Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week returns from May 30 to June 8. Restaurant Week features special prix fixe menus and exclusive offerings from a wide range of participating establishments.  Among the many restaurants participating this year are: 

  • Alice B in Palm Springs  from James Beard and Julia Child award-winning chefs, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken
  • Bunker Bar PGA West, La Quinta – Gourmet gastro pub fare in a refined setting,  with a Restaurant Week special offer that includes the Trackman Golf Simulator. 
  • PS Underground, Palm Springs – Celebrate the era of doo-wop and soulful melodies with the best of 1950s and 1960s female singers while enjoying a four-course dinner. 
  • Mole Ingenious Mexican Kitchen, Palm Desert 
  • Saffron, Palm Springs – An exploration of Persian cuisine, featuring aromatic spices and authentic slow-cooked dishes
Palm Springs

Kestrel Kitchen (Courtesy Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week)

There will be a charity summer cookout hosted by the Out Of The Fire LA non-profit in support of the Families of LA City and County Firefighters displaced by January’s wildfires. Out of the Fire LA was co-founded by Aron Pobereskin, who had stints at Alinea and Noma, and Jeff Strauss of OyBar and Jeff’s Table. The event takes place on Sunday, June 1, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Tickets for the 21+ event are  $75 and include all food and a choice of two beverages, with 100% of the ticket price, along with all additional profit benefiting firefighters and their families. The menu includes  grilled oysters, shrimp, chicken, pork and  beer, wine, and cocktails.

Palm Springs

Courtesy Graze Social Club

 Graze Social Club has launched  Graze Breakfast Club, a weekly brunch pop-up in  Studio City at  Vintage Wine + Eats every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 pm. The rotating menu will feature dishes like shakshuka, chilequiles verde, a Kanji rice bowl with grilled spam, sourdough pancakes, and more. There are also signature cocktails, wines, and specialty coffee creations, live DJ sets, and weekly rotating entertainment, including flash tattoo artists, tarot card readers, and flower trucks

Barnsdall Park’s Popular Wine Series returns from Friday, June 6 to Friday, Sept.  26. The  16th season will help provide essential funding to sustain Barnsdall Art Park amidst the City of Los Angeles’s newly proposed budget cuts, which put much of the site’s cultural programming at risk.

The event takes place on Olive Hill and the West Lawn of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, the sole UNESCO World Heritage site in LA, every Friday from June 6 to September 26 (excluding July 4) from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Indulge in wines from a long-standing artisanal partner at Silverlake Wine,  selections from a variety of local food trucks and curated DJ performances. Attendees are advised to bring blankets for optimal comfort!

While onsite, discover a series of exhibitions at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery and Barnsdall Junior Arts Center Gallery. Starting in June, Friday Night Arts at LAMAG will offer a blend of artist-led presentations and interactive installations, opening with an immersive installation by multimedia artist Bill Barminski. COLA 2025 exhibition, an annual exhibition of new works by LA-based artists, will be showcased throughout July and August.

Tickets cost $45 with other tier options that include a tour of Hollyhock House starting at $80.  Parking is limited; ride-sharing and public transportation are highly encouraged. Designated Driver tickets are available, too.  Get tickets here. 

Donut Kitty will have a surprise pop-up at the Jackalope Indie Arts Festival in Burbank on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1. Donut Kitty sets itself apart by combining authentic malasada-style donuts, a Hawaiian delicacy, with classic French-style beignets. Each donut is made from scratch with an ever-changing menu. Donut Kitty is scheduling a handful of surprise pop-ups this summer with plans in development to bring brick-and-mortar locations across Southern California. https://donutkitty.com/

Palm Springs

Garden party cocktails (Courtesy The Culver Hotel)

The Culver Hotel has a new weekly Garden Party, launching Memorial Day Weekend and taking place every Saturday through Labor Day. Set against the iconic backdrop of Culver City’s towering landmark, the sun-drenched affair offers a chic blend of seasonal cocktails, gourmet bites, music, and florals.  Sip on summer spritzes like Kikori yuzu-spiked Arnold Palmers, and playful punches made for sharing. Nibble on bite-sized canapés like tuna on crispy rice, scallop crudo, coconut ceviche, avocado tartine, and green tea panna cotta. For those looking for a heartier meal, weekend brunch will also be available.

Furry friends are welcome and can indulge in a selection of healthy barcuterie snacks, including fresh fruits and vegetables, Gruyere cheese bites, a peanut butter dip, and crunchy treats presented on a wooden paw-print board. There is also a live DJ, and  The Floral Boutique hosts a pop-up flower bar offering bouquets to take home.

What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink.

Palm Springs

Courtesy Donut Kitty