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Since this posh bistro sprung to colorful wallpapered life just beyond downtown in the spring of 2021, it has been the toughest ticket in town to score—and Michelin agrees that it's worth the hype. Hoping to be the culinary manifestation of British photographer, artist, and Renaissance man, Cecil Beaton, the meaty menu is rich, flavorful, and full of financial and caloric splurges (caviar-topped deviled eggs, Wagyu tomahawk steaks), as well as fundamentally familiar dishes (roast chicken, steak frites, Bibb-lettuce salad, lemon tarts), but chef Gabe Woo adds unexpected touches like seasonal chutney atop a smoked pork chop. There's also a wild visual feast to be consumed (even in the bathrooms!). The look is splashy yet chic, centered on a marble and wooden bar, an enviable art collection that includes Calder and Warhol, and a showpiece custom light fixture. Start the reservation hunt early, and, if unsuccessful, show up before the restaurant opens,and pray for a cancellation or that one of the bar's grommeted, electric-blue, stool-chair hybrids, reserved for walk-ins, is available.
1555 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92264, USA
Known For
- Charming patio where you might spy celebrities
- Perfect vegetable accompaniments
- Complex and elegant cocktails, including a $50 martini
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Reservations essentials, Cash only; only serves parties of 6 or less
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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 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.
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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
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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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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Chef Michael Beckman's Uptown Design District hot spot pairs high-quality California cuisine and classic and creative cocktails with sleek, utilitarian, concrete-and-leather design inside a repurposed historical theater and outside on a lively patio. Everything is delicious, but this team particularly excels at anything involving duck, from duck fried rice to duck breast with beet and blood orange jus.
800 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Most ingredients sourced from within a 100-mile radius
- House-made ice cream and sorbet
- Communal seating options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Perched on the seventh-floor rooftop of The Rowan hotel, where stunning mountain and city views unfold from nearly every table, 4 Saints serves modern American farm-to-table dishes in a distinguished dining room crafted from leather, wood, and metal and on the outdoor patio. The menu features hearty, sophisticated steak, seafood, and pasta dishes made with global flair and fresh-daily produce.
100 W. Tahquitz Cyn. Way, Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Creative and classic cocktails
- See-and-be-seen scene
- Attentive service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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People love traveling with their pups, and at this inventive uptown bar–restaurant, Fido is welcome to join you at tables on the big enclosed patio, which is accessed via the doggy door, naturally! You can savor spirits, snacks, and more substantial plates—many with Asian/Filipino leanings, like blistered shishitos, garlic noodles with galbi (Korean short ribs), or chicken adobo—while your dog can chow-chow down on a gourmet selection from the canine menu. If you aren't accompanied by a furry friend or you want to chill in the air-conditioning, head inside to the cute, trendy, and mutt-free main dining room.
2080 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Freshly baked cookies and milk (or milk punch)
- Happy hour daily in high season and Friday–Sunday in summer
- Instagram-worthy design
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. in summer
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Chef Andrew Manion Copley prepares decadent dishes with flavors and techniques he picked up at past posts in Europe, Australia, and Hawaii in a setting that's straight out of Hollywood—a hacienda once owned by Cary Grant. Dine in the clubby house or in the garden under the stars and with mountain views.
621 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Romantic patio dining
- Fresh seafood and meats bathed in rich sauces
- Sweet and savory herb ice creams
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed July and Aug. No lunch, Reservations essential
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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
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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
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The idea of eating raw fish in a landlocked desert might give some people pause, but be assured that a meal at Sandfish—an uptown sushiya melding Japanese techniques, Scandinavian plating, and a sexy minimalist earth-tone aesthetic—is a gastronomical leap of faith worth taking. Chef Engin Onural studied at the reputable Sushi Chef Institute, so he obviously has classic rolls, nigiri, maki, and sashimi on lock, but not trying his original creations that incorporate unusual ingredients like black-truffle zest, coconut flakes, or fried-potato threads would be a rookie mistake, as would skipping the cocktails made with desert botanicals and titular whiskey.
1556 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Decadent omakase chef's tasting menu
- Largest Japanese whiskey collection in the valley
- The best-selling Venue Roll
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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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.
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Discerning diners, even those whose names don't appear on the registry of The Colony Palms Hotel, know to book a table here for contemporary takes on white tablecloth staples like beef Stroganoff (here, made with short ribs and fresh pappardelle), green beans almondine (jazzed up with a brown-butter-and-cider glaze), or shrimp "cocktail" (barely recognizable but lip-lickin' good). Now overseen by chef Michael Hung—who cut his teeth at Daniel, Aquavit, Jardiniere, and La Folie—the restaurant emphasizes California seasonality and sourcing from farms and aquaculture operations to pack punch into everything from the small—say, preserved lemon compote and ginger scallion relish—to the large, like chicken schnitzel or vegan meatloaf. Take breakfast or weekend brunch on the sunny patio with the gleaming pool in view, but, after dusk, never settle for anywhere but the elegant dining room, with its grandiose floor tiles, avian wallpaper, and doting maitre d'.
572 N. Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Wine Wednesdays with discounted bottles
- Attentive, knowledgeable service
- Chic dining room dinners, sunny poolside brunches
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This popular watering hole and fine-dining eatery is part mid-century supper club (some nights feature live jazz), part Miami kitsch (pops of pink neon, marlin wall art, and apps served in glass seashells), and all good time. Sip from the extensive martini and mojito list; bask in the gorgeous glow of a flambéed baked Alaska from one of the main dining room's tall leather booths; or nosh on protein-packed salads, pork chops, pizzas, or Sunday sushi amid tropical plants and water features in the outdoor area.
330 E. Amado Rd., Palm Springs, California, 92262, USA
Known For
- Globe-trotting menu
- Happy hour (all night on Wednesday)
- Celebrating special occasions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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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.
