The USA TODAY Network has unveiled its Restaurants of the Year for 2026, and among them is El Mexicali Café II in Indio.
But it was difficult to pick just one spot out of the entire state.
While California hosts an abundance of world-class restaurants, great flavors can be found in every city and town in the High Desert.
Sloppy chili cheese fries smothered in onions, tender prime rib, thick milkshakes topped with a cherry and spicy birria: the High Desert sure knows how to cook.
The Daily Press has compiled a list of the top 10 restaurants in the High Desert we think you should try in 2026.
The restaurants on this list were chosen based on the highest Yelp ratings and the most Yelp reviews. Here are customers’ favorite eateries in the Victor Valley:
Hesperia
Los Amores de Julia
Havanazucar Cuban Restaurant
Outpost Cafe
Victorville
Apollo Restaurant
Molly Brown’s Country Cafe
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steak Burgers
Samurai Sushi
Paulina’s Mexican Grill
Apple Valley
Rusty Bull Roadhouse
Mama Carpino’s Italian
El Mexicali Café II | Indio, California
Want to try USA Today’s winning pick in California?
Details: 43-430 Monroe St., Suite A; 760-342-2333, elmexicalicafe2.com
In a region with no shortage of great Mexican restaurants, El Mexicali Café II has legions of devotees drawn to its friendly, familial atmosphere, menu heavy on classic, time-tested dishes and, perhaps most of all, the famous Chiles Gueritos Rellenos de Camarón. That’s the beloved appetizer consisting of six yellow peppers stuffed with shrimp that family matriarch Carmen Murguia brought to California from the border town of Mexicali, creating what may be the area’s most popular Mexican dish and inspiring countless imitators. A more spacious and vibrantly decorated alternative to the original restaurant in downtown Indio – both have the same menu – El Mexicali II’s spot near Interstate 10 makes it a popular stop for those traveling between Southern California and Arizona. — Paul Albani-Burgio, Palm Springs Desert Sun
Brett McGinness of the Reno Gazette Journal and Paul Albani-Burgio of the Palm Springs Desert Sun contributed to this report.
McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: 10 High Desert restaurants we wish made USA TODAY’s list of best in the US
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
