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$ | Uptown |
Eat in an airy dining room overlooking Audubon Park golf course, or relax with a drink on the veranda.
6500 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Faubourg Marigny |
Hand-pulled noodles and fluffy steamed bao are the specialties at this local favorite. Sichuan and Cantonese dishes pack the occasional punch (the Mixed Sauce noodles are pleasantly mouth-numbing), and everything is full of flavor. It's best to go with a group so you get to try a few affordable dishes (or just order a lot).
2266 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70117, USA
Known For
- Spicy dan dan noodles with pork
- Steamed bun appetizers
- Family-style dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$ | Mid-City |
Originally a popular pop-up at music venue Chickie Wah Wah's, Blue Oak BBQ has finally got its own storefront, and with pitmasters Ronnie Evans and Philip Moseley at the helm, it consistently ranks as some of the best BBQ in the city. The beef brisket and pulled pork are both crowd favorites. Located just a few blocks away from City Park, Blue Oak is a perfect place to end a warm day in New Orleans, especially if you are hoping to catch a Saints game.
900 N Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Known For
- Excellent pulled pork sandwich
- Sports-friendly neighborhood crowd
- Location near City Park
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$ | Central Business District |
Bon Ton's opening in 1953 marked the first appearance of a significant Cajun restaurant in New Orleans, and the now-famed crawfish dishes, gumbo, jambalaya, and oyster omelet continue to draw fans. The bustle in the dining room peaks at lunchtime on weekdays, when businesspeople from nearby offices come in droves for turtle soup, eggplant with a shrimp-and-crab étouffée, and warm, sugary bread pudding with whiskey sauce (it packs a serious punch). If you can sacrifice the afternoon for pleasure, try a Rum Ramsey cocktail. The veteran servers are knowledgeable and fleet-footed.
401 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Crawfish, gumbo, and turtle soup
- Rum cocktails
- Business lunches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends, Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Central Business District |
In a spacious dining room accented by nautical touches, floor-to-ceiling chalkboard panels, and local artwork, you'll find rustic Louisiana seafood dishes with a touch of city sophistication. Named after Lake Borgne in eastern Louisiana, the restaurant honors that area's many Spanish settlers with tapas and fish à la plancha along with more traditional renditions like the BBQ shrimp with cheesy jalapeño grits. Diners on a budget should note the $15 plate lunches and $5 tapas at happy hour, 3–6 pm daily.
601 Loyola Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70113, USA
Known For
- Happy hour tapas
- Business lunches
- Raw oysters
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | French Quarter |
On one of the French Quarter's busiest corners is Dickie Brennan's biggest and flashiest restaurant yet (he also owns Palace Café and Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse), and it's a solid hit with seafood aficionados and—you guessed it—bourbon lovers (there are five flights to choose from and a vast selection of 90 American whiskeys to boot). The raw bar is prime real estate, with its sterling oysters on the half shell, chilled seafood platters, and antique, decorative oyster plates, but the elegant main dining room is more appropriate for digging into the Creole catalog—charbroiled oysters, boiled shrimp, and Gulf fish "on the half shell" with lump crab meat. Take your frozen bourbon-milk punch in a go cup.
144 Bourbon St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Bourbon-milk punch
- Classy raw bar
- Diverse bourbon flights
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | French Quarter |
This luxuriously appointed restaurant, located in a gorgeous, salmon-pink, circa-1795 building, serves lavish breakfasts, served by pink-bow-tied waiters, that include "eye openers" like Caribbean milk punch to start the day, alongside hearty but elegantly prepared dishes such as eggs sardou with crispy artichokes and accoutrements such as coffee-cured bacon and house-made English muffins. Don't miss sumptuous desserts, like the flaming bananas Foster, which was reportedly created here.
417 Royal St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Tourist-heavy atmosphere
- Creole brunch
- Legendary bananas Foster
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | Bywater |
This is everything you could want from a neighborhood coffee shop: delicious coffee, premium baked goods, and hearty sandwiches and comfort food for a quick breakfast or lunch. The pies are great around the holidays, as are the king cakes during Carnival season. The café often displays local art for sale on its walls, and hosts events and small concerts.
3624 Dauphine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70117, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. No dinner
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$$ | Mid-City |
Dining at Café Degas is like being at a sidewalk café in Paris, even though the restaurant is completely covered: there's a tree growing through the center of the dining room, and the front windows overlook picturesque Esplanade Avenue. The fare here is a mixture of French-bistro cooking and what you might find at a countryside inn—homemade pâtés, onion soup, steamed mussels, steaks, and crème brûlée. Daily specials are always creative and ingenious, and an evening here is inevitably romantic. Every Wednesday and Thursday, diners can enjoy a happy hour, with pâté, cheese, and appetizer and drink specials from 3 to 6 pm.
3127 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70119, USA
Known For
- Romantic setting
- Authentic French food
- Great pâté and charcuterie
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Credit cards accepted
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$ | Bywater |
This lofted space has great vegetarian options and hearty sandwiches that skew creative; think a BLT with kimchi and thick-slab bacon or smoked cauliflower, broccoli falafel, and braised beef with Bloody Mary seasoning. Cocktails are equally unique, utilizing shrubs, fresh juices, and kombucha. At night, the industrial space and romantic rooftop is used for private and community events.
3014 Dauphine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70117, USA
Known For
- Creative cocktails
- Great vegetarian options
- Industrial chic
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends. No dinner.
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$ | Warehouse District |
Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options abound at this self-proclaimed "tropical café," which playfully references the cuisines of Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean. Fresh, local, and organic produce are used to create dishes like acarajé, a black-eyed-pea fritter stuffed with vatapá (a cashew, peanut, and coconut paste) or the Rico sandwich, a breadless creation of grilled plantains, melted cheese, vegan meat, avocado, salsa fresca, and a tangy secret sauce. Try one of the unusual fresh fruit juices: options like cupuaçu (a nutrient-packed fruit with flavors of pineapple, passion fruit, pear, banana, and chocolate), acerola (Amazon cherry), and graviola (also known as soursop, tastes like brown sugar and pears) are nearly impossible to find this side of the Amazon.
527 Julia St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Vegan options
- Excellent ceviche
- Fresh juice from exotic fruits
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$ | Uptown |
This eatery has been a haven for Uptown seafood lovers since 1919. Family members still wait tables and staff the immaculate kitchen in back, while a reliable handful of oyster shuckers ensure that plenty of cold ones are available for the standing room–only oyster bar. Specialties from the diminutive menu include oysters lightly poached in seasoned milk; fried shrimp, trout, and soft-shell-crab platters; and a must-try fried "oyster loaf" sandwich (two thick slices of white bread stuffed with fresh and greaseless bivalves). Everything is clean, and nothing is superfluous. Even the houseplants have a just-polished look.
4330 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Neighborhood vibe
- Fresh oysters
- Fried seafood and popular oyster loaf sandwich
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch Sun., No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Uptown |
Set back from Magazine Street in a gorgeous converted town house (eating on the large veranda on warm evenings is especially a treat), the sophisticated menu showcases (mostly) local seafood, as well as the best East and West Coast oysters. The whole roasted fish and anything from the raw section of the menu are always good choices. Non-seafood entrées and sides include roasted carrots, bacon fried rice, and airline chicken.
3607 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Whole fish
- Fresh oysters
- Charming setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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$ | |
This old-fashioned grocery store, which creates authentic muffulettas, a gastronomic gift from the city's Italian immigrants, was expected to reopen in the late fall of 2023 at this writing. Made by filling nearly 10-inch round loaves of seeded bread with ham, salami, provolone and Emmentaler cheeses, and olive salad, the muffuletta is nearly as popular locally as the po'boy. (Central Grocery also sells a vegetarian version.) The sandwiches are available in wholes and halves (they're huge—unless you're starving, you'll do fine with a half). Eat at one of the counters or get your sandwich to go and dine on a bench in Jackson Square or the Moon Walk along the Mississippi riverfront. The Grocery closes at 5 pm.
923 Decatur St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116, USA
Known For
- The city's best (and biggest) muffulettas
- Lively setting
- Early closing at 5 pm
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$$ | Uptown |
Understatement characterizes the mood at locally beloved Clancy's, and the classy but neutral decor reflects this, though the scene can get lively. Most of the dishes are imaginative treatments of New Orleans favorites. Some specialties, like the several renditions of veal on the menu, are exceptional. Other signs of an inventive chef are the smoked soft shell crabs almondine, and a deviled eggs rémoulade. The small bar is usually filled with regulars who know one another—and tourists who wish they were regulars. On more festive nights you may yearn for earplugs. The expansive wine list has many New World and French options, with many bottles available for under $100.
6100 Annunciation St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Local favorite
- Extensive wine list
- Exceptional veal dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Mon.–Wed. and Sat., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$ | Central Business District |
Good things really do come in small packages, like the outstanding falafel you can order at the back of this unpretentious, pocket-size Middle Eastern convenience store outfitted with a handful of tables and chairs. Grab a drink from one of the glass cases, then order from a menu of mouthwatering options, like lamb kebabs and beef gyros. The vegetarian sampler plate, with creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, and fresh tabouleh is the must-order dish, though. Look for international grocery items, like pistachio cotton candy from Turkey. The kitchen is open 24/7, making it an ideal spot to grab a pita after partying.
940 Canal St., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Known For
- 24-hour kitchen
- Late-night falafel and tabouleh
- International grocery items
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$$$ | Central Business District |
Those tired of the white-tablecloth restaurants with decades-old menus of shrimp rémoulade and redfish renditions that populate so much of the New Orleans fine dining scene will be especially pleased with Compère Lapin, a unique and distinctly contemporary ultra-fine dining experience. At the root of Chef Nina Compton's cooking are the comforting flavors and spices of St. Lucian and Italian home kitchens, but presentation and execution of her dishes are that of a top-notch professional chef. Notable favorites are the conch croquettes, Caribbean seafood pepper pot, and semolina gnocchi. The ambience of the airy dining room, with lofted ceilings and hip, minimalist decor, is romantic and quiet at times, but loud and clubby when the popular craft cocktail bar is busy.
535 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Sweet potato gnocchi and conch croquettes
- Hip, minimalist decor
- Inventive cocktails
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$ | French Quarter |
In a quiet corner of the French Quarter, you'll have to look for the quaint Croissant d'Or Patisserie. Once you've found it, you'll understand why locals and visitors return to this colorful pastry shop for excellent and authentic French croissants, pies, tarts, and custards, as well as an imaginative selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches (don't miss the hot croissant sandwiches with creamy béchamel sauce). You can get your goodies to go, but try to get a table during the busy breakfast hours for great people-watching. During Carnival season they bake a traditional French-style king cake filled with almond paste. The café is open from 6 am to 3 pm.
617 Ursulines St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116, USA
Known For
- Croissaint sandwiches
- Authentic French pastries
- King cake during Mardi Gras
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No dinner, Reservations not accepted, Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | French Quarter |
"Straightforward steaks with a New Orleans touch" are the words to live by at this clubby shrine to red meat, the creation of a younger member of the Brennan family of restaurateurs, who also runs Palace Café and the Bourbon House. Start with stellar martinis in the dark cherrywood-paneled lounge, then head back to the cavernous dining room to dig into classic cuts of top-quality beef and seafood. The standard beefsteak treatment is light seasoning and a brush of Creole-seasoned butter, but other options include béarnaise, made-from-scratch Worcestershire sauce, and pepper-cream whiskey sauce.
716 Iberville St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Elegant atmosphere
- Steak with light seasoning and a brush of Creole-seasoned butte
- Creole-inspired sides
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.–Thurs., Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Central Business District |
Since 1969 the Cvitanovich family restaurant has been a fixture in Metairie, just a short drive from downtown New Orleans, so when it was revealed the family would open a second location inside the Hilton Riverside hotel, locals started salivating and the word quickly spread. The charbroiled oysters are the absolute must-order (you'll want extra bread to mop up the toothsome sauce). After that you can branch out to authentic Italian pasta dishes, Maine lobster, and fried seafood entrées. Families love the place—especially because of the kids' menu—and the warm apple cobbler is the sweet stuff legends are made of.
2 Poydras St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Charbroiled oysters
- Local institution
- Kid-friendly food
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted, Credit cards accepted
