Top Food News in New Orleans: May 2025
As sure as eggs on Sunday . . . Dynamic drag duo Lou Henry Hoover and Kitten LaRue have officially opened permanent digs for their mom-and-pop sweet stand Chance in Hell Snoballs. The popular sno-ball stand began as a side-project out of the married couple's home until they were sidelined by pesky city permitting. Chance in Hell has been popping up in Bywater Brew Pub until recently as they just opened the doors of the stand's new home on Louisa Street, right across from Alma Café. They're slinging "artisanal AF" icy treats for people, and their pets, featuring flavors such as lemon ice box pie, ube cream, sour cherry, sweet corn and basil, banana puddin', root beer, and more. 805 Louisa St., @chanceinhell_snoballs
Stuffed legends . . . A new Chinese restaurant dubbed Legend Dumplings opened under the radar, hidden by latest, various other hooplas around the GNO. Located on Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey, this shiny spot took over the space previously occupied by Bud's Broiler, serving assorted dumplings, buns, and ramen. Most of the offerings are traditional in fillings and flavors—from pork and celery to shrimp bamboo—but they also have more creative, pan-fried options including Philly cheesesteak and chargrilled oyster dumplings. Anything's worth a try, even mac 'n' cheese dim sum, right? 1831 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey, (504) 264-7666, legenddumplingsus.com
Better late than never . . . Several months ago, I announced the opening of Brown Butter Depot in Gretna, a reboot of the great Mid-City restaurant owned by Simon Beck and Chef Dayne Womax that closed back in May 2023. Turns out, I was wrong. They actually just opened in April (for real this time—I double checked). Fans can now cross the river for a taste of their crisp, bubbly pork rinds, pimento cheese and deviled ham, and last, but certainly not least, their absolutely friggin' amazeballs Brown Butter Burger with aged cheddar, bread and butter pickles, and roasted garlic mayo. 326 Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna, brownbutterrestaurant.com
Even more majestic . . . As if their house made Turkish delight and huge assortment of roasted nuts, coffees, teas, dried spices, and imported treats were not enough, Royal Roastery in Terrytown is offering Westbank denizens a whole lot more. They've just expanded the space in their Terrytown digs to offer seating and regal-level sweets, serving coffee, crepes, waffles, kunafa, Arabic ice cream, gelato, ash al bulbul (shredded pastry bird nest sweets), and Dubai chocolate cakes (among others). We're not worthy. 1180 Terry Pkwy., Terrytown, (504) 800-8555, royalroastery.com
Lounging around Uptown . . . The new owners of Gautreau's, a local investment group led by Bill Kearney and Jay Adams, decided to expand the restaurant's libation-oriented offerings and have now done so with the launch of Avegno, an upscale lounge located right next door. A massive rehaul of the former pet store Wings and Things is now an Italian-themed cocktail and wine lounge with its own menu wholly separate from Gautreau's. Executive Chef Rob Mistry is serving dishes including munchable cheese straws, black truffle dip, fondue, macaroni au gratin, and French onion soup. 1726 Soniat St., @avegnoneworleans
Sophisticated sushi . . . Former Shogun sushi chef Tommy Mei recently opened Kuro NOLA, a new sushi bar on the corner of Magazine and Thalia streets in the Lower Garden District. The restaurant took over the space that once housed the uber-popular, American Chinese joint Blue Giant, which closed after three, too short years in business. It's all sushi—especially nigiri—at Kuro NOLA, with everything coming in fresh from salmon belly and tai snapper to aji, sea urchin, and yellowtail. Order from the board or go omakase and let the chef wow you until you can no longer breathe. Just be sure to have plenty of "ducats" saved up before you go, because the bill will get thick quick. 1300 Magazine St., @kuro_nola
Marigold blooms again . . . The French Quarter has another elegant courtyard café in which to while away the day dubbed Patula. Located on Royal Street right next to Krewe, the local luxury eyewear company, Patula is the brainchild of Chef Rob Tabone, Link Restaurant Group alum and Wood Duck pop-up purveyor. Along with sophisticated cocktails and pastries from Ayu Bakehouse, the intimate courtyard spot is serving up dishes such as poached Louisiana shrimp with peanut chili crunch and satsuma, as well as a gorgeous roast beef sandwich served on house made, toasted focaccia with horseradish aioli. 619 Royal St., @patulanola
Corner side cuisine . . . Self-taught chef Jaryd Kase cashed in on a broken foot to launch Bodega, a new casual lunch spot located in the space once home to Barcia's Grocery on Annunciation Street. With a menu that veers all over the map, Bodega is serving up breakfast and lunch featuring the King's Eggs with ratatouille and chevre atop a potato pancake, grilled banana bread with a dollop of Greek yogurt, and chimichurri steak sandwich served on Bellegarde Bakery sourdough bread. 3633 Annunciation St., bodega-nola.com
Hope it won't be gone tomorrow . . . Wild South's former home has transformed into Here Today Rotisserie, a new concept from Chef Michael Stoltzfus, chef and owner of Garden District restaurant Coquette. The corner spot on Constance Street is now offering a fresh, affordable menu focusing on approachable eats including gumbo made with their rotisserie chicken and drippings and Best Stop andouille, rigatoni alla vodka, a chicken schnitzel sandwich, and chicken fat rice. 1245 Constance St., @heretodaynola
April
Erster liquor . . . Brian Weisnicht and Chef Farrell Harrison, the dream team behind Plates on Annunciation Street, have launched another Warehouse District restaurant on Tchoupitoulas Street dubbed Maria's Oyster & Wine Bar. Located in the space that held N.O.S.H., or New Orleans Social House, adjacent to Tommy's Wine Bar that shuttered just this past fall, Maria's menu celebrates all things (Gulf) seafood from raw and roasted, sustainably-sourced oysters to a rotating ceviche special (whatever's fresh), shrimp escabeche, a spicy fish sandwich on fried bread, and a tuna steak au poivre with brandy cream. 752 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 350-4075, mariasoysterbar.com
Duke Newk-em . . . Oxford, Mississippi-born Newk's Eatery opened its 96th location in Mandeville recently, taking over the space that once housed N'tini's, which closed permanently over six years ago. Featuring a value-centric, fast-casual menu of American-style cuisine, Newk's offerings range from sandwiches, soups, and salads to pizzas and desserts. Some of the more notable dishes include a six-cheese mac and cheese with pimento and bacon, a huge peanut butter rice crispy treat (aka the Big Crispy) topped with chocolate, and full-sized cakes. 2891 US Highway 190, Mandeville, newks.com
So many slippers . . . New Orleans' very own breakfast brand Ruby Slipper just opened in Lafayette—its 10th location in Louisiana. Since the first Ruby Slipper opened its doors in Mid-City back in 2008, just after Katrina, the brunch-focused concept has spread its Mimosa-laced merriment across the Gulf South. The brand-new Lafayette location on Ambassador Caffery Parkway offers a menu featuring all the dishes fans have grown to love from brioche French toast bites and fried green tomato eggs benedict to their berry Chantilly pancakes and Gulf shrimp omelet. 4701 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette, (337) 270-7002, rubybrunch.com
Burb bound . . . Chef Julio Machado's Venezuelan eatery, which used to be on Maple Street Uptown, recently moved into the old Ted's BBQ location on Williams Boulevard in Kenner-brah. Coma Arepas is (obviously) all about arepas stuffed with everything including shredded beef and black beans and roasted pork leg, as well as brunch options featuring scrambled eggs and chorizo or even deviled ham with cheddar and mayo. 3809 Williams Blvd., (504) 470-2584, comaarepas.com
Happy Birthday . . . Originally opened on May 1, 1875, the historic St. Roch Market is about to celebrate 150 years. Formerly known as Washington Market, the open air, WPA-built spot has lived through many iterations, from a multi-vendor market offering butchered meats, fresh produce, and prepared foods to Lama's Supermarket and a Chinese food restaurant. Like so many buildings in New Orleans, St. Roch lay empty after the destruction wreaked by Hurricane Katrina until its renovation and upscale reimagining in 2015. Today, owned and operated by local coffee man Kevin Pedeaux (owner of CR Coffee Shop), St. Roch is a food hall and incubator for restaurant concepts getting their start in the industry. Congratulations, St. Roch. Here's to another 150 years. 2381 St. Claude Ave., strochmarket.com
You call him Dr. Jones . . . Link Restaurant Group veterans David Rouse and Billy Jones, who also led the kitchen at the now defunct Blue Giant Restaurant, have joined forces to open Dr. Jones Restaurant on Veterans Boulevard in Metairie. Serving "New Orleans-inspired cuisine," menu items include BBQ shrimp with Ethiopian berbere and griddled bread, onion ring fritters with horseradish sauce, and Natchitoches meat pies with chipotle and lime crema. "I keep telling you, you listen to me more, you live longer." 1325 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, drjonesrestaurant.com
Yes, chef . . . Gianna, the Italian branch of Link Restaurant Group, has tapped Justin Koslowksy as the new chef de cuisine. Formerly the executive chef at Chemin à la Mer, Donald Link's Louisiana-born but French-inspired restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel, Koslowsky is diving back into crudos, conservas, and sputinos at Gianna. "I am honored to take on this position at Gianna," said Koslowsky. "I have enjoyed working with Chef Donald and look forward to this opportunity to share my love of Italian cooking."
A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Koslowsky began his career working in vibrant culinary cities such as Phoenix, Yountville, and New York, honing his skills in award-winning kitchens across the country, including Binkley's, Etoile, Contra, Atera, Corton, and Eleven Madison Park. During that time, Koslowsky learned a great deal about pasta making and the nuances of Italian cuisine. "Chef Justin has exceptional talent, a commitment to authenticity, and a deep understanding of Italian cuisine that make him an ideal fit for Gianna," said Donald Link, executive chef and president of Link Restaurant Group. 700 Magazine St., (504) 399-0816, giannarestaurant.com
So sad to see you go …
Edgy, Tchoupitoulas Street taco joint El Cucuy shuttered early this year. Opened by Austin Lane in 2020 amid a nationwide pandemic, the bogeyman-themed eatery began in his home and he didn't think it would last as long as it did. In an Instagram post, Lane announced the planned closing, saying "the road goes on forever but party's gotta end for now." So long, El Cucuy. It's been a howl.
Open less than a year, Chef Michael Stolzfus' ambitious Lower Garden District restaurant Wild South closed its doors early this year. A high-end spot featuring an expensive, five-course menu turned out to be a bad fit for the area. The old corner store building was first renewed as Thalia, a concept Stolzfus launched with Chef Kristen Essig back in 2019. Following Thalia's closure in 2020 during the pandemic, the space reopened as Lengua Madre, launching the career of young chef Ana Castro, a James Beard-award finalist and 2025 nominee for her recently launched Acamaya in the Bywater. Stolzfus is not giving up on his LGD gem, though, and has plans for a more casual concept coming soon.
Mardi Gras & March
Full of beans . . . Chef Maya Mastersson has been tapped to head the kitchen at the new restaurant inside Beanlandia, headquarters for the Krewe of Red Beans. What began as a small marching parade glorifying a local Monday-night tradition was catapulted into an organization built by and for the community. Beanlandia, the cultural museum and community center launched by the krewe in 2023, has now added Muy Pwa, a café for members and visiting ticket-holders featuring a legume-laden menu with dishes such as midnight hummus with black chickpeas served with a sweet potato and lentil baguette for dipping; a smoked gigante bean BLT with "Cajun" bacon, greens, and compressed Creole tomato; and long bean kimchi and white bean panzanella in a garlic confit vinaigrette. 3300 Royal St., kreweofredbeans.org/muy-pwa-bean-cafe
Keeping it sweet . . . Thomas Matthews, a local man with sweet pastry in his blood, has opened Not Another Donut Café in the little blue building that formerly housed Blue Dot Donuts. Matthews, whose family members have been working in the city's donut shops for the past 20 years, had been looking for a place to call their own, and Matthews had approached Blue Dot's founder Zach Menicucci before he was ready to sell. Opened late last year, Not Another Donut Café offers yeasted donuts from glazed to cake, glazed beignets, featured donuts like honey buns and apple fritters, and breakfast sandwiches and sides. 4301 Canal St., @notanotherdonutcafe
Sandwich central . . . Central Grocery, one of the city's most hallowed institutions, has thankfully reopened late last year. Our muffuletta mainline shut down in 2021 after severe damage during Hurricane Ida, and though they were still shipping out our city's most famous Italian sandwich through Goldbelly, the French Quarter just wasn't the same without its century-old Italian grocery regularly featuring lines of fans trailing out the front door. Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo founded the grocery in 1906. When he retired, his son-in-law Salvador T. Tusa took over and it's been in the family ever since. The Tusa's were determined to reopen the Decatur Street shop, even though the building had to be completely rebuilt. Visitors are excited to be once again browsing through specialty Italian foodstuffs and chatting up the friendly staff, but, most of all, they will return for that massive, mouthwatering muffuletta. It's so good to have you back. 923 Decatur St., centralgrocery.com
Steak-ing out a spot . . . The city has a new steakhouse right near the Superdome in a space that's lain empty since the former Besh Group's restaurant Borgne closed four years ago. Brothers Jack Rizzuto and Phil Rizzuto, who run Rizzuto's Ristorante & Chophouse in Lakeview, have taken over the former spot inside the Hyatt Regency New Orleans and launched Rizzuto Prime, a steakhouse with a menu that includes seafood and local Italian cuisine. 601 Loyola Ave., rizzutosristorante.com
Hip hip filet . . . It's been over a decade since we said goodbye to ridiculously affordable, over-stuffed filet mignon po-boys and crazy potatoes at the original Crazy Johnnie's Steak House, but now they're back. Mike Landry, nephew of Johnnie Schram, the beloved Fat City steak tavern's namesake, recently re-launched Crazy Johnnie's in a new location on Veterans Boulevard, across from Lakeside Mall. Landry revived the local love for Johnnie's in 2023 when he began selling the former restaurant's bottled sauces and seasonings. Crazy Johnnie's fans will soon enjoying the same great menu and flavors at the new and improved restaurant, helped in part by some of the staff returning to their same old gig after a 10-year sabbatical. But we won't ever get back that $16 buttery filet po-boy. 3560 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, crazyjohnniesneworleans.com
Bumping into things . . . Cosimo Matassa's Jazz City studio on Camp Street has been transformed into the Junebug, a cocktail bar and bites spot launched by the Washington D.C.-based Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the folks behind Devil Moon BBQ and Brewery Saint X. 'Cue king Shannon Bingham is stepping aside from the smoke to offer dishes such as blue crab gratin and foie gras mousse with banana bread, while the creative take on cocktails come in fully-spirited form or just a light lift. 748 Camp St.
Bring on the naan . . . South Claiborne Indian restaurant Aroma has launched a second location just this past fall in the Garden District on the corner of 7th and Magazine. Housed in the space formerly occupied by sandwich shop Gott Gourmet and Turkish restaurant Anatolia, Chef Sudharshan Kasarapu has expanded his reach, offering all the naans, classic lamb biryani, aloo mutter, butter chicken, and more. Uptown denizens won't have to go all the way downtown for dosa. It's twice as nice. 3100 Magazine St., facebook.com/aromaindiancuisinenola
Who wants lunch? . . . St. Roch Market Italian sandwich purveyors Lunch have moved into their own brick and mortar after their brief but bountiful stint at the Marigny food hall. Now located Uptown on the corner of Broadway and Zimpel, the 'wich shop is slinging their Tuscan-inspired eats right next to The Boot, appealing to nearby university students. Mother and son team (baker) Lisa and (chef) Jack Greenleaf are embracing their culinary knowledge and Italian heritage after moving here from New York City in the midst of the pandemic. On house-baked schiacciata (a light, crispy Tuscan version of focaccia), the duo are serving sandwiches including the Positano with pistachio mortadella, fresh burrata, and pistachio cream, as well as the Napoli with prosciutto cotto, provolone, and roasted butternut squash served pipping hot. 1039 Broadway St., lunchsandwichshop.com
Chocolate-covered Carnival . . . New Orleans chefs and bakers are constantly breaking out of the traditional king cake mold, and, over at GW Fins, they've done it again. Riding on the Dubai chocolate bar wave, Executive Chef Michael Nelson has created an almond-based king cake filled with toasted shredded phyllo and chopped pistachios, crowned with a cinnamon sugar brioche. The cake is then dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with a pistachio crumble and chocolate chips. Because that's not nearly enough chocolate (is it ever?), the cake is decorated with more chocolate sauce, pistachio sauce, crème anglaise, and whipped ricotta mousse. The cake will be available on the dessert menu at James Beard semi-finalist GW Fins through Mardi Gras Day. That is, if we don't stampede the restaurant and eat every last morsel. 808 Bienville St., (504) 581-3467, gwfins.com
February
To die for ... Owner Phi Vu, a local actor best known for his work in Happy Death Day, launched his Korean fried chicken pop-up in late November 2023. Now, he's launched OPPA Korean Fried Chicken inside the tiny shop on Severn Avenue, formerly Wishingtown Bakery and longtime home to Morning Call. Along with several kinds of Korean fried chicken wings from spicy to honey lemon pepper, OPPA offers meaty bulgogi fries, tteokkochi (aka deep fried, skewered rice cake with gochujang sauce), and fruit-loaded hwachae. 3327 Severn Ave., Metairie, @oppa_kfc
A pilgrimage to the bend … Not long after opening a shop in Chalmette earlier in 2024, national franchise Tsaocaa Tea now has a second Louisiana location in the Riverbend. Located in the former Supercuts on S. Carrollton Avenue, the new tea shop, originally founded by Eddie Zheng, has over 50 locations across the country proffering what he and his co-founders considered affordable tea made with all natural ingredients. Along with milk teas and bubble tea, Tsaocaa serves bubble waffle desserts and Korean fried chicken. Is it a life altering experience? You'll have to hop on the St. Charles streetcar and find out. 714 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 345-2883, tsaocaaneworleans.com
Everything old is new again ... Locals collectively heaved a sad sigh when 70-year-old Bon Ton Café closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the historic location is back with new owners and a new name. Chophouse founder Jerry Greenbaum launched Bon Ton Prime Rib late last year, and though the space is still hauntingly familiar, the menu is (obviously) focused on steak. The menu still features some Creole classics including crabmeat au gratin and étouffée. But is it like it used to be? You be the judge. 401 Magazine St., (504) 386-4610, btprimerib.com
Two is better than one ... James Beard-award semifinalist Melissa Arujo has launched a second Alma, this time in Mid-City. Arujo launched her flagship restaurant in the Bywater in what some considered a "cursed" location amidst the pandemic shutdowns, but her good vibes and great food prevailed. The new Mid-City location has taken over what was formerly Mr. Ed's Seafood on the corner of N. Carrollton Avenue and Bienville Street with a familiar menu featuring some of the chef's greatest hits, including a Honduran breakfast of baleada sencilla to locally-inspired moros y cristianos with Louisiana red beans. Alma "part deux" also features an oyster bar, tortillera, and Alma's signature coffees. 301 N. Carrollton Ave., eatalmanola.com
They're back ... Chic Warehouse District Mexican joint Tacos del Cartel has reopened in Metairie after extensive renovations to their original location (launched in 2020) on David Drive. "This reopening represents a fusion of tradition and innovation," Danny Cruz, co-founder of Veho Hospitality Group, said. "Chef Atzin's creativity and passion for Mexican cuisine are at the core of our mission to elevate the dining experience in Metairie and beyond." Tacos del Cartel's chef and co-founder Atzin Santos is now also executive director of Veho Hospitality Group, overseeing a "dynamic portfolio of innovative restaurant concepts," including the flagship's expansion into South Florida and a forthcoming venture in New Orleans. 2901 David Dr., (504) 381-5063, tacosdelcartel.com
Ain't nothing ugly about it ... Reno de Ranieri and Brian Burns, the team behind Costera and Osteria Lupo, have launched a new restaurant in partnership with the Domain Companies inside the recently rebranded Barnett Hotel. The new Italian eatery, Brutto Americano, isn't a giant leap from the Art Deco-designed space's previous incarnation Josephine Estelle, serving "elegant and approachable Italian cuisine," but there's nothing wrong with keeping the good eats coming. 600 Carondelet St., (504) 900-1180, @brutto_americano
Sad to see you go ...
New restaurants open while others close. The wheel keeps turning, and life just keeps chugging along. Although, that doesn't mean we have to like it. Mae's Bakeshop, the bakery that launched on Baronne Street only a year ago, has closed. Owner and chef Jeremy Fogg, former pastry chef at Emeril's, began the concept inside his home kitchen during the pandemic shutdowns. In an Instagram post before Thanksgiving last year, Fogg said, "The most rewarding part of this experience has been seeing the joy my little bakery has brought to so many people." Joy in the form of his exquisitely delicious Monkey Bread King Cake, Grandma's Sour Cream Pound Cake, and chocolate chip cookies will not easily be forgotten.
Longtime vegan and vegetarian-forward restaurant Carmo closed after nearly 15 years in business on Julia Street. Though chefs Dana Honn and Christina do Carmo are pulling up stakes in the Warehouse District, they are continuing to prepare fresh fast food at EatWell Kitchen on Causeway in Metairie, as well as offering catering services, launched a new restaurant Nikkei: A Creole Izakaya, and have already opened an events/pop-up and catering business called Tempero's Market Kitchen.
January
Taco 'bout sushi ... The dream team behind the Nori Guys pop-up, home of the sushi taco, have opened a brick and mortar restaurant in Mid-City called Hibachi Grill. Owners Kenny Truong and Nigel Pais recently opened their new digs on the corner of S. Broad and Banks—formerly home to Las Delicias de Honduras—serving sushi tacos, fried wonton nachos, and hibachi plates. Pop in for a miso-glazed salmon sushi, with seaweed salad and mint aioli wrapped up in a battered and deep fried sheet of nori, or go all the way with a chili garlic oxtail hibachi plate. 400 S. Broad St., @hibachigrillnola
The kitchen is open ... For over a year, Uptowners have been anxiously awaiting for someone to fill the vacancy left on Prytania Street when Parran's Po-boys split the scene, and, at long last, the time has come. Longtime local food truck La Cocinita has taken over the space with their very first brick and mortar, aside from a stint vending at South Market District food hall Pythian Market. Husband and wife team Benoit and Rachel Angulo are offering a menu featuring Venezuelan-inspired street food: tacos, empanadas, arepeas, and more. 4920 Prytania St., @lacocinita
Ring-a-ding-dong ... Charleston-based industry gaffer Brooks Reitz opened his first concept in New Orleans this fall in the space which formerly housed Nonna Mia and, briefly, The Post. The spruced-up digs on Esplanade is now The Bell, a self-proclaimed "neighborhood joint with an English accent." The pub-like tavern and bar serves Guinness on tap and frozen gin and tonics, offering drinkers and diners seating, inside and out, with a large patio on the avenue. Food offerings include crudités with dill and fennel yogurt, broiled Gulf oysters with Neal's Yard cheddar (a UK cheese maker), and Fishmonger's Pie (smoked fish and cheesy potatoes). Also, on the flip side of many local New Orleans establishments, The Bell does not accept cash, so be sure to have your plastic in hand. 3125 Esplanade Ave., (504) 381-4399, thebellnola.com
All together now ... Both OMBU restaurants, straddling the Westbank's 88 Farmers Market on Lapalco Boulevard in Marrero, are finally open. OMBU Buffet has been in operation for about a year now, but folks have been anxiously awaiting the opening of the other OMBU serving Korean BBQ. At long last, our dreams have come true. Serving both Korean BBQ and Chinese hotpot, OMBU has covered two food cultures in one blow. Each table is outfitted with its own grill and diners can opt for proteins from pork belly and thinly-sliced beef to seafood. They also feature a build-your-own bibimbap buffet and Korean fried chicken, all for shockingly reasonable prices. 5990 Lapalco Blvd., Ste. B, @ombu_hotpotkoreanbbq
Brutally delicious ... Mount Pleasant, South Carolina-born breakfast spot Vicious Biscuit is expanding its reach into Louisiana with an outpost landing in Gonzales, of all places. The fast-casual breakfast concept's local franchisee Zach Trujillo, who also owns and operates Crumbl Cookies in the Baton Rouge area, said, "We are thrilled to officially open our doors to Gonzales, pushing the boundaries of brunch in this market. Baton Rouge, and Southeast Louisiana as a whole, are craving more quality breakfast and brunch options, and we knew Vicious Biscuit would be the perfect fit." Diners can expect foodstuffs like cinnamon cream cheese-filled beignets, fried green "'maters" with pimento cheese and bacon jam, and their namesake "The Vicious" cheddar jalapeno biscuit sandwich with fried chicken, maple sausage gravy, cowboy candy (candied jalapenos), and maple syrup. 333 Saint Christopher St., Gonzales, (225) 208-2570, viciousbiscuit.com
Everything's waiting for you ... The fourth location of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concept's Boulevard American Bistro has left the burbs for a downtown location in the Warehouse District. Launched in the former food hall Auction House Market, just across from Peche Restaurant on Magazine Street, the "everyday" type spot offers all-American food with a Louisiana twist. The menu includes butternut lobster bisque, duck dirty rice, and Creole shrimp piquant, as well as burgers, pork chops, and prime rib. 801 Magazine St., (504) 581-7103, boulevardbistro.com
Mush ... John Michael Rowland, restaurateur and owner of the recently opened Pigeon & Whale, has launched another restaurant right across Freret Street dubbed The Husky. Housed in the space formerly occupied by Acropolis and Wayfare, The Husky wants diners to feel like their huddling by the fire while the (nonexistent) snow is falling outside. All the while, they'll be munching on juicy burgers, steaks, and pasta. Grab your parkas, jump on the sled, and head to Freret. 4510 Freret St., (504) 766-7159, thehuskynola.com
Dirty little lift ... Zony Mash Brewing and Dirty Coast Press have teamed up to create Float, a new low-calorie, lifted seltzer with 5mg THC and 5mg of CBD. Their first flavors are the seasonally appropriate mimosa made with satsuma and orange, as well as Watermelon Margarita. You can either order them online or pick them up at Dirty Coast (either location), Elio's Wine Warehouse, and Stein's Deli. floatseltzer.com
December
Po-boy preservation … Since Chef Benjamin Wicks and Art Mahony Murray opened Mahony's Po-Boys over 15 years ago, folks from near and far have been flocking to the Magazine Street restaurant for a taste of Wicks' fine dining take on po-boys—especially loved were the pot roast beef and fried chicken liver. Lots of fans were bummed when Mahony's closed its last door over the summer, but Mahony's is back thanks to restaurateur Robért LeBlanc and the team at French Quarter bar The Will & The Way. Chef Josh Williams is presenting a po-boy menu, which includes longtime Mahony's favorites such as the root beer-glazed ham and cochon de lait, in addition to some newbies including fried shrimp and andouille gravy and a muffuletta egg roll appetizer. Tristan Ferchl has stepped up the bar program with a few cool ideas of his own, taking non-alcoholic beverages such as root beer, iced tea, and lemonade and twisting them into delightfully adult-style drinks. 3454 Magazine St., (504) 899-3374, mahonyspoboys.com
When the saints go marching in … Chef/owner Eric Cook of Lower Garden District hit Gris Gris and author of his recently released cookbook Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine has reopened his former Decatur Street restaurant Saint John on St. Charles Avenue. Housed in the space formerly occupied by Le Chat Noir (both the theater and Bearcat's short stint into fine dining), the "haute Creole" concept is being led by Chef de Cuisine Darren Chabert, a chef who has worked with Cook for the past two years. Menu items at the new location include those amazing smothered turkey necks and Creole beef daube we all know and love, plus dishes including a "Challah Back" burger made with chargrilled beef and cheddar on a challah bun. 715 St. Charles Ave., (504) 381-0385, saintjohnnola.com
A NOLA-born bar … Caesars New Orleans recently opened Octavia, a cocktail lounge and bar that "marries the grandeur of Ancient Rome with the enchanting spirit of the Big Easy." The newly-branded hotel and casino has taken out all the stops on symbolism with Octavia, a bar named after Julius Caesar's niece who was born in Nola, Italy (right?) and was one of the most distinguished women in the Roman empire, admired for her humanity, nobility, and adherence to traditional feminine virtues. Because nothing says femininity like cocktails. The octagonally-shaped lounge is also a nod to Caesars New Orleans' address (8 Canal St.), and the number itself has long been revered in many cultures as a symbol of prosperity and success.
The bar alone features 27 seats, surrounded by 136 more replete with table games and slot options, all overhung by a massive, $750,000, 26x31 foot chandelier made of 600 fiber optic tubes. Octavia's cocktail menu, curated with a "feminine-forward" approach, includes libations like an Octavia Sour, a Cafe Du Monde-inspired coffee cocktail, and a Paper Fortune Teller Sazerac Experience. 8 Canal St., Caesars New Orleans, caesars.com/caesars-new-orleans
Blessed are the Carrolltonians … From the people who brought La Tia Cantina to Metairie comes Aguasanta, a brand new Mexican restaurant on Oak Street filling the vacancy once home to Magasin Vietnamese Cafe and Muckbang Seafood. Self-touted as "modern" and "unexpected," the menu differs from La Tia and is inspired by Mexican and Latin American cuisine, though there are some American dishes sprinkled in as well, including a fat, juicy cheeseburger. 8312 Oak St., (504) 381-5328, aguasantanola.com
Changing of the guard … Meg Gray was recently tapped as executive chef of Tujague's, one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in the country. Taking the reins from seasoned New Orleans chef Gus Martin, Gray is a culinary arts graduate from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) and survivor of Hell's Kitchen in Las Vegas. "We are thrilled to promote Chef Meg to executive chef at Tujague's," said owner Mark Latter of Latter Hospitality. "Her passion for the rich history of New Orleans and her commitment to keeping the Tujague's tradition alive while injecting her own creative spirit into the menu makes her the perfect choice to lead the kitchen." 429 Decatur St., (504) 525-8676, tujaguesrestaurant.com
'Round the bend … The long-awaited Le Ponce cafe has finally opened, taking over the space long occupied by Fair Grinds Coffeehouse. Jacques Soulas and Jerry Edgar, owners of Café Degas around the corner, jumped on the opportunity when the property became available in the spring of 2022. Joe Turley, the chef at Café Degas, is also managing the kitchen at Le Ponce, offering diners breakfast and lunch tartines served on Ayu Bakehouse baguettes, plain and chocolate croissants, and delicate chouquettes (or sugar puffs) topped with pearl sugar featuring a custard-like interior. Specialty coffee drinks, from cafe au laits to cortados and flat whites, are brewed from beans curated and roasted at Applied Arts Coffee. 3133 Ponce de Leon St., @leponcenola
Brotherhood … Rafat and Ramzy Barakat recently launched Broski's Subs, a new sandwich shop on the corner of 4th Street and Huey P. Long Avenue in Gretna. Taking over the building that formerly housed ice cream shop Roulé, Broski's features a few "signature" subs: an Angus prime rib on buttered brioche with au jus, Chicago-style Italian beef, and smoked BBQ beef brisket, but you can also build your own with a choice of breads, meats, and toppings. The sub shop also features an eclectic mix of soups and sides, from chicken enchilada soup to Cajun waffle fries and mac 'n' cheese. 401 Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna
November
Changing hands? ... Algiers Point restaurant Tonti's Cocktail Bar & Bistro (formerly Tonti's Hand) has tapped a new head chef. Chet Henderson recently moved to the Point from Colorado where he worked as the corporate executive chef of the Culinary Creative Group, a hospitality company responsible for restaurants such as Aviano, Bar Dough, and Mister Oso. Everyone in the neighborhood (and beyond) is excited about the dishes Henderson is bringing to the table, which are still French but just made by different hands, from le poulet rôti (a fried buttermilk-battered chicken on a toasted potato bun with remoulade) to duck confit with rosemary sweet potatoes and mustard sauce. 323 Verret St., (504) 264-7973, tontis-bistro.com
Tutto bene! ... Folks in Gretna were crying in their cacciatore when Tony Mandina's closed after serving Creole Italian cuisine to Westbank denizens for 40+ years, but all was not lost. Shortly after their closure, longtime Mid-City Italian joint Venezia's (open since 1957) purchased the property and reopened to much pomp and circumstance. The new Venezia's on Westbank Expressway has the same menu as their Carrollton Avenue location, along with the addition of tableside caesar salad service. Guests can load up on fried calamari, Gulf shrimp scampi linguine in a lemon, garlic, and butter sauce, and piles of buttery garlic bread while raising a glass to the memory of Mandina's. 1915 Pratt St., Gretna, (504) 910-6302, venezianeworleans.com
You just can't beat halal meat? … Three Palestinian entrepreneurs Hasan Ayyad, Omar Jamhour, and his father Chef Ayoub Jamhour recently opened Moshiko Falafel & Shawarma in the Bywater. Located next door to Wagner's Meat on St. Claude Avenue, Moshiko is billed as a "fast casual restaurant" with Ayoub manning the rotisserie and crispy, fried, handmade, chickpea-based falafel. Moshiko is open daily for lunch and dinner. 3200 St. Claude Ave., @moshiko_nola
He's flipped ... Uptown Mediterranean restaurant MISA has had a total menu makeover and is now a new burger spot dubbed Son of a Bun. Owner Tal Sharon, the mastermind behind Tal's Hummus just across the street, has rebranded the Magazine Street restaurant and is now slinging burgers, sandwiches, and fries, but the menu is not without touches of Israeli-inspired cuisine including eggplant fries with tahini date sauce, crispy halloumi with lemon garlic aioli, and a veggie burger made with falafel patties. 4734 Magazine St., sonofabunburgerbar.com
La comida es vida ... Chef Maria Ruhl and her son James Ortiz recently launched a Cuban restaurant in the French Quarter called Havana 1961. In a mission to "bring the vibrant flavors and rich culture of Cuba to New Orleans," the mother/son duo offer a menu with a wide variety of traditional Cuban dishes, including ham croquetas and papa rellenas (fried potato balls stuffed with bell pepper, onion, and ground beef), as well as classics including ropa vieja (with stewed beef, tomatoes, and sofrito) and lechón asado (a sort of Cuban version of cochon de lait). Havana 1961 also features a wide variety of Cuban-inspired cocktails intended to "transport guests to the streets of Havana," accented with a Santeria and Vodú twist. 239 Decatur St. @havana1961.nola
On the rise ... Popular Uptown spot Levee Baking Co., just off Magazine Street, recently expanded into the space next door, which has allowed for a larger kitchen in order to produce more amazing breads and pastries. Plus, they've launched a more robust breakfast and lunch menu—because who can get enough of their croissant twists with prosciutto and Gruyere? They're also now able to host more baking workshops, so go learn how to sourdough with some of the best bakers in New Orleans. 3138 Magazine St., Ste. D, (504) 354-8708, leveebakingco.com
An ambitious dish ... The uber-plushy, New York-born sushi chain Nobu just opened a location inside the now completed Caesars New Orleans. A "universally celebrated restaurant" recognized for pioneering a new style of Japanese cuisine, the menu features signature dishes created by Chef Nobu Matsushisa including black cod miso and rock shrimp tempura. Don your finest garb and don't forget your platinum chopsticks for $9 plates of edamame and a $21 plate of oysters (three). You may have to take out a second mortgage on your house to dine there, but perhaps you can win it back in the casino afterwards? 8 Canal St., noburestaurants.com
Branching out ... Sachin Darade, Aman Kota, and Sarthak Samantray, the dream team behind the downtown Indian restaurant LUFU NOLA (Let Us Feed U), are in their stride with the mid-summer opening of a Taiwanese bubble tea shop Dingtea Downtown. Only two blocks away from LUFU, Dingtea is located on Baronne Street inside a former beauty salon and serves up boba teas, "soufflé slushes," milk tea or tea lattés, and yogurt (Japanese probiotic Yakult) drinks. It also features sweet and savory croffles (a mashup of croissants and waffles), just in case you want a takoyaki croffle with your roasted wintermelon latté. 337 Baronne St., dingteadowntown.com
The trio has also opened Cajun Flames, a New Orleans-style seafood restaurant inside the Decatur Street building that formerly housed Saint John (now open on St. Charles Avenue in the Le Chat Noir space) and, before that, the never-to-be-replaced Maximo's. Diners at Cajun Flames can expect an oyster bar with both raw and grilled Gulf oysters, plus a plethora of fried seafood platters from shrimp and catfish to—you guessed it—Gulf oysters. 1117 Decatur St., @cajun_flames
October
Finger lickin' chicken . . . Adolfo "Fito" Garcia and Sophia Petrou, a couple of new New Orleans restaurateurs from old New Orleans restaurant families, recently launched Chi Chi's Chicken & Beer on Freret Street. Working out of the tiny space once home to (the much-missed) Windowsill Pies, the duo offers Korean fried chicken and beer, called chimaek, a lip-smacking accompaniment to any Saints game. Flavors include the classic sweet-sour-spicy yangnyeom, soy garlic, and more. Pair it with a shot of makgeolli (sparkling rice wine) or one of many premium brews on tap, and don't forget the kakigori (Japanese sno-ball) for dessert. 4714 Freret St., @eatchichis
Speakin' of chicken . . . When the original location of world-famous fried chicken spot Willie Mae's Scotch House suffered from a fire in April 2023, folks were thinking of hopping on a plane to the West Coast to sate their cravings. Though the historic Tremé restaurant is still undergoing repairs and renovations, the owners have decided to open a second New Orleans locale in the Warehouse District on Baronne Street, in the spot once occupied by NOLA Caye. Diners can expect the same soul food menu—wet-battered fried chicken, sweet potato fries, cornbread muffins, and red beans and rice—but in a whole new environment. In the end, it doesn't matter where you get it. It's still Willie Mae's. 898 Baronne St., @williemaesnola
The chicken has landed . . . Popular fusion-fried chicken food truck Southerns recently threw open the doors of their first brick and mortar in Metairie. Located at 4620 Veterans Blvd., Southerns is taking over the space which formerly housed Korean restaurant Gogi. The food truck, launched by Anthony Cruz and Gene Colley, is well-known for their crispy, pickle-laden, fried chicken sandwiches, but specials with everything from smoked oxtails to pastrami boudin and beyond are always a possibility. 4620 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, @southernsfood
Not so common . . . Common House, a self-touted community-focused, modern social club, recently opened in the Warehouse District, taking over the old Louisiana Children's Museum on Julia Street. Their mission? "To create connection amongst members through curated programming, thoughtful design, and intentionally sourced food and beverage, while immersing members into the communities they call home." This social club concept was co-founded by Derek Sieg and Ben Pfinsgraff, who noticed a decline in social activities like "bridge clubs" and sought to reverse that trend.
In addition to common spaces, event venues, a pool, and other amenities, Common House offers an on-site restaurant to members and their guests. The kitchen is led by Metairie-born Sean Rajo, a chef who got his chops working in local kitchens such as La Petite Grocery, Coquette, and Commander's Palace. His menu often infuses locally-sourced ingredients with Honduran and South Asian flavors, particularly evident in his pork schnitzel sandwich with cashew mole verde, as well as tuna lettuce cups drizzled in coconut basil vinaigrette. There's one caveat—unless you're invited by a member, dinner at Common House's restaurant will cost you $665 before you can even walk in the door. That is, if you're allowed a membership. 420 Julia St., (504) 315-2030, commonhouse.com
Sisters in seafood . . . James Beard-nominated Chef Ana Castro and her sister Lydia opened Acamaya, a Mexican seafood joint in Bywater, a move the whole city (country?) has been anxiously awaiting since she departed Lengua Madre late last year. The new restaurant on Dauphine Street celebrates the sisters' Oaxacan heritage, offering hot and cold mariscos—seafood or shellfish dishes such as bass ceviche with chamoy and jicama, masa dumplings with crab and Chanterelle mushrooms, and crab sope with chiltepín pepper mayo and fresh avocado. 3070 Dauphine St., (504) 299-3477, acamayanola.com
Crossing the river . . . Fans of the beloved Mid-City restaurant Brown Butter Southern Kitchen + Bar, which shuttered last May, should be pleased to know it's back; however, this time, it's in Gretna. It's re-dubbed as Brown Butter Depot, in recognition of the historic train depot nearby on Huey P. Long Avenue. Chef/Owner Simon Beck is excited to once again be serving their killer brunch burger, crab mac 'n' cheese, and other familiar goodies that so enthralled the denizens of Mid-City for nearly a decade. Now, the Westbank benefits. 326 Huey P Long Ave., @brownbutterdepot
Heaven sent a food hall . . . Late this past June, Nga Vu, Shawn Tran, and their family opened New Orleans' newest food hall City Market. Once a Beauty Plus store, the bright building has been transformed into a sleek, modern food hall wrapped in colorful murals on the corner of St. Claude and Elysian Fields avenues. Only a few blocks away from St. Roch Market (one of New Orleans' last food hall), City Market touts an emphasis on Asian vendors with ramen from Kim Son Express, Suga's bubble tea, and sushi bar Kikosushi. They also offer burgers from Bywater Burgers & Wings and baked goods from Zoe's. City Market is open daily. 1101 Elysian Fields Ave., (504) 354-8803, citymarketnola.com
Bakery bonus . . . Pastry Chef Kaitlin Guerin's boutique, cottage bakery business has garnered so much attention since she began selling pastry boxes during the pandemic, she was at last able to get a handle on her own digs in Central City. Located on Euterpe Street, Lagniappe Bakehouse & Coffee's pastries offer the sweet elegance fans have come to expect from Guerin's boxed repertoire, including banana cake with olive oil buttercream, miso caramel apple galette, and pickled peach thumbprint cookies. 1825 Euterpe St., lagniappebaking.com
September
As dreamers do … The long-awaited Étoile opened this past summer, finally filling the stunning historic mansion left vacant after the closing of Cavan in 2021. Originally from New Orleans, Chef Chris Dupont (of Dupont's Restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama) returned to his hometown to open Étoile, a "farm-to-table" fine-dining restaurant on Magazine Street. The mansion-turned-restaurant now sports a more polished look on the inside and exclusively offers diners a seven-course tasting menu at $110 per person with dishes such as tomato gazpacho with ginger carrot and pesto, a goat cheese soufflé, seared Waygu beef with pomme frites, and petit fours for dessert. 3607 Magazine St., (504) 582-9920, etoileorleans.com
She's not a myth … A new seafood restaurant dubbed Seawitch recently opened on St. Charles. It's located in the building that once housed Blind Pelican, a popular spot to score 25 cent oysters and cheap beer that closed in 2018 amid an ugly dispute between the restaurant's owners. Glistening after a much-needed renovation, the space was reopened as Seawitch by hospitality industry veterans Jude Marullo and Claude Mauberret. Chef Richard Bickford (husband of Commander's Palace's Executive Chef Meg Bickford) is leading the kitchen at Seawitch, offering a menu with a heavy focus on oysters, including Gulf-born-beauties on the half shell with a mignonette, and a "shuckcuterie" board featuring panko fried and tequila oyster shooters—plus a full menu featuring everything from filet mignon finger sandwiches and blue crab toast to smoked chicken and andouille gumbo. 1628 St. Charles Ave., (504) 264-7600, @seawitchnola
Is it Tuesday yet? … Entrepreneurs Danny Cruz and Vilexys Salas launched Tacos del Cartel in the South Market District early this past summer. The colorful, highly-Instagrammable, high-end taco joint on Girod Street is already making a huge splash featuring corn tortillas made in-house using their own masa. Be prepared to pay a pretty penny for dishes such as the Cartel Guacamole featuring Angus rib eye chicharron, a "green" ceviche with red snapper, octopus, and watermelon, tortilla soup with queso fresco, and duck confit carnitas tacos with a spicy tamarind sauce. One of the coolest (literally) items on the menu is their Carrito de Feria, an adorable little cart serving fresh-fried churros dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with dipping sauces and ice cream. The dynamic duo plan to open a second Tacos del Cartel soon in Metairie on David Drive, so keep your Tuesdays open. 1010 Girod St., (504) 354-9038, tacosdelcartel.com
Pepper steak? … After 47 years in business, local denizens were truly bummed to see Riccobono's Peppermill in Metairie close in the fall of 2023, but things keep on keeping on. Just this past June, Vacca Steakhouse opened in the beloved location on Severn Avenue, launched by partners Jonathan Brisbi and Darrell Dumestre; however, well-known local hospitality veterans are running the show. Hotel Monteleone's Tim Waguespack is at the front of the house and Chef Carmen Provenzano Jr. (from Uptown restaurant Pascal's Manale) is leading the kitchen. Though it looks like the old Peppermill (other than the signage) on the outside, Vacca offers an updated dining room with a more modern look. Mostly open for dinner, the new steakhouse's menu is centered around, well, steak—prime angus beef to be exact, accompanied by dishes such as fried lobster tail, shrimp fra diavolo, Chilean sea bass, and crab cakes. 3524 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 318-3808, vaccasteakhouse.com
Witchy women … A coven of skilled local chefs recently launched Tatlo, a restaurant and absinthe bar inside the Old Absinthe Bar on Bourbon Street. Cristina Quackenbush (Milkfish), Anh Luu (Bywater Brewpub, @XanhNOLA, and Tapalya), and Haley Vanvleet (@smokedbowls and BELLE Epoque) have combined their spiritual energies to create the new witch-inspired spot located in what was originally a female-only space, a former bar where ladies could go to refresh before women were legally allowed to patronize drinking establishments in New Orleans in 1949. Tatlo (which means three in the Filipino language) offers "divine" drinks and dishes, conjured specifically to manifest that which you need, including Paper Magick (a beef tartare with lemongrass and shiso that boosts prosperity and success) and the Four of Swords (a smashed longganisa, or Filipino sweet sausage, patty with Fontina and crispy onion said to promote rest, relaxation, and recuperation). The spirited space also features a variety of absinthes (including a full service) and absinthe-based cocktails such as the Spell Breaker with elderflower, pineapple, and calamansi (a Filipino lemon/lime hybrid), symbolizing endings and rebirth. 240 Bourbon St., @TatloNOLA
Jack's back … Local chef and restaurateur Jack Petronella has been biding his time baking at Maple Street Patisserie; however, as the storefront recently closed (they're still selling wholesale), Petronella has set his sights on a new location just down the block. Launched this past July, Eats Inc. is located in the building that formerly housed the Swap Boutique and is a "cost-conscious" amalgam of his former restaurants ManhattanJack and Altamura, as well as the Maple Street Patisserie, featuring grab-n-go items like Italian subs and pasta bowls along with croissants and morning buns. 7716 Maple St.
August
One stop shop? … Just as more people were turning on to the hunger-healing eats at Fharmacy (will we ever taste mussels like that again?), the tiny Banks Street spot suddenly closed up shop, leaving fans sad and hangry for nearly two years. But just recently, the little yellow shotgun opened its doors again, this time as Cause and the Cure. Launched by Robert Corroza (owner of High Grace NOLA in the French Quarter), Cause and the Cure features a cornucopia of cultural cuisine, from the Big Apple bodega-born chopped cheese "sammich," with cheese-laden ground beef and sautéed cabbage, to Korean-style corn dogs rolled in toppings such as potato chips or seasoned uncooked ramen. The cause for these reputed hangover cures can be inflicted while seated on the same bar stool with cocktails including the bourbon-based Banks St. Mulberry Smash or St. Peter's Punch—their version of a Hurricane. The only thing missing at Cause and the Cure is a crash couch. 2540 Banks St., causeandthecurenola.com
"Sittin' here eatin' my heart out waitin'" … Speaking of parties, consummate chef and wacky weed-lover Mason Hereford has done it yet again, teaming up with Nathan Barfield (the now former chef de cuisine at Turkey and the Wolf) to launch Hot Stuff on Maple Street. Built out like a meat and three inside the old brick building that once housed Favori Deli, Hot Stuff is serving up plates of stewed chicken, Mississippi pot roast, and chicken fried steak. Sides include collard greens and black-eyed peas, but diners should expect a twist or two on the old formula. So far, dishes such as miso green beans, chili-crisp marinated cucumbers, brown butter sage rolls, and smoked chicken wings with pineapple habanero BBQ sauce have made it to the board, but, at this point, it seems anything is possible. 7507 Maple St., hotstuffneworleans.com
Brew on the Avenue … Yet another craft beer brewery recently opened its doors, this time on St. Charles Avenue right next to the city's ultimate brew purveyor, Avenue Pub. Located inside the space that long housed Pralines by Jean, Care Forgot Beercraft is the brainchild of NOLA-native Connor Martinez, a booking-agent who became a home brewer run amok. Beers featured at the recent grand opening included Poboy Bread (an American wheat), Shoebox Parade (a session IPA), and a golden ale dubbed Yat Accent. Kicking it at Care Forgot for a brew or two, guests can also avail themselves of a margherita pie while appreciating a colorful wall mural by local artist Anna Schnitzler (@sassybananadesignco), as well as a beer-utiful, stained-glass art piece by Devin Balara (@solid_space_glass) hanging in the window. 1728 St. Charles Ave., careforgotbeer.com
A cut-out for caffeine … Algiers Point's Lower Coast Coffee has at last found a home inside NOLA Boards on Magazine Street. Cottage coffee roaster Patrick Kelly has recently launched his roasts inside another business (a la Cherry Coffee/Whatever Coffee-style), selling and pulling his unique blends. Buy New Orleans Coffee & Chicory, French Breakfast, and Southern Pecan by the pound or grab a shot of Bulbancha Espresso (a blend of beans from Central and South America, East Africa, and Indonesia). The new board bar also features goodies from Bellegarde Bakery, including sweet tidbits such as tahini thumbprint cookies and almond croissants. 4228 Magazine St., lowercoastcoffee.com
"The lights are much brighter there" … The Caro Mata Group, ie. beloved New Orleans chef Edgar Caro and his partner Antonio Mata, recently launched the second location of their Metry-born hit Brasa South American Steakhouse downtown on Canal Street. The restaurant group completely remodeled the Canal Place space (formerly occupied by Morton's Steak House) to evoke the romantic aura of a South American locale with "lush, raised tropical gardens of foliage and plants designed by Luna Botanicals," plus rattan and wicker furnishings, abstract paintings by Tina Hall, and unique sculptures made by Hernan Caro (Chef Caro's uncle). Chef Caro has crafted a menu featuring many of the same dishes found at the first location on Metairie Road, including oysters a la Brasa and empanadas. The stars are the unique cuts of meat including 30-day aged Creekstone Farm black Angus hanger steak, Sakura Farm Wagyu picanha with fat cap, and Heritage Green Circle smoked chicken, as well as Linz Farm prime black Angus rib eye and Creekstone Farm prime black Angus strip loin, both aged in-house for 30 days. 365 Canal St. Ste. 220, (504) 371-5553, brasasteak.com
It's too damn hot … Seasonal closures in the New Orleans restaurant industry are nothing new—think Casamento's annual shutdowns in June, July, and August—but it seems more spots are taking a page out of the old-school oyster house's playbook. Tchoupitoulas Street restaurant Wonderland + Sea is on a summer vacation and Bon Temps Boulet's Seafood is only open during crawfish season (who buys crawfish out of season, anyhow?), but Decatur Street restaurant Saint John was the most recent shocker.
After opening during the pandemic, a recent (and ongoing) tussle with Entergy, and the business-killing summer doldrums, chef/owner Eric Cook has decided to close Saint John. The bad news is the killer turkey necks and guzzle-by-the-quart gumbo will likely never grace the French Quarter again. The good news? Saint John has relocated to 715 St. Charles Ave. and will reopen this fall.
July
Cook's book ... Chef Eric Cook has penned his first cookbook Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine, published by Gibbs Smith. The book offers a ton of Cook's signature "Southern, Cajun, and Creole recipes," served with a "side of New Orleans culture" and a hefty collection of visual aperitifs courtesy of New Orleans-based photographer Sam Hanna. Cookbook lovers can expect approximately 120 New Orleans-style food and drink recipes with Cook's signature presentations including chicken gizzard grillades, Creole beef daube, and spiced sweet potato beignets. Modern Creole's release date is coming up soon on September 17, 2024, so be sure to pre-order now to get while the getting's good. grisgrisnola.com/merchandise/ols/products/preorder-modern-creole-a-taste-of-new-orleans-culture-and-cuisine
A Taste of the Divine ... Chef Julio Machado, the creative behind Tacos del Cartel and Como Arepas, has launched a new brunch destination dubbed Origen Venezuelan Bistro. Located on the corner of Congress and St. Claude, the eatery has taken shape in the Bywater building that formerly housed Luna Libre. Machado has tapped into his Venezuelan heritage with Origen's unique menu featuring cachapas (maize flour pancakes), crispy stuffed arepitas, asado negro (round steak braised in a sweet and savory sauce), and empanadas. 3600 St. Claude Ave., (504) 381-4245, @bistro_origen
Sliced at the Market ... The Marigny food hall, St. Roch Market, has a new stand, Roch & Claude, serving up delicatessen-style sandwiches and salads created by local chef and restaurateur Tung Nguyen. Your next lunch could be an Italian sub or turkey and Swiss, a bag of Zapp's, and a Barq's. The deli also features some serious salads: a Southern Caesar's with cornbread croutons, a chopped Italian, and a classic Wedge. Nguyen also owns Slow & Pho, a Vietnamese spot that's another recent addition to the Market. At this rate, we can only hope Nguyen will keep bringing it to the Market. 2831 St. Claude Ave., roch-and-claude.square.site
Cooling the Causeway ... Mandeville recently upped their sweet factor with the recent launch of Nostalgia Mexican Ice Cream. Located in the shiny new strip mall just across from La Carretta's, Nostalgia is a cool creamy dream spot for summer sufferers looking to escape the heat. Mandevillians, and visitors, can enjoy everything from cinnamony horchata ice cream and raspado (the Mexican version of a sno-ball) to fruit-laden agua fresca and mango paletas. 1200 W. Causeway Approach, Ste. 10, Mandeville, @nostalgia_mxice
Serving it up old-school ... Brocato's Kitchen, a classic New Orleans po-boy shop, recently opened on Broad Street in a location that's seen everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to Ethiopian food. It's a place serving up beloved local classics including homemade roast beef and hot sausage po-boys, chicken and sausage gumbo, fried catfish and shrimp baskets, and seafood stuffed bell peppers. They also offer daily lunch specials such as red beans and rice with a pork chop or smoked sausage—on Mondays, of course—as well as spaghetti and meatballs. 422 S. Broad St., @brocatoskitchen_nola
Are you cereus? ... Joaquin Rodas, the brilliance behind Bacchanal, has done it yet again with the Nightbloom Bar. The new, late-night bar located in the Bywater, across Clouet Street from Galaxie Tacos, has transformed the old Korner Market into something a whole lot bougier. Honing in on that craft cocktail vibe, Nightbloom offers concoctions including "an old pal from NYC" made with rye, Campari, Byrrh (an aromatised, wine-based apéritif made of red wine, mistelle, and quinine), and dry Vermouth. We only have one question: Aren't most New Orleans' bars late-night, dare we say all-night, or was there a last-call law enacted when we weren't looking? 3100 St. Claude St., @nightbloombar
June
Gobbling gluten-free ... Local chefs and restaurateurs Cara and Evan Benson recently hatched another restaurant in Gretna dubbed the Hen House. Located on Hancock Street, the cinder block space once was the home of Donewar's Superette, a corner market slinging home made sausages and hot plates since the mid-1950s, but the storefront has been vacant for several years. The Bensons purchased the property last year with the intention of using it as base of operations for they're booming king cake business (they shipped out 7,000 last year). However, Cara decided to open it up as a café in the off-season, and the Hen House was born. The new café and bakery offers bagels, quiche, sandwiches, soups, and salads, much like her Uptown restaurant Tartine. What makes the Hen House really chic(k) is the fact that nearly every item has the option of going gluten-free, from the ham and cheddar on sourdough and the chicken salad slathered on a French baguette to cranberry scones and cinnamon rolls. 938 Hancock St., Gretna, (504) 255-5097, henhousegretna.com
Crankin' up the Wank ... Coffee lovers in Gretna have a sweet, new way to celebrate the almighty bean at Cherry Coffee Roasters on Lafayette Street (a.k.a. LA 23). Owner Lauren Fink's roasting operations outgrew their Uptown digs, and they decided to stretch out across the river into what was previously the Living Room Café. Fink got her start over seven years ago, pulling her precise blends in a pop-up at Stein's Deli on Magazine Street. Cherry Coffee is a curated brew—coffee that's women-grown and women-owned—with specific attention paid to the gourmet, wine-like flavor profiles that the different brews, beans, and roasts contain. 401 Lafayette St. (LA 23), Gretna, cherrycoffeeroasters.com
Designing a better cup ... Trumpet & Drum recently opened Uptown inside what was formerly Scairono Martinez Architects' offices on Magazine Street. The new café offers specialty coffee blends and drinks from Orleans Coffee, as well as pastries from tM Bakery downtown. The new café is owned by Nicholas G. Pejic, a New Orleans psychiatrist whose practice is right next door. 3642 Magazine St., @trumpetanddrum
Northshore nosh ... Mash-up Italian entrées with French dessert and you get Prima Après, the latest fast-casual concept to open in Mandeville and Baton Rouge. Attorney-turned-chef Abney Harper recently launched the Northshore restaurant offering in-house made pastas and pavlovas (meringue) with choose-your-own toppings. Contrary to their Instagram posts, you don't have to be #hotpeopleeatingpasta, but, if you're not, don't count on appearing in their grid, even though #uglypeopleeatpastatoo. 2180 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville, (985) 807-1144, @primaapres
On the Avenue ... Lucky visitors staying at the new Henrietta Hotel from Sandstone Hospitality (the Frenchmen, the Drifter, Hotel Saint Vincent) are jumping over the moon for Flour Moon Bagels, which has its own installation inside the hotel. Though the menu is limited compared to the original next to the Lafitte Greenway, both Uptowners and visitors are happy to have them in the 'hood. The by-the-each bagels, tartines, and coffees are better than good. 3500 St. Charles Ave., @flourmoonbagels, hotelhenrietta.com
May
A little coco? … Orleans Parish's one and only Korean BBQ restaurant has closed to become Orleans Parish's one and only Korean BBQ restaurant. Altering the name from Little Korea BBQ to Coco Korea BBQ wasn't the only change to the Magazine Street spot. Young Yoon and her mother, fresh from Alabama, are focused on offering a lot more than great Korean BBQ. Homey dishes including samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup with red dates) and deonjang jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew often made with shrimp, potato, and zucchini) will be offered, along with popular favorites including crispy fish katsu and osam bulgogi (squid and pork stir fry) in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. 2240 Magazine St., (504) 821-5006, cocobbqnola.com
Breakfast is back … Local-born, Gulf coast-wide breakfast and brunch chain Ruby Slipper reopened their Canal Street location after a five-year hiatus due to the Hard Rock Hotel collapse. The reopening came with some repairs and renovations, including installation of the bar from the Ruby Slipper's original location on S. Cortez in Mid-City, as well as large scale black and white photos showcasing the restaurant's history. "This reopening is not just a celebration of our past, but a commitment to the vibrant future of our city," said co-founder Jennifer Weishaupt. "It's an investment in the heart of our beloved city, a contribution to the revitalization of Canal Street, and a symbol of resilience for the entire community." 1001 Canal St., (504) 420-6200, rubybrunch.com
No shells … Speaking of brunch, OnePack Hospitality—the folks behind the Vintage and Gretna's Legacy Steak + Chop—just launched a new brunch-based concept in the Lower Garden District dubbed Crack'D. The bright yellow eatery opened on Sophie Wright Place in the space that formerly housed Munch Factory after a million dollar renovation, right across the street from the Half Moon. The refurbished building is shining bright with floral banquettes and a menu that's mostly about brunch. Blue crab rangoons and lacquered duck bacon towers share menu space with Gulf shrimp cobb salads and eggs Sardou, but we can't stop dreaming about the fried chicken and waffle cone with praline-whipped goat cheese and hot sauce maple glaze. 1901 Sophie Wright Pl., (504) 381-4678, crackdbrunch.com
It's a bleu … The blue and white striped-awninged home of Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé and exemplary service launched Le Petit Bleu, a "crêperie, café, and marché," or rather a petit homage to the crêperies of Paris, right in the Garden District. Commander's Palace Executive Chef Meg Bickford created a menu inspired by Ti Martin and Lally Brennan's many trips to Paris with Miss Ella Brennan, with breakfast, lunch, and early dinner offerings touting a "new haute Creole twist." Along with Italian espresso coffee drinks and canned cocktails, guests can eat in the little blue café or get their Commander's to-go, dishes including turtle soup, white bean cassoulet, cinnamon streusel coffee cake muffins, and, the pièce de résistance, both sweet and savory crêpes. 1427 Washington Ave., (504) 207-1343, order.toasttab.com/online/le-petite-bleu-1427-washington-avenue
Where the wild things eat … Chef Ana Castro is doing her own thing (see Acamaya, a Mexican seafood restaurant). Her former kitchen Lengua Madre has transformed into Wild South. Coquette chef/owner Mike Stoltzfus rethought his LGD space, hired Bret Macris (formerly the chef de cuisine at Cochon) as executive chef, and they co-crafted Wild South's $85 tasting menu. Chef Macris is featuring an eclectic mix of local and West Coast flavors with dishes including Gulf Shrimp with strawberries and caviar, as well as grilled cobia with squash and shiitake mushrooms. 1245 Constance St., wildsouthrestaurant.com
Can you hear the music? … Originally opened over 80 years ago, the Dew Drop Inn, an iconic, yet long defunct, New Orleans landmark has re-opened its doors. The legendary inn has long been known for hosting musical masters and high caliber creators such as Guitar Slim, James Brown, Ray Charles, and countless others. When it opened its doors just a few months ago, patrons young and old were all too thrilled to hear jazz on Lesalle Street again. Developer Curtis Doucette Jr. purchased the building from Kenneth Jackson, the previous owner's grandson, and spent the past year bringing it back to life. Along with the music and lodgings, the Drop also offers foodstuffs from Chef Marilyn Doucette, founder of Meals from the Heart Café. Local comfort foods including red beans and rice, grillades and grits, and gumbo are front and center on the menu. 2836 Lasalle St., (504) 948-3002, dewdropinnnola.com
April
Cornering the market ... Since Kevin Pedeaux, owner of CR Coffee Shops, took over the management of St. Roch Market, he's been doing things his way. Revamping the market's image with a more personable, community-oriented vibe, the market re-launched with Slow & Pho by Chef Tung Nguyen (three words: smoked, brisket, phở), Nuncio's meatballs and muffulettas, and Fried & True by the Fete au Fete folks. Just recently, they added Taceaux Loceaux, the fabulous food truck by Alex and Maribeth del Castillo (fried avocados) and a new oyster bar. The Salted Pearl is the Fete au Fete folks, Karen Carlsen and Micah Martello, shuckin' and servin' so much more than juicy Gulf oysters. Think crabmeat au gratin, ceviche, lobster mac, and more. 2381 St. Claude Ave., strochmarket.com
Just the way you are ... Celebrity, award-winning chef Nina Compton and her partner Larry Miller have remade Bywater American Bistro to better fit their beloved nickname. Creating a more casual (yet still sophisticated) vibe in both an aesthetic and epicurean way, the restaurant has fully evolved into BABs. Along with a more "rustic" atmosphere, guests can enjoy new dishes including creamy burrata with marinated tomatoes and sopressata, paddlefish caviar-topped arancini, and Wagyu beef lasagna with fontina fonduta. 2900 Chartres St., bywateramericanbistro.com
Do you hear ABBA? ... NOCHI graduate and prevailer extraordinaire Martha Gilreath has bricked and mortared her king cake pop-up into Nolita Bakery. The brilliant bakester, who was cheffing at the Chicory House in the Garden District, has taken over the Mahew Bakery space in Bayou St. John and made it her own. In addition to (seasonal) king cakes, bialys, cookies, and baguettes, why not lunch on a smoked tasso and provolone croissant? Take our money. 3201 Orleans Ave., nolita.com
Seems fishy ... Chef Aom Srisuk and her husband/partner Frankie Weinberg, proud purveyors of the popular uptown spot Pomelo, have just launched a downtown iteration of their Thai food dining destination. Located around the corner from the NOPSI hotel on Gravier Street, Good Catch, as the new digs are so aptly named, serves Thai seafood dishes a-go-go, from clay pot glass noodles with Gulf shrimp to fried sea bass with a spicy bird chili sauce, as well as seared scallops in a coconut-creamy green curry. 828 Gravier St., @goodcatchnola
Oi-pa! ... Vassiliki Ellwood Yiagazis' pandemic-born pop-up, often found at Pal's Lounge and Coffee Science, has taken up residence in the Mid-City space that formerly housed butcher/restaurant Piece of Meat (gone but not forgotten). Smoke & Honey's menu offers Greek and Israeli "comfort food," including herbed rice-stuffed grape leaves (dolmades), lamb and chicken gyros loaded with fresh tomatoes and red onion, and a crispy phyllo mashup of boureka and spanikopita topped with sesame seeds. 3301 Bienville St., @smokesmokehoneyhoney
Drinking point ... Though the tiny neighborhood across the river already has a couple of bars, now it's got one more, but this one is just a little bit different. The first of its kind on either side of the river, Rice Vice is solely a saké bar, with over a dozen sakés on tap. Nashville-based Proper Sake Co. Founder Byron Stithem teamed up with Bryson Aust (Barracuda, Nighthawk Napoletana partner) to offer this 20-seat, Japanese-themed saké haven to people in Algiers Point and beyond. 143 Delaronde St., @propersake_ricevice
March
Por fin … The anxiously-awaited brick and mortar version of restaurateur and chef Michael Gulotta's Italian pop-up TANA from long, long a-Tréo opened mid-December 2023 in a newly-built, 5000 square-foot mostro on Metairie Road. The "upscale Italian" restaurant is serving dishes inspired by Gulotta's grandmother Gaetana including her roast chicken, as well as a fried egg plant with pork gravy. Other dishes from Gulotta's own culinary genius make for a drool-stained page such as the savory zeppole with caviar and lardo butter, osso bucco arancini with saffron rice and whipped fonduta, or—heaven help us—the pasta con vongole Nola, a.k.a. spaghetti with clams Gulotta-fied, using hot sausage, saffron tomatoes, and house made—in front of God and everyone—squid ink trenette, which is a flat linguine-type noodle. One could go on, but suffice it to say, it's open, so make a dinner reservation any day but Tuesday. 2919 Metairie Rd., (504) 533-8262, tanaitalian.com
Make it make sense … A Philadelphia-born sandwich franchise dubbed PrimoHoagies opened up several months ago on Oak Street, home of the annual Oak Street Po-Boy Festival. The space, which once housed a tabletop gaming cafe, is now spinning out hoagies including Philly cheesesteaks, corned beef "Schwartzies," and other Italian deli-like fare. That's not saying you can't have a hoagie shop on Oak Street; it's just odd that there aren't any po-boy shops on Oak Street. Oh well. Geaux hoagies! 8228 Oak St., (504) 315-1335, primohoagies.com
Let's do dinner instead … The Mid-City spot on the corner of S. Cortez has been bringing the brunch vibes since Ruby Slipper originally opened there in 2008, but now the time has come for something different. Hollywood South alumnus Alixandra Petrovich and Paul McCaige are now the new owners of Rosella, a low-key, casual dinner spot with a "traditional American comfort" menu created by Chef Richard Hoerner, formerly of Blue Giant Chinese. Grab a smattering of small plates such as boudin balls, corn dogs, potato croquettes, and fried shrimp remoulade to go with cocktails, mocktails, or "approachable" wines. They also offer St. James Cheese-curated boards for snacking and larger plates like a pork chop with mashed sweet potato if you're feeling ultra-peckish. Oh, and bring the kiddos for chicken "nugs" and fries or a "kidcuterie" plate. 139 S. Cortez St., (504) 766-6642, rosellamidcity.com
Ferry-bound for seconds … Jamaican food restaurant 14 Parishes recently opened its second location across the river in Algiers Point. This is a spot which seems to have made its rounds across the city from Clio Street in Central City, at Downtown's Pythian Market, and all the way up to the Carrollton neighborhood to Oak Street, where they've remained since 2016. Now Chef Charles Blake and his wife have brought their award-winning jerk chicken across the Mighty Mississippi to Patterson Road, and the people in the Point are already singing their praises. In addition to that fire jerk chicken and fried jerk wings, 14 Parishes also offers curry dishes, sliders, and savory sides from callaloo and festival bread to cornbread and cabbage. 801 Patterson Rd., 14parishes.com
Breaded cats … Hopefully the trend of putting a slice of bread on your cat's face has at last fallen out of favor, but, in other cat news, the popular breakfast and lunch spot Bearcat Cafe has launched Bearcat Bread, a bakery concept headed by the restaurant's own pastry chef Catalina Colby-Pariseau and coffee roaster Micael Matthews of Alinea. The new bakery, dubbed Bearcat Baked, opened at the tail-end of 2023 on Julia Street in the Central Business District and New Orleanians have responded with alacrity, buying their fill of sourdough, ciabatta, roasted tomato and garlic focaccia, and buttermilk honey loaves. The new bakery features both sweet and savory pastries, from cinnamon rolls and bear claws to muffaletta-filled croissants and mushroom danishes with goat cheese. 726 Julia St., (504) 513-4994, bearcatbaked.com
Do we make you hungry, baby? … The New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District hotel on Convention Center Boulevard recently opened Easy Virtue, a brunch-based, but everything goes, kind of place. The new restaurant, formerly home to Wolfe's in the Warehouse, features a menu created by veteran Marriott chef Chad Roldan. The menu is filled with dishes like the Pig Pop Tart filled with cochon de lait and apples, sweet heat fried chicken sandwich with fried jalapeños on buttery brioche, and (of course) fun brunchy cocktails such as their "Cereal Milk Punch, Y'all" with bourbon and selected cereal milk of the day. 878 Fulton St., easyvirtue.com
February
Hot off the press! … Before she graduated from the Nunez Community College culinary program, Chalmatian-born Aritza Garcia jumped right in and opened a Cuban food stall at St. Roch Market called Aritza Kitchen. She's brought her skills as her family's cook to the Marigny food hall, regaling all of us with signature Cuban cuisine from an El Cubanito sandwich with pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard to empanadas, yucca with chicharrón, and tres leches cake. 2381 St. Claude Ave., @aritzaskitchen, strochmarket.com
Gambling on the classics … Celebrity chef and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse recently opened his very first French restaurant. Emeril's Brasserie opened inside New Orleans' Harrah's (soon-to-be Caesar's) Casino downtown, a change of pace for both the chef and the casino. The brasserie's kitchen is led by Chef Eric Ivy, and though the property will still be under construction through 2024, the high-end restaurant is open for dinner, with plans in the works to include breakfast and lunch. The menu features a mix of French dishes and (of course) a few New Orleans favorites such as Gulf oyster artichoke soup, sweet onion tart with lardons (aka bacon) and crème fraîche, pan-fried Trout Meuniere, and roasted ratatouille. 228 Poydras St., caesars.com/harrahs-new-orleans/restaurants/emerils-brasserie
Pump up the BAM! … Speaking of Emeril, the celebrity chef's eponymous charitable organization recently granted nearly $200,000 spread out among four local programs that support the Foundation's vision. "We support programs that provide mentorship to the most vulnerable youth in our communities. We help them to achieve life skills necessary to gain and sustain employment," said Emeril Lagasse. "Teaching through food is at the core of what we do." Based on their shared mission to support youth through "culinary, nutrition, and arts education," the Emeril Lagasse Foundation awarded grants to the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation ProStart (LRAEF), New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI), Reconcile New Orleans (RNO), and Youth Empowerment Project (YEP). Also, the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund (ASIF), a program of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, will enable four Latino youth to receive culinary education in New Orleans through the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship. The students will gain hands-on industry experience, as the program works to diversify future kitchen leadership. emeril.org
Down on da bayou … The Broad Street end of Bayou Road has been growing lately and it just got a little bigger with the recent opening of Nonno's Cajun Cuisine & Pastries. Formerly located in the Marigny, the eatery made the move to the bayou when the owners saw the opportunity to have a larger space. Nonno's offers lots of local comfort foods such as Southern shrimp and grits with eggs and toast, breakfast burritos, po-boys, and Rockafella oysters with cheese, crabmeat, shrimp, and crawfish tails—just to name a few. 2517 Bayou Rd., nonnoscajuncuisineandpastries.com
So pretty! … What is a "loungerie," you ask? Find out for yourself at Jolie, a cocktail lounge/restaurant that recently opened up in the Warehouse District. Located in the space that briefly held the World of Beer back in 2019, the new concept is an upscale cocktail lounge that's trying not to take itself too seriously with a large array of cocktails, plus a menu of shared small plates for those who might be feeling peckish. Visitors can expect dishes such as shrimp beignets, tempura-fried frog legs, and tuna crudo, but the mixed drinks are really where it's at. 324 Julia St., jolie-nola.com
Who? … Porgy, that's who. Porgy's Seafood Market, part restaurant, part seafood market, opened recently in the space that formerly housed Bevi Seafood on N. Carrollton Avenue. The new market is a partnership between Christina and Dana Honn (the chefs who operate Carmo and Café Cour) and Caitlin Carney and her husband Chef Marcus Jacobs (Seafood Sally's and the recently shuttered Marjie's Grill). Like many New Orleans chefs and restaurateurs, the partners see a major disconnect between the massive seafood bounty in the Gulf and what is actually offered in local restaurants and retail markets. Along with gumbo, po-boys, and other seafood favorites, Porgy's has established connections with local fisheries to offer more goodies from the Gulf than ever before. 236 N. Carrollton Ave., porgysseafood.com
January
Ch-ch-changes … Uptown Mediterranean restaurant MISA is shaking things up a bit. Owner and chef Tal Sharon has tapped Chef Frank Azulay, a French-born chef who made his mark in Tel Aviv. Azulay has added some of his own dishes to MISA's menu such as avocado bruschetta with peppery arugula and chimichurri, baked potato tortilla with green onions and truffle aioli, creamy burrata with fresh basil and tomatoes, and a hot apple spring roll with vanilla ice cream and strawberry and raspberry coulis. MISA has also converted their outdoor dining area to an indoor dining area—as all New Orleanians know, temperature control is a good thing. 4734 Magazine St., (504) 510-2791, misanola.com
Coffee first … The Algiers Point neighborhood has emitted a resounding "hurrah" at the resurrection of their beloved coffee shop—Congregation. After over eight years in business, the popular corner coffee stop closed its doors in May of 2023. Denizens of the Point despaired until late October when Patrick Brennan of the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group purchased the shop (and its roastery on Tchoupitoulas Street) and reopened a brand new Congregation. Though the formerly "shabby chic" cafe now sports a shiny new paint job and delicious pastries from the Ralph Brennan Bakery, Congregation's singular coffees are just as good as they've always been. 240 Pelican Ave., congregationcoffee.com
A great place to park … The Audubon Clubhouse, a gorgeous, Acadian-style breakfast/lunch spot and event space in Audubon Park, was recently taken over by the Dickie Brennan Restaurant Group and has been made into a fully-fledged restaurant. Chef Copeland Crews (formerly of Saba) is heading the kitchen and putting out nostalgic dishes which include an 1898 club sandwich and Cobb salad. Is there anything better than enjoying lunch—and soon dinner—on a deep, wrap-around porch surrounded by live oaks? Possibly, but we can't think of anything at the moment. 6975 Magazine St., (504) 558-1200, audubonclubhouse.com
Craftin' hops … The long-awaited Ecology Beer Creative & Taproom has opened. The brand new building is located on Baronne Street, just a few blocks from Central City BBQ. Taking the place of the poorly-timed All Relation brewery that opened in late 2019 and abruptly closed after the pandemic shutdowns. Ecology is co-owned by brewer Matt Horney and is offering 12 brews on tap with plans in the works to run a canning line to further distribute his craft brews to the masses. 1401 Baronne St., ecologybeer.com
R'enovating a R'evolution … Chef John Folse's signature French Quarter, fine-dining destination has reopened after a multi-million dollar renovation. Originally a partnership between Folse and famed Chicago chef Rick Tramonto, the two have parted ways and Folse has taken this opportunity to make R'evolution his own, taking the focus of the restaurant back to what he's known for—Louisiana cuisine. Dishes include Death by Gumbo with roasted quail and Gulf oysters, Crawfish Montegut with fried crawfish tails and smoked tomato remoulade, blue crab beignets, short rib boudin, rabbit rillettes, and BBQ Gulf shrimp and blue corn grits. Restaurant R'evolution is open for dinner every day but Wednesday. 777 Bienville St., (504) 553-2277, revolutionnola.com
Laissez les bon sake? … Chefs Rodney Bonsack and Sean McGuire have joined forces to open Bon Sake Sushi & Bar, a "modern sushi restaurant with a Southern influence" in Downtown Covington. Located on N. Columbia Street, just around the corner from Aki Japanese, this hot new sushi spot emphasizes soy-paper-wrapped rolls, cocktails, and a new spot to watch the game. 528 N. Columbia St., Covington, (985) 400-5021, bonsakesushi.com
Around the Bend … Chef Blake Cressey, born and raised in New Orleans, has recently launched her first brick and mortar, eponymously named Blake's Place. Cressey, who started selling hot plates from her home nearly a decade ago, has renovated and re-decorated the former home of Mexican restaurant La Mansion on Dublin Street, upping the atmosphere tenfold. Blake's Place is serving mostly Creole-Italian cuisine and comfort food from BBQ shrimp and smoked wings to chicken marsala and linguine Alfredo. Blake's Place is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday. 724 Dublin St., (504) 354-1352, blakesplacenola.com
Bigger is better … The Mardi Gras School of Cooking, a premier culinary destination in the historic French Quarter, has expanded its premises to include a newly-developed cooking facility. Offering hands-on cooking classes, private events, and catering, the school is known for its authentic local cuisine and skilled instructors. "Our students learn about the history and culture of New Orleans cuisine, and they leave with a newfound appreciation for our city's unique food culture. We believe the Mardi Gras School of Cooking is helping to make New Orleans an even more desirable destination for tourists all over the world," said Teresa Vernon, owner of the Mardi Gras School of Cooking. 519 Wilkinson St., Ste. 101, (504) 344-3977, themardigrasschoolofcooking.com
Geaux Team … Native New Orleanians Chef Matthew Nguyen and former LSU football star Malachi Dupre have joined forces to present Kenji Omakase, a Japanese-inspired pop-up inside the International House Hotel. The omakase tasting courses focus mainly on fish sourced from Japan's internationally recognized Toyosu Market—among the finer cuts being madai, shima-aji, kanpachi, kurodai, and oysters from Kumamoto Bay. Nguyen will introduce dishes reflecting his heritage and featuring local produce, such as lemongrass miso soup and bo la lot, beef wrapped in a betel leaf and grilled on a Japanese binchotan grill. Coming in either early winter or spring, Kenji will also offer rare sakes and cocktails crafted to complement the food, all curated by Abigail Gullo, acclaimed mixologist and creative director at loa. 221 Camp St., @kenjiomakase
December
Crossings ... Tex-Mex restaurant Las Cruces has opened its brand-new doors right behind the on-ramp from Airline Drive to Causeway in Metairie. Brought to you by the same folks behind Crescent City BBQ, the family-friendly spot hired local chef Chris Lusk to create a menu featuring dishes such as creamy queso with roasted hatch chiles, smoked pork soft tacos, tortilla soup, and jumbo, flour tortilla-wrapped burritos. Take the kiddos and have a Texas-style night out, either in their large dining room or outside on the patio. Either way, don't leave without a slice of their tres leches bread pudding for a Tex-Mex dessert NOLA-style. 2935 Airline Dr., Metairie, lascrucestexmex.com
Good luck … Taj McMinn, a veteran cook in kitchens near and far, recently launched Red Panda NOLA, a Chinese/Japanese/Korean-inspired pop-up happening mostly at Mid-City cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit. Embracing the general concept to "have fun and try things," McMinn's dishes include soft-boiled eggs marinated in gochujang, red curry, and mirin; Thai-glazed crispy wings; spicy, Sichuan dan dan noodles; and cucumbers goma ae (a.k.a. sauce of roasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, sugar, sake, and mirin). @red.panda.nola
For those about to brunch ... Because if it's not in my backyard, it's not close enough—locally born brunch bonanza Ruby Slipper recently opened its 23rd location (though only its second in Metairie) on Veterans Boulevard near the Clearview City Center. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included check presentations to local organizations Second Harvest Food Bank and the Roots of Music. "One thing we love even more than 'that brunch life' is lifting up our community through food and culture," Ruby Slipper CEO Elizabeth McGee said. A restaurant that lets the good times roll everyday with all-day "boozy brunches," it serves award-winning Bloody Marys with white chocolate bread pudding pancakes and fried chicken sandwiches tossed in Mike's Hot Honey Glaze. 4236 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, rubybrunch.com
Drowning in a bigger cup ... Warehouse District dessert/cocktail bar Drip Affogato has at last outgrown their tiny digs on Carondelet and have moved downtown to a much larger space on Camp Street, right next to Peter Mayer. It's a great little place to get all of your vices in at once, because what's better than coffee, ice cream, and cocktails? At the moment, we can't think of anything. 336 Camp St., @dripaffogatobar
There's always a party ... Industry veteran and Baton Rouge-native Micah Martello has branched out of his longtime Louisiana Cajun food truck Fete au Fete StrEATery to open a fried chicken stall inside St. Roch Market. Dubbed Fried & True, the new addition to the new food hall (now owned by local Coast Roast coffee man Kevin Pedeaux) offers two- and three-piece boneless fried chicken combos with sides such as cold fried chicken salad (double your chicken), cathead biscuits, and maque choux street corn. You can also get a Belgian-style waffle with two pieces of chicken, honey butter, and bourbon-cane syrup, whether it's breakfast time or not. 2831 St. Claude Ave., strochmarket.com, @feteaufete
How does your garden grow? ... Beloved local chef Alex Harrell (Angeline, Sylvain, Elysian Bar) was recently tapped to head the kitchen at the Gloriette, a French-inspired garden restaurant in Covington. The Southern Hotel launched the new restaurant back in spring of 2022, renewing the space which formerly housed Oxlot 9. Dishes of note include a ratatouille tartinette with goat cheese, toasted jambon-beurre (baguette with ham and brie), moules frites, and blue crab tagliatelle. Congratulations, chef. 428 E. Boston St., Covington, thegloriette.com
November
How sweet it is … Magical macaron-maker, ice cream creator, and "croffle" wonder Sweet Handkraft is back in business right off Severn Avenue, only a few blocks from where they began. When the tiny sweet shop closed last year, some worried they might not return, but they're back and their new digs are bigger and better than ever. Owners Loc Nguyen and Thuy Le are excited about the new space which includes a full kitchen, enabling the addition of savory dishes such as Korean corn dogs and egg drop sandwiches. 3262 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 952-1213, facebook.com/sweethandkraft
'Burbin' it … Speaking of major moves, Tan Dinh's sister restaurant Ba Chi Canteen left its Riverbend location on Maple Street where it lived for over a decade to move out to the burbs of Metairie. Now dubbed Ba Chi Kitchen & Bar, the popular Vietnamese restaurant is in fancy new digs (formerly the Korea House) on 18th Street right next to Drago's in Fat City. Owners Quinn and Phat Vu have expanded their beloved menu of vermicelli bowls, pho, banh mi, and one of the best egg roll games in town to include cocktails, Viet-Cajun style boiled Louisiana seafood, and more. 3547 18th St., Metairie, (504) 581-8490, @bachi_kitchenandbar
Kicked up a notch … After several months of extensive renovations, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse's flagship, eponymous restaurant on Tchoupitoulas has reopened its doors. Helmed by Chef E.J. Lagasse, Emeril's 19-year-old son, the new menu is "built on a refined and elegant approach to Louisiana cooking, rooted in Chef Emeril's signature bold flavors." The new and improved restaurant features a smaller number of tables allowing the team to better provide a memorable evening for each guest, and there are two tasting menus—the "classics" menu with Emeril's signature dishes "re-imagined" by Chef E.J., and the "seasonal" menu, which draws inspiration from local farmers, fishermen, and purveyors that "tells a story through food and nature." The new Emeril's also offers the Wine Bar at Emeril's, where guests have access to their well-curated wine cellar to drink fine wines and enjoy live music and local art in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. 800 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 528-9393, emerilsrestaurant.com
Pizza is the Point … Pizza master Adrian Chelette, who formerly co-owned Ancora and ran Margot's kitchen, has landed in Algiers Point. Nighthawk Napoletana has taken over the space formerly occupied by Tavolino on Delaronde Street. Chelette is in cahoots with the folks who own Barracuda Taco Stand, and is busting out gorgeous, blistery-crusted pies from their brand new, Marra Forni, brick pizza oven. The pizza menu is simple as they're just starting out, but the people of the Point can't seem to get enough. 141 Delaronde St.,
@nighthawknapoletana
Crossing the lake ... Decadent dessert shop Sucré is once again in the (pale) pink. They've just added a third location in Covington. The new Northshore spot, on Lake Drive just off Highway 190, is as sweet and elegant as their other locations (Uptown on Magazine Street and on Royal Street in the French Quarter), with a sweetly-sleek design and offering all of the macarons, gelato, and other assorted confections to keep the denizens of Covington fat and happy for the foreseeable future. 206 Lake Dr., Covington, shopsucre.com
Bar to birria … Denver-based, Michelin-recognized taco joint Mister Oso opened a new location right here in New Orleans. Launched in the space that formerly housed Barcadia, Mister Oso features Ceviches, their own smoked meats in an array of tempting tacos and sides of confit potatoes with chile crunch and crema, and coconut rice with pickled Fresno peppers. 601 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 335-1740, misterosonola.com
A sweet little shuffle … Emeril's former pastry chef Jeremy Fogg has gone from popping up at farmers markets to launching his very own brick and mortar, dotingly dubbed Mae's Bakeshop. Named in honor of the ladies in his life, Fogg's new bakery takes over the space formerly occupied by Beth Binudo's Sweets in the Milan neighborhood, just across the way from a few other "Baronne Corridor" newbies—Zee's Pizzeria and Lucy Boone Ice Cream. Along with Southern-style goodies including buttery biscuits, warm, sticky cinnamon rolls, and cakes a-plenty, Fogg also has sweet breakfast and lunch items to boot. 3917 Baronne St., maesbakeshopnola.com
Steak your claim … There's a gold rush happening at the "new age" steakhouse GAIA on St. Charles Avenue. The luxury restaurant recently opened up in the old Melting Pot location, offering 24-karat gold-dusted steaks and a whole lot more. Along with "authentic" Japanese Wagyu, tomahawks, and racks of lamb, GAIA offers entertainment, from showy serving methods to live music. 1820 St. Charles Ave., (337) 443-7967, gaiasteakhouse.com
Halloween
A few pearls of sugar . . . In a fit of nostalgia for their hometown, French immersion-elementary school teacher Gerard Coulon (a.k.a. Mr. G) and his wife Céline began making Liège waffles, a family recipe, as gifts for neighbors, co-workers and friends. Now everybody wants them. Armed with a real Belgian waffle maker, his mom's recipe (with a few tweaks), and a bin of pearl sugar shipped from the motherland, Mr. G is open for orders at La Wafe (@lawafe504) baking every Saturday out of their home in Gentilly.
facebook.com/NolaWaffle
lowercase please . . . Chef Farrell Harrison, who's worked in local kitchens such as Josephine Estelle and Caribbean Room, has joined forces with hospitality veteran Brian Weisnicht to present plates restaurant & bar. The new lowercase concept launched recently in the Cotton Mill, a commercial space on the apartment building's south corner that previously held Hawaiian Don's and, even further back, the Warehouse District location of Sun Ray Grill. Emphasizing ingredients both local and sustainable, the menu is all over the map with everything from Spanish patatas bravas—crispy fingerling potatoes in a piquillo pepper sauce to scallop "maque choux" and saffron pork ragu atop orecchiette.
1051 Annunciation St., (504) 582-9020, platesnola.com
Raise your glass . . . The Lower Garden District just keeps getting hotter and it has nothing to do with the more recent signs of global warming. New Jersey-born chef Michael Dilonno opened Beggars Banquet mid-July on Prytania Street. It's a moody bar and restaurant with espresso martinis, ceviche parfait, and gnocchi with mushrooms in a truffle cream sauce. Beggars Banquet also offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and menu highlights include a sliced steak sandwich with herb-truffle aioli on brioche and grilled banana bread with maple bacon butter.
1330 Prytania St., (504) 766-6711, beggarsbanquetneworleans.com
Abuzz in the burbs . . . The local restaurant scene is also jumpin' on Metairie Road, what with Chef Michael Gulotta's Italian spot Tana and Las Cruces Tex Mex opening, the mid-summer launch of Garrison Kitchen & Cocktails has fallen slightly under the radar, and that's too bad. Aside from the cool (cooler now it's fall) gazebo tables with individual heating/cooling and sound systems, owner Steven Stewart, founder of Garrison Builders, has tapped Chef John Sinclair to head the kitchen. The menu includes a dizzying array of "American" plates including shrimp toast, pork cutlet sandwich, beef kebabs and chargrilled Gulf oysters. Don't leave without trying some of Pastry Chef Jillian Duran's incredible desserts.
2928 Metairie Rd., (504) 224-9330, garrisonkitchen.com
Cooked to order . . . Washington D.C.-area restaurant, Medium Rare, has begun its nationwide expansion with the opening of its first out-of-area restaurant in New Orleans, specifically, on Magazine Street. Situated right across the street from Whole Foods in the corner-store building which formerly housed Juan's Flying Burrito, Medium Rare offers a Parisian-like prix fixe menu featuring steak frites, an "award-winning" sirloin steak Coulotte, hand-cut fries, artisan bread, and a mixed green salad for a little under $30. Finish with a slice of key lime pie or six layer carrot cake.
5538 Magazine St., (504) 354-2588, mediumrarerestaurant.com
Munching on memories . . . Luzianne Cafe, an extension of Reily Foods Co., opened a spot created from local grocery store staples this past June. Featuring a family of brands including Swans Down Flour, Blue Plate Mayonnaise, and, of course, Luzianne coffee and tea, the Girod Street restaurant offers breakfast and lunch menus featuring a morning joy biscuit sandwich (made from Swans Down, of course) with eggs, bacon or sausage, American cheese, and hot sauce, a triple stack of pancakes, and a fried chicken sandwich with Blue Plate buttermilk dressing. It's New Orleans nostalgia on a plate (and in your cup) offered Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Warehouse District.
481 Girod St., (504) 265-1972, luziannecafe.com
Do it with zest . . . The Zesty Creole is a new spot that opened up on Canal Street a few months ago. Located a couple doors down from IHOP, this new restaurant launched by Liz Farrington features a menu of casual Creole fare for breakfast and dinner. Enjoy classic New Orleans foodstuffs with everything from shrimp and grits and catfish po-boys to fried oyster platters and jambalaya. Just don't leave without trying the bananas Foster cheesecake.
827 Canal St., (504) 766-6368, zestycreole.com
Fingers or a fist . . . Fives is a brand new raw oyster bar, located on Jackson Square in the French Quarter, featuring local, and not-so-local mollusks hailing from places such as Grand Isle, New Brunswick, Baja California, and British Columbia. The understated but overtly-shmancy spot also features high-end caviar plates served with cornmeal blinis and crème fraiche, plus a menu created by Executive Chef Paul Terrebonne. Dishes offered include a royal red shrimp cocktail, roasted bone marrow, beef tartare with duck egg, and pecan butter and marinated crab claws.
529 St. Ann St., (504) 399-6954, fives.bar
Nooshe jân . . . With the dissolution of Persian food pop-ups such as Persian Lime and Sabzi, New Orleans desperately needed another source for Persian cuisine, and the answer is here. Baba Joon (@babajoonnola) offered its first menu midsummer at Bywater Brew Pub. Melbourne-native Michael Rowshan was born to an Iranian father and Russian/Ukrainian mother. Though Rowshan's father never taught him Farsi, he did teach him to cook—sharing recipes passed down from his mother and grandmother. In honor of his father, Rowshan named his pop-up Baba Joon, meaning "father dear," and is offering a changing menu with dishes such as kashk bademjan, a whey and eggplant dip; ghormeh sabzi, a lamb and herb stew served with saffron rice; and kuku kadoo, a summer squash frittata with a garlicky cucumber yogurt.
instagram.com/babajoonnola
September/October 2023
A chicken chorus line? . . . It seems the fried chicken sandwich isn't losing its pizzazz anytime soon, especially with the recent launch of Showbird. This latest and greatest by Chef Jose Sanchez (yes, the guy who created Johnny Sanchez right next door) opened its doors in the Poydras Street building lovingly referred to as the "Death Star" a few months ago. With no fuss, the menu at Showbird is straightforward and to the point with a small array of sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, featuring items like the Banty Rooster—fried chicken (spicy or mild) with bacon jam and birdy sauce on a buttery biscuit—or the eponymous fried chicken sandwich with mayo, slaw, and pickles on a brioche bun. We'd pair a chicken 'wich with a sausage and cheese grit bowl or the Bird Dog, a quarter pound sausage link dipped in pancake batter, fried and served with maple syrup, but you do you.
930 Poydras St., (504) 766-0568, @showbirdnola
A little bird told me . . . Psst! There's a new wine bar in Algiers Point. Opened in late April, The Little House is a pleasant little outdoor spot on Bouny Street with lots of wine, cocktails, small plates and cheese boards. Already a popular spot for families in the Point, it's like hanging out in your neighbor's backyard. Well, a neighbor with good eats and a decent selection of wines. Happy hour tends to linger with $5 glasses and eats include snackin' olives, pickled shrimp with heirloom tomatoes, and smoked catfish dip with saltine crackers.
640 Bouny Street, (504) 302-1926, @thelittlehousenola
What's in a sub? . . . All we know are po-boys and muffulettas, right? Well, not anymore. Tara Francolini launched her brick and mortar (previously a pop-up) Francolini's Italian Deli on Tchoupitoulas Street. Opened in the middle of a New Orleans' summer, sandwich lovers from all over town are lined up down the street to get a little taste of New Jersey in the Deep South. Francolini's tagline is "not everything from Jersey sucks," and when you get a bite of one of her subs, we think you'll agree. Just try the Elmer Fudd with prosciutto cotto, fontina, and marinated artichokes or the Underdog featuring thinly sliced mortadella, sharp provolone and Italian salsa verde. All sandwiches are served on seven inch sub rolls baked by Ayu Bakehouse, but we encourage you to go the extra mile and pay $2 more for their house made foccaccia.
3987 Tchoupitoulas Street, francolinis.com, @francolinisnola
Hoppy harmonies . . . Not long after the beloved burger spot Cowbell closed, we've been watching the end-of-Oak-Street building slowly making changes and now, a new brew pub has opened in its place. Competing with Oak St. Brewery only a few blocks away, Calliope Beer Works has a couple of their own brews on tap, fantastic murals and artwork by Nicole Modica Todaro (@nicolemodicatodaro), and a small menu with munchables such as shrimp lettuce boats with avocado, pimento dip, and portabella cheesesteak.
8801 Oak St., (504) 510-2982, calliopebeerworks.com
Ignore the ampersand . . . A seafood restaurant dubbed Pigeon & Whale opened on the food-laden Freret corridor a few months ago. The spot was opened by local restaurateur John Michael Rowland and his business partner, pastry chef, and wife, Winnie Rubin. Pigeon & Whale's menu created by Chef Jeremy Latimer (also from Station 6 out in Bucktown), features a raw oyster bar with local, and not so local mollusks, grilled octopus, $32 lobster rolls, and swordfish schnitzel. 4525 Freret St., pigeonandwhalenola.com
Feed me Indian food! . . . Sarthak Samantray and Aman Kota have taken Lufu NOLA from pop-up, to a vendor slot at the Pythian Market, to their own brick and mortar in the CBD on St. Charles Avenue. Lufu NOLA's tag is "Let us feed U," and feed us they do with incredible Indian-inspired cuisine from a fried shrimp "naanwich" and Makhana chaat with puffed lotus seeds to ragda patties or fried potato cakes with white peas. Once we thought there wasn't enough Indian cuisine in New Orleans and now, well, we just can't get enough.
301 St. Charles Ave., (504) 354-1104, lufunola.com
Tuk in! … A brand new Thai spot opened in early July in Metairie. Owners Terry Cuskelly and Jar Williamson launched Tuk Tuk Thai Street Food on Veterans Memorial Boulevard in the space that formerly housed the Store, and are serving dishes including golden shrimp toast with plum sauce, chicken satay skewers, and classics such as tom yum and pad Thai with heat levels dialed to your preference.
901 Veterans Memorial Blvd., (504) 766- 8512, nolatuktukthai.com
Top New Restaurants in New Orleans Summer
Blooming crepe myrtles. Sweet, cold snoballs. There's so much to love about summer in New Orleans. From the Aquarium and Insectarium re-opening to the countless live music events, the Big Easy is ready to make this summer a season of excitement and fun.
Ready to make some memories? Enjoy the summer sun and round out your day with a delicious meal or a refreshing drink at a new dining spot. Here's the fresh, new restaurants in New Orleans serving the best foods in June.
Dough Nguyener's Vietnamese Bakery & Cafe
433 Lafayette St.
(504) 581-8255
Getting a rise out of Gretna . . . Seasoned restaurateur Betty Archote (nee Nguyen), purveyor of Huey P.'s Pizzeria and Thanh Thanh, has just launched her latest creation Dough Nguyener's Vietnamese Bakery & Cafe. The shiny new bakery is located on the corner of Lafayette and 5th, serving specialty coffee drinks, baked goods, and a large menu with both breakfast and lunch offerings.
Items to watch out for include pandan cold foam cafe sua da, sinfully sweet glazed donuts, Louisiana Gulf shrimp toast with crab meat, mushrooms and cheese on a baguette, and the Nguyener! Nguyener! Chicken Dinner—a whole fried chicken with Szechuan noodles, kimchi, baked mac 'n' cheese, coleslaw, and a baguette for $40. An entree could probably feed four.
Nina's Creole Cottage
228 Poydras St.
https://www.caesars.com/harrahs-new-orleans/restaurants/food-hall/ninas-creole-cottage
A safe bet . . . Two-time, James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton has tossed the dice and launched Nina's Creole Cottage, her first venture into a quick-service café, located inside the newly renovated Harrah's Casino on Poydras Street. Nina's new spot shares space inside the casino along with two other well-knowns, Bobby Flay and Buddy Valastro, in a sort-of celebrity chef food court. The odds are you will hit the jackpot with a chicken and plantain waffle with spiced hot honey and sweet potato waffle fries, or her Caribbean chopped salad and a "Nina" Colada.
Lucy Boone
3918 Baronne St.
(504) 766-0571
(Ice) cream from the rooftops . . . Local Instagram-launched, ice cream sensation Lucy Boone has at long last opened its first digs right next to the ever-popular (and also recently opened) Zee's Pizzeria on Baronne St. Owner/operator Abby Boone and her husband Aaron Schnell named the business after their daughter Lucy, and what kid wouldn't want a bunch of hand-crafted ice cream at their fingertips? Though their flavors will (and have) changed seasonally, lovers of their scoops will be pleased to enjoy their most popular flavors such as malted marshmallow, Northshore honey, and chocolate pretzel toffee—right after a huge slice, of course.
King Brasserie
521 Tchoupitoulas St.
(504) 324-3000
Reigning in the CBD . . . King Brasserie, a brand new French brasserie, just opened inside the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot. With a menu rooted in the French Riviera (and offshoots in New Orleans), the upscale-casual restaurant is now serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
"After spending many months developing menus and dishes that emphasize the freshness and flavor of Louisiana seafood and feature unique interpretations of some of my favorite French classics, we can't wait to start serving. I'm so proud of what the team has been able to build here," says Kimpton Hotel Fontenot Executive Chef Samuel Peery. Expect French classics including croque monsieur and steak tartare along with crawfish beignets and Ponchatoula strawberry mousse cake.
Mucho Mas
8201 Oak St.
(504) 324-1616
¡Olé! . . . Julio Machado, a trained chef who sharpened his chops in the kitchens of Brasa Churrasqueria, Zocalo and his co-owned Tacos del Cartel, has at last opened his long-awaited restaurant on Oak Street. Mucho Mas has been taking shape in the former D.T.B. building for over a year and opened its doors in late January. Diners can enjoy margaritas, palomas, and sangria, along with everything from chilaquiles and empanadas to BBQ birria tacos and Mexico City ramen.
Osteria Lupo
4609 Magazine St.
(504) 273-1268
From Spain to Italy . . . Chef Brian Burns and Reno De Ranieri, the minds and palates behind the popular tapas-inspired restaurant Costera, have made magic once again with their latest restaurant Osteria Lupo. Featuring Northern Italian cuisine (a rarity in Southern Italian-heavy New Orleans), this Magazine Street eatery offers dishes such as black truffle arancini, carbonara, vodka rigatoni and lasagna bolognese. There's also wood-fired pizza and protein-centered entrees like grilled lamb and seared yellowfin tuna. Even though the osteria is located in a restaurant-saturated area, the food—hip, retro branding—and clean, casual environment are bound to once again be a winning combination.
Nostalgia NOLA
125 Camp St.
Retro Joe . . . If you take your coffee with a heavy dollop of 80s music and arcade games, Nostalgia NOLA is the shop you've been looking for. Located on Camp Street, this retro cafe serves specialty coffee drinks brewed from Bean Fruit Coffee, a roasting company just over yonder in Flowood, Mississippi. So go get your Pac Man on and enjoy a house-made cupcake with a hot cuppa joe.
Jay's Place
538 Hagan Ave.
A Sazerac, dressed? . . . Parkway Bakery announced the opening of their very own speakeasy in mid-May. Announced on Instagram, the Bayou St. John po-boy spot now offers Jay's Place "where locals can get away from the hustle and bustle, and where folks from out of town can enjoy the ultimate Parkway VIP treatment." The new watering hole, named after Parkway's owner/operator Jay Nix, features a shining, dark wood bar, classic New Orleans cocktails and lots of local nostalgia decorating the walls.
Chapter IV
1301 Gravier St.
(504) 766-7851
The next chapter . . . Chef Dook Chase, 4th generation of the epicurean family behind Dooky Chase Restaurant, has launched Chapter IV. Located in Tulane University's downtown residential development Thirteen15, the new restaurant and bar serves breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes, "a modern take" on the recipes passed down from the chef's grandmother, the late (undeniably great) Chef Leah Chase. Diners can enjoy items such as fried, farm-raised catfish and andouille maque choux grits, grilled redfish with crab fried rice, fried chicken sandwiches, and Creole cream cheesecake.
Top Food News in New Orleans
From cocktails to ice cream, baked goods to coffee, these new restaurants showcase the best of New Orleans cuisine. Still hungry? Check out New Orleans' best Black-owned restaurants, or satisfy your sweet tooth with some unique New Orleans treats.
