Dining Guide

Owned by Matt and Yvette Woolston, who recently closed their acclaimed Supper Club restaurant and now operate the Crocker Art Museum’s Crocker Cafe by Supper Club, Matteo’s serves up sophisticated yet family-friendly fare in a long-neglected corner of Carmichael. The location, a former Steve’s Pizza, lent itself to the pizza-rich menu (like the signature Matteo, with Italian sausage, pepperoni, chorizo and bacon), but the bistro dishes, like juicy roasted chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, are equally delightful. For nibbles, try the tender buttermilk fried calamari. The low-key setting means everyone from families to high-schoolers to grown-ups on a date will feel comfortable here; in nice weather, there’s also a spacious patio complete with an herb garden.