Outdoor patio dining at Norma's Restaurant inside The Parker Hotel.

Palm Springs is a mecca in the desert for everything modern and fabulous. Of course that means you’ll find some of the best foodie eats inside trendy restaurants with killer aesthetics and decor.

During your visit to Palm Springs you’ll most likely be indulging in plenty of pool time at your fancy hotel. Between sunbathing you’ll be brunching, enjoy patio lunches, happy hour cocktails and then of course dinners.

This blog is all about the best eateries to frequent on your vacation. There’s many options to choose from in Palm Springs, but I’ve narrowed it down to the most Instagrammable and trendy spots for all you cool kids. It’s all about atmosphere paired with good food to really make you feel like you’re in a desert oasis.

Insta-Worthy Hotels with Restaurants

Many of the best restaurants in Palm Springs are actually inside the resorts and hotels. If you’re looking for bright, colorful and modern spots to photograph, after lunch take a stroll around any of these hotels and snap some photos.

For all the foodie instagrammers, the restaurants located inside the below hotels also do a great job of serving beautifully presented plates of food. Your flat-lay game will be strong!

Parker Palm Springs

The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs is one of the most stylish hotels decorated in mid-century decor. There’s six restaurants inside The Parker - the two best ones for photos is Norma’s and the Lemonade Stand. They’re both outdoors and you’ll have plenty of natural daylight. In this blog post I have several photos from both these restaurants.

The Saguaro Palm Springs

By far the most colorful destination in Palm Springs, the hotel is painted in bright rainbow colors. You swing by Rocco’s Electric Cafe onsite the hotel grounds and snap some whimsical photos after lunch.

Ace Hotel and Swim Club Palm Springs

King’s Highway is an upscale bohemian-inspired dinner inside the Ace Hotel. The menu serves California-Mexican food in a light-filled dining room. There’s a large wall outside the restaurant which always has a new mural.

Riviera Palm Springs

Inside the Riviera Hotel there’s two Insta-worthy places to grab a bite - The Landing and Cafe Palmetto. Both eateries have bright green patterns on the wall which make for fun vacation photos.

Arrive Hotel

Arrive has hotels in some of our favorite cities including Austin, and the Palm Springs location is super cute.

During my Palm Springs trip for Alt Summit we had lunch at the Reservoir restaurant inside the Arrive Hotel. Scroll through this blog post to see photos from our lunch at Reservoir.

Ice Cream & Sweets in Palm Springs

Ice Cream & Shop

The Instagram game is very strong at Ice Cream & Shop. The interiors inside the ice cream parlor is very bright and modern. The gift shop is very cute and filled with gems, and of course the ice cream is camera-ready too.

Great Shakes

Great Shakes serves shakes, malts, floats and ice cream ones. They specialize in fancy, colorful and over-the-top toppings for your sweets.

Lappert's Premium Gourmet Ice Cream

At Lappert’s you’ll find colorful shaved ice, ice cream cones, Dole Whip, sprinkle-covered frozen bananas and more.

Kreem

The artisanal handmade ice cream at Kreem comes in bold flavors and colors. Inside the ice cream / coffee shop (they also serve coffee) there’s cute tile, modern yet minimal decor and cute photo opportunities outside on the street.

Monster Shakes

Just as the name implies, this ice cream shop makes giant “monster shakes.” Their outrageous toppings include pop tarts, pop rocks, cotton candy, Oreo cookies, donut holes, s’mores and more. These shake masterpieces will make for some serious eye candy in Instagram photos.

Juice It Up!

This healthy chain serves colorful açaí bowls and fruit smoothies. On a hot summer day in Palm Springs these would be so refreshing.

Choco Churros

Choco Churros is located right next to some very popular hiking trails including Araby Hike Trail. After a morning of exploring the desert terrain, treat yourself to some fresh churros, ice cream, bubble tea or milkshakes.

Bright and colorful rainbow exteriors at Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs.

More Restaurants & Bars for Instagram Photos in Palm Springs

Cheeky’s

A very popular spot for breakfast, brunch and lunch in Palm Springs. Both the interiors inside the restaurant and the outdoor patio are Insta-worthy. The food is super cute and very delicious.

Chef Tanya’s Kitchen

Health nuts will love this vegan kitchen and marketplace. Their popular sandwiches use colorful vegetables to make your lunch picture-perfect.

Frankinbun

*Update - Sadly Frankinbun has permanently closed.

We are talking fancy gourmet corn dogs cooked inside waffle batter. Inside the shop is one of the best parts - the wallpaper and colorful bar stools are so perfect for photos. Keep scrolling down to see photos from our lunch at Frankinbun.

Birba

A modern Italian restaurant located on the main strip N Palm Cayon Drive in Palm Springs. The outdoor patio is very sleek and chic, the food is elegantly served and you can order colorful cocktails.

Workshop Kitchen + Bar

This restaurant was once an old movie house and has since been converted into a modern New American foodie hangout. Workshop Kitchen is one of the most popular destinations within the Uptown Design District.

The Tropicale Palm Springs

This retro-style locale is pink with neon and tropical motifs. The menu offers all kinds of international plates and fancy cocktails.

Rooster and the Pig

A very modern place to get your fix of Vietnamese-American fusion food. They use miss-matched vintage tableware and serve fresh and stylish food.

Bootlegger Tiki

This festive tiki bar opens at 4pm and goes late into the night. They have super fancy cocktails with crazy straws, flowers and fruit garnish… very worthy of some Instagram photos.

Truss & Twine

This industrial-chic cocktail bar has much more masculine vibes. They also serve small bites and fancy desserts for patrons.

Trio Palm Springs

I had dinner at Trio during my first ever trip to Palm Springs. It’s located in the main downtown area and walking distance from a few popular hotels. The food is upscale American with vegetarian and gluten free options. The vibe is lively and buzzing with activity, especially at night. We sat on the warm outdoor patio to get the best light possible for our Instagram foodie pics.

Instagram-Worthy Restaurants in Palm Springs - Trio Restaurant — Trio Restaurant.

Photogenic Coffee Shops & Cafes in Palm Springs

Ernest Coffee

During my first trip to Palm Springs we stopped at Ernest Coffee to grab some morning caffeine and a quick bite. The interiors are filled with sunlight and the furnishings are mostly warm woods. Keep scrolling down in this blog post to see photos of my latte and scone from Ernest Coffee.