
Poached eggs and tender lobster bites are the star at Porta Via in Palm Desert.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
Gathering around a table topped with cheese-laden omelets and pitchers of bloody marys is a Sunday ritual for many — and one worth savoring. But what about those weekends when you crave something a bit more decadent than, say, a breakfast sandwich? We searched for the Coachella Valley’s most luxurious brunch options, and oh boy, did we find them.
Lobster Benedict
Porta Via, Palm Desert
Eggs Benedict is to brunch as a nap is to post-brunch: essential. And while the dish in its traditional sense doesn’t don the proper fixings to land a spot on this list — sorry, Canadian bacon — at Porta Via, there’s a Benedict that boasts more than the expected. Unsurprising, it’s the lobster Benedict we crave. Hungry patrons will devour the poached eggs, tender lobster bites, and Hollandaise sauce piled atop buttery English muffins.
Poké Avocado Toast
Boozehounds, Palm Springs
Before rolling your eyes at this dish, hear us out. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill overpriced slice of bread. At Boozehounds in Palm Springs, the $18 price tag suits the decadent poké avocado toast, loaded with avocado, bluefin tuna, cucumber, passionfruit, eel sauce, furikake, spicy mayo, and microgreens. We’d say you should share it with your pup (if you brought them along), but everybody knows that dogs shouldn’t eat avocado. Order something for them off the doggy menu instead.
Brioche French Toast
The Colony Club, Palm Springs
Brunch is a vibe. And while food and cocktails are an integral part of that, so is the environment where you enjoy those things. When it comes to patio brunching in Palm Springs, it doesn’t get more luxurious than The Colony Club at The Colony Palms Hotel and Bungalows. Sit next to the pool, in the shade of the green-and-white awnings, and take in the view of palm trees and mountains while you indulge. We recommend the brioche French toast with cream cheese frosting, strawberry compote, hazelnut chocolate sauce, and toasted hazelnuts.


Petite Plateau de Mer
The Pink Cabana, Indian Wells
A seafood tower is ideal for brunch — it’s perfect for sharing and light enough to allow room for bottomless mimosas. The Pink Cabana at the Sands Hotel & Spa in Indian Wells must have gotten the memo that brunch needs more seafood towers because their Petite Plateau de Mer fits the bill. It’s decked with prawns and oysters on the half shell, with aioli and mignonette for dipping.
Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata
Norma’s, Palm Springs
From stacks of blueberry pancakes to homemade doughnuts, Norma’s at Parker Palm Springs specializes in all things morning food. (An entire section of the menu is dedicated to eggs Benedict.) However, one item stands out as more opulent than the rest: The Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata, with the option to add 10 ounces of Sevruga caviar for a cool $1,000. Bon appétit!
Chicken and Waffles
Melvyn’s Restaurant, Palm Springs
At Melvyn’s Restaurant & Bar at Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs, chicken and waffles get a dazzling overhaul. Fluffy buttermilk waffles are topped with Jidori chicken thighs, habanero honey, and boysenberry butter. (Bonus: They offer bottomless bubbles for $25).