The Abridged version:
- With state employees called back into offices four days a week, these 11 Downtown Sacramento restaurants are top places to go for workday lunches.
- Each is relatively affordable and speedy, important considerations for many working around the Capitol.
- Is your favorite Downtown lunchtime haunt missing from this list? Nominate it at the bottom.
Let’s be honest: few state workers are thrilled with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office mandate. But the thousands of employees called back into Downtown Sacramento office buildings four days a week still need to eat, and a restaurant scene of old staples and post-COVID additions beckons.
These 11 local restaurants offer tasty, affordable lunch options within four blocks of major state offices. If someone with an expense account is treating, by all means, push for Aiona or Ella Dining Room & Bar. But for a normal weekday lunch when time, money and proximity to work all matter, these are our 11 picks.
You don’t need to be a state worker to enjoy these restaurants, of course. And this isn’t an exhaustive list of all Downtown Sacramento lunch options. For those who live, work or spend time in the city center, let us know what else gets you through the day at the bottom of this article.
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Crest Cafe
1017 K St.
Afghanistan-born Monira Sultani started Crest Cafe in 2009 under the shadow of the Crest Theatre, then brought her daughter Hawa into the fold in 2018. Together, they’ve built an oasis amid the chaos of K Street (along with an Elk Grove outpost), shrouded in murals of Middle Eastern seascapes.
Workers shave slow-turning shawarma towers into thick pita tacos layered with housemade avocado hummus, eggplant salsa and feta, or onto $12 “Mediterranean nachos” featuring pita chips and garlic sauce. The $13 Mediterranean bowl is particularly built for working lunches, an easily transportable semi-salad of lettuce, tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives, rice and turmeric-dyed chicken.
Nearby state buildings: Employment Development Department, Cal EPA Headquarters, Jesse M. Unruh Building, Stanley Mosk Library & Courts Building
Tony’s Delicatessen & Catering
The sudden closure of Pennisi’s Deli last month left Tony’s Delicatessen & Catering without a deli rival on this side of Downtown. But lunchtime loyalists love Elias Silhi’s Italian sandwich shop, open since 1991, no matter its competition. Old-timers behind the counter whip up housemade marinara sauce, pesto and Cajun seasoning to make $13-$15 sandwiches pop in the high-ceilinged dining room, and regulars are known to receive gratis cookies or brownies in addition to the York Peppermint Patties that accompany every meal.
If somebody hands you a Tony’s Godfather sandwich, they’ve made you an offer you can’t refuse. Pepper-studded smoked sausage dominates the house-baked roll, accessorized with onions, marinated peppers and thin slices of capicola, salami and smoked Gouda. The Italian sandwich is a classic done well, layers of mortadella, prosciutto and provolone tinged with olive oil and red wine vinegar. And while these types of delis often focus on meat, Tony’s grilled eggplant sandwich is a standout vegetarian option brought to life thanks to its artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and Kalamata olives.
Nearby state buildings: Department of Justice, Cal EPA Headquarters
Pizza Supreme Being
1425 14th St., Suite E
On a recent Tuesday, lanyards and badges filled Pizza Supreme Being’s briskly moving line at 12:20 p.m. It’s not just Guy Fieri who loves this place (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives recently highlighted it); state workers do, too. One of a group of colleagues from the Department of Transportation lightheartedly joked about being there multiple days a week, saying, “we feel safe here.”
Owner Ben Roberts pointed out that PSB, as it’s known, expanded its seating options after the original return-to-work-order was issued, making it more convenient as a dine-in option. At less than $10 for a large cheese slice, a Coke and a side of Roberts’ beloved ranch, it might be one of the cheapest lunches Downtown. Other lunch-friendly items include special and seasonal slices (such as a Korean corn cheese pizza with a gochujang glaze), and sandwiches such as a chicken parm.
Nearby state buildings: Agriculture Building, Department of Transportation, Department of Education, Clifford L. Allenby Building, March Fong Eu Secretary of State Building, Buildings and Grounds Headquarters
Sapha Kafae
1331 O St.
Right across the street from Pizza Supreme Being is Thai kopitiam Sapha Kafae. A kopitiam is a Southeast Asian coffee shop, and kaya toast (buttered white bread topped with a sweet coconut/pandan/egg yolk spread), which Sapha serves, is a hallmark of this type of establishment. In addition to brunch-y items, Sapha has a full lunch menu.
Sapha Kafae is not yet as crowded as PSB at lunchtime, but owner Tim Tararug said there has been an uptick in business and he hoped more state workers will discover it soon. He said his most popular lunch items are the Hainan Hustle (Hainan chicken rice, a delicate dish of poached chicken and rice seasoned with chicken fat), the pork pop skewers served with sticky rice and a sweet/tangy dipping sauce and sandwiches with Thai barbecued pork or chicken satay, all less than $15. In Southeast Asia, kopitiams serve as gathering and socializing spots, and Tararug has created a stylish cafe for a morning linger or a quick lunch.
Nearby state buildings: Agriculture Building, Department of Transportation, Department of Education, Clifford L. Allenby Building, March Fong Eu Secretary of State Building, Buildings and Grounds Headquarters
Café Connection
1007 L St.
Sacramento’s Caribbean restaurant scene may be scant, but it includes a culture-bearer across the street from the State Capitol. Guyana natives Ken Chan and Debbie Rajkumar have been greeting Café Connection customers, from everyday regulars to Newsom and Kamala Harris, with jokes and playful banter since opening in 2008.
Slow-burning jerk chicken is a star, available in burritos, salads, rice plates and the occasional burger special. But much of Guyana is ethnically Indian, and the $15.60 curry chicken roti wrap — a simple vessel of potatoes, meat and yellow binding sauce — is arguably Café Connection’s most popular dish. Grab a half-dozen pholouries (chickpea-split pea-spinach fritters served with a sweet-and-sour tamarind dipping sauce), a jar of Rajkumar’s Caribbean pepper sauce and a mint lemonade or Peet’s Coffee before getting back to work.
Nearby state buildings: Cal EPA Headquarters, Jesse M. Unruh Building, Stanley Mosk Library & Courts Building, Employee Development Department, Personnel Building
Kim’s Restaurant
1008 J St.
The pale pink walls, Strawberry Bon Bon candies and sun-aged photos of food behind the counter paint a picture of Kim’s Restaurant even before first bite. The Vietnamese restaurant has served Downtown workers cheap, no-frills lunches for decades, most of them take to-go out of the snug dining room.
Pork, chicken or tofu bánh mì are the rare Capitol-adjacent lunches to fly under $10 (and not for long — the $9.75 sandwich, along with most other menu items, will rise 75 cents to $1 on Aug. 3). Loaded with pickled daikon, cilantro and mayonnaise but no pâté, they’re the most common order and are typically ready within five minutes. The lemongrass chicken over steamed or fried rice is a refreshing option as well, its bright herb shining through a stir-fry of cabbage, broccoli and bell peppers. If dining in, particularly in winter, try the phở with thin beef slices, meatballs and slippery rice noodles.
Nearby state buildings: Jesse M. Unruh Building, Department of Justice, Cal EPA Headquarters
Buddha Bowls and Rolls and Drunken Tortilla
715 P St. and 801 14th St.
Sister restaurants with locations under shared roofs, Buddha Bowls and Rolls and Drunken Tortilla specialize in Asian American and Cali-Mex dining, respectively. The P Street locations are actually inside a state building, and a swanky one at that: the Natural Resources Headquarters, built for a cool $520 million during the COVID-19 pandemic. The dining area in the glass-walled lobby is spacious, with many tables both inside and outside. Across the grid, the original locations are quick and relatively light options for Department of Justice employees, Broadway at Music Circus guests and convention attendees.
Buddha Bowls offers build-your-own spring rolls, sandwiches and noodle and rice bowls with a menu of proteins and sauces. These items range from a base price of $10 (for spring rolls) to $14 (for bowls), with upsells for pricier proteins such as tri-tip or coconut shrimp. There are multiple vegetarian options to choose from, including a chewy plant-based bulgogi, and the Taiwanese sausage is sourced from local company Hoja Foods (former owners of Taiwan Best Mart in Southside Park). Drinks include Vietnamese coffee and fresh-squeezed sugarcane.
Asked if return-to-office has prompted an uptick in business, a worker at the Natural Resources restaurant widened her eyes and said it’s gone from busy to “crazy.” In fact, co-owner Justin Fong said this Drunken Tortilla branch opened July 21 partially to take some of the pressure off of Buddha Bowls. He said that because they know that state workers have a limited lunch window, this Drunken Tortilla is only serving Chipotle-style rice-and-protein bowls — not the breakfast tacos available on 14th Street.
On the fourth day of business, a long line at noon moved quickly with workers from State Parks and Cal Fire ordering hearty bowls of tender barbacoa, crispy carnitas or fajita vegetables with paneer cubes (as a vegetarian option). Toppings included smoky chiltepin salsa, crunchy pickled onions dyed bright pink with hibiscus, vegetarian ranchero beans and crumbled queso fresco.
Nearby state buildings: You can’t get any more nearby than in a state building, and the Gregory Bateson Building, Paul Bonderson Building, Rehabilitation Building, Blue Anchor Building, Warren-Alquist State Energy Building, Personnel Building and Employee Development Department are near the P Street locations as well. The 14th Street location is near the Department of Justice and Cal EPA Headquarters.
Thirtyfour Mexican Cantina
1100 O St., Suite 5
Three generations of Nambo family members have lived on 34th Avenue over the past 60 years. So when the family launched a food stand in 2020, they paid tribute to those who came before. Thirtyfour Mexican Cantina eventually solidified in a brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2023, miles from that family home but across the street from the March Fong Eu Secretary of State Building. Though it’s more of a dine-in spot and can take slightly longer than others on this list, it’s a steady option in Downtown’s up-and-down Mexican scene, with a charming patio to boot.
There are go-tos such as housemade chips and street tacos nestled in little corn tortillas (the poblano-mushroom-zucchini option is as vivacious as any of the meats). And there are creative endeavors, such as a birria melt with consommé where the sandwich’s Texas Toast is enveloped in a queso Oaxaca cheese skirt. Come back after 5 p.m. for $10 margaritas and mojitos.
Nearby state buildings: March Fong Eu Secretary of State Building, Agriculture Building, Warren-Alquist State Energy Building, Paul Bonderson Building, Blue Anchor Building, Buildings and Grounds Headquarters
Immortal Café & Supply
1111 H St., Suite 102, Sacramento
Immortal Café & Supply opened in 2023 attached to what’s now the Aiden Sacramento Downtown hotel. The latter just opened in May, but Immortal not only survived the construction: It earned a reputation as one of Sacramento’s best options for plant-based dining. Ted Evans, Eric Cockrell and Jessica Weddle-Cockrell (veterans of Temple Coffee Roasters, Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine and Canon) built a punk rock café with bags of choice coffee, chocolate and caffeinated electrolyte drink mix to get you through the afternoon
Always vegetarian but not entirely vegan, Immortal changes some with the seasons. Order the gazpacho as long as summer heat sticks around — the region’s tomatoes rarely sing as well as they do with olive oil and basil in this chilled soup. A $10 chickpea salad similar to tuna salad comes with endives or housemade seed crackers and is topped with crispy shallots and a refreshing handful of dill. The breakfast sandwich is one of the best in town, delivered with silky-soft eggs, white cheddar, gem lettuce, house-pickled peppers and a river of harissa aioli on an Acme Bread Co. sweet deli roll. A Curtis Park location, where customers will likely take greater advantage of an excellent wine program, is coming soon.
Nearby state buildings: Department of Justice, Cal EPA Headquarters
My Sister’s Cafe
650 Capitol Mall (John E. Moss Federal Building)
My Sister’s Cafe is an outgrowth of the nonprofit My Sister’s House, which has served Asian and Pacific Islander domestic violence survivors for the last quarter-century. Some employees in this “women-to-work” program start out afraid to make eye contact, manager Mayra Davalost said, but practice customer service skills and build confidence as time goes on.
The cafe is decorated with several purple-hued paintings and the employees wear purple T-shirts, the nationally recognized color representing domestic violence awareness. There’s a lending library of books and a one-table gift shop with hand-crafted items. Note that dining inside the federal building requires X-raying your bag, though there’s an outdoor window and patio seating for greater ease.
For lunch they have a small selection of sandwiches, soups and salads (with combos to try a bit of each) for under $13. They also have daily specials, including a popular curry bowl on Thursdays and My Sister’s cheeseburger with a drink and chips for $12. The flavors trend Asian fusion, with pork, tofu or chicken bánh mì ($10-$11) and a kimchi pork sandwich. In a hurry? You can place an order online and pick it up at the side window.
Nearby state buildings: Jesse M. Unruh Building, Rehabilitation Building, Personnel Building, Employee Development Department, Stanley Mosk Library & Courts Building, Natural Resources Headquarters, Tax and Fee Administration building
