Must-see restaurants in New Orleans

  • Mais Arepas

    New Orleans

    If the cuisine of the Southern US isn't far enough south for you, head to South America via Mais Arepas. Their specialty is, unsurprisingly, arepas (corn…

  • Biscuits & Buns on Banks

    New Orleans

    Need some carbs in your life? Have them with a side of delicious at Biscuits & Buns. The fluffy breads come slathered with gravy and topped with fried…

  • Katie's

    New Orleans

    Katie's is how New Orleans does a family restaurant. Everything is taken over the top to new levels of decadent enjoyment; onion rings swim in remoulade…

  • Neyow's

    New Orleans

    Neyow's is a New Orleans standby, the sort of spot that churns out relatable, reliable blue-chip dishes like breaded pork chops, smothered chicken, and…

  • Bevi Seafood Co.

    New Orleans

    Inside, Bevi's has less atmosphere than the moon, but if you don't mind the bare walls and cafeteria seating, there's excellent local seafood to be had,…

  • Balise

    New Orleans

    Peeling plaster and brick accents ensconce a warm, wooden interior where decadent, yet classically inspired, Southern cuisine rules the roost – try the…

  • Hong Kong Food Market

    New Orleans

    Probably the most pleasant way to experience local Vietnamese culture is by eating its delicious food. The Hong Kong Food Market is a general Asian…

  • Midway Pizza

    New Orleans

    The King Creole pizza at this deep-dish pizza joint is topped with Creole fredo sauce and and Gulf shrimp marinated in garlic. Their tasty pies, split…

  • Breads on Oak

    New Orleans

    This clean and quirky coffee and bread shop has smiling staff and vegan options for those who need them. It also features a nice area where you can sit…

  • Company Burger

    New Orleans

    Get the 'Company Burger' ($9) like most folks do, or chose from about six alternatives. They also do tasty milkshakes!

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • Pizza Domenica

    New Orleans

    Fans of wood-fired pizza can burn off calories with the short walk between the St Charles Avenue Streetcar and the much-lauded Pizza Domenica, which…

  • Nonna Mia Café & Pizzeria

    New Orleans

    Getting tired of heavy, rich Creole cuisine? How about a fresh slice of pizza and some ice tea in Nonna Mia’s outdoor courtyard? The caramelized onions,…

  • Morning Call

    New Orleans

    Just a few steps from the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Morning Call serves coffee, gumbo and very good beignets (arguably better than another famous beignet…

  • Canseco's

    New Orleans

    If you're self-catering or just need some picnic food before Jazz Fest, head to this little grocery store – their hot plates (fried chicken, pasta and…

  • Whole Foods

    New Orleans

    What’s that monstrosity? I hate it! Wait, it’s Whole Foods? I love it! Yep, this gleaming organic market triggered mixed feelings when it arrived in 2002,…