
This California Beer Sends a Message of Solidarity With the Iranian People
Behind the crisp pilsner lies a numeric code meant to transcend language and challenge Iran’s regime
Beer has been illegal in Iran since the Islamic Republic rose to power in 1979. To follow the story of Persian beer, one must look beyond the borders of the country. The latest chapter takes place in Davis, home of Rostam36.

Hunting Near the Farm-to-Fork Capital
Driven by a desire to eat ethically and connect with nature, more people are discovering the Capital Region’s wealth of hunting opportunities
Alongside deer, upland game like turkeys and pheasants, and invasive wild pigs, Sacramento offers some of the best wildfowl hunting anywhere in the U.S., and hunters come from across the state and country to enjoy it.

Pasquini’s Serves Up Nearly a Century of Food, Family and Lore
What began as basement dinners and bootleg wine now thrives as a multigenerational Italian dining landmark in Live Oak
Behind a nearly obscured sign on Highway 99 is a 95-year-old bastion of Italian American food and heritage that still offers Spaghetti Monday every week.

How Japanese Sweets Are Enduring and Evolving in Sacramento
A century-old sweet shop, a cult-status bakery and a homegrown pop-up bring Japanese flavors to the Capital Region
Today, Osaka-Ya is the only dedicated Japanese mochi and manju shop in Sacramento, but you can find other Japanese and Japanese-inspired sweets around the city.

Startup of the Month: InnerPlant
Detecting crop diseases before symptoms show
InnerPlant develops seed technology that turns crops into living sensors that detect stress (such as fungus, pathogens and nitrogen deficiency) at the molecular level before visible symptoms appear. The startup’s initial focus is a soybean engineered to emit a fluorescent optical signal within 48 hours of fungal infection.

A New Chapter for Lundberg Family Farms
A pioneer of organic farming passes the torch to the fourth generation
Lundberg Family Farms is the largest organic rice grower and
producer in the state of California, with operations in Richvale
in Butte County. Lundberg’s third and fourth generation family
members now work together, each bringing their unique skills to
farming practices such as soil analysis.

These Sacramento Cafes Serve Culture in Every Cup
In Sacramento, coffee isn’t just a beverage — it’s a vehicle for heritage, healing and storytelling
In the Capital Region, coffee entrepreneurs are moving away from cookie-cutter offerings and creating cultural coffee shops that provide unique flavors and rich storytelling.

Beyond Fusion: Minh Phan’s Radical Hospitality Reimagines the Food Narrative
Marking 50 years since the Fall of Saigon, Phan’s performance at UC Davis transforms food into a sensory ritual of grief, healing and transcultural remembrance
At the UC Davis Manetti Shrem Museum, spring rolls, Meyer lemons and sculptural altars become vessels for stories of migration, loss and radical care.

The Industry Is Struggling, but Regional Vintners Think Wine Can Still Win
How lower demand, generational shifts in alcohol and potential Trump tariffs are affecting winemakers
After three decades of growth, the industry has seen three years of negative sales. Grape farmers are being severely undercut by cheaper bulk wine from abroad. Sudden, unpredictable tariff shock is knocking exports and profit margins off kilter. And there’s been studies of late suggesting that Gen Z, those born between 1997 to 2012, is abandoning the wine life and maybe even alcohol altogether. But local growers are optimistic nevertheless.

Ownership Transitions Are Redefining What It Means To Be a Sacramento Institution
New look, same great taste. Four well-loved Sacramento businesses have recently undergone ownership changes, ranging from arguably the oldest business in the area to one that is just over two years old.