Dos Gringos, a tiny cafe in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of D.C., is committed to the little things that make a cafe a second home and making going green second nature.
Dos Gringos is a simple neighborhood cafe where people can get lost in a book on a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea and a gooey cupcake. The flavors of Latin America are as intermingled in the ingredients as they are in the streets outside. Vegetarians and carnivores are given equal time on the menu, and eco consciousness is encouraged in simple logical ways.
Alex Kramer is one of the owners of Dos Gringos. In small ways, she tries to demonstrate how little it takes to reduce waste. She doesn't automatically give out straws, you have to ask. Coffee is stirred with reusable spoons, and all take-out containers are all paper instead of plastic.
Kramer said she started going green years ago when she became a vegetarian at age 11. Her eco consciousness just flowed from there. When she and her partner started Dos
Gringos, the philosophy was already in place. The furniture in the cafe is furniture they picked up on the way, conscious using what they could reuse and recycle.
The menu is based on what's available and plentiful, and when it's gone, it's gone. They serve breakfast until they're sold out, which can annoy some customers, especially when they come in for breakfast, Kramer said
That's part of their philosophy: Don't take too much, don't waste, and be flexible and thoughtful.
It's a matter of living simply.
For more information, visit Dos Gringo's Web site at http://dosgringoscafe.com.
