Franquette, a popular Sacramento cafe and wine bar, serves French-inspired fare – but the execution is entirely Californian. Owner Brad Cecchi and Head Chef Elena Winks transform seasonal, local produce and products into something utterly unforgettable. 

Located in Sacramento’s trendy Bridge District, Franquette welcomes guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Brad describes it as a “come as you are kind of place”; athleisure wear and business suits are equally appropriate at the casual cafe. The menu is elevated but accessible – featuring everything from coffee and chic pastries to California wines and savory small bites. 

Working with local farmers

Sacramento is known as the Farm-to-Fork Capital of the World – giving area chefs unrivaled access to fresh, local ingredients. Brad notes, “Having access to great ingredients really drove my passion for food. The Sacramento region highlights and celebrates its culinary and food culture. We live in a place where farmers are literally across the street. Because of Franquette’s size and the kind of restaurant it is, we can take a little bit from a lot of farms and turn that into really great pastries and salads.” 

Franquette really does have a farm across the street. The café sources some of its produce from Riverfront Farm, a West Sacramento Urban Farm.

Sustainability: Waste not, want not

California farms and restaurants are committed to sustainability. At Franquette, Brad and his team work to minimize food waste. He explains, “We really have to think about what leaves the restaurants.”

Brad enjoys finding creative ways to make use of what would typically be considered waste. Some scraps are dehydrated and used to make seasonings and powders, while the team at Franquette uses other scraps in marinades or jams. Anything that can’t be used creatively is composted and shared with local farms. 

Brad’s dedication to minimizing food waste goes beyond the doors of his restaurant. He partners with local farms to find creative uses for produce that would traditionally be unusable. He elaborates, “We try to find ways for farmers to be able to use everything they grow, We really like to use overripe things, so we’ll come to agreements with certain farmers if there’s overripes, seconds or imperfect produce that we can use to create jams and things that we use for our breakfast program at Franquette.”

CA GROWN Seasonal Menu Items

Brad is a firm believer that local, seasonal produce simply tastes better. He asserts, “I think that people who are going out to eat in restaurants should be looking for California Grown menu items on their plate. We have such a great growing season. We have farmers who have been doing this for generations. Our soil quality is incredible, and so oftentimes the fruits and vegetables that come out of the ground here in California just have a better flavor.”

Franquette is proud to feature CA GROWN menu items, showcasing the best of Sacramento’s seasonal produce. Brad states, “For breakfast, we’re currently featuring our Summer Corn Galette. It has zucchini from West Sacramento, Brentwood corn, and goat cheese, which all sit in a puff pastry. It’s really a delicious morning treat. Then, in the afternoon, we have our Summer Tart, with beautiful, heirloom tomatoes, basil aioli, and a Brentwood corn relish that sits over the top. It’s a really nice light kind of lunch snack.” Both pair beautifully with Franquette’s featured California wine, a Haarmeyer St. Rey Chenin Blanc. 

Visit Franquette

Want to see what the fuss is all about? Brad invites everyone to visit Franquette Cafe and Wine Bar: “Next time you’re in West Sacramento, down in the Bridge District, come down and see us at Franquette – whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We’re here all day like that.”

Franquette

965 Bridge Street

Unit 100

West Sacramento, CA 95691

(916) 572-0046

Check the website for daily hours and the latest menu. 

Be sure to check out Franquette’s sister restaurant, Canon, in East Sacramento. 

Explore Sacramento Farms and Farmers Markets

If you’re heading to the Sacramento area, Brad encourages you to visit some of the local farms and farmers markets. He elaborates, “When people come to visit (Sacramento), there’s literally a farmer’s market every day of the week. Our Midtown farmers market on Saturdays was recently voted the number one farmers market in the country. Our farmers market on Sundays under the freeway is the largest weekly farmers market in the country. Soil Born Farms and Rancho Cordova have their farm shop every Saturday where people can get farm tours, and they can see all of the jams and preserves that are made from the things that come off the farm. It’s right on the banks of the American River, so it’s incredibly special.”

Brad continues, “And then we’re blessed at Franquette to have Riverfront Farm right across the street, which is open to the public day in and day out. The farmers will take you through the fields to show you what’s growing. Then every Friday, they have their farm stand, where the vegetables are made accessible to underserved communities.” 

Experience Sacramento’s Farm-to-Fork Food Scene

Sacramento’s farm-to-fork food scene is absolutely unrivaled. Whether you’re looking for a Michelin-rated restaurant or a casual-cool cafe, there’s truly something for everyone. Brad remarks, “In the last 15 years, Sacramento has had a renaissance in its restaurant scene. And so now we have pockets all over the city of different cuisines.

We have an incredible Vietnamese community, and the food that they have there is awesome. The De Paso Heights Northgate region, there’s incredible street food like tacos and birria, and incredible immigrant populations that are standing up their own cultures and own communities. Then obviously here, in Midtown and downtown Sacramento, we have a scene and a vibe – food festivals and celebrations that are happening every month that give people from outside the region an excuse to come to Sacramento and see what our community is capable of doing. We believe rising tides raise all ships, and so our chef community and restaurateurs work together to create really great events and to celebrate each other day in and day out.”

Be sure to visit a few of the Sacramento restaurants featuring CA GROWN Menu items

Article and photography by Hilary Rance. Image of California’s capital building courtesy of James Collier for CA GROWN.