Le Vallauris

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Restaurant With Roots in Palm Springs History

Le Vallauris occupies one of the last surviving structures from the Desert Inn, the historic hotel credited with transforming Palm Springs into a desert resort destination in the early twentieth century. The building itself was once the private home of George Roberson Jr. before being reimagined as a restaurant in the 1970s. That layered past gives the dining room a sense of place that no amount of deliberate design could manufacture.

The setting is a Spanish revival landmark, and it shows — warm architecture framed by the San Jacinto Mountains, with a tree-shaded courtyard that draws guests outdoors on temperate desert evenings. The combination of indoor elegance and open-air dining is one of the restaurant's most enduring pleasures.

French Cuisine, Californian Sensibility

The kitchen works within a French and Mediterranean tradition while letting California's seasonal abundance shape what actually lands on the table. The daily changing menu is presented on a chalkboard — a deliberate, unhurried gesture that signals the kitchen's commitment to what's fresh rather than what's fixed. Signatures that recur include Dover Sole, Maine Lobster Ravioli, and Veal Filet, dishes that anchor the French cuisine identity while leaving room for seasonal variation.

Live music performed daily adds another dimension to the experience, making Le Vallauris as much a place to linger as to eat. Dinner is offered every evening; weekend brunch extends the welcome into Sunday afternoons.

Recognized for Its Wine Program

Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for 2025 reflects the seriousness with which Le Vallauris approaches its cellar — a natural complement to French and Mediterranean cooking that rewards a well-chosen bottle. The recognition underscores what regulars already know: this is a restaurant where the full table experience, from glass to plate to setting, has been carefully considered.

For anyone seeking unhurried French cuisine in the California desert, Le Vallauris remains one of Palm Springs' most distinctive addresses.