Few resort restaurants can boast the unbroken span of popularity enjoyed by Lyons English Grille. This atmospheric restaurant has been serving English food with a continental flair for more than two decades. Thanks to the culinary skill of veteran chefs and the high standards of owner David Lyons, the family-operated restaurant has built an enviable reputation for fine food and service. Most of the staff has been on board since the restaurant’s opening, giving Lyons a consistency and quality rarely found in resort dining establishments. That’s why lots of in-the-know locals have standing reservations. Entering this elegant enclave is like stepping back in history. Reminiscent of a 19th-century London inn, the dimly lit surroundings are filled with antiques and interesting reminders of England’s royal heritage. Leaded-glass windows flank the foyer, with scenes from the reign of raucous Henry VIII on one side and the more somber Houses of Parliament on the other. Colorful coats of arms in leaded glass light the main dining room, while old Toby mugs, copper pots, and Royal Doulton tankards decorate the bar. Costumed waitresses skim past crowded tables while rows of hanging medieval banners gently ripple in the air, beckoning diners into another era. Separate banquet rooms for private parties, richly paneled and individualized with Anglican treasures, can accommodate parties ranging from 15 to 100, the Pub Room for small groups, and the Parliament Room for a crowd. Amid all the English embellishments, you’ll dine on the hearty fare kings and queens have favored for centuries. Lyons offers some of the juiciest, most flavorful meats in the desert — Eastern corn-fed USDA Prime Rib, New York Steaks, and Filet Mignon, aged to perfection on site. Also comforting dishes — Chicken in the Pot, Braised Short Ribs, succulent Lamb Shanks, and Lake Superior Whitefish. The Lyons brothers, David and Arthur (now deceased), have owned and operated restaurants in California since 1938. English immigrants, they brought recipes for steak and kidney pie and the classic custard tryfle from their family home in Lancashire. In the desert, it’s as close as you can get to the “many sceptered isle.” |
SHOWN ABOVE: One of their most famous entrées is a generous cut of Prime Rib, served rare or as you like it, au jus with a creamy horseradish sauce and all the accoutrements — here with a Baked Potato topped with sour cream and chives, their trademark English popover, fresh vegetables and a luscious Cherry Tryfle. “Serving the desert with fine food and service since 1945, a family-owned-and-operated restaurant with the aura of a 19th-century London inn.” |
MENU HIGHLIGHTS APPETIZERS
Kreplach
Caesar Salad
Shrimp Cocktail
Sautéed Mushrooms
Fresh Crab Cakes
Stuffed Mushrooms ENTRÉES
Aged Corn-fed Eastern Choice Beef
USDA Prime Rib
Steak and Kidney Pie
Baby Back Ribs
Long Island Roast Duckling
Braised Lamb Shank
Fresh Lake Superior Whitefish
Roast Rack of Lamb DESSERTS
English Tryfle BEST OF THE CELLAR RED WINES
Robert Mondavi, Cabernet Sauvignon
Clos Du Bois, Merlot
Rodney Strong, Cabernet Sauvignon
Opus One, Cabernet Sauvignon WHITE WINES
Callaway Vineyards, Chardonnay
Château Ste. Michelle, Chardonnay
Columbia Crest, Chardonnay HOUSE WINES
Chardonnay
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
White Zinfindel
Pinot Grigio
LYONS ENGLISH GRILLE
233 EAST PALM CANYON DRIVE
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA 92264
(760) 327-1551 More Information - Websites, Maps and Directions
BY SHARON APFELBAUM
PHOTOGRAPHY: ARTHUR COLEMAN / ASSISTANT: TEGAN BROWN
FOOD STYLIST: ROLAND BIERI |
