This charming, sun-flooded café is one of the nicest places to cool your heels and have a tasty bite to eat in Old Sacramento. Service is unfailingly cheerful, and the restaurant is sparkling clean. Walls are a vibrant pinkish-orange, the wooden floors shine, and attractive artwork hangs throughout the space. Breakfast items range from the popular “Poppy’s Pancakes” (thick buttermilk pancakes) and “Steamers’ Scramble” (scrambled eggs with ham, peppers, onions, white Cheddar cheese and potatoes) to an innovative breakfast taco, stuffed with eggs, cheese, fresh salsa and bacon. The café also has a nice selection of fresh-baked goods (don’t miss the berry scones), which are great with coffee. If you drop in for lunch, you can order one of the kitchen’s sandwiches or panini (grilled and pressed sandwiches)—bestsellers are the chicken salad sandwich and the ham and Swiss panino. There are also several salads and soups from which to choose. Steamers carries bottled beer and wine to complement its menu items, and the café is an excellent spot to visit after a few hours exploring beautiful Old Sacramento. — Kira O'Donnell

Insider tip: Steamers delivers its menu items to nearby destinations using a bike messenger.

Payment methods: AmEx, Discover Card, MasterCard, Visa

Alcohol: Beer and wine

Hours: Open daily at 8 a.m.; closing time varies with the season. Call for details (The café does not serve dinner).