They live the District’s values in everything they do, including in how they brew. They source all of their grain from within two hundred miles of DC, and only use fruit that is grown in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Common Good City Farm is a place where community members can source fresh food, see sustainable urban agriculture in action, and gain exposure to concepts and skills to lead healthy lives. Our mission is to create a vibrant, informed, and well-nourished community through urban farming.
Cultivate the City is an urban farming company based in Washington DC. We manage a network of sites, including restaurant gardens, corporate and municipal green spaces, school gardens, a retail garden center and a rooftop farm at Nationals Park.
The Dabney sources food from the mid-Atlantic's finest farms and purveyors to showcase the quality and diversity of the ingredients and the wonderful people who raise, grow and produce them. Meals are cooked over embers in a wood-burning hearth.
DC Brau is a craft brewery offering free tours and tastings, as well as growler fills.
Dolcezza makes old-world gelato crafted with locally sourced ingredients. Locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Don Ciccio & Figli craft a range of Italian liqueurs, from the bitter to the sweet. Born in the old country in 1883, now reborn in USA.
Each Peach Market exists to celebrate the love of good food and to inspire the community to share this bounty with neighbors, family and friends. They offer a warm friendly shopping experience that highlights an abundance of fresh, high quality sustainable and local products that nurture and nourish their team and community.
Earth Spring Farm is a family-owned and operated farm that specializes in naturally grown non-GMO produce, pastured eggs, and healthy soil. They grow a variety of fruits and vegetables from Pennsylvania heirlooms to more rare specialities, including a particular focus in growing and educating their customer base on Asian vegetable varietals.
Eat & Smile Catering is the first and original locally sourced caterer in the Washington, DC area, with strong support of local farmers, bakers, cheesemakers, fisherfolk, and other producers. Their meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, and bread are purchased from farmers within 175 miles of the city.
Equinox focuses on upscale New American dining, featuring locally sourced, seasonal dishes in modern surrounds.
FishScale prepares delicious burgers sourced from sustainable wild fish in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. They take arduous strides to know the origin of the fish they serve and how it was caught. They eschew farmed raised fish and conventionally grown foods, purchasing their fish fresh every day to filet and make their burgers in house daily, with no fillers. Even their house-made condiments are made from organic produce and ingredients.
FRESHFARM is a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and improves food access and equity in the Mid-Atlantic region. Operates producer-only markets in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Ice Cream Jubilee is made by friends in Washington, DC with premium local cream. Find them in The Yards by Nationals Park, 14th and T Street NW, or at Ballston Commons in Arlington, Virginia.
Little Sesame set out to build something different—to serve food that’s good for you, and good for the planet. They want to make hummus the everyday plant-based protein and believe that growing, cooking, and eating climate-friendly food is the best way we can care for our planet.
Maketto is a 6,000 sqft communal marketplace located in Washington DC, combining retail, restaurant, bar, and cafe experiences. Its mission is to build trust and community through quality, consistency, and accessibility. Besides a small collection of shelf-stable products that need to be imported from overseas, almost everything needed to run the Maketto restaurant is grown by producers in this region, from lemongrass to turmeric to soy sauce.
Miriam's Kitchen is a nonprofit working to end chronic (long-term) and veteran homelessness in our nation's capital. All of their meals are made with fresh, healthy ingredients, and the kitchen runs a strong local gleaning program.
MOM's Organic Market is a local organic grocery chain, with locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Nido is a neighborhood specialty wine and food market in Mt. Pleasant. They offer almost exclusively natural, organic, sustainable, or biodynamic wines, from small family-run, women-run, or bipoc led wineries.
Oyster Oyster is a plant-forward restaurant offering seasonal menus that highlight the bounty of the Mid-Atlantic with farms who share their ethos for stewardship, environmentally beneficial oysters from the Chesapeake, and locally foraged mushrooms. Oyster Oyster’s main focus is sustainability.
Poplar is a ‘hyper-seasonal’ restaurant that features foraged ingredients Spring through Fall and purchases other items directly from local farms and esteemed purveyors. Chef Iulian seeks out the most astounding ingredients and offers small and medium size plates that showcase them.
A British pub in Washington, DC serving all the best beers, food, and people from across the pond.
Locally sourced whole animal butchery and small batch producer of handmade charcuterie. Locations in DC and Virginia.
Republic Restoratives is a small batch, women-owned distillery and craft cocktail bar in Washington, DC.
Celebrating the Chesapeake Bay and its native shellfish since 1899. Locations in Union Market and at the Wharf.
Ris is a high-end American bistro serving seasonal upscale fare in a modern, sophisticated space.
Seylou is a wholegrain bakery and mill in the heart of DC which provides wholesome naturally fermented bread and pastries to the community while serving as a model of avant-garde urban food production leaving a low carbon footprint in its process with a commitment to regional food security and equitable distribution. The Seylou team is fueled by service to others, supporting local and regenerative farming practices and elevating the grains, produce and dairy with traditional time-honored technique and craft.
Soupergirl is a take-out spot for vegan and kosher soups, salads, and breads made with seasonal ingredients. Products also sold in local grocery stores.
Stachowski's Market is a butcher shop offering fresh and cured meats and cheeses, plus sandwiches and prepared mains to go.
Sweetgreen serves simple, seasonal, healthy salads and grain bowls made in-house from scratch, using whole produce delivered that morning.
Sonoma highlights the mid-Atlantic's best naturally-raised and local ingredients, and pairs their creations with the best American and International wine. They strive to source local ingredients, use renewable energy sources, and aspire to be more than just a culinary trendsetter.
Teaism was founded in 1996 with the goal of making exquisite loose leaf tea accessible to all. Teaism invites guests to be enrolled in their choice to drink tea and have a relationship to the leaf.
The Salt Line feature New England classics and Chesapeake dishes. The Salt Line partners with Dock to Dish, a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) program started in Montauk, Long Island. Dock to Dish uses the most traditional methods for harvesting wild seafood in the safest manner possible.
Timber Pizza is a mobile wood-fired pizza truck, serving authentic and delicious pizzas to the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.
Vigilante Coffee Company is a coffee roaster with a mission to uplift others and the world one cup of coffee at a time. Locations in DC and Maryland.
Wangari Gardens is a community garden. In exchange for the space to grow food, each plot holder at Wangari helps support community programs, such as public gardens harvested by the local community, educational programming, and community development projects.
Virginia Snail of Approval Winners
100 Bowls of Soups makes fresh, seasonal, and nutritious vegan and meat based soups, bone broths, and vegetable broths, all gluten free, dairy free, and locally sourced. They offer a variety of ready made nourishing soups available for take out at their Herdon store and kitchen. Three hot soups and broth to go are also available between 11am-3pm Monday through Friday.
L'Auberge Chez Francois is an elegant restaurant serving classic French dishes with local, seasonal ingredients in a farmhouse setting and on a garden patio.
Barrel Oak Winery and Farm Taphouse is a 30-acre vineyard in Delaplane, Virginia, home to a selection of traditional vinifera and American and French hybrid grapes.
Bull Run Mountain Vegetable Farm is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, providing fresh, subscription vegetables grown on a family farm without chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.
Busboys and Poets is a cultural hub where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted. Full-service restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and bookstore with events spaces. Locations in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland.
Farm-to-table American fare and house-brewed beer dispensed in a lofty, industrial space with a patio.
Catoctin Creek Distillery is a family-owned organic distillery producing whiskey, gin, and brandy, offering tastings, tours and bottles.
Chrysalis Vineyards is about growing the native Norton grape, along with other tested European varieties, that thrive in Virginia soils and climate. Their mission is to produce wines of such distinction that they stand solely on their own merits as world-class wines.
Clyde's Willow Creek Farm is a sprawling tavern on a working farm, where a team of chefs draws inspiration for the classic tavern menu from locally grown produce.
Cold Country Salmon is dedicated to providing wild Alaskan salmon and other sustainably caught, fishermen direct pacific seafood from our own small scale fishermen. Caught by our family for yours.
Deauville Farm offers veggie seedlings, all natural eggs, and naturally grown pick-your-own vegetables.
Dolcezza makes old-world gelato crafted with locally sourced ingredients. Locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
EcoFriendly Foods manages a network of sustainable family farms and operates a USDA-Inspected processing facility in Moneta, Virginia, delivering responsibly raised and harvested livestock to restaurants and direct to consumers.
Evening Star combines gracious hospitality with a seasonal American menu, much of which features produce grown on the rooftop garden and by local farmers throughout the region. Fun, funky and always delicious, the Evening Star is your neighborhood place.
FRESHFARM is a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and improves food access and equity in the Mid-Atlantic region. Operates producer-only markets in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
La Fromagerie is a warm cafe offering wine and locally sourced small plates, plus a small market for artisanal cheeses.
Green Pig Bistro serves what may be more obscure cuts of meat in their finest form – food that is hearty, not heavy; sustainable and with proper technique above all. The restaurant utilizes the entire product, head to tail, in dishes that are approachable, solid and basic, yet premium – classic rustic French cooking – with a decidedly American push and with reasonable prices.
härth is a restaurant inspired by local Virginia's seasonal harvest. Located in the Hilton Maclean Tyson's Corner, härth boasts a wood-burning oven and cozy fireside ambiance.
Hunter’s Head Tavern is an authentic English Gastropub featuring local and organic fare located in Upperville, Virginia.
Kegotank Oysters is an aquaculture company committed to healthy food and a clean environment. Kegotank produces the highest quality oysters, a salty, flavorful breed fed by fresh ocean waters.
Madison Mushrooms is dedicated to producing high-quality mushrooms year round for the enjoyment of their customers. Their varieties include Shiitake, Maitake, Blue Oyster, Gold Oyster, King Oyster, Pioppino, and Lion’s Mane. Find their fun(gi) wares on Saturdays at farmers markets in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Silver Spring.
The Majestic serves gourmet American comfort food is offered at this family-friendly spot in an updated diner setting.
Maple Avenue Restaurant serves farm-fresh plates and creative cocktails with Asian-Latin flair in a simple, earth-toned space.
Market Burger Fries & Shakes is a compact counter-order restaurant serving local beef hamburgers and old-school milkshakes.
Market Table Bistro is a comfy eatery offering elevated, locally sourced New American fare and wines, plus outdoor seating.
Mom's Apple Pie Company is dedicated to baking the very best natural, preservative-free pies. They go to great lengths to grow as much of their own quality fruit as possible, such as strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, blackberries and pumpkins.
MOM's Organic Market is a local organic grocery chain, with locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Locally sourced whole animal butchery and small batch producer of handmade charcuterie. Locations in DC and Virginia.
The Northern Valley Pastoral Guild is a regional provider of locally grown Pastured and Grass Finished foods. Based in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, the Guild connects growers directly with consumers as part of the local revival of healthy food and sustainable farming.
The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm serves New American cuisine sourced on-site and served in an elegant all-glass dining room with Potomac view.
Port City Brewing Company is the oldest packaging brewery in metropolitan Washington, DC. They offer regular tastings, tours, and events at their state-of-the-art artisanal facility, located in the historic PORT CITY of Alexandria, Virginia.
River-Sea Chocolates’ story starts where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic sea, building a bridge between our community in Northern Virginia and their family and friends growing cacao in the tropics. By getting their cacao beans directly from the farmers, River-Sea ensures the highest sustainability and ethical standards at every step of process, letting the environment and people thrive while crafting the most delicious chocolate.
Smith Meadows Farm is an eighth-generation family farm nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Berryville, VA, offering grass-fed beef, lamb, and pork as well as free-range eggs, handmade pastas, cured meats, and prepared meals.
Sweetgreen serves simple, seasonal, healthy salads and grain bowls made in-house from scratch, using whole produce delivered that morning.
Vermilion Restaurant is focused on seasonal, farm-driven American cooking in the heart of Old Town Alexandria.
Waterpenny Farm is a 10-acre vegetable farm in Rappahannock County, VA. They produce healthful, pesticide-free vegetables, herbs, and flowers, as well as eggs from our seasonal flock of 200 hens, for farmers markets, a CSA subscription program and local on-farm customers.
Wheatland Spring is an estate brewery that is farming for fermentation. They focus on creating Land Beer, unique to Wheatland Spring and reflecting the agricultural character of their farm and Piedmont growing region.
The Wine Kitchen Leesburg offers a seasonal American bistro menu focused on local, seasonal food through the lens of a wide ranging and creative menu.
Maryland Snail of Approval Winners
Since 1999 Atwater's has been making traditional food crafted by hand. Multiple store locations in Maryland, and at farmer's markets in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Busboys and Poets is a cultural hub where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted. Full-service restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and bookstore with events spaces. Locations in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland.
Clagett Farm uses farming methods that are truly sustainable both economically and environmentally. The farm raises crops, beef cattle, and sheep, and supports a Community Supported Agriculture program and tree farm.
Crossroads Farmers Market is a producers-only market featureing a range of vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, coffee, flowers and plants, Central American herbs like chipilín, and prepared foods, as well as food demos and tastings, kids’ activities, live music, free health screenings, and other seasonal events.
Deep Roots Farm is a Black women-owned and run farm located in Brandywine and Upper Marlboro, MD. They grow vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers, and raise chickens on 50 acres of land. Deep Roots Farm has a holistic approach to farming that encourages continuous innovation and improvement of environmental, social, and economic measures.
Denizens Brewing Company is an independent and family owned craft brewery with locations in Riverdale Park and Silver Spring, Maryland.
Maryland's first licensed cidery that specializes in growing unique eating, baking, and cider apples.
Dolcezza makes old-world gelato crafted with locally sourced ingredients. Locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
ECO City Farms is a nonprofit urban farm center that trains beginning farmers and provides produce and support for Prince George’s County’s residents (especially the food insecure) and operates 3 Certified Naturally Grown farms.
The Farm at Our House is a certified organic vegetable farm in Brookeville, Maryland supporting our community through locally grown and accessible produce. TFOH’s mission is to create a model of a certified organic farm that nourishes our community and land. TFOH’s team believes true sustainability means caring for our soil, our employees, and our community with equal measures.
FireFly Farms' cheeses are produced using sustainably-produced, locally‐sourced fresh goat’s milk and time‐honored, traditional methods of cheese making.
FRESHFARM is a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and improves food access and equity in the Mid-Atlantic region. Operates producer-only markets in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
From the Farmer delivers farm-fresh food sourced from small producers to your front door! Currently delivery to the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas.
HEX Ferments uses the traditional method of fermentation to preserve and transform local, organic produce into nourishing foods – presently: unique sauerkrauts, kimchi, seasonal ferments, and kombucha tea.
Longview Farm offers grass fed/grass finished beef (Angus) and woodland-raised (grain-fed) Berkshire pork.
MeatCrafters produces all natural sausages and charcuterie with real ingredients and imagination. Locally sourced ingredients and produced in small batches.
MOM's Organic Market is a local organic grocery chain, with locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Moorenko's produces small-batch, ultra-premium ice cream, with high quality, natural ingredients. Several DC and Maryland locations.
Owl's Nest Farm grows unique, delicious, nutritious, diverse vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit on five acres just outside DC in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. They use organic practices to grow real food for their CSA members, farmer’s market customers, restaurants, and friends.
P.A. Bowen Farmstead is dedicated to raising grass-based livestock and producing fine artisan raw cheese.
Red Tree Farmstead employs regenerative farming practices to produce vegetables and cut flowers.
Red Wiggler is a sustainable farm where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn, and grow healthy food.
Rocklands Farm & Winery is a historic farm using regenerative agriculture to grow produce and livestock sustainably. Seasonal American dining with wines, winery tours, and a market.
South Mountain Creamery is a dairy farm producing its own milk, butter, yogurt, and ice cream. They also offer something very unique: the convenience of home delivery. Shop their online farmers market and have their products delivered to your door.
Vigilante Coffee Company is a coffee roaster with a mission to uplift others and the world one cup of coffee at a time. Locations in DC and Maryland.
The Vineyards at Dodon is a 17-acre vertically integrated vineyard and winery in Davidsonville, Maryland. They feature varietals from Merlot and Cabernet Franc to Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, and their wines are made only with grapes grown on-site, raised, and harvested by hand.
The Wine Kitchen - Frederick offers a seasonal New American menu designed with wine pairings in mind.
Washington’s Green Grocer has been supporting local farms and small businesses since 1994 by delivering their amazingly fresh food to your door.
West Virginia Snail of Approval Winners
Lot 12 Public House serves seasonal upscale comfort cuisine prepared by local Chef Damian Heath and pours distinctive wines, microbrews and fine spirits as well.
Shepherd’s Whey Creamery is a family owned farm, dairy, and creamery in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. They specialize in minimally-processed goat’s milk, goat’s milk cheese, and delicious yogurt cultured goat’s milk smoothies and Goatgurt.