Written by Ray Rodriguez
Owner/Operator, Casuelas Café and Cork Tree California Cuisine. My son Hank operates Cork Tree, and Delgado son Andy and wife Tajia operate Las Casuelas Nuevas.
What were you doing in 1958?
Mary and Florencio Delgado were busy moving their restaurant “The Spanish Kitchen” from Colton to newly developed Palm Springs, establishing the Original Las Casuelas Restaurant. The family style café on Palm Canyon Drive proved so popular that it paved the way for Las Casuelas Nuevas (1973) in Rancho Mirage and Las Casuelas Terraza (1979) in Palm Springs.
Then in 1992, eldest son Joaquin and his bride Sharon Delgado partnered with long time hotel and restaurant operators Ray and Kathi Rodriguez to open Casuelas Cafe in the heart of Palm Desert, creating an instant success.
While traditional Delgado family cuisine provided a great culinary base, Casuelas Cafe immediately created its own footprint by expanding the menu to include traditional favorites like chili verde, carnitas and pork tamales, while also developing a catering program to rival the top hotels and caterers in the area. Like most well-run restaurants, today’s menu also supports Vegan, Gluten-Free, and other culinary needs.
Casuelas Cafe’s community impact and leadership over three decades is well regarded Valley-wide by non-profit, youth development and educational organizations. But mostly Casuelas Cafe is about great food, drinks, live music and fun!
Showcasing daily live music, Casuelas Cafe draws talent regionally and is a respected leader in Southern California entertainment, featuring nine live shows weekly with artistic styles for every music lover. From Grammy award winning performers, country sounds, oldies, alternative, classic rock, traditional Mexican entertainers including Mariachi Sunday, and even occasional “popup” performances by Dan and Company’s “Shadows Band,” there is a unique reason to enjoy Casuelas Cafe daily.
And if you are looking for space and great food for a large group function, take a look at Casuelas Café, and discover the best bang for your peso in town!
