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A cheery, sometimes boisterous vibe prevails at this ode to Black cuisine and culture that former NBA star and past Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson and his wife, Michelle, founded in a high-ceilinged, quasi-industrial space 3½ miles southeast of the Capitol. Expect heapin' helpings of soul food's greatest hits—gumbo, shrimp and grits, oxtails, and fried chicken, catfish, and pork chops among them—that you can pair with sides that include hush puppies, black-eyed peas, candied yams, and collard greens (with turkey necks).
3428 3rd Ave., Sacramento, California, 95817, USA
Known For
- Art on the walls, sports on bar TVs
- Kool-Aid for kids and (with vodka) for adults
- Banana pudding for dessert
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From potato pancakes for breakfast to grilled rib eye for dinner, this bustling bistro with a series of wainscoted rooms and an outdoor back patio has something for all palates. Lighter grilled vegetables, chicken, sandwiches, salads, and homemade soups always shine here, as does heartier fare that might include elk medallions and prawns, forager-mushroom risotto, and cioppino with a relatively delicate yet full-flavored broth.
402 Main St., Murphys, California, 95247, USA
Known For
- Full bar
- Wines by local producers
- Attentive service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner Sun.
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The smell of waffle cones will guide you to this town treasure whose Portuguese-Swiss namesake has been making ice cream since she was a young lass. Handcrafted flavors include Chill'n Cherry Chip (cherries and dark chocolate) and Wake Up Murphys (coffee, cocoa, and fudge).
386 Main St., Murphys, California, 95247, USA
Known For
- Fruity sorbets
- Cookies and ice-cream cakes
- Gluten-free flavors
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A casual spot on the eastern edge of town, Alchemy serves sturdy comfort food like meat loaf, pan-seared fish, and mushroom bourguignon over polenta. Fried calamari with roasted jalapeños and a Caesar with smoked-Gouda croutons are among the starters that pair well with the many Calaveras County wines on the list.
191 Main St., Murphys, California, 95247, USA
Known For
- Alchemy burger with blue cheese
- Lunch-only sandwiches
- Mildly pricey for dinner but reliable
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. No lunch Mon., Tues., and Thurs. (but check)
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Inside the historic American Block building, which dates from 1856, you can see this craft operation's beers being made through glass walls behind the dining room, which serves burgers, fish-and-chips, short rib and fish tacos, salads, sandwiches, and other decent gastropub fare. Gold Country Pilsner, Old Town Brown, and Gold Digger IPA are all Great American Beer Festival award winners.
289 Washington St., Auburn, California, 95603, USA
Known For
- Herb-brined buttermilk fried chicken
- Craft whiskeys
- Weekend brunch
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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One of Auburn's favorite old-time breakfast and lunch spots entices patrons with waffles, pancakes, Monte Cristo French toast, and a slew of egg dishes you can wash down with an award-winning Bloody Mary or two. Feast on burgers, sandwiches, and more Bloody Marys for lunch.
13460 Lincoln Way, Auburn, California, 95603, USA
Known For
- Hearty breakfasts
- Grandma's bread pudding with brandy sauce
- Town-hangout feel
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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On some sunny weekends, it seems like half of Amador City has dropped by this small brewery's front porch or umbrella-shaded back patio to enjoy beers that include one made entirely from Amador County hops. The chef, who has a talent for making the familiar unusual, times seasonal items like cornmeal-breaded asparagus fries to local farmers' harvests, with pickled eggs, hot honey walnuts and dates, risotto croquettes, and a sausage-and-kraut plate counting among the year-round possibilities.
14141 Old Hwy. 49, Amador City, California, 95601, USA
Known For
- Community milieu
- Range of beer flavors
- Grab-and-go items, beers by the can
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch Thurs. and Fri.
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$$ | Downtown |
The exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and natural light streaming through large-paned windows of this easygoing comfort-food hangout make a great first impression. Favorites like tater tots (in truffle oil), French onion soup, and chicken and waffles (with pecan butter, maple syrup, and pork gravy) prove simultaneously familiar and intriguing.
1116 15th St., Sacramento, California, 95814, USA
Known For
- Two outdoor patios
- Nostalgic food with a modern twist
- Weekend brunch with bottomless mimosas
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Centrally located Charles Street, its rustic decor heavy on the wood and Old West adornments, at once evokes both the gold-rush days and the 1980s, which is when it opened. The extensive straightforward menu includes hand-cut steaks, honey-barbecue baby back ribs, several pasta dishes, chicken, pork loin, lamb, a few well-adorned burgers, and some vegetarian options.
Hwy. 140 and 7th St., Mariposa, California, 95338, USA
Known For
- Excellent steaks
- Cheesecake, sundae, crème brûlée for dessert
- Local feel
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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The decor signals more ambitious fare, but massive half-pound burgers and sandwiches like the Ultimate Grilled Cheese with smoked bacon and tomato between three slices of sourdough bread are what this restaurant inside a late-19th-century stone-walled building is about. Locals crowd the tables, especially after 6 pm, for the ground-meat patties, beer-battered onion rings, and veggie burgers.
93 S. Washington St., Sonora, California, 95370, USA
Known For
- Garlic fries
- Many local wines
- Homemade desserts
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Breakfast salads, avocado toast, and caffeine several ways are on the menu at this jovial café that’s also a good stop for sandwiches and charcuterie, hummus, and bagel boards. You can eat indoors or watch Main Street’s comings and goings out on the patio.
9506 Main St., Plymouth, California, 95669, USA
Known For
- Cinnamon rolls and other baked goods
- Well-crafted coffee drinks
- Local wines and beers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner
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Inside an exposed-brick 1857 former assay office where miners exchanged gold nuggets for the coin of the realm, the Heyday is a happy haven for salads, panini, and thin-crust pizzas at lunch and dinner entrées like seared salmon, hanger steak, and pasta with mushroom ragout. The mood is casual, but the food is prepared with style.
325 Main St., Placerville, California, 95667, USA
Known For
- Local to international wine list
- Molasses gingerbread cake
- Affiliated The Independent nearby for fine dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Tues. and Wed.
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$$ | Midtown |
This Midtown eatery with a vaguely industrial look and a casual vibe takes its food seriously: nearly all the produce is sourced locally, and the chefs prepare only sustainable seafood. BLTs and grass-fed beef burgers (and a plant-based option) are among the staples, as are steak and fries and pan-roasted fish with seasonal vegetables.
1601 16th St., Sacramento, California, 95814, USA
Known For
- Outdoor park-view patio
- Beer, cider, wine, and cocktail lineup
- Homemade ice-cream sandwiches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Tues. and Wed., Reservations not accepted
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Since 1956, the Gillman family has been serving up its famous two-patty "Moo Burger"—so big it presumably still makes cow sounds. The convivial diner is also known for milk shakes and floats.
31 Hwy. 88, Jackson, California, 95642, USA
Known For
- Hearty breakfasts
- Freshly baked pies
- Stick with the burger and shakes advise some locals
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Many patrons at this restaurant serving seasonal California cuisine are attending performing-arts events at the Mondavi Center a short walk away or visiting their kids at UC Davis. With hardwood floors and soft lighting, the dining room is cozy and romantic, but when the weather's fine, the tree-shaded patio out back is the best place to enjoy dishes like tomato bisque crowned with a puff pastry or herb-crusted rack of lamb.
222 D St., Davis, California, 95616, USA
Known For
- Less expensive salad-sandwich lunch menu
- Desserts aren't an afterthought
- Reasonably priced California wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.–Mon.
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Perch yourself on this homey bungalow café's wide porch for homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches that include tuna plus three or four tri-tip, turkey, chicken, and BLT offerings. Everything from olives, jalapeños, cornichons, and celery to bacon, cheddar cheese, and shrimp—sometimes all of the above and more—accompanies the peppy "loaded" Bloody Marys (vodka and virgin), nearly a meal in themselves.
1192 S. Main St., Angels Camp, California, 95222, USA
Known For
- Soup and half-sandwich specials
- Emerald Bay BLT with avocado and blue cheese
- Old-style root beer and other soft drinks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon and Tues. No dinner
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The wood-fired pizza oven blazing away on the sidewalk turns out this café's handmade pies, but the lunch and dinner fare extends beyond them to pan-seared fish, a tri-tip sandwich, and fresh salads with ingredients from a local farm. The brick-walled dining room has been a farmers' hangout for breakfast (you name it) for decades.
1 Main St., Winters, California, 95694, USA
Known For
- Lunchtime sandwich lineup
- Alfresco patio dining
- Sister restaurant Buckhorn Steakhouse, a Winters culinary anchor, across the street
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Wed.
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Comfort food crafted with care makes a trip to this low-slung restaurant on downtown's edge a pleasure whether you dine inside at linen-topped tables or on the dog-friendly, street-facing patio. Several burgers, one vegetarian, another named for a local winemaker, entice the regulars, but don't overlook dinner entrées that might include shrimp curry, lamb and grits, or grilled Indian-spice tofu with pistachios and Sriracha.
140 Main St., Murphys, California, 95427, USA
Known For
- Clever appetizers
- Only local wines
- Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.–Thurs., Reservations not accepted
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Exposed brick walls and a pressed-metal ceiling heighten the air of nostalgia at this restaurant whose theme is the golden age of road trips and automobile service stations. Half-pounder burgers and pulled-pork, tri-tip, and other sandwiches and wraps count among the menu's highlights, along with small plates like nacho fries and fried calamari and entrées that might include chicken, grilled salmon, or steak.
18242 Main St., Jamestown, California, 95327, USA
Known For
- Outdoor beer garden
- Local wines, craft beers on tap
- Salads and vegetarian wraps and burgers for noncarnivores
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed.
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Homemade lunches and breakfasts served with warmth and cheer are the trademarks of this restaurant and coffee shop in Sutter Creek's historic district. Egg scrambles, pancakes, bagel sandwiches, French toast, and biscuits and gravy headline at breakfast, with soups, salads, sandwiches, and wraps on the menu for lunch.
74 Main St., Sutter Creek, California, 95685, USA
Known For
- Quiches and daily-special sandwiches
- Good stop for coffee
- Cookies, muffins, and pastries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. and Thurs. No dinner