Where to Eat and Drink in New Orleans

New Orleans has one of the most recognizable food scenes in the US, in no small part because this town organically did "organic," as it were. It’s now accepted wisdom that top food and flavors come from the intermingling of cultures, access to great ingredients and an aversion to cutting corners. New Orleans kitchens have, by and large, subscribed to this ethos for three centuries. The result is a distinct, Creole-influenced cuisine that has been internationally renowned for more than a minute.

At the same time, New Orleans' food is enlivened by an increasingly international palette; yes, of course you can get great gumbo, but the rest of the world now gets to weigh in on the menu, too.

Read on and take a gastronomic trip through both Creole classics and newer dishes representing the global influences that laid the foundation for this unique food milieu.

Warehouse District

Pêche

In a city with no shortage of great seafood, Pêche somehow always reaches the top of my recommendation list. The menu changes based on what folks are catching that particular day, although there are always excellent options for those who don’t love their food with fins. But if you can, try some seafood – preferably in the form of small plates so you can get a nice variety. In the past, I've gone ga-ga for catfish in chili broth or a whole grilled redfish that left me grinning and extremely sated. The buzzy dining room is crowded, and reservations are essential.

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Make it happen: Pêche is casual fine dining; dress up and make reservations about a month in advance via the restaurant website or Resy.

Mother’s

Opened in 1938, the classic cafeteria-style diner has all the favorites of New Orleans homestyle cooking: po’boys, jambalaya and crawfish étouffée. The walls are covered in photos and memorabilia celebrating famous visitors and the local community.

Emeril’s

Emeril's is the place to go for upscale Louisiana cuisine with an innovative approach. Be dazzled by the 10-course tasting menu, featuring artful dishes like oyster stew, trout almondine and quail.

Compère Lapin

Inside The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, a former coffee warehouse established in 1854, sits St Lucian chef Nina Compton’s acclaimed Caribbean brasserie, Compère Lapin. The inventive menu blends local Gulf ingredients with elevated island classics for dishes like semolina dumplings with rundown sauce (a traditional Jamaican seafood and coconut milk stew); curry goat and sweet potato gnocchi; jerk pork belly; and crispy whole branzino garnished with herbs and spices, served alongside a carrot and ginger puree. The bar slings some of the city’s best cocktails, but order a Red Stripe and sorrel for heightened Caribbean vibes.

Willie Mae’s NOLA

The Baronne Street sister restaurant to the beloved Willie Mae’s Scotch House, whose original Tremé location closed after a 2023 fire and hasn’t reopened. Same family, same James Beard-recognized fried chicken and white beans – though now downtown, instead.

Lower Garden District

Stein's Market & Deli

You likely came to New Orleans wanting a po’boy, the city’s famous take on a sub (or maybe the sub is the Yankee take on the po’boy). But there are more ways to devour ingredients between bread than the justifiably famous po’boy, and Stein's Market & Deli, a local deli par excellence, is ready to go toe-to-toe with any protein-carb combo your hometown can muster. Wait in line (there’s inevitably a line), look at the fridge of craft beers and sodas, purchase one of said beverages and don’t be intimidated by Dan Stein himself, who acts gruff but is a sweetheart. All the sandwiches are good; the Reuben and the Rachel stand out as magic of the highest sand-witchery.

Make it happen: Stein's does not take reservations and gets busy between 11am and 1pm. The line moves quickly, but if there's a pile of orders, you’ll need to settle in for a wait.

Surrey’s Cafe & Juice Bar

This colorful neighborhood charmer prepares outstanding breakfasts, like shrimp and grits, in addition to freshly squeezed organic juices. Or, stop by for a casual lunch and choose from their sandwiches and salads. Go for the Gulf shrimp, like in the BBQ shrimp sandwich or shrimp remoulade salad.

Commander's Palace

Commander’s Palace is a dapper host who wows with white-linen dining rooms, decadent dishes and attentive Southern hospitality. The nouveau Creole menu shifts, running from crispy oysters with brie-cauliflower fondue to pecan-crusted Gulf fish. The dress code adds to the charm: no shorts or T-shirts, and jackets are preferred at dinner. It's a very nice place – and lots of fun.

Many chefs here have been promoted to stardom; Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse are among alumni. And note that some of that stiff-upper-lip formality is put on; the lunch special, after all, is the 25¢ martini. Reservations are required.

Uptown

Saba

The brainchild of James Beard Award winner Alon Shaya, Saba’s lovely interior attracts a clientele as attractive and well-heeled as the Uptown neighborhood that surrounds it. And yet, for all of its elegant atmosphere, the actual food feels like a polished iteration of a stick-to-your-ribs meal served by your grandparents – appropriate, given "saba" is Hebrew for "grandfather." This spot serves up food from across the Jewish diaspora; when you visit, do yourself a favor and order the hummus. There are several versions, including the splurge-worthy decadent blue crab hummus and an intensely flavorful take studded with brussels sprouts, black garlic and pickled jalapeños.

Make it happen: Make reservations a few weeks in advance via Resy and get a little dressed up. Saba has a lovely outdoor dining area, which is perfect when the weather is nice.

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Pascal's Manale

The interior of Pascal's Manale gives off an unaffected, “oh, is this a lost Sopranos episode?” vibe, with all black-and-white photos and clubby, chummy banter between local characters. All that atmosphere is tasty enough, but what of the food? There are steaks and plates of pasta as big as your face, and these are all good, but I'm telling you, come here for the raw oyster bar, which deserves an exhibition hall at the Smithsonian. This piece of urban history comes with a shucker who will flatter you, cajole you, banter with you and finally serve a plate of beautiful, glistening jewels of the sea. Slurp them. Wash down with white wine. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Make it happen: Reservations aren't necessary, but why not dress up a little? Pascal’s raw bar starts getting busy around 5pm, but the shuckers know their trade and keep things moving fast.

Mister Mao

The smoke licks off the firing pans at Mister Mao, and you can watch from a seat at the bar (a kind of excellent dinner theater). Grab a cocktail and travel through chef Sophina Uong's contemporary takes on Cambodian, Indian, Mexican and Southeast Asian cuisine, including ginger salad and avocado chaat. Make sure to order a round of pani puri: these little balls of airy goodness – filled to the brim with potato masala, chutney, and pickled blueberries – are like an international party in your mouth.

Make it happen: This is a popular spot, and reservations are a must (book a month in advance); the restaurant prefers that you book through Resy.

Lucy Boone

New Orleans, it almost goes without saying, is hot. Very hot. And the tastiest culinary counter to "very hot" is ice cream. Some extraordinary local ice cream can be found at Lucy Boone, a small, family-run establishment that specializes in just a few flavors at a time – key lime pie and Nutella brownie among them. Order whatever you like, because you will not go wrong.

Make it happen: Walk in whenever. There are two or three tables in here, so there may be a line, but it moves quickly (although you might not after this ice cream).

Casamento's

One word: oysters. That’s why you come here. Walk through the 1949 soda-shop-esque interior, cross the tiled floors to a marble-top counter, trade a joke with the person shucking shells and get some raw boys with a beer. The thick gumbo with Creole tomatoes and the oyster loaf (a sandwich of breaded and fried oysters) are suitably incredible. Cash only.

If the shucker respects the way you down your "erster," you might get a fist-bump on your way out the door.

Jacques-Imo’s Café

Ask locals for restaurant recommendations in New Orleans, and almost everybody mentions Jacques-Imo's. We understand why: cornbread muffins swimming in butter, steak smothered in blue cheese sauce, and the insane, yet wickedly brilliant, shrimp and alligator-sausage cheesecake. That’s the attitude at Jack Leonardi’s exceedingly popular restaurant: die, happily, with butter and heavy sauces sweating out of your pores.

Jacques is a few doors from the famous Maple Leaf Bar, and many people make an evening out of these two spots. But you don’t need an excuse to dine at this dive-cum-haute-cuisine outpost. On busy nights, expect long waits.

Tipitina's

New Orleans is a great music town, but it’s a town of smaller venues. Tips, as it is commonly known, is the most storied midsize venue in the city, named for a ballad by Professor Longhair that blends baby babble and a birdsong-adjacent piano riff. Tipitina’s used to be a gym, then a brothel, before it became a concert hall; WWOZ used to record shows here by hanging a mic through a hole in the ceiling. It’s crowded, it's historical, and inevitably, it will give you one of those nights you’ll remember fondly in your old age.

Mid-City

Queen Trini Lisa

New Orleans has been dubbed the northernmost Caribbean city in the world, and Queen Trini Lisa keeps this town firmly in the gastronomical orbit of those islands. Queen Trini has been slinging Trinbagonian deliciousness since she worked out of an old convenience store. She brings the heat and flavor of Trinidad and Tobago to a Mid-City neighborhood restaurant with no pretension, and prices that are a cool relief in an age of menu sticker shock. Her jerk chicken is her most famous dish, but I order the chicken curry, which comes layered with tropical depth and a lick of heat that has my mouth watering for a side of Caribbean-style spinach and fried plantains. (And on that note, the vegan plate here is an exemplar of the genre.)

Make it happen: No reservations are required, and the restaurant rarely gets packed. I've found the quickest service during the early dinner (5:30–6:30pm) block.

Liuzza's by the Track

Get your beer in a goblet at Liuzza's by the Track. (A goblet!) Plus, there’s duck tenders, a garlic fried oyster po’boy that is almost illegally good and a few random gambling machines, all in a location mere steps from the city’s famous racetrack (which happens to host Jazz Fest). You must order the barbecue shrimp here, though. Just to note: it’s not really barbecue. Down here, that means the shrimp is simmered in a stupidly rich garlic butter sauce that will engender paroxysms of the happiest food sweats. Get some extra bread, because you’ll be wanting to dip it into that sauce.

Make it happen: Liuzza's does not take reservations. It tends to get slammed during lunch and dinner, which means you have to wait for a table. Most regulars use this time to hit the in-house bar.

Parkway Bakery and Tavern

Did I just say that po’boys aren’t the only sandwiches in New Orleans? Sure did. You still need to have a po’boy, though, and the faded yellow-corn husk of the Parkway Bakery and Tavern, hunched on the banks of Bayou St John, is for the connoisseur. Assuming the connoisseur enjoys some good gravy fries. But if you fill up fast, skip those carbs and just get a fried shrimp po’boy, preferably "dressed" (lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, mayo). That’s a lot of fried seafood on bread – walk it off on the banks of the bayou, the city’s prettiest inland waterway, afterward.

How to get it: No reservations are needed. Parkway gets slammed during lunch hours, but it maintains an efficient system that keeps the long lines moving.

Mandina’s

Since 1932, Mandina's has been a venerated temple of Sicilian-Louisiana food, like trout almondine and veal cutlets. Portions are generous, so plan to share. They don't take reservations, so go early or mid-week for an easy table at this beloved Mid-City spot.

French Quarter

Galatoire’s

The revered institution is a tried-and-true for traditional Creole cuisine, where you can indulge in crab au gratin and other classics. Note that the dress code here is business – that means collared shirts, long pants and jackets after 5pm and all day Sunday. Oh, and no flip-flops.

Bayona

A slow-food pioneer, Bayona is classy but unpretentious. At this ever-evolving hotspot, chef Susan Spicer works her culinary magic – on poultry, game, Gulf seafood and local produce – with artistic flair and global inspirations.

Carousel Bar

Go early to snag a seat at the spinning carousel, a 1949 landmark inside the Hotel Monteleone. Sazeracs are a specialty at this 25-seat revolving bar. Canopied by the top hat of the 1904 World’s Fair carousel, it's adorned with running lights, hand-painted figures and gilded mirrors. In 15 minutes, the bar completes a full revolution.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop

This gutted brick cottage claims to be the country's oldest operating bar – it certainly is the oldest in the South, and one of the most atmospheric in the Quarter. Rumors suggest it was once the workshop of pirate Jean Lafitte and his brother Pierre. Whether true or not (historical records suggest not), the house dates from the 18th century.

Stop in, soak up the history, listen to some tunes played on the piano, and try the signature "purple drank" – and be careful, it only takes a few of these to send even a professional drinker over the edge.

The Marigny & Bywater

Bywater Bakery

You’ll find neighbors congregating here every morning around the takeout window. On more leisurely afternoons, locals sit with their coffees and pastries at tables shielded by deep-red umbrellas that match the building’s unmistakable coat of paint.

Paladar 511

Thinking Italian? Opt for fresh pasta and pizza in an old brick sock factory in Marigny. It's not all pasta and pizza on the menu, though; there's a surprising California twist, featuring dishes like a tuna crudo with bright peppers and avocado.

Bacchanal

From the outside, Bacchanal looks like a leaning Bywater shack; inside are racks of wine and stinky-but-sexy cheese. Musicians play in the garden, while cooks dispense delicious meals on paper plates from the kitchen in the back; on any given day, you may try chorizo-stuffed dates or seared diver scallops that will blow your gastronomic mind.