Chow 2009

Eating used to be a family affair. Recipes were rich in tradition, in culture, prepared in a crowded kitchen and savored as a group around the dining table.

Today, it’s easier to take a trip to that old reliable neighborhood restaurant down the street than slave in the kitchen. But, we hope you realize, an überbuffet is not fine cultural dining. So this year, broaden your culinary horizons. Check out that out-of-the-way cafe that serves Greek food and ham and eggs for breakfast. Or maybe that hole-in-the-wall Lebanese place you’ve been curious about is really a secret gateway to more than just a sated appetite?

Yes, we know that you’re so busy you probably don’t have time to even pick a restaurant. Which is why we’ve come up with a list of Sacramento’s 99 most diverse and delightful eateries. Why 99? Well, 100 just seemed too daunting. Plus, everything is better at 99: bottles of beer, partying, problems. And 99 choices gives you almost two places to eat each week for an entire year, which leaves a little spare time to get back in that kitchen to learn how to make a tamale—or 99.

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Editors: Jenn Kistler, Nick Miller
Copy editor: Kimberly Brown
Contributors: Becky Grunewald Lauren Hockenson, Shoka
Designer: Kate Murphy
Web: Kelsey Falle