Sammy’s celebrates its comeback year on Del Paso Blvd. in North Sacramento
Fluffy pancakes, sizzling sausages and country fried steak were on the menu Saturday as the classic American diner Sammy’s celebrated one year of being reopened in Old North Sacramento.
The cozy eatery marked the occasion with a speech by City Councilmember Roger Dickinson, a car show and a vendor market.
Founded in 1944 by Sammy Powell, the hash house was later owned by Khalid Farhoud, who passed it on in 1996. Farhoud preserved the nostalgic menu before handing the business to the Begum family, according to previous Bee reporting. The COVID-19 pandemic had shuttered Sammy’s for several years before Naz Begum and her mother, Moon, took over the diner and opened it a year ago.
“We all know that Sammy’s is an institution for us here in this part of the city, and when it closed, it was a real blow to us all,” Dickinson said. “But the resurrection of this phoenix through Naz and Moon has made it better than ever.”
At first, the mother and daughter didn’t know about the diner’s 81-year-old history. It wasn’t until they began remodeling that she grasped the legacy of the spot at 2021 Del Paso Blvd.
“That was the reason why I didn’t want to change the name, and I wanted to keep it Sammy’s,” Naz Begum said.
The car show was part of the restaurant’s “cars and coffee” event series launched three months ago to draw foot traffic and support nearby businesses along the boulevard, Begum said.
“Everybody comes out, hangs out, gets coffee, shows off their cars, supports me and everybody around us,” she said.
One of the boulevard’s biggest heartbreaks was when the restaurant closed due to the pandemic, said Shoun Thao, who represented the area before Dickinson on the City Council and is executive director of Hmong Youth and Parents United.
Thao — who before his appointment to the council in 2024 had spent years as Councilmember Allen Warren’s field rep — worked with Begum to reopen the diner, citing the long legacy of Del Paso Boulevard fixtures like Little Joe’s and Sammy’s.
“It was amazing to bring back a business and see it thriving here today and be back to just celebrate,” he said.
Another key player was Daniel Mueller, the restaurant’s broker. He was listing the property at the time and helped finance the business after hearing Begum’s vision.
“I’m excited to see a female-run business — Naz and her mother put this platform together,” Mueller said. “Naz has been in the restaurant industry for many, many years, and she saw the benefit and the attributes of Sammy’s.”
Begum said Saturday’s turnout exceeded expectations: “This is a local staple here, and I just love everybody who has been supporting us, has been a part of this — and it’s been beautiful,” she said.
Among the vendors at the diner were Alicia Perez and her daughter, Lili, who run Lili’s Lemonade. The stand was inspired by Lili and her grandmother selling lemonade out of a Power Wheels car.
Perez said the families go way back — to when Naz Begum worked at Denny’s.
“As far as I can remember, this (Sammy’s Restaurant) has been our Denny’s or our go-to place in the morning for a family get-together,” Perez said. “If you want to come down to study, hang out or even just get a feel of the old Sacramento, this is the perfect place to come.”
For Begum, Sammy’s is more than a breakfast spot — it’s a gathering place.
“Everybody here knows each other,” she said. “Everybody even knows where to sit, they all have their own tables and their own foods.”
What I’m Eating
When I moved to Sacramento for the summer, I was immediately homesick — especially for my dad’s cooking.
Luckily, I didn’t have to look far for Vietnamese comfort food. A friend promised I’d find a classic mom-and-pop spot in south Sacramento, and there stood Com Tam Thien Huong.
Before walking into Hoanganh Nguyen’s restaurant in the Little Saigon district, I had a specific craving for a classic dish: com tam, or “broken rice.” It’s a staple you’ll find on the streets of Vietnam or quickly made at home, and it’s my brother’s favorite. The dish typically features a hearty portion of fractured rice grains, grilled pork, pickled daikon, cucumber, tomato and a drizzle of fish sauce.
I was seated right away and handed a plain paper menu. The simplicity — and quick service — gave me hope I was in for something authentic. I ordered the No. 70 ($20), which came with rice, barbecue pork, shredded pork skin, a fried egg and grilled shrimp on a sugarcane stick. I also tried the No. 60 ($17), a version with rice and barbecue pork.
Both plates arrived with sides of fish sauce, clear soup, lettuce, pickled daikon, cucumber — and two Thai chili peppers, which sealed the deal for me.
The generous portions lasted me through lunch the next day. With com tam in the name, I had high expectations — and their take on com tam lived up to it.
Com Tam Thien Huong
Address: 6835 Stockton Blvd., Suite 430, Sacramento
Hours: 10 a.m.-2:45 p.m., 4-7:45 p.m. daily
Phone: 916-476-4258
Drinks: Vietnamese coffee, tea and soft drinks
Vegetarian options: Some vegetarian plates, meatless versions of some dishes available
Outdoor seating: No
Openings & Closings
▪ Chez Luc’s French Café held its grand opening in 650 Fulton Ave. on Monday, the French cafe’s social media said. The Arden Arcade cafe offers classic breakfast and Parisian eats like jambon beurre, salmon bagel, avocado toast and also serves coffee from the local Navigo Coffee Co.
▪ Malt and Mash on 715 K St., closed on Saturday, but revealed a new concept for the space on the company’s social media. Owner Bob Simpson plans to replace the Irish pub with Parkside Sacramento, a national parks-themed bar.
▪ Colo’s Southern Cafe, 326 Del Paso Blvd. in Old North Sacramento, announced it will close Aug. 1 after five years in business. The soul food restaurant, which we reviewed in this newsletter last month, is hosting a fundraiser to help cover final expenses and explore a possible future location.
This story was originally published July 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
