Palm Springs Restaurant Search

An International Phenomenon

Since trading in their courtrooms for dining rooms in 1985, former federal prosecutors Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield have created one of the most popular, casual, full-service restaurant chains in the country. Friends and law partners for more than 30 years, they set out to expand culinary horizons, with hearth-baked pizzas topped with everyone’s favorites.

The California Pizza Kitchen menu is more exciting than ever. The Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza is back by popular demand, joined by some new creations: the Buffalo Chicken Pizza, grilled chicken marinated in spicy Buffalo sauce with Mozzarella and Gorgonzola cheeses, carrots, celery and served with a side of Gorgonzola dressing; Sonora Egg Rolls, grilled lime chicken, roasted corn and black bean salsa, two cheeses, chiles, and green onions, wrapped in a crispy wonton roll; Asparagus and Spinach Spaghettini; and Pesto Cream Penne Pasta.

In their third cookbook, California Pizza Kitchen Family Cookbook, co-founders and co-CEOs Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield show families how to prepare pizzas, kids’ favorites, and other CPK specialties from the comfort of their own kitchens. These crowd-pleasing recipes bring the CPK experience home, and are perfect for relaxed family meals and special celebrations alike. Best of all, each of the nearly 50 recipes is simple to prepare, which means the whole family can have fun helping out in the kitchen. One hundred percent of all cookbook royalties are distributed to various children’s charities across the country.

CPK has something for everyone, starting with great food at moderate prices, served by an expert staff. Vegetarians and health conscious patrons can choose from meatless, cheeseless pizzas. Traditionalists enjoy CPK’s Sweet and Spicy Italian Sausage Pizza and their thin crust Sicilian pizza. The award-winning CPKids menu features child-size pizzas, pastas, and desserts.

Want your pizza without cheese? No problem. Without chicken? That’s fine too. Just bring an appetite. CPK was voted “Best Pizza in the Desert” in a Palm Springs Life reader’s choice poll. The Palm Springs and Palm Desert restaurants both open at 11 a.m. All menu items are available for dine-in and take-out. Both locations offer online ordering at www.cpk.com and CPK’s Curbside Service; have the restaurant’s curbside server deliver your order right to your car.

“CPK’s recipe for success mixes terrific service with great-tasting pizzas, pastas, and more. It’s a winner!”

Text by Catherine Rips