Bodega
Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails is the dream child of four families who spent their lifetime in the food and beverage industry. Two of the four families reside in the Pocket neighborhood and saw an opportunity to build a gathering place within their own community. Rafael Jimenez Rivera and Christopher Sinclair will be the lead management and ownership.
Chris was the lead bartender at Red Rabbit, beverage director at La Cosecha, and later spent time behind the bar at Kasbah before opening up Good Bottle, a boutique liquor store downtown.
Rafael, grew up in kitchens and is a 3rd generation restauranteur, his studies at the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park brought him to California almost 20 years ago and he has worked in every facet of the industry from dishwasher, to chef, to sommelier to director of operations. Rafael will be overseeing day to day operations and creating the culture.
Bodega will have two incredibly talented chefs leading the kitchen.
Head chef and part owner, Matt Brown, formerly of Jungle Bird and Golden Bear, who also appeared on Food Network’s Chopped, will be joined by sous chef and local Pocket resident, Sarah Saldaña, formerly of The Red Rabbit, South and The Rind.
The bar will be led by owners and industry stalwarts, Rafael and Chris, who have decades of experience in both the Bay Area and Sacramento.
Also part of the Bodega team isChristopher's store partner, Emily Neuhauser, an industry veteran who started her days helping to run her family’s restaurant.
The food menu will be inspired by the Caribbean with a little something for everyone. Our mindfully curated bar menu will feature local beer, natural wines and creative cocktails.
We are excited to open our doors and add something special to the neighborhood. If you are interested in supporting us now, please consider donating to our crowd funding campaign. Thank you so much! We hope to see you soon!
For the latest news, follow us on Instagram @bodega_sacramento.