Vic’s Ice Cream is back: Reopening set for Saturday for iconic Land Park shop
Vic’s Ice Cream, the landmark parlor in Sacramento’s Land Park neighborhood, will reopen Saturday following nearly a year of renovations.
The diner and ice cream shop at 3199 Riverside Blvd. will celebrate its return with a public reopening event beginning at 11 a.m., according to a post on its official Instagram account.
The future of Vic’s has been one of the most intensely followed sagas since the owner, Craig Rutledge, passed away in March 2024.
By August 2024, the property was put up for sale. Longtime fans of the restaurant expressed concern that new owners might erase its rich history in the neighborhood.
Vic’s was founded by Ashley Rutledge and Vic Zito in 1947. Rutledge’s son, Craig, operated the parlor until his death. The classic shop has won awards for its ice cream throughout its lifetime, including seven consecutive gold medals at the California State Fair.
A year ago, the property had been bought by a group including Carlo Grifone — owner of local restaurant chain Giovanni’s Old World New York Pizzeria — and his daughter, Samantha.
From the start, the group announced plans to restore Vic’s to its “original glory,” retaining its vintage charm with checkered floors and bringing back the original recipes.
The reopening was initially slated for late summer 2025 but was delayed due to unexpected remodeling challenges. The group has been teasing updates to the project via Instagram throughout the project.
An adjacent coffee shop, Brew Bird, will also open, promising “handcrafted drinks and paint-your-own pottery.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 8:47 AM with the headline "Vic’s Ice Cream is back: Reopening set for Saturday for iconic Land Park shop."
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly said that Scott Matrenec and Matt Rutledge were partners in the reopening; they are no longer part of the project.
