Zero Foodprint’s Dirty Drinks Week Brings Climate-Friendly Cocktails To San Diego

San Diego bars, restaurants, wineries, and coffee shops are teaming up this month for a campaign that blends nightlife with climate action. The nonprofit Zero Foodprint is launching its annual Dirty Drinks Week from August 25 through September 1, a nationwide effort where $1 from every featured "dirty" drink will go directly to fund regenerative farming projects.

The initiative supports farmers implementing composting, cover cropping, and soil restoration - practices that help pull carbon from the atmosphere while improving food systems. Since its founding in San Francisco in 2015 by restaurateurs Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz, Zero Foodprint has funded more than 120 projects and distributed millions of dollars in grants to farms across the U.S., including in San Diego County.

A "dirty" drink can be interpreted in any number of ways, from a martini with olive brine to a cocktail designed with zero-waste ingredients. Participating venues create their own spin, giving San Diegans a chance to drink creatively while making a tangible environmental impact. From North Park to Carlsbad, the breadth of participation underscores San Diego’s role as one of Zero Foodprint’s strongest markets.

This year’s lineup of local Dirty Drinks partners includes some of the San Diego's most celebrated spots, including One Door North, Kingfisher, Vistal Bar + Restaurant, Roma Norte, Panama 66, The Lion’s Share, Clos Wine Shop, Cellar Hand, Wildland, Oddish Wine, Campfire, Jeune et Jolie, Mister A’s, The Seventh House Speakeasy, Gossip Grill, Monello, Bencotto, The Fishery, Prohibition Lounge, Torque Coffee, Good Measure, Tribute Pizza, and Mabel’s Gone Fishing

For each featured beverage sold, $1 goes directly to Zero Foodprint's Restore Grants, which distribute funds to local farms working to turn dirt into healthy soil. Among the San Diego beneficiaries is Hummingbird Agrotek, a Hispanic-owned farm in the South Bay that has used grants to apply compost to vineyards, olive orchards, and fruit groves while planting cover crops to enhance soil health.

With California facing increasing climate pressures, Zero Foodprint sees San Diego as a crucial region. As outreach manager Logan Mitchell recently noted, the county has more farms than almost anywhere else in the nation, meaning the community's collective contributions can make a significant difference.

Dirty Drinks Week runs August 25 through September 1, 2025. To learn more and see a full list of participating businesses, visit zerofoodprint.org/dirty.

Originally published on August 21, 2025.