Nachhattar Singh Chandi buys Spencer’s Restaurant in Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - Local businessman Nachhattar Singh Chandi has taken over ownership of the iconic Spencer’s Restaurant, the Harold Matzner Trust announced on Thursday.

"The Harold Matzner Trust is pleased to have Nachhattar Singh Chandi take ownership of Spencer's," said the Harold Matzner Trust. "Spencer’s meant the world to Harold, and the incredible group of people working in the restaurant was truly his family. Putting Spencer's into Chandi’s extremely capable hands is the best outcome possible, and we know Harold would fully support this change. Chandi will give the restaurant and its staff as much love and devotion as Harold always did."

Spencer's was owned by legendary Coachella Valley philanthropist Harold Matzner, who died in September.

The Harold Matzner Trust said the sale ensures the preservation of the late philanthropist’s cherished legacy both as a local business leader and restaurateur. 

Chandi — Founder and CEO of Chandi Group USA and Chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Society (taking over after Matzner's retirement) — gave his assurance that this historic property will continue to operate as it has in the past, the trust announced.

Officials said there will be no operational or staffing changes planned for the team that has long made Spencer’s a local institution.

"It is a profound honor to step in to oversee Spencer's moving forward, a place that was so close to Harold’s heart," said Nachhattar Singh Chandi. "Spencer’s is far more than a restaurant. It is a pillar of our community and a vital piece of Harold's legacy that binds our city together. I have so much appreciation and respect for the staff that has been with the restaurant for so many years, and I will work with them to continue the same excellence, warmth, and dedication which Harold instilled here."

Nestled at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, the Palm Springs Tennis Club, located at 701 West Baristo Road has long been a foundational piece of Palm Springs history. The venue became synonymous with mid-century desert glamour, famously serving as a secluded getaway for Hollywood legends like Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, and many others.

In 2000, legendary philanthropist, businessman, and Palm Springs International Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner acquired a luncheonette, which was then operating at PSTC, and revitalized it into Spencer’s Restaurant, which he named affectionately after his beloved Siberian Husky.

Harold’s vision transformed the space into a popular breakfast and lunch spot and romantic dinner destination, blending indoor elegance with an award-winning, tree-canopied outdoor patio. Over more than two decades of Harold’s hands-on leadership, Spencer’s became the culinary heart of the city, earning a permanent place among the top tier of desert dining establishments and securing numerous accolades over the years.  

This arrangement ensures that Spencer's remarkable history and high standards of hospitality, established by Harold, will continue uninterrupted for generations of diners to come.