Hi all! I hope you’re having a great weekend, and that my Ontario readers survived our recent Snowmageddon. The snow is piled so high on our front lawn… some of the piles are taller than me! And our little dogwood tree got so covered that you can’t even see it anymore. Despite the terrible roads and endless shoveling, I have to admit it was a pretty spectacular sight… here’s our backyard after last Saturday’s storm.
As beautiful as it is, I’m definitely getting a little tired of the snow at this point. But you know where they don’t have any snow (at least not right now?) New Orleans!
On that note, I hope you’ve been enjoying my recent travel guides to the Big Easy. There are so many fun and unique things to do in NOLA – from museums, art galleries and antique shops to parks, boat cruises and cemetery tours – but if I’m being honest, one of my favourite things to do in New Orleans is eat! In a city that’s world-renowned for its culinary scene, food isn’t just a way to stave off your hunger… it’s an integral part of the culture! From beignets to gumbo to jambalaya, there are countless dishes synonymous with New Orleans, and naturally, nowhere does them better. Many of these famous foods, such as po’ boys, muffuletta sandwiches, Bananas Foster and Oysters Rockefeller, were invented here – which makes sense, since NOLA is home to some of America’s oldest and most iconic restaurants. And no matter your tastes, New Orleans has something to suit every palate, preference and price point: from fine dining restaurants with white tablecloths and bow-tied waiters, to grab-and-go po’ boy joints, to historic cafés, buffet jazz brunches and landmark diners. Here are my favourite restaurants and cafés in NOLA!
My Favourite Restaurants In New Orleans
Commander’s Palace – Of all the iconic New Orleans restaurants, Commander’s Palace is perhaps the most iconic of them all. Since opening in 1893, the blue-and-white-striped, castle-like building in the Garden District has become one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. With two storeys and over 32,000 square feet of dining space, Commander’s Palace is famous for its whimsically decorated rooms, balloons on the tables (because there’s always something to celebrate in New Orleans!) and “Haute Creole” cuisine by executive chef Meg Bickford. A meal at Commander’s is truly an experience in itself, and a must on any New Orleans bucket list. The food is fabulous – I got the cornmeal fried catfish and the Cajun potato salad, both delicious – and don’t skip dessert! Bread pudding with whiskey sauce is the restaurant’s signature dessert, and is well worth waiting for. Oh… and did I mention they offer 25-cent martinis with the purchase of any lunch entree? We literally had a three-martini lunch for under a dollar!
Antoine’s – Founded in 1840, this fabled institution is NOLA’s oldest restaurant! They host jazz brunch every Sunday, where a three-piece band individually serenades each table. I ordered bottomless mimosas (a steal at only $20) and their famous Eggs Sardou, a dish they invented. (Fun fact: Oysters Rockefeller was also invented at Antoine’s!) The pièce de résistance was definitely the Baked Alaska – Antoine’s may not have invented it, but they do it better than just about anyone. After brunch, we were treated to a tour of the restaurant’s famous private dining rooms. My favourite is the green-and-gold Rex Room, which is dedicated to the Mardi Gras Krewe of Rex and displays gowns, crowns and scepters from past carnival kings and queens. A truly iconic dining experience; this was hands-down one of my favourite meals of our entire trip!
The Court Of Two Sisters – Jazz brunch is a beloved New Orleans tradition, and most restaurants host it on Sundays – but at The Court Of Two Sisters, you can enjoy jazz brunch every day of the week! This famous restaurant is named after Emma and Bertha Camors, two sisters who ran a shop there in the 1800s. They allegedly still haunt the building today. The beautiful tree-shaded courtyard has seen its fair share of notoriety – pirate Jean Lafitte is said to have killed three men in a duel under the willow tree, and Marie Laveau practiced voodoo rituals in its wishing well – but today, it’s most notorious for delicious cocktails, live jazz music and all-you-can-eat buffet brunch. We ate way too much, but it was so worth it! My favourite dishes were the jambalaya, duck a l’orange, fried catfish, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce.
Brennan’s – With its hot pink facade, green shutters and striped awning, this classic NOLA restaurant is an instantly recognizable icon. Established in 1946, Brennan’s is famous for their maximalist decor, “nouvelle Creole” cuisine, and their signature dessert – Bananas Foster – which they proudly invented, and still flambé tableside. Of course we had to order it for the show alone, and it was delicious… one of the best desserts I ate in New Orleans! For my main, I enjoyed another Brennan’s original: Eggs Hussarde, a decadent take on Eggs Benedict. And don’t get me started on the decor… for some reason, all my favourite restaurants in the U.S. – from the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, to Swifty’s at The Colony Palm Beach, to the iconic Brennan’s – are pink, green and patterned to the hilt. I guess I have a type!
Napoleon House – I’m sorry if I’m overusing the word “iconic”, but sometimes no other word will do… all of these restaurants are truly icons in their own right! Napoleon House is located in a 1797 building in the French Quarter, originally the home of New Orleans mayor Nicholas Girod. The restaurant’s name comes from Girod’s offer, in 1821, to provide refuge to Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile. While Napoleon never made it, Napoleon House sure did – it opened as a restaurant in 1914 and has been going strong ever since! They’re famous for their Pimm’s Cup cocktails and muffuletta sandwiches. The muffuletta was invented in New Orleans at Central Grocery, where you can still order it to this day. While we never made it to Central Grocery to try the O.G., I happen to think the Napoleon House version is pretty delicious! These sandwiches are ENORMOUS, so most people order a quarter or half portion. We split the entire sandwich between the three of us, and also got a refreshing lemon-parmesan salad to share. The perfect meal for three!
The Camellia Grill – There’s nothing I love more than an old-fashioned diner, and this beloved landmark in uptown New Orleans is the real deal! It was established in 1946 and hasn’t lost any of its vintage charm. The interior is delightfully retro, with counter seating and a vibrant pink-and-green colour palette, and the staff still wear bow-tie uniforms. The Camellia is famous for their big breakfasts (particularly their omelets), classic comfort food and sweet treats – from their homemade chocolate pecan pie to their decadent “freezes” (i.e. milkshakes). I ordered the pecan waffle with a side of cheese grits – it’s not gourmet cuisine by any means, but it’s simple, delicious and very well-priced – this was probably the cheapest meal we had in NOLA. The Camellia is a very popular breakfast spot and there are only a few seats inside, so I recommend coming early and/or on a weekday to secure your spot!
The Country Club – Located in the up-and-coming Bywater neighbourhood, this restaurant has everything you’d expect from the finest country club – beautiful decor, delicious food and even a swimming pool – plus everything you wouldn’t (weekend drag brunch, anyone?) The decor is gorgeous: vintage bamboo chairs, oversized floral wall murals, and a front porch straight out of Southern Living. I ordered a Pimm’s Cup cocktail, and my friend Victoria and I shared the fried green tomatoes and crab beignets. (My friend Sandra, like the legend she is, got an ice cream sundae for lunch.) Both the tomatoes and beignets were delicious, but the beignets were my absolute favourite! P.S. “The Country Club” isn’t just a cute moniker – you can actually buy annual memberships to access their backyard pool (or a day pass for $20.)
Kingfish – This restaurant in the French Quarter specializes in all things seafood: from crab cakes to shrimp and grits to crawfish bread. It also happens to be where I tried my first po’ boy in New Orleans! I ordered the classic – the fried barbecue gulf shrimp po’ boy – but they also do a cochon de lait pulled pork po’ boy, along with other innovative takes on classic sandwiches, like a blue crab grilled cheese. The po’ boys are huge and come with a big heap of French fries, so be sure to come hungry. For an appetizer, I highly recommend the fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade. In case you can’t tell, I’m a big fried green tomatoes fan, and the shrimp took these ones over the top!
VooDoo Tavern & PoBoys – Y’all know I couldn’t eat just one po’ boy in New Orleans… that would be sacrilege! This low-key spot in the French Quarter isn’t a particularly cute or Insta-worthy spot – I’ll affectionately call it a hole in the wall – but what they lack in atmosphere, they make up for in flavour! I got the fried shrimp po’ boy (you can also get smoked sausage, roast beef, ham and cheese, “Cajun Cuban” or BLT varieties) and a side of jambalaya. They’ve got cocktails too: “swamp water” and “voodoo juice” (I played it safe and got a Hurricane… my go-to drink on our NOLA trip!)
Dat Dog – With three locations in New Orleans, this local mini-chain specializes in gourmet hot dogs with an extensive variety of toppings – from blue cheese to andouille sauce to crawfish etouffee! (And yes, they have regular old ketchup and mustard too… but with more than 30 unique toppings and sauces, who needs ’em!?) These aren’t your regular old hot dogs either… sure, you can go classic with beef or pork, but why not widen your hot dog horizons and try the duck, crawfish or alligator sausage? I’m always down to try unique foods when I travel, especially when it’s something I can’t get at home, so you better believe I ordered the alligator sausage! It was good but honestly, I don’t think it tasted particularly “different” (dare I say alligator tastes like chicken??) although maybe I couldn’t taste it under the myriad of toppings. Either way, it hit the spot… though I did feel a little guilty about it on our gator tour the next day! I recommend visiting Dat Dog’s Frenchmen Street location: they have a wraparound balcony where, if you’re lucky, you may just be treated to a free street concert while you eat. Frenchmen Street is known for their live jazz, and there’s always something fun going on. Hot dogs and jazz… now there’s a winning combination!
Willie’s Chicken Shack – This local chain has nine locations throughout New Orleans, and they claim to have the best fried chicken in the city – or in other words, “chicken so good you’ll slap yo’ mama.” I won’t be slapping my mama anytime soon, nor did I eat enough fried chicken in NOLA to authoritatively back up the “best chicken” claim… but I do know what I like, and I didn’t just like Willie’s chicken – I LOVED it! Their secret-recipe batter is crispy, crunchy and delicious, and their honey-glazed biscuits are some of the best I’ve ever gotten from a fast food restaurant (and I’m really picky when it comes to biscuits!) After a late night bar-hopping in the French Quarter, a Willie’s run is just what the doctor ordered. And if you want to keep the party going, they also have great to-go daiquiris!
My Favourite Cafés In New Orleans
Café Du Monde – When you think of classic NOLA foods, beignets are probably one of the first that come to mind! These fluffy, pillowy, deep-fried bites of heaven – always served with a mountain of powdered sugar – were introduced to New Orleans in the 1700s by French immigrants. Though their true origin is contested (France and Italy both claim O.G. beignet fame) they’re now synonymous with NOLA. There are lots of places in the city to get your beignet fix, but Café Du Monde is arguably the most famous. Their original location at the French Market opened in 1862, and they fry up to 30,000 beignets PER DAY! We loved them so much that we went three times during our trip: twice to the original location (a must!) and once to their outpost in City Park, which is fun because there’s a kitchen window where you can watch the beignet masters in action. You also have to try their famous chicory coffee – I loved dipping the beignets in my café au lait. My tips for a successful Café Du Monde visit: come early or during off-peak times (or be prepared to wait), bring cash (the French Market location is cash-only) and don’t wear black… unless you don’t mind getting (visibly) covered in sugar!
Café Beignet – While Café Du Monde is the O.G. beignet bakery, Café Beignet is another famous – and very popular – NOLA beignet spot. Both cafés are iconic and worth a visit (or two or three!) Like Café Du Monde, Cafe Beignet has multiple locations. I recommend visiting the original on Royal Street: it’s located in a converted 1800s carriage house and is absolutely stunning. The beignets at Café Du Monde and Café Beignet are both delicious, but distinctly different. I do have a favourite between the two… but I’m not telling! You’ll just have to go try for yourself. And I won’t blame you if you need to try each café a few times… you know, just to be sure!
The Vintage – Just to confuse you even further, here’s a third beignet spot to try! This coffee shop-slash-cocktail bar on Magazine Street serves up chic Parisian-inspired decor and a menu of “coffee, beignets, bubbles and bites.” We stopped in one evening during Art For Art’s Sake, an annual street festival where several Magazine Street businesses open up their doors for food, drinks and shopping. The Vintage was serving trays of their signature beignet bites, which were so yummy (I definitely helped myself to more than a couple!) If you’re feeling fancy, you can order a beignet flight, which come in gourmet flavours like raspberry, matcha and pistachio.
French Truck Coffee – With seven locations in New Orleans, this local chain is NOLA’s go-to coffee shop! They specialize in small-batch, fresh-roasted coffee made from Colombian, Ethiopian and Guatemalan coffee beans. We checked out their locations on Chartres Street and Canal Street, and I can confirm, their coffee is indeed excellent. I love their adorable yellow truck logo and their vibrant, retro-inspired branding and decor. I especially loved their Canal Street location, which is bright and sunny with lofty ceilings, bright yellow walls and their signature “It’s coffee time!” logo emblazoned in pink neon.
Le Petit Bleu – This sweet and petite café is owned by Commander’s Palace and located right next door to the restaurant. We didn’t actually eat here (we were so full from our three-course lunch at Commander’s!) but I had to share it because the decor is absolutely adorable. With its blue-and-white-striped walls, the interior is like a miniature version of Commander’s exterior. The walls are covered in vintage caricatures and black-and-white photographs detailing the restaurant’s history. I’ll definitely be coming back here on my next NOLA trip!
And there you have it – my favourite restaurants and cafés in New Orleans! In a city that’s world-famous for its culinary scene, I barely scratched the surface… but I’m glad I got to visit so many iconic restaurants and try so many iconic foods during my short time there. From beignets to Bananas Foster, pralines to po’ boys, muffulettas to jambalaya… I got hungry just writing this post!
P.S. I tried 8/12 of the below… guess I’ll be returning to NOLA sometime soon to sample the rest!
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