Less Famous Dishes to Order While in NOLA

Don't Sleep on 'Em

New Orleans restaurants and chefs are renowned locally and internationally.

If you're talented in the kitchen, everything on your menu will be delicious. There are no throwaway dishes.

While we all know their signature dishes, here are some of the city's chefs and owners revealing their favorite dishes on their own menus. Here are the dishes only the real locals know about and that the regulars order. Don't sleep on 'em.

Fall Restaurant Guide 2025

Baru Bistro & Tapas: Tiradito

Edgar Caro, chef and owner, says the "light, citrusy, fresh" tiradito is the perfect start for dinner at his Latin-Carribean restaurant. The fish rotates but has included selections such as raw hamachi crudo. "Hamachi is a rich, buttery fish and is one of my favorites when I go out for sushi." At Baru, he confits aji amarillo and other aromatics over low heat and then blends them with fresh lime juice to create a creamy leche de tigre sauce for the fish. Jicama and radishes add crunch and a ginger salsa chalaca, similar to a spicy relish, adds heat. The dish is finished with a few drops of yuzu oil.

Most Famous Dish: Pescado frito, or fried fish, with sweet coconut rice and smashed fried plantains

Brasa South American Steakhouse: Coliflor

Co-owner Antonio Mata wants more diners to order the wood-roasted cauliflower. "It's been on our menu since day one." The cauliflower is carefully washed, cleaned, and then heavily seasoned with a secret spice mix, roasted, and finished on the grill right before being served on a bed of whipped feta, cilantro pesto, spiced almonds, and chili oil. Mata swears his team treats their vegetables "like a steakhouse," and whether vegetarian or vegetable-enjoying, guests who taste the cauliflower return to order it again. "It's a truly memorable dish, rustic and full of flavors and textures."

MFD: Picanha—Australian wagyu beef coulotte steak

Here Today: Broccoli salad

Chef and owner Michael Stoltzfus and his team fills his rotisserie chicken restaurant with the same farm-fresh ingredients and expertise as their other restaurant, the storied Coquette. He has no hesitation naming his sleeper dish. "We sell way more than I think we should, but it always gets great feedback when someone has it that doesn't love broccoli." A bowl of fresh florets in a creamy, flavorful dressing topped with shredded cheese. "It's based on how I remember my mom's broccoli salad as a kid."

MFD: Whole Rotisserie Chicken, chicken fat rice, celery hot sauce, garlic mayo

Jacques-Imo's: Country-fried venison with peppery mushroom pan gravy

Chef and owner Jacques Leonardi feels like his venison is one of his favorite dishes that doesn't get enough love. The venison is panéed, pounded flat, and fried until golden and crispy, then served with cracked black pepper and a white, country gravy. "It has a wonderful not-too-gamey flavor because of the mushrooms." He recommends pairing it with a side of mashed potatoes.

MFD: Shrimp & Alligator Sausage Cheesecake

Molly's Rise & Shine: Scotty's collard greens and grits, two poached eggs, spicy salsa macha, cilantro peanut salad

Lauren Agudo, co-owner and mama of Molly's Rise & Shine, describes this dish so lovingly—the greens are rich in butter, the grits have a cream cheese tang, and the salsa macha and chopped peanuts add salt, crunch, and spice to the yolky drizzle of poached eggs. "This bowl is the real-deal, stick-your-ribs kinda hug-in-a-bowl that you need to get your day going."

MFD: Grand Slam McMuffin—sage pork sausage, Liz's English muffin, hash browns, griddled onions, fromage americain, Heinz ketchup

The Nell Shell: Sea-cuterie

Chef and co-owner Mary Nell Bennett says her "sea-cuterie," a sea version of a charcuterie board, is her least-ordered and most-misunderstood menu item. Anchored by smoked Gulf yellowfin tuna dip—brined and cold-smoked onsite each week—the sea-cuterie comes with pickled "pink" onions, cowboy candied jalapeños, gherkins, garlic dip, and toasted slices of Dong Phuong brioche. She says the real sleeper move is adding one more thing from the sea, be it some tinned fish or one of the at least four caviars in rotation. "If you love snacking and dips, which is my love language, this is your jam."

MFD: Maine-Style Lobster Roll on Dong Phuong brioche with lemon mayo dressing and chives

Seaworthy: Boquerones

Executive Chef Josh Boeckelman says the small-bite boquerones is one of the dishes "that represent us best." White anchovies on potatoes with green goddess dressing and an herb salad. "Minimialist in style yet bold in flavor and technique—it represents my cooking style."

MFD: Seaworthy Roll—crawfish, crab boil aioli, chow chow

Slim Goodies Diner: Napoleon Benedict

Deborah Schumacher, chief eggs-ecutive officer of Slim Goodies, is excited to tell the story. "Once upon a brunch, back in the kitchen of Slim Goodies, eggs Benedict was mentioned, and we said, 'Nah, we can do better.'" Her Napoleon Benedict was born not from tradition but from an act of culinary rebellion. The English muffin and Canadian bacon were ditched. This breakfast is a base of buttery sautéed spinach topped with a crispy, homemade potato latke. Layers of grilled tomato and freshly sliced avocado gently balance a soft, poached egg. Finally, a spicy crawfish cream sauce is poured, not merely drizzled, over everything. "It's a medley of smoke, spice, and decadence—wild with flavor, bold, [and] different. It's exactly what breakfast in New Orleans is supposed to taste like."

MFD: Creole Slammer—hash browns, scrambled eggs, and a biscuit "drowned" in crawfish étouffée

Don't Forget to Order These Dishes

New Orleans restaurants and chefs are renowned locally and internationally. If you're talented in the kitchen, everything on your menu will be delicious. There are no throwaway dishes. While we all know their most famous dishes, here are dishes only real locals know about and that regulars order. Don't sleep on 'em.

Spring Restaurant Guide 2025

Arnaud's

Smoked Pompano Bourgeois with sour cream, capers, and onions

Katy Casbarian, co-owner of this French Quarter grande dame establishment, says this fish dish is an innovative take on a classic, delicately smoked in-house with hickory for bold, modern flavors. "It highlights Arnaud's commitment to honoring tradition while pushing culinary boundaries. [It is] truly a must-try for any seafood lover."

(Most Famous Dish: King Louis Phillipe's Soufflé Potatoes with sauce Béarnaise)

Cane & Table

Crispy Braised Pork Ribeye

Executive Chef and Partner Alfredo Nogueria honors his Cuban heritage with "a really nice pork dish we added a couple months back." After a three-day process of brining, braising, chilling, and portioning, the cut gets crisped up to order and served over yucca sautéed in mojo butter, then topped with avocado salad, some pickled white onion, and mojo verde. "I'm very proud of it."

(MFD: Seasonal Seafood Croquetas with aioli and lemon)

Commander's Palace

Hickory Smoked Cauliflower

Ti Adelaide Martin, co-proprietor of one of New Orleans' most iconic restaurants, says, "I can't believe I am pushing my guests to order cauliflower, but I am." The florets are cold-smoked and then served with green tomato chow chow and crispy oyster mushrooms over a Louisiana field pea hummus. "It is an amazing combination of flavors."

(MFD: Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé with warm whiskey cream)

Doris Metropolitan

Both Eggplant and Tomatoes

Itai Bene, co-founder of Sof Hospitality, hails from a family of Israeli butchers and has two appetizers he cannot skip if he's eating at his own steakhouse. The baladi eggplant, charred and with tahini, tomato concasse, and pine nuts dusted with sumac, "carries the flavors I grew up on. It takes me home." His other favorite is the tomato celebration salad with four different preparations of tomato alongside mixed greens, Moroccan olives, and egg yolk. "It's odd that my picks are veggie driven, but, whenever I eat steaks, I love to have fresh, bright ingredients around them to round out the meal."

(MFD: Steak—USDA Prime or Japanese A5 Wagyu)

GW Fins

Dry Aged Tuna

Executive Chef Michael Nelson encourages diners at the French Quarter's premiere seafood restaurant to order this tuna any day it's available on the menu. "We only dry age the most pristine fish for our program. It's aged in large primal cuts for at least two weeks and sometimes up to 28 days. The finished tuna is treated like a high-end steak and has all the rich umami steak flavor to back it up. It will truly blow your mind."

(MFD: Scalibut—halibut and sea scallops with royal red shrimp risotto, snow peas, and pea shoot butter)

La Petite Grocery

Ricotta Dumplings with seasonable vegetables, sherry, and Grana Padano Formaggio

Chef, owner, and James Beard award-winner Justin Devillier loves his dumplings. "Little pillows of fluffy ricotta warmed in a bath of beurre monte. They get different accompaniments depending on the time of year. Hen-of-the-woods mushrooms are currently the sidekick of choice."

(MFD: Turtle Bolognese and Tagliatelle with fried soft-boiled egg, sherry, and parsley)

Mahony's Po-Boys

Cheeseburger a la Castle Po-Boy

Founder and Creative Director Robert LeBlanc speaks from the heart. "Everything we do at LeBlanc+Smith is one foot rooted in nostalgia and the other expressing 21st century New Orleans. I think my favorite thing is the cheeseburger po-boy—it taps into the nostalgic part. The entire thing is inspired by the [White]castle burgers I used to love as a kid: house-made flat beef patties, diced onions, and melted American cheese are a direct reference to what we all loved to eat as kids—and still do."

(MFD: The Peacemaker Po-Boy—fried shrimp, fried oysters, bacon, and cheddar)

Miss Shirley's

Sautéed Eggplant in Black Bean Sauce

Miss Shirley, the owner, matriarch, and namesake of Magazine Street's dim sum restaurant, recommends the eggplant with fermented black bean and garlic sauce. In Hong Kong, it's traditionally served with minced pork, but at Miss Shirley's, chicken, shrimp, and tofu are also options. "It's so good with just plain steamed rice," she says. "When I was creating the menu, I was thinking of my family's comfort food. Everyone has different favorites and always changes their minds. [It] used to drive me crazy cooking for them. It's a good thing you can't eat the same thing everyday. Like everything else at our restaurant, it's all handmade and hand-cut daily. You can really taste the freshness."

(MFD: Har Kow, a.k.a. steamed shrimp dumplings)

Saffron NOLA

Potato Nest Chaat

Head Chef and Beverage Director Ashwin Vilkhu swears by his Indian restaurant's bird's nest of crispy potatoes, dusted with Kashmiri chili and mango powder, then topped with a chickpea masala while sitting on a bed of salted yogurt. It's drizzled tableside with mint chutney and tamarind chutney before being topped off with chevra (an Indian snack mix with crispy chickpea noodles and dal). "The combination of textures and flavors often surprises people and keeps them coming back for more."

(MFD: Oyster Bed Roast)

Sylvain

Pappardelle Bolognese of house-made noodles with Grana Padano Formaggio

Todd Pulsinelli, culinary director of LeBlanc+Smith, notes that "it has been a day one dish" since the restaurant opened 15 years ago. "There's not much better than fresh pasta and super rich bolognaise. It feels like a warm hug. Even in the summer, you love it."

(MFD: Fried Chicken Sandwich)

Fall Restaurant Guide 2024

Company Burger:

Turkey Burger

Try and find a better poultry burger in the state. Chef and owner Adam Biderman counters, "I challenge anyone to make a better turkey burger for less than $10." He created his turkey burger to be "interesting to eat, with lots of different flavors" since "regular turkey burgers are usually boring." The patty is completely dark meat in order to keep it juicy. Chef recommends pairing with sweet potato fries and a malted vanilla Steen's milkshake. (Most Famous Dish: Company Burger)

Emeril's Wine Bar:

Wagyu Steak & Lobster Fried Rice

Emeril's original and flagship restaurant is tasting menu only nowadays. Its wine bar is a la carte and offers classics from the restaurant's past decades. EJ Lagasse, Emeril's son and chef patron, creates some new "dishes that [his] kitchen team and [he] like to eat on a day off or after a long service." His fried rice is "inspired by classic Chinese takeout but made with generous pieces of A5 Wagyu and lobster." It slaps. (MFD: Barbecue Shrimp 1990)

Frankie & Johnny's:

Bell Pepper Rings

Everyone goes to F&J's for seafood, but this neighborhood restaurant offers onion rings' Louisiana cousin, also. Bell peppers are chopped into rings then breaded and deep-fried the way only Southerners fry. And, of course, served with America's favorite condiment: ranch dressing. (MFD: Boiled Crawfish)

Guy's Po-Boys:

Grilled Shrimp Po-Boy

This is old-school AF: local Gulf shrimp seasoned with lemon, margarine, and Tony Chachere's and "dressed," always. It's lighter, but it's just as satisfying as its fried equivalent. (MFD: Fried Shrimp Po-Boy)

La Boca:

Provoleta

Everyone's favorite Argentine steakhouse serves another specialty with a cheese inherited from Italy. Provolone cut into cubes and tossed with Italian herbs and chili flakes. The cheese goes into small cast iron pans and under the broiler. Finished on the stove with quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh oregano. Perfect with a Malbec. (MFD: Entraña con or sin la Piel)

Miss Linda, The Yakamein Lady:

Crawfish Mac and Cheese

"It was my great-grandmother's dish that she passed down, really her seasonings, her spices," Chef Linda explains. "The yakamein seasoning, that trademark secret, is in it. We still add the love and the flavor. Only thing I changed is added more cheeses, some she wouldn't have gotten back then. But really it's the seasoning that makes it. We use elbow macaroni instead of spaghetti. A lot of people down here use spaghetti and call it 'macaroni." (MFD: Beef & Shrimp Yakamein)

Mister Mao:

Pani Puri with turmeric potato masala, seasonal fruit, tamarind chutney, and fiery mint water

It's impossible to go to Mister Mao and not order this classic street food. "I wouldn't sleep on it," chef-owner Sophina Uong says. "It's an Indian thing. I think people try our pani puri because they feel safe trying exotic or lesser-known foods in our space." (MFD: Kashmiri Fried Chicken with black salt yogurt and pink pineapple)

Mosca's Restaurant:

Chicken Cacciatore

Lisa Mosca, named after her grandmother (the og Lisa Mosca), co-owns the restaurant with her mother Mary Jo and says not enough people order cacciatore. A classic Italian dish, "Hunter's Chicken" is a whole bird, cut into pieces and sauteed with garlic, white wine, and Italian herbs and seasonings. Mosca's adds tomato sauce and cooks it down until it thickens and coats the chicken. She recommends the dish "dark" because she likes the chicken crispy with a side of bordelaise pasta and some bread to dip in the red gravy. (MFD: Oyster's Mosca.)

Pêche Seafood Grill:

22 oz. Ribeye

Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil on the wood-fire grill. Finished with a little more sea salt and an even better olive oil. Easily the best steak at a non-steakhouse restaurant. When it opened, Pêche won the James Beard awards for Best Chef: South and for Best New Restaurant in the entire country. This dish has been on the menu since the opening day and stayed on it. (MFD: Whole Grilled Gulf Fish with Salsa Verde, usually Red Fish)

Saint-Germain:

Aged Butter

Chef/owner Trey Smith explains it as "a pretty simple but time-consuming process." Culture is added to cream, which is then stored at the appropriate temperature to become cultured cream. The cream is mixed until it separates into butter and buttermilk. The butter is washed and stored in buckets with a layer of salt and cheesecloth on top then aged in a cold, cellar-like temperature for several months. Whether it's with bread service or part of a dish, this butter is creamy and also nutty…reminiscent of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. (MFD: Any protein —seafood or poultry— on the robata grill)

Toups Meatery:

Raw, Shaved Broccoli Caesar Salad

A classic Caesar salad made healthier with broccoli and kicked up several notches with Chef Isaac Toups's Cajun style of seasoning. Co-owner Amanda Toups says her husband and partner's Caesar dressing "has so much garlic, you could kill someone." (MFD: Double Cut Pork Chop, Dirty Rice, Cane Syrup Gastrique)

Turkey and the Wolf:

Collard Green Melt

In Mason Hereford's own words: "The sandwich I recommend to first time diners…rich, toasty, melty, double-decker lovechild of a pot of slow-cooked collards and a Reuben. Greens cooked for hours in vinegar, spices, butter, garlic. Russian dressing studded with spicy pickled cherry peppers, coleslaw, and Swiss cheese. The peppers add bursts of heat and acidity to the tangy sauce. We took a page from Dan Stein's book and use coleslaw instead of kraut. Three slices of toasted, seeded rye bread… sorta like a club sandwich. The middle slice, 'the soaker slice' as we refer to it, sops up the pot likker from the collard greens on top of it." (MFD: Fried Bologna Sandwich.)