Photo Credit: Oscar Flink
Why Visit Canopy?
- Food and wine pairings that enhance both — Canopy shines when you let the dishes and the wines speak to each other, guided by expert recommendations from a certified sommelier.
- A stylish yet welcoming vibe — With sunset lighting, funky design elements, and casually excellent service, the space feels both special and comfortable.
- A delicious dinner menu — From fried green tomatoes to the Dirty Della sandwich, the kitchen delivers thoughtful, satisfying dishes from a space barely bigger than a walk-in closet.
The Vibe
Out front, Canopy Wine Lounge welcomes guests with old-school charm: wooden rocking chairs and a view of the San Jacinto Mountains. Inside, the Christopher Kennedy-designed space offers a balance of style, welcoming energy, and a focus on comfort that doesn’t forget the details.
Lighting washes the room in tones that recall a desert sunset—amber and rose, soft without being dim. The curved banquettes are plush enough to stay for a bottle, a bite, and maybe another bottle after that. The staff bring ease to the experience: no snobbery, no overexplanation, just a clear love for the food and wine they’re sharing.
The night I visited, a truly great cover band was playing pop and rock hits. The amplification made conversation a challenge, but still, the space thrums with a good kind of energy. And events here are part of the draw—elaborate, themed evenings where costumes are encouraged happen every couple of months, and you can sign up for updates to get in on the next one.
Photo Credit: Oscar Flink
The Bar
You don’t just drink wine at Canopy—you enter into a kind of dialogue with it. That’s thanks to Kate Perry, a certified sommelier whose approach is personal, curious, and never prescriptive.
The wine list comes without tasting notes. That’s deliberate. “It’s more personal to have a conversation about the wine,” Kate told me. And what a conversation it is. Tell her what you’re curious about and she’ll transport you—to a high-altitude Sicilian vineyard, or a foggy Burgundian hillside, or to a bottle made by a winemaker who hand-bottled everything after losing power to wildfire.
Kate’s not there to find you any old wine, she’s there to find your wine, tonight, for what’s on the table. “It’s my favorite part,” she says, “painting the picture in your head of the place it comes from, or how it might fit with your meal.”
Canopy’s real joy is how these wines interact with the food. A white Burgundy, lightly oaked, offered a balance of elegance and surprise. A chilled pinot grenache was light-bodied but with backbone, perfect for desert heat. The Lombardo greco di bianco, made with a touch of skin contact, was golden, nuanced, and just a little wild. A Lambrusco, sparkling and red, tasted like a celebration—if you’ve never had one, let this be your first. A cabernet franc stood tall, structured and earthy, ready to anchor a rich dish.
If you love what you drank and want more than a one night stand, bottles are available at retail. The Canopy Cru Collective wine club offers curated selections from a rotating cast of winemakers, complete with pairing notes. It’s the kind of club you build a dinner party around.
The Food
Chef Kristin Puttkamer describes her culinary mission simply: “I love to cook. I love to feed people. It brings me joy.” The joy is evident in the menu, which is all the more remarkable considering that the kitchen is barely 200 square feet. “First time guests are always a pleasure to welcome into the lounge,” she says. “They are always surprised that we have a full dinner menu and are not just a wine lounge.”
The crab cake sets a high bar. “It’s what a crab cake should be,” said Kristin. The foundation is a crisp potato cake, baked and cooled to create a retrograded starch that fries to a haystack crunch. Mine may have sat a little long, for the guest I dined with, the texture was perfect. The sweet lump crab is gently seasoned, topped with pickled leek and on top of a swathe of Old Bay remoulade. On its own, I wanted more brightness—but matched with the white Burgundy, the flavors locked into place. “If a plate of food is well balanced, it will always pair with wine—vinegar and pickles included,” Kristin told me.
Photo Credit: Cece Nguyen
The garden tartine rotates with the farmers market. Mine included heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches, pistachios, pesto, and stracciatella, all on housemade sourdough from a five-year-old wild starter. It tasted green in a way that recalled my childhood—walking through my grandfather’s garden, brushing past tomato leaves warmed by the sun, surrounded by fragrant herbs and something alive in the air.
Photo Credit: Cece Nguyen
The fried green tomatoes are a study in contrast. Coated in a crunchy gluten-free flour blend with cornmeal and rice panko, they arrive deeply browned and satisfyingly crisp, while the fruit has just enough time in the heat to soften to gentle silkiness. The creamy dill dressing is rich with smoked paprika, basil, and dill. “Everything about this is green,” Kristin said, and it truly is: fresh, herbaceous, and layered.
Photo Credit: Cece Nguyen
The Ibérico tartine puts that gorgeous red meat slicer behind the bar to excellent use. Paper-thin jamón ibérico is layered with lemony fromage blanc, bitter greens, and a touch of seasoned fresh melon. I wouldn’t have minded a little more of the fruit, but the whole thing felt intentional and clean.
The Dirty Della sandwich is a showstopper. From top to bottom: homemade focaccia, pistachio pesto mayo, provolone, mortadella, dressed arugula, and housemade giardiniera. I want to keep that pickled veggie relish in my fridge, and loved that it was chopped enough that the risk of dropping a whole sandwich-slick chunk of cauliflower on my shirt was nonexistent. The colors alone—bright green, deep red, vivid orange—invite a second look. “I wanted this to be a sandwich you didn’t want to put down,” Kristin said. “Not only because it’s delicious, but also because maybe you can’t pick it back up again.” She’s not wrong. It’s plush, rich, and visually striking. I think you should have a nice sip of wine, then just go for it.
Photo Credit: Cece Nguyen
The pulled pork sliders are dry-brined and seasoned with Chinese five spice. The unique and delicious date and espelette BBQ sauce hints at the Coachella Valley’s fruit trees. Persian cucumber “quickles” add snap, and Alabama white sauce ties it all together with sharpness and tang. Every bite walks the line between richness and refreshment, and was my favorite dish that night.
The Basque cheesecake is lighter than a New York–style, with a texture that leans cakier than creamy. Fromage blanc and gluten-free flour give it structure without excess density. The top is beautifully burnished, but still soft, splitting easily with a spoon. A red wine blackberry gastrique with cinnamon and star anise adds just the right note of bright warmth.
Service and Pricing
Service at Canopy is quietly polished. When my dining companion left the table, his napkin was refolded before he returned. The staff are warm and knowledgeable, happy to offer recommendations or simply check in with a smile. They hang out with guests in a way that feels natural, not scripted.
Food pricing feels fair, especially considering the generous portions and the precision of what’s being served. The Dirty Della alone could be two meals. Wine prices are higher than your average downtown pour, but they reflect the complexity and variety on the list—and the kind of experience Canopy wants to offer. This isn’t where you go to get messy on Bota Box. This is where you go on an adventure and discover something delicious you’ve never tried before.
Vegetarians have plenty of options among the starters, salads, and two of the mains. Gluten-free diners are well covered with salads, charcuterie, mezze, the tomatoes, and that lovely cheesecake. Vegan dishes are limited, but the kitchen is flexible and willing to adapt wherever possible.
Final Thoughts
The essence of Canopy Wine Lounge is the way food and wine speak to each other, and with the guests. This is not just a place to order your go-to pinot noir or nibble a snack. It’s a space where the wine changes the food—and the food sends you back to the glass with a new appreciation.
As Kristin puts it: “We want Canopy to be your local hang with a community-driven environment. A place you can come and enjoy unique wines and incredible food.”
You can. And you should.
Canopy Wine Lounge
📍 175 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262
📞 (760) 656-0054
🌐 canopywinelounge.com
📅 Sunday & Monday 4 PM – 9 PM, Thursday – Saturday 4 PM – 10 PM
🍸 Happy Hour Thursday – Monday 4 PM – 6 PM
📲 Reservations via OpenTable
© 2025 Hungry Mirage