Summer has been a typically slow period for new restaurant openings in the Coachella Valley, but there have been a few — and they’ve had us seeing double.
Two local favorites and a national chain that already have valley locations — La Cocina De Mama Margarita, Sixth Street Coffee and Shake Shack, respectively — all debuted their second desert spots recently.
Even more doubles are in the works with this month also bringing the news that Les Filles Café & More and La Dolce Piccola Gelateria will be adding second locations in the valley.
But the last month hasn’t been all about the expansion of existing favorites. A new coffee and pastry shop called Dulce Aroma Cafe also opened in Cathedral City’s Ramon Plaza shopping center.
Read on for the lowdown on that new addition, and everything else happening in the Coachella Valley restaurant scene.
New restaurants
La Cocina de Mama Margarita #2
67-778 E. Palm Canyon Drive in Cathedral City
At one time or another in the past few years, tacos, barbecue, gyros and cigarettes have all been sold out of the unassuming white building with the arched entry just east of the intersection of Highway 111 and Canyon Plaza Drive in Cathedral City. Now, that building has again been given new life as the second location of Palm Desert’s La Cocina de Mama Margarita. The new location offers the same expansive menu as the original, with tacos, enchiladas and other staples, plus such specialties as costilla en salsa roja con nopales (a traditional dish of tender pork ribs and sliced cactus in a spicy red chile sauce). There is also a breakfast menu with Huevos Rancheros, a Mexican omelet and more. And the location is still in the process of securing a liquor license.
Dulce Aroma Cafe
68-100 Ramon Road B8 in Cathedral City
Don’t think mornings can be sweet? Cathedral City’s newest coffee shop seems dead set on changing your mind. The bright and cozy space specializes in flavored lattes and matcha drinks (the flavor options include caramel, horchata and strawberry) and gourmet pastries that look as wonderful as they taste.
Shake Shack
78-772 Highway 111 in La Quinta
East Coachella Valley residents now have a Shake Shack to call their own after the Aug. 12 opening of the latest location of the cherished burger chain. Over the past 25 years, Shake Shack has grown from a cart in a New York City park to an international behemoth with some 550 locations worldwide (yes, that’s more than In-N-Out Burger). Shake Shack serves burgers, crinkle-cut fries, milkshakes and frozen custard (but you surely knew that already). Shake Shack also recently rolled out a new “West Coast Menu” that includes a chicken sandwich topped with (what else?) avocado and spicy fries served with ranch.
Sixth Street Coffee
79-410 Highway 111 in La Quinta
The popular Coachella java spot has expanded its footprint west with the opening of this second location in the La Quinta Valley Plaza strip mall area just west of Highway 111 and Dune Palms Road (a couple of doors down from Sabatino’s). Sixth Street Coffee serves up a mix of espresso and tea drinks, plus flavored lattes and lemonades. There is also a daily brunch menu with a selection of bagel and bread sandwiches and topped toasts. The sleek minimalist space is similar to the Coachella original, with plants dotting the space and displays of for-sale merch.
What restaurants closed? Trio and more
Burger Box closes temporarily
Burger Box, the iconic Indio roadside fast food stand, has been closed since Aug. 1 after the front of the restaurant was majorly damaged when a pickup truck crashed into it. The owners say they have insurance that they hope will cover many of their losses and have vowed to reopen, although they have not yet said how long it will take for that to happen. A GoFundMe created to support the family during the closure had raised $1,825 as of Aug. 11. The crash came just over a year after Burger Box was reopened by a former employee after the family of its longtime owner closed the famous business and sold the property in 2024.
New restaurants opening soon in Palm Springs area
Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: New restaurants open in Palm Springs area as some favorites close
Reporting by Paul Albani-Burgio, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Albani-Burgio, Palm Springs Desert Sun | USA TODAY Network
