The Abridged version:
- Chris Woodard moved to Rancho Cordova as a teen, and maintains a soft spot for “The Cho.”
- Woodard recommends people eat at Bagel Cafe, KP International Market and M. Shahrzad Fine Persian Cuisine.
- Other entertainment options include Hagan Community Park, Soil Born Farms and Diamond Billiards.
You can have a lovely day in any neighborhood or suburb across the Sacramento region, as we explore in this series. Want to tell us what a beautiful day in your neighborhood looks like? Email abridged@kvie.org with your recommendations.
My Sacramento County story started 22 years ago in Rancho Cordova, a newly-incorporated city that felt adrift, still reeling from Mather Air Force Base’s 1993 closure. Even as an adolescent Bay Area transplant still trying to make friends, I never understood why the greater Sacramento area dismissed Rancho Cordova, or why neighboring Folsom looked down on it, both literally and geographically. There are experiences in Rancho Cordova that you can’t find anywhere else in the county.
Now at the end of 2025, Rancho Cordova — “The Cho” for the initiated — stands as a model of economic growth in the county. New residents can fall in love with the same things I did: River access, diverse cuisines and the city’s fast-paced development.
While The Cho still feels divided between “OG Rancho” and “New Rancho,” and doesn’t possess a fun downtown, the city offers miles of bike and pedestrian trails along the American River. The new housing developments popping up along the south end of Sunrise Boulevard and the influx of businesses to the city are marrying with the underdog mentality the city has endured for decades. Rancho is redefining its recognition.
With water, food, airshows and an unbeatable nickname, Rancho Cordova is restoring pride and redefining its identity. Here’s the best way to spend a day in The Cho.
Morning
My mother taught at Cordova High School for many years (shoutout Mrs. Greer). Every Friday, she and her teacher friends from across Sacramento high schools met for an early breakfast at Bagel Cafe. I used to wonder how she convinced other teachers to wake up even earlier than she did just to meet her in Rancho Cordova. Eventually, I realized it wasn’t her complaints about Rancho’s youth or her charm that brought them together (sorry Mom); it was the bagels.
When I finally caught on, I would roll out of bed at a normal-human-being hour and beg her to bring me back one thing: a spinach, Swiss cheese and mushroom breakfast sandwich on a spinach and Swiss bagel. My mom, however, swears by the cranberry walnut bagel and even asked me to somehow ship her one to Florida, where she now lives.
Chris Woodard’s go-to Bagel Cafe order. (Chris Woodard)
Teachers can’t stroll into class late, as much as we used to wish they would, but they trusted Bagel Cafe to get their orders out quickly, even during the morning rush. That mix of speed and fresh ingredients makes Bagel Cafe the best bagel spot and in-and-out breakfast in Rancho Cordova.
Take your bagel to go and head to my favorite spot in Rancho: Hagan Community Park. The 80-acre park sits right next to Cordova High and has everything you could want: tennis courts, a pool, open fields and multiple access points to the American River. In the heat of the summer, the river offers a refreshing escape.
My pro tip: Wade into the river and try some light fishing. Shad often crowd the water during the summer, and even if they’re too small to keep, they put up a hell of a fight. On slow fishing days, you will still catch a laugh or two from rafters floating down the river. If you travel around the river by Hagan enough, you’ll stumble upon “Gilligan’s Island,” a sandbar heralded by Sacramentans for its ideal party location.
Afternoon
Two chores I can’t stand doing as an adult: laundry and grocery shopping. Laundry is hopeless, but if you want to spice up your grocery experience, KP International Market turns it into an adventure.
KP stands for Koreana Plaza, and while its primary focus is Korean food, it is wall-to-wall with international grocery products from over seven countries. Whether you’re chasing nostalgia, hunting down a new recipe or simply bored, KP is the kind of place you can happily get lost in. The mix of cultures has made it one of Rancho Cordova’s most significant attractions.
The real treat, though, is the food court. The choices there range from Mexican to Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and more, all packed into a lively corner. While Sacramento has plenty of great Asian restaurants, nowhere matches KP’s food court energy. It is loud, chaotic and feels like an Asian street market colliding with Costco on a Saturday afternoon. Where else can you order a bánh mì and kimbap at the same time, hustle for a clean table and grow increasingly jealous as others get their food before you? It is flavor chaos unlike anything else in Sacramento.
If the noise is not your vibe, escape to Soil Born Farms, a nonprofit urban agriculture and education farm. On Saturdays, visitors can buy fresh produce, wander the public trails or just enjoy the quiet farmland.
To truly experience the farm, sign up for a volunteer day or take a class to finally get started on that home garden you keep talking about. They offer everything from home gardening to seasonal cooking courses to teach you how to make the most of local, farm-fresh ingredients.
Night
If you hope to become a regular somewhere in The Cho, I highly recommend Diamond Billiards. This spot sings with energy during after-dinner hours — pool balls clacking, darts flying, music booming and laughter bouncing off the walls every night.
Don’t let the well-maintained tables alarm you: one doesn’t need to be a pool shark to fit in. Sure, some players bring their own cues, but most people are out on a cheap date or unwinding with friends. To a majority of locals, Diamond is more than a pool hall; it’s a congregation.
Before heading there, fill up at M. Shahrzad Fine Persian Cuisine and experience some of the county’s best Persian food. M. Shahrzad was founded in 2004 by Iranian immigrant Mohammed Farid, who later sold it before helping his son Idean open hip Midtown Sacramento restaurant Maydoon. Don’t grab the meal to go; the food tastes best fresh, and the restaurant’s warmth and decor are part of the experience. Every detail of Persian hospitality, from the ornate touches to the soft lighting, adds flavor before your meal arrives.
The lamb shank, slow-cooked for hours in garlic and saffron, falls right off the bone and remains a favorite, but may not always be available. If you’re new to Persian cuisine, start with the shish kebab and you’ll see why some Sacramento residents call it “the best kebab in NorCal.”
Chris Woodard is a Sacramento-based freelance journalist.