-
$ | |
Thanks to its misted patio, fast Internet connection, plethora of seating, and, most importantly, fine selection of caffeinated hot and cold drinks, this is a great work-from-café option on the main drag in uptown. The colorful, independently owned, Latina-influenced coffeehouse serves Sisters Coffee out of Oregon, local Townie bagels, Lotus Energy elixirs, fresh-daily pastries, and filling breakfast plates, including smoked salmon toast and chorizo con papas. There's also a vast assortment of chilled and canned beverages alongside healthy grab-and-go nibbles and prepackaged snacks by local makers for those in even more of a hurry.
750 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Chai chatas and chagaccinos
- Wraparound patio with shaded section
- Healthy grab-and-go nibbles and locally made snacks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
-
$ | |
The flavored bacon flight, hangover-halting Bloody Marys, and the rest of the self-described "quirky comfort cuisine" have attracted legions to this casual breakfast and lunch joint for more than a decade, which results in epic waits on weekends (no reservations accepted for groups smaller than 10). Once seated, the well-oiled service machine is fast and furious—just pray the homemade cinnamon roll-croissant hybrids haven't sold out yet. For lunch, in addition to the morning all-star dishes, you can nosh on globally and seasonally influenced soups, sandwiches, and salads.
622 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Pastries baked daily, juices pressed in-house
- Eggs collected from Cheeky's own chickens which eat a special diet
- Spacious outdoor patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
-
$ | |
At her colorful flagship eatery and market, vegan chef Tanya Petrovna—who founded the first national plant-based chain, Native Foods, in the early '90s—pumps out filling, well-seasoned, and meat-free sandwiches and burgers, as well as salads, fries, and popular deli items. Dedicated to living cruelty-free, she prides herself on making all the "meat" (e.g., cultured tempeh, seitan, and tofu facon) in-house and also uses personal recipes to create the agua fresca, chai, and desserts—including what is easily the tastiest, least-grainy, vegan, soft-serve ice cream to have ever been swirled.
72695 Hwy. 111, Palm Desert, California, 92260, USA
Known For
- Communal tables and friendly devoted patrons
- Hearty vegan comfort food
- The zingy Chupacabra
-
$$$$ | |
At this charmer of a bistro in downtown’s historic La Plaza, you can cross the pond without a passport by tucking into Provençal-style staples like sweet or savory crepes, bouillabaisse, croque-monsieur sandwiches, and omelets—all made from scratch using true-to-the-name ingredients, plenty of dairy products, and amour. Savor breakfast and lunch daily as the sun warms your skin; the setting becomes even more magical after dark thanks to string lights, clinking wine glasses, a gurgling fountain, and a five-course prix-fixe dinner offering.
6 La Plaza, Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Seating in a fragrant, flower-filled courtyard
- House-made jams, French press coffee, baked-Brie board
- Boozy brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Wed. and Thurs.
-
$$ | |
Tac/Quila is what happens when two lawyers dare to dream out loud and switch gears mid-career—judging from the crowds at this always humming joint, they made the right decision. The setting features flower-laden "living" walls and a blend of mid-century modern and classic-Mexican design elements, but the menu is all Mexican, with Jalisco-style appetizers, tacos, ceviches, and meat dishes, as well as a surprising number vegetarian and vegan copycats. And, like any Mexican restaurant worth its margarita salt, this one has a bar that's well stocked with a variety of tequilas and mezcals. For similar bites and booze in a quieter, less-crowded space, head over to sister eatery Clandestino.
415 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Flavored margarita and craft-beer flights
- Fun, sharable appetizers like aqua chile oysters and tempura avocado nuggets
- Convenient location
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$ | |
Since 1996, families, working stiffs, and couples have trusted Tyler's to supply simple lunch fare in a convenient downtown location, one that happens to be housed in a converted 1936 gas station. Expect mid-20th-century America's greatest hits: heaping burgers, hot dogs, tuna melts, stacks of fries, grilled cheeses, floats, and milk shakes.
149 S. Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- House-made cole slaw and potato salad
- Feeding carnivores and vegetarians alike
- Long weekend waits
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and July and Aug.
-
$$$ | |
Though the late founder Donald Callender made his name as a purveyor of pie with the Marie Callender's chain, he also built a solid smoked-meats-and-suds rep with this barbecue–microbrewery. Carnivores show up in droves for fall-off-the-bone racks of ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, brisket-topped salads, and chops that are marinated overnight—all of which pair well with the IPAs, ales, and lagers brewed on site. He also smartly carried over cornbread, tamales, and pie recipes from Callender's.
71800 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage, California, 92270, USA
Known For
- Coachella Valley's oldest and most-acclaimed microbrewery
- Pinup girl art and bronze pigs
- Ribs smoked over hickory and pecan wood
-
$$ | |
Sooner or later most visitors to Borrego Springs wind up at Carlee's Place for a drink and a bite to eat, drawn by an extra-long menu with everything from burgers, salads, and sandwiches to seafood dishes and prime rib. It's an all-American place, where your server might call you "honey" while setting a huge steak in front of you, and fellow diners might play pool and dance to jukebox music.
660 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs, California, 92004, USA
Known For
- Down-home atmosphere
- Martinis and classic cocktails
- Everything made from scratch
-
$ | |
A friendly, family-run eatery tucked into a back corner of what is called "The Mall," Carmelita's draws diners all day, whether it's for a hearty breakfast, a cooked-to-order enchilada or burrito, or just a brew or margarita at the bar. The menu lists typical combination plates (enchiladas, burritos, tamales, and tacos).
575 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs, California, 92004, USA
Known For
- Dog-friendly patio
- House-made masa dough and salsas
- Full bar with sports TVs
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$ | |
Since the 1960s, this Coachella Valley classic has served pizza, pasta, chicken parmigiana, and other entrées commonly ordered by mobsters in the movies. The booths are big; the lights are low; the soundtrack is soft rock; and the kitchen isn't stingy with cheese, salad dressing, or red sauce. There are a few surprises on the pie side, including one with ham and honey mustard and another feauring sesame teriyaki chicken with peanuts and carrots.
81963 Hwy. 111, Indio, California, 92201, USA
Known For
- Wallet-friendly lunch combos
- Old-school Italian dishes
- House-made, hand-tossed pizza dough
-
-
$ | |
Egg dishes, griddle items, and hearty Mexican breakfasts like huevos rancheros are the morning draw at this Joshua Tree institution, but plenty of people sing the praises of its sandwiches, burgers, salads, and tacos for lunch or early dinner. Taxidermy animals, framed newspaper clippings, old photos, and beer-can lights decorate the interior, and tattooed waitresses and the quirky regulars make it clear that the high desert is unlike anywhere else in San Bernardino County.
61715 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree, California, 92252, USA
Known For
- Great people-watching and eavesdropping
- Hearty and affordable meals
- Vegetarian and vegan dishes that use tofu, fake meat, or JUST Egg
-
$$ | |
This is, and has been since 1981, exactly what most people look for in a casual, go-any-day-of-the-week, Mexican-American restaurant—big portions, reasonable prices, a variety of margaritas, and a massive menu with all the basics (tacos, fajitas, burritos, enchiladas) and some fancier dishes like chile rellenos (stuffed roasted peppers) or carne asada (marinated grilled steak). What's more, the waiters are friendly, and the atmosphere is festive yet still relaxed enough for kids and fur babies (the latter are welcome on the patio).
74969 Hwy. 111, Indian Wells, California, 92210, USA
Known For
- Strong margaritas and The Tower of Tequila
- Fried desserts including the original Peachorito
- Four kinds of fajitas (the house specialty)
-
$$$ | |
No matter what time or day it is, this swanky restaurant in the Uptown Design District buzzes with pals toasting promotions and celebrating birthdays, couples on dates sharing beet carpaccio and oysters, singles mingling in the lounge, and tourists who were lured from the street by the jovial sounds and tantalizing smells wafting out of the polished white (with pops of Barbie pink) rooms and expansive patio. The look may be a little late-'90s, early-aughts Miami, but the menu is pure Pacific Coast with favorites like ahi tuna poke with house-made kimchi, steelhead niçoise salad, mesquite-smoked carne asada, and curried-cauliflower steak.
849 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Colorful plates made from scratch
- Energetic scene
- Brandini toffee s'mores fondue will knock your socks off
-
$ | |
Using his grandmother's passed-down family recipes from Mazatlán, Mexico, Florencio Delgado and his wife opened their original restaurant in 1973. Five decades later, the Delgado descendants are still pumping out hearty and traditional plates of fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, and harder-to-find stuffed-pepper dishes like chile en nogada. Imported art and crafts lend festive charm to this casual but crowded culinary institution, which has an expansive garden patio.
70–050 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage, California, 92270, USA
Known For
- Vast margarita menu
- Table-side guacamole presentation
- Lively happy hour
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Dinner reservations essential, Closed Tues.
-
$ | |
A casual local favorite for affordable Mexican dishes, Jilberto's serves up big burritos and meaty enchiladas.
655 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs, California, 92004, USA
Known For
- Authentic Mexican dishes cooked to order
- All-day breakfast menu
- Reasonable prices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards
-
-
$ | |
In addition to strong cervezas, which are brewed on-site (or at the larger, Chino Hills flagship) in four 10-barrel tanks, this taproom serves up Tijuana-style street food (tacos, tortas, churros, esquites) from a built-in, vintage food truck.
68510 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Cathedral City, California, 92234, USA
Known For
- Beer cocktails and adult slushies
- Crowlers to go
- Mexican brunch on weekends
-
$$ | |
For more than a decade, Lulu has been feeding desert denizens and vacationers a little bit of everything—seriously, if you can't find something on the lengthy menu of soups, salads, pasta dishes, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, seafood, other star proteins like pork ribs and filet mignon, and desserts (cotton candy!), you likely don't eat human food. Dine in the spacious, quirky multilevel dining room or outside on the terrace with prime Palm Canyon people-watching.
200 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Separate vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free menus
- Three-course, prix-fixe weekend brunch ($28)
- Local art collection
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No breakfast weekdays
-
$$$$ | |
Yes, Palm Desert is landlocked, but there's no hesitation when it comes to recommending this seafood specialist, which has drawn residents and visitors for choice surf and turf for 15 years. Fish arrives daily from San Diego, is cooked to perfection, and is served on the rooftop and inside the dining room on the second floor of the Gardens of El Paseo shopping center. If the thought of twin lobster tails, grilled mahimahi with chipotle corn salsa, or sugar-spiced salmon make you seasick, note that the menu also includes chicken, steaks, meal-size salads, and vegetarian pasta dishes.
73505 El Paseo, Palm Desert, California, 92260, USA
Known For
- Several cold dishes for hot summer nights
- Happy hour daily
- Reduced-price two-course sunset menu from 3:30 to 5
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch June–Aug.
-
$$ | |
Head to a poolside, historical adobe building in the center of The Paloma Resort for Spanish tapas incorporating local delicacies like dates, chiles, and citrus and big plates designed to feed two, as well as tequila and mezcal cocktails. Breakfasts have a foreign flair with wine-soaked French toast and Iberico ham Benedicts, lunches feature options like Manchego-cheese beef sliders and blue-cheese Serrano fries, and dinners focus on protein-heavy dishes.
67670 Carey Rd., Cathedral City, California, 92234, USA
Known For
- Three kinds of paella nightly
- Date nights and after-work drinks
- Instagram-worthy decor and design
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Mon. Closed Sun. and Tues. in summer
-
$$$$ | |
The swank steak house and Sunday-brunch stalwart occupies a historic mid-century modern structure in the Palm Springs Tennis Club at the base of the San Jacintos. Between the club connection, ritzy ambience, and selection of old-fashioned fancy food (veal chops, duck, creamed spinach), Spencer's clientele skews toward power lunchers and socialites. If you do find yourself craving crisp-skin whitefish or liver and bacon with raspberry vodka essence, try for a table on the low-lit and dreamy deck.
701 W. Baristo Rd., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- French–Pacific Rim influences
- Loyal waitstaffers who know the menu up and down
- High prices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential for Sunday brunch and dinner, Closed Tues. and Wed.
