Gone are the days when being a vegetarian or vegan meant salads are your only option on the menu. In this day and age, nearly any dish has the potential for a meatless counterpart. From chic eateries with a robust selection of meatless offerings to full-on vegan hotspots, here are the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Greater Palm Springs. 

Chef Tanya’s Kitchen 

Chef Tanya of Chef Tanya's Kitchen rose to fame with her in-house cultured seitan and tempeh. Textured and flavored to perfection, they serve as the anchor for many of her most popular dishes. The Oh-My-Gato-Taco is a top choice, booming with flavor, texture, and even color.

The El Cubano offers slow-roasted citrus and garlic seitan piled high and is bound to satisfy even the hungriest customer. The Guadalajara burger is a relatively new addition and already a popular choice, with classic burger fixings as well as roasted green chiles, vegan cheese, and guacamole complementing the best tempeh patty in town.

Nature’s Café

Vegan doesn’t necessarily mean healthy, but Nature’s Café doesn’t shy away from letting patrons know that their food is not only good to taste but good for the body as well. Using all organic, locally sourced produce, their breakfast and lunch fare is jam-packed with nutrients and flavor to boot.

Only steps away is their sister shop, Nature’s Market — a bonanza of bulk goods, B-12 shots, vitamins, and non-GMO vegan and vegetarian foods. Between the café and the market, their aim to be a resource for total-body health care in Palm Springs is certainly achieved. 

Cork & Fork

Cork & Fork brings creative, wine-friendly small plates to Indio, and plant-based diners get something special here: a full vegan menu with dishes that are every bit as thoughtful as the main offerings. The Vegan Crispy Cauliflower delivers a satisfying soft crunch with its golden batter, while pomegranate molasses and pine-nut gremolata add a bright, tangy finish that keeps each bite interesting. The Vegan Tacos have quickly become a guest favorite, layering creamy avocado, roasted tomatoes, and pickled red onions on grilled corn tortillas (or lettuce cups) for a fresh, flavor-forward twist.

Located in the same plaza and only a 5 minute walk away is their sister shop, Heirloom Craft Kitchen — a community-focused café offering wholesome, from-scratch meals with plenty of vegan-friendly options. If you're looking for a sweet treat try the vegan brownie and jumbo vegan chocolate chip cookie. Together, the two spots create a little pocket of feel-good, thoughtfully crafted food.

The Heyday

What began as a small pop-up at Palm Springs VillageFest has grown into a relaxed, dinner-style restaurant with a warm, modern atmosphere. The Heyday keeps things simple and inviting, offering a focused menu built around comfort classics — including a weeknight $19.75 Martini + Burger Special that applies to any burger on the list.

Plant-based foodies can enjoy the Magic Mushroom burger or  the Vegan Frisco Burger, made with a housemade mushroom patty, vegan American cheese, caramelized onions, shredded lettuce, and vegan special sauce on toasted sourdough. It’s a great option for sharing a meal with friends of all diets, with something satisfying for everyone at the table.

Clandestino

Clandestino is an intimate, Latin-American restaurant created by the husband-and-wife team behind Tac/Quila. Tucked behind Johnny Was in downtown Palm Springs, it’s designed as a hidden, speakeasy-style spot with dark, moody interiors and a lively cocktail bar. Warm evenings open up the patio, offering views of the San Jacinto Mountains for a distinctly Palm Springs dining experience.

Their menu highlights refined Latin-inspired dishes served in a relaxed, welcoming setting — perfect for a slow evening with friends or a cozy date night. On the vegan front, you’ll find thoughtful options like Vegan Nachos, piled with soyrizo, black beans, bell peppers, pickled onions, vegan cheese, pico de gallo, avocado, jalapeños, and vegan crema. There’s also a Cauliflower Mole, where slow-cooked cauliflower stews in rich, dried-chile mole served alongside red rice and crispy tortilla strips.

Chada Thai

Tucked away in North Palm Springs, this family-run restaurant is something of a local secret and a must-visit for any vegetarian or vegan who has a love of Thai food. While the full menu is not vegetarian, the options are more than plentiful.

As well, most of the main dishes are easily customized to become vegan. All of the food is authentic, full of flavor, and always fresh, which is precisely why this inconspicuous little spot has more local regulars than nearly any other Thai place in the desert. 

Palm Greens Cafe

There are a lot of classic breakfasts that become off-limits when going vegetarian or vegan, but if you’re a vegan visiting Palm Greens Cafe, you can have your pancakes and eat them too. Or French toast for that matter. Scrambled tofu and OE-eggs provide hearty alternatives to egg dishes, such as Huevos Rancheros or scrambled eggs in a breakfast sandwich, and vegan bacon and sausage finish off the meal to perfect satisfaction.

If that’s not enough reason to visit, Palm Greens also offers gluten-free options and one of the cutest outdoor eating spots in town. Just be sure to request the vegan options, as this organic cafe caters to vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters. 

Native Foods

Vegan comfort food gets a bold, flavorful twist at Native Foods in Palm Springs. From crispy cauliflower and hearty bowls to scratch-made desserts, every dish is crafted with compassion, sustainability, and serious flavor.

With a 100% vegan menu that celebrates globally inspired dishes and seasonal ingredients, Native Foods makes it easy to eat well and feel good about it. Whether you're a longtime vegan or just curious, this welcoming spot offers a delicious gateway into the world of conscious dining.

Kitchen 86

Kitchen 86 is a modern and eclectic small plate restaurant bar in the El Paseo Shopping District that offers a vegan menu full of fresh farm to table ingredients.  During lunch and dinner you can try some of the delicious flavors of popular items like the paradise veggie burger — a vegetable patty served on a grilled portobello bun. Another enticing item is the verdura tacos that are loaded with mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, spinach, and pico de gallo. Another tasty choice is the Divina vegan pizza which is served hot and fresh out of the woodfire oven with toppings of vegan cheese, Pomodoro sauce, mushrooms, and roasted peppers. These are just a few of the flavorful vegan options from their menu that you definitely don't want to pass up.

El Patron

Located on the corner and in the middle of all of the action in downtown Palm Springs is the baja inspired eatery El Patron. Their reputation for their lively and upbeat atmosphere accommodates their vegan menu gloriously. Their vegan menu includes the options of nachos, quesadillas, burrito/bowls, and tacos. The main attractions for these dishes are cauliflower, tofu, or sweet potatoes that are also alongside the works of black beans, pico de gallo, guac, vegan cheese, mangos, and grilled corn salsa. You can never go wrong with fresh and healthy tacos in the middle of the exciting North Plam Canyon Drive of Palm Springs.

From traditional family recipes to creative twists on the classics, Greater Palm Springs is filled with incredible taco spots waiting to be discovered. Check out this taco trail and explore this taco lovers paradise!