Just south of Southside Park, Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse has quietly turned into one of Sacramento’s default answers to the question, “Where should we go?” The sprawling warehouse taproom and sunny, dog-friendly patio soak up weekday lunch crowds and bigger weekend groups alike. Since opening in 2018, the kitchen has built its name on slow-smoked brisket, pork-belly burnt ends, and seasonal plates that lean hard on smoke instead of heavy sauce.
Word of mouth and travel coverage have pushed the brewpub’s reach well beyond the neighborhood this year. In a profile published Feb. 21, 2026, Islands spotlighted Urban Roots’ core beer lineup and its à la carte meat program, calling out pours like the honeyed “Luna de Miel” and a West Coast-style IPA named “Like Riding a Bike” as key reasons it resonates with both locals and visitors.
Awards and national recognition
Urban Roots’ momentum is not just neighborhood hype. The brewery was named California Brewery of the Year in 2021, according to the California Craft Brewers Cup. It later landed on USA Today’s 10Best readers’ list of top brewpubs in 2025, a nod that helped steer national attention toward Sacramento’s beer scene, as reported by Yahoo.
Online ratings track with that praise. Yelp shows roughly a 4.2 average, and broader business listings put Urban Roots at about a 4.6 overall score, suggesting both regulars and out-of-towners tend to walk away satisfied.
What locals keep coming back for
The draw is a mix of serious beer and a food-first approach to barbecue. Early local coverage described a menu built on dry rubs and a California riff on classic Southern techniques, a game plan the kitchen is still following, according to KCRA. That balanced cooking, paired with a roomy indoor dining area and a side-lot beer garden, gives Urban Roots the feel of a neighborhood hangout as much as a destination spot.
Visitor notes and practical details
For anyone planning a visit, the brewery lists hours at roughly 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and it typically operates on a walk-in basis instead of taking reservations, per the restaurant’s contact page. Reviewers say it pays to show up early on busy weekend nights to skip the longer lines and stake out a patio table, and the tap list changes regularly alongside five core beers and several seasonal options, as reflected in guest reviews on Yelp…