New Orleans Dining Guide
Grand old dining rooms, neighborhood po-boy shops and some of the country's best chefs.
Two traditions run through New Orleans cooking. Creole food is the city cooking of French, Spanish, African and Caribbean households, rich with butter, cream and tomatoes. Cajun food comes from the Acadian settlers of the rural parishes to the west, smokier and more rustic. You will find both, along with Sicilian, Vietnamese and soul food influences, at every price level.
Some classics to try: a dark roux gumbo, red beans and rice (traditionally on Mondays), a roast beef or fried shrimp po-boy dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayo, a muffuletta, char-grilled oysters, turtle soup, bananas Foster and, in spring, boiled crawfish. Many old-line restaurants have a jacket-preferred dress code at dinner, and several popular places do not take reservations.
French Quarter Classics
Old-line Creole dining rooms, oyster bars and the city's most famous coffee stand.
Run by the same family since 1840, which makes it the city's oldest restaurant, and the birthplace of oysters Rockefeller.
A mirrored, white-tiled dining room famous for long Friday lunches, shrimp remoulade and soufflé potatoes.
A rambling old restaurant known for shrimp Arnaud and its French 75 bar.
A busy, casual oyster bar for raw and char-grilled oysters and fried seafood platters. Expect a line.
A dark, friendly bar and kitchen known for rabbit and sausage jambalaya and fried chicken.
A Sicilian grocery founded in 1906, credited with creating the muffuletta sandwich.
The original French Market coffee stand, serving beignets and chicory cafe au lait since 1862.
Garden District and Uptown
Neighborhood favorites along the streetcar line and Magazine Street.
A turquoise Victorian landmark known for turtle soup, bread pudding souffle and a weekend jazz brunch. Dress code applies.
A tiled family oyster house open since 1919, famous for oyster loaves; it keeps a seasonal schedule, so check before going.
A small corner shop serving classic po-boys, including fried shrimp and roast beef with gravy.
A loud, colorful Uptown spot known for shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake and fried chicken.
A white-tablecloth neighborhood bistro favored by locals for fried oysters with brie and smoked soft-shell crab.
A playful sandwich shop with a cult following, known for its collard green melt and fried bologna sandwich.
Treme, Mid-City and the Bywater
Soul food, po-boys and neighborhood institutions beyond the Quarter.
Opened in 1941 and long led by chef Leah Chase, a meeting place during the civil rights movement, known for gumbo and fried chicken.
A family business since 1911 by Bayou St. John, with roast beef and fried shrimp po-boys.
A small bar and kitchen near the Fair Grounds, known for its barbecue shrimp po-boy and gumbo.
A Sicilian ice cream and pastry shop, family-run since 1905, for gelato, spumoni and cannoli.
A wine shop with a backyard of tables, small plates and live music most nights.
A colorful neighborhood restaurant known for brunch and its praline bacon.
Warehouse District and CBD
Chef-driven Louisiana cooking near the museums and the convention center.
Chef Donald Link's celebration of Cajun country cooking, with wood-fired dishes, boudin and rabbit and dumplings.
A Donald Link bistro mixing French technique with Louisiana ingredients, popular for lunch near the CBD.
Whole grilled fish, raw oysters and Gulf seafood cooked over a wood fire.
Chef Nina Compton's restaurant, blending her St. Lucian roots with New Orleans flavors.
Open since 1938, with baked ham and debris po-boys, jambalaya and red beans served cafeteria-style.
Restaurants change hours, menus and ownership often — check with the restaurant before you go. Listings are editorial picks, not paid placements.
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Get free trip quotes »New Orleans Dining — FAQ
What should I eat in New Orleans?
Start with gumbo, red beans and rice, a po-boy, a muffuletta, beignets and char-grilled oysters. In spring, look for boiled crawfish. Save one dinner for an old-line Creole restaurant and one for a modern chef-driven kitchen.
Do I need reservations at New Orleans restaurants?
For the well-known dinner restaurants and weekend brunches, yes, often a week or more ahead during festivals. Po-boy shops, oyster bars and cafes are mostly walk-in, so go early or mid-afternoon to avoid the longest lines.
Is there a dress code at New Orleans restaurants?
The classic Creole dining rooms ask for business casual or better, and some prefer jackets for men at dinner. Casual restaurants have no dress code. Check the restaurant's website before you go.