What Sacramento-area eateries opened in 2025? Check out the 10 biggest openings
New cuisines, pop-up eatery expansions and punny spinoffs of longtime favorite restaurants joined the capital region’s dining roster in 2025.
Despite experiencing major losses, Sacramento also gained dozens of new restaurant options, including chains and small businesses. Some area restaurants faced a double whammy, closing and reopening their doors in the span of months or weeks.
These were 10 of the biggest restaurant openings throughout the Sacramento region in 2025.
New concepts, expansions and reopenings across Sacramento in 2025
Chu Mai
Address: 1829 17th St., Sacramento
Date opened: Jan. 31
Buu “Billy” Ngo launched the Richmond Grove love letter to his family and heritage at the start of the year. At Chu Mai, Ngo develops upscale takes on the Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines he grew up with, working alongside partners Michael Ng and Tyler Bond, as well as pastry chef Bennyjann Peneyra and beverage director Jose Carasco.
Chu Mai adds to Ngo’s impressive Sacramento footprint, which includes Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine and Kodaiko Ramen & Bar.
Nixtaco
Address: 185 Placerville Road, Suite 150, Folsom
Date opened: April 24
Following the demise of Cantina Pedregal, owners Patricio Wise and Cinthia Martinez chose to use the Folsom restaurant space to expand their successful Mexican concept. The second Nixtaco location opened in April following a brief remodel.
Nixtaco originally opened in Roseville in 2016, The Bee previously reported. In the last five years, the casual eatery has been a mainstay on Michelin’s list of Bib Gourmand restaurants, an award that honors high-quality-while-budget-friendly offerings.
Stepdad’s
Address: 2968 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento
Date opened: June 15
When Dad’s Kitchen left Land Park after more than a decade in 2024, Camden Spit & Larder chef Oliver Ridgeway became the dad who stepped up to fill the building. The family-oriented neighborhood haunt features a tight, but approachable menu with burgers, macaroni and more, according to previous Bee reporting.
Ridgeway is working with Tyler and Melissa Williams, of The Jungle Bird and Tank House BBQ, on the Stepdad’s concept. In keeping with the familial theme, the team opened Stepdad’s on Father’s Day 2025.
Gami Burger
Address: 5050 Arden Way, Carmichael
Date opened: June 28
The popular pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar replaced Willie’s Burgers over the summer, with signature loaded smash burgers, beef tallow fries and seafood sandwiches. The former spot closed in March after 21 years, The Bee previously reported.
Owners Scott Ostrander and Paul DiPierro, who also run Origami Asian Grill, began Gami Burger in 2021 and quickly gained love from area foodies.
AfroEatz
Address: 1725 I St., Sacramento
Date opened: July 7
Boulevard Park was introduced to Liberian fare when AfroEatz moved in to where Bambi’s Vegan Tacos formerly operated. A bright mural depicting West African food and other aspects of Liberian culture welcome diners to the otherwise lowkey spot.
Owners Sayeah “Pinky” Mason, Tonia Sambola and Warnerlyn Warner serve a slice of their heritage via dishes like pepper soup, fried cassava leaves and peanut butter soup, all with plantain-based fufu.
The Porch Restaurant & Bar
Address: 1815 K St., Sacramento
Date opened: Aug. 30
About six weeks after a fire devastated the midtown Southern restaurant, The Porch Restaurant & Bar reopened its doors. Owner John Lopez and his team celebrated the opening with food and drink specials, The Bee previously reported.
In July, a fire severely damaged the restaurant’s rear interior and exterior.
Good Neighbor + Side Hustle
Address: 1701 R St., Sacramento
Date opened: Oct. 24
Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse owners Rob Archie and Peter Hoey expanded their regional dynasty to the Ice Blocks in the fall with Good Neighbor. The casual American eatery in midtown offers small shareables and hefty entrees alongside its signature pizzas.
Around the corner, pastry chef Jamie Mack is supporting the main restaurant with boozy milkshakes, Belgian waffles and gourmet hot dogs. Side Hustle operates as a sort of snack window while also serving to tables at Good Neighbor.
Chando’s Tacos
Address: Three locations across Sacramento
Date opened: Starting November
A few months after announcing he closed his area taco eateries, Lisandro “Chando” Madrigal reappeared with a revamped Chando’s Tacos brand. Three of the local chain’s restaurants were set to reopen before the end of the year, Madrigal announced on social media.
Madrigal said the restaurants would open at various times starting Nov. 1, The Bee previously reported. As of late December, the Power Inn Road and original Arden Way eateries were listed as open on its website.
Restaurants at The Davis Collection
Address: 737-885 Russell Blvd., Davis
Date opened: Starting in August
As part of a major development near the UC Davis campus called The Davis Collection, a handful of restaurants opened their doors in the latter half of the year.
Mendocino Farms, 88 Bao Bao, Urban Plates, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, The Old Teahouse, The Melt and Calicraft Brewing Company are part of the baker’s dozen of planned restaurants at the shopping center.
West Coast Sourdough at Sacramento International Airport
Address: 6900 Airport Blvd., Sacramento
Date opened: Nov. 19
In November, the Northern California soup and sandwich chain opened two outposts — one in each airport terminal. The West Coast Sourdough launch marked the next phase of the Sacramento airport’s dining refresh project, as it was the first new spot to open in the airport’s post-security areas.
New restaurants coming to Sacramento in 2026
As Sacramento’s food industry continues rising the ranks among foodies, a number of new restaurants have already planned their debuts in 2026.
A standalone restaurant by Michelin-ranked chefs and additions to larger existing projects are in the works.
Sacramento International Airport’s dining overhaul
In 2024, the Sacramento airport announced a major project that would rotate a vast majority of its dining options. As of late December, few have opened, leaving the remainder of the new openings slated for 2026.
Big Sacramento-area names like Nixtaco, Magpie Cafe and BAWK! by Urban Roots are among the more than 20 planned additions. Owners of a Rio Linda bar will expand their expertise to a lounge-like bar concept in Terminal B, The Bee previously reported.
The Davis Collection’s remaining restaurants
Though most of the restaurants planned for the Russell Boulevard development in Davis have already launched, the final few are likely to open in 2026. Vietnamese bakery Paris Banh Mi, taco restaurant Tequileros Taqueria, ice cream chain Coldstone Creamery and souffle cafe Fluffy Fluffy Dessert Cafe have yet to launch, according to their websites.
Aiona
Address: 1213 K St., Sacramento
Planned opening date: February 2026
The space formerly housing Esquire Grill will reopen as Aiona, a “live-fire Mediterranean” restaurant, at the start of the year. Chefs Lee Hinton and Deneb Williams, of Allora in East Sacramento, are leading the charge.
The pair recently posted a video on the restaurant’s Instagram page, discussing the Spanish, Italian and Greek cuisines that influence the Aiona concept. Hinton and Williams toured the Spanish factory that manufactures the live fire oven they plan to use, and they had the opportunity to test run it before it arrived in downtown Sacramento, according to the video.
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