Bold claim: Vic’s Ice Cream is returning to reclaim its place as Sacramento’s beloved landmark, and the neighborhood can celebrate a renewed chapter after a long wait. Vic’s Ice Cream, a standout destination in Land Park, has announced its reopening following extensive renovations.
A post on Instagram confirms that the diner and ice cream shop at 3199 Riverside Drive will reopen on January 3, with a celebratory kickoff at 11 a.m.
The future of Vic’s has been a closely watched story since owner Craig Rutledge passed away in March 2024. By August of the same year, the property entered the market, sparking concerns among longtime fans that new owners might dilute the venue’s historic character.
Vic’s was established in 1947 by Ashley Rutledge and Vic Zito, with Craig running the business after them until his death. The shop has long earned accolades for its ice cream, including seven consecutive gold medals at the California State Fair.
About a year ago, the property changed hands to a group including Carlo Grifone and his daughter Samantha Grifone, Scott Matrenec, and Matt Rutledge, Craig’s son.
Carlo Grifone also co-owns Giovanni’s Old World New York Pizzeria in the area, while Matrenec is part owner of Frog & Slim on 16th Street.
From the outset, the group emphasized restoring Vic’s to its “original glory,” preserving its retro vibe with checkered floors and reviving the original recipes.
The reopening had been planned for late summer 2025 but faced delays due to unforeseen remodeling hurdles. Throughout the project, the developers have shared progress updates on Instagram.
Adjacent to Vic’s, Brew Bird—the neighboring coffee shop—will also debut, offering handcrafted drinks and a paint-your-own-pottery experience.
This update originally published December 4, 2025, at 8:15 a.m. by Sean Timberlake, The Sacramento Bee’s food and dining reporter, who brings three decades of professional writing experience and two decades focused on food coverage, with work featured in outlets like Food Network, Cooking Channel, CNN, Sunset Magazine, and SF Weekly.
