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$$$$ | French Quarter |
In the main dining room of this grande dame of classic Creole restaurants, ornate etched glass reflects light from charming old chandeliers while the late founder, Arnaud Cazenave, gazes from an oil portrait. The ambitious menu includes classic dishes as well as more contemporary ones, including vegetarian options. The adjoining jazz bistro offers the same food in a more casual and live music–filled dining experience. Always reliable options are shrimp Arnaud (cold shrimp in a superb rémoulade), oysters Bienville, petit filet Lafitte, and praline crêpes. Jackets are requested in the main dining room. There's also a fun Mardi Gras museum upstairs.
813 Bienville St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, USA
Known For
- On-site Mardi Gras museum
- Char-grilled oyster specialties and classic cocktails
- Jackets requested in the main dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Sat., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Central Business District |
If the Gilded Age is long past, someone forgot to tell the folks at August, where the main dining room shimmers with masses of chandelier prisms, thick brocade fabrics, and glossy woods. Service is anything but stuffy, however, and the food showcases the chefs' modern techniques. Nothing is mundane on the seasonally changing menu, which might include handmade gnocchi with blue crab and winter truffle or rabbit cassoulet with andouille sausage. Expect the unexpected—like pecan-smoked Two Run Farm's beef—and a truly remarkable vegetarian menu can be prepared upon request. The sommelier is happy to counsel you on the surprisingly affordable wine list.
301 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Decadent tasting menus
- Vegetarian options
- Affordable wine pairings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends, Reservations essential, Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | |
"New World" is the label Louisiana native Susan Spicer applies to her cooking style, the delicious hallmarks of which include goat cheese croutons with mushrooms in madeira cream, a Bayona specialty, and delightfully flavorful vegetable soups, like Caribbean pumpkin or cream of garlic. The imaginative dishes on the constantly changing menu are served in an early-19th-century Creole cottage that glows with flower arrangements, elegant photographs, and trompe-l'oeil murals of Mediterranean landscapes. A legendary favorite at lunch is the sandwich of smoked duck, cashew butter, and pepper jelly. Don't skip the sweets—a changing menu of homemade ice cream, panna cotta, and pastries.
430 Dauphine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, USA
Known For
- Famous smoked duck sandwich
- Global flavors from a stellar chef
- Homemade ice cream
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Mon.--Wed.
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$$ | Carrollton-Riverbend |
Nathanial Zimet's gutsy, down-home cooking, a unique blend of Louisiana and contemporary Southern styles, fits right in at its cozy location in a converted Uptown home. The menu here is updated monthly, but it always kicks off with small plates, including every imaginable iteration of grits: as fries, cakes, and even crackers. Large plates pack big flavors—smoked scallops, Wagyu brisket, and whole hog pulled-pork cake all deliver. Try the Krispy Kreme bread pudding, even if you haven't saved room for it. Next door is Bourrée, the restaurant's casual takeout window, specializing in chicken wings, meat-based snacks, and gourmet daiquiris, like the top-shelf Hurricane and frozen gin and tonic.
8115 Jeannette St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Known For
- Boudin balls
- Grits of all kinds
- Krispy Kreme bread pudding for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Credit cards accepted
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$ | |
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.
800 Decatur St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116, USA
Known For
- World's most famous beignets
- Local landmark status
- Long waits and 24-hour service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | |
Chef-owned restaurants are common in New Orleans, but this one builds on owner Donald Link's family heritage as he, working with co-owner Stephen Stryjewski (who received a James Beard Award for his work here), prepares Cajun dishes he learned to cook at his grandfather's knee. The interior may be a bit too hip and noisy for some patrons, but the food makes up for it. The fried boudin with pickled peppers is a must—trust us on this one—then move on to the rabbit and dumplings, and a hearty Louisiana cochon (pork) with turnips, cracklings, and cabbage. Despite the pork-centric reputation, all the vegetable sides, especially the braised collard greens, are excellent.
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Cochon de lait
- Rabbit and dumplings
- Fried boudin with pickled peppers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Warehouse District |
Around the corner from its big brother Cochon, Butcher packs its own Cajun punch with an upscale sandwich menu that dials up the flavor on local classics. With house-cured meats and olive salad, the muffuletta reveals exactly how delicious Italian-Creole can be, though the pork-belly sandwich, with refreshing mint and cucumber, also brings customers back. In addition to sandwiches, there are meaty small plates and a rotating selection of wines, beers, and well-made cocktails. There are a few tall tables for dining in, or you can get your sandwich to go. Before leaving, stock up on boudin, bacon pralines, and other to-go Cajun delicacies—all much better souvenirs than anything for sale on Bourbon Street.
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Pork-belly sandwich
- To-go treats
- Delicious cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations not accepted, Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | |
No restaurant captures New Orleans's gastronomic heritage and celebratory spirit as well as this grande dame of New Orleans fine dining. The menu's classics include a spicy and meaty turtle soup; shrimp and tasso Henican (shrimp stuffed with ham, with pickled okra); and a wonderful pecan-crusted Gulf fish. The bread-pudding soufflé might ruin you for other bread puddings. Upstairs, the Garden Room's glass walls have marvelous views of the giant oak trees on the patio below. The weekend brunch is a not-to-be-missed New Orleans tradition, complete with live jazz—the band takes requests, so come armed with tip money. Jackets are preferred at dinner; shorts and T-shirts are forbidden, ripped jeans are not allowed, and men must wear closed-toe shoes.
1403 Washington Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Historic gem
- One of the best jazz brunches in the city
- Strict dress code (no shorts, T-shirts, or ripped jeans allowed)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Uptown |
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 with franks from Nueske's Meat. A daily burger special adds variety to the menu and there is a daily happy hour from 3 pm to 6 pm. 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 Katrina. There is a second location in the CBD (611 O'Keefe Avenue).
4600 Freret St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Quality burgers
- Affordable prices
- No-frills local favorite
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$$$ | Garden District |
Every neighborhood needs a hangout, and the dwellers of the Garden District's elegant mansions tend to spend their time at this fabulous corner bistro, enhanced by elaborate chandeliers and a gleaming white-tile floor. The relentlessly creative chef changes the menu almost nightly, making every meal here a new adventure. The long bar downstairs fuels the lively scene, and the window seats here, looking out on Magazine Street, are always in demand. Those seeking a quieter evening head to the upstairs dining room, where chef Michael Stoltzfus has created a menu of seasonal modern-American offerings. The seafood dishes, in particular, are stellar. The kitchen opens at 5:30 pm, but the bar gets started at 4:30 pm.
2800 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Creative menus focusing on stellar fresh seafood
- Warm vibe
- Nice views over Magazine Street
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$ | Uptown |
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 frank 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.
5030 Freret St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Creative hot dogs
- Rowdy crowds
- Local draft beers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Central Business District |
This eatery wows diners with rustic Italian cooking, a rarity in New Orleans's culinary landscape. In the renovated Roosevelt Hotel—a 19th-century landmark—friendly and knowledgeable waiters happily help patrons with lesser-known ingredients, but it doesn't take a lengthy explanation to know that the fresh pastas and wood-fired pizzas are a must. The restaurant departs from the hotel lobby's historic, gilded decor and opts instead for sleek black walls and chain-link curtains, warmed by jewel-box displays of house-cured meats. From 2 to 5 pm daily, all pizzas and wines are half off, so come hungry. A smaller, more casual PIZZA Domenica has opened Uptown (4933 Magazine Street).
123 Baronne St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, USA
Known For
- Wood-fired pizzas
- Charcuterie boards
- Great happy hour
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | Bywater |
"Real food, done real good" is the motto at hipster-haven Elizabeth's, where the vinyl-print tablecloths look just like grandma's and breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. The menu offers everything from po'boys to a stellar seared duck, but the highlight is the buzzy weekend brunch served from 8 am to 2:30 pm that includes "lost bread" (also known as French toast), "redneck eggs" (fried green tomatoes with poached eggs and hollandaise), and a traditional country breakfast with a smoked pork chop (there's also bottomless mimosas, if you want to start the party early). The fried-oyster po'boy is huge and irresistible. The staff is spunky, and so is the Bywater neighborhood clientele. The praline bacon is a must. Breakfast is served every weekday as well, also from 8 to 2:30, and has almost the same options. Reservations are accepted only for dinner.
601 Gallier St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70117, USA
Known For
- One of the city's best brunch experiences
- Famous praline bacon
- No breakfast or brunch reservations accepted so expect a wait
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner weekends, Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Garden District |
Chef Emeril Lagasse bought the century-old Delmonico restaurant in 1998 and converted it into a large, extravagant restaurant serving some of the most ambitious reinterpretations of classic Creole dishes in town. Prime dry-aged steaks with traditional sauces have emerged as a specialty in recent years, but the menu gets more ambitious by the month. The atmosphere is lush, with high-ceiling dining spaces swathed in upholstered walls and super-thick window fabrics, and the food is decadent. House-cured charcuterie is a reliable option, as is the crisp duck leg confit, smothered pork chop, and stuffed boudin balls. "Plush" and "polish" are the bywords here, and the service is exemplary.
1300 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- House-cured charcuterie
- Inventive Creole plates
- Lavish dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | |
With many of its recipes dating to 1905, Galatoire's epitomizes the old-style French Creole bistro. Fried oysters and bacon en brochette are worth every calorie, and the brick-red rémoulade sauce sets a high standard. Other winners include veal chops with optional béarnaise sauce, and seafood-stuffed eggplant. Downstairs in the narrow white-tablecloth dining room, lighted with gleaming brass chandeliers, is where boisterous regulars congregate, making for a lively and entertaining scene; you can only reserve a table in the renovated upstairs rooms. Friday lunch starts early and continues well into the evening. Shorts and T-shirts are never allowed; a jacket is required for dinner and all day Sunday. If the lines get too long, head to Galatoire's 33 Bar & Steak next door; it offers classic cuts and cocktails in a similarly adorned space.
209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Amazing rémoulade sauce
- Formal dress required (business at lunch, jackets for men after 5)
- Old-school vibes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Reservations essential, Jacket required
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$$$ | Uptown |
This vine-covered neighborhood bistro doesn't have a sign, but that hasn't stopped the national food media from finding it. Lauded chefs cook with elegant confidence in a classic French style, but with surprising bursts of understated creativity, which can be seen in dishes like seared scallops with parsnip purée and pickled chanterelles. At Gautreau's, even the simple roasted chicken satisfies, and everyone should indulge in the caramelized banana split at least once. An older crowd of well-dressed regulars monopolize most of the tables in this dark, quiet space that once housed a pharmacy, but if you can get a reservation, you'll feel like you've gained admittance to an elite club.
1728 Soniat St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, USA
Known For
- Well-heeled locals
- Hidden gem with hard-to-get reservations
- Caramelized banana split for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
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$$$ | Garden District |
If you're looking for an opportunity to converse with a top New Orleans chef, then Gris-Gris is your best bet. The first level of this Magazine Street restaurant is a wrap-around chef's table where you can watch all the action in the kitchen while enjoying homey and refined classics like shrimp and gris-gris grits and chicken gizzards served with grit cakes, carmelized peppers and onions, and gravy. On the second floor, you can sit at a lively indoor bar or on the balcony. Reservations are recommended.
1800 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Known For
- Engaging atmosphere
- Classy comfort food
- Great cocktails
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$$$ | Warehouse District |
Chef Donald Link (also of Cochon, Cochon Butcher, and Pêche Seafood Grill) turns out food that sparkles with robust flavors and top-grade ingredients at this casually upscale restaurant. Small plates and starters such as a daily gumbo, charcuterie, and homemade pastas are mainstays. Don't overlook the rich and flavorful Louisiana shrimp and fish ceviche. Also irresistible is the Muscovy duck leg confit with dirty rice and citrus gastrique. For dessert, banana brown-butter tart will ensure return trips. The plates provide most of the color in the lighthearted, often noisy, rooms. The wine list is expertly compiled and reasonably priced. The restaurant serves an abbreviated "bistro menu" between lunch and dinner.
701 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, USA
Known For
- Homemade pasta
- Muscovy duck leg confit with dirty rice and citrus gastrique
- Convivial crowds
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat., Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Carrollton-Riverbend |
Oak Street might look like any other sleepy urban thoroughfare by day, but once the sun sets, the half-block stretch containing Jacques-Imo's Cafe feels like the center of the universe. Prepare for lengthy waits (two hours at times) in the festive bar for a table in the boisterous, swamp-theme dining rooms (fortunately, the bartenders are fast), but most agree the wait for the modest-looking but innovative food is worth it: deep-fried roast-beef po'boys, shrimp-and-alligator-sausage cheesecake, Cajun bouillabaisse, and fried rabbit tenderloin with Creole mustard sauce are among the only-at-Jacques-Imo's specialties. Reservations are required for parties of five or more and not accepted for smaller groups.
8324 Oak St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, USA
Known For
- Long lines and required reservations for groups over five people
- Entertaining crowds
- Shrimp-and-alligator-sausage cheesecake
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Bywater |
It might seem unlikely that a restaurant specializing in canned fish would be one of the most romantic places to dine in New Orleans, but N7 is just that. Once you find this hidden gem, tucked behind a barely marked large wooden fence on a quiet street off of St. Claude Avenue, the adorable, candlelit courtyard and Parisian bistro interior will whisk you away to a dreamy European evening. The canned delicacies, mostly imported from Portugal and Spain, are the most exciting things on the menu (don't leave without trying the habanero-smoked oysters), but the salads, crudos, and desserts also hold their own. A small, carefully curated wine and cocktail list add to the charm of the experience.
1117 Montegut St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70117, USA
Known For
- Habanero-smoked oysters
- French wine list
- Romantic date nights
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
