Fried flatbreads topped with chickpea curry served on a tropical plate with three sauces. — Doubles from Queen Trini Lisa.

38 Essential Restaurants in New Orleans

A guide to the city’s defining restaurants spanning cuisines, neighborhoods, and price

by Clair Lorell Updated Oct 8, 2024, 4:00pm CDT

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Doubles from Queen Trini Lisa.

| Randy Schmidt/Eater NOLA

by Clair Lorell Updated Oct 8, 2024, 4:00pm CDT

Welcome to the Eater 38, our answer to the question, “Can you recommend a restaurant?” It’s a wide-ranging, varied list meant to highlight the best of contemporary New Orleans dining spanning cuisines, neighborhoods, settings, and prices. Showcasing a mix of po’ boy shops, Creole cafes, and fine dining institutions that make New Orleans one of the most interesting places to eat in America, these 38 restaurants are crucial visits for any New Orleans diner.

For a guide to the best new restaurants in New Orleans, turn to the Eater Heatmap.

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Tân Định

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Tân Định is not New Orleans’s only great Vietnamese restaurant located in a strip mall, but it is perhaps the one most universally loved by East Bank and West Bank residents. Everything here is revitalizing, but regulars swear by specialties like the goat curry and lemongrass chicken wings. Few New Orleanians either haven’t tried it or have a bad word to say about this Gretna gem.

1705 Lafayette St, Gretna, LA 70053

(504) 361-8008

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A blue and white plate of crispy roasted duck next to cucumbers and topped with a fried rice patty. — Cơm nếp vịt nướng chao (roasted duck served with a sweet crispy rice patty).

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Chicken’s Kitchen

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It’s always a treat to see what chef and owner Marlon “Chicken” Williams is cooking up at his uber-popular lunch plate spot in Gretna, where New Orleans favorites like smothered okra, stuffed catfish, stuffed pepper balls, and smothered turkey necks rotate daily. It’s incredible, really, just how many specialties Williams serves and excels at — both mains and sides — so it’s no surprise that the sunny Derbigny Street restaurant has grown into the West Bank’s favorite place to run into friends and enjoy homestyle cooking at its best. Be prepared for a (fast-moving) line during peak lunchtime hours.

629 Derbigny St, Gretna, LA 70053

(504) 244-2536

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A takeout container holds fried chicken and sides of green beans, dirty rice, and potato salad. — A plate lunch of fried chicken, green beans, and dirty rice.

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Luvi Restaurant

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Remaining one of the most exciting restaurants in New Orleans since opening in 2018, Luvi is a petite Uptown cottage where chef Hao Gong wows with his mastery of Japanese and Chinese cuisines. Gong, who worked for years at Sake Cafe, nails dishes of raw and nearly raw fish paired with the likes of cucumber and yuzu vinegar and pink dragon fruit, as well as Shanghai comfort food like dumplings, dan dan noodles, and crispy panko chicken with sweet chili sauce.

5236 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 605-3340

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Overhead view of a blue and white porcelain bowl filled with light brown broth and dumplings and topped with scallions. — Curried favor dumplings from Luvi.

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Mister Mao

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Mister Mao isn’t where you go for a taste of New Orleans tradition, but it is the place to expand your horizons while tasting stunningly distinctive food. This bohemian Uptown spot offers eclectic bites from roving dim sum carts — think garlic noodles, lechon kawali, and bjali (an Indian vegetable fritter) — during happy hour and brunch, while at dinner, Cambodian curried pork or shiitake-crusted scallops with sweet potato mochi explode with flavor, balanced by savory cocktails infused with Malört and aquafaba. Dessert is another unpredictable highlight: ever-changing, but usually incorporating a chance to try goods from small local makers.

4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 345-2056

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A light pink painted dining room with dark green accents and a jungle mural is filled with tables. — The dining room at Mister Mao.

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Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar

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It’s impossible to say any shop has the best po’ boys, but these make a strong claim to that title. Domilise’s doesn’t look like much from the outside on an Uptown corner; adorned only with a hand-printed sign, it’s been that way for decades. Inside, longtime employees sling giant versions of the iconic sandwiches to locals, politicians, visiting celebrities, and anyone with good taste. The po’ boys might be considered pricey (a large shrimp one goes for about $16), but they’re generous and worth every penny, especially the melty roast beef and crispy fried shrimp, fully dressed — meaning topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise.

5240 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 899-9126

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A counter bar has four green-topped stools in front of it, and a wall behind is covered in family and New Orleans memorabilia. — At the bar inside Domilise’s.

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La Petite Grocery

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Justin Devillier’s Uptown gem doesn’t disappoint for any fine dining occasion, whether a business lunch or a romantic anniversary dinner. From its handsome Magazine Street storefront to its graceful, dimly lit dining room, La Petite Grocery is a charmer. Don’t miss dishes like the turtle Bolognese or blue crab beignets, a now-common small plate on fine dining menus in the city that La Petite perfected first.

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4238 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 891-3377

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Overhead view of a light brown broth-based stew filled with head-on prawn, clams, and chunks of crab. — Shellfish stew from La Petite Grocery.

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Casamento's

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This old-school Magazine Street seafood joint is a time machine; a way to experience New Orleans from a prior era (down to the standup oyster bar, green-and-white-tiled floor, and cash-only payment). Casamento’s oyster-shuckers have been holding court at that standup bar since 1919 when the family-owned classic opened. Try the raw and chargrilled oysters; an oyster loaf (like a fried oyster po’ boy, but on toasted, thick, white sandwich bread); and the gumbo filled with tomatoes and okra. It closes during the summer months as tradition dictates.

4330 Magazine St (at Napoleon Ave.), New Orleans, LA 70115

504 895 9761

A simple storefront with a green and white tile mosaic and windows with old-school blinds. — Casamento’s Magazine Street storefront.

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Saffron

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Saffron’s well-received debut on Magazine Street was years in the making: Prior to its opening, the Vilkhu family served a menu of modern Indian food in a West Bank strip mall, on weekends only, for five years. Devoted diners eventually convinced the family to go all in on the business, and the result is a modern, dazzling space with a buzzing energy and multiple James Beard Award nominations. Among the many menu highlights, which at times fuse Indian and Louisiana cuisines or North and South Indian styles, are the lamb chops, Kerala seafood curry, any of the shrimp dishes, and the paneer pudha.

4128 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 323-2626

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A dark bowl filled with eggplant, tomatoes, onion, and crispy okra, and a white bowl of curry shrimp with white rice. — Vegetarian and shrimp dishes from Saffron.

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Dakar NOLA

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Serigne Mbaye’s dazzling Senegalese pop-up tasting menu dinners became a permanent fixture at an intimate cottage in Uptown New Orleans in late 2022; a year and a half later, it won the 2024 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. Mbaye’s upscale riffs on traditional West African and Senegalese dishes that blend West African and Louisiana ingredients are served in a welcoming communal setting accompanied by detailed explanations. Stunning dishes might include soupa konja, a sort of Senegalese gumbo; fonio salad with West African millet, finger limes, and satsuma (or other seasonal produce); and a Gulf shrimp dish made with tamarind and parsley oil, which loosely recalls a less-saucy New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp.

3814 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 493-9396

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A blue and brown ceramic bowl holds a red-brown soup with rice and topped with lumps of crab. — Soupa konja from Dakar NOLA.

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Wishing Town Restaurant & Bakery

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While Wishing Town is also a bakery with cakes worthy of a celebration, Guangzhou-born couple Vivi and Kevin Zheng’s Chinese specialties are some of the best in town. A massive array of dim sum, soups, and cold noodle salads are served out of a kitschy counter-service shop on a bustling Magazine Street corner, best enjoyed on the beautiful patio full of families. Delicate, melt-in-your-mouth dumplings including octopus, scallop and shrimp, crawfish, onion and beef, char siu tofu, and much more.

802 Nashville Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 533-9166

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Overhead view of bamboo steam pots with dumplings, bowls of soup, and little bowls of soy sauce. — Dim sum, soups, and noodle dishes from Wishing Town.

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Coquette

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Chef Michael Stoltzfus’s Magazine Street restaurant, Coquette, has the feel of a Southern-style brasserie, with glowing chandeliers, tiled floors, and a mahogany wraparound bar as its centerpiece. This food has a true sense of Louisiana terroir, featuring small plates like pickled andouille with grilled carrots and cane syrup, and mains like crawfish agnolotti and red snapper with butter beans. The vibe is approachable and lived-in, and the hospitality is warm.

2800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 265-0421

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A round ceramic plate with a small cut of seared fish, greens, and a circle of creamy white sauce. — A fish dish from Coquette.

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Turkey and the Wolf

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The buzz generated by Mason Hereford’s inventive twists on childhood favorites at Turkey and the Wolf has yet to wear off, but for good reason — the sandwiches and specials that won so much acclaim upon the restaurant’s Lower Garden District debut continue to surprise, satisfy, and delight. While it was the bologna sandwich that first caught on nationwide, the collard green melt and smoked ham sandwiches are just as notable. Don’t miss the frozen margarita.

739 Jackson Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 218-7428

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A sandwich of rye bread, coleslaw, collard greens, and sauce is cut in half on a white plate. — Turkey and the Wolf’s collard green melt.

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Commander's Palace

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The Garden District grand dame of New Orleans-style fine dining has a new head chef and expanded courtyard dining, making it a good time to revisit the elaborate Victorian-era mansion. Ever celebratory, Commander’s still raises the bar for hospitality and service while delighting with reliably satisfying Creole dishes like turtle soup, lacquered quail, and a not-to-be-missed bread pudding souffle. During the famous martini lunch served Thursdays and Fridays, a smaller, less expensive menu offers 25-cent martinis with the purchase of an entree. A meal here requires significant advance planning to reserve, so take note.

1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 899-8221

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Street view of a large, blue and turquoise corner building. — Outside Commander’s Palace.

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Stein's Market and Deli

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It’s good to know your order when heading into Dan Stein’s tiny Jewish and Italian deli, a crowded lunch destination on Magazine Street, but if you’re really unsure, staff will (sometimes begrudgingly) help you pick the perfect sandwich. Corned beef and pastrami are the stars here, so the Reuben or Rachel serve as shining examples of the shop’s abilities.

2207 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 527-0771

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Stein’s storefront and burgundy sign with large windows next to a door. — Outside Stein’s on Magazine Street.

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Mosquito Supper Club

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Melissa Martin’s Mosquito Supper Club in the Milan neighborhood honors Louisiana, serving food that’s been passed down through generations in a rustic, eclectic space that seems to nurture conversation. Beyond the atmosphere, the restaurant celebrates Gulf Coast seafood with Cajun dishes like shrimp okra gumbo, oyster soup, stuffed crab, and other elegant versions of the dishes from Martin’s childhood. The prix fixe menu, reservations required, is $135 per person, but an a la carte menu is available at the Mosquito bar, which is open for walk-ins.

3824 Dryades St, New Orleans, LA 70115

(504) 494-9777

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A handcrafted pottery bowl filled with an oyster stew, light orange in color. — Oyster soup.

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Café Reconcile

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One of New Orleans’s most endearing restaurants (and there are many), Café Reconcile doubles as a successful job-training program for teens and young adults. Led by hugely talented local chef Martha Wiggins, the old-school New Orleans soul food, like seafood-stuffed peppers and fried catfish, stands on its own, served in a welcoming, art-adorned setting in the heart of Central City’s Oretha Castle corridor.

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1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113

(504) 568-1157

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A pair of hands hold a large white bowl filled with two pieces of fried chicken and smaller bowl of potato salad. — Fried chicken and potato salad from Cafe Reconcile.

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Maïs Arepas

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David Mantilla’s Central City destination for Colombian cuisine flies under the radar, but for locals in the know, it’s a frequent visit. Bright, colorful, and lively, Maïs Arepas serves festive fresh fruit cocktails and dishes like Colombian-style ceviche, empanadas, and brochetas, and of course, a vast menu of savory, overstuffed arepas. Its sauces are also a standout — don’t miss the maiz de la rueda served with spicy butter, or the salsa rosada.

1200 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 523-6247

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A light-filled restaurant with a marble bar on the left and tables on the right lining the windows. — The bar and dining room at Maïs Arepas.

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Jamila's Cafe

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The couscous is as legendary as the warm vibes at Jamila’s, New Orleans’s only Tunisian-Mediterranean cafe, located in a small, wood-paneled building in Uptown that feels like someone’s dining room. The joy of this place is the intimate in-person experience: Jamila waving from the kitchen as husband Moncef brags about her food to tables before he delivers outstanding couscous, lamb chops, and a Jazz Fest favorite — the crawfish, spinach, and zucchini bisque — to jovial diners eager to share.

7808 Maple Street, LA 70118

(504) 866-4366

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A sign hangs outside a white and green building saying “Jamila’s Cafe, Tunisian Mediterranean Cuisine.” — Outside Jamila’s.

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Heard Dat Kitchen

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Jeffery Heard’s Central City restaurant, Heard Dat Kitchen, is a favorite for comforting, stick-to-your-ribs Creole-style soul food dishes named after local landmarks. Heard’s blackened and fried seafood dishes, red beans, traditional New Orleans combo of grilled cheese and gumbo, and plenty of seafood cream sauces fly out of the shop’s convenient takeout window on Felicity Street.

2520 Felicity St, New Orleans, LA 70113

(504) 510-4248

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Fried chicken on top of mac and cheese served with potato salad from Heard Dat Kitchen. — Bourbon Street Love dish from Heard Dat.

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Emeril's

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Chef Emeril Lagasse has been a larger-than-life New Orleans presence since 1982, when he became chef of the landmark Commander’s Palace at the age of 23. His flagship restaurant, Emeril’s, offers an exemplary taste of his legacy, now with son E.J. at the helm. This is fine dining infused with a Southern sensibility and warm, approachable touches — the smoked salmon cheesecake, lobster gumbo, and banana cream pie are a few examples. The six-course tasting menu is $215; other ways to dine include a Friday lunch tasting menu for $125 and the separate wine bar, which offers a chance to try a menu of small plates a la carte.

800 Tchoupitoulas St (at Julia Street), New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 528-9393

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A pristine slice of a savory pie with layers of cream cheese, smoked salmon, and caviar. — Salmon cheesecake from Emeril’s.

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Pêche

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There are essential seafood restaurants, and then there’s Pêche. The Donald Link-owned stunner achieves what few other restaurants have — reliable quality and remarkable expertise throughout its decade of serving the Warehouse District. Delightful, unfussy dishes come from the raw bar or wood-burning oven, including small plates of seafood salad, crispy okra, and “fish sticks,” along with entrees of baked drum, pan-seared jumbo shrimp, and whole grilled fish. Those, combined with its fresh versions of picnic-style sides, make dinner at Pêeche evoke the romantic, nostalgic feel of Southern summer nights.

800 Magazine St (Julia), New Orleans, LA 70130

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An elegant high-ceilinged dining room is full of people dining at tables. — The dining room at Pêche.

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Brigtsen's Restaurant

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Frank Brigtsen, prize pupil of legendary chef Paul Prudhomme, opened this namesake restaurant in a cozy Riverbend shotgun with his wife, Marna, in 1986. Since then, Brigtsen has become one of the most respected chefs in New Orleans with his modern but familiar Creole cuisine, like New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp with calas, a once nearly extinct fried rice ball that street vendors used to sell near the French Market and at Congo Square.

723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA 70118

(504) 861-7610

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Street view of Brigtsen’s Restaurant awning and sign in Uptown New Orleans. — Outside Brigsten’s on Dante Street.

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Vyoone’s

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Go to Vyoone’s for the great atmosphere, classic French food, and warm hospitality — the Warehouse District hidden gem excels in all areas. A locals’ favorite for special-occasion dinners, group dining, and private parties, it’s equally ideal for a date, especially if you can snag a seat in the secluded courtyard. On Vyoone Segue Lewis’s contemporary French-meets-Creole menu, try the escargot, French onion soup, and soft-shell crab entree with maque choux and crawfish cream sauce if available.

412 Girod St, New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 518-6007

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A ceramic soup bowl with an individual serving of cheese-topped French onion soup on a wood plate. — French onion soup from Vyoone’s.

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GW Fins

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GW Fins celebrates everything seasonal, fresh, and from the water, with chef Michael Nelson dreaming up dishes like the delicate lobster dumplings and creative scalibut, a scallop-encrusted filet of halibut served with royal red shrimp risotto. The upscale French Quarter restaurant’s dedication to its product — think fish collars, sheepshead, sea bass, and more — makes GW Fins a great special occasion choice.

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808 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112

(504) 581-3467

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A plate of five delicate lobster dumplings in a cream sauce. — Lobster dumplings.

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Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits

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Bacchanal, a Bywater wine shop known for its amazing courtyard and live music, offers a seasonal menu of small plates like salt cod fritters, grilled sardines, and littleneck clams. There’s also a cocktail bar that offers indoor seating for when the backyard is simply too packed. Bacchanal matured into a hot spot following Hurricane Katrina, and despite its current must-do status with tourists, remains an important part of the neighborhood.

600 Poland Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 948-9111

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A woman laughs at a table in Bacchanal’s backyard courtyard. — The backyard at Bacchanal.

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BABs

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Chef Nina Compton and Larry Miller’s Bywater restaurant — recently renamed BABs, an abbreviation of the original Bywater American Bistro moniker — has remained a New Orleans classic since its opening in 2018, the same year that Compton won the James Beard Award for Best Chef, South. Here, she homes in on Italian cuisine, serving dishes like cool basil burrata, goat bolognese, and shrimp fra diavolo in a high-ceilinged, industrial dining room with rustic touches. Save room for brown butter biscotti.

2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 605-3827

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A table with four plates of food and two cocktails. — Branzino, blackened octopus, arancini, and shrimp fra diavolo.

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Paladar 511

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Paladar is a convivial neighborhood favorite for refined Italian specialties and delicate fresh pasta, but its concise menu of outstanding wood-fired pizza might be the main draw. Share pies topped with mascarpone and wild arugula over spicy red sauce; lamb sausage with roasted pepper, pine nut, and tzatziki; roasted mushroom with leek and fontina; or the favorite of many, the farm egg pizza with applewood smoked bacon, braised collard greens, and gruyere. You’ll want the squid ink spaghetti with Calabrian chili butter and plump pieces of shrimp all to yourself, however.

511 Marigny St (Decatur), New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 509-6782

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A warehouse-like dining room with large windows and a chef’s counter in front of an open kitchen. — The dining room at Paladar 511.

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Fritai

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One of New Orleans’s best Caribbean restaurants is Charly Pierre’s Fritai, a vividly decorated, welcoming hub for Haitian specialties and exciting cocktails in Treme. The drinks to try are made with the Haitian spirit clairin, and all pair well with dishes like the Fritai sandwich, made with tender pulled pork between two fried plantains with avocado, mango sauce, and pikliz (a spicy Haitian slaw); espageti (Haitian spaghetti) with smoked herring; and mirliton (also known as chayote) salad with grilled carrot and candied plantain.

1535 Basin St, New Orleans, LA 70116

(504) 264-7899

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In a background is a plate of tender pulled pork between two fried plantains with avocado, mango sauce, and pikliz, and in the foreground is a plate of fried plaintains and grilled shrimp pikliz. — A Fritai sandwich and grilled shrimp pikliz starter.

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Sneaky Pickle & Bar Brine

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Visit Sneaky Pickle for lunch or Bar Brine for dinner to try playful dishes that convey a deep understanding of technique, flavor, and texture. At Bar Brine, products like hakurei turnips, tilefish, king trumpet mushrooms, and confit goose get special treatment; fresh, delicate pasta dishes combine gnocchi with walnuts and blue cheese; rice cakes pair with smoked squash and mapo tofu; and layered cocktails satisfy cravings for something light and fresh or savory and deep. The cozy, dreamy neighborhood spot, known by some as “the veggie place,” is admired by omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans.

3200 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 218-5651

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The dining room and bar at Sneaky Pickle. — Inside Sneaky Pickle.

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Saint-Germain

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Saint-Germain is one of New Orleans’s essential tasting menu experiences, an eight- to ten-course stunner (currently $150 per person) that takes diners physically throughout the quirky Bywater space. Chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith offer carefully composed, technical dishes that are exciting to the eyes and palate, a truly immersive experience (that changes monthly) highlighting ingredients like white asparagus, venison, Norwegian king crab, squab, and geoduck. Keep an eye out for frequent vegetarian tasting menu nights.

3054 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 218-8729

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A large white bowl contains a small tasting portion of rare meat in a orange sauce next to a small pot of rice. — Hay-aged squab with rice from Saint-Germain.

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Dooky Chase Restaurant

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Food world icon Leah Chase (who died at 96 in 2019), also known as the “Queen of Creole cuisine,” turned Dooky Chase’s into the legendary fine dining establishment it is now, and luckily the new generation is innovating while upholding her rich legacy. The warm Treme institution continues to nourish bodies and souls with dishes like gumbo z’herbes (gumbo with a variety of greens), shrimp Clemenceau (a dish of shrimp, potatoes, mushrooms, and peas), and fried chicken in the tradition of Miss Chase.

2301 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 821-0600

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A view of a bowl of Creole gumbo and a bread basket on a table with a white tablecloth and red striped chairs. — Gumbo at Dooky Chase’s.

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Li'l Dizzy's Cafe

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New Orleans nearly lost this Treme institution during the height of the pandemic, but a third generation of the Baquet family came together to reopen the family-owned favorite. Li’l Dizzy’s serves dishes like grilled catfish and grits, gumbo, po’ boys, and top-notch fried chicken in a quaint, low-key corner building on Esplanade Avenue with walls covered in New Orleans, Saints, and Baquet family memorabilia.

1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

(504) 766-8687

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A brown takeout container holds two large pieces of fried chicken next to a styrofoam container of collard greens. — Fried chicken and greens from Lil’ Dizzy’s.

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Queen Trini Lisa

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This eponymous island soul food restaurant from Queen Trini Lisa, a New Orleans chef from Trinidad, brought a friendly destination for doubles to Mid City in early 2022. Airy and vibrant, the corner restaurant offers a slew of Trinbagonian specialties, with the fish sandwich, oxtail soup, curry chicken, and Caribbean-style spinach all highlights. Try the doubles, of course — as Queen Trini Lisa says, “More doubles, less troubles!”

4200 D'Hemecourt St, New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 345-2058

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A tropical-style plate holds two fried flatbreads topped with a chickpea curry next to three sauces. — Doubles from Queen Trini Lisa.

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Zasu

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Don’t be misled by the quaint little Mid City building that holds Zasu — Sue Zemanick’s restaurant is a fine dining powerhouse delivering dynamic, contemporary American cuisine with an emphasis on Gulf Coast produce and seafood. James Beard Award-winning Zemanick and chef de cuisine Jeff McLennan wow with intricate preparations of grilled baby octopus, vegetable agnolotti, red snapper, and delicate pierogies.

127 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 267-3233

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A thick piece of white fish seared brown sits on top of a base of potatoes, green beans, and squash on a green and white plate. — A fish dish from Zasu’s seasonal menu.

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Addis Nola

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Addis Nola is a cherished addition to New Orleans dining, now in its new digs on Bayou Road. The beautiful, artfully decorated spot from Dr. Biruk Alemayehu, Prince Lobo, and chef Jaimito “Jaime” Lobo offers warming stews, sambusas and kitfo, and whole fried red snapper. Visit on vegan Monday, starring lentils, split peas, collard greens, mushrooms, sweet potato wot, and shiro, a dense, chickpea-based stew, to try a taste of everything.

2514 Bayou Rd, New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 218-5321

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Tables and booths inside Addis Nola. — The dining room at Addis Nola.

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Liuzza's by the Track

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This horse-themed, no-frills neighborhood joint near the fairgrounds attracts regulars and tourists for frosty goblets of Abita beer, bloody marys, fried seafood platters, and po’ boys. Known also for gumbo and an herbaceous barbecue shrimp po’ boy (actually a pistolette, or hollowed-out roll, rather than typical po’ boy bread), the star of the menu might be the garlic oyster po’ boy, only slightly less recognized, stuffed to the brim with fried oysters.

1518 N Lopez St, New Orleans, LA 70119

(504) 218-7888

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A corner no-frills building with light yellow siding, doorfront, and old Liuzza’s by the Track sign above. — Liuzza’s By the Track in Faubourg St. John.

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Munch Factory

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Out by Lake Pontchartrain is the Munch Factory, hidden away in the unlikeliest of places: a city-owned golf course. It serves as a neighborhood restaurant for Gentilly, one that fulfills a range of dining needs: family gatherings, quick lunch breaks, or celebratory Sunday brunches. It’s Southern comfort food with a Creole tilt, showcasing simplicity at its best with its menu of fried oysters, shrimp and grits, fried pork ribs, and blackened fish. One non-negotiable order, however, is the Creole gumbo. It’s one of the very best bowls in town.

6514 Congress Dr, New Orleans, LA 70126

(504) 459-2180

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Overhead view of a brown bowl of gumbo filled with sausage, crab claws, and rice topped with green onion. — Creole gumbo from Munch Factory.

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Dong Phuong Restaurant and Bakery

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Opened by the Tran family in New Orleans East in 1982, Dong Phuong Restaurant & Bakery was one of New Orleans’s first Vietnamese restaurants, ushering in what is now a major part of the city’s cuisine identity. Casual and homey with a diner-like feel, Dong Phuong is known as much for pho, banh mi sandwiches, and savory pastries, as for its crackling-crust pistolettes favored for po’ boys at so many sandwich shops around the city. The bakery is also the city’s favorite for king cakes during carnival.

14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129

(504) 254-0214

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Savory pastries piled in a takeout container. — Savory pastries from Dong Phuong.

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38 Essential Restaurants in New Orleans

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Tân Định

Chicken’s Kitchen

Luvi Restaurant

Mister Mao

Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar

La Petite Grocery

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Casamento's

Saffron

Dakar NOLA

Wishing Town Restaurant & Bakery

Coquette

Turkey and the Wolf

Commander's Palace

Stein's Market and Deli

Mosquito Supper Club

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Café Reconcile

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Maïs Arepas

Jamila's Cafe

Heard Dat Kitchen

Emeril's

Pêche

Brigtsen's Restaurant

Vyoone’s

GW Fins

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Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits

BABs

Paladar 511

Fritai

Sneaky Pickle & Bar Brine

Saint-Germain

Dooky Chase Restaurant

Li'l Dizzy's Cafe

Queen Trini Lisa

Zasu

Addis Nola

Liuzza's by the Track

Munch Factory

Dong Phuong Restaurant and Bakery

More in Maps

Tân Định

Chicken’s Kitchen

Luvi Restaurant

Mister Mao

Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar

La Petite Grocery

Casamento's

Saffron

Dakar NOLA

Wishing Town Restaurant & Bakery

Coquette

Turkey and the Wolf

Commander's Palace

Stein's Market and Deli

Mosquito Supper Club

Related Maps

Café Reconcile

Maïs Arepas

Jamila's Cafe

Heard Dat Kitchen

Emeril's

Pêche

Brigtsen's Restaurant

Vyoone’s

GW Fins

Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits

BABs

Paladar 511

All sharing options for: 38 Essential Restaurants in New Orleans

All sharing options for: 38 Essential Restaurants in New Orleans