10 Best Restaurants in Sacramento

Two seasoned Sacramento restaurateurs have opened two highly anticipated new restaurants in the last few months. One puts a contemporary twist on classic American diner fare, while the other offers a creative vegetarian option. These are just two of the numerous excellent dining options available in Sacramento, where patrons can enjoy everything from delectably oily tacos to tasting menus with multiple Michelin stars at different price points. This is a list of the best places to eat in Sacramento.

1.Restaurant Josephine

The owners, Courtney McDonald and Eric Alexander, first came together while attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. They later established themselves at Auburn’s Carpe Vino wine bar, where McDonald oversaw the pastry department and Alexander oversaw the kitchen.. In honor of Alexander’s Lithuanian grandmother, the pair, who are now married and have a daughter named Josephine, operate their own restaurant where they serve French bistro cuisine with a few dishes from Eastern Europe. Savour the highlights, such as French onion soup, Russian-Ukrainian dumplings called vareniki, steak frites, and caviar with blini. Auburn is forty minutes away from Sacramento’s downtown, but the drive is well worth it for this quaint bistro

2.Bibis enchiladas & grill

The owners, Courtney McDonald and Eric Alexander, first came together while attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. They later established themselves at Auburn’s Carpe Vino wine bar, where McDonald oversaw the pastry department and Alexander oversaw the kitchen. The couple, who are now married and have a daughter named Josephine, own their own restaurant where they serve French bistro fare with a few dishes from Eastern Europe, as a tribute to Alexander’s grandmother, who is Lithuanian. Savour the highlights, such as French onion soup, Russian-Ukrainian dumplings called vareniki, steak frites, and caviar with blini. Auburn is forty minutes away from Sacramento’s downtown, but the drive is well worth it for this quaint bistro.

3.Jim Denny’s American Diner

Former co-owner of the venerable South restaurant N’Gina Guyton recently set out to bring back Jim-Denny’s, the famous, long-standing hamburger stand on gritty 12th Street. The small, vintage interior, complete with pine panelling, a bar top made of Formica, and a row of fixed stools, was mostly unaltered by her, but she created a spacious new patio in the parking lot. A spiced-up version of the former Jim Denny’s menu is available, featuring variations on hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. The original sign behind the bar advertised a 10-cent ‘fancy cheeseburger’, but those days are long gone and the new menu is more expensive. Guyton recently introduced Fried Chicken Fridays, which offer a bucket of crispy chicken plus house-made biscuits from 4 to 8 p.m. for lovers of South Carolina’s renowned fried chicken.

4.Camden Spit & Larder

This London-inspired eatery is a big-city brasserie, the kind of spot you’d go to for a special occasion dinner with the in-laws or an after-work martini. It’s situated a few blocks away from the glittering State Capitol building downtown. With lots of leather and fabric upholstery reminiscent of Savile Row suits, the interior design is elegant and serene. The menu is full of fancy takes on British classics, such as roasted meats and fish, as well as English meat pie (with a choice of filling) and delicious sausage rolls served with curried ketchup. Oliver Ridgeway, the chef and owner, is British, and this is his ode to his home country. “Winston’s Hour,” or happy hour, is held here from 3 to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.

5.Mother Restaurant

Just before the pandemic, Michael Thiemann of the popular vegetarian restaurant on downtown’s K Street Mall closed, leaving Sacramento without a mother. However, he brought Mother back to life in the late summer, and it now has a larger, cosier location in midtown. (Also much simpler to park.) Delicate house-made pastas like Wedding Lasagna, which Thiemann prepared for his own wedding to wife and business partner Lisa, and old favourites like chicken-fried mushroom po’ boy and chilli verde are back. Serving up delicacies like umami-dense coconut-lime collard greens and grilled ratatouille, mother is as creative and flavorful as ever. Additionally, Thiemann revived his well-liked “Chef’s 10,” a $80 10-course tasting menu available only on Thursday evenings with reservations.

6.Sibling by Pushkin’s

When Danny and Olga Turner opened Pushkin’s Bakery ten years ago, they were trailblazers in the gluten-free world, offering baked goods made with Olga’s special blend of nonwheat flours. In 2016, they added Sibling, a stylish midtown restaurant, to their gluten-free concept. Eggs Benedict, pancakes and waffles, shakshuka, peanut ramen steak salad, and a sandwich known as the New Yorker—which is piled high with salami, soppressata, provolone, and oregano vinaigrette—are all offered during the day. Much of the brunch fare is available again for dinner, along with house-made gnocchi and steak frites as entrees. Both dinners have separate vegan menus.Best Restaurants in Sacramento

7.Betty Wine Bar & Bottle Shop

This charming little store in the Southside Park neighbourhood of Sacramento provides a comfortable setting for enjoying a bottle of wine and some light fare. The hippest wine bar in the valley, Cadet, was founded by owner Colleen Fleming, who is originally from Napa, along with a partner. Betty is more family-friendly, though Cadet drew in the cool kids who were out late. There are several tables and chairs inside as well as a pleasant, shaded patio with picnic tables out back. Mini meatballs and roasted sprouts are available, along with hearty salads, charcuterie boards, and deli sandwiches like the Betty, which is made with salami, hot capicola, mortadella, and provolone. A wide variety of wines from

8.Casa East Sac

This isn’t a taqueria, despite the name misleading you. The word “casa” means “house,” so you can expect food at this quaint restaurant in East Sac that tastes even better than homemade. Good, simple food is served by the owners, brothers Ted and Steve Gibanov, who learned to cook from their Russian grandmothers. Lunch consists of burgers on house-baked brioche rolls, pizzas, sandwiches, and an exquisite prawn Louie topped with a jammy 6-minute egg and plump crustaceans. A short but comprehensive dinner menu features a variety of dishes, such as daily-changing spaghetti with three enormous meatballs, a steak special, the catch of the day, and a roasted half chicken served on panzanella that resembles the famous dish at San Francisco’s.Best Restaurants in Sacramento

9.Localis

This midtown restaurant, which opened in a former pizzeria in 2015, is one of only two restaurants in Sacramento to be awarded a Michelin star. Chef and owner Chris Barnum-Dann has established himself with a creative 12-course tasting menu that rotates every month over the last few years. His Instagrammable creations, such as Painter’s Palette, are inspired by his travels and his passion for music and art. The dish is named after a tiny matzo artist’s board and is topped with dabs of duck liver mousse and turnip. Though Barnum-Dann was always a bit of a showman, having made appearances on two TV food competition shows, these days he dazzles guests with his $197 prix-fixe dinners, which go fast once the reservation books open.Best Restaurants in Sacramento

10.The Kitchen Restaurant

This reservations-only, one-seating restaurant per night, which was awarded Sacramento’s first Michelin star back in 2019, moved to stylish new digs on Broadway. From behind a U-shaped counter, executive chef Kelly McCown runs the show, joking with diners while shouting over the din of diners to announce each course. Six courses are served during the nearly four-hour experience, along with a few extras like raw oysters for a ‘intermission’ and warm, freshly made chocolate chip cookies for a farewell. There is almost a one-to-one staff-to-diner ratio, and the service is meticulous and extremely coordinated. You are welcome to wander into the kitchen during dinner, and if you ask, one of the cooks will be happy to sneak you an extra of anything.Best Restaurants in Sacramento