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N7, a Parisian-inspired bistro in Bywater.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

The Best French Restaurants in New Orleans

Escargot, French onion soup, frog legs, and more for the local Francophile

by Beth D'Addono
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N7, a Parisian-inspired bistro in Bywater.
| Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA
by Beth D'Addono

Local gastronomy has long been defined by the evolution of Creole cuisine, a style of cooking that is a sum of its parts. One integral influence came from wealthier French newcomers, who traveled with their chefs from France, spreading the gospel of béchamel, velouté, and hollandaise amongst the upper crust.

But, given the land’s natural bounty and cultural influences, French cuisine didn’t thrive in its traditional form. Instead, with influences from local indigenous people, the Spanish, and enslaved Africans, it morphed into something else, something, arguably, more interesting. Mirepoix became the trinity, roux darkened, and local ingredients informed the table.

All of which makes the classic French restaurants we do have even more special. Here are a few places Francophiles will approve.

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La Crepe Nanou

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A romantic neighborhood French bistro and Uptown crêperie since 1983, La Crêpe Nanou oozes charm. One of the few spots in town to get tender veal sweetbreads, these come with a lemon caper beurre blanc sauce. Try the lamb chops in cognac reduction or make a meal of crepes, savory and sweet. The crepes Nanou is the perfect combination of vanilla, coffee, and chocolate flavors, studded with crunchy toasted almonds.

1410 Robert St (btwn Prytania & St. Charles Ave.), New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-2670
(504) 899-2670
La Crepe Nanou

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Lilette

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This romantic French bistro has date night written all over it. Chef/owner John Harris opened Lilette on Magazine Street 23 years ago. The restaurant has stood the test of time, earning consistent accolades for its expertly executed French menu and moody setting. Hanger steak with frites and marrow bordelaise, grilled beets with goat cheese and walnuts, and chocolate hazelnut mousse are a few stellar options,

3637 Magazine St (between Louisana Street and Napoleon Street), New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 895-1636
(504) 895-1636
Hanger steak from Lilette.
Lilette

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Cafe Degas

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Owners Jacques Soulas and Jerry Edgar opened Café Degas in 1986 on leafy Esplanade Avenue. The Cafe, with its lovely tree growing through the center of the dining room, has drawn Francophiles ever since for its comforting menu of French brasserie food. Chef Joe Turley presides over the kitchen, which turns out savories like roasted quail over baby mixed greens and seared duck breast with blood orange basmati and wild rice. Always get the Ile Flottante — floating islands — if it’s featured for dessert: ethereal clouds of meringue floating on crème anglaise.

3127 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 945-5635
(504) 945-5635
A tree-lined restaurant entrance with a neon “Cafe Degas” sign in the window. William A. Morgan/Shutterstock

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Arnaud's Restaurant

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Another Creole Grand Dame with a French pedigree, Arnaud’s was founded by a French wine salesman in 1918. From filet au poivre bathed in French brandy cream sauce to the peeled Louisiana crab claws served Provence style, in a Pernod-scented garlic butter sauce, Arnaud’s delivers. For dessert, the restaurant keeps the art of flambé alive with bananas Foster, café brulot, and Crepes Suzette. Have a French 75 in the bar by the same name.

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
866 230 8895
866 230 8895
arnaud’s bar
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

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Vyoone's

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Vyoone’s offers modern French fare with an Afro-Creole twist in an historic CBD space, notable for exposed brick and the sheen of burnished wood. Proprietor Vyoone Segue, a pediatric geneticist by day with deep roots to community, opened the Girod Street restaurant in 2018, with private dining spaces and a stunning courtyard. Garlicky snails sizzling on bone marrow, crab cakes topped with crawfish cream sauce, and confit duck à l’orange are just a few French-tinged highlights.

412 Girod, New Orleans, LA
French onion soup from Vyoone’s.
Vyoone’s

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Couvant

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Couvant’s French pedigree fits the restaurant’s gorgeous space, with its low lighting, tin ceiling, crushed velvet, and black and white tile floor. Couvant, from the French word for smolder, is a French-inspired brasserie, with homage to local bounty. Chef Ryan Pearson, who worked in France as well as at Daniel in Manhattan, is rooted in New Orleans, so his allegiance to local dishes and the bounty from the Gulf burns brightly. The chef’s crawfish gnocchi is a wonder, a spot-on marriage of French and South Louisianan traditions.

315 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 342-2316
(504) 342-2316
A plate of duck breast, dirty rice, snow pea salad, and pepper jelly jus.
Duck breast from Couvant.
Randy Schmidt/Eater NOLA

Justine

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Chef Justin and his wife/partner Mia Devillier bring plenty of sass to the lower French Quarter with Justine, a stylish French accented restaurant evocative of Paris. Bathed in pink neon, the gorgeous marble zinc-topped bar is a showstopper. Same for the French onion soup capped with melted cheese, steak tartare, and NY strip steak served with maitre d’hotel butter and hand-cut frittes. Justine’s is equal parts oui and wheeeeee.

225 Chartres St (Iberville), New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 218-8533
(504) 218-8533
Outside Justine.
Justine

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Antoine's Restaurant

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Of all the grand dames in town, Antoine’s is the only one founded in 1840 by a young French chef, Antoine Alciatore. First apprenticed in Nice at the age of 12, Alciatore studied with chef Jean-Louis Françoise-Collinet who is credited with both Béarnaise sauce and the twice-fried puffy Pommes soufflées, both still served at Antoine’s today. Now stewarded by the fifth generation, Antoine’s is the oldest family-run restaurant in America. Order the classics, along with oysters Rockefeller. They were invented here, inspired by a dire shortage of French snails in 1899.

713 Saint Louis St (at Royal St), New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 581-4422
(504) 581-4422

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MaMou

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For the uninitiated, MaMou is not a reference to the town in Evangeline Parish, but to the pet name for chef Tom Branighan’s great-grandmother. A partnership with master sommelier Molly Wisemeier, the 48-seat art Nouveau-style restaurant showcases Branighan’s passion for nouvelle French cuisine. Try the mussels Provencale with sauce Basquez and rouille and the divine pork charcoute with sauce Robert, executed with loving precision. The compact wine list reveals the sommelier’s thoughtful design.

942 North Rampart Street, LA 70116
(504) 381-4557
(504) 381-4557
Dishes from MaMou.
Randy Schmidt/Eater NOLA

Also featured in:

Tonti's Cocktail Bar & Bistro

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This Algier’s Point bistro has undergone plenty of changes since it opened with the oddball moniker Tonti’s Hand in March 2023. Now Tonti’s Cocktail Bar & Bistro, this tucked-away gem serves classic French bistro fare from chef Chet Henderson. Open daily for brunch or lunch and dinner, the menu dishes faves like escargot en coquille, rabbit terrine, French onion soup, and tartines at lunch with steak frites a star at dinner. Prices are reasonable and the cocktails are creative.

323 Verret St, New Orleans, LA 70114
(504) 264-7973
(504) 264-7973
Escargot en coquille from Tonti’s.
Tonti’s Cocktail Bar & Bistro

Also featured in:

N7

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Named for the highway that carries Parisians south for summer holidays, N7 used to be a tire shop. When the restaurant opened stealthily in 2015, it didn’t have a phone or any way to make reservations. The French-ish place was so far under the radar, it was hard to find the entrance. Things have changed some — still no phone, but you can reserve on Resy. And owners, filmmaker Aaron Walker and chef Yuki Yamaguchi, just opened a sister restaurant in Kyoto. The menu ranges from escargot and frogs legs to bouillabaisse and housemade charcuterie. Expect a gorgeous, candlelit courtyard, cool French pop music, and bistro fare shot through with Japanese sensibility. Guests must be 18 and over to dine.

1117 Montegut Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70117
Outside N7.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

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La Crepe Nanou

1410 Robert St (btwn Prytania & St. Charles Ave.), New Orleans, LA 70115

A romantic neighborhood French bistro and Uptown crêperie since 1983, La Crêpe Nanou oozes charm. One of the few spots in town to get tender veal sweetbreads, these come with a lemon caper beurre blanc sauce. Try the lamb chops in cognac reduction or make a meal of crepes, savory and sweet. The crepes Nanou is the perfect combination of vanilla, coffee, and chocolate flavors, studded with crunchy toasted almonds.

1410 Robert St (btwn Prytania & St. Charles Ave.), New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-2670
(504) 899-2670
La Crepe Nanou

Lilette

3637 Magazine St (between Louisana Street and Napoleon Street), New Orleans, LA 70115

This romantic French bistro has date night written all over it. Chef/owner John Harris opened Lilette on Magazine Street 23 years ago. The restaurant has stood the test of time, earning consistent accolades for its expertly executed French menu and moody setting. Hanger steak with frites and marrow bordelaise, grilled beets with goat cheese and walnuts, and chocolate hazelnut mousse are a few stellar options,

3637 Magazine St (between Louisana Street and Napoleon Street), New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 895-1636
(504) 895-1636
Hanger steak from Lilette.
Lilette

Cafe Degas

3127 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Owners Jacques Soulas and Jerry Edgar opened Café Degas in 1986 on leafy Esplanade Avenue. The Cafe, with its lovely tree growing through the center of the dining room, has drawn Francophiles ever since for its comforting menu of French brasserie food. Chef Joe Turley presides over the kitchen, which turns out savories like roasted quail over baby mixed greens and seared duck breast with blood orange basmati and wild rice. Always get the Ile Flottante — floating islands — if it’s featured for dessert: ethereal clouds of meringue floating on crème anglaise.

3127 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 945-5635
(504) 945-5635
A tree-lined restaurant entrance with a neon “Cafe Degas” sign in the window. William A. Morgan/Shutterstock

Arnaud's Restaurant

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112

Another Creole Grand Dame with a French pedigree, Arnaud’s was founded by a French wine salesman in 1918. From filet au poivre bathed in French brandy cream sauce to the peeled Louisiana crab claws served Provence style, in a Pernod-scented garlic butter sauce, Arnaud’s delivers. For dessert, the restaurant keeps the art of flambé alive with bananas Foster, café brulot, and Crepes Suzette. Have a French 75 in the bar by the same name.

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
866 230 8895
866 230 8895
arnaud’s bar
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Vyoone's

412 Girod, New Orleans, LA

Vyoone’s offers modern French fare with an Afro-Creole twist in an historic CBD space, notable for exposed brick and the sheen of burnished wood. Proprietor Vyoone Segue, a pediatric geneticist by day with deep roots to community, opened the Girod Street restaurant in 2018, with private dining spaces and a stunning courtyard. Garlicky snails sizzling on bone marrow, crab cakes topped with crawfish cream sauce, and confit duck à l’orange are just a few French-tinged highlights.

412 Girod, New Orleans, LA
French onion soup from Vyoone’s.
Vyoone’s

Couvant

315 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Couvant’s French pedigree fits the restaurant’s gorgeous space, with its low lighting, tin ceiling, crushed velvet, and black and white tile floor. Couvant, from the French word for smolder, is a French-inspired brasserie, with homage to local bounty. Chef Ryan Pearson, who worked in France as well as at Daniel in Manhattan, is rooted in New Orleans, so his allegiance to local dishes and the bounty from the Gulf burns brightly. The chef’s crawfish gnocchi is a wonder, a spot-on marriage of French and South Louisianan traditions.

315 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 342-2316
(504) 342-2316
A plate of duck breast, dirty rice, snow pea salad, and pepper jelly jus.
Duck breast from Couvant.
Randy Schmidt/Eater NOLA

Justine

225 Chartres St (Iberville), New Orleans, LA 70130

Chef Justin and his wife/partner Mia Devillier bring plenty of sass to the lower French Quarter with Justine, a stylish French accented restaurant evocative of Paris. Bathed in pink neon, the gorgeous marble zinc-topped bar is a showstopper. Same for the French onion soup capped with melted cheese, steak tartare, and NY strip steak served with maitre d’hotel butter and hand-cut frittes. Justine’s is equal parts oui and wheeeeee.

225 Chartres St (Iberville), New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 218-8533
(504) 218-8533
Outside Justine.
Justine

Antoine's Restaurant

713 Saint Louis St (at Royal St), New Orleans, LA 70130

Of all the grand dames in town, Antoine’s is the only one founded in 1840 by a young French chef, Antoine Alciatore. First apprenticed in Nice at the age of 12, Alciatore studied with chef Jean-Louis Françoise-Collinet who is credited with both Béarnaise sauce and the twice-fried puffy Pommes soufflées, both still served at Antoine’s today. Now stewarded by the fifth generation, Antoine’s is the oldest family-run restaurant in America. Order the classics, along with oysters Rockefeller. They were invented here, inspired by a dire shortage of French snails in 1899.

713 Saint Louis St (at Royal St), New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 581-4422
(504) 581-4422

MaMou

942 North Rampart Street, LA 70116

For the uninitiated, MaMou is not a reference to the town in Evangeline Parish, but to the pet name for chef Tom Branighan’s great-grandmother. A partnership with master sommelier Molly Wisemeier, the 48-seat art Nouveau-style restaurant showcases Branighan’s passion for nouvelle French cuisine. Try the mussels Provencale with sauce Basquez and rouille and the divine pork charcoute with sauce Robert, executed with loving precision. The compact wine list reveals the sommelier’s thoughtful design.

942 North Rampart Street, LA 70116
(504) 381-4557
(504) 381-4557
Dishes from MaMou.
Randy Schmidt/Eater NOLA

Tonti's Cocktail Bar & Bistro

323 Verret St, New Orleans, LA 70114

This Algier’s Point bistro has undergone plenty of changes since it opened with the oddball moniker Tonti’s Hand in March 2023. Now Tonti’s Cocktail Bar & Bistro, this tucked-away gem serves classic French bistro fare from chef Chet Henderson. Open daily for brunch or lunch and dinner, the menu dishes faves like escargot en coquille, rabbit terrine, French onion soup, and tartines at lunch with steak frites a star at dinner. Prices are reasonable and the cocktails are creative.

323 Verret St, New Orleans, LA 70114
(504) 264-7973
(504) 264-7973
Escargot en coquille from Tonti’s.
Tonti’s Cocktail Bar & Bistro

N7

1117 Montegut Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70117

Named for the highway that carries Parisians south for summer holidays, N7 used to be a tire shop. When the restaurant opened stealthily in 2015, it didn’t have a phone or any way to make reservations. The French-ish place was so far under the radar, it was hard to find the entrance. Things have changed some — still no phone, but you can reserve on Resy. And owners, filmmaker Aaron Walker and chef Yuki Yamaguchi, just opened a sister restaurant in Kyoto. The menu ranges from escargot and frogs legs to bouillabaisse and housemade charcuterie. Expect a gorgeous, candlelit courtyard, cool French pop music, and bistro fare shot through with Japanese sensibility. Guests must be 18 and over to dine.

1117 Montegut Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70117
Outside N7.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

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