We had an absolutely amazing experience celebrating my birthday at Palmina by Puglia. After searching for something a little different, we posted in the Palm Springs Eats Facebook group, and to our surprise, Antonelo Zito himself responded! Making a reservation for our party of six was quick and easy through their website. From the moment we arrived, everything was exceptional, terrific service, incredible food, and such a warm, welcoming atmosphere. It's not every day that the owner personally takes care of your table from start to finish, and that truly made the evening special. The food was outstanding. My husband said the pizza was to die for, and my gnocchi was perfectly light and fluffy, paired with a delicious sauce and fresh mozzarella. Others in our group enjoyed the Bolognese, pesto pasta, and Spaghetti Zito, all equally impressive. The bread basket was delicious (though we were a bit surprised to see a charge for a second basket). Their wine list is thoughtfully curated, featuring selections we'd never seen before, and the owner graciously let us sample several, such a nice touch. They also offer a full bar. And the highlight? The flambé tiramisu, absolutely incredible. I only wish I had captured a video of it being prepared! While it's a bit off the beaten path and a little farther from downtown, it is 100% worth the trip. We'll definitely be back. read more

First time diners, will definitely return. Our party enjoyed sharing a spicy salami and arugula pizza as a starter, without a doubt as close to a taste of Naples as you'll find in the US, crispy thin crust, perfectly seasoned, you won't find better anywhere. Then we had fantastic pasta dishes, ravioli, gnocchi, penne each superb! Dessert selections, lemon cake, chocolate cake and tiramisu all delicious. Only "negative" is they're 12 miles away from Rancho Mirage, but for this great restaurant we'll make the trip happily! read more

First timers. After seeing a nice post on FB, this place intrigued us. We travel for food (sometimes hours for great food and experiences). This restaurant is 40 mins (not too far) away and we really wanted to give it a try. Before making a reservation we read yelp reviews. They were on the very negative side. One issue was hidden charges. We found none of that. Even before committing, we called to inquire about these "service or upcharges." We were told only CA sales tax on food and beverages. (And that was true. No hidden charges). So, we gave it a try. We were greeted warmly by the owner and seated by the hostess. Then quickly brought bread with evoo and balsamic plus nice cold ice water. It took too long to be greeted by our waiter, almost 25 minutes from being seated. The restaurant was relatively full and he may have lost track of who he greeted. Once he came over to us, he asked if we were ready to order. We said we hadn't heard the specials yet. He then took great detail and time to share the specials and made drink suggestions. Our food arrived promptly. We chose fresh papperdelle bolgonese and the spicy salami pizza. The reviews on yelp were way off on the pizza size reference. This pizza was a very large neopolitalan pizza(see photo) and very tasty and well topped. They offered fresh grated parmigiana as well. The bolgonese portion was perfect and very fresh. Someone commented about the small bread portion. Again, wrong. While the basket they provide to start were tiny pieces, the $3.99 add on included larger pieces and a good value. We were very happy and happy enough to go back. I rated 5 stars because the current low ratings are not deserved. I would typically have given 4 stars due to the initial service delay which we gave a pass on during this visit because they made up for it. We will be back next week already for a special wine and 4 course dinner event he is holding. read more

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Cozy Italian restaurant with truly friendly staff. Really nice ambience. Service was very fast recommandations were friendly and useful. Summers in Palm Springs, needless to say, are hot, so we were not very hungry and decided to share a pizza margherita. They also have a very good wine list. Drinks and pizza came fast. Pizza was huge, but it was so delicious ( right crispness, fresh ingredients) my husbamd and I finished it in no time. For a Saturday night in a nice restaurant, the bill was really decent. At the end of the day, we had a fun date night we enjoyed a lot and didn't break the bank either. This is for sure our new to go Italian place when we are in town. Thank you for a delightful night. read more

I ordered the Margherita pizza it was very light, flavorful, with arugula on top. Very delicious,

My fiancé and I reaaaally wanted to love this place with it being so close to our place. We finally had time and decided last minutely to do a date night and try their pre-fix menu (appetizer and entree for $29.95) We came on a Thursday night a little bit after 7pm. When we first walked in, the ambiance was a lot nicer than we had anticipated. Dim-lit romantic lighting and the hostess quickly greeted us. I had the house Pinot Grigio (good) and my fiance had the Italian Margarita (delicious!). For apps I ordered the caprese (good) and my fiance paid the up charge of $6 for the Prosciutto e Burrata (delicious). Here is where it started to go downhill. Our waitress was very sweet, but we waited 25 minutes from finishing our appetizers for our entrees to show up. Not sure if it's a short staffing issue. My fiancé ordered the gnocchi (up charge of $5) and I ordered the rigatoni amatriciana (up charge of $6). The gnocchi was okay, it wasn't bad but not necessarily something we'd order again. The amatriciana was very overly salted in both of our opinions. I understand that amatricianas are usually on the saltier side due to the meat but this was too much. I asked for another order of bread to counteract the saltiness, the bread was super tiny bite-size pieces by the way. We waited a while again for them to check on us, at this point we were going to order dessert. As we waited, we realize the place was getting warmer and warmer like we were near a pizza oven. Felt like there was no air circulation in there, I had to step out for a few minutes to get some air. Mind you outside was a warmer than inside but at least there was a breeze. We still hadn't been checked on and we noticed our waitress who was at another table signaled another waiter to check on us. At this point, we were getting too hot and asked for our Tiramisu to go and for our check because we just needed to get out of there due to the heat and all the waiting. The tiramisu was good when we ate it at the comfort of our home. In all, we'd rather go another Italian place in town and pay full price for pasta and a better environment. We'll probably give this place another chance to try their pizza but it will most likely be a take out order. read more

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Ever on the lookout for a good pizza for take-out here in the Valley, we decided to try Palmina by Puglia - having driven by a number of times. We ordered one of our usual Italian restaurant pizza favorites - the Pizza Margherita ($25) along with a side of Kids Rigatoni Bolognese ($15). Unfortunately I was disappointed in both. Reading some of the other reviews now, I see the owner has a tendency to excoriate anyone who dares leave anything other than a stellar review - so I know I am probably in for it - but my reviews are always fair, honest and accurate to my experience. That being said: The pizza margherita was a relatively small 14 inches and the kids order of rigatoni turned out to be a very small portion as well (see attached photo). We picked our order up promptly when instructed, but both were cold as though no effort had been made to keep them warm until pick-up. We were able to reheat the rigatoni but I was reluctant to put the pizza back in the oven as the crust was already singed as you can see in the attached photo and I didn't want to dry the pizza out. I found both the pizza and the rigatoni to be unspectacular to say the least - not bad - just nothing to write home about. The pizza was not at all greasy which was good - but I had expected better. Three stars for being just "okay." Added to our bill in addition to the tax was a 6% "service charge" explained as "Import tariffs, CA credit reduction rates (whatever that is), and insurance cost increase." I understand that businesses have expenses but they should be incorporated into the prices and not tacked on as additional charges. I am not a fan of undisclosed service charges tacked on to bills at the end. All that being said, perhaps our experience might have been better had we dined in, but this review is based on our limited take-out order which was disappointing. We've had better take-out pizza in the area. read more

Palmina by Puglia - Pizza Margherita - 14 inches ($25) - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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I want to start this review by saying I don't take joy in posting poor reviews for restaurants. I actually love coming on to Yelp and praising a place for doing an excellent job. This was so unbelievably bad I had to say something. I was in Palm Springs for a work trip and needed a place to eat dinner. My husband joined me on this trip, and recommended Italian food. We made reservations, and arrived to a ghost town. Not a single guest was there. I know it's the summer in Palm Springs, but even the Carls Jr next door was getting more action than this place. People were sitting outside at other restaurants nearby. It's not like there aren't human beings residing here this time of year. That was the first red flag. The host seated us quickly, and we began browsing the menu. The waiter approached and went over the menu and wines. He was a bit overbearing and hovered as we went over the menu. I was quite frankly overwhelmed. It was clear that he's bored and our presence was something to keep him occupied for a long, horribly dull shift. He gave us wines to sample and we made a decision. The wine tasted pretty decent. It was $150 for the bottle. After leaving the restaurant we found out that same wine is worth $36!! That's a 400% markup!! That's obscene. We ordered burrata with arugula and prosciutto. It was not terrible, but overall flavorless. I ordered chicken piccata and my husband ordered chicken margherita. Both dishes tasted pretty uninspired and under-seasoned. The food was lukewarm and the breading on the chicken was a bit slimy. I know what you're thinking: "why did you eat the whole thing then, huh?" Well, I was working ALL day and was absolutely starving. Furthermore, I was already several hundreds of dollars in deep with this meal and it wasn't going to waste. And, I was certainly not going to buy another meal after this. Furthermore, the waiter was so overbearing and opinionated about the menu and gloating about the food I was too nervous to make a stink about the food and the menu. God knows how he would have reacted. All I could say was "mmm it's so good. Excellent. Will definitely come back." Let's go back to the customer presence....from start to finish, a little over an hour...not a single other guest came in for a meal or takeout. The only person that came through the door was what appeared to be the owner of the business. The only thing that gives me a little peace about the experience is hoping the tip I gave the waiter helped him put gas in his car, or food on his table. I hope he finds a better place to work, and I hope that restaurant either changes ownership or closes altogether. Avoid this place at all costs. Go to the Carls Jr next door, you will have a better experience. read more

Hidden gem of Palm Springs' eateries. Having been stationed in Naples while in the Navy, I can vouch for the authenticity of the cuisine here. The hospitality and service UNMATCHED, compared to any other restaurant I've been to in Palm Springs. You literally would need to go to New York City or all the way to Naples to get cuisine as good as you'll enjoy here. Chef owner Antonella Zito is unsurpassed locally. read more

Excellent food- way too expensive for comparable pizza elsewhere. They tag on extra fees to the final check- not clear on the menu. The air conditioner barely works. We spent $200 on a meal we couldn't enjoy because we were sweating. Great service but a place with fine dining prices should present a more comfortable dining experience for guests. I was just in Italy, and this ain't it. read more

Loved the food and the service and will never go back. They add a 10% service charge and that is deplorable. I'm sure it is on the menu somewhere... but. 10% forget about it. You lost me forever. The food for the prix fixe price was good. No way it is worth the regular menu price The arugula salad was a delight and the procuttio was tasty. I travel to Italy a lot and the pizza was about as "Italy-like" as it gets. The bolognese was also very good. Server was nice and had some thoughtful suggestions. All in all a very nice experience. Until. I get the bill. For heavens sake... just tell me the real prices. We would have been happy. The surprise fee at the end of the meal tainted our experience and we felt ripped off. read more

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A bit overpriced for the portions we got...though you are paying more for the experience, service, and ambiance. We went on a Thursday so it wasn't too packed. I got the prefix menu with appetizer of prosciutto e bargatta which was an additional $6 on top of the prefix price. The appetizer was really refreshing and flavorful. Then for my entree I got the chef's special which I felt like was not flavorful at all, lacking some flavors or seasoning...very bland in my opinion & very small. We also asked for another bread basket because one was not enough for all 4 of us with tiny slices of bread each time, not realizing we would be charged extra for another one. Then our check came out & we realized they charged us 6% service fee (which is mentioned in their menu)...for insurance, tariffs, etc??? Though their pizza and wine were delicious, I don't think I would come back here... read more

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Service was so friendly and attentive. The owner is super hands on! Food was excellent. I am not the biggest fan of pizza, but the pizza here was incredible. The dough was unbelievably light and delicious. Desserts were super yummy! We will definitely be going back! read more

Was so excited to try this restaurant and was really disappointed. We had pizza and it was just OK. The 2 other couples said their food was good but nothing special read more

Food is very close to authentic Italian cuisine and the pastas are the star of the show. The pizza tends to be disappointing because the dough seems to bake flat and tough, rather than come out pillowy and charred like a good Neopolitan pizza. Overall very good. read more

The overal experience was ok. My favorite dining companion wanted to try the lamb, but they were out of it, at 6:30 pm on a Friday evening and they were out of it. The cod he ordered came out with the wrong sauce on it. My dish of the Pollo Margherita was just ok. The mozzarella was not completely melted, the sauce could have had more pop in it, and the dish lacked a complexity I prefer when I go out to eat. The waiter did apologize for the lamb and the incorrect cod sauce and gave us a complimentary dessert (lemon cake) as a consolation. The cake was quite good. The ambiance feels like you are on a patio even though you are indoors. Not bad, but not something that I would go out of my way to try again. read more

Nice, casual, vibe. Date, family, vegetarian and dog friendly. The Zito and San Giovanni pastas were !perfect! from flavor to texture, temperature to portion. The Napoli fresh anchovy pizza review was a bit mixed, however, amongst our table of four. Live music was a bonus, the staff and chef were lovely. A small bread, olive oil and balsamic plate presented to the table was welcomed. We paid corkage to celebrate a birthday with a special bottle of bubbles and had a few glasses of their nice Chianti. We'll be back to this, or another location, and I'll get photos next time I visit Palm Springs. If, however, you are in a hurry for a nice southern Italian meal, this may not be a fit for you as the pace was pretty relaxed. read more

Not enough words to express . it is Italy ! it is the best of Italy ! They bring the love from Sardinia and puglia and merry it together with pride and respect to their culture and share it with you from the depths of their hearts every single time!!!! read more

Palmina by Puglia - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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My partner and I went here on a Saturday night around 6pm. We didn't have a reservation, but we were able to be seated right away. The staff was very attentive to us, offering us water right away, bringing us a bread basket with dipping oils, and checking in with us throughout the evening. I originally ordered the rigatoni bolognese but then to my waiter's recommendation of having it with freshly made pasta instead. He was absolutely right. It was the most delicious pasta I've had in a long while. My partner enjoyed a spicy salami pizza that was big enough to feed the both of us. It was fantastic, and they also offered us to go boxes if we couldn't finish it. I also really enjoyed the ambiance. There was romantic flickering candlelight throughout the restaurant and a live guitarist playing. I'm so glad we came here by chance, but I'm looking forward to coming back! read more

Our experience was exceptional! This restaurant comes highly recommended by several of my friends. A discerning friend from Eastern Europe advised me that if I ever desired Italian cuisine, I must visit Palmina. I believe many locals have become accustomed to California Bistro style inauthentic Italian dining options, often featuring buttery and creamy dishes rather than genuine Italian ingredients. The burrata appetizer, lasagna, carbonara pasta, and tiramisu were all outstanding. I eagerly anticipate my next visit. This restaurant is a must visit. read more

Palmina by Puglia - Carbonara Pasta - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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I am so HAPPY I found this little gem! My girlfriend and I visit Palm Springs maybe 5 times a year. This weekend we decided to go out to eat instead of cooking and it was the best decision! We ordered the margarita pizza and 2 espresso martini, hands down the best I have ever had. I live in Orange County and when I say his pizza is the best I speak from experience! Thank you Antonello for the hospitality:) we look forward to returning! Your restaurant is beautiful and your live music was a nice touch, loved the ambiance! read more

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Unfortunately there's no saving this family owned restaurant run by a chef with a big ego and an Italian chip on his shoulder. He has to learn to take constructive criticism from his American customer base. Even though the food was decent, what left the bad taste in our mouth was the price gauging on the menu. Charging $12 for a side of broccoli and have a total of 2 broccoli pieces broken up into 4 strips is ludicrous. Chicken piccata at $35 was a measly 2 tiny pieces of chicken breast pounded down to paperthin bits. Cheesecake factory at least throws in a side of pasta.. anyway.. i will spare you the rest of the details. Fix the sewer/dirty dishes kitchen smell which hits you as you walk in and reaccess your menu pricing and you might have a chance of surviving the ever changing/growing Palm Springs dining scene. :) read more

This was our first time at this restaurant, and we were really impressed! My partner is a very discerning (and slightly judgy) Italian, and he absolutely loved it -- which says a lot. We ordered the Gladiator pizza, and it was fantastic. The crust had the perfect texture -- soft, slightly chewy, and exactly what you'd expect from a traditional Neapolitan pizza. The service was also excellent: friendly, attentive, and efficient. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

Absolutely Terrible for the price. You get a tiny amount of dry bread. Want more? That's extra. No nice salad included with entrees. The chicken piccata was dry and tasteless. Came with no potatoes or pasta. Just a bit of flavorless greens with no dressing ,and a couple sprigs of broccoli. $33.00 for this!? They have to be kidding. My friend went with the waiter's wine suggestion. Bill came and it was $35.00 for a small pour! Service was decent but otherwise the place was not good at all. Never again! read more

Given the notable chef, we were excited to try this restaurant. Unfortunately the food fell short of our expectations. All items ordered were delivered to the table cold and lacked flavor. The special of the night was a ricotta spinach ravioli. While the pasta itself had great texture, it was swimming in a very watery white sauce with limited flavor and there were only 5 small pieces. Both pizzas were floppy, cold, and had a large handful of arugula on top, which while aesthetically pretty, seemed like overcompensating for lack of quality. Pizzas were priced $30 (springs) and $25 (marinara), and had 6 slices each. The spaghetti arabiatta was a hit and spicy as advertised, but again cold. Pastas were priced at $26 (spaghetti) and $35 (ravioli). All in all, we had a nice time sharing a Vegetarian friendly meal with good presentation in a spacious, clean, and inviting restaurant, but were disappointed with the poor quality of the food and the very high price point. I would recommend checking out Italian restaurants near downtown Palm Springs for a similar price point and much higher quality. read more

Good pizza, tasty bread... Ordered the Pizza Gladiator. It has mozzarella cheese, mushroom, guanciale , pecorino cream, and cherry tomatoes. The ingredients seemed fresh. The crust was nice, chewy and soft, with hints of charring from the oven. It's a little on the pricey side for pizza, but I had to try it once to see if it was worth it. The bread basket was delicious. I paid extra for an extra basket of bread. Surprised they charged for bread, but who knows, maybe it's an inflation thing. The service was good. Could have been a little more attentive, the server walks by often not even making eye contact. The atmosphere was nice. Like a clean bistro. read more

Palmina by Puglia - Bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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Great service but interior is cold and not very welcoming. We started with a 10$ bottle of bubbly water and then got burnt bread with olive oil and balsamic. There was no red wine available that cost under 25$ for a glass. The chicken broth soup with 5 tortellinis was 15$ and the caprese salad was over 20$! My husband's pizza was tasty but the crust was undercooked and floppy soft. My chicken piccata was nice but nothing to come back for. It was just OK but not worth the high cost. read more

Palmina by Puglia - Bubbly water - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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Our dining experience at Palmina by Puglia was wonderful! The staff were friendly, helpful and very attentive. Chef Antonella gave us a great over view of the menu and provided three different wines to sample before we made our decision. The appetizers, main courses and dessert were all delicious and the wine we chose just kept getting better. We didn't want it to end. There is currently a pre fixe menu that is a great value. There was a guitarist playing lovely music throughout our meal. We will definitely be back! read more

Palmina by Puglia - Spaghetti Zito - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

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A gem in Palm Springs. We tried their pizzas and they are a must-try. They are on par with Tony's Pizza in SF (#2 pizza in the US) but the portions at Palmina are a lot bigger. Service was so warm and felt like family. Pizzas came out fast. The interior was cozy - definitely did not expect that from the exterior. Definitely a stop every time we visit Palm Springs. read more

My husband and I and three of our adult kids all went, it's safe to say we are huge foodies. We could not have been more pleased with the pizza and the pastas. It was clear to me and confirmed when I asked that the ingredients are straight from Italy. What's so amazing is that the flour for pasta and pizza is so clean that people who are gluten-free and even celiac can eat their pastas and pizza. They ferment their dough as well for the pizza. You will be able to taste the difference. We showed up here because I took a poll from some of our local friends as we just moved here in our search for the best pizza in Palm Springs. We were told to go to Puglia. Make sure you get to this restaurant and order the variety of pastas and pizzas, you will be so happy! Plus the nicest people work here, and the chef has been featured and highlighted on Food Network. read more

Palmina by Puglia - Margharita Pizza - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

We just tried this restaurant for the first time. The food is outstanding. Tasted like being in Italy. Pizza was one of the best I've ever tasted. Highly recommend. I can't wait to go back k. Service was just as great! read more

This is our second time here and this time we brought another couple. They changed up the menu with regard to being able to get a prix fix or just order ala carte. It was Saturday night so the offerings were a bit different than during the week wrt the wine being included. (The delicious house wine is only $10/glass). The highlight of the meal was their beautiful vegetable appetizer. It was even better than the last time and this large portion was included in the prix fix dinner. I'm including a picture of this dish since it was so beautiful. Apologies for forgetting to take pictures of the rest of the dishes, I was too anxious to start eating! My husband and I had the fish special which was a very tender calamari steak with broccoli. My sister in law had the bolognese pasta (which I had last time) and was, once again, off the charts (she let me have some to confirm LOL!). My brother in law had chicken piccata which he enjoyed. The house wine was delicious and, of course, my husband had to have his cannolo and we all shared a yummy lemon pound cake. A double espresso and an espresso martini also found its way to our table (the boys needed to wake up a bit before we went to a comedy show.). All in all, it was a great meal and we will definitely come back. p.s. I don't understand all the whining in some reviews about the prices and the service charge. The waitress pointed out that there was already a 10% service charge in there so you could add what you want to it depending on the service (which, I might add, was very good - even though they had a huge private party to serve in the side room.) It's not a cheap restaurant- but it's reasonable for a high quality Italian meal. My family is from Bari (in Puglia) so I know quality Italian food! read more

Ambience, staff, food all great. A bit pricey ($33 for pasta), wine list is small yet interesting. Recommended.

We were visiting friends in Rancho Mirage who brought us to this restaurant. I hadn't read the reviews prior to dining there and knew nothing about it! I'm reading the reviews now, so pulled out my receipt to see if there was anything to the hidden charges mentioned in many reviews - there were none. Just a $3.99 charge for an extra bread basket. The chef came out to introduce himself as we dined and shook our hands and thanked us as we left. That was nice to feel welcome and appreciated. Our dinner was wonderful. I had the Chicken Piccata, 2 friends had the house ravioli (I got a bite and it was wonderful), the 4th friend had Rigatoni Bolognese. There was a $6 upcharge for fresh pasta, but that was made clear when ordering. He really enjoyed it. Beer, wine, cocktails were good. Shared a cannolo - small but very good. I really enjoyed this place. I'd like to go back and try the pizza. It was fun to come home and look up the info about the chef winning on Chopped. I'd say it well deserved! read more

Mediocre at best. Save your money. Dried out lamb covered in canned tasting tomato sauce. Spaghetti Arrabbiata (hot spaghetti) - weird taste and very hot. Fettuccine Romana w anchovies - weird taste. read more

Amazing! Such care in service and the food and drink were amazing. No room for desert but still dreaming about the Basil Spritz, good thing I brought some pizza home or I would be dreaming of the ultra thin wood fired pizza! So glad we finally went! The decor is lovely, the staff and owner could not have been more hospitable. We will be back! read more

Outstanding service paired with truly delicious food. The entire experience was wonderful from start to finish. Highly recommend--everyone was welcoming and made me feel right at home. read more

Quality of the food was delicious! They have a pre set menu that is priced at $40 that includes a glass of the house wine, appetizer, and main course. Only thing is I wish the appetizer with Burrata came with a bigger piece! The tiramisu was delicious but didn't like the caramel drizzle on it. Service was amazing though our waiter had an Italian accent and was cracking jokes with us all night! He needs a raise we loved him! Ambiance is gorgeous and transports you to Italy! Will definitely be coming back! read more

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Great experience at Chef Zito's tonight. Pizza made vegan, wonderful service with Jackie and Brittany. A friend got soup and I was afraid I couldn't get any but they had a vegan blended minestrone and it was absolutely outstanding. Love the ambiance, laid back yet high end vibes and the food quality. Thank you we will be back. read more

Palmina by Puglia - Vegan Pizza - Italian Near Me - Palm Springs, California

No wait for Saturday night at 6 pm...food is delicious...small portions seems pricey...$49 for some pasta dishes! Tasty canneloni. Cacio pepe...branzino,spaghetti carnbonara.(tiny bread bits for dipping ..unusually small!) Also bruschetta. . All flavorful and on point...HOWever...the added15% on top of the tax and then a tip.on top of that??? This is not BIG CITY swank..it's a shopping center(shared parking lot with Carl's Jr) EXORBITANT prices...add on 2 bottles wine and two desserts...keep it real please ..yes the food was very tasty ...servers were attentive ambiance very nice!!! Please no nasty remarks from owner/Mgr! read more