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Treat your inner foodie to the best restaurants in Palm Springs, where local seasonal ingredients meet bold diverse flavors and even bolder design.
Whether you want to see-and-be-seen, enjoy a relaxed meal poolside, or indulge in some incredible cocktails – let us help you with what to eat in Palm Springs with these five remarkable restaurant recommendations.
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Black Book Bar
Black Book Bar is a fixture on the gay scene around Palm Springs, it’s a great place to hang out and grab some drinks before heading out for a night and do both great snack food or more filling options.
The interior of the bar is monotone with black floors tables and chairs. The drinks shelve behind the bar light the place up but if you’re eating or getting drinks here in the day it’s worth grabbing a seat outside in the incredible Palm Spring’s sunshine. When the sun sets is when the bar really comes alive and inside builds a great atmosphere.
The high-top chairs and raised tables give this place a casual feeling, it’s as easy to stand and snack as it is to grab a seat. Black Book is somewhat regular in the area and therefore there’s constantly people coming in and out and plenty of goings-on to watch. The crowd are friendly and welcoming, happy to introduce you to their little corner of Palm Springs making Black Book Bar a great place to rub shoulders before heading on a night out.
The food comes highly recommended, famously generous Nacho servings leave not a single chip dry and the burgers and hot dogs are all of great quality. If you’re not into meat there are a range of vegetarian options including salads and stuffed peppers, our personal favourite, however, is the Contentious Objector Burger. A great name, for a great burger.
Eight4Nine
Eight4nine is an art lover’s restaurant. Located in the uptown district of Palm Springs this restaurant has already built a name for itself as the choice event space for charity galas and private events.
Despite the staffs, exquisite credentials eight4nine seeks to provide quality crafted cuisine at a reasonable price for all sorts of guests. The Head chef Israel Jimenez wants anybody to head home after grabbing a bite to eat saying that they ate for nine … you might be starting to see where the name comes from.
Food, however, is just the cherry on top of the sensual experience cake at eight4nine. The decor and furniture are unmistakeably Palm Springs bold. You’ll be met with white and pink Louis XIV ghost chairs, placed around a sturdy white farmhouse table.
The chairs add an atmosphere of luxury while the tables assure customers that the food to come will be full and wholesome. Walking through the dining area you’ll come across the spacious lounge and bar which features another stylistic showstopper, the backlit Onyx bar. From here you can sit and wait to be seated, or just grab your drink and gaze at the variety of incredible art up on the walls.
The menu itself aims is a reimagining of American Modern Cuisine, which arrives at the table an art piece in itself. There is four course set menus available for $48 which will take you on a taste tour as impeccably crafted as the sculptures that stand amongst the tables.
Both indoor and outdoor dining is available, so check out the pictures online and figure out where you would like to sit before you book. An absolute must if visiting Palm Springs for a long weekend.
Pinocchio in the Desert
Pinocchio in the Desert is there to make sure you have a full meal. Generous portions whether you order breakfast or lunch makes this reliable little diner a bit of a darling in Palm Springs.
Welcoming and friendly staff are on hand to make sure that you get everything you need with a huge breakfast menu you can tailor your meal to exactly what you need to get your start in the morning.
Pinocchio in the Desert are available to do brunch options however they close at 2pm, perfect for a relaxing morning before heading up the Aerial Cableway . The afternoon closing down, however, doesn’t mean that they skimp out on the drinks menu and if you’re looking to get your day off to a flying start check out their bottomless champagne options.
Don’t worry if you’re not looking for a boozy breakfast however, there are plenty of traditional options including Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Eggs on Toast and the option to build your own Omelette.
Trio Palm Springs
Trio Palm Springs is a new multi-award-winning restaurant that has become a key location in Palm Springs competitive restaurant scene.
They have received awards from Wine Spectator, Best of The Valley and USA Today. All of this comes from a great love and celebration of food. This restaurant is here to keep that smile on your face the whole way through the meal.
The building was renovated from a mid-century bank back in 2009 and is located amongst the sophistication of Palm Spring’s Uptown Design District. The restaurant has a regular cast of regulars who come back to this spot time and time again for its varied menu and fusion of California and Mid-West styles.
King’s Highway – ACE Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs
King’s Highway has come a long way from its former life as a Denny’s restaurant. More than just a restaurant, this beautifully crafted location hosts trivia games and bingo on Monday nights. The King’s Highway is really an amazing space to be in, and for those looking to bag some great shots for their Instagram feed it is a must visit.
The breakfast menu is available between 7am and 2pm but you’ll be able to grab the food from the lunch menu all day. There are weekly deals also held with Wine down Wednesday offering 50% of all bottles of wine every Wednesday evening. Sunday evening however are time for Buddy Brews, which means $5 pints for everyone between 5:30 and 11:00 in the evening.
The menu here is full of life, mixing classic favorites like slow smoked BBQ ribs with new and modern fusions like the half roast organic chicken with harissa marinade. You might want to come here for breakfast and return for lunch and dinner when you see all the options, we don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we want to try every dessert on that menu.
Even if you are not staying here, it is just down the road from the colorful Saguaro hotel and well worth a visit in its own right!
