Foodie Underground: The Bike-Thru

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The drive-thru: an iconic institution fueled by the American spirit to hit the open road. But in this day and age, drive-thrus have become synonymous with unhealthy lifestyle habits, both because of the food they serve and the mode of transportation used to get there. But what if the food was good, and getting access to it promoted sustainable living habits?

In Madison, a restaurateur is looking to open an eating space that’s anything but a drive-thru; he wants to launch a bike-thru, accessible only by two wheels. The Wisconsin capital is already known for its cycling culture, in fact it’s currently ranked the nation’s #7 city for biking, and Chris Berge thinks it would be the optimal spot for what he calls a “bike-in” bar and grill. The proposed restaurant would be built on the city’s Southwest Commuter Path, making it inaccessible by car, and commit to serving local food, and producing zero garbage. He’d also make it a great place for riders to get a quick rest stop, with bathrooms, a fountain for filling water bottles and a bicycle repair service station.

Although the restaurant hasn’t been officially proposed yet, the idea has already garnered the support of the mayor of Madison, Dave Cieslewicz. “I think it’s fascinating idea,” Cieslewicz said. Be it a love for good, local food or a passion for two-wheeled transport, the idea has the potential to take off in other cities as well.

Conscious urbanites know that combining a love of bikes and food makes sense, and restaurants that offer ample bike parking for diners that arrive on two wheels are already getting plenty of national traction, and in places like Venice Beach, there’s even valet velo parking.

And for those that can’t make it out of the house, there are lots of two wheeled foodie delivery options from soup to coffee to jam. Vive le culinary velo revolution!

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.


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DISCUSSION

  • jenny
    July 12th, 2010 at 5:04 PM

    i am in love with this idea! i had no idea madison was such a bike friendly city.

    I’m lucky enough to live in san francisco, where the bike culture is thriving. We might be lacking the space for that, but I’d love to see a larger space for bikers to congregate and socialize outside while enjoying delicious, healthy, and local food.

    The biking revolution is definitely on the rise and goes hand in hand with the green movement. I really hope this idea takes off and comes to sf!

  • James Edward Mills
    July 13th, 2010 at 8:06 AM

    Thanks for posting this story Anna. The proposed site is literally a quarter mile from my house. Our property abuts the bike path and the restaurateur Chris Berg is a friend. I think this is a great idea. But most of my neighbors don’t think so. Ironically though many of the objections I’ve heard so far are the same they raised when the bike path was proposed more than 10 years ago. Our neighborhood has only become more vibrant and fun. And our property values have only increased (twice what we paid). There’s a lot of NIMBY (not in my backyard) sentiments being cast about. We’re only going to reduce our dependence on motorized vehicles by increasing the number of places where they can not go, places that are accessible only by bike or on foot. I’m psyched to have this kind of cool establishment a short dog walk from my house.

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