American
Trio offers a modern dining experience with attention to fresh, organic, and sustainable ingredients. Housed in a former bank with a wall safe preserved at the entrance, Trio epitomizes hip. As for the food, it’s comfort all the way. Try the mac and cheese, Yankee pot roast, or crawfish pot pie. www.triopalmsprings.com
Intimate dining and classic excellence are trademarks of Zin American Bistro. Distinctive menu items include veal and ricotta meatballs in sweet-and-sour gravy and a memorable wine list. www.pszin.com
Belgian
Pomme Frite, in downtown Palm Springs, provides a perfect place for a culinary European daydream. Whether indoors in a charming setting or out on the patio, this Belgian-inspired restaurant offers a transcendent experience and, of course, great food. www.pomme-frite.com
Californian
Tropicale Restaurant offers ambiance, great cuisine, mountain views, and a razor-sharp focus on organic ingredients. From the bacon and free-range meats and poultry to locally sourced, organic, non-pesticide produce, Tropicale’s menu honors healthy, sustainable food — down to the lettuce. www.thetropicale.com
Continental
Spencer’s Restaurant offers a seductive experience. Dine outside on the popular patio in the shadow of Mt. San Jacinto or inside enjoying an elegant, contemporary ambiance, complete with soft music and lighting. www.spencersrestaurant.com
French
El Paseo’s Cafe dés Beaux-Arts inspires thoughts of a French sidewalk café, complete with local art on the walls. The menu offers everything from salads and French-inspired sandwiches to short ribs Bourguignonne. www.cafedesbeauxarts.com
Chez Pierre offers the feel of an authentic French bistro, with the exotic influence of Polynesia and the Caribbean. Chef and restaurateur Pierre Pelech developed his love of cuisine in France, but it was on the French Riviera that he learned to cook for the rich and famous. Vive la romance inside or on the patio. www.chezpierrebistro.com
Italian
Castelli’s Ristorante offers intimate dining direct from Tuscany. Savor house specialties fettuccini Alfredo or the filetto Marsala on the softly lit courtyard patio or inside, where an Italian country-house vibe prevails. www.castellis.cc
For authentic Napolitano cuisine, head to Johnny Costa’s Ristorante. True to their Gulf of Naples heritage, the Costa family has created a vast menu that includes many pasta dishes with seafood, as well as meat and vegetarian dishes. There’s also a menu of Italian brick-oven-baked pizzas. www.johnnycostaspalmsprings.com
Japanese
Diners delight at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse as personal chefs prepare succulent steak, chicken, and seafood dishes in the ancient Hibachi style. Entrées are prepared at your table by Kobe chefs. Exotic aromas and twirling knives turn meals into culinary performances. www.koberanchomirage.com
Chic. Modern. Unexpected. The Venue Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant on El Paseo is an experience in sensual dining. Enjoy creative hand rolls or go omakase — in the chef’s hands — for a total sushi immersion. www.thevenuepalmdesert.com
Mexican
Popular Las Casuelas Terraza in downtown Palm Springs offers ambiance, family tradition, inspired dishes, and generous hospitality. Enjoy rich family recipes handed down through generations. www.lascasuelas.com
Soul of Mexico, a family restaurant in Indio, offers a comfortable atmosphere and traditional Michoacan home-style Mexican food made with the freshest ingredients. Enjoy a ceviche — the restaurant’s most popular appetizer — a great margarita, and one of the especials de la casa (house specialties). www.soulofmexicocv.com
Southern
Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Brewhouse at The River at Rancho Mirage boasts award-winning beer and food to match. Feast on Southern favorites, such as pulled pork sandwiches with sweet potato fries and baby back ribs with baked yams smothered in honey butter and pecans. www.babesbbque.com