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Food in New Orleans?
Hey All - Spending the month of July in New Orleans and it just occurred to me I could get some great rec's here. Anyone have any suggestions for places to eat/drink that aren't the usually touristy spots? We aren't afraid of spice, and love baked treats as well. Would welcome any recommendations. Thanks!
As, apparently, the only denizen of /r/neworleans on here, welcome! Have a good time! Tip your servers! Don't be a jerk.
You're in luck, because this is the really slow time of year for restaurants (hurricanes and brutal humidity tend to discourage tourism). Because of that, some of the best and fanciest restaurants get together every year to have special, reasonably priced menu selections all through the month of August. Going to a normally out-of-my-league restaurant for one of these lunch or dinner specials is about as local as it gets.
I know you said you'd be here all of July, and not August, but that's where the luck comes in; this year, the specials begin on July 14th. Check out The COOLinary New Orleans site. You can filter by neighborhood, type of food, etc., and see the special menu offered at each restaurant. Keep in mind, some of these places will require a reservation, so you should probably call ahead. Most places do not require a coat and tie, but some will require slacks and a collar (no jeans). Again call ahead to check if you're concerned.
I saw this at a couple of spots and had no idea what it was. Thanks for sharing the website so I can piece it together, appreciate it.
My brother used to live in New Orleans and my family is from LA, so I've been down there a lot. It's been a while though, so my recommendations could be outdated. I'll give the first 4 that come to mind:
I hope you enjoy! New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the world.
Thank you! Went to Bacchanal last week and loved it. I'm around the corner from a Ruby Slipper in the Marigny, the lines are crazy...
Welcome to New Orleans! What neighborhood are you staying in and what kind of food do you like? Something that a lot of people don't realize is that we have some of the best vietnamese food you can get. If you have a car, make sure to take the trip out to Dong Phuong in the east for bahn mi.
I really wish I had a car! That seems to be where all the good Vietnamese food is. I'm currently in the Marigny.
Banh Mi Boys in Metairie has some amazing Vietnamese food. @Parliament's Ruby Slipper recommendation is a very good one, too.
As far as downtown NOLA, nothing has yet topped brunch at Brennan's for me. Not exactly snooty high-class dining, but you'll want to dress up for it. The Bananas Foster is worth it, though - it was invented there, after all. I actually happen to know a couple of the servers there, and they take a lot of pride in what they do.
Cane's is always good, too. It's not unique to the city (or even to Louisiana anymore if I'm not mistaken), but if you just want some decent fast food chicken to destroy your insides, you can't go wrong with a Box Combo, toast instead of slaw.
Cane's is a guilty pleasure of mine, but I haven't been able to go in a couple years since moving away. I used to eat there a ton when I had a job traveling all over the state to different parish courthouses. You have to sub out the slaw for an extra piece of toast and order extra Cane's sauce too.
Thank you - this is awesome. I'd never heard of Cane's, I'll definitely need to give it a try.
I’ve only been there once, but the place I liked the most was Dizzy’s. It’s pretty close to bourbon street. It’s not a fancy place, but the people are really friendly and it has a lot of local history behind it. It’s a diner but also features a lunch buffet that has soul food like fried chicken, meatloaf in gravy, gumbo, and bread pudding. That place was so good that I don’t think I would be able to visit the city again without being able to go there.
What! I love buffets. Thank you for sharing this.
Drago's Charbroiled Oysters (go to the one in Metairie)
R&O Roast Beef Po'Boy
Dat Dawg on St. Charles
Camelia Grill on St. Charles for breakfast (not the one in Jackson Square)
Muffaletta at Central Grocery
Marina Grill in Metairie (? It's by the lake in any case) for breakfast
Morning Call in Metairie for begneits
... Don't be afraid to explore and just sit down in any place that catches your eye... Even the places that locals complain about can be better than almost any restaurant you find in other cities. Nola is in a class of its own as far as culinary experience is concerned. Far and away the best in the country IMHO. Places that exist to "charge people too much money for mediocre food" that are the rank-and-file in other cities just aren't prevalent there.
Do use caution if you're walking around drunk anywhere outside of Bourbon Street. Robbery is unfortunately common. You're safe in Jackson Square / Bourbon but just stay sober-ish if you're going to other parts of the city.
Thanks for getting back to me. You're not the first to tell me to use caution, I appreciate it.
Unfortunately, I don't have a car, so I think getting to Metarie is going to be difficult. I'm in the Marigny at the moment.
Thanks also for sharing R&O. I'm not a seafood person, but do love roast beef, so it's great to know of a po'boy place with something for me.
I’ve only been once so I’m no expert but I do recommend getting some gator. I didn’t know i was gonna love it as much as I did.