Palm Springs: Come for the Vibes, Stay for the Food

Sunny Palm Springs, California, is home to some of the best restaurants on the west coast. We set out to find the best of the best, from small plates and fine dining to casual pub food. 

Here’s our guide to the best places to try in Palm Springs.

1501 Uptown

1501 Uptown is a must-try Americaneatery that calls Palm Springs home. They’re what’s known as a gastropub, a high-end bar that offers some of the best upscale casual food we’ve ever tried. Some of the standouts on the menu were the wings, the crispy onion rings, and the house burger.

Some of our other favorites on the 1501 Uptown menu include:

• The Cheese and Charcuterie To Share: This was one of the apps we tried, and we loved it. It was the perfect mix of just a little bit boujee and perfectly down-to-earth. All of the meats and cheeses are imported and chef’s choice, so you know you’re getting the best of the best.
  
  
• The Chilled Tiger Shrimp: This app swept us off our feet while we were enjoying some craft cocktails. Topped with fresh-squeezed Meyer lemon and served with house-made cocktail sauce, this shrimp was unbelievably fresh and flavorful.
  
  
• The Fish and Chips: If a pub does fish and chips right, you know they’re a place to return to. The 1501 fish and chips include two huge pieces of battered fresh wild cod served with house-made tartar sauce. The resulting combination of flavors made us wonder how we lived before we tried this legendary fish and chips. Slay.
  
  
• The 1501 Burger: This was one of the best Palm Springs burgers we tried on our food tour. With a brioche bun and cave-aged cheddar, it’s a chef’s kiss in our book. The fresh ground beef is best enjoyed medium rare.

1501 might be our favorite place in Palm Springs, so we wanted to give it some well-deserved attention. Now that you know what to order, you have no excuse but to get out there and experience it yourself. 

1501 Uptown: 1501 at 1501 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

Colony Club Restaurant

Colony Club is both a luxurious, relaxing hotel and spa and one of the best restaurants in Palm Springs. Go for the relaxing ambiance and vibes, but stay for the insanely good entrees. 

Some of our favorites were:

• The Salmon: A California hotel must serve some top-of-the-line seafood, and Colony Club did not disappoint. The plating and presentation were unbelievable, with the perfectly-grilled fish served alongside mouthwatering dipping sauces and peeled grapefruit slices. It was cheeky, classic, and really, really tasty.
  
  
• The Crispy Pork Belly: This appetizer really stole the show. It was another case of spot-on plating and presentation that took an already delicious dish and really sent it next level.

We recommend sitting poolside and soaking up the Cali sun if you eat at the Colony Club. While they have a gorgeous indoor dining room, the outdoor dining experience is something else. If you want to feel like you’re on a five-star vacation, the Colony Club is for you. 

Colony Club Restaurant: 572 N Indian Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

The Tropicale

This is our favorite Happy Hour spot in all of Palm Springs. Their craft cocktails, especially the specialty martinis, keep the good times going for hours, and they have an insanely good brunch that we keep coming back for.

The brunch menu has some of the best morning cocktails we’ve ever tasted, including:

• The blueberry vodka mojito: The muddled blueberries paired with Smirnoff blueberry vodka create a flavor combination that is out of this world. Throw in some lime and mint, and you’ve got a mojito like nothing you’ve ever tried before.
  
  
• The Ramoz Fizz is a specialty cocktail 100% worth the high price tag. Made with shaken gin, orange, triple sec, egg white, and a bit of cream, it’s the kind of thing you have to taste to believe.

For some unbeatable cocktails and a laid-back brunch, The Tropicale is the best Palm Springs has to offer. 

The Tropicale: 330 E Amado Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

Eight4Nine

This restaurant and lounge is located in the uptown district of Palm Springs and has an incredible fresh seafood-filled dinner menu. We recommend:

• The Miso Marinated Chilean Sea Bass: Served over a bed of steaming jasmine rice with baby carrots, baby bok choy, and finger lime caviar, this is some of the best bass you’ll ever taste.
  
  
• Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl: Poke is more than just a trend. When you experience A++ poke, you know there’s no going back. With house-made kimchi, avocado, scallions, and an insane miso ginger aioli, this is poke at its very best.

Eight4Nine has some S-tier desserts too, and you definitely want to save room for one when you go. We recommend the carrot cake sandwich, a creative and (as far as we know) one-of-a-kind combination of ingredients like carrot ribbon cream, orange chips, and cream cheese semifreddo.

Eight4Nine: 849 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

Guillermo’s Restaurante

This Mexican spot is loved by locals in the Coachella Valley and has multiple locations, so you can count on them to always be there for you. We always recommend starting any meal at Guillermo’s with one of their knockout margaritas served alongside some of their chips and guac. As far as Southern California guac goes, it doesn’t get much better than Guillermo’s.

Another big win for Guillermo’s is their ceviche and the pescado del dia (fish of the day), which we like to pair with Guillermo’s signature Diablo Sauce. It’s spicy, addictive, and goes with just about anything on their menu.

Of course, this Mexicanhot spot offers plenty more in addition to the ceviche and guac. Their tacos are amazing, and they have some traditional Mexican desserts that will blow your mind. 

Guillermo’s Restaurante: 72850 El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA 92260.

Il Corso

If you want some authentic Italian food in downtown Palm Springs, Il Corso is about as good as it gets. We go crazy for their Cioppino, the classic Italian-American fish stew that originated in San Francisco. Il Corso makes theirs with clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, and a delicious wine-based sauce that is absolutely to die for.

Il Corso: 111 N Palm Canyon Dr #180, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

Workshop Kitchen + Bar

Located on Palm Canyon Drive, this veggie-based bistro is one of our favorite new Palm Springs restaurants. We’re big fans of their creative ingredients combos, from beets and citrus to fruit and burrata. 

These are flavor combinations you might not expect, but they just work. Leave it to an uber-creative executive chef like Michael Beckman to give us dishes we never knew we needed.

Workshop has an outdoor patio where you can enjoy one of their creative dishes while soaking up the Cali sun. Even though they’ve only been around since 2022, they’ve already gained a reputation for their chill atmosphere and friendly service, which makes them even more of a winner in our book. 

Workshop Kitchen + Bar: 800 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

LG’s Prime Steakhouse

Known for their New York strip and ribeye, LG’s Prime Steakhouse is one of the best places in Palm Springs to get high-quality meat in many different forms. You always know it’s a good option if the locals are big fans, and LG’s has a glowing reputation with folks in the Palm Springs area.

If you’re not into steak, LG’s still has plenty to offer. Their starters are incredibly creative and take their menu to the next level, including the bacon-wrapped dates, the ahi tuna tower, and their high-quality oysters in the half-shell.

We all know a great steakhouse is about more than just the steak — what comes before and after is a big deal, too. With stellar apps and an amazing truffle chocolate bundt cake for dessert, LG’s is a big winner when you want some classic American food. You can find LG’s in the Vineyard Shopping Center. 

LG’s Prime Steakhouse: 255 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

Chef Tanya’s Kitchen

This is a takeout-only vegetarian restaurant, which is pretty different from the other options we’ve ranked. However, we were left speechless by Tanya’s inventive combinations of ingredients, the Insta-worthy presentation, and the fact that we didn’t miss meat at all. 

You know we love our fried chicken and a five-star delimeatball sub, but the right meatless meal can change your ways. We were impressed (to say the least) by the Moroccan roasted cauliflower, the eggless egg salad, and the tempeh burgers. It takes a lot of skill to make options like those taste incredible.

Whether you’re vegetarian or vegan, Chef Tanya’s is a spot worth visiting. 

Chef Tanya’s Kitchen: 706 S Eugene Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92264.

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Palm Springs is a place worth visiting just for the laid-back poolside experience, but the food makes it a must-visit spot. Come for the vibes; stay for the food.