By Rob AikensWhen it comes to being green, it

doesn’t get much greener than Peter Lowell’s, Sonoma County’s first restaurant housed in a LEED-Certified building. Opening on September 20th, Peter Lowell’s is located in Sebastopol in a stunning mixed-use complex of live-work lofts and office space. Taking a sustainable approach to dining, Peter Lowell’s embraces its western Sonoma county location with an exciting restaurant concept that offers seasonal, organic Italian-inspired delicacies in a natural, green environment.

The Café, Deli, and Wine Bar presents thoughtfully prepared meals that features local farm grown organic and sustainable produce, seafood, cheeses and wines. Serving breakfast, lunch

and dinner, the menu is directed by the seasons and features what is fresh and available at the moment, while the wine list features only wines made from grapes grown sustainably, organically, or biodynamically. The casual, friendly space offers reasonably priced meals available for take-out, or served tableside.

A Shared Passion for Sustainable Living

Friends and business partners Lowell Peter Sheldon and Steven Peyer have combined their passion for food and wine with their commitment to sustainability in creating Peter Lowell’s. Executive Chef Steven Peyer’s Italian/Swiss heritage gives depth to the Italian-inspired menu, while Proprietor Lowell Sheldon’s native Sebastopol roots provides a personal approach to the restaurant’s look, feel and customer service, making it a truly unique dining experience.

Lowell and Steven first met in 2003, working side-by-side in the kitchen of a Seattle restaurant. From there an idea was hatched to create a restaurant that would be a model for a sustainable business where health, the environment, and high quality cuisine all shared equal billing.

Around that time, Lowell’s father, Sebastopol architect Steven Sheldon of IBIS (Intelligent Building = Integrated + Sustainable) started designing Sebastopol’s first mixed use LEED-Certified project, the Florence Lofts, incorporating solar power, radiant heating and cooling, passive solar 139-13-07 ~ www.westcountygazette.com

“GREEN CUISINE” From Building Design to Menu,

Restaurant is the Perfect Picture of Sustainability

design, Graywater recirculation for irrigation, abundant natural light and open courtyards with shared public spaces and water-wise landscaping. Lowell and Steven’s concept had a home.

From building design and construction, to the restaurant’s operational practices and menu, Peter Lowell’s is the ideal model for green living. The 33-seat restaurant has natural interiors featuring high ceilings with exposed beams, polished concrete

floors, PaperStone countertops (made with 60% recycled paper and environmentally-friendly, water-based resins), non-petroleum building products, non-VOC paint, recycled and sustainably farmed wood tables and chairs and compact fluorescent lighting, powered by solar panels.

All to-go and takeout packaging is made from corn, sugar-based, or recycled paper that are compostable. Oils used for cooking become bio-diesel and all coffee grounds

and green waste from the kitchen are composted. All water served is local filtered, not bottled. The outdoor space at Peter Lowell’s showcases the landscape design of award-wining Digging Dog Nursery with water features and Mediterranean plantings. WIFI is available free of charge.

Green CuisineEnvironmental consciousness starts

at home. Peter Lowell’s is committed to being good stewards of the land and in doing so believes in thinking global, acting local. This is most evident in the cuisine where Chef Steven has created an innovative menu that celebrates seasonality and fresh, organic and sustainably farmed local produce, seafood and cheeses that are refreshing, healthy and full of flavor. Using his Italian heritage as a foundation, Steven believes in allowing a dish to evolve from a basic, traditional framework. “I take an organic approach to what I prepare, allowing room for discovery and adventure,” explained Steven.

Breakfast features freshly baked organic breads, bagels and scones, fresh fruit, a full line of small production organic coffee and teas and a macrobiotic option -- Miso broth and old-fashioned oatmeal. Lunch focuses on fast service for take-out and dine-in and offers seasonal soups, fresh salads, traditional fire deck hearth pizzas, hot and cold vegan, vegetarian and seafood deli sandwiches, macro bowls, fire roasted organic vegetables, and warm Italian greens.

All items from the deli menu are offered in the evening with the exception of deli sandwiches. The Wine Bar expands the evening’s menu choices by offering antipasti such as Bruschetta many ways, simple braised greens and local artisan cheeses, while evening specials will feature pasta and risotto using seasonal produce, and fresh seasonal caught seafood. A comprehensive wine list, available by the glass and bottle, showcases vintners who practice sustainable, organic or biodynamic growing practices. Desserts rotate seasonally and showcase the freshest fruit and berries available at the time. A sampling includes: Pear-Almond tart with pine

nut pastry; Lavender Panna Cotta with fresh raspberries; Chocolate-hazelnut torte with whipped crème fraiche; Gravenstein apple crostata; Bruschetta with seasonal fruit; and Blackberry crisp with creamless custard

Peter Lowell’s presents fresh, seasonal, organic cuisine artfully prepared with an Italian influence. Open 7 days a week, 7 am to 9 pm, Peter Lowell’s offer continuous service for breakfast, lunch and dinner from the café, deli and wine bar menus. Located at 7385 Healdsburg Ave. (Hwy. 116/Gravenstine Hwy.) in Sebastopol, CA. at the corner of Florence Avenue. 707.829.1077. www.peterlowells.com