45 Best Restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana

This women-owned bakery has killer sourdough bread, an assortment of sweets, and unique savory treats like the boudin boy, which has a Cajun sausage and boiled egg filling in a flakey croissant dough. The muffuletta bread sticks studded with olives and salami are not to be missed.

No visit to New Orleans is complete without a chicory-laced café au lait paired with the addictive, sugar-dusted beignets at this venerable institution. The tables under the green-and-white-stripe awning are jammed with locals and tourists at almost every hour, for very good reason. If there's a wait, head around back to the takeout window, get your coffee and beignets to go, and enjoy them overlooking the river right next door or in Jackson Square. The most magical time to go is just before dawn, before the bustle begins and can hear the birds in the crepe myrtles across the way. The metro-area satellite stores (there's even one at the airport now) typically lack the character of the original, although the newest addition in City Park is quite charming.

At Dat Dog, the sprawling stand is painted in primary hues, as if the work had been outsourced to a talented kindergarten class, and the Hawaiian shirt–clad staff bustle about with the enthusiasm of amateur actors staging a musical. The menu is all about hot dogs, and frankfurter options range from standard German wieners to Louisiana alligator sausages. Even fish eaters and vegetarians have options (the apple sage "sausage" is deceivingly meaty). The long list of toppings includes guacamole, wasabi, and andouille sauce. And what goes better with a brat than an ice-cold brew? Luckily, the menu offers an exhaustive list of domestic and international beers. There are additional Dat Dog locations at  3336 Magazine Street and  601 Frenchmen Street.

This po'boy institution has been around in one form or another for more than a century, but the way the corner restaurant fills up each day for lunch is proof neither New Orleanians or its visitors are growing tired of it any time soon. Sink your teeth into a fried shrimp po'boy, or a dozen other delicious options, and you'll feel transported back in time---the quality hasn't changed in decades, and neither have the decor and atmosphere regulars have come to love so much

Fried-oyster po'boys drenched in garlic butter, nightly pasta specials, and grilled Reuben sandwiches with succulent corned beef are some of the highlights here, but the pièce de résistance is a barbecue-shrimp po'boy, for which the shrimp are cooked in a lemon-pepper butter sauce with enough garlic to cure a cold. Liuzza's rewards the regulars who pour in almost every night with a rotating list of specials, so you'll always find something new here. The bar closes at 8 pm, and the kitchen closes before that, so make it an early dinner if you're planning to swing by.

Former contractor Jay Nix resurrected more than just a dilapidated building when he reopened Parkway: he also brought back to life a dormant community spirit. You can find neighbors and dedicated regulars from all over the city sinking their teeth into Parkway's po'boys: the roast beef with gravy and fried shrimp varieties are especially popular. Other locals simply wander in for a beer at the bar and to take in the New Orleans nostalgia decorating the walls (former President Obama was just one of many famous guests). For dessert, choose from a selection of rum cake, bread pudding, and banana pudding—all made fresh daily. Parkway is busy most weekends, especially during Jazz Fest, given its proximity to the Fair Grounds. Their famous fried oyster po'boy is only available on Wednesday and Thursday.

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.

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.

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.

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.

At the Company Burger, your order is simple: the amazing signature burger comes with two fresh-ground patties, bread-and-butter pickles, American cheese, and red onions on a freshly baked bun. No lettuce and no tomatoes, but you can load it up with homemade condiments like basil or roasted-garlic mayonnaise and Creole honey mustard. Other options include lamb or turkey burgers and hot dogs from Nueske's Meat. A weekly burger special and monthly milk shake and frozen cocktail specials add variety to the menu. Owner Adam Biderman grew up in New Orleans, but first earned burger fame in Atlanta. He's part of the wave of young transplants and returning natives not beholden to local traditions, who have reenergized New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.

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 French croissants, pies, tarts, and custards, as well as an imaginative selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches. 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 7 am to 3 pm.

Just off Esplanade Avenue, Fair Grinds Coffeehouse is the neighborhood spot for fair-trade coffee, tea, and snacks—including vegan treats. There's an upstairs balcony for alfresco dining, and live music at least twice a week.

A true neighborhood institution, this friendly breakfast and lunch spot is the perfect place to stop for a cold drink and a delicious carry-out po'boy.

You'll find some of the best locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks in this bright, pint-size space.

Inside this classic gas station–turned–taco shop, meats are spit-roasted and masa is crafted by hand. The casual, open-air space serves counter-service tacos and snacks inspired by Oaxaca and Mexico City, but much of the focus is on the large bar, where seasoned local talents craft rum, mezcal, and tequila-based concoctions. The outdoor seating is expansive, with lush plants.

At this cozy (read: small) restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter, diners are wowed by the inventive and globally inspired cuisine, though the service is a bit eclectic, too. Menus change regularly, but may feature apple cheddar French toast and beet burrata kale salad for lunch, or a bacon sundae with pecan-praline ice cream for dessert. The staff weave through the tight space with the grace of gymnasts, keeping the crowds both well fed and well lubricated with specialty cocktails. Tables are set outside when the weather's nice.

Even given a few modern touches—like the vegetarian gumbo offered daily—this place evokes a sense of old New Orleans. The menu is chock-full of regional culinary anchors: jambalaya, shrimp Creole, rémoulade sauce, red beans and rice, bread pudding, and seafood and chicken-and-sausage gumbos, all heavily flavored with tradition but easy on the wallet. The patina on the ancient painting covering one wall seems to deepen by the week, and the old tables and bentwood chairs have started to seem like museum pieces. Reservations are accepted only for groups of 10 or more.

When you walk into this tiny po'boy shop on Magazine Street, you can almost guarantee that your sandwich will be made by owner Marvin Matherne. His warmth and humor make it feel like you're invited to eat at an old friend's house, but the food is probably much, much better than anything your buddy can cook: "The Bomb," in particular, is out of this world, with grilled shrimp and catfish piled on and topped with melted Swiss and cheddar.

There's no name more synonymous with a sno-ball than the Hansen family, who invented the flavored (and finely shaved) cups of ice and have been serving it to sweat-drenched New Orleanians since 1934. Honored by the James Beard Foundation with an American Classic award, Hansen's welcomes locals and tourists alike that line up outside the busy shop from March through October. The line moves quickly, but if you want to avoid it, arrive early

The allure of Hermes Bar is that you'll have your pick of the classic dishes that made Antoine's (founded in 1840) famous, without committing to a full-price meal in its austere dining room. Elegant bar snacks such as oysters Rockefeller, shrimp rémoulade, and fried eggplant sticks make just as grand a meal, with the added benefit of a front-row view of the Bourbon Street crowd. Expertly mixed old-school cocktails, such as the Sazerac and Ramos gin fizz, are a tradition here. Hermes is connected to Antoine's, but there is a separate entrance next door. It's open until midnight on weekends. Daily happy hour specials are available from 4 to 6 pm.

Strangely enough, good po'boys are hard to find in the French Quarter, but Johnny's, established in 1950, compensates for that scarcity with a cornucopia of overstuffed options, even though quality can be inconsistent and the prices somewhat inflated for tourists. Inside the soft-crust French bread come the classic fillings, including lean boiled ham, well-done roast beef in garlicky gravy, and crisply fried oysters or shrimp. The chili may not cut it in San Antonio, but the red beans and rice are the real deal. Johnny's closes at 4:30 pm.

The chefs at this no-frills sandwich stand showcase their creative, globally inspired talents within the traditional French loaf of a po'boy, where you're more likely to see pork belly and smoked salmon on the menu than the typical roast beef and fried seafood standards. What started as a small kitchen in the back of popular Erin Rose bar (where you can still order the sandwiches) is now one of the most reliable places to get a cheap, interesting meal in the Quarter. Vegetarian po'boys, featuring roasted vegetables like sweet potatoes and cauliflower, are a hearty, pleasant surprise. Wash it down with one of the many bottles of local microbrew available at the counter.

It doesn’t get more downhome than Li’l Dizzy’s, a generational soul food staple in the neighborhood that offers some of the best fried chicken in town. You can also find grilled catfish and eggs, shrimp and grits, and all kinds of po'boys on the menu.

This bar, courtyard, and dining room is a dog- and family-friendly spot for a margarita, fried seafood, or a southwestern-style snack. The menu pays homage to surfing pioneers with bios and specialty dishes. On weekends, tables are cleared near the bar for impromptu dance parties.

At this neighborhood dive, owner, founder, and cook Chad Barlow puts out The Original Slap Burger---stacked, juicy, griddled burgers dressed with sauce on a toasted brioche bun. After a night of partying, the slap burger is just what the doctor ordered.