I've traveled to Palm Springs with my omnivore husband, picky kids, and hip vegan friends. We all love these 12 restaurants.
- Palm Springs' restaurants satisfy various palates with chef-driven fare and design-forward eateries.
- Keep reading for Insider's list of recommended restaurants and eateries in Palm Springs.
I'm a vegetarian and I've traveled to Palm Springs with both my omnivore husband, kids, and close vegan friends. Satisfying a variety of tastes can be a tall order, but Palm Springs does have it all when it comes to diverse dining and drinking.
Expect healthy, light, vegan, and locally sourced fare as well as comfort-food-filled hangouts, and meaty meals that earned the Rat Pack as devoted followers back in the day.
After 20 years of visits, I've tried the whole range of eateries on offer. Here's where I love to eat, whether it's a solo work meal, a girls' weekend celebration, a date night, or a family-friendly experience in town.
King's Highway
King's Highway is a cool, bohemian-feeling, hipster-friendly restaurant at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club that serves diner food all day — the space was formerly a Denny's after all. Come for everything from Beyond burgers to salads that are both hearty and surprisingly wholesome.
Brunch is also a delight, with avocado toast, natch, and an excellent bagel with lox that New Yorkers would envy. Cap any visit with drinks in the adjoining Amigo Room.
Koffi
When in Palm Springs, eschew your Starbucks for the coffee-shop chain locals prefer: Koffi. With north, south, and central Palm Springs locations (I typically go to the south location when staying at the Ace or Saguaro, or the central one when staying at Avalon), come for coffee and fresh-baked, oversized muffins.
Enjoy it with a side of people-watching amid dog walkers, fitness buffs, and a friendly atmosphere. My go-to is a yogurt parfait and an iced coffee to fuel a hot desert day.
Miro's
Miro's is a pan-European restaurant with indoor-outdoor dining at its finest. Enjoy mountain views from the light-strung patio while eating a less-than-typical mix of Slavic, Hungarian, Italian, Greek, and German styles of cooking.
The menu is diverse, the service is solid, and I love this place for date nights thanks to the elevated but unfussy, charming patio.
El Jefe
This Mexican cantina at the Saguaro serves refreshing margaritas and cervezas, of course. But the food is also inventive and memorable, with vegetarian-friendly standouts including potato flautas and nopales quesadillas on an all-day dining menu.
El Jefe also has a generous daily happy hour that's a local favorite and the graphic neon signs and communal tables feel dark, exciting, and a little rock and roll.
Boozehounds
Newer to the Palm Springs area, Boozehounds has already established itself as a dog-friendly staple. The restaurant, lounge, atrium, and outdoor patio span 7,000 square feet, with inviting midcentury modern design.
The dog-loving aesthetic extends from the logo to photos on the wall, and the menu merges Asian and coastal California fare. For dinner, try inventive crudos, salads, and focaccia, as well as vegetarian specialties like the loaded vegan dog.
Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey
You won't find colorful midcentury accents at Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey. Rather, it's all minimalist Scandinavian meets industrial style furnishings that feel more Brooklyn than Palm Springs.
Pair Engin Onural's impeccable sushi with drinks from a stocked whiskey bar. Rolls include the aptly named "the Experiment," with snow crab, mango, avocado, and cucumber topped with tuna, thin slices of jalapeño, cilantro, and yuzu aioli.
But even the basics like shishito peppers and miso soup pop with flavor. Go all out on the multicourse omakase tasting menu to feel like a true VIP.
Rooster and the Pig
Like many great restaurants that locals love, Rooster and the Pig doesn't look like much from the outside of its strip mall address.
But the food here is incredible, with a Vietnamese-American menu including appetizers, fresh rolls, and large plates of noodles and fried rice meant for sharing. I've found eating here to be lively, memorable, and totally delicious.
Birba
The outdoor patio at Birba is a dream, especially when the weather is warm but not sweltering. This Italian restaurant, with a charming tree-lined terrace, features wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta, along with tasty salads and handcrafted cocktails.
Come for pies and drinks and listen to local indie music; check the calendar for live performances. Just plan ahead as reservations can be hard to come by.
Workshop Kitchen + Bar
Workshop Kitchen + Bar in the middle of the Uptown Design District features industrial-chic monochromatic interiors, a long communal table, and a tranquil courtyard kept cool by misters in the summer.
The ambiance is upscale but the local and seasonal food keeps things approachable, with ingredients sourced from about a dozen local farms, many in the Coachella Valley. The kitchen includes a wood-fired pizza oven, wood-fired grill, and custom sous-vide station.
The Heydey
Once a pop-up eatery, this burger joint now lives inside the Hilton hotel but is elevated well above your typical greasy spoon (or casual hotel eatery).
Come to The Heydey for Harris Ranch cheeseburgers, buttermilk-brined fried-chicken sandwiches, and a plant-based mushroom burger that is far from just a vegetarian afterthought in my opinion.
Tropicale
Tropicale is a lively, vibrant spot loaded with neon pink lighting, leafy palms, and an overall vibe that feels like the Rat Pack on an island getaway.
Inside, slink into leather booths as performers croon over live piano sets, or head out to the patio where you'll find ample seating under lush landscaping for a transportive experience that feels like you've jetted off to some exotic isle. The menu is huge and includes pan-Asian-inspired fare like crispy nori Ahi tuna rolls and a Pu Pu platter, as well as pizzas, salads, and entrees ranging from spaghetti and meatballs to carne asada.
Fruit Wonders
On a scorching desert day when a big meal sounds like just too much, or for a refreshing snack, Fruit Wonders in downtown Palm Springs blends together the best smoothies and juices in town. Sip on green-fueled healthy drinks, cool off with fresh fruit ice pops, or fill up on acai bowls topped with fruit, granola, and other goodies. The date shake is a must, made with local Coachella Valley dates for the perfect amount of creamy sweetness.
View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Palm Springs.
Emily Hochberg contributed reporting to this article.