Sacramento is not only the capital of California but also the capital of taste. It is called the "Farm-to-Fork Capital of the U.S." which shows how much this city is proud of being closely connected to agriculture and local produce. The fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats that come straight from the surrounding farms make every restaurant dish a real seasonal feast full of authentic taste.
However, Sacramento’s food story was never solely about the source of the ingredients, but rather about the people, their passion, and creativity. Chefs and local restaurateurs have taken the simplest ingredients and turned them into culinary masterpieces while honoring both the past and the future. It could be a small family diner that has been serving pancakes for 50 years or a trendy fusion restaurant that uses heirloom tomatoes and street-made pasta, every food place here has a story that is Every food place here has a story worth tasting.
In case you want to eat like the real locals in Sacramento, do not go to the chains but rather follow this tasty trail of the best local food joints in Sacramento, where every meal is a story.
1. The Tower Café: A global feast in the heart of the city
Location: 1518 Broadway, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Famous French toast, huevos rancheros, Thai steak salad
The Tower Café remains one of the most unforgettable dining experiences in Sacramento, a restaurant that anyone would typically associate with bright lighting and food from around the world. Because of its location next to the historic Tower Theatre, this restaurant is where both residents and tourists alike gather for their famous brunches or cakes that are full of comfort. The patio, which is filled with plants, offers a quaint escape that is refreshing and quiet, making it no wonder that people want to visit Tower Café on the weekend.
The amazing French toast is probably the best in town, which is absolutely something you should order. The menu is eclectic, showcasing food options from various regions of the world, and allows people to enjoy Vietnamese egg rolls, Japanese teriyaki, or Thai steak salad as Tower Café is a multicultural experience that embodies the spirit of creativity and inclusivity that lives in Sacramento.
2. Selland’s Market-Café: Farm-to-Fork done right
Location: 915 Broadway, Sacramento, CA (multiple locations)
Must try: Grilled tri-tip sandwich, macaroni & cheese, seasonal salads
Farm-to-fork is the theme at Selland's Market-Café, the hallmark of Sacramento's culinary scene, and it is this café that really brings the philosophy to life. This intimate café, a creation of the famous Selland family, combines gourmet quality with the simplicity of an everyday meal. Whatever it may be, from a handcrafted sandwich to a wood-fired pizza or a vibrant salad, each item on the menu is made from the local, seasonal ingredients that are sourced from the nearby farms.
It is the grilled tri-tip sandwich that is the most talked-about, which is juicy, smoky, and ultimately, perfectly seasoned, whereas the mac and cheese is nothing but pure, indulgent comfort food that makes you feel warm inside. Their "Dinner for Two" specials, which are on rotation, attract the locals and are loved for being cheap and tasty at the same time.
3. The Waterboy: Elevated comfort food
Location: 2000 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Duck confit, steak tartare, seafood risotto
The Waterboy has been one of Sacramento's culinary landmarks for more than 25 years. The Midtown jewel serves out classy yet comforting meals made up of a mix of Northern Italian and French influences with the freshness of California. The seasonal menu is a celebration of simplicity and the art of production, where every meal is carefully made to emphasize the best local products.
Regulars can hardly resist such signature dishes as duck confit and seafood risotto, which are superbly rich yet elegant. The place is small and warm inside with little light, and the service is of a nice, friendly type, which helps to create a homely atmosphere.
4. Juno’s Kitchen and Delicatessen: The sandwich masterpiece
Location: 3675 J Street, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Grilled lamb sandwich, tuna melt, roasted beet salad
Juno’s Kitchen and Delicatessen may look like a small local shop from the outside, but it is actually the place where you will find some of the most extraordinary sandwiches in Sacramento. It doesn’t just make the ordinary lunch staple, but turns it into a gourmet meal, carefully and precisely making each one. Daily, the bread is baked fresh, the meats are roasted in-house, and the sauces are made from the very beginning.
The grilled lamb sandwich, which is spiced with harissa and has garlic aioli on top, is one of the local favorites for its overpowering taste and softness. Even if it is just a simple tuna melt or a roasted beet salad, you will still feel that the food is of superior quality.
5. Federalist Public House: Pizza, beer, and community Vibes
Location: 2009 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Wood-fired Margherita pizza, spicy soppressata pizza, craft beer
Walk into Federalist Public House, and the vibe of community will be felt by you right away. With the help of repurposed shipping containers, this eco-friendly restaurant is a perfect visual of Sacramento's innovative, sustainable spirit.
The menu is mainly focused on wood-fired pizzas, which are made in the best way, with the crust being crispy and the toppings fresh and locally sourced. The spicy soppressata pizza gives just the right amount of heat, whereas the simple Margherita brings back coziness to the mind.
Surely, add a local craft beer from their rotating selection to your pizza, many of these are brewed locally right in Sacramento. The outdoor beer garden, which is beautifully decorated with lights and the sound of people laughing, is the perfect place for casual evenings, live music, or Kings game nights.
6. Mulvaney’s B&L: Farm-to-Fork fine dining
Location: 1215 19th Street, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Pork belly, handmade pasta, seasonal chef’s specials
At Mulvaney’s B&L, the farm-to-fork principle that is typical of Sacramento is taken to the next level. The chef has created a restaurant that is essentially an appreciation of the farmers and the producers who are the source of California’s agricultural products. The menu is changed every day, thus reflecting the fresh and seasonal products and making each visit different and fascinating.
It is these signature items, such as the pork belly, slow-cooked, or the pasta, which is, of course, handmade, that really highlight the dishes as being both delicious and comforting. The warm atmosphere, with its exposed brick, gives the impression of being quite a nice rustic kind of place, and thus it would be suitable for both date nights and your special celebrations.
7. Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine: Sushi with artistry
Location: 3135 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Omakase tasting menu, miso-glazed black cod, signature rolls
Elegant, creative, and maintaining its roots, Kru is a perfect blend of Japanese craftsmanship and Sacramento innovation. The dining experience at Kru is not just a simple sushi experience, as it is a whole new concept of extraordinary dining.
To put it simply, each and every dish is a masterpiece, vibrant, harmonious, and skillfully arranged. The Omakase tasting menu is a culinary voyage with the chef through the freshest catch and the latest seasonal flavors, whereas the black cod with its miso glaze is so tender and rich that it simply disappears in your mouth.
The modern décor of Kru, featuring attractive wooden elements and dim lights, is definitely a place where one can enjoy a sophisticated meal that is still very friendly in nature.
8. Bacon & Butter: The ultimate brunch stop
Location: 5913 Broadway, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Griddle cakes, breakfast sandwich, biscuits, and gravy
If brunch were a country, its capital would be none other than Bacon & Butter in Sacramento. For the past three years, the East Broadway gem has been championing comfort food that is made from scratch while incorporating the freshest local ingredients of the city.
Every single plate is substantial, flavorful, and stuffed with love. Their griddle cakes have become a thing of legend, light, buttery, and impeccably golden, while the bacon breakfast sandwich and biscuits with gravy serve as the ultimate decadences.
The sound of the bacon sizzling and the coffee freshly brewing is what you will find the kitchen to be full of while the people are waiting in line for their weekend dose. Even though it has a laid-back atmosphere, the presentation and taste still show the chef’s deep love of his craft.
Bacon & Butter is no longer just a place to grab a bite, as it’s a lifestyle in Sacramento that perfectly reflects the farm-to-fork concept.
9. Magpie Café: Seasonal and sustainable
Location: 1601 16th Street, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Chicken torta, beet salad, lemon olive oil cake
Magpie Café is a stellar illustration of Sacramento’s commitment to eating seasonally and sustainably. This down-to-earth Midtown gem, which is very much a local’s favorite, makes dishes that are not only delicious but also responsible as it sources the best local fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses from the farms around.
They hardly ever repeat their menu, so each visit is like a new experience. The chicken torta, stacked with succulent meat and fresh tastes, and the beet salad, which offers a sweet earthiness, are just a couple of examples of the restaurant’s use of pure, simple ingredients. The lemon olive oil cake is a light yet heavenly treat that has gained popularity among the locals, so don’t be the one to miss it.
Magpie’s small, simple setting is inviting, and its staff will make you feel like a friend coming over to their place. No matter if you are vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore, Magpie Café offers you plant-based meals that are both satisfying and delicious, thus being an accurate representation of the Sacramento dining scene.
10. Gunther’s Ice Cream: A Sacramento sweet tradition
Location: 2801 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, CA
Must try: 50/50 Freeze, banana split, toasted almond ice cream
Gunther’s Ice Cream, a local favorite till today in Sacramento, has been a source of joy to the citizens with its small-batch, creamy creations made from fresh ingredients since 1940. It is the shop’s retro charm and friendly vibe that make it a great place to visit for families and ice cream lovers.
Just by the mere fact of either eating their famous 50/50 Freeze or tasting one of their seasonal flavors that keep changing, Gunther’s is the one that, in the purest sense, is able to embody the essence of old-fashioned, handcrafted ice cream right in the downtown area.
11. Localis: A Farm-to-Fork fine dining gem
Location: 2031 S Street, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Chef’s tasting menu, seasonal plates, wine pairings
Localis is the perfect example of Sacramento's farm-to-fork concept, emphasizing the use of locally sourced ingredients and inventive culinary presentation. This stylish but friendly restaurant is all about turning fresh fruits and vegetables into visually stunning dishes that don’t fail to amaze and motivate.
The restaurant’s menu is a mirror to nature’s cycles, making the dining experience elegant yet deeply connected to the community. Localis is essentially a restaurant where the food is like a narrative, rich in taste, purposeful, and exquisitely harmonious.
12. Temple Coffee Roasters: The city’s coffee pride
Location: Multiple across Sacramento
Must try: Ethiopian pour-over, honey lavender latte, avocado toast
Temple Coffee Roasters is a staple in the Sacramento community and a must-visit place for coffee lovers. The place is famous for its morally sourced beans and the brewing methods that are done with extreme care, so each cup here is really a work of art.
The minimalist design, communal tables, and the nice baristas make a comfortable place to relax with your drink or meet up with friends. No matter if you are into a pour-over, cold brew, or espresso, this is the place where you will find quality, and your cup will always be up to standard, which is why they have a following all over the city.
13. Falafel Corner: Mediterranean flavor explosion
Location: 2333 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Shawarma fries, chicken kebab wrap, falafel platter
It is Falafel Corner that first comes to mind when you talk about combining two worlds that consist of healthy Mediterranean street food and typical American portions, which is the reason why it is a local favorite. This little, plain-looking place offers you the delicious combo of wraps, burgers, and falafel, which are made fresh to order.
The finger-licking blend of spices and sauces results in bold, delicious flavors that attract customers to come again and again. The Falafel Corner is great at any time of the day, whether you use it for a quick lunch or a late-night snack. Falafel Corner is the place where you can get tasty comfort food with a global twist right in downtown Sacramento.
14. Frank Fat’s: Sacramento’s legendary Chinese-American eatery
Location: 806 L Street, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Honey walnut prawns, banana cream pie, Fat’s signature fried rice
Frank Fat's isn't simply a restaurant, as it's a landmark of Sacramento. Since 1939, this Chinese-American dining place has been delighting the community with its timeless culinary creations and friendly service.
The food list takes the best of both worlds, authentic Cantonese cuisine infused with a bit of Western style, such as honey walnut prawns and the famous banana cream pie. In a beautifully wood-paneled, decorated room with a vintage feel, Frank Fat's remains a gathering place that is loved by the local people, politicians, and food lovers.
15. LowBrau Bierhalle: German pub vibes and local fun
Location: 1050 20th Street, Sacramento, CA
Must try: Bratwurst, pretzels, craft beer
LowBrau is a popular hangout for beer lovers in Sacramento. Some come here for a good time, others to experience their tasty artisan sausages, and last but not least for any combination of craft brews. Located in Midtown, the modern twist on the classic German beer garden offers food that's available for casual eating with a fun and social atmosphere.
Guests may experience long communal tables, inventive sausage-pairing meals, or literally hundreds of beers that are either locally brewed or imported. If you have brunch plans, a friend-night out with drinks, or just a quick stop for a beverage, LowBrau gets it right every time with good food, fun, and shared community spirit.