MORNING
COFFEE
Koffi
If you’re in the mood for cold brew, head here. Locally roasted beans get steeped in small batches for 24 hours, resulting in a perfectly potent caffeine kick. Take a tour of the roasting room in Rancho Mirage. Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage; kofficoffee.com
Ernest Coffee
The menu changes often, so check the menu for their latest. The staff is happy to talk about their beverage menu, and the thought process behind each drink. Fun fact: There’s a speakeasy-style tiki bar in back. Palm Springs; ernestcoffee.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY NEIL HUSVAR
Koffi's has three Palm Springs locations, including this one at Hugh Kaptur Plaza.
Old Town Coffee Company
The drink menu includes seasonal concoctions like iced passion fruit and kiwi green tea, rose-infused white mochas, and chai freezes blended with banana. La Quinta; fb.com/oldtowncoffeelq
IW Coffee
Cool off with a frozen mint latte or nitro cold brew or opt for something hot and watch the baristas get creative with foam art. Indian Wells; restaurantji.com
Gré Coffeehouse & Art Gallery
Dessert for breakfast? The frozen hot chocolate is piled high with whipped cream and fudgy syrup. Palm Springs; grecoffeehouse.com
DID YOU KNOW?
While golfing in Palm Springs, Arnold Palmer ordered a glass of iced tea with a splash of lemonade. A woman overheard and asked the server for an “Arnold Palmer,” too. The rest, as they say, is history.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIELLE NAGEL
Ernest Coffee
ON-THE-GO
Las Tres Conchitas
This bakery has served sweet bread like conchas, birote, and ojos de buey for more than 30 years. Coachella; fb.com/lastresconchitasbakery
Peninsula Pastries
Transport yourself to Paris with one buttery bite at this French-owned pâtisserie. Palm Springs; fb.com/peninsulapastriespalmsprings
Frankie’s Italian Bakery, Café & Supper Club
Frankie’s well-loved biscotti recipe traces to the 1500s. His Calabrese bread is a favorite, too. Cathedral City; frankiesitalianbakery.com
Juniper Table
The Kimpton Rowan’s eatery doles out counter-service bites like organic yogurt, grain bowls, and coffee cake. Palm Springs; junipertable.com
• See related story: Where to Eat in Palm Springs
BRUNCH
Spencer’s
This swanky stop serves seven different variations of eggs Benedict — from lobster to a surf-and-turf option with a crab cake and filet mignon. Gluten-free bread’s on the menu, too. Palm Springs; spencersrestaurant.com
Wilma & Frieda
Omelets come loaded with chile verde and brie, French toast arrives dripping in caramel, and bloody marys get garnished with thick cuts of bacon. Palm Springs, Palm Desert; wilmafrieda.com
Elmer’s Restaurant
Known for Walt Elmer’s famous buttermilk pancakes and their paper-thin German pancake (advertised as being “almost as big as Crater Lake”), this diner has satisfied early risers since Sinatra’s heyday. Palm Springs; eatatelmers.com
Keedy’s Fountain & Grill
Established in 1957, Keedy’s retains a cool, retro feel with its original old-fashioned soda fountain. Brunch is equally traditional: eggs, bacon, and hot cakes. Palm Desert; keedysfountaingrill.com
Louise’s Pantry
This downhome spot serves up the usual buttermilk pancakes and anything-goes omelets but also excels in Mexican favorites like chilaquiles. Palm Desert, La Quinta; louisespantry.com
King’s Highway
Welcome to the California roadside diner of your dreams, complete with a menu of overnight oats and veg-friendly mushroom chorizo. Located at the Ace Hotel. Palm Springs; kingshighwaydiner.com
Grand Central
Try the savory French toast the chef dunks a Parmesan brioche in egg batter and tops it
with whipped goat cheese, citrus hollandaise, and a breaded poached egg. Palm Springs; grandcentralpalmsprings.com
Citrus & Palm
The Miramonte’s restaurant uses ingredients grown on property. Menu highlights include fresh juice, locally roasted espresso, brioche French toast, and avocado toast. Indian Wells; miramonteresort.com
NOON
LUNCH SPOTS
Escena
Golf course views are standard at this clubhouse spot. Go for a stacked BLT or a pear and pomegranate-seed salad. Palm Springs; escenagolf.com
Heirloom Craft Kitchen
Ingredients from sustainable farms come together in the form of hearty salads and spins on comfort food. Vegan sloppy joes, anyone? Indio; heirloomcraftkitchen.com
The Pink Cabana
The Sands Hotel’s eatery serves Mediterranean cuisine that rivals its décor — think olives, cheeses, and young-lettuce salads. Indian Wells; sandshotelandspa.com
Sherman’s Deli & Bakery
Get a lox platter, chopped liver, or the prodigious beef-and-latke sandwich (with homemade latkes in place of bread). Palm Desert, Palm Springs; shermansdeli.com
Las Casuelas Terraza
With 100-plus varieties of tequila and some of the best guacamole in the desert, this downtown locale serves family recipes from Mazatlán, Mexico. Go for the flavorful tacos de camaron. Palm Springs; lascasuelas.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA
Heirloom Craft Kitchen
Wildest Greens
Finally, a world where all diets are welcome, whether you’re vegan, keto, paleo, or craving a grass-fed bison burger. Palm Desert; wildestgreens.com
Luscious Lorraine’s
Vegan? Try the housemade lentil-mushroom patty, topped with farmers market produce and served on locally made artisan bread. Palm Desert; lusciouslorraines.com
Fresh Agave Mexican Bar & Grill
Your mouth will water as soon as you arrive, and your belly will thank you when you leave. Start with a paloma or Mexican mule and order the tried-and-true fish tacos. Palm Desert; freshagavemexicanbarandgrill.com
TREATS
Mangos!
Snack like a local with a sour, spicy, and chamoy-heavy mangonada or creamy escamocha (a fruit salad dessert) from this traditional frutería. Coachella; fb.com/mangoscoachella
Kreem
Housemade ice cream starts with organic dairy or almond milk. The lemon meringue pie flavor is a favorite, and vegan options are available. Palm Springs; ilovekreem.com
Nitroinfusions
Family-recipe ice cream is flash-frozen to order with a blast of liquid nitrogen, resulting in fewer ice crystals and a smoother, silkier texture. La Quinta; nitroinfusions.com
The Café at Shields
Known for serving one of the desert’s favorite date shakes, made with vanilla ice milk and specialty date crystals, this café also has a lovely patio. Indio; shieldsdategarden.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT YU
Kreem
NIGHT
TAPAS
Counter Reformation
The Parker’s sexy wine bar excels in light bites. Palm Springs; parkerpalmsprings.com
Del Rey
This swanky spot at Villa Royale feels like a cool, old club. Palm Springs; delreypalmsprings.com
Sugar High
Above La Serena Villas’ restaurant, Azúcar, is this rooftop lounge. It’s a prime perch to gab and sip. Palm Springs; sugarhighpalmsprings.com
La Fe Wine Bar
Oenophiles will appreciate the thoughtful wine list at this cozy El Paseo hideaway. Sip over a charcuterie platter and an order of empanadas. Palm Desert;
fb.com/lafewinebar
• See related story: Guy Fieri's Tasty Desert Stops
DINNER
AC3 Restaurant + Bar
Attached to Hotel Paseo, AC3 was launched by two of Palm Springs’ most successful restaurateurs. The result is a fusion of fresh, global flavors. Palm Desert; ac3palmdesert.com
Adobe Grill
La Quinta Resort & Club’s Oaxacan-inspired eatery serves modern Mexican fare and 100-plus tequilas.
La Quinta; laquintaresort.com
Frank’s Place
In the vein of Rat Pack–era supper clubs, the lobby restaurant at Indian Wells Resort Hotel serves up a show with your meal. Indian Wells; indianwellsresort.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY @BEARLEADERCHRONICLE
SO•PA at L’Horizon Resort & Spa.
SO•PA
Alfresco dinner service at L’Horizon Resort & Spa features small, European-influenced
dishes with big flavors. Palm Springs; lhorizonpalmsprings.com
La Quinta Cliffhouse
Dine among the cliffs at this mountainside spot. Start with five-spice smoked pork belly, then choose from pasta, seafood, or steak. La Quinta; laquintacliffhouse.com
Lulu California Bistro
A multipage menu and an all-day, everyday happy hour make Lulu an easy choice for indecisive groups. Save room for Gelato Fantasia at dessert — a colossal six scoops of Italian ice cream to share. Palm Springs; lulupalmsprings.com
4Saints
Dishes at the Kimpton Rowan’s seventh-story restaurant range from hamachi crudo to foie gras. Palm Springs; 4saintspalmsprings.com
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
Here, USDA prime beef always arrives sizzling on a 500-degree plate — “just the way Ruth liked it.”
Palm Desert; ruthschris.com
Jackalope Ranch
This massive venue focuses on American eats like smoked meat, wedge salads, and biscuits. Plus, there’s live entertainment.
Indio; thejackaloperanch.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHAMPAGNE VICTORIA
SO•PA at L’Horizon Resort & Spa.
The Edge Steakhouse
At this Ritz-Carlton venue, steaks rest in an on-site dry-aging room before reaching your table. Rancho Mirage; ritzcarlton.com
Trio Restaurant
This Uptown Design District eatery serves tasty twists on the classics. Palm Springs; triopalmsprings.com
Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Brewery
Ribs rest overnight in a sweet dry rub, then get smoked for four hours over hickory and pecan wood. Rancho Mirage; babesbbqbrewery.com
• See related story: Best Bites for $10 and Under in the Desert
NIGHTCAP
Libation Room
Resembling a secret backroom speakeasy of the Roaring ’20s,
this swanky bar serves up fine craft cocktails, cold-pressed juice flights, and small bites like grilled octopus and dolmades. Palm Desert; libationroom.com
Draughtsman
Known for live music, good beer, and artisan cocktails, this airy eatery also serves a late-night menu of tacos, dogs, and cauliflower nuggets. Palm Springs; draughtsmanpalmsprings.com
Neil’s Lounge
Play a game of pool at this lively Western dive. The crowd is mixed, the drinks are cheap, and a free shuttle stands by to drive you home. Plus, Neil’s offers some of the area’s best karaoke. Indio; fb.com/goodtimesatneilslounge
The Nest
Nightly music and dancing in the lounge always draws a big crowd (and usually means waiting in line to get in). Head here to mingle with the local bar flies. Indian Wells; gotothenest.com
Dead or Alive
It’s so dimly lit, the bartender hands you a flashlight when you claim a seat at this tiny craft-beer-and-wine bar. Palm Springs; deadoralivebar.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY @BEARLEADERCHRONICLE
Big Rock Pub
Bootlegger Tiki
This late-night island escape brims with fruit, flowers, rum, and raffia. Come here for an intimate night. Palm Springs; bootleggertiki.com
Big Rock Pub
A live entertainment destination, Big Rock houses an epic collection of rock ’n’ roll memorabilia and serves cocktails named after chart-topping songs. Indio; thebigrockpub.com
DINE GPS
Find additional restaurants, gastronomic experiences, and discounts on food and drink throughout Greater Palm Springs at dinegps.com.
READ NEXT: Hungry? Check out the desert’s foodie scene to find your next meal.
DISCLAIMER: Please note that menu items in this story can change at these establishments. To check on the menu item's availability, visit the location's website or call them. Thank you.