8 Best Restaurants in Palm Springs and the Desert Resorts, California

Though the late founder Donald Callender made his name as a purveyor of pie with the Marie Callender's chain, he also built a solid smoked-meats-and-suds rep with this barbecue–microbrewery. Carnivores show up in droves for fall-off-the-bone racks of ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, brisket-topped salads, and chops that are marinated overnight—all of which pair well with the IPAs, ales, and lagers brewed on site. He also smartly carried over cornbread, tamales, and pie recipes from Callender's. 

Chef Andrew Manion Copley prepares decadent dishes with flavors and techniques he picked up at past posts in Europe, Australia, and Hawaii in a setting that's straight out of Hollywood—a hacienda once owned by Cary Grant. Dine in the clubby house or in the garden under the stars and with mountain views.

This upscale restaurant at the Palms at Indian Head hotel caters to those who want a fancy dinner, particularly hunks of filet mignon or rack of lamb served at candlelit tables with white tablecloths overlooking the pool. Pet owners will appreciate the canine menu, whose treats include house-made peanut-butter dog cookies.

No matter what time or day it is, this swanky restaurant in the Uptown Design District buzzes with pals toasting promotions and celebrating birthdays, couples on dates sharing beet carpaccio and oysters, singles mingling in the lounge, and tourists who were lured from the street by the jovial sounds and tantalizing smells wafting out of the polished white (with pops of Barbie pink) rooms and expansive patio. The look may be a little late-'90s, early-aughts Miami, but the menu is pure Pacific Coast with favorites like ahi tuna poke with house-made kimchi, steelhead niçoise salad, mesquite-smoked carne asada, and curried-cauliflower steak.

The idea of eating raw fish in a landlocked desert might give some people pause, but be assured that a meal at Sandfish—an uptown sushiya melding Japanese techniques, Scandinavian plating, and a sexy minimalist earth-tone aesthetic—is a gastronomical leap of faith worth taking. Chef Engin Onural studied at the reputable Sushi Chef Institute, so he obviously has classic rolls, nigiri, maki, and sashimi on lock, but not trying his original creations that incorporate unusual ingredients like black-truffle zest, coconut flakes, or fried-potato threads would be a rookie mistake, as would skipping the cocktails made with desert botanicals and titular whiskey.

On the edge of the Borrego Springs Resort's golf course, set beneath a canopy of grapefruit trees, The Arches is a pleasant place to eat. For breakfast you'll find burritos alongside French toast, omelets, and eggs Benedict; lunch (best enjoyed on the patio) and dinner options include sandwiches and salads, as well as hearty pasta, seafood, grilled meats, and fish entrées.

The pink-and-green palette, botanical wallpaper, oversize globe pendants, gold trim, tile floor, and velvety banquettes draw the pretty people and those who follow them on social media to this Martyn Lawrence Bullard–designed gem at the Sands Hotel. But it's the Mediterranean-Moroccan cuisine—think lamb tagine or harissa chicken—and punchy drinks that keep them happy and snapping.

This popular watering hole and fine-dining eatery is part mid-century supper club (some nights feature live jazz), part Miami kitsch (pops of pink neon, marlin wall art, and apps served in glass seashells), and all good time. Sip from the extensive martini and mojito list; bask in the gorgeous glow of a flambéed baked Alaska from one of the main dining room's tall leather booths; or nosh on protein-packed salads, pork chops, pizzas, or Sunday sushi amid tropical plants and water features in the outdoor area.