Neighborhood Restaurant Guide
Discover Restaurants by Neighborhood
- Downtown
- Old Sac/Bridge District
- R Street
- Land Park and Curtis Park
- The Handle District
- Midtown/ Sutter District
- East Sacramento
- Oak Park
Ella Dining Room & Bar - A Downtown Sacramento restaurant institution and premier dining destination, Ella Dining Room & Bar serves New American, farm-to-fork cuisine for lunch, dinner and happy hour, featuring entrées of seafood, steaks and pastas, small plates, salads, fresh oysters and traditional caviar service. Ella also features an award-winning wine list as well as seasonal and classic hand-crafted cocktails at its renowned bar. 
Frank Fat’s - This venerable Chinese food restaurant in the heart of downtown is a true testament to the American dream. The founder of the eponymous eatery immigrated to America from China in 1919 at age 16 with no money or identification and managed to open one of the city’s most iconic restaurants a mere 20 years later. Frank Fat’s is now the anchor Sacramento restaurant of the four establishments in the Fat Family Restaurant Group
La Cosecha - If Downtown Sacramento has a geographic heart, it would be Cesar Chavez Plaza, located across from the city’s historic city hall and site of a weekly farmers market. La Cosecha is a festive and welcoming place to linger, eat and drink indoors or outdoors on the plaza. The walk-up taco bar, operated by Ernesto Delgado—who also runs Mayahuel on K Street and Mesa Mercado in Carmichael—features a deep selection of tacos and more.
Mayahuel - “An experience for the senses” is a promise fulfilled at Tequila Museo Mayahuel, commonly referred to as Mayahuel. This inspiring place succeeds with an impressive environment of colorful sculptures and murals, authentic home-cooked recipes and astonishing selections of tequila.
Preservation & Co. - In the hands of Jason Poole and Brad Peters, pickled habanero pepper chips become a work of gastronomical art. Poole and Peters are business partners and brining experts who preserve delicious and healthy produce from local farms without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
Grange Restaurant & Bar - Celebrating the flavors and freshness of Central Valley fruits and vegetables, Grange is where locals and travelers alike savor California’s finest sustainable cuisine. Located at The Citizen Hotel at 10th and J streets, Grange serves as a food ambassador, sourcing its menu from regional farms that include Capay Organic, Del Rio Botanical and Soil Born Farms.
Firestone Public House - Sports and happy hours have never looked, sounded and tasted so good in a Sacramento restaurant as they do at Firestone Public House. This is a serious place for people in unserious moods—whether looking to unwind after work or catch a ballgame with friends. The beer menu is comprehensive and exhaustive, with 60 handles on tap. The televised sports options span the globe, from baseball and football to soccer and even cricket, depending on what’s happening wherever, delivered on 22 flat-screen monitors with an unrivaled sound system. Two outdoor patios bring the party under the sun, moon and stars.
Downtown & Vine - Expanding the Sacramento restaurant community’s exposure to unique wines from California and around the globe is the mission of Downtown & Vine. With two wine clubs for customers and servings offered in tasting flights, glasses or by the bottle, Downtown & Vine provides the opportunity and atmosphere to taste and compare the region’s best wines, craft beers and international labels.
De Vere’s Irish Pub - A corner of Ireland’s capital has been transported 6,000 miles to create this lively downtown Sacramento restaurant and pub. The de Vere White family comes from a long line of pub owners who emigrated from Dublin to the U.S. After settling in Sacramento, the family decided to re-establish their hometown experience, including 20-ounce pints of beer and lovingly poured Guinness Stout.
Cafeteria 15L - Reminiscent of the classic American lunch counter spiced with a millennial flavor, Cafeteria 15L serves an eclectic array of comfort food that foodies appreciate. Lunch favorites at this Downtown Sacramento restaurant include elevated delicacies such as truffle tater tots, French fries served in faux newsprint, macaroni and cheese, Caesar salad, meatloaf and the enduringly popular French dip sandwich, tossed back with a glass of plantation iced tea or house-made fruit punch. 
Rio City Café - Husband-and-wife owners Mark and Stephanie Miller opened Rio City Café in 1994 in a stylishly rustic building designed to resemble a steamship warehouse from the late 1800s. The concept was perfect. The Sacramento restaurant blends seamlessly with the quaint, historic charms of the Old Sacramento riverfront. 
The Firehouse Restaurant - Smoked tenderloin carpaccio. Lobster bisque. Filet mignon. Veal porterhouse. Famed for perennial excellence, The Firehouse Restaurant has been a not-to-be-missed destination for more than 55 years. Housed in a building from 1853 that served as home for the Sacramento No. 3 Fire Brigade, the elegant dining spot was Ronald Reagan’s favorite Sacramento restaurant during his eight years as governor—and it’s easy to see why. 
Shoki Ramen House - Under the guidance of chef and owner Yasushi Ueyama, ramen becomes a culinary art form that is as much about health and wellbeing as flavor. Following a successful career as a restaurateur and chef in Kobe, Japan, Ueyama and his family arrived in the U.S. in 2001 and opened restaurants in Folsom before founding Shoki Ramen House with co-owner and wife Kathy in Midtown.
Magpie Café - From its first meal in 2009, Magpie Café has defined the term “farm-to-fork.” Seasonal menus, locally sourced ingredients and a sustainable environment have been goals consistently met by this ambitious Sacramento restaurant, which expanded from its R Street home uptown to 16th Street in 2014. Co-owners Ed Roehr and Janel Inouye maintain the original location as a base for their powerhouse catering business (which provided their introduction to the hospitality industry). 
Localis - At Localis, chef-owner Christopher Barnum-Dann celebrates Northern California dining in every way: each plate embraces the Sacramento restaurant ethos of local sourcing but eschews a rustic presentation in favor of treating every dish like a work of art. Take for example the beet salad: showcasing beets in multiple ways, the dish features ruby red and golden beets, roasted, smoked and pickled, with a light sifting of ingeniously engineered beet “dust.”
Iron Horse Tavern - One hundred sixty years ago, passenger trains rumbled down R Street from Sacramento to Folsom. Next came freight trains serving endless warehouses. Today, locomotive history merges with industrial cool and the sleek modernity of a revitalized neighborhood at Iron Horse Tavern.
Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Company - Hearty appetites and grand ambitions meet and become combustible at Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Company. A former warehouse boasting a proud blue-collar legacy amid corrugated tin and reclaimed wood, Hook & Ladder embraces a lofty vision–it strives to serve as the quintessential Sacramento restaurant and bar.
Fish Face Poke Bar - Hawaiian chefs invented poke as a fresh fish appetizer. Sacramento restaurant chef Billy Ngo, whose Kru sushi restaurant took Japanese raw fish delicacies to a new stratosphere, is letting his imagination roam across the deep blue Pacific with Fish Face Poke Bar. Under Ngo’s guidance, humble Hawaiian poke breaks free from its appetizer limitations and becomes a complete meal, complex, surprising and satisfying. 
Café Bernardo - Seasonal menus with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and creative bar concepts unique to each Café Bernardo location make these eateries neighborhood favorites from Midtown to the R Street Corridor to Downtown. A cornerstone of Sacramento’s legendary Paragary Restaurant Group, Café Bernardo combines an informal, European-style café environment with the quality and attention to detail that have been Randy and Stacy Paragary’s standard for decades. 
Freeport Bakery - A passion for baking brought a sweet life to Marlene and Walter Goetzeler. As co-owners of Freeport Bakery for the past 28 years, the Goetzelers share a love of baking forged the first day they met. The story might have been written for Hollywood. Walter, raised by a prominent baking family in Bavaria, wandered into a San Diego bookshop run by Marlene. He was looking for a map. 
Iron Grill - Broadway and 13th Street is an unpretentious corner of the city where a simple sign beckons diners to a steakhouse mecca. The sign says “Iron.” Behind the doors is a restaurant devoted to hearty eating, with emphasis on red meat traditions such as a 16-ounce New York steak or eight-ounce filet mignon.
Selland’s Market-Cafe On Broadway - Local chain serving American entrees, pizza, baked goods & more in a simple, stylish space.
Willie’s Burgers - Willie’s is a quirky burger joint specializing in timeless classics that made drive-ins and diners famous. The menu is full of traditional favorites such as onion rings, chili cheese fries, milkshakes and big, juicy hamburgers. Owner Bill Taylor, a Land Park native and the “Willie” for whom the Sacramento restaurant is named, made it his mission to offer locals a serious burger joint.
Vic’s Ice Cream & Cafe - Family owned since 1947, this Land Park Sacramento restaurant has been the site of postgame celebrations, report card rewards and summertime gab sessions for more than 70 years. Along with the traditional ice cream parlor favorites such as sundaes, shakes, cups and cones in 29 familiar flavors, Vic’s offers an array of American diner classics, including corned beef, tuna and egg salad sandwiches, the Krautdog and Cheezedog, and daily soup specials.
Taylor’s Market & Kitchen - Opened in 1962 by Roy Taylor and Ed Schell, Taylor’s Market is a gem in the residential neighborhood where Land Park and Curtis Park meet. The subsequent generation of owners, Ed’s son Kevin and friend Danny Johnson (hired as a butcher at age 19 in 1983) dedicated themselves to Taylor’s reputation for service and quality. 
Riverside Clubhouse - There were no shortcuts to success in repurposing the old dive bar Hereford House on Riverside Boulevard in Land Park. The dump hadn’t been updated in decades. The neglect required a massive overhaul to produce a beautiful new culinary destination. Today, the Riverside Clubhouse is the pride of Land Park. 
Bright New Light - Broadway used to be more of a “Broadway” than it is today. It used to be the highfalutin, strutting thoroughfare of town. The movie house, the bars, the restaurants, even the ballpark used to be on Broadway. Riding one of the many streetcars rolling up and down its length, the Sacramentans of the early 20th century could get their shopping done, see a show or ballgame and take a stroll in the elegant cemetery (a popular distraction at the time), all without leaving the Broadway stretch.
Zocalo - Towering ceilings and expansive windows beckon natural light and make the inside and outside worlds blend seamlessly at Zocalo. Next comes the décor: mammoth urns, intricate iron works, slab tables and stunning tableware create a culturally stimulating atmosphere for the food and drinks that follow. Housed in the handsomely renovated Arnold Brothers building, which served as a Hudson car dealership in the 1920s, Zocalo’s eccentric interior is inspired by the majestic town square of Mexico City, a gathering spot for centuries that embraces its past while embarking toward the future.
The Rind - Three simple words encompass the philosophy of The Rind: “Cheese. Wine. Beer.” The cheese-centric bar in the Handle District offers artisanal cheeses paired with wines and beers selected by the two certified sommeliers and one certified cicerone—beer taster—on staff. Cheese enthusiasts explore all variety of exotic cheese products, from buttery and blue to nutty and stinky—created from local dairy sources. 
Mulvaney’s Building & Loan - Patrick Mulvaney is serious when he says, “Whatever comes in the front door goes on your plate.” A leader of the local farm-to-fork revolution, Mulvaney and his wife, Bobbin, built their reputations around the farm-fresh ingredients and local produce that comprise his masterful Chef’s Menus. The offerings at Mulvaney’s Building & Loan change daily to accommodate the harvests and the seasons. 
Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates - Pure bittersweet chocolate ganache. Liquid caramel punctuated by fleur de sel. Almond praline with crunchy croquant. The display cases at Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates reveal a world of sweet sophistication unmatched in Sacramento. Formally trained chocolatier and pastry chef Ginger Elizabeth Hahn and her husband, Tom (who manages the business), have created a decadent hot spot, selling delicious items made from the finest ingredients.
Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op - Every lifestyle—omnivore, vegan, raw, paleo, organic, gluten-free and carnivore—can find sustenance at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. The “Co-op,” as fans call the store, was founded as a natural food collective in 1972, a time when organic and natural foods were rare in Sacramento or even in Sacramento restaurants. Today, thousands of members maintain ownership in the co-op, but you don’t have to be an owner to enjoy the bountiful selections found along every aisle.
The Waterboy - Classic European delicacies such as steak tartare, sautéed veal sweetbreads, braised lamb shank and simmering bouillabaisse blend with locally sourced ingredients to make The Waterboy a treasured destination on Sacramento’s culinary map. Established in 1996 by homegrown chef and owner Rick Mahan, The Waterboy builds upon the region’s farm-to-fork legacy. Mahan gathers the freshest produce, fish and meats to create masterful dishes worthy of a French countryside bistro or a northern Italian ristorante. 
Temple Coffee Roasters - After returning home from a lengthy stay in Indonesia, Temple founder and barista Sean Kohmescher opened the first Temple Coffee house on S Street in 2005. His dream was to create a gathering place, much like the temples he visited in his travels. His vision was simple. Good vibe, great service and exceptionally well-prepared coffee.
Tapa The World - Traditional Spanish and Basque tapas, live music and inspired cocktails are a tradition at Tapa the World, founded in 1994 by siblings Conni Levis and Paul Ringstrom. Conni Levis is shown here with executive chef Marcos Murillo and bar manager Chris Callaway. This lively Sacramento restaurant offers a sophisticated assortment of small-plate dishes to be shared and savored. 
Suzie Burger - A 1950s burger joint comes alive within a former “Orbit” -style gas station at the corner of 29th and P streets, complete with a pointed roof that looks like it migrated from Mars, circa 1960. Suzie Burger makes the mash-up of eras work like magic in a setting that can never be duplicated, with outstanding, proudly American food to seal the deal. 
Sun & Soil Juice Company - Molly Brown and Tatiana Kaiser opened Sun & Soil in June 2014 with a simple mission: infuse raw, organic nutrition into the community through delicious juice, smoothies and food with produce from local farms. Sun & Soil seeks out the freshest, non-GMO fruits and vegetables to ensure that all drinks are naturally raw, vegan and gluten-free with no processed sugars. 
Revolution Wines - As the city’s only fully operational urban winery, Revolution Wines is devoted to the idea that locally produced wine and food is the best expression of the Sacramento landscape, or terroir. Revolution is owned by Gina Genshlea (shown) and her husband, Joe. From its headquarters on S Street, Revolution excels as a full-service operation, combining the winery, tasting room and eatery in one location. Using fruit from Yolo Vineyards, Aparicio Vineyards, Gandyhill Vineyards and Sutter Ranch Vineyards, Revolution’s family-owned and -operated facility crushes, ferments and bottles in the city’s midst. 
The Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar - Owners Matt Nurge and John Bays—who serve as barman and chef, respectively—focus on all things local at The Red Rabbit. They present food served with boundless sophistication and local ingredients and run an endlessly bespoke operation, making as much as possible by hand. Appropriately, even the syrups for The Red Rabbit’s creative cocktails are created in-house.
Paragary’s - A bustling bistro blossomed to life on the edge of Midtown in the summer of 2015, delivered by Sacramento’s leading restaurateur in a space he knows intimately well. Randy Paragary, wife Stacy and executive chef Kurt Spataro spent more than a year remodeling the corner of 28th and N streets for the third time since 1975.
Midtown Farmers Market - Each Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Midtown Farmers Market transforms the outdoor community center of the historic and eclectic Midtown neighborhood. Dozens of vendors with fresh, locally grown and frequently organic produce and flowers blend with numerous artisanal food sellers. Shoppers wander and sample regionally produced honey, fresh almond milk, zesty beef jerky and hand-rolled pastas.
Allora - Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou, who owns Allora with her husband, chef Deneb Williams, recently jumped at the chance to open an East Sacramento restaurant after a popular family of florists retired and vacated their elegant contemporary brick building. Allora is definitely fine dining at its best. 
Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters - Small-batch coffees brewed from beans harvested within the past 12 months are the rule at Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters, where the bean is king. Founded in 2008 by husband and wife Andy and Edie Baker, Chocolate Fish Coffee takes its product to extremes.
The Kitchen Restaurant - For 25 years, The Kitchen has been the ultimate dining destination for the Sacramento region and beyond. Innovative and unmatched for pure culinary enjoyment and genuine hospitality, The Kitchen serves a five-course prix fixe seasonal dinner menu featuring the best and freshest ingredients available, mostly procured locally and regionally.
Nopalitos Southwestern Café - Southwestern cooking is a savory family affair at Nopalitos Southwestern Café, where husband and wife owners Dave and Rose Hanke (shown at right) share duties in the kitchen and front of the house. Opened in 1992 and packed with customers ever since, Nopalitos takes its name from the nopal cactus, a staple in Mexican kitchens beloved for its versatility and light, tangy flavor. 
OneSpeed - Sausage, tomatoes, potatoes, caramelized onions, olives and goat cheese provide essential sustenance at OneSpeed, a self-described “neighborhood pizza joint” whose ambition belies the name. This Sacramento restaurant opened in 2009 and was crafted around a bicycle theme. 
Obo’ Italian Table & Bar - OBO’ draws inspiration from the simple, nourishing flavors and seasonal cooking traditions of rural Italy. The food at this lovely Sacramento restaurant is hearty and artisanal, served in a historic brick building that features a full bar, with patio seating along Seville Way at the corner of Folsom Boulevard. 
Selland’s Market-Café - Selland’s Market-Café is a casual, family-friendly neighborhood café in East Sac preparing handcrafted, quality seasonal foods. Selland’s offers a wide array of menu options including wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, fresh salads, hot and cold prepared foods from the deli cases, soups, seasonal specials and house-made desserts. 
Vibe Health Bar - Clean, lean and healthy snacks are the point at Vibe Health Bar. Open since March 2016, Vibe’s goal is to bring healthy food and drink options to the heart of the Broadway Triangle neighborhood in Oak Park. Açai bowls are one specialty: “superfood” açai berries mixed with organic ingredients such as coconut, local honey, granola, pineapple and bee pollen. 
V. Miller Meats - Traditional butcher shops are rare finds, but a shop that specializes in 100 percent whole animal butchering is unique – which makes V. Miller Meats a remarkable homage to the meat cutter’s art. Owner and butcher Eric Veldman Miller, who owns the shop with fellow chef Matt Azevedo, became interested in the craft of whole animal butchery while apprenticing under Master Butcher Terry Regassa. Previously, Miller built his culinary reputation as a chef at fine Sacramento restaurants, including Mulvaney’s Building and Loan in Midtown. 
Old Soul Co. - Serendipity describes the concept of Old Soul Co. The owners, Tim Jordan and Jason Griest (shown), first met over coffee. Jordan was one of Griest’s first customers when Griest opened Naked Coffeehouse in 2002. Four years later, these two talented men formalized their ideas for artisanal breads and coffee roasting into a business partnership that advanced Sacramento’s reputation as one of the best independent and craft coffee cities in the United States. 
La Venadita - With décor inspired by the artistry of Frida Kahlo’s masterpiece “The Wounded Deer,” this hotspot for creative Mexican food is a homecoming for restaurateur Thomas Schnetz and his brother and business partner, David. The Schnetzes grew up in Sacramento and opened their first restaurant locally before establishing a string of successful eateries in the Bay Area. Allora
Allora
Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou, who owns Allora with her husband, chef Deneb Williams, recently jumped at the chance to open an East Sacramento restaurant after a popular family of florists retired and vacated their elegant contemporary brick building. Allora is definitely fine dining at its best.
Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters
Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters
Small-batch coffees brewed from beans harvested within the past 12 months are the rule at Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters, where the bean is king. Founded in 2008 by husband and wife Andy and Edie Baker, Chocolate Fish Coffee takes its product to extremes.
Ella Dining Room & Bar
Ella Dining Room & Bar
A Downtown Sacramento restaurant institution and premier dining destination, Ella Dining Room & Bar serves New American, farm-to-fork cuisine for lunch, dinner and happy hour, featuring entrées of seafood, steaks and pastas, small plates, salads, fresh oysters and traditional caviar service. Ella also features an award-winning wine list as well as seasonal and classic hand-crafted cocktails at its renowned bar.