Every city in the world has its hidden gems: attractions, sights, sounds or even food that can’t be found on the latest tourist brochures, the kinds of things only the locals know and love. Sacramento has plenty of its own special treasures, and it’s been fun to explore my small area of the Cap City to discover these fantastic experiences. One of my favorites: the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church’s Sunday mini food festival.
It started out innocently enough: resourceful churchgoers got together to make a couple of treats for folks to enjoy during after-Mass mingling. At first, it was just a churro stand and a couple dudes making tacos. But a couple weekends ago, I realized they’d taken things one step further: that sweet little taco stand had turned into the most deliciously random full-fledged social/lunch hour in Sacramento.
Now, I’m not sure if the current set up is a year-round thing or only in place for the colder weather, but as of this writing, they seem to turn their small gym/cafeteria space into a makeshift dining area every Sunday. There, churchgoers and passersby can stop in between Masses, order sensational, homemade Mexican food, and catch up with each other and the news of the week. From homemade tamales to authentic tacos al pastor, elotes with cheese, and even the less traditional bacon-wrapped jalapeño dogs, there’s something for everyone…
It’s hard to be patient when the food is so good…
Bacon-wrapped Jalapeño Dogs
Hangin’ out & shopping for trinkets, candy, and churros…
Chopping carne asada for some tacos al pastor…
Speaking of tacos… (In a word: AMAZING!)
Good food, good convo – what more does one need on a Sunday afternoon?
For me, there’s nothing better on a Sunday than stopping by this random food fest after a run at the farmer’s market, picking up some tacos de lengua and carne asada, and a churro for dessert. Now that I’ve divulged this secret, I’ll probably have to wait in line a bit longer, but it’ll be well worth it. The quality and authenticity of the food you can score here rivals that of any restaurant’s, and the price? With the most expensive item topping out at just $3, even Poor Girls (and boys) can afford to treat themselves every now & then.
New recipes coming up shortly! Happy Friday, everyone!