By. Jessi Gunn
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, March 17th to be exact, and thankfully Sacramento has plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy. Do you have a favorite annual event that didn’t make it onto the list? Leave us a note (and an invite) in the comments!
Cafeteria 15L
Local dining hotspot Cafeteria 15L is adding classic Irish dishes to their brunch menu on St. Paddy’s Day only! If you follow SacFoodies on Instagram you’ll know that we are quite partial to Sunday brunch at 15L, (Bacon Jam Bennie and bottomless mimosas, yes please!) but the corn beef hash special sounds so good I might be tempted to switch it up. Hey, this does only happen once a year!
Old Sacramento Parade
This annual parade unites hundreds of colorful marchers, highland dancers, bagpipers and drum bands, and re-enactors in traditional Irish and Celtic outfits for a day of entertainment you won’t want to miss. Events begin at 11:30 a.m. with the parade starting at 1:00 p.m. Arrive early to get a front row seat to the action.
de Vere’s Irish Pub
For Irish food you can find year-round, head to de Vere’s Irish Pub. They have traditional, yet elevated, dishes such as Bangers and Mash and Irish Stew. Before celebrating the holiday on Saturday, head to de Vere’s on Monday the 12th for their annual St. Baldrick’s Rock the Bald event to raise money for St Baldricks foundation.
Fox & Goose
Fox and Goose is bringing Irish music to town with performances from bagpipers, Irish folk singers, The Pikeys, and The Spicy McCormicks. Plus, Irish beer is on tap all night and delicious Irish bites are served until 10:00 p.m. All ages welcome until 10:00 p.m., and 21+ from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Malt and Mash
Downtown restaurant and bar Malt and Mash is hosting their second annual St. Pat’s Block Party. They will be featuring an outdoor beer garden, four bars and live music. Want a side of bagpipers with your Guinness? Malt and Mash will make that happen. Open from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m.
Streets Pub and Grub
Streets Pub and Grub will be hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Day party featuring live entertainment, Irish beer, and peanut butter car bombs. Not to mention Irish Tacos (which I think I definitely need to try). Wear green and get ready to celebrate with the self-proclaimed “OG’s of St Paddy’s Day.”
Pizza Rock
Pizza Rock on K Street is serving their specialty Sausage and Stout pizza in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. With dough made with honey malted stout beer and toppings including beer sausage, carmelized onions, fontina cheese, scallions, beer salt and a sweet Guiness reduction, ths is the perfect dish to celebrate the holiday. Pizza Rock only make 23 of these pizzas a day, so get yours before it’s gone!
Wherever you go on St. Patrick’s Day remember to celebrate responsibly and treat-yo-self to some corn beef and cabbage, I know we will!
Forget Batman and Superman, We Love Food Heroes
A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of attending An Evening with Food Heroes with fellow foodies Angela and Amy, hosted by Eventbrite San Francisco at Terroir Natural Wine Merchant. The event was timed with the release of Georgia Pellegrini’s book, “Food Heroes,” which documents her international travels in pursuit of true heroes of the culinary world.
While there were several impressive local vendors sampling at the event, two stood out above the rest. Before I sing their praises, I feel compelled to couch that statement with the obvious: I am a sucker for cheese and chocolate. My roommate and I even had an entire conversation once about what life would be like were we restricted to a diet of only foods that began with the letters C and H, and eventually decided that thanks to cheese and chocolate, we would likely survive.
“CH” diet and joking aside, Pizza Politana and Charles Chocolates really took the cake.
Pizza Politana is proof that simplicity wins in my book, every time. Warm slices of Margherita pizza with tomato sauce, basil, and fresh mozzarella fresh out of their signature wood-fired oven could not have been more delicious.
To satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, Charles Chocolates offered Fleur de Sel Caramels, Signature Peanut Butterflies, Raspberry Hearts and more. You can imagine my surprise and delight when Charles Chocolates was featured on Groupon the following week. Let’s just say there will be more Charles Chocolates in my near future.
The best part? All proceeds benefited Chez Panisse Foundation’s Edible Schoolyard, a program that includes a one-acre organic garden and kitchen classroom project hosted at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School right down the road in Berkeley.
Winner of Mercy’s Annual “Care Begins with Me” Giveaway
Congratulations to Mary Beth T., the winner of two tickets to Mercy’s “Care Begins with Me” event on October 5! Thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway and we hope you are all enjoying the new and improved Sac Foodies blog!