Mobile pizzeria

Bigger and bigger: The shipping-container-as-restaurant concept is still going strong in Sacramento, kicked off by the likes of Der Biergarten and Federalist Public House. But what about a shipping container as a food truck?

Bella Familia Wood Fired Pizza plans to be the first food truck of its kind in town, modeled off of the stately Del Popolo in San Francisco. Google it.

“When I mention food trucks, most people get the Drewski’s or Bacon Mania image in their head,” Bella Familia’s Scott Thorson says. “I’ve been calling this a mobile behemoth—more of a restaurant on wheels than a food truck. It’s all open. You can see everything. It’s food and a show.”

Patrons will be able to see the Bella team making organic pizza dough and pulling pies out of its Forno Bravo wood-fired oven. Thorson hopes to have it on the streets—and parked outside local breweries—in May.

Unfamiliar with Rocklin-based Bella Familia? It’s actually already a mobile company, but it operates out of a tent. Currently, it serves whole, blistery pies with a variety of toppings for about $10, and it’s tinkering with a vegan option using cashew cheese.

Sail on: The Shady Lady Saloon team finally opened Sail Inn Grotto & Bar (1522 Jefferson Boulevard in West Sacramento), its redesigned version of the longtime dive. It boasts a sailor-themed aesthetic and a short seafood-centric menu, offering fish and chips ($12), shrimp po’boy sliders ($13) and steamed littleneck clams ($14). Bartenders will serve a mix of classic and rum-focused tropical cocktails, including pina coladas ($10) and mai tais ($8).

River season: Crawdads on the River (1375 Garden Highway) reopened last month, and it’s named a new executive chef for the floating restaurant’s 30th year. Former sous chef Bryce Palmer received the bump up to head chef—he’s also the executive chef at the upcoming downtown restaurant El Rey—and unveiled a revamped menu. In addition to standbys like jambalaya and gumbo, Crawdads now offers more California-style fare, such as roasted trout with burnt butter and veggies ($28) and a skirt steak with whipped blue cheese and asparagus ($28).