Best Coffee in Palm Springs: 5 Super Cute Coffee Shops in Palm Springs

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text: best coffee in Palm Springs. image: a pink mug and saucer with a golden spoon on the side and latte art in the mug

When you think of Palm Springs, you’re probably not thinking of drinking coffee. BUT, yanno, no matter where you go in the world, caffeine will find you. Well….I didn’t mean to make that sound so ominous, but you get what I mean. Surprisingly, the cafes and coffee in Palm Springs is pretty bangin, so I was more than delighted to chug gallons of caffeinated beverages down my gullet in between desert adventures. And, since I’m a blogger, I decided to share my wealth of knowledge about coffee in Palm Springs with all of you!

After all, life is too short to waste on bad coffee.

This isn’t going to be a long post or anything (my frequent readers feel free to rejoice lol), but I want to emphasize that I personally went to all of these locations (AND more), and chose my top 5. I also…don’t actually like coffee BUTTTT before you click out, I ordered a chai latte at these coffee shops and my friends are the ones who tried the coffee in Palm Springs. And trust me, they have THE BEST taste palette. So that said, this is entirely based on my (and my friends’) personal experiences and tastes.

If your favorite doesn’t make the list….well, idk what to tell ya boss.

4 Paws Coffee Co.

image of a brown hand holding a white disposable coffee cup with "4 paws coffee" printed on the side. three dog statues are in the background.

Okay, so I usually don’t do these lists in any kind of particular order, but I just HAVE to start with my favorite this time. Out of all the years and years I’ve been to Palm Springs, my most recent time was my first to 4 Paws Coffee Co. I’ll admit, the mention of potential doggies or kittens is what initially attracted me. It’s a little farther out from the usual hum of downtown Palm Springs, but it’s also pretty nice to get away from the crowds and have a quieter moment with your drink.

If you end up going in the morning, they have INCREDIBLE breakfast sandwiches (get a breakfast croissant!!!) to go along with your coffee. Their chai was also beyond delicious and both it and their brews have one of the most unique tastes out of all of the coffee in Palm Springs. Plus, there are cute pictures of pups on the walls as well as business cards and advertisements for local grooming and pet-sitting services. They also have up notices for new adoption events at the local animal shelter so I DIG THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT!!

Gre Coffee House & Art Gallery

manicured hand holding an iced cup of coffee in front of staged records lining the wall

My friend found Gre Coffee House tucked away in a small alley off the main downtown area. You’ll first notice the records lining the windows. It’s a pretty small spot, but it has a ton of characters and – probably most importantly – a lot of records hahah. Music lovers will enjoy stopping by to check out their collection. You can even buy them as well.

Since I’m not really a vinyl fan, I didn’t browse through any of them, but instead went straight to ordering. Y’all. They definitely have some of the best chai and coffee in Palm Springs. They also have a cute little outdoor seating area with a few benches and chairs so you don’t have to stand around awkwardly while you wait to finish your drink.

As their name suggest, they also have a collection of artwork by local artists you can purchase. AND, you can spot a “famous” landmark from right outside the coffee shop: Abe Lincoln’s Face. No, seriously! It’s one of the more weird things to do in Palm Springs, but…I mean you can really see it!

Cartel Coffee Lab

hand holding a cup with the print cartel on it

Okay, so Cartel Coffee Lab definitely has some of the best coffee in Palm Springs…but it’s also the most annoying of the list to get to. It is located in the Arrive Hotel, and…doesn’t have parking in the front so you have to park either on the side or in the back of the hotel. I was completely confused about the location so I ended up parking in the back and awkwardly walking through the hotel to get to the coffee shop which is right next to the lobby in the front.

A dog at the hotel barked very persistently at me for no reason.

Maybe it was racist.

In any case though, I made it to the shop and by golly, it was a darn good drink! Similar to 4 Paws in the since that their flavors and tastes are very unique and don’t taste like any other run of the mill coffee in Palm Springs. So that’s definitely a positive in my books! Plus, the baristas were all extremely friendly and exceedingly fast at their job. Like…almost scarily fast. So if you’re in a hurry, I’d hands down recommend this place!

La Jefa Cafe

pink disposable coffee cup in front of a leafy wall with the phrase "but first coffee"

Speaking purely aesthetically, La Jefa Cafe takes the cake. It’s got a gorgeousss interior, and arguably an even cuter outdoor seating area. They are a Latina-owned sustainable coffee shop, one of the few in all of Coachella Valley, and they do so with poise AND vibes. And there’s plenty of street parking! We love a spacious moment.

When you walk in, you’ll notice that La Jefa is actually located in a business center typa space. The other shops and offices in the building looked pretty interesting and cute, but since we visited at 8am, nothing else in the building was open at the time. Both the coffee and the chai were delicious, and if you get a hot drink, your cup will come with a cute lil pink lid. BUT LETS GET TO MY FAVORITE PART.

Omg the seating is so adorable. Inside, there is a mini seating area for about 4 or maybeee 5. Outside, there are tons of tables with unique chairs and swings and benches. Honestly, it’s how you start every morning getting coffee in Palm Springs. I love a good mood.

Koffi

hand holding up an iced up with the words koffi printed on it in front of a viney background

Koffi is one of the largest coffee shop chains in Coachella Valley, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also have some of the best coffee in Palm Springs. Koffi has a few different locations. The one more central to the “action” is their north location on Palm Canyon Drive. It’s convenient, but there’s usually a wait because…well, it’s convenient and has the most foot traffic. My favorite location would be the location on Tahquitz Canyon because it just feel more roomy to me. The outdoor patio is also really nice.

Their lattes, whether chai or coffee based, are delicious, and their iced versions are not too strong and super refreshing – basically a deciding factor when choosing a coffee in Palm Springs. They also have a lot of great tea varieties, smoothies, and juices you can grab and take with you if you’re on the go!

Locally Owned & Roasted Coffee Brands

And of course, I can’t end this post about coffee in Palm Springs without mentioning a few brands you can take home with you! What better way to remember all of your fun desert memories than waking up in the morning with some beans from the destination! Buying local coffee beans is both a great souvenir AND a great gift for others, so here are a few brands to take home with you!

If you’re more interested in teas rather than coffee in Palm Springs, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend Cali Rosina, who creates their own unique (and DELICIOUS) tea blends!

Best Coffee in Palm Springs: Conclusion

While it may not have the late night cafe culture that the coffee shops in Oaxaca have, but you can still find a great brew with the coffee in Palm Springs. I usually have at least one trip to Coachella Valley a year, and my sweet part of the day is always getting a refreshing drink! Whether you are spending a casual weekend in Palm Springs, celebrating a bachelorette in Palm Springs, or checking out one of the many festivals or art events like Coachella or Desert X, I hope you make time to grab a cup from one of these cafes with the best coffee in Palm Springs!

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10 Comments

  1. So I’m not a coffee drinker, but I do love chai lattes. So will just have to try out the chai lattes at these places in Palm Springs. My husband can have the good coffees.

    1. Woo! Thank you so much for reading!

  2. I love how honest you are with your reviews. This post made me laugh a few times. I’m sure I’ll be back to Palm Springs soon and I’ll have to follow your recommendations!

    1. yay!! im glad it kept you entertained! thanks for reading!

  3. These all sound fabulous Kay! I mean, I’m not a coffee drinker either (so initially I had a chortle that you managed to review these all based on chai!) but you got your mates involved too – that is like a double/triple/quadruple check about how great these spots are.

    Sign me up for a cuppa and with a breakfast croissant. 😉

    1. hahahha I know right, the nerve of this strictly-chai drinker!! A cuppa + croissant is my GO TO order!!

  4. This is a great post! I love looking for cute coffee shops whenever I visit a new destination. Also, Cartel Coffee Lab is awesome! We have a few locations in Phoenix, too. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    1. I had no idea they were also in Phoenix! Well I know where I’m going when I visit!

  5. This is great! I’m also not a coffee drinker but love a chai latte so I’ll be sure to visit these cafes if I’m ever in Palm Springs. La Jefa Cafe sounds wonderful – I’d love to relax with a drink in their outdoor area!

    1. Yesss!! You can’t go wrong with their patio! Thanks for reading 🙂

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