Cafe Minh [Facebook]

Best Restaurants In Mid-City New Orleans | Top 10 Neighborhood Spots

07:00 March 15, 2024
By: Emily Hingle

Mid-City is such a fun area of New Orleans to dine, drink, and be merry. The area is mostly residential with pockets of cool establishments, some of which have been around longer than most of us have been alive. Mid-City is unfettered by tourism, so the natives and locals can truly let their creativity fly when it comes to creating menu items. And that can lead to some fantastic food that you can't enjoy anywhere else.

From a century old to ultra-modern, from decadent dining rooms to wide-open patios, these Mid-City New Orleans neighborhood restaurants are the best for your next meal. Check them out and see why the regulars can't get enough of their food.


10 Best Places To Eat In Mid-City New Orleans


1. Mandina's Restaurant

3800 Canal St., (504) 482-9179, mandinasrestaurant.com

Mandina's New Orleans [Emily Hingle]

You can't miss this beautiful, big, pink building on a tree-lined corner of Canal Street. Mandina's is a New Orleans classic that has been serving Italian dishes with New Orleans twists since 1932. The grocery-turned-pool hall-turned restaurant has been owned and operated by the Mandina family for several generations, and that wonderful history can be tasted in every bite.

The steaks and chops are always a favorite with the regular diners. The house specials are seafood-heavy: Gulf Fish Meuniere, Grilled Shrimp Over Pasta Bordelaise, and Grilled Gulf Fish With Broiled Potatoes. There's also a plethora of poboys and sandwiches to choose from for your big meal.


2. Katie's Restaurant & Bar

3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582, katiesinmidcity.com

Katie's Restaurant and Bar [katiesinmidcity.com]

Katie's is a cute neighborhood joint serving lunch and dinner from an American favorites with New Orleans flair menu. The Classic Lasagna and Rosemary Chicken Breast taste just like your family's recipes. The Blackberry & Jalapeno Ribs are slow cooked and smothered in spicy blackberry jalapeno barbecue sauce.

Brunch is big at Katie's. Brunch takes place on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can peruse the special brunch menu to find delicacies such as Breakfast Pizza with scrambled eggs, bacon, Italian sausage, hash browns, scallions, and garlic butter sauce, as well as Crawfish Beignets topped with jalapeno aioli.


3. Venezia

134 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-7991, venezianeworleans.com

Venezia [Mercedes Ohlen]

Venezia is one of the oldest pizza joints in New Orleans; it's been making pies since the 1950s. That longevity is due to the authentic style of making the pizzas, as well as having a huge menu of pastas, steaks, and seafood at excellent prices. This is truly a neighborhood eatery that caters to the palette of New Orleans natives, but everyone is welcome to make Venezia their new favorite.

Beyond the House Special Pizza, you can enjoy a hearty plate of Baked Ziti, Cannelloni, or Lasagna. Venezia's dinner plates are quite the deal: most of them are under $20. You may be enticed to order the Chicken Marsala, Eggplant Vatican, Veal Pontchartrain, or Shrimp Parmigiana.


4. Café Degas

3127 Esplanade Ave., (504) 945-5635, cafedegas.com

Cafe Degas [Mercedes Ohlen]

It almost feels like entering a tree house when you visit Café Degas. The gorgeous restaurant on Esplanade Avenue in the Fairgrounds neighborhood is surrounded by greenery, and there's a tree right in the middle of the patio! This little bistro has been serving French favorites for lunch, brunch, and dinner for decades.

Dinner is a wonderful service to experience because the dining room is so romantically-lit. Start off with Les Moules au Fenouil: Prince Edward Island mussels steamed in fennel and leak white wine broth. Then order the L'onglet de Boeuf for dinner: seared hangar steak with pommes frites.


5. Crescent City Steaks

1001 N. Broad St., (504) 821-3271, crescentcitysteaks.com

Crescent City Steaks [Mercedes Ohlen]

The iconic neon sign outside of Crescent City Steaks beckons you to come in and enjoy some satisfying cuts of meat. For nearly one hundred years, this steakhouse has garnered a reputation for serving perfectly-cooked USDA prime aged beef shipped from Chicago. These steaks arrive at your table sizzling in butter, something that Crescent City Steaks pioneered.

Select from cuts including, but not limited to, Rib Eye, Strip Sirloin, T-Bone, and Porterhouse for Two. The Chateaubriand Dinner For Two includes one 22 oz. filet with steamed broccoli, sauteed asparagus, and Brabant potatoes. If you want a little less red meat, opt for the Surf And Turf: a bacon-wrapped 8 oz. filet and a lobster tail.


6. Café Minh

4139 Canal St., (504) 482-6266, cafeminh.com

Café Minh [cafeminh.com]

Café Minh is a wonderful little white-tablecloth restaurant that has a menu that incorporates flavors from Saigon, France, and America. In addition to wonderful bowls of hot pho, Café Minh also serves other Asian-inspired dishes like Steamed Beggar Purses, Banh Mi for lunch, and Ga Roti, which is turmeric and lemongrass marinated chicken with vegetables and jasmine rice.

Definitely consider ordering the amazingly delicious Diver Jumbo Scallops appetizer, which come with grilled Japanese eggplant and a sweet chili-soy sauce. Make sure to save some room for a cup of hot Vietnamese coffee and either vanilla or banana creme brûlée.


7. Neyow's Creole Cafe

3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474, neworleans.neyows.com

Neyow's Creole Cafe [Mercedes Ohlen]

It says it right in the name; Neyow's focuses on fine Creole cuisine in a casual atmosphere. These New Orleans favorite dishes will keep your stomach satisfied for hours, and the bill won't break your budget. The Pork Chop Plate, Pasta Bienville, Fried Gulf Oysters, and Roast Beef PoBoy are just some of the great meals that you can order here.

If you want a real treat, get the Neyow's Extravaganza Dinner For Two. It comes with two cups of gumbo, two house salads, fish, shrimp, oysters, stuffed crab, stuffed shrimp, one steak, two sides, and two desserts. You can't argue with that!


8. Nice Guys Bar & Grill

7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404, niceguysnola.com

Nice Guy's Nola [Mercedes Ohlen]

Nice Guys is a nice place to visit if you're in the mood for oysters, wings, burgers, and tacos. Nice Guys' big menu has a little bit of everything so that you and your dining mates can find something that you'll fall in love with. Bonus: you can enjoy your multi-continent-inspired meals on the covered patio, which is especially good if you order an icy cold daiquiri.

For the adventurous, try the Earhart Attack Fries: a big plate of seasoned fries is drenched in crawfish cheese sauce, marinated chicken, hot sausage, smoked sausage, bacon, jalapenos, and a fried egg. You're going to need a whole team to take that on!


9. Vessel NOLA

3835 Iberville St., (504) 603-2775, vesselnola.com

Vessel NOLA [vesselnola.com]

Vessel is not just a delicious restaurant but also has a beautiful architectural setting. The stained glass lets the light in perfectly to set the ambiance. The restaurant serves up locally sourced meals and creatively crafted cocktails to pair perfectly with the dreamy setting. They offer classic like Shrimp and Grits, as well as Seared Scallop Risotto and Crab au Gratin.

If Vessel knows one thing—it's brunch. The brunch includes bottomless mimosas, brunch burgers, a filled Monte Cristo sandwich, and blueberry waffles. Brunch is served Friday-Sunday, and you don't want to miss it.


10. Blue Oak BBQ

900 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 822-2583, blueoakbbq.com

A Plate of Barbecue [Emily Hingle]

New Orleans is usually not talked about in terms of barbecue but that just means it's our best kept secret. New Orleans has a long history with barbecue that continues to this day through our smoking hot barbecue restaurants. Blue Oak BBQ sits on Carrollton Avenue not far from City Park, and you'll often see patrons happily dining out on the pretty patio.

The Plates are the main attraction. There's plenty to choose from: beef brisket, St. Louis spare ribs, spicy green onion sausage, smoked turkey, and pulled pork. You can get your food family style that includes all the meats and all the sides for three or four people. Burgers and sandwiches are available for those who prefer their meat in a bun.


Where To Eat In Mid-City New Orleans

These Mid-City eateries represent so much of the flavor that makes New Orleans cuisine world famous. Check them out as your weekend night entertainment or make the Mid-City stalwart restaurants a part of your big night at the local bars. Be sure to bring your appetite because these places will fill you up.

What's your favorite restaurant in the Mid-City neighborhood? Tell us what we're missing, and we'll check it out.

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