Whether it's down to the continuous high temperatures in Palm Springs or just a preference for the traditional, the pizza chefs there haven't veered far from their culinary roots. What you'll find predominantly on the pie menus is thick crust pizza and that's the type of pizza Palm Springs has become known for. While they may not have gotten overly inventive with the shape or thickness of the dough doesn't mean to say the pizzerias in Palm Springs make boring pizzas, because they don't. They are in fact very classy pies which are topped with style and panache. Not only do the ingredient combos complement each other perfectly, but the pies are also so artistically made they could have been painted by Michelangelo himself. Methods of cooking vary from pizzeria to pizzeria and while many use modern electric ovens, there are still a few who bake in wood or coal-fired ovens for extra authenticity.

Best delivery pizza in Palm Springs, California

When you want the very best delivery pizza in Palm Springs, get one from Nicolino's Italian Restaurant on El Cielo Road. It'll be a bona fide Italian pie made in a pizzeria that could have been transported directly from Italy. If you took a table in the restaurant you'd undoubtedly be impressed by the mural of Venice that covers one entire wall with its scenes of canals full of gondolas. Sadly when getting a delivery, you'll be deprived of that. You won't feel deprived when your pie arrives though. Pizzas from Nicolino's Italian Restaurant are worth waiting for, but you won't have long to build up your anticipation as they deliver really fast. The quality isn't affected by speed and the pies are first-class every time. Lotsa Meatsa and Mark's Gut Bomb are both ones you should add to your list of must-try delivery pies from Nicolino's.

Best takeout pizza in Palm Springs, California

Go to Brickworks American Restaurant and surprisingly, considering the name, you'll get the best take-out pizza in Palm Springs. Brickworks operate from a very snazzy premises on South Palm Canyon Drive which may well impress you so much you decide to eat in rather than get a take-out. The bare brick walls are warm and welcoming and the brick ceiling arches add a touch of class. The kitchen is open-plan and leaves nothing to the imagination so all you need to think about is what to have on your pie. The choice of toppings for pizzas at Brickworks is exceptional and geared towards gourmet although they do simple and traditional too. But why hold back when there are combinations like fire-roasted peppers and smoked gouda or prosciutto and fig to choose from? Whether you decide to go for classic flavors or choose something more adventurous, a pie from Brickworks is guaranteed to be good.

Best pizza near Palm Springs, California

Beaumont

Drive thirty miles west out of Palm Springs and you'll have made the scenic trip to Beaumont. Between the two cities is the northern region of the San Jacinto State Park where you can stop off to take a ride on the Palm Springs aerial tramway. The best thing about Beaumont itself is the fantastic scenery of the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains surrounding it. Once you've admired that, stop off at Grumpy Tom's Pizzeria on Beaumont Avenue for a pie.

Joshua Tree

Head out of Palm Springs on a voyage of desert discovery by driving thirty minutes to the hamlet of Joshua Tree. From there you'll be able to access the Joshua Tree National Park to see the enormous yucca plants, go hiking in the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness Area, or visit the weird and wonderful Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum. Drop in at Sam's on Twenty-nine Palms Highway for a pizza on the way home.

Palm Desert

For a change of scene from Palm Springs, hit the CA 111 heading south for fifteen miles until you reach Palm Desert. After working up a sweat wandering around the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, go shopping on the El Paseo strip or get wet at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center before tucking into a pizza at Blaze's in El Paseo Square.