This story is part of our March 2026 issue. To read the print version, click here.



Sacramento has no shortage of coffee shops and wine bars. What’s
newer is the growing number of cafes that handle both
comfortably, staying open long enough to serve coffee in the
morning and wine later in the day without forcing a reset in
between hours.

The inspiration comes from European cities like Paris and
Copenhagen, where coffee and wine often live in the same
neighborhood cafe over the course of the day, as well as the
Australian concept of the all-day cafe.

The four Sacramento spots below are places you can stop for a
cappuccino and croissant in the morning, then return later with a
friend for a glass of rose and shared small plates in the
evening.

Franquette: Breakfast and aperitivo on the river

Franquette features a mural by Bob’s Burgers character artist Jay
Howell. (Photos by Raoul Ortega, courtesy of Clay Nutting)

Located in West Sacramento’s Bridge District along the
riverfront, Franquette is a French-inspired cafe open throughout
the day for coffee, food and wine. Co-owner Clay Nutting
describes it as a place that feels natural, whether someone is
coming in for their first coffee of the day or returning later
for a glass of wine.


“We wanted it to feel like the kind of cafe you’d go to
in Europe,” Nutting says. “Where you grab an espresso in the
morning, come back for a baguette or some cheese in the afternoon
and then have a glass of wine at night. It’s all part of the same
place.”

“People don’t always think to come back to a coffee-focused cafe
for wine,” Nutting says. “So we made the bar very prominent. It
helps that transition happen naturally.”

Pastries and quiche anchor the mornings, while baguette
sandwiches and seasonal plates carry through lunch. In the
evening, tartines, cheese plates and heartier dishes take over,
though nothing disappears entirely. Nutting describes the
approach as allowing dishes to carry through the day, giving
guests the freedom to order based on appetite.

Related: Wine
Bar Brings Punk Art to West Sacramento’s Bridge District

Franquette’s wine program leans heavily on French wines, with
bottles from Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Loire Valley and Alsace
alongside lesser-known varietals meant to invite conversation.

“If someone tells us they love pinot noir, that gives us a place
to begin,” he says. “From there, we can show them something they
might not have ordered on their own.”

For Nutting, the cafe’s role is straightforward. When Franquette
opened, there were few nearby options for coffee and even fewer
places that worked equally well for meeting or sitting down later
with a glass of wine. He describes the cafe as an amenity for the
neighborhood, one that gives people a reason to stop in, see
familiar faces, and bring friends through the space.

Betty Wine Bar + Bistro: A piece of Paris in Midtown

Betty Wine Bar offers European-inspired light meals like this
mushroom pasta. (Photo by Rachel Valley)

When Chef Chris Barnum-Dann took over Betty Wine Bar + Bistro, it
was operating strictly as a wine bar. Coffee was not part of the
program. That absence stood out to him immediately.

“My brand is called ‘celebrate together,’” Barnum-Dann says. “The
whole idea is bringing European culture to Sacramento. A Parisian
bistro isn’t defined by food or decor. It’s defined by being
there in the morning, the afternoon and at night.”

“Everything I do, I want to do the best,” he says. “So I’ll have
the best damn coffee. I’ll have the best damn wine. I’ll have the
best damn food.”

To build the coffee program at Betty and his Michelin-starred
restaurant Localis, Barnum-Dann partnered with Sam Han, a coffee
specialist he credits with reshaping how he thinks about
extraction and quality. Han now leads the coffee program at both
restaurants, a collaboration Barnum-Dann describes as essential
to making coffee a serious offering rather than an afterthought.

Wine remains central as well. Recognized with a Michelin
Sommelier of the Year award for his work at Localis, Barnum-Dann
curates Betty’s wine list himself. After the takeover, he spent
months rebuilding the wine wall, replacing the previous
selections with bottles that reflect his approach to wine. The
list balances natural wines, classic styles and local producers
across a range of price points.

Related: According
to Michelin, California’s Top Sommelier Is in Sacramento

“A good wine bar should have something for everyone,” he says.
“That’s how you keep it feeling like a neighborhood place.”

Barnum-Dann extends that same sense of openness into Betty’s wine
club and Thursday tastings. The wine club offers an entry point
for guests who want to spend more time with the wine program,
while Thursday tastings highlight different wine regions and
styles.

“It’s about being there for people,” he says. “That’s what a
bistro does.”

Tandem Coffee & Wine: A cafe for the community

Karly Worl (right) worked in tech but wanted a more in-person
experience, so she started Tandem Coffee & Wine in East
Sacramento with her business partner Lucas Thompson (left).

Tandem Coffee & Wine is an East Sacramento cafe where coffee and
wine were built into the concept from the beginning. Both are
part of the daily offering, alongside a steady calendar of
community events.

Co-owner Karly Worl came to hospitality after a career in tech.
After moving back to Sacramento from the Bay Area, she began
looking for a project centered on regular, in-person interaction.

“I liked the idea of an all-day cafe,” Worl says. “Somewhere you
can stop in no matter where you are in your day.”

The coffee program is led by business partner Lucas Thompson, a
longtime SacYard alum with nearly two decades of coffee
experience. From the outset, coffee and wine were developed
together.

At Tandem Coffee & Wine, a neighborhood cafe, you can order a hot
cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

“It’s a neighborhood spot,” she says. “We want people to feel
comfortable coming in a couple of times a week.”

Service stays consistent across the day. Coffee remains available
into the evening, wine earlier in the day, and the wine list
stays focused on approachability, with domestic and imported
bottles priced to encourage regular visits.

Tandem is programmed with events folded into the cafe’s regular
schedule. Formula One watch parties in the morning, Mahjong
nights, trivia and wine events bring different groups into the
space throughout the week.

When asked about future programming, Worl mentioned bringing in a
chef to further develop the food program. For now, the menu skews
simple and flexible, with options like pastries and breakfast
bagels in the morning, followed by sandwiches and meat-and-cheese
plates later in the day.

Emile’s: A European-style park cafe

Emile’s is located inside Heritage Oaks Park in West Sacramento,
an 8-acre public space undergoing a major, federally funded
renovation.

Emile’s is located inside Heritage Oaks Park in West Sacramento,
an 8-acre public space undergoing a major, federally funded
renovation. The cafe sits within the park itself, near open lawn
and walking paths, and opened ahead of construction with plans to
expand evening service.

The cafe is owned by Kevin Ericson, his sister, and their
partners. The siblings grew up less than a mile from the site,
and Emile’s is named after their grandfather, a longtime West
Sacramento community leader. His family also owns Whitey’s Jolly
Cone, the drive-in burger stand founded in 1963 that remains a
local fixture.

Related: Sacramento’s
New Strategy to Fight Loneliness Starts Outdoors

Modeled after European park cafes, Emile’s offers coffee and
lunch during the day, with beer and wine included as part of the
program. The wine list emphasizes local producers, particularly
from the Delta and Clarksburg, and is selective.

“You’re coming to a park,” Ericson says. “You don’t need a book
of wine. You need something good that fits the moment.”

Food follows the same direction. The daytime menu focuses on
breakfast and lunch, with plans for a small-plates offering
typical of a wine bar as evening service expands.

Ericson says the cafe continues to adjust based on feedback from
people who live nearby and spend time in the park.

“We listen to what the community wants,” he says. “That’s what
keeps it working.”

Stay up to date on business in the Sacramento
region: Subscribe to the Comstock’s newsletter
today.