Food & Bev.jpg

Food & Bev

Here is a list of our favorite spots. We hope you indulge in all the deliciousness that New Orleans has to offer!

French Quarter - 10 Minute walk from Hotels

A note on safety: Drunk tourists make great targets, especially in and directly around the French Quarter. Please be mindful of this and use the buddy system!

Fancy Pants - Fancyish Restaurants and Bars: 

  • Muriel's ($$$): A quintessential New Orleans restaurant, the balcony here overlooks Jackson Square. The downstairs dining rooms are lovely, but try to sneak upstairs to see the seance room and the gold hallways. Every night, the Muriel's staff sets a table for a ghost who used to cause trouble here, until he started getting proper treatment (wine & bread!).
  • Brennan's ($$$):  Owned by New Orleans's famed restaurateur family... you guessed it, the Brennan's, this place has an amazing ambiance, food and service. It's on the French Quarter's Royal Street, which is lined with art galleries and antique shops, so you can peruse and walk off your meal when you're done.
  • Sylvain ($$): Small and candlelit, Sylvain is an intimate restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter. The food, cocktails and service are top-notch.
  • Bayona ($$$): This is where we had dinner after we got engaged. An upscale restaurant in a little Creole cottage, renowned chef Susan Spicer put Bayona on the map. It has great seafood dishes.
  • SoBou ($$$): Another Brennan family restaurant (we're obsessed), but this one is more modern than the others. Its Louisiana street-food is served in small plates (pork cracklin, boudin balls, gumbo, etc.). SoBou's motto is "Life is meant to be lived, not endured."
  • The Carousel Bar at Hotel Montleone ($$): Also on Royal Street, this French Quarter bar is great for traditional New Orleans cocktails (Sazerac, Pimm's Cup, French 75). It's in a historic hotel that was started by a Sicilian family. In the early 1800s, hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Sicily, Ireland and Germany settled in New Orleans. There's something else really awesome about this bar, but we won't ruin the surprise for you. Finally, if you get hungry, check out the attached restaurant, Criollo.
  • Other highly recommended, upscale places are: Antoine's, Arnaud's, and Irene's Cuisine. 

Casual Restaurants and Bars

  • Killer PoBoys: This is our go-to poboy place in the Quarter. It's casual, serves beer, and the food is delicious. Killer has excellent vegetarian/vegan options, and meaty deliciousness too. And you can make most PoBoys into a salad, if you're green deprived - which you will be, because it's New Orleans.
  •  The Gumbo Shop: The Gumbo Shop might sound like a tourist trap, but it's actually a quality, affordable place with really delicious gumbo and other NOLA Favorites (red beans and rice, etoufee, and more).
  • Napoleon House: In 1812, New Orleans's mayor owned today's Napoleon House. He designated the property as the place where the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte would seek refuge once he reached the continent. Napoleon died before he ever reached New Orleans, but the building keeps his name. This restaurant is lovely and historic, and has a mean Pimm's Cup cocktail. 
  • Irish Pubs: Mom always said if you get lonely, go find an Irish pub. Molly's on Toulouse Street is a quiet one with a pool table and Guinness on tap. Erin Rose is usually more crowded but has good vibes and is famous for its frozen Irish coffee.
  • Mexican food: Two places we find ourselves a lot for a quick bite (and a marg) are Felipe's on N. Peter's Street and El Gato Negro on French Market Place. 
  • Pat O'Brien's: Pat O's the home of the hurricane cocktail! This bar has an awesome courtyard with fire/water fountains (right?), and a piano bar inside. The hurricanes are huge and extra sweet. And if you have more than one you'll probably throw up, but it'll be fun while it lasts. Don't say we didn't warn you!
  • Cat's Meow: On the rare occasion that we go out on Bourbon Street, it's here. Karaoke all night and a balcony that overlooks the Bourbon debauchery lets you jump right in or observe from up high.
  • Dive Bars: We love dive bars. Cosimo's, Chart Room, Harry's Corner and Upper Quarter Bar are four great ones in the Quarter, where you can escape tourists. Grab a bar stool and talk to the people next to you. We promise they'll tell you a good story. 
  • Coffee: Cafe Du Monde, across from Jackson Square, is famous for its beignets and cafe au lait. If you prefer a booze with your caffeine, Cafe Envie has your fix!

Our Favorite Places in other Neighborhoods

  • Commander's Palace ($$$): This historic restaurant in New Orleans' Garden District (again, owned by the Brennan's) offers the full dining experience. The service is amazing, the food is delicious (we recommend brunch), and the ambiance (a giant mansion) is really something special. Fun fact: In the 1920s, Commander's downstairs was a family restaurant and the upstairs was a brothel. They have since shaved down the lady statues' breasts to a more modest size.
  • Lilly's Cafe ($): We are regulars at this Vietnamese place and if you tell Miss Lilly you know us, she'll give you a lot of special candies from Vietnam! New Orleans has a huge Vietnamese population because refugees settled here in the 1970s to escape the incoming Communist regime. The cuisine here is as authentic as it gets.
  • Parkway Tavern ($): Out in Mid-City, this is our local po-boy place. Opened in 1911, Parkway began selling "poor boy" sandwiches to the workers at American Can Company across the street. Practically on the banks of Bayou St. John, and not too far from our house, this is one of our favorite spots to bring folks to.  Ask for the surf and turf if you're ready to take a nap by the bayou afterwards.
  • Bacchanal ($$): If you've come to visit, chances are we brought you here. If you come back, chances are we'll bring you here again. Bacchanal has a beautiful outdoor patio, food, wine and music seven nights a week.
  • Willie Mae's ($): Two words: Fried. Chicken. Go hungry and early because the lunch wait at this Treme neighborhood staple is always long.
  • Casa Borrega ($$): After Hurricane Katrina, Latin Americans helped rebuild New Orleans in a major way. Casa Borrega has been a safe-haven and hang-out for them all along (Latin music and dancing on the weekends). It's family-owned, and the two sons bartend.  If you tell them your favorite base alcohol they'll whip you up something fancy.
  • NOLA Brewery ($): Venture Uptown to the city's most popular brewery. NOLA has a great patio, and does free beer tastings and tours on Fridays at 3 p.m. 
  • Second Line Brewery ($): Venture Up to our neck of the woods to try the city's best local brewery.  (Open Wed-Sun.)  Outdoor-seating only, but if the weather is right, the vibe is too.