Season is in full swing, and whether you’re a local or a visitor to our desert, we all have one thing in common: we gotta eat.
Palm Desert often gets a bad rap for being a mecca of big-box stores and restaurant chains rather than local haunts, but with the combined several decades of local knowledge we have on The Desert Sun staff, we made a list of our favorite places to eat and drink in the mid-valley city — and there’s not a single chain on it.
See our top 10 list below, followed by a few nearby favorites if you’re staying in Palm Desert but willing to take a drive for some other local favorites.
Black Cat Pizza
Detroit is 2,265 miles away from Palm Desert — and it can sometimes feel even further than that. Luckily for Motor City expats, this strip mall pizza joint that opened in late 2024 is helping to bridge the distance. While it’s still a newcomer to the local dining scene, the perfect balance between the crisp and chewiness of its Detroit-style pies — yes, that’s the square kind — have already made them among our local go-tos (we love the diavolo de miele, which combines pepperoni with hot honey). While you’ll want to split a ‘za or two with your companions, there’s also salads, sandwiches, desserts and a surprisingly varied selection of appetizers for a pizza parlor. Seriously, where else are you going to find fried calamari, Buffalo wings and Brussel sprouts with pancetta on the same menu?
Details: 72-795 Highway 111, Suite G-2, Palm Desert. 442-282-8019, instagram.com/blackcatpizza_pd
— Paul Albani-Burgio
Sherman’s Deli & Bakery
This is a Palm Springs staple as Sherman Harris moved to Palm Springs in 1950 and opened this carbon copy of the classic New York City deli in 1953. That’s more than 70 years of dishing up almost comically big portions and packed-to-the-gills sandwiches. Breakfast, lunch or dinner they have all the Big Apple deli classics: Bagel with lox and cream cheese, a stacked Reuben sandwich with a side of matzo ball soup, or maybe some corned beef on rye. The menu is vast, though, and in no way confined to the New York staples. And don’t forget the bakery with breads and sweets galore. Sherman’s is so popular the Sherman family had to open a second location in Palm Desert with the same premise, NYC deli decor and menu.
Details: 401 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs. 760-325-1199 or the second location at 73-161 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert. 760-568-1350, shermansdeli.com
— Shad Powers
Little Bar
Little Bar is aptly named. It’s a lowkey, small spot indoors but also has outdoor seating if you get claustrophobic. It’s happy hour special is until 6 p.m. and includes craft cocktails, beer, seltzer, wine and spritzers. The bar’s drinks range from the sophisticated, like espresso martinis and its take on an old fashioned dubbed a “bold fashioned,” to the more free-spirited, like jello shots and white claw. It is a casual bar sure to please the drinking habits of even the most eclectic friend group. Little Bar also serves food, including filling entrees like a cheeseburger and shareable bites like their filthy fries that are loaded with melted American cheese, grilled onions and special sauce (quite similar to In-N-Out’s animal style fries).
Details: 73-560 Palm Desert Drive North, Palm Desert. 760-565-1965, little-bar.com
— Ani Gasparyan
Cactus Jack’s Bar & Grill
Everyone needs a solid “local”: A restaurant/bar/pub/tavern that’s close to home with solid food and drink day or night. A place where the waitstaff knows you by name and you can always grab a table in the dining room or bar, depending on your mood. For many in Palm Desert, that place is Cactus Jack’s.
Those from the upper Midwest like me will recognize the vibe as soon as you roll up to the front door. Cheery hostesses will find you a spot in the often-bustling tavern side but reservations are recommended for the dining room. Either way, you can order off the classic dinner or robust bar menus from any table in the restaurant. Steaks or steak-adjacent sandwiches are the move here … the owners hail from Chicago and the beef here is some of the best served in the Coachella Valley. Prime rib lovers swear by Cactus Jack’s rendition. For those with a lighter appetite, the French dip or sirloin steak sandwiches never disappoint. In true supper club-style, plenty of fish, pasta and salad options round out the crowd-pleasing menu.
Details: 74-450 Highway 111, Palm Desert. 760-346-1565, cactusjacks.net
— Kate Franco
Alps Village
Whenever I need a taste of home, I head to Alps Village in Palm Desert, one of USA Today’s Best Restaurants of 2024. The eatery serves traditional Bosnian and German cuisine just like how my mother makes it, so if you’re in the mood for European food, you’ll love this spot too. The interior is also bursting with cozy charm, with wooden tables, barrel-looking chairs and scenic photos of, you guessed it, villages from the Alps. Items that you must try include cevapcici (beef sausages), jägerschnitzel, the shopska Mediterranean salad and one of their many pizzas. Wash it all down with sljivovica, a traditional plum brandy.
Details: 77-734 Country Club Drive, Suite F, Palm Desert. 760-200-5400, alpsvillage.com
— Ema Sasic
Grill-A-Burger
Many people claim to have the best burger, but Grill-A-Burger has more than 30 delicious and wildly unique burgers to choose from on its menu. If you’re a huge Lady Gaga fan, you can sink your teeth into the Gagapalooza, which comes with frizzled imported Italian prosciutto, buttery Provolone cheese and homemade pesto mayo on a sourdough bun. Those with a taste for certain ingredients can scope out creative concoctions topped with avocados, mushrooms, bleu cheese and fire-roasted green chiles, among others. There are also three options, the Tuscany, the Buddha and the Devil’s Revenge, that caught “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” host Guy Fieri’s attention. The spot also offers chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, salmon, salad and other options for those looking for non-burger fare.
Details: 73-091 Country Club Drive, Suite A2, Palm Desert. 760-346-8170, grill-a-burger.com
— Ema Sasic
Chef Tanya’s Kitchen
Chef Tanya’s is a gourmet vegan restaurant serving sophisticated and healthy plant-based food. They have a saying at Chef Tanya’s — “Eat plants, look good in your pants!” — and it’s not hard to find something that will help you in that effort. Traditional deli sandwiches, burgers and salads, all vegan-ed up with seitan or her patented tempeh providing the protein. Try any of your sandwiches with what they lovingly call “crack cheese” both for its addictive qualities and because it’s made out of cracked cashews. And don’t forget about the attached Kreamery, which features (vegan, of course) soft-serve ice cream with special toppings as well as coffee options. There is also a Chef Tanya’s location in Palm Springs without the Kreamery. Good luck with your pants!
Details: 72-695 Highway 111, Suite A6, Palm Desert. 760-636-0863, cheftanyaskitchen.com
— Shad Powers
Ristorante Mamma Gina
On any day of the week, the enoteca bar and patio at Ristorante Mamma Gina is the place to be on El Paseo in Palm Desert, where it’s always happy hour. While the restaurant’s dining room is a splurge-worthy indulgence, the bar offers an extensive menu of Italian delicacies in smaller portions (and smaller prices) that are just perfect for a festive night out without breaking the bank — or your waistband. Specializing in authentic Florentine cuisine (there’s a sister restaurant in Florence, Italy), this is the place to indulge in spaghetti Bolognese (which bears little resemblance to “red sauce” … and that’s a good thing), sublime risotto or a complex and lively puttanesca that’s studded with garlic, anchovy and capers, as it should be. The cocktails are on-point and there’s always an interesting wine on special.
Details: 73-705 El Paseo, Palm Desert. 760-568-9898, mammagina.com
— Kate Franco
China Wok
Chinese food is the favorite of many for a reason. It’s tasty in any circumstance — whether you’re eating at a restaurant on a great first date or eating it on the floor of your living room crying over a break-up. China Wok has all the mainstays, from pot stickers and spring rolls to orange chicken and beef lo mein, as well as signature dishes such as fresh pineapple shrimp and kung pao delight. It can be ordered to eat in or to go, and you can order take-out from the restaurant directly on its website or from GrubHub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. I recommend trying the sesame chicken for a tasty go-to meal, no matter what emotional state you’re in.
Details: 77-912 Country Club Drive, Suite 31, Palm Desert. 760-772-2291, eatmywok.com
— Ani Gasparyan
Red Barn
This is not a restaurant, but it just might be the most storied watering hole in Palm Desert — and it looks nothing like you remember from the old days. The beloved former dive bar was transformed last year into a high-end hot spot for live music, craft cocktails and getting lit with your friends next to a lamp sourced from the Liberace estate. Gone are the old barstools, neon Budweiser sign, bottles of Coors Light and lovably raggedy interior, and in are dazzling sumptuous fabrics and prints — one of which was painstakingly matched to a design from the bar’s past uncovered during the renovation — a Western painting from the Autry museum, several striking animal statues and a towering bar stocked mainly with small-batch liquors. The owners say they have also stocked more standard liquors for those who want them though, so don’t worry if you’re not ready to elevate your taste like Red Barn did.
Details: 73-290 Highway 111, Palm Desert. (760) 688-0955, worldfamousredbarn.com
— Paul Albani-Burgio
If you’re on vacation in Palm Desert and are willing to drive a half hour or so down 111 to try out some more spots, we recommend making a trip to a few other Coachella Valley cities to try these additional spots:
Bar Cecil Palm Springs
Snagging a reservation at this spot on OpenTable can take careful planning or luck, but it is always worth the effort if you’re in town. It’s a gorgeous spot with tasteful decor, and somehow even tastier food and drinks. You can’t really go wrong with what you order here, but I do insist on trying the bread rolls. They are decadent pillows of dough that come with a side of sage butter to slather on and are perfect for soaking up the alcohol from all the cocktails you’ll want to try. This is a romantic place for a date or an enjoyable outing with girlfriends. If you’re not opposed to waiting a possibly exorbitant amount of time, you can try walking in to get a seat at the bar if you didn’t manage to reserve a table.
Details: 1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Unit F, Palm Springs. 442-332-3800, barcecil.com
— Ani Gasparyan
El Mexicali Café II
It may look a little unimpressive from the outside as part of a small strip mall, but when you step inside El Mexicali Cafe II, you are instantly transported to … CHILES GUERITOS RELLENOS de CAMARON. Sorry. Was trying to get deeper into the description of this restaurant without mentioning it’s signature appetizer, but I couldn’t. You have to get the chiles gueritos rellenos de camaron, which are yellow peppers stuffed with shrimp. Unmatched. The rest of the menu includes all the traditional items you’d expect from an authentic Mexican restaurant including menudo. You can have your guacamole made tableside. Charming décor. When someone wants authentic Mexican in the desert, this is a go-to recommendation.
Details: 43-430 Monroe St., Suite A, Indio. 760-342-2333, elmexicalicafe2.com
— Shad Powers
Delicia’s Mexican Cuisine
With a wall of flowers near its entrance that begs for Instagram posing, a rainbow of fabrics adorning the ceiling and festive bright breeze blocks throughout, Delicia’s might just be the most colorful restaurant in the Coachella Valley. But this feast isn’t (just) for the eyes, Delicia’s churns out a range of Mexican specialties ranging from enchiladas, fajitas and tacos to molcajetes and huaraches — and nearly everything I’ve tried has proved to be as tasty as it is beautifully-plated. I also love the margarita flight, which consists of four margaritas made with whatever fruits are currently in season.
Details: 66-121 Pierson Blvd., Desert Hot Springs. 760-894-3400, ilovedeliciasmexicancuisine.com
— Paul Albani-Burgio
(This story was updated to add a link.)
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Our 10 favorite places to eat and drink in Palm Desert in 2025
Reporting by Paul Albani-Burgio, Shad Powers, Ani Gasparyan, Ema Sasic and Kate Franco, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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