Palm Springs eats: What's new in the desert

a picnic in the Indian canyons is always a good plan in the winter months

Known more for pools, movies and mid-century architecture than for good food, Palm Springs continues to slowly add some better eating opportunities -- at least enough to fill a long weekend lounging poolside. 

Birba is a new cocktail bar/pizza spot next to Cheeky's

During last week's trip to the Palm Springs Film Festival, we couldn't pass up a trip to Cheeky's, the desert's best spot for breakfast and lunch. By now, the owners of Cheeky's have opened Birba, a pizza restaurant and cocktail bar next door that was just about to open when we were there. With its large patio along Palm Canyon Drive, herb garden and a full bar, Birba is likely to be hopping all spring.

customize a bloody mary at the King's Highway

Another favorite stop is King's Highway in the Ace Hotel, where we spotted the bloody mary bar, a fun stop for brunch. Construct a bloody mary to your exact specifications to go with chilequiles or ricotta pancakes, or order a big pot of Stumptown coffee.

Walking around the grounds of The Parker Palm Springs feels like a trip to a remote land, one much quieter and more well-decorated country than our own. The Parker's breakfast spot Norma's is now open also for dinner as an alternative to Mr. Parkers's restaurant. If you just need a little something sweet, try the pie milkshake cart or two petite pies in flavors like banoffee and espresso pecan. (King's Highway also has some good-looking pies.)
Next time, maybe we'll check out the new and expanded Cowboy Way BBQ -- they've moved out of the former Greyhound bus station to a much larger spot further down Palm Canyon; and the cafe at Shield's Date Gardens in Indio, which has added date tamales and date pancakes to the traditional date shakes.

Here's more on Palm Springs:
Cheeky's review
King's Highway review
Matchbox Pizza review

(Birba photo courtesy Birba's Facebook page)