Basketball

by Harrison Reilly

Last week, SacFoodies gave you a look at the eats available around Golden 1 Center. This week, we’re giving you the scoop on some of the delicious offerings within the arena itself.
Eager to taste what we’ve been told is a concessions menu unlike any other arena, SacFoodies made sure to secure a few tickets to the Sacramento Kings Fan Fest this past weekend. This was one of the first opportunities to see the arena, and we were thrilled with what we saw. We were treated to an open Kings practice that included drills, a 30-minute scrimmage and a rookie dunk contest.
The arena is a beautiful piece of modern architecture with glass windows, state of the art technology (like the 4K jumbotron and a Wi-Fi network that can handle 500,000 Snapchat uploads a second) and wide open, easily walkable concourses.
But, of course, we’re all about the food. Luckily the Golden 1 Center has plenty of options. One of the coolest features of the arena is the emphasis on local restaurants and the concessions they’ve inspired. From Café Bernardo and Block Butcher Bar, to Petra Greek and Mikuni, many of the stands represent restaurants you would recognize as a Sacramento resident. See the full list here.
Part of our pack decided to try the LowBrau stand, where we ordered chicken sausages on LowBrau’s famous pretzel bun. With the Golden 1 Center working hard to recreate the Sacramento dining experience within the arena, the sausages were just like what you can order at the restaurant.

We paired our food with Sierra Nevada Torpedos, buying them from a conveniently located Sierra Nevada Draught House on the upper level. Another SacFoodie who joined us on our arena food tour opted for the red chili pork sandwich from Mulvaney’s B&L:

We are confident that the Golden 1 Center will be a fantastic addition to Sacramento and we’re excited to try all the food options it has to offer. Be sure to let us know what you think of Golden 1 Center’s local menu offerings in the comments below!

By: Harrison Reilly

We at SacFoodies are very excited for the Golden 1 Center’s grand opening this weekend. We are not only excited to watch our hometown Kings play in a brand new arena, but for all the new restaurants and bars opening up downtown. With our office only a block away from the new arena, our plan is to review as many of these restaurants as possible. A new era is starting in Downtown Sacramento and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of it!
To get you ready for the Golden 1 Center’s opening, we have compiled a roundup of restaurants and bars opening up in and around the arena.
Inside Golden 1 Center
Let’s kick this list off with some delicious options within the arena itself. One of Golden 1 Center’s goals is to showcase Sacramento as America’s Farm-to Fork Capital. The arena plans to have at least 90% of their culinary ingredients sourced from within a 150 mile radius, taking advantage of the abundance of farming in the Sacramento Valley.
Local restaurants participating in the Golden 1 Center’s concessions are Café Bernardo, Block Butcher Bar, Centro, Lowbrau, Petra Greek, Mikuni Sushi, Star Ginger and many more. Out of town visitors and local foodies alike will be able to taste food from some of the city’s most established restaurants all within a central location.
WHIRED Wine, 410 L St.
Looking for a wine bar with small bites before heading to the game or concert? Look no further than WHIRED Wine Bar. Right across from Macy’s and the arena, WHIRED describes itself as “a wine bar for newbies and connoisseurs, cork-dorks and wine-geeks.”
Along with a large selection of whites and reds, WHIRED offers draft beers and small bites that include flatbreads, sandwiches and charcuterie plates.
The Foundation Restaurant & Bar, 400 L St.
Right next to WHIRED is The Foundation. This restaurant is a minimalist bar and eatery serving locally sourced American style dishes.
Their happy hour is perfect for a pre-game snack. The happy hour menu includes house made potato chips with gorgonzola cheese sauce, Asian beef short rib skewers, BBQ chicken flatbread and fish tacos. Pair those items with a $5 wine happy hour special, it’s a great way to start the night.
Malt & Mash Irish Bar, 715 K St.
Malt & Mash prides itself in being a “high-energy downtown restaurant and bar that celebrates the beautiful history of Irish-American culture.” The bar features whiskey from around the world, classic pints and a new twist on pub food.
The cocktail menu includes a drink called the Dublin Gravy, which includes Guinness Drought, Chocolate Fish nitro coffee, topped with Irish whipped cream and a shot of Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey. Sounds like a dream for this Irishman.
El Rey On K, 723 K St.
Owned in part by former Sacramento Kings player Kenny Thomas, El Rey (“The King” in Spanish) is positioning itself as Sacramento’s premiere cantina, offering the “freshest Mexican street food experience” and a connection to the Kings.
Their menu includes smoked carnitas nachos, blistered peppers with sea salt, lime and garlic confit crème and a large selection of gourmet tacos.
These are just some of the restaurants that are open right now. Over 30 new restaurants are expected to open up along the K Street mall in the next year. So keep following SacFoodies for the latest and greatest on all the new eateries across the Downtown area.
Also, look out for a post next week about the Sacramento Kings Fan Fest at the Golden1 Center, where we will get to enter the new arena for the first time and have the opportunity to try some of the in-house food offerings.