You could stare awkwardly at your tablemate between bites while searching that mental Rolodex for a new conversation topic. Or you could let the desert’s lively pedestrian landscape inspire a blithe meal filled with natural banter: What is she wearing? Who is he with? Wait … is that Suzanne Somers?
Hit these hip spots if you want to check out the desert’s best scenery: the people.
1. Trio Restaurant
Palm Springs
Recognizable by the front patio’s vibrant orange accents and living plant wall, this Uptown Design District hot spot draws mixed crowds — locals on lunch break, country club types, bachelor parties, and those on holiday. Inside, provocative art by photographer Michael Childers and the quintessentially Palm Springs artist Shag decks the walls. But outside is where you’ll want to be to peep at what the Uptown sophisticates are up to as they pop in and out of neighboring stores in their flowy summer finery.
All that gawking might make you hungry. Trio serves up a mélange of global flavors with Californian flair. Avocado toast pairs with poached eggs, sun-dried tomato pesto, and sprouts. Lunch ranges from homemade-sausage sandwiches to tofu ceviche. And dinner highlights include a salad of local dates and burrata, housemade meatloaf, and Tazmanian ocean trout with citrus beurre blanc and wild mushroom risotto. Bites during the nearly all-day happy hour range from $4 to $10.
2. Acqua California Bistro, Rancho Mirage
When locals say they’re going to “the river,” they’re headed out to either the Colorado River in Blythe or, more likely, The River at Rancho Mirage. At the heart of the valley, The River is a shopping, dining, and entertainment destination that winds around a manmade creek and scenic roadside pond.
PHOTOGRAPH BY LISA CORSON
Glass fencing is all that separates Acqua’s alfresco seating from the water. In quasi-European fashion, outdoor tables are set back from the restaurant’s entryway, divided by the shopping center’s primary pathway, providing ample observational opportunity.
3. AC3 Restaurant + Bar
Palm Desert
The epicurean minds behind Trio and the swanky Copley’s on Palm Canyon joined forces to open AC3 at the brand-new Hotel Paseo. The posh-casual restaurant’s bar and surrounding patio overlook the bustling shopping boulevard El Paseo.
4. The Nest, Indian Wells
It’s always a party at The Nest. Established in 1965, the mid-valley destination draws a mature crowd that knows how to have a good time. There’s dinner, sure — dishes with an Eastern European influence — but the real action unfolds in the piano bar and on the dance floor. Locals arrive in droves for the nightly entertainment, and there’s often a long line to get in.
5. Tyler’s Burgers, Palm Springs
Rustic-chic wooden tables and a charming covered patio set the stage for conversations among strangers and the opportunity to make new friends. Perched on South Indian Canyon Drive at the tip of Palm Springs’ La Plaza shopping center, Tyler’s occupies a former Greyhound bus depot built in 1936. The ambiance is welcoming and simple, inspired by a Venice Beach hamburger stand that owner Diana Diamico remembers fondly from childhood. Homemade slaw and potato salad are a hit alongside loaded hamburgers, turkey burgers, and veggie options, as well as dogs and sandwiches. Open for lunch.
6. Revel Public House, Palm Springs
Located between the Architecture + Design Center and Starbucks Reserve, a spot known for Spanish-American fare and tapas is undergoing a name change and a makeover. Formerly Alicante, the restaurant’s upbeat-sports-bar vibe is only getting stronger. A new emphasis on craft beer includes exclusive suds produced by Palm Springs Brewing Co. Sip some on the airy patio as the downtown characters bustle past your table.
760-325-9464
7. The Grill on Main
La Quinta
This lively Old Town eatery has a pet-friendly patio framed by towering bougainvillea plumes where golfers shoot the shit and service-industry types gather after shifts. A full bar with microbrews on tap and plenty of shareable plates (fried cauliflower, carne asada nachos, bacon mac-and-cheese) get one-upped by $5 happy-hour drinks and late-night jam sessions. Just follow the thump of the local music, and you’ll get there.
PHOTOGRAPH BY EMILY CHAVOUS
8. Gyoro Gyoro Izakaya Japonaise, Palm Springs
Specialty sushi rolls meet spicy-tuna pizza and Kobe steak at this laid-back izakaya (the Japanese term for an informal pub). The décor is part modern Palm Springs, part traditional Japan, with a sushi bar and an expansive front patio with an outdoor bar and late-night happy hour — all just a few steps from the center of town.
9. Armando’s Bar & Grill, Palm Desert
There’s a drink limit at Armando’s. They’re said to pour the strongest margarita in the desert, and you can only order two. Traditional Mexican dishes make up the menu. For stately palm-tree views, grab a table on the sunken, misted patio.
760-346-0744
10. Stuft Pizza Bar & Grill, La Quinta
The La Quinta location of Stuft Pizza, a counter-service franchise started in 1976, is a cut above: a full-service, sit-down joint with an expanded menu (order the green bean fries). Popular among locals, it features a cast of regulars in the bar area. A second valley location at Westfield Palm Desert has a happening patio scene.