Must-see restaurants in Louisiana

  • Johnny Sanchez

    New Orleans

    Day of the Dead meets vintage New Orleans at this stylish 'taqueria'. The rallying line is traditional Mexican dishes with innovative flavors, sourced…

  • Mother’s

    New Orleans

    At lunchtime, expect to see a line out the door. Mother’s is a longtime crowd-pleaser that has drawn locals and tourists for years. The quality isn’t what…

  • Domilise's Po-Boys

    New Orleans

    Domilise’s is everything that makes New Orleans great: a white shack by the river serving Dixie beer, staffed by long-timers and prepping some of the city…

  • Chimes

    Louisiana

    The go-to restaurant for many of the LSU faithful – it's named for the famous noon chimes that ring out across campus – the Chimes serves comforting pub…

  • Central Grocery

    French Quarter

    There are a few New Orleans names inextricably linked to a certain dish, and Central Grocery is the word-association winner for the muffuletta. That’s…

  • Ruby Slipper – Downtown

    New Orleans

    This rapidly growing local chain specializes in down-home Southern breakfasts prepared with decadent oomph. How does fried chicken on a biscuit with…

  • Tracey’s

    New Orleans

    This neighborhood bar, known for its roast-beef po’boys, is where you go to watch the Saints play on a lazy Sunday afternoon – the joint’s got 20 TVs…

  • Big Fisherman Seafood

    New Orleans

    If you’re here in the spring during crawfish season, you may develop a taste for the little mud bugs. But you haven’t had the full-on crawfish experience…

  • Manchu

    Tremé-Lafitte

    Also known as the 'purple shop' (when you see it, you'll know why), Manchu is a dingy little takeout that is most famous for its fried chicken wings. You…

  • Tee-Eva’s Old-Fashioned Pies & Pralines

    New Orleans

    It’s impossible to nibble a praline from Tee-Eva’s over the course of a day. Trust us, after one bite, you’re a goner for the whole thing – right then…

  • Rock-n-Sake

    New Orleans

    Rock-n-Sake can be off-putting, especially on weekend nights: it’s perhaps a little too hip. The sushi chefs can look sullen and the music can be too…

  • Tante Marie's

    Cajun Country

    Big portions of unapologetically-stick-to-your-ribs Southern fare are the name of the game at this spot, which occupies a 1920s-era hardware store. Try a…

  • Maypop

    New Orleans

    This New Orleans spin on haute Asian fusion is popular with business-lunch types, foodies on the prowl for the next big thing and well-heeled tourists. A…

  • Juan’s Flying Burrito

    New Orleans

    The answer to that perennial question, ‘What happens when you cross a bunch of skinny-jeans-clad hipsters with a tortilla?’, is (ta da) Juan’s. The food…

  • Bennachin

    French Quarter

    West African cuisine (specifically Cameroonian and Gambian) doesn’t pose too many challenges to the conservative palate. It’s basically meat and potatoes,…

  • District

    New Orleans

    District makes us feel naughty – and we like it. In the morning, truly decadent donuts lure customers to the counter – we enjoyed the piled-high cookies…

  • Slim Goodie’s Diner

    New Orleans

    The grease is as prevalent as the '70s rock in this laid-back place, where hipsters in dirty tennis shoes serve hipsters in wool caps. Burgers, shakes,…

  • Dat Dog

    Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

    The Frenchmen St outpost of this popular local franchise serves sausages ranging from 'duck dogs' to alligator sausage to hot Cajun sausage layered with…

  • Mona Lisa

    French Quarter

    An informal and quiet local spot in the Lower Quarter, Mona Lisa is dim, dark and candlelight-romantic in its own quirky way. Kooky renditions of Da Vinci…

  • Mahony’s Po-Boy Shop

    New Orleans

    A convenient po’boy place with a fun atmosphere, Mahony’s is a welcome if sometimes expensive choice. Digs are a converted Magazine St house with a tiny…

  • Polly's Bywater Cafe

    Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

    Need a good breakfast to start your day or to soak up the excesses of the night before? It's the most important meal of the day, and you could do a lot…

  • Willa Jean

    New Orleans

    Willa Jean sells itself as a contemporary Southern bakery/breakfast and lunch counter – you'll find braised short ribs and poached eggs in a decadent…

  • Boudreau & Thibodeau’s

    Cajun Country

    In South Louisiana, Boudreau & Thibodeau are the butt of dozens of Cajun jokes. In Houma, it's the name of a popular restaurant that cranks out local…

  • GW Fins

    French Quarter

    Fins focuses, almost entirely, on fish: freshly caught and prepped so that the flavor of the sea is always accented and never overwhelmed. For New Orleans…

  • NOSH

    New Orleans

    More than a name, NOSH tries to live up to the social house example. Inside the bright dining room, communal tables seat diners near each other, who order…

  • Bourée

    New Orleans

    Looking not unlike a large, rectangular eggplant, this bright purple food truck at Boucherie serves up frozen daiquiris and tasty wings, pork, brisket and…

  • Arabella Casa Di Pasta

    Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

    This little restaurant, slotted next to the ribald karaoke at Kajun's, pumps out wonderful bowls of pasta. The homemade sauces are creative and tasty,…

  • American Sector

    New Orleans

    This ode to the Greatest Generation looks like a 1940s doo-wop diner: white-capped waitstaff beside the tables and black-and-white photos on the wall…

  • Magasin Cafe

    New Orleans

    The food is fresh and light but deceptively filling inside this spare and shiny cube. Magasin has an airy coffee-shop vibe, and one almost expects to see…

  • Clover Grill

    French Quarter

    This popular spot near the gay end of Bourbon St resembles an Edward Hopper painting, in which the clientele consists of an out-of-makeup drag queen and a…

  • Slice

    New Orleans

    One of those places you’ll find yourself returning to again and again if you're staying in the Lower Garden District for more than a few days. Highlights?…

  • Ruby Slipper

    New Orleans

    The Slipper has become a small local chain and serves basic American breakfast food prepared with a touch of gourmet flair: the hollandaise has a kick,…

  • Fiorella’s

    French Quarter

    Tasty sangria specials and sweet, friendly servers make Fiorella's a nice stop for an afternoon tipple. While the food is good, that doesn't quite cut it…

  • Sankofa Fresh Market

    New Orleans

    This fresh seafood, dairy and produce market is run by the community organization Sankofa, and is the only retailer of its kind on the Lower Ninth Ward…

  • Sake Café Uptown

    New Orleans

    Believe it or not, fish in this town doesn’t have to come fried, swimming in a thick sauce or stuffed with bacon, crawfish or crabmeat. Sake Uptown (the…

  • 13 Monaghan

    Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

    As it’s usually called, '13' is a diner with a twist: much of its delicious greasy-spoon fare is actually vegetarian. A Philly cheesesteak, for example,…

  • Bao & Noodle

    Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

    You'll find casual yet refined Chinese in this Creole shack, which boasts a dining room and a menu that is small and delicious. Elegant steamed bao …

  • Johnny’s Po-Boys

    French Quarter

    A local favorite since 1950, Johnny’s is the only traditional po’boy joint around. It's all checkered tablecloths, hustle, bustle and good food served by…

  • Auction House Market

    New Orleans

    A quick food counter was needed in the Warehouse District, and along came Auction House, bringing eight such establishments. Down some frozen coffee,…

  • Gene’s

    Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

    It’s hard to miss Gene’s: with its pink-and-yellow exterior, it’s one of the most vividly painted buildings on Elysian Fields Ave. The hot sausage po’boy…