Nothing is better than heading out to breakfast in Palm Springs with a best friend. With our busy lives, we have found this part of the day is the perfect time to catch up. Since we do it often, I thought I’d share some of our favorite breakfast places with you.

Breakfast with Fabulous Views

When we can sit outside on their patios, we have two places we never tire of and usually say we should come here more often.

Escena Lounge & Grill

With plenty of parking, the ease of going to Escena Lounge and Grill is a joy. As you leave the car, the Modernist clubhouse looms before you. Walking into the building and looking to the left, there is a whole seating area where a water feature always draws my attention. It is window screen material with water flowing, causing an undulating unique effect.

When seated, you have an unrestricted view of our distant mountains while enjoying the flowing greens of the golf course. Scarlet red bougainvillea borders the course, drawing your attention to the perimeter.

With the clubhouse updated to a hip modernism vibe and eggs prepared to perfection, one cannot help but feel she made the right choice to start the day out this way.

Indian Canyons Golf Resort Restaurants

While there is a North Clubhouse and a South Clubhouse, our favorite is the South Indian Canyon Golf Resort Restaurant—for two reasons: 1. Parking is easy, and 2. We love the outstanding view.

Take time to look at the magnificent sculpture at the entrance. You have an unrestricted mountain view once you are seated, especially on the patio. Nearby are bridges over the streams flowing from one pond to another. Residents of those ponds include geese and ducks practically any time of the year.

The menu is your basic breakfast menu, and it’s plentiful. Often, I end up with a takeaway bag.

Breakfast Restaurant Downtown

Bongo Johnny’s Patio Bar and Grill

We started going to Bongo Johnny’s because it was close to my friend’s store, Kimbals. It didn’t take long before we were hooked. Parking is on the street, it's never a problem early in the morning.

It is located upstairs from LaQuinta Brewing. They have an elevator, but we prefer to walk up the winding stairs, which lead to an outdoor patio. If you sit here, you have a bird's-eye view of Palm Canyon, one of Palm Springs' busiest shopping streets.

We are in a rut, but my friend loves and orders the vegetarian omelet, and I order the feta/spinach scramble. The staff is very friendly and attentive and keeps the coffee coming.

North Part of Town for Breakfast in Palm Springs

Billy Reed’s Palm Springs

If you're looking for a place with nostalgia, Billy Reed’s Palm Springs will help you feel like you're stepping back in time. There is a large parking lot, and just outside the entrance door is a large koi pond with healthy-looking residents.

There are double doors, and when you look to the right, you will see a parlor-like setting, which I am told was the location for dances in the past. There are high-back chairs, which help create the perfect setting for a movie set. Beautiful, original dark wood is everywhere. The bar has Tiffany-like chandeliers hanging over it, and it is stocked with every liquor you can think of for your cocktail.

The cozy, wooden booths with comfortable cushions provide the perfect cocoon for private conversations. My favorite is a good old American breakfast of eggs, hashbrowns, and sourdough bread.

Breakfast for Special Occasions

Spencer’s

Frankly, I’m unsure why I save Spencer’s for special occasions. It is beautiful without feeling pretentious. There is valet parking, but parking on the street can be problematic whenever the restaurant is open.

Ask to be seated on the patio, which showcases real trees with linen-covered tables scattered around them. It is a wonderland at night, and hanging lights add a magical touch. The patio is climate-controlled, so it is open year-round.

Since I am picky about eggs benedict (the best chefs get the hollandaise sauce just right), this is my go-to item on their breakfast menu. Oh, and their coffee is excellent. Since it’s my birthday soon, I will suggest we go there to start my day.

Of course, many restaurants are scattered throughout the area, but I thought it would be helpful to learn where these two locals regularly eat breakfast in Palm Springs.

Kathy Condon is a travel writer and award-winning author. Her niche is luxury experiences and communities living in the shadows of others. kathy@kathycondon.net 760-902-2094 www.PalmSpringsInsiderGuide.com