Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge
PHOTO COURTESY EIGHT4NINE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
SPONSORED
Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge
Light, bright, and animated by its winsome food, drinks, and happy diners, Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge is a place to see and be seen in Palm Springs’ Uptown Design District.
The wildly popular creation of serial restaurateur Willie Rhine and celebrity photographer John Paschal unfolds over 9,000 square feet, with a buzzy lounge featuring a backlit white onyx bar — a comfortable spot for cocktails and small plates — plus a sprawling dining room and romantic patio with the San Jacinto Mountains as its backdrop.
Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge.
PHOTO COURTESY EIGHT4NINE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
The stylish restaurant is outfitted with Louis XIV ghost chairs, a mix of whimsical chandeliers, and a 30-foot outdoor firewall. The menu is equally attractive, with items such as Gone Straw Farms fried chicken, a healthy pasta e ragu bucatini, grilled Scottish steelhead trout (Rhine’s personal favorite), and 849 caramel macchiato cake.
849 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-325-8490
eight4nine.com
SPONSORED
The Block
The pulse of every city feeds off the heartbeat of its downtown district, and Palm Springs is no exception.
Smack in the center, the walkable cross section from North Palm Canyon Drive to North Museum Drive and East Tahquitz Canyon Way to Museum Way showcases some of the city’s best shopping, dining, and entertainment alongside rich history and modern architecture. Outdoor art punctuates the space — including the brushed-steel “Isabelle” sculpture by Julian Voss-Andreae — while street performers in the outdoor gathering area near the Kimpton Rowan hotel and Starbucks often animate it with live music.
4 Saints at the Kimpton Rowan.
PHOTO COURTESY KIMPTON HOTEL
Clandestino.
PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMAN
"Isabella" watches over The Block.
PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMAN
On the Mark.PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMAN
Culinary options abound, from grab-and-go meals at Haus of Poké and On the Mark to Italian at Il Corso, modern Mexican at Clandestino, and rooftop dining and drinks at the Kimpton Rowan, a food temple with refined menus.
You’ll find a free public parking lot behind the Kimpton Rowan off East Tahquitz Canyon Way, just west of Belardo Road.
201 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-846-8900
theblockps.com
SPONSORED
Brandini Toffee
Brandini Toffee is a local, family-owned company that has gone global thanks to an Oprah endorsement, among other rave reviews. Almond toffee is the staple, but the company’s list of goodies has grown to include toffee popcorn, chocolate-dipped pretzels rolled in toffee crumbles, toffee milkshakes, and hand-dipped ice cream bars. For a factory tour, make the drive to the flagship store in Rancho Mirage.
132 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-200-1598
brandinitoffee.com
Brandini Toffee.
PHOTO COURTESY BRANDINI TOFFEE
Bill’s Pizza
At Bill’s Pizza, it’s all about the thin yet chewy sourdough crust. In his quest to perfect the recipe, late owner Bill Tracy ate his way through Italy and across the United States. He opened his namesake pizzeria in Palm Springs in 2010 and Palm Desert in 2017. Both locations continue to champion his dough recipe, slinging brick-oven pies that compelled food critics Jane and Michael Stern to name Bill’s among the best pizzerias in the country.
119 S. Indian Canyon Drive, PalmSprings
760-325-5571
billspizzapalmsprings.com
Workshop Kitchen + Bar
Conceptualized around the idea of an atelier, or a workshop/studio space for designers and artists (in this case, chefs), Workshop presents a symphonic seasonal menu of sustainable, SoCal-grown fare — including produce cultivated in the restaurant’s own gardens. Sit indoors to experience the cool neo-brutalist ambiance that earned the eatery a James Beard Award.
800 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-459-3451
workshopkitchenbar.com
Mr. Lyons Steakhouse.
PHOTO COURTESY MR.LYONS STEAKHOUSE
Mr. Lyons Steakhouse
If you’re after decadence, look no further than this swanky establishment known for steakhouse classics with a modern edge. The atmosphere will transport you to a bygone era when jazz standards and martinis ruled, while the innovative menu undeniably taps into contemporary California culinary standards of the highest caliber. Before or after your meal, duck behind the secret curtain in the lounge for a libation at the speakeasy, Seymour’s.
233 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-327-1551
mrlyonsps.com
SPONSORED
Smokin’ Burgers
This bustling neighborhood joint keeps the crowds coming back with made-to-order burgers, generous portions, and a lively atmosphere that includes a spacious patio and friendly Cheers-like full bar that stays open late seven days a week. The 187 Burger, topped with grilled habaneros, jalapeños, and ghost pepper sauce, is said to be the desert’s hottest, while the Awesome Burger with crispy onions and bacon may be among the most awesome. There are also sandwiches, salads, wraps, tacos, fish and chips, and veggie and turkey burger options. The wild-caught Alaskan salmon is a local favorite.
1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Ste. 220, Palm Springs
760-883-5999
smokinburgers.com
Smokin Burgers.
PHOTO BY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
Johnny Costa’s Ristorante.
PHOTO BY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
SPONSORED
Johnny Costa’s Ristorante
From the classic Italian music to the candlelit tables, the nostalgic atmosphere at Johnny Costa’s Ristorante will transport you back to midcentury times. It’s no wonder Frank Sinatra was once a regular at this fine restaurant, which has been honored by Palm Springs Life as Best Italian Restaurant for 12 consecutive years. The Costa family has carried on the legacy of late chef/owner Johnny Costa, who was pals with Sinatra when he moved to Hollywood from New York in the 1960s and a decade later served as the singer’s personal chef at his desert home. Costa’s pedigree lives on in his legendary recipes, including the must-try cioppino.
440 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-325-4556
johnnycostaspalmsprings.com
SPONSORED
Purple Room
Built in 1960 and located inside Club Trinidad Hotel in Palm Springs, Purple Room Supper Club remains standing as one of the city’s original Rat Pack hangouts where Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin would drink and dine. The vibe and spirit of this intimate club are alive and well — refreshed for the modern era — as owner Michael Holmes and his staff serve up craft cocktails, sophisticated cuisine, and live entertainment to a new generation of patrons.
The Purple Room.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY THE PURPLE ROOM
Every weekend, Purple Room hosts acclaimed cabaret stars for ticketed dinner shows — including a regular, raucous parody of the 1963 Judy Garland Show, in which Holmes portrays the beloved star and her celebrated guests. There’s live entertainment on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, which begins with Jazz Happy Hour at 4 p.m., followed by Rat Pack–era music. Bourbon and whiskey fans will flip for the Purple Room Bourbon Bar, showcasing the Coachella Valley’s largest selection of rare and small-batch bourbons and whiskeys.
1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-322-4422
purpleroompalmsprings.com