Paying Tribute | The Inspired Bar Cecil

Michelin Guide calls Bar Cecil’s ambiance both “garish and chic,” which is also a fitting of Beaton’s most well-known works. His theatrical style and avant-garde techniques redefined fashion photography and made him the favorite among celebrities, from British royalty to the Hollywood elite. 

It was a circle he surrounded himself with not only in his professional life as a designer and photographer but also in his personal life, where he enjoyed enduring and intimate relationships and friendships with golden age stars, including Greta Garbo, Laurence Olivier, and Frank Sinatra.

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“Bar Cecil’s design is an homage to Cecil Beaton and his joie de vivre (enjoyment of life) that was expressed through photography, art, interiors and costume design and is now complemented here by our collection of contemporary art, warm and inviting hospitality and signature bistro menu,” says partner, John Janulis.

Whether seated at one of Bar Cecil’s tufted velvet booths, upon a coveted cerulean blue stool in the wood-paneled bar, or on the lush and charming patio, you’re sure to feel joined in spirit by Beaton and his ICONIC clique. “Signed prints from Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, Damien Hirst, Sam Francis, and Donald Sultan are found in the dining room and include, of course, timeless photographs and signed sketches from Beaton’s portfolio,” says Janulis. 

Every element of Bar Cecil is designed to inspire patrons to live by Beaton’s philosophy on life—to enjoy the best of everything and to steer far from boredom and the ordinary—right down to the beverages that Janulis describes as “a nod to Palm Springs’ connection to the cocktail culture.” 

The extravagant martini is served tableside on a silver tray with a caviar-topped deviled egg and exotic sunchoke chips. A brass engraved plaque earns a place among the bar’s eclectic decor for those who sip their way through 10 of the famed cocktails on the menu (not in one night).

When it comes time to dine, expect an elevated experience. “Bar Cecil’s menu reflects the best European and American bistro offerings, setting the stage for the overall dining experience. From the steak frites to sole meuniere, it’s classic and approachable,” Chef de Cuisine Bryan Ramirez explains.

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Menu highlights include a colossal shrimp cocktail, heritage breed bone-in pork chops served with a seasonal chutney, and the Beaton Burger, topped with a slice of creamy French comté cheese and sealed with a namesake hot iron branding. Saving room to indulge in an after-dinner sweet is a must, especially with desserts as delicious and decadent as pavlova with chantilly and fresh raspberries and local lemon bars. 

With no lack of eye candy and fine food and drink to please any palate, there’s no singular way to enjoy the best of Bar Cecil. The only mistake to be made would be waiting to add your name to the reservation list, which books weeks in advance. Still, a seat at the bar can almost always be found.