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Chefs prepare items for the annual Tower Bridge dinner served along Sacramento’s famed Tower Bridge during the city’s Farm-to-Fork Festival. (Courtesy Visit Sacramento)
Sacramento prides itself on sourcing its cuisine locally from some of the best farms and ranches in the country. That’s how it has earned its title as the farm-to-fork capital of America — a title not too surprising when you consider that for more than a century, the city has been an agricultural powerhouse. Home to roughly 8,000 acres of boutique farmland, boasting the largest certified farmers market in California, and with a year-round growing season, Sacramento offers some of the freshest and most mouthwatering cuisine in the nation.
Meeting attendees visiting the destination in September 2020 can check out Sacramento’s famed Farm-to-Fork Festival — a two-day event where local farms and restaurants bring in food trucks, hand out samples, and offer demos. Delegates can enjoy the exhibits plus drinks and live music. Founded in 2013, the event was initially meant to celebrate the region’s incredible food and agriculture while giving community members a chance to connect with local chefs, farmers, ranchers, vintners, and brewers. It’s since blossomed into one of the country’s most anticipated food and music festivals, drawing thousands of visitors from around the world annually.
Attendees who aren’t in the city for the Farm-to-Fork Festival can still sample all the organic and delicious food Sacramento has to offer. There are plenty of options for large groups and dining hotspots include The Kitchen Restaurant, the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Sacramento. This upscale restaurant features a seasonal menu — its fall 2019 specialties included such dishes as Périgord Truffle Handkerchief Pasta and Butter Basted California Halibut.
A revitalized culinary scene is all part of Sacramento’s downtown renaissance — which includes a revamped convention center and the new Downtown Commons (DOCO). In addition to fine dining, there are lots of casual eateries and farm-fresh menus for attendees to choose from for lunch or dinner options in between meetings. Downtown Sacramento — also known as the Grid — is easily walkable and home to some of the city’s best places to eat.
Attendees can walk from the convention center or their hotel to K Street — a historic street with restaurants serving everything from barbecue to sushi to authentic Mexican — or to DOCO in minutes. Conveniently located restaurants include Revival at The Sawyer (which features a rooftop bar) and there is a new a crop of breweries like Ruhstaller Beer and Bike Dog Broadway Taproom, ideal spots for grabbing post-meeting drinks.
When meeting in Sacramento, planners can rest assured that “farm-to-fork” culture is more than a passing trend in the destination: Farms and ranches grow more than 160 crops on 1.5 million acres each year. From late-night cocktails made with hand-picked herbs to early morning breakfasts featuring cage-free, organic eggs, Sacramento has something for everyone — even the most discerning palates.
