The best restaurants in Palm Springs range from a deli that's been feeding the valley since 1952 to a 12-seat omakase that books out weeks in advance. The food scene here is genuinely good, and it rewards knowing where to look. This guide is organized by meal, because the city runs on a rhythm and what you want at 8am is different from what you want at 9pm.
These are places I've been to enough times to have an opinion. No sponsored content, no affiliate links. Worth your time or not on the list.
Koffi at North Palm Canyon Drive, a Palm Springs institution since the early 2000s.
Coffee and Morning
Koffi
If you're spending any time in Palm Springs, you're going to end up at Koffi. It's been a local anchor for over 20 years, which in coffee terms means it got there before specialty coffee was everywhere and has stayed relevant the whole time. The North Palm Canyon location has the best outdoor seating: sprawling patio, shade trees, the kind of morning energy where you lose an hour without planning to.
Order the iced latte or one of their blended drinks. On warm mornings, cold brew is the move. Check their menu and hours at @koffi on Instagram.
Cartel Coffee Lab
Arizona-born specialty roaster with a permanent spot inside the Arrive Hotel at 1551 N Palm Canyon Dr. The focus is on direct trade and specific origins, not blends designed to offend nobody. Order the cold brew in summer. The Arrive location is worth a stop for the hotel design alone, and the coffee matches the room. Find them at @cartelcoffeecompany.
Cartel Coffee Lab inside the Arrive Hotel. Worth the detour if you haven't been.
Brunch
Cheeky's
Cheeky's is Palm Springs brunch. The menu rotates weekly, which keeps it from getting stale (literally and figuratively), and the bacon flight is something people plan trips around. It's a small room, it gets busy, and the wait is usually worth it. Go on a weekday if you can. Check current hours at @cheekysps before you go.
Sherman's Deli and Bakery
Sherman's has been in Palm Springs since 1963. It's a full Jewish deli: matzo ball soup, Reuben sandwiches, lox and cream cheese on a real bagel. The booths are worn in. The coffee comes in a diner mug. Nobody is trying to be on trend here, and that's the point. Check their hours at @shermansdeli.
Walking Palm Springs between meals is half the experience. The blocks between restaurants are part of the trip.
Lunch
Yes, Please (La Quinta)
Yes, Please is a café and dessert shop in Old Town La Quinta, about 20 minutes from central Palm Springs. It's worth the drive. The coffee is thoughtful, the baked goods are house-made, and the place has the kind of warmth that makes you stay longer than you planned. Huckleberry scones, a cortado that holds up, and staff who actually know what they're making. Find them at @yesplease.laquinta.
Pair this with a walk through Old Town La Quinta. The combo works well as a midday break between festival days.
Yes, Please in La Quinta. The drive is 20 minutes and the scones justify every minute of it.
Dinner
Thai Hot
Thai Hot is a no-frills Thai restaurant on North Palm Canyon that serves some of the most consistent food in the valley. The name is a warning and a promise. Order the pad see ew or the panang curry. It is not fancy. The food is the point. Check current hours at @thaihot_ps.
Thai Hot on North Palm Canyon. Order the panang curry. Trust the name.
Birba
Birba is an Italian wine bar and pizza spot on the same block as Cheeky's. The outdoor patio is well-designed for the Palm Springs climate: open air, string lights, easy to stay for two hours without meaning to. The pizza is thin-crusted and solid. Good natural wine list. Go at 6pm before the wait gets serious. Find them at @birbaps.
Lulu's California Bistro
Lulu's is an American brasserie on Indian Canyon Drive that does reliable, crowd-pleasing food in a big, comfortable room. Good for groups, good for people who can't agree on what to eat. The kind of place where one person orders a burger, another orders salmon, and everyone leaves satisfied. Check their hours at @lulusps.
Workshop Kitchen + Bar
Workshop is the more serious dinner option in town. The space is a converted historic building and it shows: high ceilings, exposed concrete, thoughtful lighting. The menu is modern American with local and seasonal sourcing. Worth dressing slightly for, worth the price. Reservations help. Find them at @workshopps.
Palm Springs has a real evening culture. Dinner lingers. Nobody's rushing you out.
Late Night / Special Occasion
Sandfish
Sandfish is a 12-seat omakase sushi restaurant in downtown Palm Springs that books out fast. It's the most destination-specific restaurant on this list: you plan a trip around a reservation, not the other way around. The fish is high quality, the progression is well-paced, and the setting is intimate enough that it actually feels like an occasion. Check their booking at @sandfish.ps.
If you're staying at The Sundune and want one memorable dinner, this is the one to book first.
Practical Notes
Palm Springs restaurants get busy on weekends, especially from October through May. A few things worth knowing:
Call ahead or check Instagram for current hours before making a trip. Hours shift seasonally and some spots close for part of summer. Cheeky's in particular tends to have a wait on weekend mornings, so go early or plan to wait.
If you want to explore further east, the Indio local gems guide covers what's worth eating closer to the festival grounds, including Papa Headz smash burgers and the birria at One Stop Taco Shop.
And if you're figuring out where to base yourself in the first place, the Palm Springs vs Indio comparison covers the trade-offs honestly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best restaurants in Palm Springs for brunch?
Cheeky's is the most well-known brunch spot, with a rotating menu and a famous bacon flight. Sherman's Deli is the classic alternative if you want something more casual and consistent. Both are worth knowing. Check current hours on their Instagram pages before arriving on a weekend.
Are there good restaurants near Coachella?
If you're staying near the festival grounds in Indio, the food scene is smaller but solid. Papa Headz does smash burgers, One Stop Taco Shop has birria, and L&G Desert Store has fresh Medjool dates worth picking up. The full guide is at the Indio local gems post. For better restaurant variety, Palm Springs is about 30 minutes west.
Where should I eat dinner in Palm Springs?
Thai Hot is the best value on the list. Birba has the best outdoor patio. Workshop Kitchen + Bar is the most elevated option. Sandfish is the most special if you can get a reservation. The choice depends on what kind of evening you're planning.
Do Palm Springs restaurants take reservations?
Workshop and Sandfish take reservations and you should use them. Birba, Lulu's, and Thai Hot are generally walk-in, though busy weekends can mean a wait. Cheeky's is walk-in only. Check each restaurant's Instagram for current reservation policies since they can change.
Palm Springs has the kind of food scene where you can eat differently every day for a week and not run out of options worth trying. Start with the morning coffee, plan dinner around what you're in the mood for, and leave room to discover something on your own. The valley rewards wandering.