New Orleans Restaurants
Finding the Right New Orleans Restaurant
Choosing where to eat in New Orleans can be half the fun—and sometimes half the problem. There are so many restaurants here that you could eat somewhere different every night and still barely scratch the surface.
From po’boys to white-tablecloth classics,
here’s where to eat right now.
Food in New Orleans isn’t just about recipes. It’s about history, culture, and a little bit of friendly competition.
The result? A food culture that includes things like:
• Gumbo – that simmers for hours
• Po-boys – stuffed with fried seafood
• Jambalaya – that could feed a small village
• Red beans and rice – that somehow tastes better on Monday (that’s when we traditionally cook it)
• Chargrilled oysters – Fresh Gulf oysters grilled in garlic butter and Parmesan cheese. Warning: these may ruin regular oysters for you forever.
• Shrimp Creole – Shrimp in a delicious tomato sauce spiced just right
• Grillades and grits – Tender veal in a rich dark sauce served with out-of-this-world grits (you do know what grits are, don’t you?)
• Bread pudding – Commander’s Palace makes the best, in my humble opinion
And that’s before we even get to beignets, oysters, crawfish, and bananas foster, bread pudding, coffee and chicory.
But New Orleans dining isn’t just about what’s on the plate. It’s about where you eat it, too. You can have a fancy dinner in a dining room that has been around for generations, grab a po’boy at a neighborhood counter, or sit outside with a cold drink while the city carries on around you.
And don’t limit yourself to the French Quarter. Some of the city’s best restaurants are Uptown, in the Garden District, Mid-City, the Marigny, Bywater and other neighborhoods. That’s part of the fun of eating in New Orleans—you never really know what you’ll find around the next corner.
Not sure where to start?
These are can’t-go-wrong New Orleans classics:
Classic New Orleans fine dining in the Garden District. Famous for turtle soup and a jazz brunch that’s hard to beat.
One of the oldest restaurants in the country. Old-school French-Creole dining with serious history.
A Bourbon Street institution—jackets, traditions, and one of the liveliest dining rooms in the city.
Home of the Hurricane and one of the most iconic bar courtyards in New Orleans.
If you’re looking for the classic New Orleans experience, start with the food that made the city famous. Gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, étouffée, oysters and po’boys are all part of the local food story, but New Orleans dining goes well beyond the classics.
If you’re watching your budget, don’t assume you have to settle for mediocre food. Some of the best meals in New Orleans can be found at casual neighborhood restaurants, po’boy shops and small local spots where the food speaks for itself.
Explore More New Orleans Dining
Looking for something different?
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