Dining and Restaurant Search

Another Riccio Family Affair

For three decades the name Riccio has been synonymous with fine dining in the desert. Richard and Patricia Riccio set the bar for outstanding Italian cuisine 29 years ago when they opened the original Riccio’s in uptown Palm Springs. Two of their sons, eager to carry on the family tradition, last spring unveiled Riccio’s Steak and Seafood with a new menu concept in a higher profile location downtown. Service and personal attention have been the Riccio’s hallmark and they pledge to continue this tradition.

For the casual diner, Riccio’s offers a relaxed patio presentation for watching downtown Palm Springs unfold while sampling their intriguing, seasonally changing menu. Or step inside a room infused with the warmth of Tuscan colors, dark wood appointments and cozy booths. “Riccio’s is a family affair, and this will be another long-term run for us,” say Danny and his wife Roseann. Along with older brother Rick and his wife Linda, the couples have joint-ventured the new restaurant blooming three miles south of the original, keeping Riccio’s all in the family, on the same street, and now in the heart of the action.

Riccio’s bar faces lively Palm Canyon Drive. It’s an ideal spot to sip a martini and savor the choices on Riccio’s Mediterranean-focused menu. For lunch, there’s Spanish Paella with seafood and sausage, a rustic Cioppino, salads of Seared Salmon, Classic Caesar, Shrimp Louie, or a Pear Field Greens Salad with toasted almonds, sliced fresh pear with raspberry vinaigrette along with Linguine with fresh clams. Daily soups include asparagus, clam chowder, and lobster bisque. Also, there is an unusually sophisticated menu for children. Among the myriad of dinner choices are a juicy cowboy steak, milk-fed veal or pork chops, and baby rack of lamb. Seafood aficionados can consider the grilled Mediterranean mixed seafood and Ahi Steak with house ponzu sauce.

All breads and desserts are made in-house along with flan and crème brûlée. Specialty desserts include Cassata and Tiramisú cakes. For the perfect finish, Riccio’s offers an extensive selection of port and dessert wines.

“The newest Riccio family restaurant showcases excellent Italian cuisine and is as inviting and romantic as the original, continuing the tradition of service and personal attention.”

Text by Sharon Apfelbaum