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At Ama, we envision a new era for restaurants, one where indulgence coexists with nourishment, community, and connection, and where every bite fosters not just pleasure, but vitality. Food is not merely sustenance. It is a declaration of who we are: the ingredients we choose, the people we support, the traditions we carry forward, and the kind of future we want to help build. Our cooking is rooted in Northern Italian heritage and in the family meals, childhood memories, and shared tables that shaped us. We honor those traditions with the best ingredients we can find, preparing food that is deeply satisfying, flavorful, and made with care.
We do not view food in silos. A meal connects the soil it was grown in, the farmer who tended it, the person who prepared it, the materials that carried it, the team who served it, and the people gathered around the table. By considering that full ecosystem, we work to make choices that nourish our guests while supporting the health of our communities and food system. We believe restaurants can be active participants in systemic change. Ama is our ongoing case study in what it looks like to bring more intention, transparency, and responsibility to every part of the restaurant experience. We share this work to build connection, invite conversation, and help create momentum alongside the farmers, producers, guests, and industry peers who are also moving this work forward.
We are inspired by the Food Is Medicine movement and by the belief that food can be a meaningful part of how individuals and communities care for themselves. We also believe that this care must be accessible. The more we vote with our dollars, come together around shared values, and shift demand toward thoughtfully grown and prepared food, the more we can help strengthen the supply chains that make it available.
Ama is our effort to be an honest, fairly priced neighborhood restaurant and an open book for others who want to make change in their own communities. We are building this business in public, learning as we go, and sharing both the questions and the practices that shape our decisions. Our hope is that this work contributes to a food system in which nourishing, responsibly sourced food is not a privilege, but something more people can access and enjoy.
We believe in bio-individuality and in being inclusive rather than exclusive when it comes to dietary needs and restrictions. There is no single definition of nourishment, and every guest comes to the table with their own history, preferences, culture, and relationship to food. Our intention is to offer thoughtful choices, clear information, and a place where everyone can feel cared for.
Every meal at Ama is made possible by a community of farmers, producers, makers, team members, and guests who believe care belongs at the center of the table. Thank you for joining us, sharing in our story, and helping us continue this work together.
Our hope is that you leave nourished, inspired, and eager to return. And if your experience ever falls short of that, please let us know. We are human, we are always learning, and we value the opportunity to listen, make things right, and care for you while you are here.
OUR MISSION
Our Principles
We Question Everything
We continually examine the choices behind our food and operations, from sourcing and food-contact materials to cookware, cleaning systems, water, energy, and packaging. We ask where our materials come from, how they are made, who they affect, and whether there is a more thoughtful alternative. This work is ongoing and reflects our belief that restaurants can take responsibility for more than what appears on the plate. We prioritize stainless steel cookware and single-use materials that align with our standards. When disposables are necessary, we seek options with fewer added linings and coatings, including plastic-free and biodegradable alternatives whenever possible.
Health and Sustainability go hand in hand
From water and waste to energy use, we work to care for the resources that sustain our kitchen, our team, and our community. Our PlateScrape system saves significant water compared with a traditional spray nozzle, and we compost through Compost Crew and a closed-loop BioGreen program. We also operate a fully electric kitchen, creating a safer, more comfortable work environment while reducing indoor air pollution and energy use. Through compostable materials and thoughtful purchasing, we work to reduce waste at every step and support a more circular food system.
A Commitment Beyond the Plastic You Can See
While our food and beverage program is free from single-use plastics, BPA, PFAS, phthalates, and polycarbonates in the materials we control, our commitment goes beyond what you can see. For all to-go materials, we prioritize solutions that are biodegradable and free from plastic linings or coatings, eliminating hidden layers that can come into contact with your food. Behind the kitchen pass, food storage and preparation rely on materials such as stainless steel and glass, minimizing plastic use wherever possible. Where plastic cannot be avoided, we apply a science-based understanding of food-contact materials, including how plastics behave over time and the potential for migration into food. Our comprehensive plastic policy guides these decisions, helping us reduce unnecessary plastic contact throughout our kitchen and guest experience. We recognize that transforming the supply chain is ongoing work. We continue to push for change while developing creative solutions alongside our farmers, vendors, and industry partners. We also promote receiptless dining and use receipt paper, which is free of BPA and BPS, avoiding the chemical developers commonly used in traditional thermal receipts. Our partnerships reflect the same commitment to transparency and integrity. We use mineral-rich Vera Salt, which is lab tested to be free of microplastics and heavy metals, and work with Seatopia, whose fish are tested for both microplastics and mercury. This work is part of a larger belief: the choices made behind the kitchen pass matter. By paying attention to the materials that touch our food, we hope to help move the industry toward a more thoughtful, transparent, and responsible food system.
Quality Water Purification
We treat water as a foundational ingredient in nourishment. We consult the Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database alongside local water-quality reporting to better understand the water that enters our restaurant and inform our filtration practices. Our entire restaurant is supplied through a double catalytic carbon-filtration system that helps remove contaminants while preserving essential minerals, ensuring high-quality water for both cooking and drinking. From sanitation and disinfection to produce washing and ice-machine maintenance, we use ozonated-water systems throughout the restaurant. Ozone is a powerful antimicrobial tool used in food processing and sanitation, allowing us to maintain food safety without harsh cleaning chemicals.
Slow Food Cooking
Our cooking is guided by Slow Food: food made with patience, seasonality, pleasure, and respect for its origins. Rooted in Northern Italian tradition, we prepare food in ways that honor the ingredients, the people who produce them, and the memories they carry. We cook from scratch whenever possible, making our preserves, sauces, baked goods, and other components in-house. We are proud to be part of the Fed Up! movement, which brings peer-reviewed research and public education around ultra-processed foods into clearer focus. This work aligns with our commitment to minimally processed ingredients and to allowing the food itself to lead. Our commitment to quality extends beyond any single label. We prioritize organic and regenerative ingredients whenever possible, with attention to soil health, biodiversity, seasonality, and the long-term resilience of the farms and producers we support. Our pantry reflects these values through Italian biodynamic flours and only locally grown, organic ancient grains, selected for their flavor, provenance, and the care behind their production.
From local organic A2 whole milk and cream to Italian extra-virgin olive oil, we build our kitchen around nourishing, nutrient-dense ingredients. We do not cook with industrialized oils. Instead, we ask where our fats come from, how they are grown and processed, and how they are used. We move away from commodity monoculture systems and traditional deep frying, choosing fresh, carefully sourced fats and shallow frying at lower temperatures so each dish reflects the quality of the ingredients behind it. We believe there is more work to do around how our industry sources, cooks with, and cares for oils. Part of Ama’s mission is to help build that education, create better sourcing opportunities, and bring people together around a more nourishing food system.
The same care guides our proteins. From wild-caught fish to pasture-raised poultry and grass-fed, grass-finished meats, we seek producers who prioritize responsible stewardship, animal welfare, traceability, and thoughtful land and water practices. We work with partners including Seatopia and Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative, and through whole-animal butchery, we are able to honor the full value of each animal and feature a changing range of cuts.
Employee Health & Wellness
We are a tipped model restaurant with a 3.85% Health & Wellness Charge. We made this decision based on two factors:
1. It leaves control in the hands of our guests with regards to the gratuity.
2. We maintain transparency by not incorporating the Health & Wellness Charge into our pricing and this is the most beneficial model for our team.
100% of the Health & Wellness Charge is moved into an allocated fund that is used to pay our medical, dental, vision and mental wellness benefits. We work with Oyster Sunday Benefits specifically designed for independent restaurants and hospitality businesses. A quarterly review of the 3.85% model will be done and the amount of the service charge will be adjusted accordingly based on sales. Any overages will be distributed to our team members in the form of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Program. Any underages will be absorbed and paid for by the restaurant.
We would like to add that we realize the current landscape is beyond confusing for our guests. We appreciate you bearing with us, and all of our colleagues around town (regardless of what model they run), as we all figure out how we are going to move forward as an industry. If you have any questions, or would like to voice any concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at ciao@amarestaurant.bar .