Food & Drink
Davis Farmers Market Cookbook
The Davis Farmers Market turns 50 this summer and marks the milestone anniversary with a new cookbook by its co-founder and a James Beard Award-winning author. Boasting almost 100 recipes using seasonal homegrown ingredients, Market Memories helps bring the farm to your kitchen table all year long.
Fire and Nice
The team behind East Sacramento’s Allora brings the heat with the launch of their new downtown live-fire restaurant. With its open flames and cross-cultural cuisine, Aiona serves up everything from souvlaki skewers to grilled branzino to smoky gnocchi.
Casa Bella
New downtown Mexican restaurant Casa Lola is a festive feast for the eyes and the palate.
Your Friends and New Neighbor
The Urban Roots team moves into midtown’s Ice Blocks and creates a retro-cool hangout spot with Good Neighbor. Order a wood-fired pizza for the table, then get the flame-broiled burger and pavé fries for yourself.
Where The Chefs Eat
So where do the ultimate foodies go? We asked 20 of our region’s top chefs where they like to grab a great meal when they hang up the apron in their own kitchens. Their answers ranged from Michelin-rated hot spots to hole-in-the-wall neighborhood gems. Armed with these tasty restaurant recommendations from our most in-the-know gourmands, get ready to tuck in that napkin and chow down around town.
Stepping Up
When the beloved Dad’s Kitchen closed in 2024, a family of veteran restaurateurs swooped in to resurrect the space. Enter Stepdad’s, the cozy Land Park restaurant by the owners of The Jungle Bird, Tank House and Camden Spit & Larder that makes you instantly feel right at home.
All That Glitters
From shimmery craft cocktails to seasonal small plates, The Hillmont at Remedy Supply Co. embraces Auburn’s rich history while offering modern American eats. This dazzling foothills restaurant just might spark a new Gold Rush.
Best of the City 2025:
Best Over-the-Top Hot Chocolate
Brewed with Belgian Callebaut chocolate, topped with scratch-made marshmallow fluff and chocolate mousse, then brûléed to perfection, this tasty treat is among the dozens of people, places and things that have added a dollop of delight to this year. Here's one of our picks for Best of the City 2025.
The Happiest Little Place on Earth
A new 300-square-foot speakeasy opens in Old Sacramento that’s a little Enchanted Tiki Room, a little Indiana Jones, and a whole lot of exploratory fun. Adventure is in there.
Pit Mastermind
Renowned chef and pitmaster Matt Horn expands his culinary empire with a new meat mecca in Elk Grove. With Michelin-rated, melt-in-your-mouth brisket and ribs, the down-home Horn Barbecue delivers unfancy feasts that are worth ’cueing up for.
In the Name of the Mother
With Chu Mai, James Beard Award-nominated chef Billy Ngo honors his mom and the dishes he grew up loving, while putting his own spin on Vietnamese and Chinese classics. The result is a noteworthy new restaurant whose dishes taste both comfortingly familiar and excitingly fresh.
Garden Party
A new design-forward beer garden in East Sacramento offers dozens of craft brews on tap and craveable mix-and-match dishes from 10 different purveyors. At Garden at the Line, you can have your fresh Kru sashimi and eat your hot Nash & Proper fries too.
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