Restaurants & Bars
This CA Eatery Among 2026 Restaurants Of The Year, National Publication Says
"This is not your usual best-of list, where food writers fly in for a whirlwind weekend of eating and drinking," the publication said.
In all, food writers in the USA Today network found 40 restaurants in 25 states worthy of mention in its 2026 Restaurants of the Year list, and one of them is in California.
"This is not your usual best-of list, where food writers fly in for a whirlwind weekend of eating and drinking, often relying on the institutional knowledge of the locals who know the scene best," USA Today said of its methodology for the list. “This list, instead, comes from our own locals. Food writers who know their beats best. They live there. They work there. They eat there. That's what makes our list stand out.
El Mexicali Café II in Indio is a popular Mexican restaurant located about a half hour east of Palm Springs. It's arguably a hidden gem tucked into an unsuspecting strip mall.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It's difficult to stand out in a city with no shortage of great Mexican restaurants. But El Mexicali Café II brings in customers, according to USA Today, through its friendly, familiar atmosphere, time-tested dishes and one of its specialties, the chiles gueritos rellenos de camarón or stuffed shrimp peppers.
The 2026 Restaurants of the Year list also includes eateries in Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
El Mexicali Café II is located at 43-430 Monroe St. in Indio.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
