Category: Food

  • The Old Spaghetti Factory

    The Old Spaghetti Factory

    71-743 CA-111
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    Walking through the doors of The Old Spaghetti Factory is like stepping onto a highly stylized movie set. Towering red tufted booths, crystal chandeliers, and wood-beamed ceilings throughout (there’s even a dining room fashioned out of a vintage trolley car!), the place feels more like the Beast’s castle from “Beauty and the Beast” than a restaurant. Fantastical, whimsical, and oh-so-much fun, there’s truly no other spot like it in the desert. And the food is excellent, too!

    $$$

    Website

  • Paul Bar/Food

    Paul Bar/Food

    3700 EAST VISTA CHINO
    PALM SPRINGS

    Even though this intimate restaurant is primarily referred to as a “hidden gem,” lines to get in stretch well past the front door most nights. One cocktail in, and you’ll know why. Paul Bar/Food is one of the city’s best spots – the kind that locals beg people like me not to mention on websites like this for fear of those nightly lines growing even longer. But the joint is certainly worth the wait, thanks to its meals, libations, atmosphere and service, which are some of the best you’ll find in the entire Valley.

    $$$

    Website

  • Billy Reed’s

    Billy Reed’s

    1800 NORTH PALM CANYON DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    Initially established in 1975, Billy Reed’s is a Palm Springs icon! Serving up hearty staples in an inspired retro atmosphere, it is not hard to see why the place is so beloved. Boasting ample-sized booths, rich red accents, Tiffany-style lamps and carved woodwork at every turn, the place feels like Disneyland in the desert and is worth a trip the ambiance alone, though the food is stellar, too! The Cobb salad is honestly one of the best I’ve ever had! The eatery is also well known for its Boston Cream Pie and other sweets, with all desserts homemade daily in-house – “just as your grandmother wished she could make them,” per the menu.

    $$$

    Website

  • Las Casuelas Terraza

    Las Casuelas Terraza

    222 SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    A Palm Springs landmark, Las Casuelas was originally established by Florencio Fajardo in 1958. Known for its stellar fare and vibrant ambiance, the eatery has been a local favorite ever since. (Even Elvis was a fan!) Still owned by the Fajardo family today, there are now multiple Las Casuelas restaurants dotting the desert, but the South Palm Canyon Drive outpost is the most beloved – and the most inviting! Comprised of multiple patios befitting of its name (“terraza” is Spanish for “terrace”), it is typically packed most hours of the day, but the long wait times are well worth it.

    $$

    Website

  • Carmela Ice Cream

    Carmela Ice Cream

    750 NORTH PALM CANYON DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    This darling creamery serves artisanal ice cream handmade with fresh produce in such flavorful varieties as Dark Chocolate Cacao Nib, Lavender Honey, and Rose Petal. Orders are served via cup, cone, or (best yet!) smashed between two homemade cookies in one of the establishment’s award-winning and much-ballyhooed ice cream sandwich delicacies.

    Website

  • Shields Date Garden

    Shields Date Garden

    80225 CA-111
    INDIO

    A desert icon, Shields Date Garden was originally established in 1924 and remains a landmark today. The onsite store opened its doors in 1953, offering myriad date delicacies, as well as toys, spices, décor and games. The place is best known for its shakes, though, recognized by California’s 56th Assembly District as The Official Date Shake of Riverside County. Thick, creamy and delicious, it’s the addition of the company’s signature date crystals, which pack an unexpected crunch, that really does it for me! While there, be sure not to miss “The Romance and Sex Life of the Date,” a fun film detailing the fruit’s cultivation process that is played regularly in the onsite theater.

    Website

  • Windmill Market

    Windmill Market

    17080 NORTH INDIAN CANYON DRIVE
    NORTH PALM SPRINGS

    While many places claim to serve “the best date shake in the desert,” Windmill Market truly has one of the most tasty! Although a bit out of the way, located on a dusty stretch of road about seven miles north of downtown Palm Springs, the establishment is worth the drive. Don’t let the rough-around-the-edges interior dissuade you. Not only are the shakes delectable and teeming with fresh dates, but the rear patio makes for a charming spot to indulge, and the market’s other fare, like tacos, hot dogs, sandwiches and burritos, are solid.

    Website

  • Great Shakes

    Great Shakes

    160 SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE, SUITE A
    PALM SPRINGS

    This family-owned shake shack is a local favorite thanks to its gourmet shakes crafted sans milk with the shop’s proprietary (and much loved) homemade soft-serve ice cream. The website notes, “Because we produce our ice cream at the perfect temperature, we have no need to add milk and blend it.” The result is a deliciously rich all-ice-cream concoction, especially the date and date walnut varieties. In the mood for a different flavor? Great Shakes has plenty – a good 40 options, in fact (including many dairy-free choices), all of which are a sheer delight!

    Website

  • Le Vallauris

    Le Vallauris

    385 WEST TAHQUITZ CANYON WAY
    PALM SPRINGS

    Craving exquisite French food prepared by a world-class chef and served on a striking patio? Head straight to Le Vallauris, a gorgeous, Zagat-rated eatery housed in one of Palm Springs’ most beautiful and historic homes. Originally established in 1974 by Paul Bruggemans (who was also behind Los Angeles’ famed St. Germain), Le Vallauris offers fine dining at its, well, finest. Jerry Berns, longtime owner of New York’s fabled 21 Club, called it “one of the best restaurants in the world,” and that is not hyperbole. As such, everyone from Dustin Hoffman to Loretta Young has enjoyed its fare.

    $$$$

    Website

  • Zin American Bistro

    Zin American Bistro

    198 SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    My family’s favorite restaurant in Palm Springs – so much so that when we spent a week at a local downtown hotel for a staycation, we ended up dining at Zin every single night. With varied menu options, patrons can eat healthily or sinfully (XXX Adult Macaroni and Cheese, anyone?), and either way, it is guaranteed to be delicious! The entrees are also updated seasonally, so there is always something new to try. And be sure not to miss the bottomless champagne, bellini, and Aperol spritz offerings!

    $$$$

    Website