3 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from New Orleans, Louisiana

This upscale bistro with a lush courtyard and walls adorned with art is about three miles from the Louisiana State University campus. Tempting main courses, including seafood, beef, and pork dishes, as well as roasted duck and quail, highlight the menu. The Hallelujah Crab (soft-shell stuffed with seafood and topped with "creolaise" sauce) is a specialty, and Juban's own mango tea is delicious. The warm bread pudding makes a memorable end to meals here.

A broad, clubby dining room invites lingering over some of the best Italian cuisine in town. Local ingredients find their way into hearty Italian dishes, such as eggplant Parmesan and cedar plank redfish. There's also a romantic bar section just off the main dining areas. The restaurant is a few minutes east from downtown along Interstate 10.

LaPlace is known as the andouille capital of the world, and the spicy, smoky, Cajun-style sausage is deservedly popular here. In this butcher shop that doubles as a functional, straightforward restaurant for weekday lunches, you can get andouille in burgers, in gumbo, made into chips for dipping, or worked into white beans and rice. A jazz brunch on Sunday expands the offerings to include omelets, boudin Benedict, and other comforting fare. Although reservations aren't mandatory, they are a good idea.