I found a great little coffee shop in Palm Springs that wowed me with an intense and rich espresso.
Great Coffee in Palm Springs, California
I had a meeting in Palm Springs earlier this week. Because Palm Springs is about 20ºF warmer than Los Angeles and an easy drive under two hours each way, I decided to make it a day trip.
I did not have coffee with lunch and after the meeting I wanted a cappuccino before I drove home. Not having performed my homework in advance, I just typed in “Third Wave Coffee” into Google and a coffee shop called Cartel Coffee Lab popped up only five minutes away and on my way out of town.
Perfect…
I later found out that Cartel Coffee Lab is a chain, though I’m sorry to say I had never heard of it. It has eight locations in Arizona (including in Terminal 4 of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport…I’m bummed I missed it).
Cartel Coffee Lab
1551 North Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
7:00AM – 6:00PM
Anyway, I walked in and immediately recognized this would be lovely coffee. The first thing I look for is the type of coffee machine. If it’s a La Marzocco, that is usually a good sign. I also look at the coffee beans they have for sale and smell them. Sumptuous!
I like nodes of chocolate in my espresso and this cappuccino did not disappoint. I took it outside and enjoyed it in the shade, even though it was 113ºF outside.
Describing great coffee is somewhat like describing great wine…trying to explain what makes it delicious is highly subjective. Maybe I’ll get better at it. But if you’re a connoisseur of coffee, you should try out Cartel Coffee Lab.
The indoor area, as you can see, is closed, but you can pull up in specially-designated parking spots to pick up your takeout order or sit and enjoy it outside.
I’ll be back!
What is your favorite coffee in Palm Springs?
I didn’t realize they had a Palm Springs location. Good to know. Cartel is very good in general and the Phoenix airport location is probably the best airport coffee in the country in my opinion. They have a full array of coffee brewing options and their pricing is actually pretty close to what you find at their stores – not hugely marked up like many airport locations.
I’ve been to Cartel coffee, and I can confidently say that it is on par with my favorite Seattle coffee shop, ETG in the Fremont neighborhood. They really know their beans!
Why don’t u do more articles on Palm Springs? The ritz Carlton there is pretty good. They have outdoor bars and eating already, which is gonna be in fashion for a year or two. I think they have a new Kimpton hotel there and the hard rock changed ownership recently.
As Vegas has become ridiculously priced, many of us from the second largest city in the US (LA) have chosen Palm Springs as the weekend getaway. It really has quite a few things going for it.
And BTW, have u used their airport, and if so, any tips or tricks. This really is an underrated area.
I was sad to see the Andaz have trouble there. I’ll return again. Nothing beats Sherman’s Deli!
PSP is a small airport that you will breeze through in no time. I’ve never seen more passengers than TSA at security. Most flights are regional jets, though they do have a concourse for full size jets that gets some use. Standard Paradies Lagardere concession lineup for small airports with nothing special.
IDK. I consider LAX he’ll-on-earth and will easily drive an hour and a half into the desert than two hours through downtown to lax, though it is supposedly only 20 miles away. Do these flights connect to anything with a major hub?
For those of us in Los Angeles, getting in and out of LAX has become the most challenging part of setting up travel. The people mover can’t get completed soon enough.
I have some pictures from my trip last week. With the pandemic emptying out LAX, progress is being made quickly and the project is ahead of schedule.
Cartel coffee is excellent!! I always enjoyed it at Sky Harbor Airport. Palm Springs has wonderful coffee at their Koffi locati9s. It’s a local’s favorite.
Koffi was just a few doors down, but closed!
I usually go to Ernest Coffee which is just down the street as well. They’re fine.
LOL. Matthew, I’ve spent a lot of time in Palm Springs. Maybe more than in Las Vegas or Scottsdale, and you know what I really crave when it’s 113°? A piping hot cup of coffee. Not.
It is a great place and I can hardly wait for the Covid thing to clear up so I can hit El Paseo, but no way am I going to sip a hot beverage in Palm Springs in August.
I assure you, it was quite pleasant in the shade!
So, how is the actual coffee? I drink my coffee as it should be, strong and black. Did you review the actual coffee before you ‘cappuccino’d’ it?
No.
Don’t get me wrong, I like black coffee too. But “as it should be” gets to the highly subjective nature of this post…exactly what I indicated. In these series of posts, I stick to cappuccinos.
Matt, have you tried Zweet coffee in LA?? They are a small shop in Eagle Rock.
Do mean Zwork on Colorado?
Thanks for the recommendation. I am there often and usually head to one of the Koffi locations.
My somewhat hidden gem there is Aspen Mills bakery. They have incredible bread, muffins, and cookies, and their sandwiches and salads are better than Sherman’s, IMHO! Check it out, keep up the great work, and stay safe. I’ve been an LAX-based traveller flying UA for 30 years and have come to rely on you and your informed perspectives.