If you’ve lived in Sacramento long enough, chances are you remember Celestin’s in midtown—and have missed it ever since it closed in 2011. Happily, what’s old is new with 2018’s relaunch of the beloved Cajun-Caribbean restaurant. The faithful are once again flocking to Patrick and Phoebe Celestin’s namesake establishment for lov-
ing spoonfuls of its signature gumbo, which is available in six different varieties (our favorite is the Celestin’s Gumbo, with shrimp, sausage, rock cod and scallops). Now located in East Sacramento, the cozy eatery also offers tasty dishes that pay homage to Patrick’s Haitian heritage. Try the snapper, bathed in Brazilian red sauce with rice, beans and tomatoes, or the texture-rich fried corn cakes and black beans. And if you can handle the heat, ask for a side of spicy Ti-Malice sauce (named for a trickster character in Haitian folklore). Either way, you’ll leave with your belly full and soul warmed.