The coolest restaurants in Palm Springs

Palm Springs is cool again. Although this desert escape 100 miles east of Los Angeles has been a popular weekend retreat for movie stars, snowbirds, and gays and lesbians for decades, its hip factor among the young simmered for awhile—until now. Not only is its mid-century design at last admired by millennials, but new hotels and the addition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival every April have brought back hipsters and creative types from Hollywood and elsewhere. In anticipation of Coachella, we headed to this sun-drenched oasis in search of buzzy eats. Here are the coolest restaurants in Palm Springs.

Appetito

Appetito Deli We loved this breezy “Cal Italian” lunch and dinner spot so much that we visited twice in two days and ordered the same thing each time. Our menu item of choice at Appetito was the mouthwatering Porchetta sandwich, a big, meaty hunk of pork shoulder topped with broccoli rabe and slathered in chili aioli. The menu is rounded out by pizzas, pastas and salads but we’ll happily pick that luscious pig sandwich every single time.

Birba The glowing letter B out front and the perfect location smack in the middle of pedestrian-friendly Palm Canyon Drive brought us into this indoor-outdoor hangout for pizzas, small plates and cocktails. We went straight for the ‘za—yummy, cracker thin numbers that range from traditional (the margherita) to more adventurous options (butternut squash). Our recommendation for Birba: Order a pisco sour, snag a table on the patio and enjoy the good life.

Also: 5 incredibly cool mid-century modern hotels

Cheeky’s There’s nothing we loathe more than standing in line for eggs and toast and that’s why we hit up the desert’s must visit brunch spot exactly at 8am. Wouldn’t you know it, there was already a line. But it was worth it. Not only are the famous cinnamon rolls at Cheeky’s served perfectly warm, they also surrender at the mere touch of knife and fork, but the ever-changing menu means the surprise factor is constant. We loved the turkey hash, for example, but it may be gone next week.

Chi Chi We were perfectly satisfied with Citron, the restaurant at the former Viceroy Hotel, but things change even in this desert town and that hotel is now the Avalon. Its breezy new eatery Chi Chi is set largely around the pool so we recommend it either at breakfast when the sun is first peeping over the San Jacinto Mountains or at dinner when it’s undeniably romantic. The flash-fried cauliflower was brilliant and the cochinita pibil was no slouch either.

El Jefe

El Jefe We hit up the Saguaro, the mod and colorful hotel from Joie de Vivre Hospitality in search of eatery Rocco’s but was told its opening date was still a few weeks away. So we settled on casual El Jefe whose Coyote Ugly saloon vibe stands in stark contrast to the hotel’s effortless mid-century vibe. But we give it props for its mean margaritas and trio of flavorful shrimp and chorizo tacos. As for Rocco’s we were told,  “the drinks are going to be extremely unique. We’ll be the first in Southern California serving them.”

Grind Burger Bar The patties at this perfectly positioned second floor eatery on Palm Canyon Drive are topped with the kinds of fixins’ we love like applewood bacon and grilled pineapple, but in true Golden State fashion the burgers at Grind are farm raised and grass fed. The accompanying french fries are perfectly crispy and delicious. For the full heart attack, order everything with a “spiked shake.”

King’s Highway

King’s Highway When historians point to Palm Spring’s newfound appeal among millennials, they’ll surely offer a hat tip to the Ace Hotel whose pool scene is among the city’s buzziest. On-site restaurant King’s Highway is a refurbished version of an old-timey diner. We love coming here off-season when we can sidle up to the counter and help ourselves to a dose of comfort food. The current menu, for example, includes grilled cheese and mahi mahi tacos.

Lula California Bistro This big, bustling corner eatery on Palm Canyon Drive somehow manages to lure just about everyone in town with its siren’s call of affordable and unfussy California cuisine, expansive dining room draped in ebullient colors and gratuitous sidewalk seating. We took the path of least resistance and ordered a simple pizza, but morning, noon and night Cal-influenced menu items like quinoa stuffed acorn squash and a portobello mushroom tower beckon passersby.

Rooster and the Pig

Rooster and the Pig Join the queue at this insanely popular newbie Vietnamese restaurant located in a mundane strip mall near downtown. The space is tiny so you will wait, but the menu is bold and enticing. We were quite pleased with the charred brussels sprouts with garlic and Asian sausage as a starter and the F.O.B. (Fresh off the Boat) crispy cod with tumeric and dill deserves its reputation as the Rooster’s most celebrated main course.

Workshop Kitchen + Bar

Workshop Kitchen + Bar One of the most bold and adventurous fine dining restaurants in the desert, Workshop is at odds with Palm Springs in that it shuns the ubiquitous mid-century vibe in favor of an interior that is stark and industrial. Much of the menu is small plates and the menu changes frequently although we can promise an emphasis on farm-to-table Americana artfully presented like heirloom roasted carrots or an octopus carpaccio.

Tagged: California