Where to Find the Best Mexican Food in Indio & Coachella
The east valley is the Coachella Valley's Mexican food capital — here's exactly where to eat
Palm Springs Spots Editors · Published Sep 10, 2026 · Updated Sep 10, 2026
Every honest food guide to this valley says the same thing: the best-value — and often the best, full stop — Mexican food is in Indio and Coachella. This is the valley's agricultural and cultural heart, where the restaurants cook for the community first and tourists second. The proof arrived in February 2026, when USA TODAY named Indio's El Mexicali Cafe II one of the best Mexican restaurants in the entire country. Every spot below was verified as operating on September 10, 2026. Prices are local prices — most meals here cost less than an appetizer uptown.
| Spot | Known for | Price | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Mexicali Cafe II | Chiles güeritos, USA TODAY acclaim | $$ | Indio (Monroe St) |
| El Mexicali Cafe | The original, where it started | $$ | Indio (Indio Blvd) |
| Tacos Gonzalez | Street tacos, al pastor | $ | Indio (Hwy 111) |
| El Tapatio | Traditional plates, family-run since 1987 | $ | Indio |
| El Campanario | Authentic plates in Pueblo Viejo | $ | Indio |
| Rojo's Mexican Food | Local-priced Mexican | $ | Coachella |
| Cafe La Jefa | Morning coffee | $ | Coachella |
The famous one: El Mexicali Cafe (both of them)
El Mexicali Cafe II on Monroe Street earned the valley's biggest recent food headline: in February 2026, USA TODAY named it one of the best Mexican restaurants in the US. The dish to order is the chiles güeritos — yellow chiles stuffed with shrimp — alongside ceviches and seafood plates. Happy hour runs Monday–Friday 3–6pm with a Mexicali sampler. The original El Mexicali Cafe on Indio Boulevard is where the reputation was built; both are worth the drive.
The taco shops
Tacos Gonzalez on Highway 111 is the taqueria answer — quick, cheap and very good, with legit street tacos, a namesake burrito and al pastor worth ordering. Vegan and vegetarian options are on the menu. El Campanario serves inexpensive, authentic Mexican inside Indio's Pueblo Viejo market — a local institution with shaded outdoor tables. In Coachella proper, Rojo's Mexican Food cooks at local prices for a local crowd. Note: Rojo's has no website on file — we verified it through current listings, so confirm hours before a special trip.
The family institution
El Tapatio has been family-owned and operated by the Garcia family since 1987, growing from a small taqueria into a full-service restaurant. Their own promise: nothing is precooked, everything made to order. This is the traditional, sit-down Mexican dinner in Indio.
Eating your way through a festival weekend
If you're in town for Coachella or Stagecoach, this guide is your escape from festival food prices — every spot here is minutes from the Empire Polo Club. Breakfast coffee at Cafe La Jefa in Coachella, tacos at Tacos Gonzalez for lunch, chiles güeritos at El Mexicali Cafe II for dinner. See the full Coachella guide and Stagecoach guide for the festival side, and Shields Date Garden Cafe on Highway 111 for the classic date-shake stop on the way back west. For the valley-wide picture, the best Mexican restaurants guide covers all nine cities.
FAQ
- What is the best Mexican restaurant in Indio?
- El Mexicali Cafe II on Monroe Street — named one of the best Mexican restaurants in the United States by USA TODAY in February 2026. The signature dish is chiles güeritos: yellow chiles stuffed with shrimp. The original El Mexicali Cafe on Indio Boulevard is equally beloved locally.
- Why does Indio have the best Mexican food in the Coachella Valley?
- Indio and Coachella are the valley's agricultural and cultural heart, with a large Mexican-American community the restaurants cook for first. The result is authentic cooking at local prices — most meals cost less than an appetizer at a Palm Springs resort.
- Where should I eat near the Coachella festival?
- Minutes from the Empire Polo Club: Tacos Gonzalez on Highway 111 for quick street tacos, El Mexicali Cafe II for the famous chiles güeritos, El Tapatio for a traditional family-run dinner, and Cafe La Jefa for morning coffee. All are a fraction of festival food prices.
- Are there cheap tacos in Indio?
- Yes — Tacos Gonzalez and El Campanario both serve excellent tacos for a few dollars each. Tacos Gonzalez (Highway 111) is the quick taqueria; El Campanario sits inside the Pueblo Viejo market with shaded outdoor tables.
- What are chiles güeritos?
- Yellow güero chiles stuffed with shrimp — the signature dish at El Mexicali Cafe in Indio, and the plate that helped earn El Mexicali Cafe II a spot on USA TODAY's 2026 list of the best Mexican restaurants in the US.
- Do Indio Mexican restaurants have vegetarian options?
- Yes — Tacos Gonzalez and El Mexicali Cafe II both list vegetarian and vegan options, and bean, rice and chile plates are standard at the traditional kitchens.
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In this guide
The restaurants
El Mexicali Cafe II
Mexican · Indio · $$
The second location of Indio's beloved El Mexicali Cafe, named one of the best Mexican restaurants in the United States by USA TODAY in February 2026. The menu centers on the family's famous chiles güeritos — yellow chiles stuffed with shrimp — alongside ceviches, seafood plates and Mexican classics. Happy hour runs Monday–Friday 3–6pm.
Tacos Gonzalez
Mexican · Indio · $
No-frills taqueria with al pastor off the trompo and long weekend lines. Tacos Gonzalez is a Mexican spot in Indio. Prices sit in the budget range — easy for a quick, cheap meal. Worth knowing: tacos, cash-friendly. Served here: breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night food. Hours: Daily 9am-10pm. There is a patio. Kids are comfortable here. Dogs are welcome on the patio. Best for quick, cheap and very good.
El Tapatio
Mexican · Indio · $
Family-owned and operated by Maria and Ruben Garcia Sr. since 1987, El Tapatio grew from a small taqueria into a full-service Indio restaurant. Everything is freshly prepared to order — the kitchen asks for a little patience, and the traditional plates are worth it.
El Campanario
Mexican · Pueblo Viejo · $
Straightforward Mexican cooking in downtown Coachella's Pueblo Viejo district. El Campanario is a Mexican spot in Pueblo Viejo, Coachella. Prices sit in the budget range — easy for a quick, cheap meal. Served here: breakfast, lunch, dinner. There is a patio. Kids are comfortable here. Best for cheap, authentic mexican.
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