Welcome to The Big Easy, a city full of jazz, crazy good food, and of course, Mardi Gras! New Orleans (NOLA) is truly a city like no other. Yes, every city has its own unique charms, but NOLA has a distinctive, one-of-a-kind style and such a vibrant scene with endless things to do. New Orleans has high-rise buildings, but no one thinks of New Orleans with the high-rise reputation that NYC has. NOLA is in the Gulf Coast region, which means fresh seafood and maybe even a ~steamboat tour~ if you’d like (we did not, but you definitely can!).
I’m so ready to share some restaurants I found in the exciting and multicultural food scene of New Orleans. This city is known for its Creole cuisine and French influences, but is also popular for its Vietnamese food, which makes sense, as both Louisiana and Vietnamese food are lightly French-inspired amongst many other influences. Scroll down below to check out the eats of this lively city!
New Orleans was actually a half-way on a very lengthy road trip that began in Florida and would conclude back at home in New Jersey. So after a few hour long car ride from Miramar Beach, our first stop was at Maypop, a Southeast Asian-inspired, contemporary Louisiana restaurant (I know, a mouthful). The restaurant has a classy feel, but it is still casual enough to walk in for a fun, enjoyable brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Bone marrow is a very luxury item, and it's definitely not an easy dish to do well. I will say, I've never had a bad bone marrow dish in my life - the buttery and fatty inside is irresistible! This bone marrow is likely the best bone marrow dish I've had. It's topped with oxtail, sweet, caramelized onions, and gravy juices. It had such a complex, umami flavor that paired amazingly with the naan. I'm sure the dish has evolved a bit since I went, but I have no doubt that it's still just as good. We also tried the blue crab mapo tofu hand-pulled noodles, which was every bit as exciting as it sounds. The noodles had a great chew, and the sauce was slightly spiced, but definitely nothing too overwhelming. They also gave us these curry beignets as a starter, which is just about the best replacement for free restaurant bread you can get.
Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse is an award-winning classic steakhouse, but with a Creole twist. The steak was tasty, as expected, but it was made 100000x better by the Creole butter it was topped with! Definitely get the corn brulee too - this brûléed, sweet, but a little savory, silky corn pudding is the perfect accompaniment to your steak. This restaurant is perfect for special occasions, but it is also very packed, so I'd be sure to get a reservation!
After walking through the French Quarter for an afternoon, we did a quick search through Google Maps to stumble upon The Original French Market Restaurant and Bar, a family-owned Creole kitchen that prides themselves on making everything from scratch. We tried their raw oysters on the half shell, BBQ shrimp and grits (pictured above), jambalaya, and the Louisiana crab cakes that are smothered in a crawfish cream sauce. The restaurant is in a great location, and it serves up a taste of New Orleans that feels comforting in this bustling city.
Arguably the most famous foodie destination of NOLA, Café du Monde serves up beignets and several variations of café au lait. Did you even go to NOLA if you didn't eat a beignet?!
Café du Monde has been doing their beignets since 1862, 24 hours a day (except Christmas day). These light and airy pockets of dough topped with mountains of powdered sugar are an irresistible treat. I was only in NOLA for two days, so I only had the opportunity to try beignets once, which was at Café du Monde, so I'm not actually sure where the best beignets are! I was extremely happy after trying Café du Monde's beignets, so I would highly recommend it anyways 😊.
Willa Jean is a Southern-style restaurant named after Chef Partner Kelly Fields’ grandmother. I went after our meal at Maypop to get their famous chocolate chip cookies and milk combination, which I shared with my sister. The cookies weren't extremely special in terms of taste, but they were perfectly soft and had a good amount of chocolate. I enjoyed their Tahitian vanilla milk as well. The retro-chic restaurant/café was still busy even at ~9PM (not sure if eating late is just a New Orleans cultural thing), and it is well-reviewed online for their food. Since I only had the cookies, I can't say much about anything else, except that the decor of the place is very aesthetic!
The French Quarter is the heart of New Orleans and one of the famous neighborhoods in America. You can find colorful buildings, Cajun food, and an endless assortment of activities here. There's jazz music playing throughout the streets, and you definitely won't be bored wherever you walk. The thirteen-block Bourbon Street has lots of nightlife for adults and is a whole street of celebration & joy.
The Garden District is a lovely neighborhood and somewhat peaceful getaway from the lively French Quarter. Its streets are lined with oak trees and is filled with a large variety of homes, ranging from charming cottages to impressive multistory mansions, as well as stunning lush gardens to see. There are boutique shops and small cafés located in the district available to visit too.
Saint Louis Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in North America*, is one of New Orleans' most famous landmarks. Despite its old age, this cathedral is still well-preserved, as its triple steeples still shine nicely, and the building itself is still so purely clean. Upon the arrival Adrien De Pauger of France on 3/29/1721, the cathedral began its construction alongside Engineer-in-Chief of Louisiana, LeBlond de la Tour. The Cathedral-Basilica has been in use since 1727 and is named after King of France, Louis IX. The cathedral sits right by the Mississippi River and is conveniently located in the French Quarter, making this historic, beautiful sight difficult to miss.
Being a self-proclaimed foodie, I have always wanted to visit New Orleans for its one-of-a-kind culture and uniquely diverse cuisine, and our road trip back to New Jersey allowed for it to be a perfect stop. My trip, while short, did not disappoint, as I got to eat my heart out and experience a small taste of what NOLA is like. Life here is like an exciting, all-day party, and I’d love to return someday!
See you soon,
Carissa 😊