The Best Restaurants in Sacramento (2026 Guide)

Sacramento doesn't need to borrow credibility from San Francisco anymore. The city earned its own. Michelin stars, James Beard nominations, and a farm-to-fork movement that isn't a marketing slogan here, it's just how people eat. Whether you're chasing an omakase counter, a perfect plate of handmade pasta, or a taco pressed fresh over an open flame, this list covers the best restaurants in Sacramento right now.

These are the Sac Goes picks. Every spot below, plus the newest additions, lives in our full Sacramento restaurant directory, updated as the scene changes.

Michelin-Starred

The Kitchen

Sacramento's original Michelin star, and still the one everyone quietly measures the rest against. Chef Kelly McCown runs it as an open-kitchen, six-course prix-fixe that rebuilds itself around whatever the season is doing, so no two visits land the same way. This isn't a hushed, white-tablecloth situation where you whisper and check your posture. The cooks talk to you, the room has a pulse, and dinner turns into a show you happen to be eating. Save it for the night that's supposed to mean something, go hungry, and don't make plans for after.

Localis

Sacramento's newest Michelin star, tucked into Midtown like it isn't a big deal, which is very Sacramento of it. Chef Chris Barnum-Dann runs an ever-changing tasting menu built around whatever's best that week, so the kitchen is basically showing off in the quietest way possible. It's small, warm, and technically flawless, the kind of precise that never tips into fussy. You notice every detail without the room ever making you feel underdressed. It's a special-occasion table that doesn't actually need a special occasion. Just go, and let them drive.

Best Sushi

Kru

Chef Billy Ngo quietly turned a Sacramento sushi bar into something that competes with the coasts. Kru sources Delta sturgeon, local Tsar Nicolai caviar, and regionally grown rice to build an omakase and Edomae-style nigiri counter that holds its own against anything in LA or San Francisco. It lands on every honest "best of Sacramento" list, and once you're at the counter you understand why. Sit there if you can; watching each piece come together is half the point. Come with an appetite and an open mind, let the chef lead, and you'll leave a believer.

Mikuni

Mikuni is the loud, fun, always-packed answer for when the group can't agree on anything. It's creative, high-energy, and consistently good, which is a harder trick than the crowds make it look. Rolls fly out of the kitchen, the room buzzes, and somehow it works whether it's a birthday, a date, or a random Tuesday. Good for groups, good for date night, good for the nights you just don't want to think about it. Put your name down, grab a drink, and settle in; it earns the wait.

Farm-to-Fork

Ella Dining Room & Bar

Ella works out of one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the city, with 500 salvaged Hungarian shutters lining the walls, which sounds like a stretch until you're sitting under them. Chef Dustin Harvey cooks European bistro food with real conviction, and the plates back up the setting instead of leaning on it. It's Michelin Guide listed and a DiRONA Award winner, and it wears all of that lightly. This is where you take the people you want to impress without admitting you're trying to impress them. Dress up a little; it earns the effort.

Mulvaney's

If one restaurant defines Sacramento's whole farm-to-fork thing, it's Mulvaney's. Tucked into a Midtown brick building, it's been cooking ingredient-first, farm-driven food since long before that became a line every menu copies. The offerings shift with what's actually good that week, so trust the specials and trust the room. It feels like a neighborhood institution because it genuinely is one. Come hungry, order whatever they're excited about, and let the season make the call.

Magpie

Magpie's menu changes when the season does, and that's the whole personality, in the best way. Instead of a fixed lineup, you get whatever California produce is peaking right now, cooked like the kitchen is honestly thrilled about it. That means last month's favorite might be gone, and that's the point: it keeps the place honest and the food alive. It's casual enough for a weekday and good enough to build a plan around. Go with a little flexibility and a lot of appetite, and you'll already be planning next season's visit.

Best Italian

Allora

Allora is one of the strongest Italian kitchens in the city, and it doesn't need to shout about it. Housemade pasta, standout seafood, and a wine list actually worth exploring, all in a modern room that feels considered without ever going cold. The execution is precise, the flavors are confident, and the whole thing reads like a restaurant that knows exactly what it is. It's a real date-night table or a quiet celebration spot. Get a bottle, get the pasta, and take your time; there's no rushing here, and you won't want to.

Adamo's

You come into Adamo's planning to order light. You leave wondering how you ate that much pasta and whether you'd do it again tomorrow. The lasagna, the gnocchi, the seasonal ravioli: it all lands, and it all makes "just a little something" completely impossible. It's warm, unpretentious, and exactly the kind of Italian spot you end up recommending to everyone you know. Bring people who like to share and don't count carbs at dinner, order more than you think you need, and finish all of it.

Neighborhood Gems

Camden Spit & Larder

Camden Spit & Larder sits near the Capitol and Golden 1 Center, which means legislative staffers, Kings fans, and people who just know good food all end up at the same bar. It's British classics with a California touch, done with more care than the neighborhood strictly requires. The cauliflower tikka masala and the local caviar & crumpets are the move; order them and thank yourself later. It works for a pre-game dinner, a work lunch, or a low-key impressive date. Sit at the bar if the tables are full; it might be the better seat anyway.

Hook & Ladder

Hook & Ladder is farm-fresh comfort food and clever cocktails inside a historic Midtown building, which is about as quintessentially Sacramento as a night out gets. It's the kind of place that's good for basically any occasion and never feels like a compromise. The food is honest, the drinks are dialed in, and the room has enough life to carry a real evening. Bring a group, bring a date, or bring the out-of-town friend who thinks Sacramento is just freeways. Start with a cocktail and see where the night goes; it usually goes well.

Selland's

Selland's does gourmet comfort food that never feels overworked, which is harder than it sounds. Wood-fired pizzas, salmon cooked exactly right, and seasonal specials that rotate enough to keep regulars paying attention. It's approachable and dependable without ever being boring, the neighborhood spot you actually return to. Good for a casual dinner, a family meal, or the night you want something great without the whole production. Order a pizza and one of the specials to split; that's the sweet spot.

Canon

Canon is the East Sacramento gastropub for people who actually like to eat. Small farms, local purveyors, and shareable dishes built on serious ingredients and even more serious technique. It's the kind of place regulars quietly protect, half-hoping it doesn't get too famous. The menu rewards ordering a lot and sharing all of it. Go with people who won't fight you for the last bite, or do, and enjoy it. Either way you'll be planning the return trip before the check lands.

Global Flavors

Maydoon

Maydoon is modern Persian dining in Midtown, family-owned, and criminally underrated. Traditional flavors get a contemporary, confident treatment that feels personal instead of trend-chasing. If you've never had Persian food, this is the ideal front door; if you have, you already know why locals guard the reservation. The hospitality is genuine and the plates are built to share. Bring a few people, order across the whole menu, and leave wondering why more of the city isn't already here.

Kin Thai

Kin Thai is Midtown Thai street food done with real care, not just heat for the sake of heat. The pad Thai comes wrapped in a delicate egg crepe, the spicy clay-pot shrimp hits exactly the way you want it to, and the flavors stay bold and honest across the menu. It's consistently excellent, which is the whole reason it stays busy. Good for a casual dinner that still feels like a treat. Go a little adventurous, split a few plates, and turn the heat up if you dare.

Tacos 65

You smell Tacos 65 before you reach the counter: a charcoal grill runs outside, and the carne asada announces itself from half a block away. Every corn tortilla is pressed fresh to order, and the salsa selection alone is worth the trip. It's proof that the best meal on this entire list might also be the cheapest one. No reservations, no fuss, just tacos that make you go quiet for a minute. Order more than feels reasonable, and hit the salsas hard.

Hot New Spots (2026)

Majka Pizzeria & Bakery

Majka Pizzeria & Bakery is Michelin Guide recognized, which is a big deal for a spot this new and this unbothered about it. Naturally leavened sourdough pizzas, seasonal toppings, and a curated natural wine list, all with easy neighborhood-favorite energy. It's the rare new opening that already feels like it's been part of the block for years. Go for the pizza, stay for the wine, and grab something from the bakery on the way out. Come a little early, since the good stuff goes fast, and you'll get why it's one of the best openings in recent memory.

Hanoi 36

Hanoi 36 brings Northern Vietnamese cooking to East Sacramento, and it's doing something most of the city isn't. These are traditional, specific dishes that differ from the Vietnamese food you've probably had around town, and that specificity is exactly the appeal. It's authentic, focused, and worth the drive from anywhere in the region. Go curious and let them steer you toward the dishes that make the place. Order outside your usual; that's the whole reason to come.

Good Neighbor

Good Neighbor comes from the team behind Urban Roots, and it's the buzziest new restaurant in Sacramento right now, deservedly. Italian classics, wood-fired proteins, and a cocktail list that doesn't take itself too seriously. Get the mushroom arancini, the blistered pizzas, and the double-cut pork chop, and don't pretend you're splitting that pork chop evenly. The room has real energy without tipping into scene-y, which is a tough balance to strike this early. Book ahead, since everyone's already trying to get in, then order too much and enjoy the problem.

The Bottom Line

Sacramento's food scene is no longer a secret. It's a destination. The restaurants on this list range from a $400 tasting menu to a $4 taco, and every single one is worth your time. Start anywhere. You won't be disappointed. Browse the complete, always-updated Sacramento restaurant directory whenever you need the shortlist.

Know a spot that belongs on this list? Tag us @SacGoes.