4 Best Restaurants in Nevada City, Sacramento and the Gold Country

Riffing off the calculated flamboyance of its namesake, the gold-rush-era celebrity Lola Montez, the National Exchange Hotel's restaurant flirts with excess—long turquoise banquette benches, wall-mounted Persian rugs, swooping brushed-bronze lighting fixtures—yet retains its composure. The chefs show a similar knack for incorporating unexpected elements that enliven but don't undermine dishes like pan-seared salmon, fried chicken, and a double-cut pork chop.

Landlocked Nevada City might seem like an odd place for a sushi haven, but this red-walled restaurant known for offbeat items like truffle sashimi and trout, salmon, and other "shooters" in shot glasses (quail eggs, too) consistently ranks atop local "best-of" lists for Japanese cuisine. Although Sushi in the Raw changed owners and locations in 2022, the new head chef, who trained several years under his predecessor, continues to emphasize time-honored techniques and ultrafresh ingredients.

Baked goods, wood-fired pizzas, excellent coffee (teas and kombucha, too), and microbrews made on-site draw locals and tourists to this redbrick spot with a high, heavy-beamed open ceiling. The food's ingredients come from nearby organic sources; the beers on tap range from blond and pale ales to triple IPAs and several porters.

Careworn flooring, wainscoting, and a high tin ceiling lend an old-timey feel to this ice cream shop whose house-made offerings include quirkily contemporary ones like saffron-rose pistachio and blueberry matcha gelato. Double-chocolate, vanilla-bean, strawberry, and more conventional flavors from other brands supplement the Treats selections.