Back in 2021, I got sick of the Bay Area’s high cost of living (and a not-so-great living situation), so I decided to make a drastic change. At the time, I had only been through Sacramento once or twice, but it seemed like a nice enough area to check out. So I found a real estate agent, toured a few dozen houses, and immediately fell in love with one in Rosemont. Now, three years later, I can safely say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Rosemont isn’t the most exciting town, and that’s fine by me. But Rosemont is quiet, relatively safe, and most importantly, still growing. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s 15 minutes from Arden-Arcade, 20 from downtown Sacramento, and 30 minutes from places like Elk Grove, Roseville, and Folsom.

For me, a big part of settling into Rosemont has been exploring—and trying to support—more local businesses. Without further ado, here are some of my favorites so far:

Oz Korean BBQ

Rosemont is home to several good Korean restaurants (Sa Rang Bang has a real cult following) buy my favorite is Oz Korean BBQ.

If you haven’t had all you can eat Korean BBQ before, strap in. Start with three appetizers, three proteins, and your mix of vegetables and see how far you can get. Each meal comes with a generous selection of bonchon, and the meat will keep coming for as long as you can handle it. Unlike other AYCE Korean BBQ places (like Bullta), there aren’t different tiers to order from: just one flat price gets you access to everything.

Oz also has very affordable drinks and a fun atmosphere that is great for parties large and small. Any time someone comes to visit for the first time and I want to show off the best the area has to offer, we almost always end up at Oz.

Stardust Vintage Emporium

Stardust is an antique mall focusing on the 50s and 60s, but you’ll also find plenty of goods from the 70s, 80s and 90s. They offer a huge selection of collectables, clothes, furniture, vinyl, and more. They also have a few fun showcase items that are for more serious collectors, like lovingly restored TVs from the 60s. The space itself is massive, and it’s easy to spend upwards of an hour just wandering through it all.

Some of the prices are a little high, but you legitimately won’t find a lot of this stuff anywhere else. So if you’re ready to spend a few thousand on a restored tiki bar, you won’t find a better place for it.

And if that’s not enough, they also have a small movie theater that you can rent for events.

Green Acres Nursery & Supply

My first house didn’t come with a working sprinkler system, and the landscape had never been touched. So when it came time to teach myself to do some landscaping, Green Acres was my first stop.

So far, I haven’t found any business in Rosemont with better customer service. The staff is ridiculously knowledgeable and always happy to weigh in with advice. You also won’t get the same advice twice—a good sign that they’re not just being pushed to sell by management.

One of my favorite things about Green Acres is just how well every single plant is labeled. Unlike Home Depot, Green Acres uses standards cards for every plant on the lot that tells you about the plant’s height, spread, growth rate, water usage, growing habits, safe temperatures, and suggested uses. That makes it way easier to plan out your landscaping, especially if you’re learning as you go.

While Green Acres is a small chain, it’s still local to the Sacramento area, so I’m counting it. The nearest location is also technically outside of Rosemont’s border, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s close enough.

Dream Tea

I was a little surprised to see that we didn’t have a boba tea place when I moved in, but we have one now!

Dream Tea is a relatively new store, but it’s off to a good start. They have generous options, from milk tea to smoothies and slushies, with plenty of mix-ins and toppings to choose from. The atmosphere is clean and minimalist, and their service is good and fast. But be warned: they only serve once size, and it’s large!

West Wind Drive In

Is it technically in Rosemont? No, it’s just over the border, in the La Riviera neighborhood of Rancho Cordova.

Is it locally owned? No, it’s a chain with six locations.

Am I recommending it anyway? You betcha.

West Wind is the cheapest way to see new release movies, especially if you bring your own food. But while your car’s speakers probably can’t compete with a theater sound system, you also won’t have to listen to other people talk through your movie. So that’s a pretty huge bonus.

When their main building was damaged in a fire in 2023, the place reopened with a significantly larger snack counter, as well as a full bar. Now it’s the only local place I’ll go for new releases.

Donut Time

Maybe it’s because my grandpa used to own a donut store, but I’ve always been picky about my donuts.

Donut Time makes some great classics, and their specialties (like apple crullers) are killer, too. But visitors from the Sacramento subreddit know they make one of the best croissants in the city.