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From the home of Bananas Foster to a fast food icon, here are the most famous restaurants in New Orleans
Must Visit Restaurants In New Orleans
If you’re craving truly iconic food, New Orleans’ most famous restaurants have a reputation for legendary flavors—after all, some of these establishments have been around for more than 100 years. Important to the culinary heritage of New Orleans, this restaurant is a must for first-time visitors and longtime residents alike.
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The city’s food traditions are an important element of its cultural history. Cajun, Creole, African, Italian, French and other influences remain prominent in local cuisine. Here you can try iconic dishes (like beignets) from the same kitchen that made them famous, or just check out famous restaurants that have gained fame (or better yet, cult status) for more than just their food. Some places also house the best bars in New Orleans with classic cocktails like the sazerac.
Next time you’re looking for the best things to do in the city, don’t forget to explore the culinary heritage that awaits you at New Orleans’ most famous restaurants.
Dooky Chase—and chef Leah Chase—are New Orleans icons. Treme Restaurant is famous for its role in the Civil Rights movement, when many leaders used it as a meeting place to eat together. The walls are adorned with an impressive collection of African-American art and, of course, the food contributes to the fame: some of the best fried chicken in town, a menu of Creole classics and an impressive lunch buffet is a must-try.
Located in the Central Business District, Mother’s is known for its baked ham and Ferdi po’boys featuring ham, roast beef and chips (meat chips in au jus sauce). Mother’s has always been popular for breakfast, bacon-and-threes and po’boys, but got a boost in fame a few years ago when Beyonce visited and told her millions of social media followers about it.
Must Try Restaurants In New Orleans
It’s hard to miss the big pink restaurant on Royal Street in the French Quarter. Brennan’s is where the iconic dessert, bananas Foster, originated—giving it much-earned glory. Here, signature fiery dishes are served tableside. Inside the restaurant there is a magnificent courtyard with a pond, home to a group of turtles that take part in the famous local event: “The Second Slowest Row in the World.”
This Mid-City po’boy purveyor has been a favorite for decades, featuring affordable drinks and some of the best po’boys around town. Locally based and full of character, the eatery became even more famous with a visit from then-President Obama, and has been featured on various TV shows. While waiting for your sandwich, peruse the memorabilia and photos that adorn the walls.
Visitors to the Garden District can’t miss seeing the iconic striped awning in front of this historic restaurant near Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse catapulted the restaurant to worldwide fame when their careers began and now the Commander’s Palace is known for its excellent versions of Creole classics, its upscale but lively atmosphere and its 25-cent martini lunch.
A dive once frequented by mostly locals looking for a late-night bite now requires enclosures at certain hours to hold hordes of curious diners looking to enjoy one of the French Quarter’s most lauded spots for cheap, delicious food. Fame hasn’t changed the Coop much—the bartenders and servers are always chatty—and favorites like rabbit jambalaya, shrimp Creole and fried chicken are still top notch.
Best Restaurants In New Orleans
The legendary Treme restaurant has been serving soul food and the most popular fried chicken since 1957. The restaurant gained national fame when it won the James Beard award for best classic restaurant in the Southern region. Soon after, the flooding following Hurricane Katrina caused severe damage, but the food community rallied and helped restore the place by 2007. Since then, Willie Mae’s has been named America’s best fried chicken place by the Food Network, Travel Channel and more— for good reason. good
Amidst the chaos (and, let’s face it, disrespect) on Bourbon Street is an old-fashioned restaurant where waiters wear black tie and businessmen make deals during marathon lunch-to-dinner sessions. Here you will dine on famous traditional Creole dishes such as shrimp rémoulade and trout amandine.
Although there is only one dish available at this restaurant, it is the famous one. Cafe du Monde’s beignet is a local favorite, an affordable indulgence available anytime. The brand is known worldwide, and many celebrities and influencers have posted selfies covered in powdered sugar.
Although it was named after him and offered to him as a refuge after his exile from France, Napoleon never visited it. Still, this 200-plus-year-old landmark lives up to its name, serving thousands of Pimm’s Cups and muffulettas to locals and tourists alike. Grab a seat in the courtyard and watch out for the ghosts that are said to haunt the place.
Best Restaurants In New Orleans
This French Quarter beauty is famous for many reasons, not the least of which is its designation as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the United States. This is where oysters Rockefeller and eggs Sardou were invented, and other dishes such as potato soufflé and flaming cafe brûlot are revered. The large rooms, including the mirrored Rex Room, are visually stunning and have appeared in films such as
At chef Isaac Toups’ Mid-City restaurant, he combines 300 years of Cajun family tradition with sophisticated culinary training to create high-country dishes like fried rabbit hearts, pork rillettes and fried quail. His big personality resonated throughout the city, and he was nominated several times for a James Beard award.
After all these years, “Bam!”—chef Emeril Lagasse’s booming signature dish—remains a famous phrase. His flagship restaurant in the Warehouse District is still going strong after 30 years. Dine on contemporary Louisiana cuisine and finish with Emeril’s famous banana cream pie.
Along with Hurricane and Grenade, Monsoon is one of New Orleans’ most potent concoctions. On the edge of the French Quarter, you’ll find locals and tourists alike packing the dimly lit Port of Call for this party-starting drink. Fortunately, quality sustenance comes in the form of the kitchen’s famous half-pound burger that comes with a side of baked potato.
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A carefully researched list of the best fried chicken in New Orleans usually doesn’t use Popeyes; given its iconic status, this local favorite stands alone. The chain was born here and maintains the Louisiana flavor with perfectly crispy and spiced chicken. More than just chicken, Popeye’s is also loved for its red beans and rice and digestive biscuits.
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Sign up for our newsletter to enjoy the best stuff out there – it costs nothing. New Orleans is one of the great food cities in the world. The best restaurants in New Orleans include family-owned institutions and newer restaurants by award-winning chefs.
My parents took my brother and me to their favorite restaurants, some of which were the best places to eat in New Orleans. I’ve been back to the Big Easy several times since then.
The Best Restaurants In New Orleans
I learned about the history of cocktails, went on food tours in the French Quarter, and played jazz clubs every night.
Below is a list of my top restaurant picks in New Orleans, which I will continue to update with each new visit.
New Orleans was founded in 1718 and recently celebrated its 300th anniversary. Few large cities in the United States are as old or can claim such a long history.
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Dining in a century-old restaurant is a rare experience in the U.S. Thankfully, a handful of such New Orleans restaurants have survived.
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Established in 1840, Antoine’s is the oldest restaurant in New Orleans and the oldest family-owned restaurant in the country.
Antoine’s son, Jules, is credited with developing the recipe for Oysters Rockefeller, one of the restaurant’s iconic dishes.
Oysters served on the half shell are topped with a creamy herb green sauce and grilled or grilled. The exact recipe is still a family secret.
Every order of Oysters Rockefeller has been counted, and today’s diners are presented with a postcard displaying the exact number of their order.
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I was number 4,085,292 to be served and share the privilege with former presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, who dined there in 1937.
Other memorable dishes include the Pompano Pontchartrain (grilled fish fillet topped with crabmeat and white wine butter sauce) and the cherry jubilee (cherries flambeed tableside and served over vanilla ice cream).
After your feast, I recommend walking through a dozen private dining rooms; many are dedicated to Mardi Gras krewes.
In 1893, Emile Commander opened a saloon at the corner of Washington Avenue and Coliseum Street in the heart of the Garden District.
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He turned it into a fine dining restaurant within a few years, and it quickly grew in popularity.
This Haute Creole restaurant has won seven James Beard Awards, has
