GREEN

According to the 2024 Dining Guide ranking, Alkimista is the 5th most sustainable restaurant in Hungary, and in the spring of 2025 we received the results of the nearly one-and-a-half-year green audit of the restaurant.

We have done — and continue to do — a great deal to protect clean food, preserve the integrity of ingredients, avoid taking more from our environment than necessary, and not burden nature with what it does not need. And one more important thing: to remain sustainable and sane ourselves, both mentally and physically. :)

A sustainable restaurant considers many aspects to minimize its environmental impact, support the local economy, and offer healthier alternatives to guests. For us, this is a value-based choice and a daily practice — from the very beginning, and now for seven years.
Sustainability is a system that is far from identical with self-sufficiency — it is more complex, long-term, and conscious.

There are many tools to achieve this goal, and you contribute by planning, booking in advance, accepting seasonal fixed menus instead of à la carte options, and being open to the regional products of local kitchens, and of winemakers, farmers, and beekeepers who produce with a small ecological footprint and in a truly human scale.

What we do:

1. Locality and purity

Local and seasonal ingredients: Choosing local produce reduces carbon emissions from transport and shortens supply chains. That's why we go to the local market by scooter, and why you will not find Norwegian salmon, Chilean wine, or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on our menu — however wonderful these products may be.
We prefer organic and bio ingredients, whether they come from pocket-sized gardens or large farms that share our values: reduced chemical use, better water and soil management, and respect for biodiversity.
Gardeners and farmers know far more about the ingredients than we do, so we trust them. All aromatic herbs, shoots, microgreens, and edible flowers are grown by us. Everything that grows wild — from pine buds to chanterelles, from dandelions to mulberries — we forage ourselves.
We source game meat from local hunters, who are often among our dinner guests.

2. Waste reduction and recycling

Composting: Plant scraps, eggshells, and compostable packaging from kitchen work are returned to the soil and end up in Alkimista's own garden.
Minimal packaging: We prioritize recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable packaging materials.
Reducing food waste: Precise menu planning, advance table reservations, and predictable usage.

3. Energy efficiency and water conservation

Energy-efficient appliances: LED lighting, low-consumption equipment, ovens, and refrigerators. We do not keep ingredients frozen.
Renewable energy: Solar power, heat pumps, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
Water conservation: Low-flow taps throughout the restaurant, filtered water use, and rainwater collection in the Alkimista garden.

4. Environmentally friendly cleaning and equipment

Biodegradable cleaning agents: Fewer chemicals in water and air.
Reusable sets: Textiles instead of paper in the kitchen and restrooms; recycled-paper menu cards; glass jars instead of single-use plastic; plus handmade ceramics and century-old porcelain from family heritage.

5. Sustainable business model and community engagement

Ethical workplace: Fair wages, official employment, local staff.
Promoting environmental awareness: Educating guests and team members, organizing sustainability programs.
Green certifications and standards: e.g., Green Restaurant Association, Fair Trade, organic certifications.