With its rich history of Spanish, French and West Indies influences, New Orleans has a long list of iconic dishes to try and many classic places to go for them. But you’ve had a beignet at Cafe du Monde, a po-boy at Parkway Bakery and you’re ready to explore beyond the obvious places. Our New Orleans 2.0 Guide takes you off the beaten path with recommendations from local chefs, bartenders and restaurateurs.
Check out our New Orleans First Timers Guide and download the Find. Eat. Drink. iPhone app to get the entire New Orleans guide.
MORNING
Breakfast
District. Donuts. Sliders. Brew.
They open at 7am to serve their hand-crafted donuts and 1000 Faces Coffee.
“They have some of the best donuts I’ve ever had.” - Pastry Chef Tariq Hanna of Sucre
2209 Magazine Street. New Orleans, LA 70130
T: 504.570.6945 | www.donutsandsliders.com
Satsuma Cafe
The name comes from a Louisiana mandarin citrus fruit. The cafe serves fair trade coffee, fresh-made sandwiches, salads and breakfast foods. It's filled with local people eating locally grown foods.
“I just love being in this room, and come for breakfast and pastries.” - Bartender Chris Hannah of Arnaud's French 75
3218 Dauphine Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
T: 504.304.5962 | www.satsumacafe.com
FARMERS MARKET
Crescent City Farmers Market
This farmers market takes place three times a week in various parts of the city and features local produce, flowers, honeys, jams and relishes.
“Stellar produce and farmers that we’ve befriended over the years.” - Chef Adolfo Garcia of La Boca, Gusto, High Hat Cafe, Ancora
Tuesday: 200 Broadway Street,New Orleans, LA 70118
Thursday: 3700 Orleans Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119
Saturday: 700 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.org
SHOP FOR PROVISIONS
Booze, Cheese & Meats | Keife & Co
If you need your own stash for your hotel room, stop by to pick up craft beer, wines from around the world, European cheeses, meats, cocktail ingredients and handy drinking tools.
“It’s as if Cure had a liquor store.” - Bartender Neal Bodenheimer of Cure, Bellocq, Cane & Table
“This is one of my favorite stores. They sell a lot of hard-to-find whiskies, boutique spirits and amari that I’ve never had before. They have really amazing limes and a great selection of meats, cheeses, and olives. I try not come here too much, because otherwise I’ll spend all my money.” - Bartender Liam Deegan of Barrel Proof
801 Howard Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113
T: 504.523.7272 | www.keifeandco.com
Cheese & Sandwiches | St. James Cheese Company
St. James describes themselves as a playground for the cheese rookie, the rind-sniffing expert, and the curd curious.
"Hands down the best cheesemonger in the country. Enough said!" - Pastry Chef Tariq Hanna of Sucre
"This is an amazing cheese shop that has incredible cheese, gourmet sandwiches, and amazing products." - Chef Anthony Scanio of Delmonico
"It’s great for a little lunch spot uptown. It’s really the only dedicated cheese shop in New Orleans. They also have a deli compartment where they do soups and salads and sandwiches and pates and cheeseboards." - Chef Alex Harrel of Angeline
5004 Prytania Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
T: 504.899.4737 | www.stjamescheese.com
LUNCH
Vietnamese Fusion | Mopho
"Mike Gulotta, the former chef at Restaurant August, is taking his roots in fine dining and combining it with his love for Vietnamese cooking to open an Americanized-Vietnamese restaurant. This is one of my favorites. It's not traditional, by any means, but ultra-local, whimsical and priced right. On Saturdays they do the whole pig roast" - Chef Alex Harrel of Angeline
514 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119
T: 504.482.6845 | mophonola.com
Po-boys | Killer Poboys
These are chef-driven po-boys. Cam Boudreaux and April Bellow met while working at Arnaud's Restaurant. Expect unique combinations and fresh produce from the Hollygrove Farmers Market. Cash only.
"It’s actually in the back of a dive bar called the Erin Rose. They do a new twist on po-boys and normally when I hear anybody’s doing a new twist on anything, Cajun or Creole, I don’t really buy it. But these guys are doing really cool stuff. They’ll do a roast beef po-boy and braise it in Guinness or Jameson. They’re really good." - Restaurateur Sean McCuster of Sylvain, Barrel Proof
811 Conti Street, New Orleans, LA 70112
T: 504.252.6745 | killerpoboys.com
SHOP FOR GIFTS
Housewares Boutique | SÖPÖ
"Two of my favorite ladies run an amazing local boutique, called SoPo (short for Southern Posh). Robin Bourne and Britta Barlogie have an amazing mix of women’s fashion, home goods and gifts, many locally sourced from across the south." - Chef Kristen Essig of Meauxbar
629 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
T: 504.609.2429 | soponola.com
NEW ORLEANS IS ALL ABOUT MUSIC
Music on Vinyl | Euclid Records
Independently owned record store featuring both new and used vinyl choices, as well as CDs and an occasional cassette.
"It is a pretty amazing selection of New Orleans music. I have a turntable in my place and I can pop down here and walk out with a stack of amazing old New Orleans music." - Restaurateur Sean McCuster of Sylvain, Barrel Proof
3401 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
T: 504.947.4348 | www.euclidnola.com
Music & Whiskey | d.b.a.
They feature live music seven nights a week and have two locations, one in New Orleans and the other in New York.
"They have an incredible selection of whiskey, awesome bartenders and the best guys playing here. Everyone comes through here. They have Walter Wolfman Washington on Wednesday nights for five dollars, which to see a musical legend for five dollars is outrageous. Glen David Andrews plays here Monday nights. He’s Trombone Shorty’s older brother, so he’s from that family and incredible. John Boutte, who I think a lot of people in New Orleans know John, but everyone knows him from the Treme theme song (HBO show)." - Restaurateur Sean McCuster of Sylvain, Barrel Proof
618 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
T: 504.942.3731 | www.dbaneworleans.com
Music & Wine | Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits
Wine and cheese bar in the front, food and music in the courtyard out back. They feature mostly Old World wines, signature cocktails, and a full lunch and dinner menu.
"It used to be a local secret, but now it’s pretty well known. It’s a bar, a wine shop, and they also have live music outside. You go in, buy a bottle of wine, and they’ll open it up for you. Then you can pick cheeses from a cooler and they’ll plate them for you. Take your wine and food outside and hang out in this really big funky courtyard. It’s kind of like hanging out at a house party or a barbecue in someone’s backyard. They now have a full kitchen, so you can order food. It’s a uniquely New Orleans type of place because it really couldn’t exist anywhere else." - Bartender Liam Deegan of Barrel Proof
600 Poland Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70117
T: 504.948.9111 | www.bacchanalwine.com
Music & Dive Bar | BJ's Lounge
Monday nights the house band King James and the Special Men has a regular gig. But occasionally, there will be a special guest like Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame.
"You want to talk about a dive bar, if you look it up in the dictionary there's a picture of this place. Monday nights they have a band that plays here called King James and the Special Men, which is the best band in New Orleans. They’re outstanding. This is my big hang-out on Monday nights and the best party, not just in New Orleans, but the best party I think in the world, as far as I'm concerned." - Restaurateur Sean McCuster of Sylvain, Barrel Proof
4301 Burgundy Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
COCKTAILS & GRUB
Colonial Cuisine & Tiki Cocktails | Cane & Table
Neal Bodenheimer, the owner of Cure and Bellocq, loved this hidden spot so much that he bought the bar. It's tiki drinks and a rum-centric, Caribbean-inspired menu.
"This rum bar is one of the best places in the city to get a classic daiquiri. They make it the right way. They have tons of rums, so you can try a new one in your daiquiri." - Bartender Liam Deegan of Barrel Proof
"They have a lot of rum-based craft cocktails. A simple Rhum Agricole daiquiri is always an excellent choice." - Chef Anthony Scanio of Delmonico
1113 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
T: 504.581.1112 | www.caneandtablenola.com
Gastropub | Sylvain
Housed in 1796 Carriage House in the French Quarter. The food and drinks are good enough to even attract locals.
"I love the food and their cocktails are adventurous. They’ve got a really small, tight list that every restaurant should have. It’s a little bit stirred, a few sours. Just a nice variety, but well curated." - Bartender Neal Bodenheimer of Cane & Table, Cure, Bellocq
"In addition to cocktails, it’s a good place to have a glass of wine and eat antipasti or a burger." - Bartender Liam Deegan of Barerel Proof
"This is a place I like to take a visiting chef to eat the pulled pork po'boys." - Chef John Folse of Restaurant R'evolution
625 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
T: 504.265.8123 | www.sylvainnola.com
BBQ | Twelve Mile Limit
Former Coquette bartender T. Cole Newton's dive bar with high-end cocktails.
"BBQ and cocktails, brilliant. Cole Newton is doing a good job in Mid-City." - Bartender Chris Hannah of Arnaud's French 75
"It’s a corner bar that was taken over by a guy named of Cole Newton, who is a really talented drinkmaker in his own right. It’s a little bit of a dive bar, a little bit of cocktails and they’ve got great barbecue." - Bartender Neal Bodenheimer of Cane & Table, Cure, Bellocq
500 South Telemachus Street, New Orleans, LA 70119
T: 504.488.8114
MODERN LOUISIANA CUISINE
Square Root
"Chef Philip Lopez, who also owns Root, serves a multi-course, prix fixe tasting menu. It’s a more modern presentation of food that you’ll find in New Orleans. I hate the term molecular gastronomy, but he is definitely geared towards that style of food." - Chef Alex Harrel of Angeline
1800 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
T: 504.309.7800 | squarerootnola.com
BOOK A TABLE
Meauxbar
Chef Kristen Essig used to sell prepared foods at the Crescent City Farmers Market and now she's cooking market-driven cuisine and becoming one of the city's up and coming chefs everyone is watching.
"It’s one of those places that isn’t as obvious, but it’s really great spot." - Bartender Liam Deegan of Barrel Proof
942 North Rampart Street, New Orleans, LA 70116
T: 504.569.9979 | www.meauxbar.com
Restaurant R’evolution
Chefs Rick Tramonto and John Folse pay homage to the history and respect of Louisiana cuisine and the seven nations that surround the region.
"It’s John Folse and Rick Tramanto’s collaboration and they are taking traditional Creole cuisine, some Cajun as well, and reinterpreting it. They’re elevating it and making it modern. The service is impeccable, it’s almost flawless. When you sit down they really focus in on taking care of their guest and the food is always top notch." - Chef Alex Harrel of Angeline
777 Bienville Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
T: 504.553.2277 | www.revolutionnola.com
BOOK A TABLE
LATE NIGHT
Dive Bar | Snake and Jake's Christmas Club Lounge
Consistently wins the bragging rights as the best dive bar in New Orleans. Open every night of the year, including Christmas. Look for the lighted wreath in front of the door.
"Open until daylight the next day. If you go to Snake and Jakes naked, you drink free." - Bartender Chris Hannah of Arnaud's French 75
Open 24 Hours
7612 Oak Street, New Orleans, LA 70118
T: 504.861.2802 | snakeandjakes.com
Sports Bar & Seafood | Cooter Brown's Tavern
400 different kinds of beer, 17 TV screens, po-boys, raw oysters, muffulettas and boiled seafood until the wee hours.
"Great for oysters and very well priced, like $6 or $8 a dozen, ice cold and really clean." - Chef Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery
Open until 4am
509 South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118
T: 504.866.9104 | www.cooterbrowns.com