The Local Questions, Vol. 6 | Field Notes from Palm Springs

‍ ‍ Bar Issi

Welcome to Field Notes, our grab bag of questions and answers for all things Palm Springs. Today we’re going to focus on a single question, the one I get asked the most when guiding tours.

This question usually arrives somewhere near the end of a tour.

Not, "What's the best restaurant in Palm Springs?"

That's easy enough to Google. Or ask AI.

Instead, "So... where do you go?"

I’m honored that people want to know.

One disclaimer before we go further.

The list changes. New restaurants open. Old favorites surprise me. Someone has a transcendent Tuesday special. So consider this less a permanent ranking and more a snapshot…

In other words, these are just some of the places I'd happily suggest we go if you called or texted and said, "I'm hungry. Let’s eat."

A Few of My Favorite Restaurants in Palm Springs

Farm

This is the answer that usually pops out of my mouth first.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week, serving fresh, seasonal food with unmistakable French farmhouse roots. How they do this, at the level they do, three times a day, seven days a week honestly mystifies me. But they do, and I’m glad they do.

For breakfast and lunch that means a variety of sweet and savory crepes, omelettes, sandwiches and salads. For dinner, the menu choices are more limited but include meat, seafood and vegetarian options and a few starters and salads.

Located in the historic 1936 La Plaza shopping area, Farm will charm the pants off you, and, if you’re lucky, your date too. The ambiance somehow straddles “rustic” and “elegant,” with tables on the courtyard patio and inside.

Does it tick all the boxes?

Yes.

But can it really be that easy? Sadly, often not.

No reservations are taken for breakfast and lunch and this place is very popular, justifiably so.

Everybody wants to feel like they discovered Farm, but the word is definitely out.

You can blame me. I’ve recommended it to a lot of tour guests.

But at least give them a call. They often answer and will give you an honest assessment about the wait.

And there are many other choices within a short walk, including their sister restaurant, Front Porch, about twenty feet away.

Are either stops on our food tours? No. But the only reason is the potential for long waits.

Tyler's Burgers

Every city needs a place that keeps it simple and gets it right, which is not as easy as it sounds, or it would happen a lot more than it does.

In Palm Springs, Tyler's is that place.

Open 11-4, except Mondays.

The beef is ground fresh daily. The buns are delivered fresh daily.

Join the locals and longtime visitors for excellent burgers with grilled onions and other generous toppings, the appropriate sides (consider skipping the fries and going with the potato salad), and the reassuring confidence that comes from decades of knowing exactly who they are and what they do.

Sometimes that's exactly what you need.

And if not, the salads hold up just as well.

The place scores bonus points for history and character. Like Farm, it is part of the La Plaza shopping area, one of the most charming locations in Palm Springs. The building occupied by Tyler’s began life as a gas station, built in a Spanish Revival style 90 years ago.

No reservations and popular, so plan accordingly.

Is Tyler’s on the food tour? Again, no. There are other food tours that do things like burgers. We don’t. But I personally love the place.

Bar Issi

If someone asked me where I'd celebrate something—a birthday, an anniversary, or simply surviving the week—there's a good chance I'd end up here.

A fresh face in Palm Springs, this spot in the Thompson Hotel brings a taste and feel of a southern Italian coastal vacation. It’s a heady mix here in the desert.

Open every evening and also for weekend brunch.

The vibe couldn't feel more current, with a maximalist design and color scheme working hard and insisting you pay attention. Note the slightly surreal alligator wallpaper. You’ll feel like you’re on set in a Wes Anderson film. More is more. Lively, fun, and casual.

Wood-grilled meat, seafood, pasta and pizza. The citrus marinated skirt steak with chimichurri sauce hits all my flavor buttons. Have it with the house-made puccia bread and trio of butters. Oh yes.

It’s especially good for groups, with plenty of dishes designed for sharing and wine and cocktail lists that encourage everyone to settle in and stay awhile.

Lola Rose

If you’ve been following this blog, you know I’ve already written about their hummus. Yes, that’s right— an entire post devoted to one humble dish. That already tells you what you need to know.

But what I haven’t told you is that so many other items are right up there with the hummus.

Simply crazy good Middle Eastern. Order the pita. Order the spreads. Order the kebabs.

Brace yourself. The flavors are bold. The muhamara spread, made from roasted red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate molasses, has a particularly extroverted personality: savory, sweet and more forward than you’d expect on a first date. The hummus has become one of those dishes I find myself thinking about at inconvenient times.

Lola Rose is also located in the Thompson Hotel within a couple hundred feet of Bar Issi, just one floor up the lobby elevator. It will often be a stop on our Uptown tour, starting this winter.

Can you go to both?

Why not?

So... Are These the Best Restaurants in Palm Springs?

Maybe. Or maybe not.

Ask ten locals and you'll get ten different lists, which is exactly how it should be.

A city's restaurant scene isn't interesting because everyone agrees.

It's interesting because everyone has their own favorites—and can usually explain them in enthusiastic detail, if you make the mistake of asking.

These just happen to be mine this week.

Fortunately, Palm Springs gives us plenty of reasons to keep revising the list.

Stay tuned here at Devour the Desert and we’ll update the list from time to time.

Or, if you'd rather skip the reading and start the tasting, join me on an Artisan Food Tours walking tour. We'll save you a seat—and probably introduce you to your next favorite restaurant.

Enjoyed this article? The Local Questions are just one part of Devour the Desert. Explore our other "Local…" series for stories about the food, architecture, history, celebrities, and culture that make Palm Springs unlike anywhere else.

Dave Ball is a local guide and co-owner of Artisan Food Tours with his wife, Phyllis. He spends an inordinate amount of time thinking about Palm Springs history, neighborhood architecture, and where to find a great meal.