Best Health Food Hotspots in Greater Palm Springs
Greater Palm Springs fosters a healthy lifestyle with its year-round sunshine and expansive hiking trails. It's no surprise that the region offers world-class health food options for gluten-free diets, paleo enthusiasts, plant-based eaters, and farm-to-table fans alike.
For Breakfast and Lunch
Ristretto in the Five Hundred serves quick, nutritious breakfasts like steel-cut oatmeal topped with dried cranberries, slivered almonds, and golden raisins. Try the creamy low-fat vanilla yogurt with granola, veggie scramble packed with peppers and spinach, or sun-dried tomato wraps. Pair your meal with a large green tea latte on the outdoor patio of the iconic 500 building, enjoying stunning mountain views.
Nature’s Health Food and Café has delighted customers for decades with creative vegan and vegetarian deli items made from seasonal ingredients, such as squash blossom quesadillas or strawberry-nut tamales. The juice bar features healing elixirs like the beet-rich “Luv Ur Liver.” Their famous Fakin’ Bacon stars in wraps and omelets, and don’t miss the legendary date shake. While waiting, explore vitamins, supplements, organic produce, bulk grains, and more in the market.
Soulful diners flock to Native Foods, a local vegan favorite now with outposts in Los Angeles, Colorado, Chicago, and beyond. Renowned for chef-crafted plant-based dishes mimicking meats with seitan and tempeh in tacos, pastrami, “chicken” wings, and burgers. Signature “handhold” sandwiches, wraps, and earth bowls feature rice, tofu, veggies, and bold sauces. Current favorites: super Italian meatball sub, Oklahoman bacon cheeseburger, award-winning Ensalada Azteca, Native nachos, rockin’ Moroccan bowl, and peanut butter parfait.
At Luscious Lorraine’s Organic Juice and Food Bar, Chef Lorraine Ornelas delivers fresh, mindful meals. Enjoy salads, wraps, and daily homemade soup. Local favorites include the Blanca Tuna sandwich with white albacore, almonds, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, vegenaise, sprouts, tomato, and mustard; or the Avo Chili Rap with black bean hummus, chipotle, greens, cabbage, avocado, roasted chilis, and avo-tahini dressing. The extensive organic juice and smoothie bar rounds out the menu.
For Dinner
Palm Greens Cafe, a vibrant sit-down spot, specializes in vegan, organic, gluten-free fare in a “deep fat fry-free zone.” Hearty entrées like market-fresh fish, cioppino, curry tofu, or lamb skewers complement lighter sandwiches, salads, soups, and tapas. The juice bar shines with blends like turmeric gold (turmeric root and red apple for pain relief, metabolism, and heart health) or Bradley’s Ultra Green (spinach, kale, mint, banana, ginger, probiotics, aloe, spirulina). Try wellness shots with Klamath Lake blue-green algae, tonics, elixirs, organic cocktails, and nut mylk shakes like Mexican chocolate. Quick bites: sweet potato-corn empanada or calamari kimchi tacos.
At Citrus & Palm in Miramonte Resort, Chef Robert Nyerick crafts elegant, healthful dinners using resort citrus groves and on-site gardens. Savor golden tomato gazpacho, free-range roasted chicken with root vegetables, fresh pappardelle frutti di mare (shrimp, calamari, salmon, sea bass, lobster, scallops, peas, saffron cream), or quinoa stack with roasted mushrooms, pepitas, butternut squash, grilled tomato, and arugula. Dine al fresco under the stars.
Grab and Go
Harvest Health Food offers a vast selection of holistic produce, raw nut butters, kombucha, raw honey, sea salts, apple cider vinegar, bee pollen, seaweeds, and specialties like nama shoyu.
For healthy groceries during your stay, Clark’s Nutrition mirrors a standard store but focuses on wellness: coconut water, protein bars, sprouted breads, organic peanut butters, rice chips, vegetarian chiles, cheeses, and more. Stock up on kombucha and picnic essentials.
Whole Foods Market in Palm Desert provides grab-and-go deli items like tempura sushi rolls, buffalo chicken pizza, wheatberry salads, and kickin’ chicken salad. Customize meals from salad, olive, and falafel bars, or enjoy the pressed juice bar.
Sprouts Farmers Market in La Quinta stocks wellness groceries, an olive bar, deli, fresh sushi, and bulk items like dark chocolate cashew clusters and oats. Try their microwaveable Country Kitchen meals; online ordering available.
The Certified Farmers’ Market serves La Quinta, Palm Desert, and Palm Springs weekly with local produce, cheeses, artisanal olives, nut butters, sauerkraut, kombucha, popsicles, hot tamales, burritos, and occasional cooking classes.
