Callie and Cream in Sacramento. Photo: Jo & Joey (CC)
Each month, it seems, more and more Sacramento restaurants are breaking the dog barrier by welcoming human-canine parties at their patio and sidewalk tables. There’s no better time to sample their cuisine than during Farm-to-Fork Restaurant Week, Sept. 21-29, when eateries throughout the region will be showcasing farm-inspired, fixed-price menus; wine and beer pairings; and other culinary promotions geared to show off local produce.
One of the newest eateries to start welcoming diners with dogs in tow is Scott’s On the River, a waterfront venue at the dog-friendly Westin Sacramento (formerly Le Rivage Hotel) just off Interstate 5 about five miles south of downtown. Scott’s is an upscale seafood restaurant whose dog-welcoming, river-view patio is one of the most pleasant in town. There’s a fire pit, too, along with a levee bike/hike trail for stretching Spot’s legs and yours.
Many establishments participating in Restaurant Week are in the thriving Midtown district, where you’ll see fashionistas aplenty along with inconspicuous folks lounging with their pups at dozens of establishments. Go for a stroll and let serendipity be your guide, or seek out a dog-friendly table at popular eateries including Café Bernardo, Rubicon Brewing Company, LowBrau Bierhall, Centro Cocina Mexicana, Revolution Wines and Tapa the World. We’re not just barking up a tree: so many Midtown restaurants are dog-friendly these days that it’s the rare one indeed that doesn’t accept canine companions at outdoor tables.
At some Sacramento restaurants, you have to take the side gate if you’re coming with a dog: that’s the case at Rio City Café in the Old Sacramento historic district and at Enotria, a highly regarded restaurant on off-the-beaten-track Del Paso Boulevard, to name just two. Don’t take chances: Call ahead to reserve a dog-friendly table, and let the seating hostess know when you’ve arrived.
Oh, so you like to take chances? If you’re the type who loves casual, head to Track 7, a newish brewpub in the Curtis Park neighborhood. Track 7 doesn’t serve food, so dogs are allowed at the picnic tables lined up inside the warehouse-like tap room. Food trucks are on hand most nights, and many patrons bring their children, their card games, their chess boards and their lawn chairs for parking-lot socializing when tap-room tables are full.
