40 cheap eats places in Sacramento, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Sacramento: the places editors actually return to. All Sacramento food.
Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates ★ 4.8
midtown · 2413 J Street, Suite 120, Sacramento, CA 95816
Ginger Elizabeth Hahn's chocolate and macaron counter on J Street, midtown Sacramento, was named one of the 24 Best Chocolate Shops in America by Eater.
Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates Cafe ★ 4.8
midtown · 2413 J Street, Suite 120, Sacramento, CA 95816
Ginger Elizabeth on J Street in midtown Sacramento is the artisan chocolatier cafe, the city signature drinking chocolate and macaron stop and patio.
Midtown Farmers Market Saturday Vendors ★ 4.8
midtown · 1050 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Midtown Farmers Market on 20th Street, midtown Sacramento, runs Saturday year-round with 30 to 50 prepared-food stalls turning out walk-and-eat plates.
Pho Momma ★ 4.8
east-sacramento · 9555 Folsom Boulevard, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95827
Pho Momma on Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento serves a Michelin Bib Gourmand pho under $18, the best-value Vietnamese counter with house pork wontons.
Freeport Bakery ★ 4.7
land-park · 2966 Freeport Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95818
Freeport Bakery on Freeport Boulevard in Land Park, Sacramento, runs a long-standing California cake counter with Lemon Zinger cakes that travel by post.
Temple Coffee Roasters 9th Street ★ 4.7
downtown · 1010 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Temple Coffee Roasters 9th Street is the downtown Sacramento outpost of the specialty roaster, a work-friendly corner cafe near Capitol Mall.
Old Soul Weatherstone ★ 4.7
midtown · 812 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Old Soul Weatherstone on 21st Street, midtown Sacramento, is Old Soul's second cafe, the courtyard-and-fireplace work-and-pastry room locals book in winter.
Kin Thai Street Eatery ★ 4.7
midtown · 1050 20th Street, Suite 180, Sacramento, CA 95811
Kin Thai at the MARRS building on 20th Street, midtown Sacramento, is the city's Michelin Recommended Thai street-eatery counter with Southern Thai plates.
Mother ★ 4.7
midtown · 2319 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Mother on K Street, midtown Sacramento, is the city's defining vegetarian counter under $20, daily-changing California farm-to-fork bowls and sandwiches.
Vic's Ice Cream ★ 4.6
land-park · 3199 Riverside Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95818
Vic Ice Cream on Riverside Boulevard in Land Park reopened January 2026 under new ownership, the 1947 Sacramento soda fountain with cones and pies.
Tip: Closed Monday. Reopened January 3, 2026 after remodel. Counter ordering and small dining room with vintage stools.
Pushkin's Bakery ★ 4.6
midtown · 1820 29th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Danny and Olga Turner's Pushkin's Bakery on 29th Street, midtown Sacramento, opened 2013 as the city's defining gluten-free and dairy-free bakery counter.
Faria Bakery ★ 4.6
oak-park · 3417 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95817
Faria on Broadway in Oak Park, Sacramento, is the naturally leavened sourdough counter in the flatiron Broadway Triangle building, country loaves.
Estelle Bakery and Patisserie DOCO ★ 4.6
downtown · 615 David J Stern Walk, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814
Estelle at DOCO on David J Stern Walk, downtown Sacramento, is the patisserie Golden 1 Center outpost, croissant-and-coffee for the arena crowd.
Old Soul at 40 Acres ★ 4.6
oak-park · 3434 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95817
Old Soul at 40 Acres on Broadway in Oak Park, Sacramento, is the community-hub cafe in the Woodruff Hotel ground floor at 35th and Broadway.
Soi Alley Eats Lao & Thai Street Food ★ 4.6
land-park · 2722 X Street, Sacramento, CA 95818
Soi Alley Eats on X Street in midtown Sacramento runs Laotian and Thai street food in a hidden alley between 27th and 28th near Asha Urban Baths.
Pho Bac Hoa Viet South Sac ★ 4.6
south-sacramento · 6645 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95823
Pho Bac Hoa Viet on Stockton Boulevard serves family-run beef pho and bun bowls under $15, a Vietnamese commercial corridor counter, open daily.
Pho Momma ★ 4.5
east-sacramento · 9555 Folsom Boulevard, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95827
Pho Momma on Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand, the city's most decorated pho counter with house pork wontons in the broth.
Tip: Walk-in only, no reservations. Thursday to Sunday 11:00-20:30. The queue moves quickly.
Squeeze Burger Power Inn ★ 4.5
tahoe-park · 5301 Power Inn Road, Sacramento, CA 95820
Squeeze Burger on Power Inn Road, Sacramento, is the long-running counter where a third-pound patty is buried in cheese that fries into a crisp skirt.
Tip: Counter ordering. Cash and card. Sacramento's original Squeeze Inn counter, on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Ettore's Bakery & Cafe ★ 4.5
carmichael-fair-oaks · 2376 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95825
Ettore's on Fair Oaks Boulevard in Sacramento runs a European cake counter with afternoon tea service and the city's most-booked wedding-cake operation.
Estelle Bakery & Patisserie ★ 4.5
carmichael-fair-oaks · 2530 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
Esther Son's Estelle Bakery & Patisserie on Arden Way, Sacramento, runs a French pastry counter with croissants, kouign-amann and tarts in a warm Arden cafe.
Estelle Bakery and Patisserie DOCO ★ 4.5
downtown · 615 David J Stern Walk, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814
Estelle DOCO outpost on David J Stern Walk, downtown Sacramento, is the patisserie at Golden 1 Center with daily croissants and macarons in cases.
Temple Coffee Roasters H Street ★ 4.5
east-sacramento · 4201 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95819
Temple H Street in East Sacramento is the Fab 40s outpost of the Temple Coffee roastery chain, a neighbourhood morning anchor for pastry and pour overs.
Faria Bakery Cafe ★ 4.5
oak-park · 3417 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95817
Faria flatiron Broadway Triangle bakery in Oak Park doubles as a morning cafe counter with sourdough pastry, drip coffee and the best country loaf.
Tacos La Piedad ★ 4.5
natomas · 2700 Northgate Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95833
Tacos La Piedad on Northgate Boulevard, Natomas Sacramento, runs street tacos plus mariscos, ceviche tostadas and shrimp cocktails daily 10:00-20:00.
Selland's Market-Cafe ★ 4.5
east-sacramento · 5340 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95819
Selland's H Street counter in East Sacramento serves rotisserie chicken under $17, a walk-in family room from the team behind Ella Dining Room and OBO'.
Rick's Dessert Diner ★ 4.4
midtown · 2401 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Rick on J Street in midtown Sacramento is the 1950s-themed dessert diner since 1986, 285 desserts in the case, open late into the night daily.
Temple Coffee Roasters 16th Street ★ 4.4
midtown · 1615 16th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Temple Coffee 16th Street in midtown Sacramento is one of eight Temple locations, the Magpie-side specialty roaster cafe with rotating single-origin beans.
Squeeze Burger K Street ★ 4.4
downtown · 1630 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Squeeze Burger on K Street, downtown Sacramento, serves the signature third-pound patty with a fried cheese skirt under $12, the local institution.
Chando's Tacos Arden Way ★ 4.4
arden · 863 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95815
Chando's Tacos on Arden Way is the family street-taco counter under $12, the relaunched Sacramento chain with stone-ground tortillas since 2010.
Chando's Tacos Arden Way ★ 4.3
arden · 863 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95815
Chando's Tacos on Arden Way is Lisandro Madrigal's 2010 original storefront, the family street-taco counter that relaunched in late 2025 after a pause.
Tip: Counter ordering. House stone-ground tortillas. Patio seating for warm weather. Family-friendly.
Midtown Bakery ★ 4.3
midtown · 2301 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Midtown Bakery behind the blue door on 23rd Street in midtown Sacramento is the small-batch dessert boutique in the historic Wiseman house basement.
Vampire Penguin ★ 4.3
old-sacramento · 1026 2nd Street, Suite B, Sacramento, CA 95814
Vampire Penguin in Old Sacramento at 2nd Street was born in the city October 2013, the original shop of the now-national shaved-snow dessert chain.
Tupelo Coffee House ★ 4.3
east-sacramento · 5700 Elvas Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95819
Tupelo on Elvas Avenue in East Sacramento is the airy modern coffeehouse near Sac State, the work-friendly cafe with shaded outdoor patio seating.
Midtown Bakery ★ 4.3
midtown · 2301 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Midtown Bakery on J Street in midtown Sacramento is the small-batch dessert boutique behind the blue door on 23rd, custom cakes and corn muffins.
Pho Bac Hoa Viet South Sacramento ★ 4.3
south-sacramento · 6645 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95823
Pho Bac Hoa Viet on Stockton Boulevard in South Sacramento opened 1991 as the city's defining pho counter, the family operation across Sacramento sites.
Petra Greek Midtown ★ 4.3
midtown · 1122 16th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Petra Greek on 16th Street, midtown Sacramento, serves chicken and lamb gyros under $16, the family-run Greek counter on the 16th Street strip.
Pushkin's Bakery Midtown ★ 4.2
midtown · 1820 29th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Pushkin on 29th Street in midtown Sacramento is the city first gluten and dairy-free bakery cafe since 2013, croissants and coffee at counter.
Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters Freeport ★ 4.2
land-park · 2940 Freeport Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95818
Chocolate Fish on Freeport Boulevard in Land Park is the multi-award Sacramento roaster cafe, a sunny room with single-origin pours and pastry.
Taqueria Jalisco ★ 4.2
midtown · 330 16th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Taqueria Jalisco on 16th Street, midtown Sacramento, opened 1974 as the city's first taqueria, the long-running counter for asada tacos, mulitas and barbacoa.
Tres Hermanas ★ 4.2
midtown · 2416 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Tres Hermanas on K Street, midtown Sacramento, serves Northern Mexico plates under $16, the sister-run family room since 1996 with chile rellenos.