Every Thursday night, the World Peace Café sponsors an event called Food for Thought, a little dharma talk for diners at the cozy vegetarian restaurant in Sandy Springs. Always on the lookout for ways to smarten up, especially when paired with a meal, Larry and I decided to go check it out. We were not disappointed. 
 
As soon as our drinks were delivered, we noticed the straw wrappers were printed with an announcement that the straws were made from corn, which biodegrades, rather than plastic, which doesn't. Indeed, all of the World Peace Café's serving and take-out ware is either reusable or compostable, a significant savings for the environment. Also, as previously noted, serving from a totally plant-based menu has a huge effect on reducing the carbon footprint of providing meals.

Although the restaurant's motto is, "Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible," its operators clearly understand the importance of protecting the outer world, as well as providing a serene environment for diners. The setting is calming, cozy and conducive to the digestion of the teachings offered by students of the nearby Rameshori Buddhist Center that is its proprietor.  



On the night that we were there, that student (our teacher) was Melanie Boyd, a pleasant and engaging presenter who spoke on the topic of anger. After class, she was happy to talk with us more about the mostly volunteer-run restaurant, which functions as an outreach center and a funding source for Rameshori, as well as providing nutritious meals for the community.



We conversed with her throughout our dinner, which was the evening's special - vegetable kabobs and quinoa, accompanied by an excellent lentil soup. The quinoa was some of the best we have had and the veggies had that fresh-from-the-garden succulence that makes reasonable people till up a corner of their yard and raise a little crop for their personal use, even though stopping by the store is so much easier. The portions were small, which is a good thing for the environment (fewer take-out containers) and for us (don't know when to stop). 

Boyd told us that much of the food World Peace Café serves is organic and/or local. Vegan choices are available. All of it is prepared peacefully, with an eye toward providing a service to the community. The way food is meant to be made.