The CBD and Warehouse District can be magical after 5 p.m. Many
of the people who work in the soaring office buildings have gone home. The
streets are somewhat quiet. And as you walk down the sidewalk, all of the
sudden you'll come across a bustling, busy restaurant that cuts through silence
of the street. There are so many of these places in the area and each
restaurant has its own special qualities about it.
The following Warehouse District and CBD neighborhood restaurants are really
not to be missed if you like great food. Plan to stay a while or go bar-hopping at the best CBD and Warehouse District bars after your meal.
Where To Eat In The CBD And Warehouse District
1. Sofia
516 Julia St., (504) 322-3216, sofianola.com
Sofia's menu is full of Italian comfort foods, but the approach is contemporary without being ostentatious. All you need do is look at the big plates of handmade pasta to know that you are about to enjoy this meal thoroughly. The classics are all there: Short Rib Ragu, Cacio E Pepe, Risotto, Meatballs, and Pasta All Vodka.
Look further down the menu, and you'll come
across the excellent wood-fired pizzas with irresistible toppings. The
Margherita is always good, but The Spicy is an adventure. It has pepperoni, hot
peppers, house ricotta, kale, pecorino, and honey.
2. Meril
424 Girod St., (504) 526-3745, emerilsrestaurants.com/meril
Emeril Lagasse's restaurants are in high demand from visitors who love his celebrity and also from locals who have come to make going to any one of his places a regular thing. Meril is a more casual, approachable restaurant that's perfect for getting a tasty meal at a good price before heading to the Caesers Superdome or the Smoothie King Center for a game or a concert.
The menu boasts a large variety of snacks
including Gulf Yellowfin Tuna Bundles and Crispy Rock Shrimp Tacos. If you can
get past those, you'll want to indulge in an entrée like a Double Cheeseburger,
Korean Beef Short Ribs, or Grilled Ribeye.
3. Josephine Estelle
600 Carondelet St., (504) 930-3070, josephineestelle.com
Located in the Ace Hotel, Josephine Estelle is a romantic restaurant with sky-high ceilings, an exciting semi-open kitchen, and comfortable, plush seating. You'll certainly feel right at home when you dine on a homemade pasta dish like the Bucatini with amatriciana, guanciale, chili, and garlic or the Campenelle with basil pesto, potatoes, and pecorino.
Though dinner at Josephine Estelle is elegant, the lunch and brunch service is fantastic. The way the light streams into the tall dining room through the windows is a sight to behold. The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are definitely Instagram-worthy, and the Chicken Milanese is a fan favorite. Don't miss out on their one of a kind craft cocktails as well.
4. Compere Lapin
535 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 599-2119, comperelapin.com
Chef Nina Compton made a national name for herself when she opened Compere Lapin. This restaurant became well known for its unique fusion of Caribbean, New Orleans, French, and Italian flavors. The dishes are delicious to the point of distraction. From the small bites and the raw bar to the desserts, you won't be able to try everything you want to try.
Start off with the Buttermilk Biscuits with
honey butter and bacon butter before sharing a dozen raw Gulf oysters. For your
first entrée, the Broiled Shrimp and Calabrian Butter is divine and will pair
well with your second entrée of Market Fish with Jamaican Brown Stew. Finish up
with the Mango Crème Brulee, and you've had one very exciting meal!
5. Seaworthy
630 Carondelet St., 630 Carondelet St., seaworthynola.com
Seaworthy can be find alongside the stately Ace Hotel. The nautical-looking restaurant is the place to go if you want to try oysters because these oysters come from all over the country. You can select oysters from different parts of the Gulf of Mexico, from various states bordering the Atlantic Ocean, and from states and Canadian cities along the Pacific Ocean.
There are even some Louisiana caviar selections for you to try out. Seaworthy proudly states that all of their oysters are wild-caught and sustainably harvested. There are many non-seafood options to eat as well like the Cauliflower Steak, if you prefer.
6. Briquette
701 S. Peters St., (504) 302-7496, briquette-nola.com
If you want options, Briquette is the best place to go. The large menu has surf and turf options, soups and salads, and a lot of appetizers for the table. Much of the menu offerings are New Orleans specialties, so you know that means a ton of flavor in every bite. The Oysters Bienville En Casserole are a popular starter dish with shrimp, pork belly, mushroom, and garlic butter sauce.
Briquette specializes in grilled fish that
comes from right here at home and miles away. The Alaskan Halibut Fillet comes
with heirloom potatoes, dijonnaise brussel sprouts, and a Chardonnay butter
sauce. The Louisiana Redfish on the Half Shell has charred lemon butter and
Belle River crawfish relish.
7. Carmo
527 Julia St., (504) 875-4132, cafecarmo.com
This Warehouse District restaurant has
several cultures represented on its menu. There's a little bit of the
Caribbean, some South American, influences from West Africa, and flavors of
Southeast Asia. Of course, there's also some Gulf South for the local twist.
Carmo masterfully blends of all these together for their breakfast, lunch, and
dinner menus.
You won't want to miss out on the ceviche
or sashimi. The Tiradito Fish is thinly-sliced catch of the day topped with aji
Amarillo, yuzu sauce, and canchita. There are even vegan ceviche options. The
Creole Avocado is avocado slices seasoned with Creole spice and olive oil that
is lightly torched and garnished with onions, cashews, almonds, ponzu sauce.
8. Domenica
123 Baronne St., (504) 648-6020, domenicarestaurant.com
Domenica's pizzas were so popular that the spin-off restaurant Pizza Domenica specializes in them. Calabrese, Prosciutto, Smoked Pork, and Meatball are just some of the pizzas that you can get here. But you don't want to overlook the tantalizing primi and secondi plates. The Truffle Agnolotti is perfect for truffle lovers with ricotta and grana Padano.
Go for the Grilled Wagyu Hangar Steak if you want something extremely filling. The steak comes with broccolini, purple sweet potatoes, mint, and beef tallow salmoriglio. If you think that you can manage all of that, check out the house-cured charcuterie plates with your choice of meats like beef pancetta and venison salami.
9. Mother's Restaurant
401 Poydras St. (504) 523-9656, mothersrestaurant.net
It's pretty easy to spot Mother's when you're walking or driving down Poydras Street. There's usually a long line of people waiting to get in. Mother's immense popularity is certainly due to its down-home comfort food and the fact that all of the menu items are served all day, every day. In fact, Mother's is open every day of the week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Mother's has an extensive menu and it can
be hard to choose between breakfast dishes, poboys, the big salads, and Mother's
Favorites. The Combination Platter is great for those who can't decide: Shrimp
Creole or Crawfish Etouffee with jambalaya, red beans and rice, potato salad,
and one more side.
10. La Boca Steakhouse
870 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 525-8205, labocasteakhouse.com
Meat lovers who want to have an elegant dining experience should definitely visit La Boca. This restaurant is inspired by the traditional steakhouses found in Argentina, offering a wide variety of cuts and a long list of delicious South American wines.
In addition to amazing steaks like the Entraña Fina and the Bife de Lomo, La Boca offers Italian-inspired Argentine small plates such as Brushetta, Provoleta, and an interesting Ñoqui "La Boca." Order yourself a glass of Malbec and enjoy one of the best Latin restaurants in all of New Orleans.
The Best Places To Eat In The CBD and Warehouse District
Come hungry because these Warehouse District and CBD restaurants
are ready to fill you up. Whether it's an after-work meal or a big night out
for you and your friends, you don't have to walk far here to find a great restaurant
and then some great night-cap bars afterwards. Keep up with these restaurants
during football season; they may have specials just for game days.
Did we miss the best restaurant in the Warehouse District or
CBD? Let us know what it is and why we should go there.
