Relocating to Sacramento · Culture, food and wine
Sacramento Food, Wine and Culture for Newcomers
Sacramento pairs Farm-to-Fork dining with Broadway and repertory theatre. Museums, five wine regions and golf sit close by.
Written by Maggie B. Hopkins, Broker-Owner · Real Estate & Mortgage Broker at Surroundings. Facts checked October 2026.
Sacramento Food and Wine Start on the Farm
Sacramento food and wine begin with the land around the city. Visit Sacramento describes about 1.5 million acres of farms and ranches in the region, more than 160 crops and more than 40 farmers markets. The city's water tower has carried the slogan "America's Farm-to-Fork Capital" since 2017.
The annual Farm-to-Fork events began in 2013, per Visit Sacramento. The best known is the Tower Bridge Dinner, a multi-course meal served on the Tower Bridge itself.
Farmers markets run all year. The Sunday Certified Farmers Market sets up under the freeway at 8th and W Streets, Sundays from 8 a.m. to noon. The Midtown Farmers Market runs Saturdays at 1050 20th Street. Both are year-round, per Visit Sacramento in April 2026. In Yolo County, the Davis Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings year-round in Central Park.
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Restaurants Worth Knowing
The Michelin Guide recognized several Sacramento-area kitchens at its California ceremony on June 24, 2026, as Abridged reported.
- The Kitchen on Broadway kept its Michelin star. It earned Sacramento's first star in 2019 and serves a fixed six-course dinner in an open-kitchen format. The Selland family founded it in 1991.
- Canon in East Sacramento kept its Bib Gourmand.
- Nixtaco in Roseville kept its Bib Gourmand.
Older institutions hold their own. Frank Fat's, a family-style Chinese-American restaurant at 806 L Street downtown, marked 87 years in 2026 and is known for its banana cream pie. Revolution Wines has crushed, fermented and bottled wine at 28th and S Streets in Midtown since 2005, with a tasting room and eatery on site.
Theatre, Music and Museums
Broadway Sacramento runs two series. Touring shows play the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center at 1301 L Street, which seats about 2,326. The 2025-26 season included The Lion King, MJ The Musical and Hell's Kitchen. Broadway At Music Circus has run since 1951 and now plays March through December at the UC Davis Health Pavilion on H Street, as Comstock's reported.
B Street Theatre performs at The Sofia on Capitol Avenue, which opened in 2018. Its 2026 season is its 40th. In Folsom, the Harris Center for the Arts turned 15 in 2026 with a season that includes Shanghai Ballet and Lyle Lovett. At UC Davis, the Mondavi Center's Jackson Hall seats 1,800. The Woodland Opera House reopened in 1896 after a downtown fire and is now a State Historic Park.
Live music fills arenas and small rooms alike. Golden 1 Center opened downtown in 2016 and holds about 19,000 for concerts. Channel 24 in Midtown opened in April 2025 as a 2,150-capacity venue from Another Planet Entertainment. The Torch Club on 15th Street has hosted blues since 1934.
Museums tell the region's story. The Crocker Art Museum, founded in 1885, describes itself as the first public art museum in the West. The California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento is a Smithsonian Affiliate. Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in Midtown is a National Historic Landmark. The Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis offers free admission.
Five Wine Regions Within Reach
Five wine regions sit within reach of the city.
- Clarksburg. The Clarksburg AVA dates to 1984 and straddles the river south of the city. Visit Sacramento counts more than 20 wineries, with Chenin Blanc as the signature grape. The Old Sugar Mill began as a 1930s sugar beet refinery and now houses several winery tasting rooms. It changed hands in late 2025, per Hoodline.
- Lodi. South on Highway 99, Lodi has more than 85 wineries, and Zinfandel is its signature grape.
- Amador County. The Shenandoah Valley near Plymouth holds roughly 40 wineries known for Zinfandel, per 209 Magazine.
- El Dorado County. The El Dorado AVA was designated in 1983. Most of its vineyards sit between about 1,200 and 3,500 feet. That puts them among the highest in California. Boeger Winery near Placerville was the county's first winery after Prohibition, founded in 1972.
- Placer County. The 2026 Placer County Wine Trail map lists 21 member wineries in the foothills between Lincoln, Newcastle, Auburn and Loomis.
Apple Hill, off Highway 50 in Camino, adds orchards and farm stands to the El Dorado wine trip. Its farms are busiest from September through November.
Golf Across the Region
Golf here runs from century-old municipal courses to resort layouts.
- Haggin Oaks in Sacramento pairs the Alister MacKenzie course from 1932 with the Arcade Creek course, per the City of Sacramento.
- William Land in William Land Park is a 9-hole course that opened in 1924.
- Ancil Hoffman in Carmichael is an 18-hole county course along the American River.
- Yocha Dehe Golf Club in Brooks, Yolo County, is a public Brad Bell design that opened in 2008.
Private clubs include Del Paso Country Club, founded in 1916, and Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills. The 55+ communities in Lincoln and Roseville have their own courses, covered in the downsizing and single-level living guide.
Find Your Place for Sacramento Food and Wine
Where you live shapes which of these you'll use every week. A Midtown address puts the theatres and markets within walking distance. A home in El Dorado Hills puts the foothill wineries close. Davis and Woodland bring the Mondavi Center and the Opera House near. Browse the Sacramento County and El Dorado County area guides, then talk with Maggie about where you'd like to land. The relocation hub has the rest of the guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Sacramento called the Farm-to-Fork Capital?
The region is surrounded by farmland. Visit Sacramento counts about 1.5 million acres of farms and ranches, more than 160 crops and more than 40 farmers markets. The slogan has been on the city water tower since 2017.
Does Sacramento have Michelin-recognized restaurants?
Yes. The Kitchen kept its Michelin star at the June 24, 2026 ceremony. Canon and Roseville's Nixtaco kept their Bib Gourmand awards, as Abridged reported.
Where can I see Broadway shows in Sacramento?
Broadway Sacramento brings touring shows to the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center and runs Broadway At Music Circus at the UC Davis Health Pavilion, now from March through December.
Which wine regions are near Sacramento?
Clarksburg sits along the river and Lodi lies to the south. Amador County's Shenandoah Valley, the El Dorado foothills and the Placer County Wine Trail are also within reach.
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Read the guide →Moving from Los Angeles and Southern California
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Read the guide →Moving from Nevada
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Read the guide →Cost of living vs the Bay Area
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Read the guide →Buying a home before you move
See how video tours, the loan, the offer and closing work from out of town. Maggie lines up the loan. Rachel shows you the homes and neighborhoods.
Read the guide →Property tax and Prop 19
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Read the guide →Downsizing and single-level living
Sell a long-held home and move to one level. This guide covers single-story options, 55+ communities and timing.
Read the guide →Healthcare and getting around
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Sources
- Wikipedia, Sacramento (rivers, City of Trees, Farm-to-Fork slogan, climate), checked October 2026.
- Visit Sacramento, Farm-to-Fork, checked October 2026.
- Visit Sacramento, Sacramento farmers markets, April 28, 2026.
- Davis Wiki, Davis Farmers Market, checked October 2026.
- Abridged, The Kitchen and Localis retain Michelin stars, June 24, 2026.
- The Kitchen Restaurant, checked October 2026.
- Frank Fat's, checked October 2026.
- Inside Sacramento, Revolution Wines, checked October 2026.
- SAFE Credit Union, Broadway Sacramento 2025-26 season, September 2025.
- Comstock's, Music Circus now year-round, checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia, Wells Fargo Pavilion (UC Davis Health Pavilion, Music Circus since 1951), checked October 2026.
- B Street Theatre, 2026 season brochure, May 2026.
- Hoodline, Harris Center turns 15, August 2026.
- Mondavi Center, seating, checked October 2026.
- Woodland Opera House, history, checked October 2026.
- Railyards, Sacramento museum guide, checked October 2026.
- Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, hours, 2025-26 schedule.
- Wikipedia, Golden 1 Center, checked October 2026.
- Visit Sacramento, Channel 24, checked October 2026.
- Sacramento LocalWiki, Torch Club, checked October 2026.
- Visit Sacramento, Sacramento Delta wineries, checked October 2026.
- Hoodline, new owners at Clarksburg's Old Sugar Mill, January 21, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Lodi AVA, checked October 2026.
- 209 Magazine, Amador's wine country, checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia, El Dorado AVA and Fair Play AVA, checked October 2026.
- Wine Industry Advisor, Boeger Winery 50th anniversary, May 2022.
- Placer County Vintners Association, 2026 Wine Trail map, February 2026.
- Islands, Camino and Apple Hill, checked October 2026.
- City of Sacramento, golf courses, checked October 2026.
- Sacramento County Regional Parks, golf courses, checked October 2026.
- Top 100 Golf Courses, Yocha Dehe Golf Club, checked October 2026.
- Golfn, Del Paso Country Club, checked October 2026.
- Golf Digest, Serrano Country Club, checked October 2026.
Restaurants, venues and seasons change. Every place named here comes from a public source checked in 2026. Check hours with each one before you go.
Relocating to Sacramento: keep exploring
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