9 Best Restaurants in Palm Springs and the Desert Resorts, California

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.