It’s happy hour in Sacramento. Here, at the Kimpton Sawyer’s retro-style, mid-century hotel beside the Golden 1 Center – home of the Sacramento Kings basketball team – it’s aptly named golden hour. Sure, the arena is adjacent, but nods must also go to the state and coastal region’s nicknames respectively (The Golden State and The Golden Coast); its wildly fascinating 19th-century Gold Rush history; and its decorated golden state flower: the rusted-orange Californian poppy, often seen dancing in that sweet Cali breeze.
Across the region’s two million acres of agricultural land, crops like almonds, tomatoes, plums, corn and even rice thrive in its climate. And depending on the season, these are likely to be the main components of any dish – both sweet and savoury. It’s no surprise, then, to learn that Sacramento is dubbed America’s farm-to-fork capital, with a lauded festival each September held to celebrate this.
Indeed, it’s happy hour in Sacramento, but not as you know it. At the hotel’s poolside lounge and restaurant, Revival, cheap cocktails are ditched in favour of light, crisp, locally made white wines, perfect for a slow Sunday afternoon. They pair perfectly with Revival’s locally harvested salad, consisting of super curly kale, crunchy pumpkin seeds, a rainbow of heirloom tomatoes and the welcome addition of cubed sweet pear and apple, on the golden-hour menu. The wine goes even better paired with their $2 oysters, of which I have many.
With San Francisco just 90 minutes away by car, Sacramento had often struggled to keep hold of its most talented people. Now, rising costs and lack of affordable homes in the Bay Area mean there are many more people relocating to the Sacramento region in search of a better quality of life. In 2023, more people were looking to move to Sacramento than any other US region – this can only benefit homegrown chefs like Dane Blom, an early pioneer of the farm-to-fork movement at his Sacramento restaurant, Grange.
“I try to work with a menu consisting of ingredients from no further than 100 miles away.” says Blom, welcoming me into Grange for dinner the next evening. “Ultimately, our aim is to take advantage of being in one of the nation’s most productive agricultural areas. It helps that the produce is delicious.”
Having dodged the hordes of Kings and Celtics fans heading for the Golden 1 Center, I take a seat at the marble bar and browse the menu. Dishes like soy-braised pork belly, finished with local scallions and crispy shallots, as well as a beet and citrus salad topped with fried walnuts and pickled apple, act as vehicles for sampling this region’s produce. But, to be honest, so does the rest of the menu.
I opt for the pork belly, so tender it falls apart at the merest of prods, with the freshness of the local scallions perfectly counteracting the saltiness of the soy. Dessert is a peculiar-sounding olive oil cake made from Californian pistachios, ricotta and, yes, olive oil. The olive oil is probably from Sciabica’s (the USA’s oldest olive oil producer) in Modesto, just over an hour southwest by car.
As I ask for the bill, I’m tipped off about another restaurant doing brilliant things: Kru. “It’s Sacramento’s best Japanese restaurant,” says one patron, adding that their sushi rice is grown at Rue & Forsman Ranch, an organic rice farm 35 miles north of the city. I would clear the next evening’s schedule, but I’m flying home before then. One thing’s for sure though, Sacramento’s dining scene continues to strike gold.
Need to know
Getting there: Sacramento is best accessed by road from San Francisco (1hr30) and by air from Los Angeles (1hr35). There are no direct flights from the UK. Sacramento Valley Station also offers two Amtrak rail services within California, and two long-distance routes.
Getting around: While the city is walkable, there is an inexpensive light rail system that offers good connections around Downtown. Buses operate but are less frequent.
Best time to go: Visit Sacramento in the spring or autumn for local produce at its best, as well as cooler days and fewer crowds. The city’s famed Farm to Fork Festival takes place in September.
Further information: visitsacramento.com / farmtofork.com
Images © Dreamstime; Kimpton Hotels; Visit Sacramento
