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Located approximately 130 miles from Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park is a mecca for rock climbers, hikers, stargazers, and those looking for a more serene desert getaway than the adjacent Palm Springs. The nearby towns of Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms offer a classic California high desert experience: Find homey saloons that serve cocktails in Mason jars with live music, barbecue joints, and sun-soaked cafes that feel like literal oases in the desert. Whether a trip to Joshua Tree calls for drives through the desert or mezcal flights, here are the best spots to drink and dine near the park.
This update adds local favorites Ground Squirrel and the Restaurant at 29 Palms Inn, while the still-excellent Joshua Tree Saloon and Joshua Tree Country Kitchen were removed. The road from Los Angeles to the desert can be beautiful but appetite-inducing, so check out this road trip map detailing where to make enjoyable stops on the way out. If venturing the 40 miles from Yucca Valley into Palm Springs or the Coachella Valley, try Eater’s Palm Springs dining guide , or the Palm Springs cocktail map .
Altadena-native Mona Holmes finds solace in Yucca Valley. Her favorite desert activity is waking up at 4 a.m.
to take in the desert sky without city light interruption, before heading into Joshua Tree National Park to climb on top of an unusually shaped rock and watch the sunrise with a strong cup of coffee. The Red Dog Saloon A little bit hipster, a little bit cowboy. That’s the vibe at Red Dog Saloon, a former Hell’s Angels biker bar that looks straight out of a Western film set (because it is).
Red Dog Saloon serves Joshua Tree takes on Tex-Mex menu items, including beef brisket tacos, mushroom asada tacos, rajas quesadillas, and chile rellenos; it now slings a breakfast menu full of egg-packed burritos, chilaquiles, and breakfast tacos. Try a mezcal margarita or a paloma made with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice to go with the tacos. Pappy & Harriet's In 1946, a team of Hollywood investors created Pioneertown as an old Western film set.
After more than 50 films and television shows were shot on-site, Pappy & Harriet’s transformed into its current iteration: a restaurant, saloon, and live music venue. Located on an isolated patch of high desert far away from city lights and cell service, the restaurant serves sandwiches, barbecue, burgers, and cocktails in mason jars. It’s one of the most popular joints in the region, so prepare for a wait during peak hours.
A post shared by Pappy & Harriet’s (@pappyandharriets) Also featured in: 17 Places to Drink and Dine Near Joshua Tree National Park Luna Bakery This delightful little bakery opened four years ago with high-quality flour from Central Milling and a fully sourdough operation. Various country loaves emerge from the ovens mid-morning with a wide range of pastries. Even the croissants offer the tang of sourdough fermentation.
The almond cookies, sourdough cinnamon rolls, and cheese-and-chive scones are also fantastic, as good as any neighborhood bakery in Los Angeles. Once lunchtime rolls around, there are sandwiches for those who need something more substantial. La Copine Minimalist desert style meets thoughtful and creative dishes at this stylish fine dining hot spot.
La Copine hits all the right notes with its sun-bathed interior and seasonal dishes. The rotating menu includes an eclectic array of cuisines, which may feature items like rillettes de canard, beets and burrata, creamy grits, and warm beignets. Only open Thursday through Sunday, La Copine is very popular and only offers a handful of reservations booked via text message — but it’s worth waiting for a table.
(Note: La Copine is closed for the first two weeks of January.) Also featured in: 17 Places to Drink and Dine Near Joshua Tree National Park The 38 Best California Restaurants, Mapped Giant Rock Meeting Room Giant Rock Meeting Room is one of the coolest places to get food in the entire high desert, thanks to its rustic Western aesthetic (the desert kitsch is part of the reason to visit alone) and stage for live bands. Find wine, pizzas, occasional pop-ups, and lots of locals hanging out inside or on the porch-like patio.
The Foxy’s Favorite sandwich is a regulars’ go-to with turkey, Gouda, Bartlett pear, Dijon, mayonnaise, tomato, and greens on hearty pumpernickel bread. A post shared by Giant Rock Meeting Room (@giantrockmeetingroom) Sign up for our newsletter. Check your inbox for a welcome email.
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Las Palmas Mexican Cuisine Old town Yucca Valley’s Las Palmas took over the former La Casita building a few years back. Las Palmas serves reliable combination plate Mexican food, with excellent versions of green chilaquiles and shredded chicken enchiladas. Sundays offer a reasonably priced brunch buffet along with live music that could include a guitarist and even a harpist while taking a bite of pozole, camarones ranchero, or chile relleno.
The Tiny Pony Tavern The Tiny Pony Tavern is exactly what a high desert bar should be. The restaurant is a low-key affair with wood booths and bar stools but serves an unexpected menu with duck confit nachos, wild boar sloppy joe, smash burgers, hot wings, and more. The brunch menu includes biscuits and gravy, chilaquiles scramble, and a bagel breakfast sandwich.
As a queer- and trans-staffed establishment, the Tiny Pony Tavern has also become a welcoming gathering spot for the desert’s queer community . A post shared by (@the.tiny.
pony) Yucca Kabob After a long day on the trails, or attempting to scramble up some rocks, an unfussy hearty meal is in order. Yucca Kabob is available as a low-key spot that serves its outstanding eponymous kebabs, plus shawarma, falafel, and more. Founded by a Jordanian family over a decade ago, the kebabs and mezze are comparable to top Los Angeles spots, making it one of the valley’s best dining destinations.
If going with a group, consider the family entrees section, which features menu dishes big enough to feed six to eight people. Sam's Indian Food & Pizza Sam’s Indian Food & Pizza does indeed serve both of its eponymous items, with an emphasis on Indian food that includes shrimp tandoori, jalapeño naan, and saag paneer. The pizza menu has traditional favorites (meat lovers, Hawaiian, and veggie), plus Indian fusion pizzas, such as the Panjabi pizza topped with korma sauce, paneer, garlic, and onion.
The vibe inside is half-market, half-divey dining room with comfortable black leather booths flanking one side. A post shared by Sam's Indian Food & Pizza (@samsindianfood) Also featured in: 17 Places to Drink and Dine Near Joshua Tree National Park Crossroads Cafe Crossroads Cafe serves diner food inspired by Southwest and California tastes. In other words, there are good old-fashioned hamburgers solidly made with beef, but the ahi tuna burgers with jalapeño-lime aioli and Impossible burgers on brioche are equally good.
Breakfast is served until 1:30 p.m. every day; the menu also includes tacos, quesadillas with soyrizo or chicken, B.
L.T.s, salads, and pastries.
The standing midweek open mic night always has new food specials with glasses of beer or wine. A post shared by leyna (@eatswleyna) Also featured in: The Greatest Sandwiches in London Where to Eat in Peckham Más o Menos This popular coffee shop in Joshua Tree transitions to a sleek, disco-lit wine bar at night, all while maintaining its impeccable vibes. Morning visitors can grab an espresso drink or tea to complement the small array of pastries provided by other local businesses (croissants, muffins, and danishes from L’Artisan; sandwiches from Joshua Tree Catering Company).
At night, cocktails, wine, beer, curated mezcal flights, and non-alcoholic spirits are available to order, as well as salty snacks like mixed olives, nuts, and Righteous Felon jerky. A post shared by MÁS O MENOS (@masomenosbar) Grnd Sqrl Grnd Sqrl might be the perfect pub. Open since 2021, its rotating craft beer selection is some of the best in the region.
Chef Joel Petterson’s menu is ideal for hikers and rock climbers retreating from the nearby national park. Order the crispy chicken thigh sandwich, smoky pork shoulder, or poutine-inspired fries with gravy, cheese curds, pickled jalapeño, and egg. A post shared by GRND SQRL (@grnd.
sqrl) Jelly Donut Swing into the Twentynine Palms location of Jelly Donut for one of the most eclectic menus found anywhere in the desert — but namely for its steaming bowls of Vietnamese beef noodle soup and a classic collection of doughnuts. The bowl to get is the No. 1 with all the trimmings in its deeply aromatic broth — brisket, meatballs, and tenderloin.
A maple bar or apple fritter for dessert is a must. A post shared by Jack Pierson (@jackpierson9) Also featured in: 13 Gloriously Golden Doughnut Shops in San Francisco The Restaurant at 29 Palms Inn There’s a lot to like about the Restaurant at 29 Palms Inn. It’s a hotel, restaurant, and oasis in the same family for five generations.
The menu procures produce from the attached Faultline Farm garden that uses ancient growing and harvesting techniques for its hearts of palm cakes, battered and fried zucchini, and cranberry apple salad with a balsamic reduction. Try the rib eye, chicken piccata, mesquite curry chicken, sourdough pizza, falafel bowl with tzatziki, and braised carrot osso bucco — among other standouts. A post shared by 29 Palms Inn (@29palmsinn).
