Uncommon Ground | Edgewater – Chicago, IL

Helen and Michael Cameron opened Uncommon Ground’s first location on Clark Street in 1991 after working for decades in the restaurant industry. Committed to sustainability in every detail of their business, the pair began sourcing local, organic ingredients at Clark Street from day one. But upon opening their second location on Devon in the Edgewater neighborhood, Helen wanted to take their commitment to the local movement to the next level, sourcing produce grown not just fifty miles away, but fifty steps away. In 2008, with The Organic Gardener’s consulting, the 2,500 square-foot rooftop space was transformed into the nation’s first certified organic rooftop farm. Harvest from the roof goes to both restaurant locations. Uncommon Ground also hosts beehives, EarthBoxes, solar panels, and an urban farming internship program. Winner of the City of Chicago Mayor’s Landscape Award in 2009.