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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
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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
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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
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A chef and a sommelier turned losing their jobs during the COVID shutdown into a pandemic silver lining by starting this French-style frozen-custard company out of an adorable chrome trailer. Not only do they collaborate with local coffee, toffee, honey, and date purveyors, but they also offer unique flavors like lemon-blackberry streusel, kaffir-lime piña colada, and peppermint cookies-n-cream—all served by the pint and half-pint out.
73545 El Paseo, Palm Desert, California, 92260, USA
Known For
- No artificial colors or emulsifiers
- High-quality ingredients
- Gluten-free options
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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.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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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
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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
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Set on a corner lot of a crisp new strip mall, this woman-owned restaurant is a popular local hangout that focuses on matching wines and cocktails with its array of small and large plates meant to be shared. The globe-trotting menu changes with the seasons, but you might feast on tequila lime shrimp tacos, poke wonton nachos, veggie kale dumplings, Korean barbecue pork belly sliders, or Neapolitan-style pizzas.
49890 Jefferson St., Indio, California, 92201, USA
Known For
- Separate vegan menu (and many gluten-free options)
- Eclectic list of affordable wines by the glass and bottle
- Casual fine dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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Tucked into the Warm Sands neighborhood is the brick-and-mortar realization of a bagel dream for two dudes who started selling baked goods out of their home and at the weekend farmers' market. Using nonadditive flours and old-school methods like boiling in malted water, they create their round mounds of goodness daily in 22 rotating flavors, from the expected poppy and cinnamon raisin to the less common like the black Russian. The location is nothing to write home about, but it's clean and comfortable and has a few tables outside to enjoy your bagel toasted, slathered in spreads like red pepper hummus or chive cream cheese, or piled high with proteins or veggies. There's also fresh bread and crackers to take home.
650 E. Sunny Dunes Rd., Palm Springs, California, 92264, USA
Known For
- Basic but comfortable location
- Takeaway fresh bread and crackers
- Special weekend-only bagel flavors (like olive fennel or pretzel)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
