Compiled by Sentinel editors and staff–
Citrus Heights boasts many restaurants that residents have come to know and love, and The Sentinel has compiled a list of our top five must-try restaurants in the city.
These eateries represent both the local fabric of our community and offer a sample of the range of available cuisine.
Extreme Hummus. Located at 7820 Zenith Drive, this eatery was listed as one of Yelp’s 2018 “Top 100 Places to Eat” in the United States. Extreme Hummus serves a variety of flavorful Mediterranean dishes, including wraps, gyros, bowls, salads, and desserts. One of the restaurants unique offerings are the variety of flavor-packed hummus dips, including artichoke and pesto hummus, cilantro jalapeno hummus, Tzatziki hummus and of course their own signature hummus.
We chose Extreme Hummus because of their exceptional ratings and excellent variety of delicious Mediterranean food.
El Tapatio Family Mexican Restaurant. Located on Sunrise Boulevard, El Tapatio prides itself on offering authentic Mexican dishes that come from traditional family recipes. From staples like burritos, tostadas and enchiladas, to more innovative dishes like the Molcajete dish—meat, salsa verde and sauteed cactus served in an old-world Hispanic stone mortar known as a “molcajete”—and classic American cuisine, the restaurant offers something for everyone.
We chose El Tapatio for their stellar rating from more than 2,500 reviewers on Yelp and for its good food, good service, and beautiful atmosphere, with walls filled with Mexican art and decor.
Crepes & Burgers. Crepes and Burgers is a newer addition to Citrus Heights, having opened in 2017 on Auburn Boulevard across from the Grand Oaks Shopping Center. The unique blend of menu items, from crepes, burgers, salads and sandwiches, to beer, wine and coffee, create an intriguing atmosphere for an open-café-style restaurant.
We chose Crepes and Burgers because their burgers rival the long-standing burgers from Fuddruckers, and because of their variety of breakfast options.
India Oven. Located at 6105 Sunrise Vista Drive, near Greenback Lane, India Oven offers authentic Indian cuisine, with entrees like Tandoori and Biryani dishes, and a variety of chicken, lamb and seafood options. With more than 500 reviews on Yelp, India Oven has high marks and offers many options for patrons, including vegetarian dishes, online ordering, lunch buffets and a three-course tasting menu which is great for large-scale events.
We chose India Oven because of their unique cuisine and elegant indoor and outdoor dining atmosphere. Their outdoor patio is perfect for a date night on a warm summer evening.
Inferno Chicken. Located at 5925 Birdcage Centre Ln., Suite 109, is not your average chicken wings shop. In only two years of operation, Inferno Chicken has amassed over 1,800 votes on Doordash and a 4.7-star rating. Inferno Chicken has dubbed themselves a “Louisiana Hot Chicken Restaurant” and serves chicken wings, tenders, tacos and sandwiches, with varying heat levels. Mild chicken comes in “southern” and “honey BBQ”, among other flavors. The two hottest levels listed on the website’s heat thermometer read “Make me cry” and “Inferno.”
We like Inferno Chicken because it’s something different than just another pizza or burger joint and for their creative spin on chicken sandwiches and tacos. Read more: The story behind Citrus Heights’ newest hot chicken restaurant
Honorable Mentions. While not making it to our top five, Folsom Palace, an award-winning Pan-Asian Bistro which recently opened on Sunrise Boulevard, is listed as number one in Yelp’s “Top 10 Best Restaurants in Citrus Heights.”
Fukumi Ramen, which specializes in “Fukuoka-style Hakata ramen, authentic Tonkotsu Ramen and melt-in-your-mouth Pork Chashu” is a newer restaurant. We love this eatery for their hot soups, which are perfect for those cold winter days.
Donut King has been a local fixture on San Juan Avenue and Greenback Lane for decades. We love Donut King for their reliability and 24-hour service. Anytime of the day or night, holidays, weekends, you name it, you can count on them to have fresh, made-from-scratch donuts.
