They are the original food trucks. Long before we could order Peruvian fries with a red wine soy reduction from a man in a van, the only fare we could choose from a menu on the side of a vehicle was frozen and sugary and delicious. Whether you’re craving a classic Creamsicle, a dark-chocolate-covered Bailey’s Irish Cream bar, or bubble gum gelato, we’ve got the scoop on five regional ice cream trucks worth chasing down the street this summer.

The team behind Shady Lady has crossed R Street to open Amaro, serving up classic Italian fare inside a playfully elegant dining room. Its name may mean “bitter,” but for foodies, the new restaurant hits the sweet spot.

The modern steakhouse fare at Meadowlands restaurant makes this former stagecoach stop in Sloughhouse worth hitching up the buggy for a ride.

A new barbecue joint with a down-home vibe, 250 whiskeys and a meaty menu brings some Southern hospitality to DoCo

Breakfast-for-lunch becomes an instant everyday tradition at Pushkin’s Restaurant, the new midtown offshoot of Olga and Danny Turner’s popular gluten-free bakery

When Kru moved from a pocket-sized midtown locale to an expansive space in East Sacramento, chef-owner Billy Ngo responded to the sophistication of his Japanese restaurant’s splashy new digs by upping his already elevated sushi game and creating an even more seaworthy dining experience.

At the Haines brothers’ buzzworthy new Wildwood restaurant, the art on the walls shares equal billing with the art on the plate

Say aloha to The Jungle Bird, the new midtown tiki lounge where it’s always island time and the mai tais are ever flowing

Mushrooms. Walnuts. Pomegranate seeds. Mashed potatoes. Can this really be Mexican food? Welcome to Mesa Mercado, a new market-to-table restaurant in Carmichael that celebrates Mexico’s historic cuisine.

Go in search of great venison recipes and you’ll likely come across uninspiring ones for dishes like brown stews and charred roasts instead. Well, the hunt is over, thanks to Orangevale-based food writer and chef Hank Shaw’s newest cookbook, Buck, Buck, Moose: Recipes and Techniques for Cooking Deer, Elk, Moose, Antelope and Other Antlered Things.