Maleza operates inside the Drift Palm Springs hotel on South Indian Canyon Drive, with a patio that opens directly onto the resort's pool and floor-to-ceiling windows that pull in the desert light. The kitchen draws on Mexico City–inspired flavors, built for sharing: ceviches and crudos, tacos, branzino, flautas, and churros make up the core of the menu.
The bar is mezcal-forward, backed by a tequila list and a cocktail program, alongside a non-alcoholic lineup detailed enough to function as its own menu. Service runs from brunch and lunch through dinner, plus a separate poolside bar menu, giving the space a different feel depending on the hour — daytime lounging by the pool, a more composed dinner scene after dark.
Regulars point to the mezcal and cocktail selection and the romantic, resort-style setting as much as the food itself, with the sourcing behind the Mexican cooking drawing its own following.
The bar is mezcal-forward, backed by a tequila list and a cocktail program, alongside a non-alcoholic lineup detailed enough to function as its own menu. Service runs from brunch and lunch through dinner, plus a separate poolside bar menu, giving the space a different feel depending on the hour — daytime lounging by the pool, a more composed dinner scene after dark.
Regulars point to the mezcal and cocktail selection and the romantic, resort-style setting as much as the food itself, with the sourcing behind the Mexican cooking drawing its own following.