7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans
7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

The best part of a getaway for me, is the food! Tourist attractions, monuments, and famous locations are a constant when visiting a new city, but you can also see these places in pictures to get a good idea of what they might look like in real life. Local food however, cannot be tasted through your computer screen. One can describe the authentic flavours of a dish until they’re blue in the face, but we all know that nothing compares to actually tasting and savouring the flavours of unknown cuisines.

The food in New Orleans is like no other – a melting pot of Cajun, French, and Creole influences and flavours, and it is known to be one of the culinary capitals of America. Although I have no doubt that every single restaurant menu in New Orleans boasts amazingly delicious dishes, I can personally vouch for these 7 places to eat in New Orleans:

GW Fins (French Quarter)
If you’re looking for seafood, this upscale restaurant just off of Bourbon Street is the place to dine at. This relaxing refuge from the French Quarter’s crowds boasts a unique menu of mouth-watering meals and cocktails. Every dish and drink from the menu sounds divine – and I can attest to the fact that their Parmesan-crusted Sheepshead topped with crab meat, on a bed of roasted asparagus and capers was delicious. This was by far my favourite place to eat in New Orleans.

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

Cafe Beignet (French Quarter)
When in New Orleans, do as the locals do and eat beignets, the delectable deep-fried choux pastry topped with confectioner’s sugar. Although the famed Cafe du monde is the usual hotspot to nosh on beingets, my husband and I happened to stumble across this quaint cafe right on Bourbon Street returning to our hotel one rainy afternoon.  Cafe Beignet provides a grand cafe setting and a traditional menu, and more importantly their beignets are divine – and it’s void of lengthy lines like it’s better known counterpart Cafe du monde.

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

The Gumbo Shop (French Quarter)
One cannot visit New Orleans and return home without tasting gumbo! Better yet, eat it every single day – which is very probable considering they have so many different varieties, like chicken and andouille sausage, seafood, and file gumbo. The seafood gumbo at this well-known restaurant was so delicious the first time around that I had to go back a second time to try the other varieties. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, and not to mention the service was unbelievably quick.

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

The Camellia Grill (French Quarter)
This casual family restaurant is reminiscent of a busy and energetic 1960’s cafe. The menu is simple and you can watch the chef prepare your meals on the grill as you sit on a stool around a communal table. The atmosphere is friendly and lively, the serving portions are abundant, and they have classic breakfast and lunch options, including the po’ boy, of course!

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans 7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

The Ruby Slipper (Frenchman Street)
If you want to leave the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter but still crave the traditional Cajun or Creole breakfast in a quaint, casual, and local atmosphere this is a great option. Nestled on a quiet street in the Marigny District, the Ruby Slipper is eclectic and vibrant, and the menu boasts vegetarian options and traditional fare.

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

Commander’s Palace (Garden District)
The blue Victorian facade of Commander’s Palace has been the site of five-star dining since 1880. This elegant restaurant combines modern Louisiana cooking and refined Creole fare with live jazz music in a chandelier-hung space. The menu is very unique and boasts traditional fare with an elegant, avant-garde touch. Lunch is less formal than dinner however, you’ll still want to dress on the formal side if you visit this iconic New Orleans restaurant for the jazz brunch events on Sundays.

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

Arana Taqueria Y Cantina (Garden District)
Authentic Mexican cuisine inspired by the culinary traditions of the Yucatan, this lively but quaint restaurant is located in the heart of the beautiful Garden District. The food is simple but so delicious. Their menu contains unique starters and mains and simple, traditional fare, like fresh guacamole, and tacos of every variety. My favourite were these vegetarian tacos, one of which was made with roasted mushrooms and potatoes, wilted spinach, and topped with a tangy avocado sauce.

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

7 Places To Eat In New Orleans

Have you been to NOLA? What was your favourite restaurant? 



35 thoughts on “7 Places To Eat In New Orleans”

  • All of your recommendations look amazing. I can’t wait to visit New Orleans again just to eat!

  • So many great places to eat in New Orleans, and it looks like you have found some of the best! Commander’s Palace is such a special place for a weekend brunch.

  • Look like these places are nice to visit and enjoy the meals. I will give it a try when I have a chance. Thanks for your sharing. I will be back with reviews and ideas.

  • I’ve not visited New Orleans before – it’s on my bucket list. This list of places to eat has made me move it even further up and try and get there even sooner! Thanks for the insight 🙂

    • Nola is a very unique place. We stayed in the Latin Quarter…I have to say that the first day I had culture shock. Wasn’t exactly what I expected. However, even though I didn’t fall in love with the city right away, by the 2nd day I couldn’t get enough of it, especially the small shops in the Latin Quarter – they reminded me of the market shops in the south of France when I lived there!

  • My husband was in New Orlean on business two months ago. He said that the most delicious Crab Claws he had ever tried were in Pier 424 Seafood Market. And we will obviously drive for them together:)

  • Everything looks so mouthwateringly delish. I’m not sure that’s even a word. ha! My parents have been to New Orleans several times and always recommend the Beinets.

  • Liz Graham 7 years ago

    So glad you finally made it to this historic and unique city. The food there is definitely a highlight and so is Cafe du Monde!

  • This couldn’t have been more perfectly timed – I was just talking about the food scene in NOLA! I really want to go back there soon to have some Cajun food and beignets! And it has been ages since I’ve had gumbo. I’m seriously overdue for a trip. I’ll have to check out some of your suggestions when I’m there!

  • oh yum! i’ve been to many of the same places and commander’s is so iconic! i also recommend sobou if you’re open to some adventurous low country fusion.

  • I forgot about the red beans and rice!! Who would have thought they could be so delicious?! We actually had Brennan’s on our list, but never made it there, unfortunately.

    • My Sister in Law taught me the secret – A box of Zatarain’s doctored up with meat + seafood is pretty darn close to the real thing. It’s definitely comfort food.

      Did you fly? Next time stop at Copeland’s at the airport and grab a whole bunch of biscuits to go. So good!

  • I love New Orleans! I haven’t been since 2003, but I have never forgotten it. I would love to go back sometime. I did visit the Cafe Du Monde and Commanders, but I know that there is so much more there to eat and see!

    • There are SO many places that look amazing. We need to go back too so we can check more restaurants off our bucket list!

  • I wish that I would have read your post after I ate lunch! I am so hungry after looking at your pictures and reading of your flavor packed trip through New Orleans! I’m anxiously awaiting our next trip South. I think we’ll have to make a small detour and hit New Orleans, even if only for one meal.

    • I haven’t traveled much around the States, mainly the larger cities like Chicago, New York, etc. In the last few years I’ve been to Atlanta 3 times and now N.O. I think I’ve fallen in love with the South!

  • I heard that New Orleans is such a great place to visit. I have yet to go there but really want to someday. If not for the jazz scene, definitely to indulge in some of the tasty food dish photos you shared here.

    • It is! Very surreal though…craziness on Bourbon Street, and then 4/5-star classy restaurants right around the corner!

  • Oh my goodness New Orleans has the best food on the planet. I could spend hours and days eating my way through the whole place. I don’t ever get tired of the food, the music or the atmosphere there. It’s amazing.

  • We spent one night in NOLA this past summer and loved it. We stayed in the Royal Sonesta right on Bourbon St. and loved it (our balcony overlooked the action!!). We managed to fit Cafe DuMonde, Oceana Grill, Sucre, and Desire Oyster Bar and loved them all. But, I definitely need to put Commander’s Palace on our list for next time. All of these spots sound delicious.

    • We actually had Oceana Grill on our list…and, I wish I had eaten more oysters! I was too busy eating gumbo, lol!

      • I always get the barbecue shrimp at Oceana. It’s our first stop right off the plane! It’s not grilled bbq like you might expect.

        It’s easy to make at home and do two pans at once if you have a crowd. All you need is some crusty bread to get all the sauce! Half the fun is peeling them at the table.

        Make your own creole seasoning to make it next level.

        http://www.mrbsbistro.com/recipes_shrimp.php

        • I actually bought some seasoning from New Orleans…I figured I’d use something pre-made for the first time, then I can experiment after that 😉

        • We actually Mr.B’s on our list of places to eat but unfortunately we didn’t make it there…

  • We lived in Baton Rouge for 5 years and I must say I still miss the food! We tried most of these places and I agree they are amazing. Only place I haven’t tried is The Ruby Slipper, but now I have to add it to my must try list!!

    • I’m a brunch person so I loved that most places had an extensive breakfast menu! It makes sense…no one gets up until that time anyway 😉

  • I haven’t been there in ages but I was there on a business trip probably 12 years ago or so. Of course I got a beignet at Cafe du mond’s and we went to a mexican place for breakfast where I had huevos rancheros for the first time. Life changed. But my favorite was Emeril’s Delmonico. Yum!

  • I like Commander’s Palace a lot. Always had really good meals and experiences at Brennan’s, too. One of my favorites is this little hole in the wall that always has a line down the sidewalk. Their oysters and red beans and rice are OH EM G! I think it’s called Felix’s!

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