Before it became home to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the desert city of Indio was known for its date groves.
Milkshakes made with dates are one of the culinary attractions visitors look for during their time in the valley for the festival or its sister event, the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Coachella takes over the 78-acre Empire Polo Club April 14-16 and April 21-23, followed by Stagecoach, which is scheduled for April 28-30.
While there are plenty of food concessions on festival grounds, people may want to eat before getting to the venue or after spending a long day at the event.
Here are some of the places that locals go to in the Coachella Valley for breakfast, lunch or a late night snack.
En route to the Coachella Valley
Most people who drive to the festival on the 10 Freeway are going to want make a rest stop. Here are a couple of popular places a few miles west of the valley.
Crazy Coyote Tacos
13033 Malki Road, Banning; 951-849-2000; Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Monday.
Festivalgoers have been stopping at this taco stand along the 10 Freeway for as long as the festivals have been in existence. The menu includes tacos, burritos and nachos, plus $10 dinner plates with rice, beans and a canned soda.
Hadley Fruit Orchards
47993 Morongo Trail, Cabazon; 951-849-5255, hadleyfruitorchards.com; Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
Hadley’s began as a fruit stand in the 1930s, but is now best known for its date shakes. There are three kinds: original, banana and vegan, running $4.49-$6.69.
Breakfast and brunch
Here are some places with local flavor to relax or get caffeinated.
Elmer’s Restaurant
1030 E Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-8419, eatatelmers.com; Open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
This family restaurant has been around for decades. It’s known for its buttermilk pancakes. It also serves crepes and Florentine Benedict.
Lulu California Bistro
200 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-5858, lulupalmsprings.com; Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday.
Three-course weekend brunch includes choice of such items as eggs Benedict, pancakes, strawberry Belgian waffles, panini and chicken pot pie. Beverages include mimosas.
Starbucks Reserve Bar
110 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-318-2287, starbucksreserve.com; Open 5 am.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on Saturday; 5:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. on Sunday.
This Starbucks is a little different than your neighborhood Starbucks, with pour-over, full-leaf tea and “Palm Springs exclusives” such as Iced Coachella Chai. The snacks in the display case, however, look very familiar. It is located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs.
Lunch
Most of these places have been established in the Coachella Valley for decades. The exception is a new gastropub in the city of Coachella, but it has some history since it occupies a building that was formerly a fire station.
Aspen Mills Bakery & Cafe
555 South Sunrise Way, Palm Springs; 34175 Monterey Ave., Rancho Mirage; 73600 Alessandro Drive, Palm Desert; 46520 Washington Street, La Quinta; aspenmillsbakery.com; check locations for hours.
This local chain serves cold sandwiches on its own artisan bread, including the Coachella, a meatless sandwich made with pepper jack cheese, avocado, red onion and housemade salsa on nine-grain bread.
Coachella Firehouse Bar & Grill
1517 Sixth Street., Coachella; 760-619-2150; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
If people who go to the Coachella festival really want to experience the city of Coachella, this new gastropub near the civic center specializes in burgers, beer and wine.
Fisherman’s Market & Grill
235 South Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-1766, fishermans.com; 44250 Town Center Way, C-1, Palm Desert; 78575 Highway 111, No. 100, La Quinta; 760-777-1601, fishermans.com; check locations for hours.
This chain serves a variety of seafood and fish, not to mention beer. The menu includes fish and chips, fish tacos and bowls.
Shields Date Garden
80-225 Highway 111, Indio; 760-347-0996, shieldsdategarden.com; Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
This 99-year-old date grove is one of the closest tourist attractions to the Empire Polo Club. It serves as a reminder of the Coachella Valley’s agriculture industry, which was built on dates and citrus in the late 19th century. The front is a gift shop with a counter that serves date shakes, ice cream and fresh-squeezed orange juice. In back is a café that is open for breakfast and lunch. The menu features dates in salads and other items.
Sherman’s Deli & Bakery
401 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-325-1199, 73161 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert; 760-568-1350, shermansdeli.com; Open 8 a.m.9 p.m. daily.
This family restaurant serves a long menu of New York deli favorites, include hot and cold corned beef, pastrami, lox and cream cheese, chopped liver and cold beet borscht. Specialties include Beef ‘N Latkes, sandwiches made with potato pancakes instead of bread. The bakery supplies tall layer cakes, cheesecakes, babka, Boston cream and coconut cream pies.
Late night
Businesses tend to shut down by 9 p.m. in the Coachella Valley, with the exceptions of casinos and fast food chains.
By the time the headliners wrap up their sets at Coachella and Stagecoach and vehicles crawl out of the parking lots, the action will have shifted to drive-thrus like Del Taco, according to Tim Hackbardth, chief marketing officer for the chain.
“After the show, or after that last guitar has been packed away, Del Taco is the place to be in the Coachella Valley,” he said.
Agua Caliente Casinos
68960 East Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City; 401 E Amado Road, Palm Springs; 32-250 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage; aguacalientecasinos.com.
Each location has multiple options, from fine dining to grab-and-go. Check with the casinos for hours.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 800-827-2946, fantasyspringsresort.com.
A pizza parlor and some bars are open until 2 a.m. Lique, an ice cream parlor, is open until 5 a.m.
Spotlight 29 Casino
46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; spotlight29.com.
The Taproom serves a late-night menu until 6 a.m. that includes pizza, bar food and steak and eggs.
Del Taco
Three locations in Indio, 13 in the Coachella Valley; deltaco.com; Open 24 hours.
This Orange County-based chain serves a long menu of Mexican foods as well as burgers and fries.
In-N-Out Burger
One location in Indio, four in the Coachella Valley; in-n-out.com; Open until 1 a.m.
This nearly 75-year-old chain is only in seven states, but it has a worldwide reputation for its burgers, fries and shakes.
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