Palm Desert, CA — 85°C Bakery Cafe, a popular Taiwanese chain, opened its doors in Palm Desert today, drawing large crowds eager to try the brand’s unique flavors. Located in the Desert Gateway shopping plaza at the corner of Monterey and Dinah Shore, the bakery is marking its soft opening period with limited hours from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
When the cafe officially opens in November, its hours will expand to 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.
Soft Opening Draws Big Crowds
The soft opening provides an opportunity for the cafe’s management to train new employees while customers get an early taste of its signature offerings. Nhi Nguyen, a corporate trainer, explained that this is an exciting step for the Coachella Valley, which has limited access to Asian-inspired cuisine.
“We have over 50 varieties of cake, bread, coffee, and teas. It brings a little bit of diversity of the Asian culture into the Coachella Valley,” said Nguyen.
Nguyen noted that some customers were eager enough to camp out as early as three hours before the opening at 10 a.m.
“It’s been a very exciting day, extremely busy as well,” Nguyen added.
Local Excitement for New Flavors
Many of the customers who lined up early shared their excitement for the new addition. Citlaly Zamora, a lifelong Coachella Valley resident, explained that finding diverse Asian food had previously required a trip to Los Angeles.
“Before, I had to go all the way to L.A. to find, like, good ramen places, good coffee, or just kind of that, you know, Asian type of food,” Zamora said. “Hopefully, we’re going to get some more places so we can have that variety and culture differences here in the valley.”
Sabrina Eanes, a local baker from Desert Hot Springs, was one of the first customers to support the new business, while Juan Agredano echoed the sentiment, noting that new food options bring excitement to the area.
“To have something like this come in [is exciting] because the desert is not that big and everybody’s probably been everywhere already,” Agredano said.
Unique Drive-Thru and Grand Opening Teasers
This location also boasts a first-in-California drive-thru, although it remains closed for now. Management teased that the grand opening will feature giveaways of T-shirts, bucket hats, and discount vouchers to further draw in customers.
As Palm Desert continues to grow and diversify, the arrival of 85°C Bakery Cafe signals a new era for food lovers in the Coachella Valley.
What are your thoughts on the opening of this new bakery? Share your views in the comments below.
