Food & Drink picks

Get drunk outside

Der Biergarten

Those who can endure Sacramento’s worst weather feature, the blisteringly hot summer days, will eventually be rewarded with its best: the Delta-breeze-cooled evenings. For maximum exposure to these perfect temperatures, the only place without a roof is Der Biergarten, which offers 32 drafts (including many German imports) to sip on while relaxing on its open-air courtyard. There are also cornhole ramps and traditional tables imported from Germany. They serve fine examples of almost every beer varietal and light fare that includes pretzel, schnitzel and top-quality sausage, which should sop up enough suds to make space for another round.

2332 K Street, http://beergardensacramento.com. J.F.

Beat the heat

Haight St. Hef

IPAs are rad and all, but when the temperatures start climbing toward triple digits, it’s hard to beat light, easy-to-drink session beers. The hazy Haight St. Hef at Big Stump Brewing checks those boxes while still being full of flavor. The brew is something of a flagship for the young Midtown brewery—it took home best in show at the California State Fair in 2014, back when Big Stump owner Alex Larrabee was still a homebrewer.

1716 L Street, (916) 668-7433, www.bigstumpbrewco.com. J.B.

A fruitful endeavor

Courtland Pear Fair

Take a drive out to the Delta and visit the quaint river city of Courtland, where more than 130,000 tons of Bartlett pears are harvested each year. With pears aplenty, it’s no surprise this city celebrates the bountiful harvest with an annual Pear Fair, which always takes place on the last Sunday in July. A fun run and pancake breakfast kick off the event, followed by live performances from groups like the Element Brass Band in the afternoon along with a parade that marches through the city. Pear-eating contests, raffles and awards for the biggest pear grown are just a few more activities on the roster. Tip: Be sure to grab one of the festival’s popular pear pies to take home before they sell out. An exact schedule of events has yet to be posted, so be sure to check the event’s website for up-to-date information.

Sunday, July 30; 180 Primasing Avenue in Courtland; (916) 775-2000; http://pearfair.com. S.R.

Tacos for life

Sacramento Taco Festival

The Sacramento Taco Festival is the local festival for taco lovers who are miffed that society encourages people to contain their taco consumption to only one day of the week, Tuesdays. Pshaw. In early June, taco aficionados can spend a summer day trying tacos from several food vendors and food trucks, compete in a taco-eating contest, enjoy professional wrestling and—the guacamole on top—a Chihuahua beauty contest. This event is brought to you by SacLatino Magazine, the Del Paso Boulevard Partnership, Councilman Allen Warren and the letter T for taco.

10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 3; Del Paso Boulevard; www.sactacofest.com. S.

Curry to sweat over

Sahej India Grill

In much of the world, people eat spicy foods in the summer because sweating cools you down—after you burn up, of course. One of the best places in the region to get a reliable does of fire is Sahej India Grill. You can ask for your curries mild, but they’re so much tastier amped up to a pleasingly hot medium or, if you’re brave, the explosive spicy level. Order plenty of naan to soothe your taste buds.

3025 West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento, (916) 371-0222, http://sahejindiagrill.com. J.B.

Pop-up pizza

Pizza Supreme Being

Ben Roberts’ crust is a revelation: the sort of soft, chewy, stretchy, blistered goodness you don’t expect to find too often on the West Coast. In a way, this simple, supreme pizza makes perfect sense coming from a punk-turned-fine-dining chef’s rogue enterprise. It would probably be many people’s favorite pizza in town if it were easier to find—with the pop-up nature of Pizza Supreme Being, you’ll have to hire Roberts as a caterer or hunt him down at a special event.

www.pizzasupremebeing.com. J.B.

Ditch the lemonade stand

Sun & Soil Juice Co. Beet Lemonade

Forget that kid on the corner hawking paper cups filled with watery Country Time Lemonade and instead hit up the Sun & Soil Juice Co., which serves up a new twist on an old favorite. The juicery’s Beet Lemonade ($9.50) blends apples, beets and filtered water with, yes, lemons. The result is an earthy yet refreshingly tart, adult take on a classic.

1912 P Street, (916) 341-0327; 231 G Street, Suite 7, in Davis, (530) 746-2448; https://sunandsoiljuice.com. R.L.

We all line up for ice cream

Ginger Elizabeth Ice Cream Social

Unlike folks in the Bay Area, Sacramentans don’t consider queuing up a fun hobby. One exception is for ice cream. Every second Saturday through October, Ginger Elizabeth Hahn pulls out all the stops on an elegant, seasonal and totally delicious ice cream sundae layered with interesting textures. When the sundaes highlight local fruit, you should absolutely consider beating the crowds and ordering one for brunch.

1801 L Street, Suite 160; (916) 706-1738; https://gingerelizabeth.com. J.B.

Get caught in a tropical slush storm

The Jungle Bird

As the weather warms, The Jungle Bird is hitting its stride. In late April, the tiki-themed bar unveiled a slushie machine stocked with four cocktails. Two standouts: the Painkiller made with Pusser’s Rum, coconut cream and pineapple and lime juice; and the Bridgetown Bowline made with Mount Gay black rum, root beer and falernum—a sweet syrup with hints of almonds, ginger and cloves. Their weekend brunch menu includes banana bread french toast and Hawaiian-style breakfast fried rice. On the traditional cocktail menu, they’ve got novel renditions of daiquiris, mai tais and coladas, but if you feel trusting and come with friends, there’s the Ever Changing Bowl, which is described only as a “very special concoction” to be shared by a “few people.” They also host monthly dinners that spotlight the cuisine and cocktails from countries like Brazil and Jamaica. Finally, for those who weren’t permanently scarred by too many college shots of Captain Morgan, they offer 102 types of rum, including imports from Barbados, Venezuela and beyond. Finish all of them, and you’ll be inducted into their Rumpty Dumpty Rum Society, which entails getting a pin, a T-shirt and invites to exclusive tastings, among other benefits—not the least of which is a decent excuse to drink a bunch of rum.

2516 J Street, (916) 476-3280, http://thejunglebird.com. J.F.

Brotherly beer and barbecue

Jackrabbit Brewing Co.

The Burgess Brothers have appeared on the Home Shopping Network, sell products nationally and make some of the region’s best low-and-slow meats. In a mutually beneficial mashup, the company’s twin founders—Jonathan and Matthew Burgess—will be at West Sacramento’s Jackrabbit Brewing Co. in early June, serving lunch and dinner. For $25.50, indulge in ribs, chicken, beans, coleslaw, a beer and a signed, limited edition bottle of their mild barbecue sauce. For pairings, Jonathan Burgess said he’s partial to “lights, lagers and blonds,” before making the charmingly shameless addition that people can’t “go wrong with any beer and barbecue, as long as the barbecue is Burgess Brothers.” Noted.

Sunday, June 4; 1323 Terminal Street in West Sacramento; (916) 873-8659; http://jackrabbit brewingcompany.com. J.F.

County bounty

Taste of YOLO

For those who are geographically challenged, Yolo County is due north of FOMO County and to the west of On Fleek County. Just kidding. Yolo County is just northwest of Sacramento County, and it’s responsible for a significant amount of NorCal’s agriculture output, so it makes sense to celebrate the summer harvest. Taste of Yolo will feature the county’s farms, restaurants, wineries and other vendors who produce their goods in the county. So grab a ticket, because, as they used to say in 2012, YOLO.

3 p.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, June 10; $15-$35; Davis Central Park at B and Third streets in Davis; www.tasteofyolo.com. S.

Float your boat

A guide to traveling by water to dinner, drinks and more

The first mission of summer: Befriend someone with a boat. Or, you know, avoid exploiting people by simply renting one by the hour. Then you can cruise the Sacramento River. The ideal day on deck might start with brunch at Steamboat Landing (12414 State Highway 160 in Courtland), a new restaurant (with docks) that’s adjacent to the farm that supplies its produce. Wind your way up the channel to the Clarksburg Marina and taste a few samples of wine at the Old Sugar Mill. Then, shake off your sea legs at River Walk Park (651 Second Street in West Sacramento) and maybe even catch an afternoon baseball game at Raley Field. Full steam ahead to Alamar Marina (5999 Garden Highway) for some calamari and fish and chips. If you’re hankering for a nightcap of whiskey and cheap beer, saunter next door to the ever kitschy and casual Swabbies (5871 Garden Highway) and listen to a live band while snacking on fish tacos. If you get too sauced, crash on your (new friend’s) boat—Alamar Marina offers overnight docking. R.H.