Sacramento gets derided as San Francisco’s decidedly less chic valley neighbor, a convenient rest stop en route to the Sierras. Eyes glaze over when we locals try to convey just how much is happening in Sacramento to our big-city-dwelling friends.
But now Sacramento is having a moment. Our growing fame as a farm-to-fork capital has ignited the restaurant scene and spawned a festival celebrating local farmers’ fresh goods. Construction of the Golden 1 Center in the heart of downtown, the new home of the Sacramento Kings starting this fall, has snowballed development in the area. Plus, the revitalization of the R Street Corridor has blossomed into a new arts destination. Sactown may have set its sights high, but as it’s grown, it has also managed to maintain a sense of community pride and interconnectedness that makes this city so darn special.
If you’re looking to explore the city but want to avoid tourist attractions like kitschy Old Sacramento or the capitol building, here are several spots to hit that will make you feel like a local in the City of Trees.
Eat and Drink
Start the day at much-beloved brunch spot Bacon & Butter. It’s just as decadent as its name implies, so you may want to go easy on heavy dishes like the chicken and waffles (pictured), freshly baked bacon-apple fritters or the grilled-cheese Benedict (made with challah, to boot). Rotating local taps round out the menu at B&B, which is tucked away in the more residential Tahoe Park neighborhood.
When you’re ready to hit “The Grid,” so named for the crosshatch of perfectly perpendicular streets that make it hard to get lost in downtown, head to K Street for some eats. Once a bustling pedestrian mall, K Street fell on hard times until a few celebrated eateries started popping up. Check out Mother, an all-vegetarian restaurant known for super-seasonal takes on American classics like the chicken fried-mushroom po’boy and cheddar biscuits.
Carnivores will delight in the neighboring underground Empress Tavern, which was cooked up by the same team last fall. Empress keeps mouths watering regularly with a lineup of meat-forward dishes that includes a walnut-crusted rack of lamb and an herb-roasted organic chicken, both of which can be ordered by the half or the whole. Don’t forget to get a signature cocktail using the hand-signal guide provided in the menu — one pointer finger up gets you the gin special.
When it’s five o’clock somewhere, pop into the watering hole of the moment, B-Side, a classy, retro take on a dive bar outfitted with a DJ booth where local enthusiasts spin vinyl exclusively. B-Side is the latest from the team behind Shady Lady Saloon, a local legend that made Esquire’s Best Bars in America list in 2014 for its classic cocktails and Gold-Rush-era-inspired interior. True to its divey status, you won’t find craft cocktails at B-Side, but you can sip a pint from favorite local breweries like Track 7 or Knee Deep.
If you’re in the mood for something craft-ier, take a quick jaunt down the street to another new notable, the combination bar-and-barbershop Bottle & Barlow, which made Details magazine’s list of the Most Anticipated Bar Openings of 2015. Come for the swanky Art Deco interiors and heated patio, and stay for the impressive whiskey list and cocktail lineup, which includes cheekily named concoctions like “Carnal Knowledge” and “Ponzu Scheme.”
See and Do
One of the best things about Sacramento — aside from walkability, affordability and fresh produce being practically thrown at you from farmers’ markets — is the street art. As you make your way through the Grid, keep an eye out for colorful murals gracing the sides of restaurants, shops and even the underside of the freeway.
For a more comprehensive glimpse into the local arts scene, look no further than the R Street Corridor. The nexus of the neighborhood is the Warehouse Artist Lofts (WAL), a relic of the neighborhood’s industrial past that has been converted into affordable housing for Sacramento artists. The WAL is an all-in-one stop for shopping, art, and eats and drinks. The impossibly cool industrial chic vibe doesn’t hurt either.
The ground floor of the bustling building comprises the WAL Public Market, aforementioned Bottle & Barlow and various gallery spaces, including 1810 Gallery, where you can see work from the movers and shakers of Sacramento’s art scene. The WAL Public Market features fresh juice, a poke bar, a vintage record and collectible store, and a handmade-shoe shop. Plus, local art graces every blank wall in the space. Be sure to pop into Old Gold, Sacramento’s best vintage boutique, for treasures like local handmade jewelry, killer ’70s coats, rare Dooney & Bourke bags and adorable air plants.
Finally, if you really want to do as the locals do, forget the trendy agenda by grabbing a six-pack and heading to the river. It’s the best diversion for a sweltering valley summer day and captures Sactown’s scenery too. Sutter’s Landing is an easy access point to the American River (not to be confused with the Sacramento River, which is on the western side of the city and is where the Tower Bridge is located).
OK, so maybe there is more to see here than a visitor can reasonably fit into one day. But the point is that Sacramento is no longer the “little city that could.” Now it’s a destination in its own right.
