Restaurants in Elk Grove

Johnson Kam and Eddie Flores Jr. were already successful owners of a chain of drive-in restaurants in Hawaii when they got a brilliant idea: bring the traditional Hawaiian plate lunch to the mainland. The plate lunch—typically with rice, macaroni salad, and a hot entree—combined with Flores and Kam's unique barbecue recipe, generous portions, and low prices, have led to nearly 200 L&L restaurants. And like Flores says, "When we went to the mainland, the name 'Hawaiian' is a draw, because everyone just fantasized, everyone wants to come to Hawaii."

The inspiration behind Alebrijes Mexican Bistro is the stuff of nightmares—Pedro Linares’ nightmares, to be specific. At the age of 30, the Mexican artist fell deathly ill. As he lay in bed, unconscious, he dreamt of a strange world filled with brightly colored monsters—a donkey with butterfly wings and a rooster with the head of an eagle among others—all shouting “alebrijes, alebrijes, alebrijes!” When he awoke, he wanted to show his family and friends all that he had seen, so he replicated his first alebrije from brightly painted papier-mâché. To this day, his family still crafts these strange creatures to serve as unusual home accents.

Pedro Linares' monsters inspired Alebrijes Mexican Bistro's name, as well as its decor, which showcases brightly colored paintings of his nightmarish beasts. In 2012, the bistro also won the Lodi News Reader’s Choice award for Best Mexican Restaurant, thanks to its gourmet burritos and regionally inspired dishes such as oaxaca mole, guanajuato bacon-wrapped prawns, and guacamole prepared in the style of Mexico City. The restaurant also infuses their own tequilas.

A Victorian-style tearoom housed in a 1929 firehouse doesn't seem a likely place for an April Fool's prank. But since Linde Lane Tea Room owner Kristina Wiley throws a themed special event each month, she decided to treat her guests to a surprise meal. Visitors took a drink of pineapple champagne, only to find their flutes filled with Jell-O. More prank courses followed, such as strawberry-chocolate cupcakes that were really mashed potatoes and meat topped with truffle sauce. As the diners laughed at each course, a President Obama impersonator walked in, convincing a young attendee that she was actually shaking hands with the commander-in-chief.

Wiley prides herself on making every visit to Linde Lane Tea Room a memorable one, whether through novelty events like these or seating parties in the 8-foot teacup booth, which Wiley calls "a piece of art people can sit in." Appearing on TeaMap's top 100 U.S. tearooms across the United States and ranked fourth best in California, Linde Lane Team Room evokes Victorian opulence through custom-made chandeliers, richly patterned carpets, and a dark wood bar where more than 49 fair-trade teas rest in copper canisters. The staff can also custom-blend teas for patrons, using martini shakers to blend loose leaves with spices such as raspberries, chocolate chips, and honeysuckle. An in-house pastry chef and culinary chef prepare every dish, including Linde Lane's safeguarded scone recipe, which took more than one year and 12,000 chef hours to perfect.

Chefs infuse steak, seafood, sandwiches, and salads with just-reaped produce at Our House, an eatery praised by Davis Life Magazine for its striking décor of salvaged materials, including farmhouse windows and fencing slats. House-brined pork chops and organic chicken dishes replenish energy caches at rows of glossy, wooden tables that goad each other to walk the artfully lit planks lining the walls. Fresh-squeezed nectars swirl in the Market Muddle, a Wednesday-evening cocktail that spikes produce from Davis Farmers' Market before filling a glass on a wooden bar edged with bark. On Saturdays, live music fills the lounge, where leather chairs and crimson ottomans complement black-and-white masterpieces designed to put colorblind art critics on even ground with rivals.

It’s hard to miss the The Elephant Shack’s bright orange and green exterior painted with pachyderms. The mammoth beasts also decorate the interior of the eye-catching sandwich shop, raising their trunks in virtually every form imaginable: as statuettes, stuffed animals, coin banks, and a much prized hat signifying the winner of their monthly free-lunch contest. The victor might dig into a classic sandwich, such as a french dip or turkey and bacon club, or opt for clam chowder served in a bread bowl. The kitchen also serves breakfast all day long, sating bacon-and-egg fanatics and guests who never remember to change their clocks.

At Sahar's Gyros & Kabob, colorful plates of Greek and Afghani fare greet patrons with their fresh veggies and halal meats. Aside from dishes couched in basmati rice, pitas, and samosa dough, succulent burgers and cheesesteak sandwiches represent classic American tastes. The casual Antioch eatery is free for lunch, dinner, or just to chat seven days a week, and its staff caters off-site events.