Why Shop Local?

When you shop local small businesses, you are truly giving your support to a town as a whole.

With so many small businesses, artists and artisans here in the Morongo Basin area (which contains 29 Palms, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, Pioneertown and others), it’s easy to shop small and make meaningful purchases; the impact is great when we’re not always throwing away money to the bigger corporations.

Visitors to 29 Palms are very important to the economic growth and vitality here. I haven’t done any studies, but I presume us locals can’t compete with what is brought in each year from the millions of visitors to Joshua Tree National Park.

Where to Shop and Eat in 29 Palms

Browse the ever-growing list of places I have personally vetted, or heard a lot of good things about.

Please feel free to recommend a 29 Palms business in the comments at the end of this post, and I will add it in! Where have you been?

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Campbell Hill Bakery

Overview

• Tiny bakery with masterfully baked goods.
• Take out only (idea: there are picnic tables across the street in Bucklin Park). 
• Owners / head bakers are wife & husband Nancy and Travis 
• Daily menu surprises ranging from sandwiches of your dreams, to pastries and pizza, hearty soups and bread.
• Pretty popular; your options decrease as the day moves on.

Andrea’s Charbroiled Burgers

Overview

• Wait!! This is not just a burger joint. Grab your favorite breakfast here – our favorite is the biscuits and gravy with 2 eggs and 4 bacon.
• Order by phone, drive through, and then pick up restaurant quality breakfast or lunch to-go.
• Awesome price, quality, & service!! Like, super friendly, you’ll almost wish you went inside for the sit-down experience. **possibly NOT doing take-out right now, as they won’t answer their phone** So stop in (;
• Or, eat in! Dining room is now open.

Cactus Trails Cafe

Overview

• Food: AMAZING
• Service: Excellent!
• Outdoor patio
• Currently seating inside as well
• Take out orders (Can order coffee and other beverages to go as well)

Kitchen in the Desert

Overview

• Super popular, super yummy
• Outdoor seating / busy on weekends
• Takeout + Curbside Pickup available, including cocktails to-go
• Carribean inspired cuisine
• Everything made from scratch with whole, raw ingredients
• Numerous Vegan & Vegetarian options
• Located on historic, well-kept property

DINNER

The Rib Co

Overview

• YUM.
• Ribs!! And all the BBQ goodies and sides and things.
• These guys are legit. They make everything on site, and you can event strike up a conversation with the BBQ master as he grills your dinner on the front patio.
• Indoor, outdoor and take-out dining options.
• Their website says they cater, but don’t get too excited… Covid took out their catering business, but I’m crossing my fingers that they’ll be back.

Yamahana Sushi

Overview

• For a desert based, grocery store parking lot sushi joint, damn this place has good reviews!
• Currenty only open for take out
• Pro-tip: Place your order from the parking lot (maybe call sooner and check their current timing), run in to one of the nearby stores for drink and/or smoke supplies, then pick up your order and you’re on your way.
• Poke Bowls, Ramen, Sushi… yummmmm

Edchada’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

Overview

• Now open for indoor dining, full bar and all.
• Standard Mexican-American food that will fill ya up!
• Dine-in and take out available.

Rocky’s New York Pizzeria

Overview

• Currently just doing takeout orders; Call: (760) 367-9525
• Available by the slice until 3pm
• Open for 33 years (in business for 50) and “still using the same traditional family recipes our old-world Italian grandma taught us!”
• This is the spot for a good ol’ fashioned pizza
• When they’re fully up and running, expect to find arcade games, sticker machines, and beer on tap.

Bamboo Garden Chinese Restaurant

Overview

• Massive heaping plates of Chinese food
• Dine-in, takeout, and delivery! (as long as you’re not too far away)
• I have not been here yet, but the photos look like the typical, delicious, and filling Chinese food you’d expect in the U.S.

Castañeda’s (24 hour drive-thru)

Overview

• This spot is open 24 HOURS!! which is important info to know for some of us (;
• They are a locally owned chain fast food restaurant which you can only find in so cal.
• Fun fact: Del Taco also started as a locally owned, small chain restaurant, right near here.
• I suggest their burritos or carne asada fries.
• Guacamole lovers: Beware. Theirs is thin and watery :(
• BUT that homemade salsa is BOMB… make sure to ask for some!
• Just noticed they serve breakfast burritos and I’m sure they are worth a try!!

Mexican Street Tacos

Overview

• I have not had a chance to order from here (gasp!) but the reviews are stellar, and everyone needs street tacos.
• Currently dining inside! Parties limited to 6-7. It’s described as a “hole in the wall,” so now ya know. I’d eat there (:
• Take out is available

GROCERY AND GENERAL NEEDS

29 Palms Farmer’s Market

Overview

• All your basic fresh produce as well as fresh made ready to eat foods
• Local honey and fresh made breads
• Lots of local artisans and artists
• Perfect to enjoy and find gifts and souvenirs
• Not the biggest market you’ve ever seen, but definitely not the smallest!

Plaza Market

Overview

• Liquor Store meets Market meets a little bit of everything!
• Need something random in a pinch? I bet you’ll find it here. Stuff like:
  • milk, frozen meals, t-shirts, pet food & toys, large selection of toiletries, energy drinks, BBQ supplies, firewood, and a great candy selection, to name just a few.
• Surprisingly non-inflated pricing (maybe slightly, but we’re not talking big city pricing by any means)
• Easy parking in a old historic plaza
• The only bigger grocery store right in town is Stater Brothers, which I recommend for bigger shopping trips and produce if you can’t make it to the Farmer’s Market.

Desert Hardware

Hours

FUN, BROWSING AND SHOPPING

Raven’s Book Shoppe – Used & Rare

Overview

Be excited and proud that this little book store still exists, and has been around for over 30 years.

This tiny old book shop somehow seems to go on forever with its narrow and seemingly endless passageways.

Walking amongst this maze of books is exciting enough, and then come to realize it’s organized by genre and the pricing is exactly what you’d hope: cheap and fair!

Come find a new (old) book to enjoy while you vacation in Joshua Tree, and help support this small business book store which is such a rarity these days.

Smitty’s Bargain Box

Overview

• Thrift store!
• Family owned & operated
• Small shop full of treasures (currently expanding)
• They thoroughly check what they sell, like game sets. All game sets come with complete parts (we’ve bought two, and they told us they always count every piece).
• General knowledge of what they sell and a love for what they do

Hours

**Currently closed**
Grand re-opening on April 3rd at 12:00pm