Foodie friends were upset when Venezia—a much-loved Italian restaurant at Palm Canyon and Racquet Club drives in Palm Springs—closed last year. However, sometimes things just work out: The Italian restaurant that opened in the same space soon thereafter is even better. 

Palmina by Puglia is owned by the same folks who run Puglia Italian Restaurant at Lake Arrowhead, and I’ve been hearing nearly nonstop raves since it opened its doors earlier this year. The hubby and I finally made it in for dinner on a recent Sunday night—and now we’re the ones raving about it.