-
Acme Oyster and Seafood House
Out-of-towners and locals alike flock to this old-school oyster bar. Its reputation for shucking the city's best oysters, along with its seafood gumbo and po'boys, has endured since 1910. Take a seat at the mirrored bar and be mesmerized by the shuckers.
-
Adolfo's
This might be just what you came looking for in New Orleans, a romantic little Creole-Italian restaurant upstairs from a bar. It's timeworn, dimly lit and the front tables look out over Frenchmen St. Folks from the neighborhood gather here for hearty, working-class Italianamericano fare that has the requisite New Orleans zing. Pastas with Creole tomato sauces, chicken parmagiana and cheap reds by the caraf emerge from the kitchen and raise a diner's spirits.
-
Angeli on Decatur
Angeli is a genuinely fun spot that stays open late. Pizzas, calzones, sandwiches, pita rolls and burgers sum up the straightforward menu. The real draw is the live music sets by solid outfits like the New Orleans Jazz Vipers - the early sets are a good way to launch your evening. It's situated towards the lower end of Decatur, near several other bars.
-
Antoine's
New Orleans' oldest restaurant, having first opened for business in 1840. The dated atmosphere of its dining rooms might be just the ticket for a formal family gathering, particularly if older folks are involved. Dining here is certainly of historical interest, but in general the food here fails to thrill the senses and contemporary palates might find the meat and fish dishes overburdened by staid sauces. Even the oysters Rockefeller, Antoine's own invention, lacks spirit.
-
Arnaud's
One of the best for traditional haute Creole cuisine, Arnaud's was founded in 1918 by the extravagant French 'Count' Arnaud Cazenave. The restaurant is an agglomeration of buildings that take up almost an entire city block; the main dining room exhudes stately old-world elegance. The food isn't scintillating but the seafood specialities are handled well.
-
Bacco
Business-like Bacco oozes conservative sophistication. There is no sentimentality about the contemporary decor, and the menu doesn't really push the envelope, but this is one of the city's best Italian restaurants. It offers a medley of Italian and New Orleans dishes prepared with a light hand and served by a congenial, professional staff.
-
Bank Cafe
Beautiful spaces such as this, with high ceilings, warm lighting and an impeccable Art Deco bar, create a sense of anticipation. It's in a former bank, and has preserved the grandeur and dispensed with the stodginess. The menu follows through wonderfully. It's Louisiana cooking with unintrusive updates. Fresh vegetables, while perhaps not exactly qualifying as innovations, are welcomed for their snap and color.
-
Bayona
Bayona is in a converted Creole cottage, with former parlours serving as homely dining rooms. There's also al fresco dining on the back patio when weather permits. Chef Susan Spicer's menu pulls together local, European and Japanese concepts without muddying the waters. The wine list is extensive and the homemade ice cream is superb. Reservations essential.
-
Bluebird Café
Often packed with locals and staff from nearby hospitals, the Bluebird's calling card is breakfast. The menu goes beyond the traditional eggs and grits combos. The huevos rancheros are a spicy Mexican repast, and the 'powerhouse eggs' dish contains nutritional yeast, tamari and cheese. The Bluebird is also known for its malted pancakes and Belgian waffles. For lunch, sandwiches (burgers, vegie melts and BLTs) are available. Usually you'll wait for a table. Cash only.
-
Bon Ton Café
Bon Ton is a good-time, old-style Cajun restaurant, open for half a century. The dining room looks like a pizza parlor, but folks show up dressed to the nines. This is Cajun food from before Paul Prudhomme came along. Spices are used in tasteful moderation in gumbo, jambalaya and shrimp étouffée. Crawfish show up in so many dishes, it's a wonder they haven't joined Louisiana redfish on the endangered species list. Don't pass on the rum-soaked bread pudding. And - what the hey? - Bon Ton is closed on weekends.
-
Advertisement
-
Brennan's Restaurant
Brennan's prides itself on having introduced the luxury breakfast to New Orleans. Indeed, breakfast in one of the restaurant's 12 elegant dining rooms or its lovely courtyard is no petit déjeuner: It's a virtual gastronomic extravaganza that could start with an 'eye-opener' (if you can imagine downing a Sazerac cocktail before breakfast), followed by a baked apple or turtle soup, any of about 20 egg dishes, and then dessert (bananas Foster is a Brennan's original). The dinner menu emphasizes Creole seafood dishes.
-
Brigtsen's Restaurant
Despite all the critical acclaim that has been heaped upon chef Frank Brigtsen, Brigtsen's remains a decidedly unpretentious place. Set in a converted double-shotgun house, the restaurant feels homey and inviting. Service is attentive but never oppressive. Brigtsen terms his cooking 'modern Louisiana cuisine,' and those in search of haute Cajun cuisine will not find a better restaurant in the city.
-
Café Amelie
The French Quarter's best al fresco dining is to be found in this charmed spot. Amelie occupies an old carriage house, set deep within a beautiful courtyard surrounded by high brick walls and shaded by trees. Fresh seafood and local produce are the basis of a modest, everchanging menu. When available, don't pass on the killer mussels served in a Pernod sauce. Pan seared salmon and blackened rack of lamb make frequent appearances.
-
Café Beignet
In a shaded patio setting with a view of Royal St, this intimate café serves small meals over the counter. French-style omelettes stuffed with ham, Belgian waffles and beignets are all a good start to the day, while quiches and sandwiches make up the simple lunch fare.
-
Café Degas
A full-grown pecan tree thrusts through the floor and ceiling of the enclosed deck which serves as Café Degas' congenial dining room. This is a rustic and romantic little spot that warms the heart with first-rate French bistro fare. The casual atmosphere is accentuated by the mildly eccentric, but exceedingly polite waitstaff.
-
Café du Monde
Delectable deep-fried, powdered sugar-coated beignets paired with piping hot chicory café au lait are sure to cure almost any overindulgence. Eat in or take your treats to the levee Moonwalk overlooking the river.
-
Café Maspero
Maspero's is another New Orleans restaurant that oozes atmosphere without trying very hard. Its smoky, brick arches make its street-level eating rooms feel underground. Its large menu touches all the bases of cheap local cuisine: fried catfish sandwiches, red beans and rice, cold Abita on tap delivered to your table by an alert waitstaff.
-
Café Sbisa
A Vieux Carré institution (since 1899), Café Sbisa remained closed for nine months after Hurricane Katrina damaged its facade. Nice to see this one come back. It has a reputation for innovative regional cuisine. Tasteful restoration of the ancient building, with exposed brick and strikingly decadent art above the long bar, helps make this one of New Orleans' most stylish dining rooms, while New American touches spruce up a solid menu, which includes speckled trout, bouillabaise and huge steaks and chops.
-
Camellia Grill
Hurricane Katrina imposed an extended hiatus on this New Orleans classic, most likely due to the exodus of the staff. Here's hoping it's back up and running in the very near future. The Camellia's popularity hasn't wavered since it opened in 1946. Its secret? It simply refuses to change. Well-made American short-order fare (the burgers and omelettes stand out) is served by some of the city's snazziest (in black bow ties) and most entertaining waiters. That this is the South, there is no doubt.
-
Casamentos
Here's where hardcore oyster fiends go for their fix of raw ones on the half shell. The oysters are always the freshest and are administered in a most impeccably clean, vintage 1949 setting imaginable. A thick gumbo with Creole tomatoes and oyster loaf (a sandwich of breaded and fried oysters on white bread) also have faithful followers.
-
Advertisement
-
Cc's Coffee House
Since 1919 Community Coffee has been a staple in most homes in Louisiana. This well-lited corner café is a French Quarter non-homebase for coffee addicts. A full complement of espresso and cappucino drinks is available, as are free wi-fi service and occasional live music in the evenings.
-
Clancy's
A most unassuming local favorite, Clancy's is fine dining in intimate surroundings - you'll feel like a welcomed stranger in a crowd of old friends here. Have a finely mixed cocktail while perusing the menu. You'll see nearby patrons sighing with pleasure over Clancy's beloved blue crab specialty, smoked then sautéed, which should nudge you in that direction. Nightly specials are always solid and inventive takes on Creole classics. Ice box pie is brings perfect closure.
-
Clover Grill
Compact and tidy, this '50s-style diner slangs the hash all night long. If you order a burger, the tatooed chef will cook it up under a hubcap.
-
Cochon
James Beard Award-winning chef Donald Link's fabulous brasserie serves up gourmet Southern comfort food like rabbit and dumplings and wood-fired roast oysters. Housemade boucherie and a fearless willingness to pair the simply succulent with the exceptionally extravagant catapult this laid-back spot into the echelons of truly unique cuisine.
-
Commander's Palace
One of New Orleans' grande dames, Commander's is a formal but friendly mainstay of impeccable Creole cooking and knowledgeable, friendly service. In the heart of the gorgeous Garden District, pop in for the lunchtime 25¢ martinis and a cup of their signature turtle soup (around US$7 ), or a prix fixe extravaganza (around US$30 Post-Katrina renovations turned the formerly elegant dining room into an odd aviary. No shorts allowed.
