5 days ago
Michelin Honors Localis Chef As Pho Momma Joins Bib Gourmand
Michelin Guide 2025 California Ceremony
Michelin brought its annual California awards ceremony to Sacramento, giving the capital city a rare moment at the center of the national dining conversation. Held at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, the evening honored exceptional restaurants from across the state. Among them, Localis chef-owner Chris Barnum-Dann received one of the night's top individual honors: the Michelin Sommelier Award. Meanwhile, local favorite Pho Momma joined the prestigious Bib Gourmand list, cementing its status as one of Sacramento's best under-the-radar dining gems.
Chef Chris Barnum-Dann of Localis
The Sommelier Award, given to just one chef or beverage lead in California, recognized Barnum-Dann's intuitive, globally inspired wine pairings. Barnum-Dann was acknowleged for his ability to take risks in the glass, matching unexpected wines with layered, high-impact dishes, from Thai-inspired spice with Riesling to octopus piccata with Austrian red. It was a moment of validation for Localis, which retained its Michelin star for the third consecutive year.
Asked by the Michelin Guide to describe how he built his wine list, Barnum-Dann said:
Inside the auditorium's lobby, Barnum-Dann and The Kitchen's executive chef Kelly McCown showcased Sacramento's culinary perspective. Localis served wagyu beef tartare over ginger-tapioca chips, along with a vegetarian bite built around roasted sunflower panna cotta, sunflower brittle, black garlic purée, and pickled cucumber. The Kitchen, which also held onto its Michelin star, leaned into peak Northern California seasonality with heirloom tomato tartlets topped with Ossetra caviar and a scallop ceviche finished with coconut and passionfruit.
Chef Kelly McCown of Sacramento's The Kitchen
Over in La Riviera, Pho Momma has long drawn locals for its $6 bowls of pho and hand-rolled spring rolls. Now it is officially on the map. One of just six new Bib Gourmand recipients across the state, the family-run Vietnamese spot was recognized for offering exceptional food at approachable prices. Chef-owner My Le makes every dish herself, simmering broth for days and wrapping each rice paper roll to order. Her restaurant joins the guide's value-focused category alongside Sacramento holdovers Canon and Nixtaco.
Vladimir Ilich
Not every Sacramento mainstay made the list. Michelin dropped longtime entries Frank Fat's, Yue Huang, and Mulvaney's B&L, reducing the region's total recognized restaurants to 15.
Still, Sacramento's presence on Michelin's biggest night signaled growing momentum for a region long known for its ingredients but not always its dining scene. Midtown newcomers Majka and Kin Thai were added to the guide earlier this spring for their inventive menus and strong community roots.
Drone shot of Sacramento
When I asked what continued Michelin recognition means for Sacramento's food scene and its identity as a culinary destination, Mike Testa, CEO of Visit Sacramento, said:
This year's ceremony underscored what many in the region already knew: Sacramento has earned its place in California's culinary conversation.
