Sacramento's 5 Best Sit-Down Cafes, According To Locals

Sacramento's coffee scene has grown into a sizeable ecosystem of sit-down cafés that double as neighborhood hangout spots and visitor pit stops. Independent coffee culture in Sacramento dates to 1982, when, according to Sactown Magazine, Coffee Works became the city's first local independent roaster. Since then, the scene has expanded considerably — especially in the Downtown and Midtown neighborhoods – where you can typically find a café within a 5-minute walk. These spaces serve a practical and enjoyable role for travelers, whether stopping in before a day of sightseeing or resting after tackling Sacramento's world-renowned trail connected to Downtown.

Countless Reddit threads, local bloggers, and social media commenters have debated which cafés are the best in Sacramento and what makes them special. We combed through those conversations to identify the spots that draw the most enthusiasm and appreciation from locals. To qualify, cafés needed ample indoor seating, consistently positive feedback, and, of course, quality coffee. Many are located in Downtown and Midtown Sacramento, where there's a higher concentration of coffee shops and where many of Sacramento's best-reviewed hotels are clustered. 

As Sacramento local Dan Allison explained in Getting Around Sacramento, "[T]he number of locally-owned coffee shops drops off rapidly outside the central city." We explain our selection process in more detail at the end. Until then, consider making a stop at one of these locally beloved cafés.

In Downtown Sacramento, about halfway between California State Capitol Park and Southside Park, you'll find Camellia Coffee Roasters, which local creator @brittsbellavita described as "quintessentially Sacramento" in an Instagram reel highlighting coffee spots around the city. Sacramento-based blogger Bon Traveler also praised the café's "new, expansive space" on the R Street Corridor, where its sole location remains, as of this writing.

Camellia has been around since 2016, founded by two local coffee professionals. The menu includes a variety of brews, non-coffee drinks, and breakfast sandwiches. In her reel, @brittsbellavita called the horchata cold brew a "must-try" and recommended the breakfast sandwiches, which come on bagels or brioche buns. 

The café is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its roomy interior means you're more likely to find a seat than at smaller neighborhood shops. If you're looking for a spot to do work or check emails, it's a laptop-friendly café with free Wi-Fi, too, and several reviewers have noted its welcoming atmosphere. There's free parking available.

Many Sacramento residents are familiar with Temple Coffee Roasters. The company operates multiple locations across the city, but the café at 22nd and K streets draws particular acclaim. It remains one of the most reviewed coffee shops in Sacramento, with over 1,700 reviews on Google and an average rating of 4.6 stars. Bon Traveler said, "Temple is the tried and true third-wave coffee of Sacramento" and cited the 22nd Street and K location as a favorite. Another local blogger, Maddy Edmunds, also named it her top Temple outpost, as well as one of her favorite coffee shops in the city.

While popular, reviewers have pointed out that there's a good amount of space inside. "This location seems to be one of their bigger ones, with lots of seating and tables (but not where it's jammed packed) both inside and outside," a Google Local Guide wrote. 

If you're hoping to avoid peak crowds, Google's data suggests the café tends to be busiest on weekend afternoons and early Friday evenings. Temple's extended hours — 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily — make it especially convenient for visitors wandering Midtown. There are power outlets and Wi-Fi available, and the space includes a wheelchair-accessible restroom. However, parking is limited to street spots, so you may need to find one that isn't directly next to the café. The menu includes a broad range of espresso drinks and specialty pour-overs organized by origin, including Colombia, India, and Ethiopia.

If you're looking for a place to settle in for a while and do some work, Mast Coffee's Midtown location is a strong option. Mast Coffee has two locations in Sacramento — Midtown and Land's Park — but the former is more often praised as sit-down-friendly. Local lifestyle blogger Luci's Morsels prefers the Midtown shop, citing "more seating, slightly [quieter] music, and morsels more to my liking." 

Reviewers have also pointed out that the space is conducive to remote work. "Ambience was nice – high ceilings and incredibly spacious. A lot of people hanging out and working/doing stuff with their laptops," a Google reviewer wrote. Free Wi-Fi, a restroom, and power outlets come with the setup.

It's not just the interior that lands Mast Coffee a top spot for Sacramento's café scene. The coffee itself is locally esteemed. In a Sacramento Reddit thread about the best coffee spots, the top comment claims that "the best roaster in town is probably Mast especially for their single origin beans." The roaster also serves a specialty drink called the "Bat & Ball," which consists of 12 ounces of filtered coffee and a shot of single-origin espresso. Mast is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Only street parking is available.

In contrast to the stark, minimalist coffee shops you often find in downtowns, Sacramento's Seasons Coffee Roasters leans into a more homey aesthetic, crafting a perfectly snug atmosphere. A Reddit user described it as "a cozy 'Grandma's house' kind of vibe." Inside, you'll find couches, salmon-hued walls studded with decorative plates, and viney plants hanging from the ceiling. A Google Local Guide said, "The moment we walked in, we immediately loved the atmosphere. The décor is absolutely stunning, the staff was so sweet, and the soft music created a calm, relaxing vibe." The café is laptop-friendly, with free, fast Wi-Fi, and reviewers have noted a quieter vibe with low, mellow music.

The café is located in Midtown within CLARA, a performing arts center home to the Sacramento Ballet, which could offer a great thing to do in Sacramento before the end of winter. Its entrance is on the ground floor, just past the elevator. There's a spacious, free parking lot on the O Street side of the building. Seasons has a versatile drink menu, including standard coffee offerings, smoothies, and specialty options like affogatos, perfect for warmer weather. During the week, it's open until 7 p.m., but on Saturdays and Sundays, it closes at 2 p.m.

Located in the historic Boulevard Park neighborhood, The Mill is close enough to Downtown to reach on foot but set in a quieter, more residential area. The space lends itself to winding down or getting some work done. "Great service and seating where most were working. Something about the light wood paneling and tables makes this shop quite inviting and grounding," said a Sacramento-based Yelp reviewer. Blogger Bon Travel also recommended The Mill, noting, "The space is so bright and lovely, and will often meet friends here." 

Reviewers have described the vibe inside as quiet and minimalist. Paired with its free Wi-Fi, it's a reliable spot for remote work or study. There's a second The Mill café in East Sacramento, but the inside seating there is much more limited.

Coffee at The Mill is roasted at the shop's private studio and comes in a mix of blends and single-origin roasts. A Reddit user singled out the espresso, saying, "[It] hits my palate just right with the sweet and earthy notes." For non-coffee drinkers, The Mill offers a generous selection of teas, including matcha, chai, and pu'erh, as well as waffles. The café is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a parking lot, but it's very compact, so you may have to find street parking.

Our picks for Sacramento's five best sit-down cafés come from recommendations given by locals on blogs, Reddit, Instagram, and review sites. We looked for cafés repeatedly praised across multiple platforms, then backed up each contender by considering only those with 4 stars or higher on review sites, including Google Reviews and Yelp. The main ranking criterion was sit-down friendliness. To qualify, the cafés needed ample indoor seating, tables (not just counter seats), and frequent descriptions such as "comfortable" or "relaxed" from local reviewers.