150 Best Restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana

Chef-owner couple Theresa Galli and Gavin Cady turned their popular food truck into an institution for Mediterranean food-lovers. The falafel is the centerpiece—try the overstuffed falafel sandwich with veggies and sauce, or the massive "Falafel Feast" for sharing. Don't skip the shareable mezze plates, or the opportunity to dip their house-made French fries into toum (Middle Eastern creamy garlic sauce). The simple brick-and-wood interior is warm and inviting, if not cramped during busy hours. In spring and fall, the best seat is at a sidewalk café table out front.

Classic and hearty New Orleans-fare dominates at this casual eatery, where chef-owner Manny January---formerly the sous chef at Galatoire's---cooks up a storm with fresh ingredients and abundance of flavor. Grilled lamb chops, marinated and cooked with just a hint of char, became a crowd favorite, something not seen at most restaurants along this gritty stretch of Claiborne Avenue.

A rough-edge classic in every way, this no-frills eatery is a prime source for briny, chilled Gulf oysters; legendary shrimp, oyster, and roast-beef po'boys; and tender, expertly seasoned red beans and rice. Even locals can't resist, although most opt for the less crowded, if less charming, suburban branches (there's one in Metairie). Expect lengthy lines here in the French Quarter, often a half-block long. Crowds lighten in the late afternoon, making Acme a choice respite for a mid-afternoon snack of a dozen on the half shell washed down with an Abita beer.

Rustic and charming, this cramped second floor dining room lords over Frenchmen Street and serves big plates of classic Italian-American cuisine with a Creole twist. Decadent seafood sauces are especially pleasing for garlic lovers. There are no reservations and the food and service is a little mixed, but it's always an experience here (and usually lots of fun). Put your name on the list and then head downstairs for some music and drinks at the Apple Barrel, which usually has live music, or wander Frenchmen Street as you wait for a table. The stairs preclude guests in wheelchairs.

Every dish on the short menu here shows an obsessive attention to detail. The main attraction are the pizzas, which follow Neapolitan rules and use only flour, water, yeast, and salt for their dough; they enter an 800°F oven—imported from Naples—and emerge a minute later charred and fragrant. The starters feature gnocchi, arancini, and house-cured meats that hang inside a glass-walled room in the back. Despite the seriousness of the kitchen, the vibe out front is casual and contemporary. This welcoming pizzeria, like many other places on lively Freret Street, suits the needs of neighbors but turns out food worthy of a visitor's attention.

Traditional Sicilian gelato, spumoni, cannoli, pastries, and candies are the attractions at this quaint little sweetshop, now over a century old. The crisp biscotti, traditional Sicilian desserts, and the lemon and strawberry ices haven't lost their status as local favorites. The shop closes at 9 pm on Sunday and 10 pm every other day (except Monday when they are closed). If you go in the evening, plan to stand in line and chat with locals, along with many smiling kids. On your way out, look for the brass plaque on the door that marks how high the water reached after the levees broke during Katrina in 2005.

Though some people believe Antoine's heyday passed before the turn of the 20th century, others wouldn't leave New Orleans without at least one order of the original oysters Rockefeller—baked oysters topped with a parsley-based sauce and bread crumbs. Other notables on the bilingual menu include pommes de terre soufflées (fried potato puffs), poissonamadine or meuniere (fish prepared in toasted almond or brown butter-and-lemon sauce), and baked Alaska. Tourists are generally shown to the front room, but walking through the grand labyrinth is a must. Be prepared for lackluster service. A jacket is preferred, but casually dressed diners can order most of the classic menu at the adjoining Hermes Bar.

Even with reservations, expect to wait for weekend brunch at this Uptown institution, but your taste buds will thank you later. Locals tend to linger over sultry Creole creations like étouffée omelets and house-made boudin sausage, a DIY Bloody Mary bar, and jumping live jazz on weekends. At dinner, the food is just as delicious, but the vibe is more romantic. The shrimp and grits are a standout, as is the blue crab raviolo, but there are plenty of other excellent choices. As a bonus, the expertly cultivated wine list shows plenty of options for under $50.

Renovated and under new ownership by famed restauranteur Dickie Brennan, visitors in Audubon Park can eat in an airy dining room overlooking the park's golf course, or relax with a drink on the veranda.

What owner Elizabeth Hess started as a coffee shop and bakery has evolved into a full-on café that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Besides a robust coffee program and baked goods, you'll be able to find well-made salads, cheese plates, sandwiches, and pastas. There is a happy hour every Tuesday to Saturday, from 4 to 6 pm.

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).

This employee-owned bakery freshly mills all of their flour on-site, producing bread and baked goods for some of the top restaurants in New Orleans. A commitment to local and single-origin ingredients embodies the ethos of the whole operation. In 2019, they opened their first storefront where customers can purchase these baked delicacies for themselves, as well as get a glimpse into milling and baking process as they drink a cup of fresh-brewed coffee. Sandwiches, pastas, pastries, and more are available, but they sell out quickly. Classes are regularly offered so guests can improve their baking skills, as well.

Once you find the place---tucked behind the other businesses in this complex---it's easy to see why Birdy’s is a local favorite for brunch. The covered outside patio is perfect for large groups, and there’s something for everyone: from a long list of specialty coffees, juices, and cocktails, to satisfying egg plates and several salads that are anything but boring. In front of the building, its sister restaurant, The Bower, serves locally sourced New American cuisine for dinner.

Pitmasters Ronnie Evans and Philip Moseley have expertly turned what started as a popular pop-up at music venue Chickie Wah Wah's into one of the most popular barbecue joints in New Orleans. The beef brisket and pulled pork are both crowd favorites, but there are also ribs, a rotating variety of chicken wings, and an impressive line-up of sides. If you're eating with a group, you don't have to choose: the "All Meats & All Sides" lives up to its name. 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.

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.

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 the world's best brandy 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.

Chef Frank Brigtsen's fusion of Creole refinement and Acadian earthiness reflects his years as a Paul Prudhomme protégé, and his dishes here represent some of the best south Louisiana cooking you'll find anywhere. Everything is fresh and filled with deep, complex flavors. The butternut shrimp bisque defines comfort food. Rabbit and duck dishes, usually presented in rich sauces and gravies, are full of robust flavor. But Brigtsen really gets to unleash his creativity on the Seafood Platter, consisting of extraordinary, creative takes on New Orleans seafood classics. Trompe-l'oeil murals add whimsy to the intimate spaces of this turn-of-the-20th-century frame cottage. Ask for a table on the enclosed front sun porch.

If local restaurants were judged solely by the beauty of their courtyards, Broussard's would certainly be a standout, but the food here is also outstanding. Expect dishes like crispy shrimp toast with pickled okra slaw; Creole crab croquettes; and broiled redfish with a rosemary-and-mustard crust. Fight the good fight for an outdoor table close to the fountain, and don't skip dessert. A three-course Sunday brunch features live jazz.

Chef Nina Compton---Top Chef contestant, James Beard Award winner, and owner of popular Compère Lapin in the Warehouse District---is at the helm of this friendly, yet refined bistro that offers hearty, approachable dishes. Expect comforting, but flavorful dishes like branzino with puttanesca, eggplant Parmesan, and saucy, herby pastas.

There's no shortage of charming courtyards in the French Quarter, but the candlelit, ivy-covered stone carriageway at Café Amelie is one of the most romantic places to get a gourmet meal. The Louisiana-inspired entrées feature hearty portions of lamb steak, pork chops, and fresh seafood. While it's hardly a tourist trap, it's no secret to visitors so book your reservation far in advance. 

Café du Monde has been serving up café au lait and beignets under its signature green awning for more than a century. If the open-air café is crowded, go around back to the take-out window and enjoy your treats on the Mississippi riverfront.

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.

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.

This eatery has been a haven for Uptown seafood lovers since 1919. Third- and fourth-generation 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 buttery char-grilled oysters, fried shrimp, trout, soft-shell-crab platters, and the restaurant's iconic 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 oyster shells are turned into art on the walls by one of the owners.

The only way to get closer to the Mississippi River at the outdoor patio of this fifth-floor restaurant is to dive in, and the spectacular views are what snagged chef Donald Link to partner with the Four Seasons New Orleans for this French Creole showplace. Try any of the expertly cooked steaks on offer, like the rib-eye spinalis or Kobe strip steak.

A meal at The Chloe delivers modern, exciting takes on Creole classics. Memorable appetizers like the shrimp and pork dumplings and alligator wings are followed by a strong line-up of entrées---the duck confit and the blackened butter-crusted drum are just two great choices. Eat inside in the cozy dining area, outside by the pool, or in the front overlooking St. Charles Avenue and its famed streetcar line.

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 fried oysters with brie, 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 the volume of conversation might leave you yearning for earplugs. The expansive wine list has many New World and French options, with quite a few bottles available for under $100.

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. There is a smaller location at 117 Decatur St. in the French Quarter.

The retro Commons Club at Virgin Hotel is a fabulous setting to experience an enticing menu of southern and Mediterranean-influenced plates. Ask for a seat in the Shag Room and bar area, where a riot of colors and textures mingle. There is an occasional drag brunch, though without set dates.