ALA 2011 | Where To Eat in New Orleans
Top restaurants near the convention center June 1, 2011New Orleanians are obsessed with food. Over lunch, they’re likely talking about dinner. Ask where to get the best gumbo, and you’ll spark a heated debate among locals. Food unites the city. Everyone—no matter the neighborhood they’re from or what they do for a living—wants a plate of red beans and rice on Mondays, has a favorite spot for a roast beef po’boy, and holds strong opinions about the proper flavor for a shaved ice “snoball.”
The menus of New Orleans’s restaurants reflect the many cultures that have contributed to this always-simmering culinary gumbo over the last three centuries. It’s easy to find French, African, Spanish, German, Italian, and Caribbean influences—and increasingly Asian and Latin American as well. The speckled trout amandine at Antoine’s could have been on the menu when the French Creole institution opened in 1840. Across the Mississippi River on the West Bank, Tan Dinh serves fragrant bowls of Pho soup that remind New Orleans’s large Vietnamese population of the home they left in the 1970s. And at MiLa, the husband-and-wife team of Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing apply the cutting-edge culinary techniques they learned in New York City to the flavors they grew up eating in Mississippi and Louisiana.
For years, New Orleans paid little attention to food trends from the East and West coasts. Recently, however, the city has taken more notice of the “latest things.” In Orleans Parish, you’ll now find gastropubs, cupcake shops, and numerous small-plate specialists. In a town where people track the crawfish season as closely as the pennant race, no one has to preach the virtues of eating seasonally. New Orleans is still one of the most unique places in America to eat. There’s no danger that will change.
Reservations and prices
Most restaurants in New Orleans accept reservations, and many popular places are booked quickly, especially on weekend nights. Reservations are always a good idea; we mention them only when they’re essential or not accepted.
Meals in the city’s upscale eateries cost about what you’d expect to pay in other U.S. cities. Bargains are found in the more casual, full-service restaurants, where a simple lunch or dinner can frequently be had for under $25. However, even the pricier spots feature fixed-price menus of three or four courses for substantially less than what an à la carte meal costs. Serving sizes are generous—some would say unmanageable for the average eater—so many diners order two appetizers rather than a starter and a main, which can make ordering dessert more practical. Some restaurants provide small- or large-plate options.
Around the convention center
The CBD, or Central Business District, is as much about pleasure as work. Among the modern high-rises you’ll discover many of New Orleans’s most celebrated restaurants.
Taking advantage of company expense accounts, big-name modern dining spaces have found a home in the CBD. Rising celebrity chef John Besh, for example, has three places here: his flagship Restaurant August, the brasserie Lüke, and the rustic Italian venture Domenica inside the restored 1893 Roosevelt Hotel. This area is where you’ll find exciting contemporary cuisine that keeps up with the latest national trends in fine dining. Despite the CBD’s proximity to the French Quarter, the restaurants largely draw a native crowd and still know how to satisfy local appetites.
The CBD also has a plethora of budget options, especially for lunch as office workers seek sustenance before returning to their desks. If you’re trying to save money, or just want to avoid the many tourist traps in the French Quarter, it’s worth crossing Canal Street to explore the CBD. The restaurants included here are all near the convention center in the CBD and Warehouse District or the nearby French Quarter.
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YUM, YUM, Y'ALL (Top row): One of three John Besh spots, Domenica does rustic Italian, including wood-fired pizza, that doesn't detract from the cool dining space. (Bottom row, l.) A po'boy from Acme and (r.) more Italian in the dining room at A Mano. Domenica And A Mano Photos C/0 Besh Restaurant Group. Acme Photo C/O Acme Oyster House |
A Mano. Chef Adolfo García proved his mastery of Spanish cooking at Rio Mar, and at this lively new venture he shows equal ability with the flavors of Italy. In New Orleans, most Italian restaurants serve a crowd- pleasing Creole version of red sauce, or “red gravy” as it’s known here, and local seafood. This Warehouse District trattoria went back to the source and created an authentic taste of Italy, with options like house-cured meats, homemade pasta, and Mississippi rabbit both roasted with olives and thyme and fried with caperberries and lemon. After dessert, linger over a glass of Italian amaro or a homemade liqueur.
870 Tchoupitoulas St., CBD, 504-208-9280, www.amanonola.com. Closed Sun., no lunch Sat.–Thurs., $21, Italian.
Acme. Oyster and Seafood Restaurant. A rough-edge classic in every way, this no-nonsense eatery at the entrance to the French Quarter is a prime source for cool and salty raw oysters on the half shell; shrimp, oyster, and roast-beef po’boys; and tender, expertly seasoned red beans and rice. Expect lengthy lines, often a half-block long (trust us though, it’s worth it). Crowds lighten in the late afternoon.
724 Iberville St., French Quarter, 504-522-5973, www.acmeoyster.com. Reservations not accepted, $12, Seafood.
American Sector. Celebrity chef John Besh has dazzled the culinary world with his prowess on the plate and Southern-boy charm, but his most impressive feat might be this restaurant inside the National World War II Museum, which is worth visiting even if you’re skipping the exhibits. The menu updates comfort fare like chicken- fried steak, heirloom tomato soup served in a can, or a Sloppy Joe made from short ribs. The efficient staff in period garb also know how to take care of the next generation with kids’ meals served in lunch pails. End with a seasonal milkshake or, if you’re of age, a well-made retro cocktail like a Pink Squirrel or Singapore Sling.
National World War II Museuem, 945 Magazine St., CBD, 504-528-1940, www.nationalww2museum.org/american-sector. $18, American.
August. If the Gilded Age is long gone, someone forgot to tell the folks at August, whose main dining room shimmers with masses of chandelier prisms, thick brocade fabrics, and glossy woods. Service is anything but stuffy, however, and chef John Besh’s modern technique adorns every plate. Nothing is mundane here on the seasonally changing menu that might include handmade gnocchi with blue crab and winter truffle or rabbit cassoulet with andouille sausage. Expect the unexpected—like slow-roasted Kobe beef short ribs with Jerusalem artichokes. The sommelier is happy to confer with you on the surprisingly affordable wine list.
301 Tchoupitoulas St., CBD, 504-299-9777, www.restaurantaugust.com. Reservations essential, no lunch Sat.–Sun., $35, Southern.
Bon Ton Café. The Bon Ton’s opening in 1953 marked the first appearance of a significant Cajun restaurant in New Orleans, and its crawfish dishes, gumbo, jambalaya, and oyster omelet have retained their strong following ever since. The bustle in the dining room peaks at lunchtime on weekdays, when businesspeople from nearby offices come in droves for turtle soup, eggplant stuffed with a shrimp and crab étouffée, and the warm, sugary bread pudding. If you can sacrifice the afternoon for pleasure, try a Rum Ramsey cocktail. The veteran servers are knowledgeable and fleet-footed.
401 Magazine St., CBD, 504-524-3386, www.thebontoncafe.com. Closed Sat.–Sun., $28, Cajun.
Cafe du Monde. No trip to New Orleans is complete without a cup of chicory-laced café au lait and addictive sugar-dusted beignets in this venerable Creole institution. The tables under the green-and-white-striped awning are jammed at every hour with locals and tourists feasting on powdery doughnuts and views of Jackson Square. (If there’s a line for table service, head around back to the takeout window, and get your coffee and beignets to go. Enjoy them overlooking the river right next door, or in Jackson Square). The magical time to go is just before dawn, when the bustle subsides and you can hear the birds in the crepe myrtles across the way. Its New Orleans–area satellite locations (Riverwalk Marketplace in the CBD, Lakeside Shopping Center and Veterans Blvd., both in Metairie, Esplanade Mall in Kenner, and Oakwood Mall in Gretna) lack the character of the original.
800 Decatur St., French Quarter, 504-525-4544, www.cafedumonde.com. No credit cards, $3.
Central Grocery. This old-fashioned Italian grocery store produces authentic muffulettas, one of the gastronomic gifts of the city’s Italian immigrants. Good enough to challenge the po’boy as the local sandwich champ, it’s made by filling round loaves of seeded bread with ham, salami, provolone, Emmentaler cheese, and a salad of marinated olives. Vegetarians can order a version without meat. Sandwiches, about ten inches in diameter, are sold in wholes and halves. The muffulettas are huge! Unless you’re starving, you’ll do fine with a half. You can eat yours at a counter, or get it to go and dine on a bench on Jackson Square or the Moon Walk along the Mississippi riverfront. The Grocery closes at 5 p.m.
923 Decatur St., French Quarter, 504-523-1620. Closed Sun.–Mon., no dinner, $8, Café.
Cochon. Chef-owned restaurants are commonplace in New Orleans, but this one builds on the owner’s family heritage. Chef Donald Link prepares Cajun dishes he learned to cook at his grandfather’s knee. The interior may be a bit too rustic and noisy for some patrons, but the food will make up for it. Try the fried boudin with pickled peppers—trust us on this one. Then move on to black-eyed pea and pork gumbo and a hearty Louisiana cochon (pork) with turnips, cracklings, and cabbage. If you want to experience true regional cuisine, this is the place.
930 Tchoupitoulas St., Warehouse District, 504-588-2123, www.cochonrestaurant.com. Reservations essential, closed Sun., no lunch Sat., $20, Cajun.
Cochon Butcher. Around the corner from its big brother, Cochon, Butcher packs its own Cajun punch with a sandwich menu that dials up the flavor on local classics. With house-cured meats and olive salad, the muffuletta reveals exactly how delicious Creole-Italian can be, while the hot dog, with homemade weiner, bun, and condiments, elevates the all-American favorite into something divine. This self-proclaimed “Swine Bar” offers meaty small plates and a rotating selection of wines, beers, and well-made cocktails. Before leaving, stock up on boudin, bacon pralines, and other to-go Cajun delicacies—all much better souvenirs than anything for sale on Bourbon Street.
930 Tchoupitoulas St., Warehouse District, 504-588-7675, www.cochonbutcher.com. No dinner Sun., $10, Southern.
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A LOT ON THEIR PLATES (Top row, l.-r.) These sinfully tempting oysters come from Cochon, where Chef Donald Link prepares his family's favorites. Another Besh beauty is Lüke, with its panoply of seafood and Alsatian charm. Bottom row: the Besh trifecta includes August, featuring Gilded Age style and dishes like duck and figs. Cochon Photos C/O Cochon Restaurant. August And Lüke Photos C/O Besh Restaurant Group |
Domenica. Local celebrity chef John Besh has done it again with his new restaurant, but this time it’s rustic Italian cooking, a rarity on New Orleans’s culinary landscape. Located in the newly renovated 19th-century landmark Roosevelt Hotel, the restaurant departs from the hotel lobby’s stuffy, gilded decor. Sleek black walls and chain-link curtains are warmed by jewel-box displays of house-cured meats. Friendly and knowledgeable waiters happily help patrons with lesser-known ingredients, but it doesn’t take a lengthy explanation to know that the fresh pastas and wood-fired pizzas are a must.
123 Baronne St., CBD, 504-648-6020, www.domenicarestaurant.com. $21, Italian.
Emeril’s. Celebrity-chef Emeril Lagasse’s urban-chic flagship eatery is always jammed. A wood ceiling in a basket-weave pattern muffles much of the clatter and chatter. The ambitious menu gives equal emphasis to Creole and modern American cooking—try the rabbit rémoulade with fried green tomatoes or the barbecue shrimp, which is one of the darkest, richest versions of that local specialty. Desserts, such as the renowned banana cream pie, verge on gargantuan. Service is meticulous, and the wine list’s depth and range should soothe even the most persnickety imbiber.
800 Tchoupitoulas St., Warehouse District, 504-528-9393, www.emerils.com. Reservations essential, no lunch Sat.–Sun., $30, American.
Grand Isle. This Louisiana fish camp-themed restaurant gave a significant boost to the emerging entertainment district surrounding the Fulton Street corridor and Harrah’s Casino. The rustic interior, reminiscent of 1920s and 1930s Louisiana, is the perfect backdrop for turtle stew, spicy boiled shrimp, lobster with roasted shrimp sauce, fresh gulf fish, and a lemon icebox pie that will make you fall in love with New Orleans all over again. Except for freshwater catfish, all the seafood comes straight and unfrozen from the Gulf of Mexico. The place is generally packed, but it’s worth the wait (which also gives you an excuse to spend some time at the elegant mahogany bar).
575 Convention Center Blvd., CBD, 504-520-8530, www.grandislerestaurant.com. $20, Southern.
Herbsaint. Upscale food and moderate prices are among Herbsaint’s assets. Chef Donald Link turns out food that sparkles with robust flavors and top-grade ingredients. Small plates and starters such as a daily gumbo, charcuterie, and house-made pastas are mainstays. Don’t overlook the rich and flavorful Louisiana shrimp and grits with tasso and okra. Also irresistible: muscovy duck leg confit with dirty rice and citrus gastrique. For dessert, banana brown butter tart will ensure future return trips. The plates provide most of the color in the lighthearted, often noisy rooms. The wine list is expertly compiled and reasonably priced.
701 St. Charles Ave., CBD, 504-524-4114, www.herbsaint.com. Reservations essential, closed Sun., no lunch Sat., $27, Southern.
Lüke. Chef John Besh’s Lüke is a love letter to the old Alsatian brasseries that once reigned in New Orleans; dine here, and you’ll feel as if you’ve traveled back to a time when rattan bistro chairs, blackboard specials, and newspaper racks were de rigueur. Start your meal with a Sazerac (a locally popular cocktail of rye whiskey, absinthe, and Peychaud’s bitters) or a mint julep, and work your way into rabbit and duck liver pâté, followed by a fried oyster, bacon, and avocado salad. French and Louisiana influences produce distinctive entrées including stuffed jumbo Louisiana shrimp and a pressed sandwich of roasted cochon de lait, or suckling pig, that will remind you why New Orleans is revered as a culinary destination.
333 St. Charles Ave., CBD, 504-378-2840, www.lukeneworleans.com. $19, Southern.
Mother’s. Tourists and locals line up for down-home eats at this island of blue-collar sincerity amid downtown’s glittery hotels. Mother’s dispenses delicious baked ham and roast beef po’boys (ask for “debris” on the beef sandwich, and the bread will be slathered with meat juices and shreds of meat), home-style biscuits and jambalaya, and a very good chicken and sausage gumbo in a couple of bare-bones—yet charming—dining rooms. Breakfast service is a bit slow, but that doesn’t seem to repel the hordes fighting for seats at peak mealtimes. Service is cafeteria style, with a counter or two augmenting the tables.
401 Poydras St., CBD, 504-523-9656 www.mothersrestaurant.net. Reservations not accepted, $10, Café.
Rio Mar. Chef Adolfo García’s largely seafood menu reflects his Spanish style and Panamanian heritage. Each of his several ceviches has its own distinct marinade and combination of superfresh seafood. For entreés, try the stewlike zarzuela of seafood, with chunks of fish and shellfish in a peppery red broth. It’s all tapas at lunch, when you tick off your selections on a small menu card: salty Spanish ham, roasted peppers, Manchego cheese, marinated seafood. The dining room’s low ceiling and tiled floor don’t make for great acoustics, but the gold-hued walls with their rustic iron ornamentation would not be out of place in Barcelona.
800 S. Peters St., Warehouse District, 504-525-3474, www.riomarseafood.com. Closed Sun., no lunch Sat., $21, Seafood.
Tommy’s Cuisine. The dining rooms here are clubby and festive, and the crowd is always interesting. Don’t overlook the panéed oysters and grilled shrimp appetizer, the lamb chops blanketed with a rosemary port wine demi-glace, or the roasted half chicken saturated with rosemary and garlic. Service is gentlemanly, the chef’s dinner specials are imaginative, and the wines span all of Italy. After dinner, head next door to the cushy Tommy’s Wine Bar.
746 Tchoupitoulas St., Warehouse District, 504-581-1103, www.tommysneworleans.com. Reservations essential, no lunch, $22, Italian.
Getting Inside the Real New Orleans
“I read your book, I like it, but here’s what I think you should add,” begins a letter by sixth-grader Irione, one of the more than 100 students at the New Orleans KIPP Central City middle school who wrote to Fodor’s with their take on what should be included in the next edition of Fodor’s New Orleans.
As a lesson in nonfiction writing, the students were tasked to read the Fodor’s guidebook to their hometown and then write a compelling letter detailing the changes they’d like to see in the next edition because, after all, as 12-year-old Kenneth writes, “I live in New Orleans so I know everything about New Orleans.”
What the students ended up doing was a lot more. “What an incredible thing to be able to get such a fresh, intimate portrait of the city from the perspective of an inner-city schoolchild,” says Fodor’s publisher Tim Jarrell. “Their honesty reminds us of the authentic, local New Orleans.”
By far the most popular appeal was for inclusion of the Superdome and their favorite sports team. Promise writes, “One, the Saints play football games there. Two, they have special concerts and events there. Three, it was the only place to go during Hurricane Katrina. Please add the Superdome and Arena in your next book.”
The neighborhood of Central City, near the convention center and where the kids go to school, gets no mention in the current edition but will be included in the maps of Fodor’s New Orleans 2012 thanks to their letters.
To make the most of your visit during ALA, and to see more of the KIPP students’ suggestions, download a free PDF of Fodor’s New Orleans 2012 at www.fodors.com/new-orleans-pdf, available beginning June 10. It’s packed with the latest info on sights, attractions, maps, and, yes, more food!
Read more of LJ's ongoing ALA coverage.
