The following is from City of Treats, a food and drink newsletter by Abridged senior food editor Benjy Egel. Want it sent directly to your inbox? Sign up here.
At a party earlier this month, my friend said the Fourth of July was her favorite holiday, which surprised me but garnered resounding agreement from others in the room. Her reasoning: food and drinks that are typically easy to pull together, no family obligations and a baked-in plan of watching communal fireworks, which can easily be changed if desired.
In other words, freedom. It’s an ideal holiday for kids, who can run around block parties and eat all the hot dogs they want, and feels like microdosing summer break as an adult. In fact, my parents were so charmed by Davis’ 1997 Fourth of July spectacle that they moved there later that year, persuaded that it’d be a great place to raise my sister and me.
This week’s City of Treats starts with barbecue, not from a neighbor’s grill but from an El Dorado County restaurant’s smoker. Consider making Zoe Barrie’s latest Cooking in Season recipe, a summery orzo salad with brown butter vinaigrette, to accompany mains this Saturday. And as the weekend tapers off, check out a new South Sacramento chicken shop or a brunch destination in Curtis Park.
Let’s eat!
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Benjy’s Bites
Hog Wild Bar-B-Que | 38 Main St., Placerville | 530-622-3883
Hog Wild Bar-B-Que is tough to resist when driving up Highway 50 to Lake Tahoe. The Texas-style barbecue joint, purchased by former customers Mary and Steve Fulmer in 2018, has garnered national acclaim for its meats smoked low-and-slow over cherry wood, which often sell out before closing. With sauce on the side, meat platters ($22-$31 depending on the number of meats and sides) recommended and Shiner Bock on tap — 22-ounce pours are just $4.50 during happy hour — it’s as close as you’ll get to the Lone Star State within the Sacramento region.
Hog Wild opens at 11 a.m., and customers should arrive (or phone in their orders) by 1 p.m. to have any hopes of trying the flagship brisket. I was too late this time, but the new Black Forest bacon sausage caught my eye and delivered with a smoky, porky flavor reminiscent of a Sunday morning griddle. And if that perennial best-seller is already gone, grab an angry pit master ($23 with a side) sandwich with extra pulled pork. Chopped roughly and slid between brioche buns with coleslaw, grilled onions and your choice of cheddar, American or pepper jack cheese, it’s served with a side container of pickled jalapeños for a customizable amount of heat.
Egel’s Nest
I live, play and cook in this community just like you. This recurring section is a window into my life outside of restaurants and bars, always with a food and/or drink angle.
My diet turned liquid after a dental surgery last week — you better believe that Hog Wild visit was from the week prior. After a few days of broth, juice and Jell-O, though, I graduated to slightly more solid foods, including a pantry-clearing version of pasta al tonno.
My Italian surgeon had held his nose and recommended overcooked pasta during recovery, so I boiled capellini a few minutes past what the box called for. Simultaneously, I dumped a jar of Rao’s (a few bucks extra, but widely considered the best ubiquitous marinara sauce on the market) into a pan, mixed in canned tuna and capers, then brought it to a simmer. After combining the two and finishing with fresh thyme, I had a minimal-effort dish that went easy on my teeth, gave me some much-needed carbs and had the mix of savory and salty that’s made it a Sicilian staple for generations.
In the news
Zoe Barrie’s latest Cooking in Season recipe combines summer produce (corn, basil and cherry tomatoes) with orzo and a brown butter vinaigrette. This pasta salad should be dressed while the orzo is still slightly warm, but can be served chilled.
After authoring a list of the Sacramento region’s 11 signature drinks, I asked readers what was missed. Top answers included the Wicky Wacky Woo from Wiki Bar in Davis, a seasonal peach milkshake from Whitey’s Jolly Kone in West Sacramento and the Schofferhofer Starburst beer from Der Biergarten in Midtown.
No changes to Sacramento’s Michelin standing in 2026, as Localis and The Kitchen both retained their stars and the region’s list of Bib Gourmands and recommended restaurants went unaltered as well last Wednesday. In San Francisco, Californios became the first three-starred Mexican restaurant in the world — including, yes, Mexico.
Happening this week
- The Davis Farmers Market is celebrating its 50th birthday this year and has a cookbook to commemorate the occasion. Market founder Ann M. Evans and James Beard Award-winning author (and Winters resident) Georgeanne Brennan teamed up to write “Market Memories Cookbook,” released June 27 at stores such as Avid Reader, the Davis Food Co-op and The Pleasant Pheasant Bookstore in Woodland.
- WingLit celebrated its grand opening on June 28 at 8136 Gerber Road in South Sacramento. A relatively tight menu includes hand-tossed wings, a chimichurri fried chicken sandwich and crinkle-cut fries.
- Local chain The Mimosa House just began the soft opening for its ninth area location, this one at 2760 Sutterville Road in Curtis Park. It replaced longtime restaurant Casa Garden next to the Sacramento Children’s Home, with a wealth of omelets, eggs Benedicts, waffles and more.
Benjy Egel is the senior food editor at Abridged. Born and raised in the Sacramento region, he has covered its local restaurants and bars since 2018. He also writes and edits Abridged’s weekly food and drink newsletter, City of Treats.