15 Best Restaurants in Desert Hot Springs, CA
Tucked within the Coachella Valley, you can find a place of total relaxation and wellness in the city of Desert Hot Springs in Riverside County.
With a population of more than 25,000 at the 2010 census, the city is one of the fastest-growing cities in California.
The city is well-known for having many natural hot and cold springs, with more than 20 mineral springs.
Aside from the mineral springs, one of the best things about Desert Hot Springs is its food scene—there are many options and places.
Foodies will love visiting Desert Hot Springs because of its abundance of dining options.
No matter what cuisine you’re into, you can always find something that will suit your taste in the city.
Here are the 15 best restaurants that you should visit and try in Desert Hot Springs, California:
Marnie’s Soul Food BBQ & Delectable Delights
Marnie’s Soul Food BBQ & Delectable Delights is a Southern restaurant on Estrella Avenue serving delicious soul food.
This restaurant is a great place to go with friends or family members who want to eat good food while enjoying each other’s company.
Marnie’s has an extensive menu that gives diners plenty of options when choosing what they want to eat.
The menu includes meats, fish and seafood, side dishes, and delectable desserts that will make you crave more.
While you’re there, order their best-selling barbecues seasoned to perfection.
If you love soul food or want to try something different from the typical Mexican restaurants in California, this is the place for you!
The Cottage Too
Since 1985, The Cottage Too has been a go-to place for the people of Desert Hot Springs for an affordable, quality breakfast and lunch.
The restaurant is conveniently located right off Pierson Boulevard, west of Palm Drive.
Start your morning with their mouth-watering pancakes and omelets or their famous biscuits and gravy.
You can also find chili, sandwiches, and the famous Giant Cottage Burger that everyone loves on their menu.
They also feature seafood dishes, including fish and chips, salmon steaks, and a seafood combo with shrimp, scallops, and cod.
Make yourself at home at The Cottage Too, and enjoy some of their homemade goodness.
All Star Burgers
All Star Burgers is a casual, family-friendly restaurant that serves burgers and other American favorites.
It is located along Dillon Road, which makes it easy for customers to get to this location.
You can visit All Star Burgers any time of the day; they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The menu features a variety of burgers and sandwiches, including traditional favorites like cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and french fries.
They also have other food options, including Mexican cuisine, sandwiches, and more.
Some of their most popular options include the "All Star Burger" and the “Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger,” which comes with real avocado slices.
With a casual atmosphere, friendly servers, and affordable prices, All Star Burgers will be your next favorite restaurant in the city.
Taqueria El Guero
Taqueria El Guero is a delicious and authentic Mexican restaurant right off Palm Drive.
The restaurant offers a wide selection of fresh, authentic Mexican dishes and has been a local favorite.
Their menu includes everything from tacos to burritos and quesadillas to enchiladas.
Have a taste of their popular fajitas with grilled chicken, grilled beef, and shrimp, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, rice, beans, and tortillas.
Quesabirrias is also one of the most famous requests in the restaurant, so don’t forget to try this one too.
It's the perfect place to celebrate any occasion, whether it's a family dinner, birthday party, or get-together with friends.
If you're looking for a place to eat in Desert Hot Springs that will give you an authentic taste of Mexico without traveling far from home, look no further than Taqueria El Guero!
Best Sushi Grill
Best Sushi Grill is the perfect place to grab a bite before catching a movie or hitting the local shops.
The restaurant is known for its authentic Japanese fare, including many sushi varieties.
The menu offers a variety of Japanese dishes, including sushi, bento boxes, and sashimi.
You can order rolls with different types of fish or other ingredients, such as chicken or beef.
Best Sushi Grill also serves traditional Japanese appetizers, including egg rolls, tempura shrimp, and miso soup.
Best Sushi Grill prides itself on its fresh seafood and traditional Japanese cooking methods.
If you're looking for a great spot to eat sushi in Desert Hot Springs, Best Sushi Grill should be your number-one choice!
Azure Palm Café
Azure Palm Café is the perfect place for a delicious meal, excellent service, and a relaxing atmosphere.
The restaurant has many options on its menu, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and more.
Start your day with a breakfast sandwich composed of a pan-fried egg, white cheddar, and avocado infused with aioli sauce, served on a fresh Aspen Mills brioche from their breakfast menu.
In addition to breakfast options, Azure Palm Café also serves lunch and dinner throughout the week.
Lunch items include burgers, sandwiches, and salads served with taro root chips or side salads.
Dinner options include flatbread pizzas like margherita pizza or BBQ chicken pizza and warm entree bowls like Thai tuna and rice or smoky tempeh chili.
They also have a menu for juice, coffee, beer, and wine, so you can enjoy some drinks while you're there too!
If you’re looking for healthy yet tasty snacks, Azure Palm Café's got your back too! They have a menu with healthy snacks, including freshly made hummus, spiced nuts, taro chips, and dip.
You can visit the Azure Palm Café on Hacienda Avenue if you’re looking for a place to take your friends and family out on a Saturday night.
Thai Palms Restaurant
If you're looking for authentic Thai food in Desert Hot Springs, Thai Palms Restaurant is the place to go.
The menu at Thai Palms is brimming with delicious dishes perfectly recreated using authentic Thai recipes.
You'll find dishes like pad thai, pad prik king, fresh roll with shrimp, yellow curry, and green curry.
If you want something different, they also have seafood dishes on their menu, such as spicy basil fish, tom kha seafood, and lemon steamed fish.
The restaurant has a casual yet elegant atmosphere that will make you feel at home while enjoying your meal.
Thai Palms Restaurant is conveniently located along Palm Drive, and it's one of the restaurants you should visit when you’re around Desert Hot Springs.
Rocky’s New York Style Pizzeria
Rocky's New York Style Pizzeria, which opened in 1986, has been dazzling the community with authentic New York pizza and Italian cuisine for almost 30 years.
The pizzeria is situated right off Palm Drive and features a family-friendly atmosphere with large tables and booths.
Rocky’s New York Style Pizzeria prides itself on using fresh ingredients and making everything from scratch, which you can tell by the taste.
The menu at Rocky’s New York Style Pizzeria includes an extensive list of pizza options, including specialty pizzas like “Calzone pizza,” which features Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, fresh onions, olives, bell peppers, and lots of cheese toppings.
If you’re not looking for pizza, they have an extensive selection of pasta dishes, sandwiches, and salads.
Rocky’s New York Style Pizzeria takes pride in its hand-tossed pizzas and Italian dishes made from original Italian recipes passed down from generation to generation.
Enjoy the authentic Italian dishes made with the freshest ingredients, made from scratch every day here at Rocky’s New York Style Pizzeria.
Dillon's Burgers & Beer
Dillon’s Burgers & Beer is a casual restaurant along Dillon Road that offers simple American fare and a selection of imported and domestic beers in a relaxed roadside setting.
Since 1947, Dillon’s Burgers & Beer has been a local go-to destination for having a good time.
The menu features gourmet burgers, including the pastrami cheeseburger, jalapeno cheeseburger, chicken burger, BBQ cheeseburger, and more.
They also offer sandwiches that will not disappoint you; you’ll love their popular sandwiches like the Philly Cheese Steak, grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, and the BLT sandwich.
If you're looking for something a little more filling or want to try something new, there are also options such as chicken wings, shrimp and chips, and their famous onion petals.
On top of its delectable dishes, the restaurant also features fun events from time to time, like Karaoke nights and bingo nights, to keep you entertained.
Casa Blanca Restaurant
Casa Blanca Restaurant opened its doors in Desert Hot Springs in 1996, and they've been known for its authentic Mexican food ever since.
This Mexican restaurant is located on Pierson Boulevard and offers a variety of authentic dishes that will leave your taste buds smiling.
The restaurant serves some of the best food in town, including tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.
Their menu includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you can always visit the restaurant at any time of the day.
Choose among their wide variety of dishes from their appetizers, soups, desserts, and kids' menu.
Want something different? How about the famous chicken fajitas paired with the rice water beverage called Horchata?
Discover why Casa Blanca Restaurant has been a local favorite for many years by indulging in an authentic Mexican experience.
It's Taste of India
If you're looking for an authentic Indian food experience, you can't go wrong with It's Taste of India. They have a wide selection of Indian dishes, so you're sure to find something you like.
The menu includes everything from classic curry dishes to vegetarian options that will leave you feeling satisfied without any guilt.
It’s Taste of India also features chicken, lamb, and vegetarian dishes as well as tandoori specialties and Indian breads.
And if you're in the mood for something sweet, they also offer some delicious desserts, including Kheer or rice pudding served with almonds on top and Rasmalai (cheese balls with creamy sauce).
Check out It’s Taste of India along Palm Drive if you’re craving a real Indian taste!
El Matador Mexican Restaurant
Desert Hot Springs has a handful of great restaurants in the area, and one of the most popular and well-known is El Matador Mexican Restaurant.
Nestled along Palm Drive, El Matador Mexican Restaurant has been around since 1994 and continues to be a favorite among diners.
The food here is authentic Mexican cuisine that will leave you wanting more.
Their menu includes burritos and enchiladas, but they also serve much more than just tacos and burritos.
They offer a full range of appetizers, Mexican classics, salads, seafood, and desserts like flan and cheesecake.
Try their sought-after fajitas with grilled tilapia and fresh peppers, tomatoes, onions, and spices served with pico de gallo, guacamole, tortillas, beans, and rice.
Their Coctel de Camarones, Pollo Matador, and Black Bean Salad are also featured on their menu.
If you're craving some good Mexican food, then El Matador Mexican Restaurant is definitely a place you should visit.
La Bonita’s
La Bonita’s is a family-owned Mexican restaurant located along Palm Canyon Drive that offers homestyle Mexican food and margaritas.
The restaurant has a great family-friendly atmosphere, so you can bring the whole gang to enjoy some authentic Mexican cuisine.
The restaurant is known for its flavorful food and extensive menu options, which include burritos, tostadas, salads, and more.
You’ll love everything about La Bonita’s—from their chips and salsa to the tacos and refreshing margaritas.
They also offer a variety of specialty drinks that will help you celebrate any special occasion or unwind after work.
La Bonita's is one of those places you'll want to go back to again and again because they don't skimp on anything regarding their food.
Papaya’s
Papaya’s is a quaint little shop nestled in Palm Drive Center, just right off Palm Drive.
The restaurant offers plenty of natural, fresh, and tasty treats that will leave you wanting more.
Papaya's is a great place to get some of the city's best smoothies, fruit salads, and yogurt.
Their natural fruit smoothies are made with only organic fruit and fresh ingredients.
You can choose from their extensive menu of other healthy foods, like our moringa smoothie bowl, mangoneada, escamochas, and tostitos locos.
Aside from drinks, they also have Mexican snacks you can munch on like the churros, tostitos, fruta loca, ceviche loco, camarones locos, and duros preparados.
Come and visit Papaya’s and treat yourself to some of the delicious snacks and drinks they have to offer.
Las Palmas Mexican Cuisine
It's not hard to see why this is one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in the city when you enter the doors of Las Palmas Mexican Cuisine.
The restaurant serves authentic Mexican cuisine with a focus on fresh ingredients, served in a charming, casual atmosphere.
Las Palmas Mexican Cuisine offers an extensive menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which are served any time of the day.
The restaurant offers a wide array of options, including an extensive menu that includes burritos, tacos, and fajitas.
Come and try their Huevos Rancheros to start your day, then the Filete Relleno de Mariscos for lunch, and Camarones las Palmas for dinner.
With excellent service and mouthwatering dishes, you’ll surely come back for more.
Experience great food and a pleasant atmosphere at Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant, located along Palm Drive.
Tan’s Pizza
Tan’s Pizza is a holy grail for pizza lovers—the pizzeria serves pizzas with 45 different toppings to choose from.
Established in 2008, Tan’s Pizza has been continuously serving the Desert Hot Springs area with great food at great prices.
They have classic toppings like pepperoni, ground beef, ham, salami, and more!
Try one of their signature pizzas, like the Meat Eaters Pizza with ham, pepperoni, smoked bacon, smoked turkey, and sausage.
If you’re in the mood for something other than pizza, they also offer salads, pastas, calzones, sandwiches, and appetizers on their extensive menu.
If you want to have a taste of their mouth-watering pizzas, come and visit them on North Palm Canyon Street.
Make sure you take your time and try every single flavor of their pizzas; whatever you choose, it won't disappoint!
Final Thoughts
Desert Hot Springs is known for its hot springs and natural beauty, but it also has plenty of great restaurants.
The city has dozens of restaurants and cafes serving delicious food and drinks to hungry locals and visitors alike.
With its diverse dining options, you’ll never have to worry about having the same boring meal while you’re there!
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